My Sassy Settler (Willamette Wives Book 2) (11 page)

"I'm guessing everything worked out?"

"Huh?"

Richard's chuckle had Wyatt shaking his head to clear it of the vision he'd been contemplating enjoying. "Well, you aren't limping, so I'm guessing your ankle is good. I was just asking if everything else is as well."

Though he wouldn't share intimate details about his marriage with the two men who had just ridden off, Wyatt appreciated the companionship and advice gleaned from those who obviously lived a happy married life. "I think everything will be great," he said. "It will take a while because of Wallace, but I think we finally took our first step to get out from under his hatefulness."

"Every journey starts with that first step," Richard said, slapping him on the back. As the men mounted their horses, he chuckled. "A word of warning, if I may?"

Wyatt nodded.

"Just this: no matter how many steps you and Agatha take, know that the journey never truly ends." He grinned and turned his horse around. "Of course, that's the beauty of it all. If there is no end, there are plenty of opportunities to both redden a pretty bottom and then comfort that bottom's owner."

Wyatt couldn't prevent the vision of Agatha lying beneath him, or the joy her cries of pleasure had brought him. He grinned as his idea returned and nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

They rode together for a little while before Richard peeled off towards his cabin. As Wyatt drew closer to his house, he could see smoke drifting from the chimney. Urging his horse to go a bit faster, he realized that, for the first time, he truly considered himself as going home.

He pulled up and, instead of dismounting, he sat in the saddle and grinned. His little wife was standing outside, one hand on her hip, the other hand holding a shallow pan and, if he wasn't mistaken, she was holding a conversation with the chickens. Leaning forward, he corrected himself. Nope, she was lecturing the rooster.

"Listen to me, buster. You may think you are the most important bird in the coop, but I've got news for you." She used her free hand to motion towards the hens pecking at the feed she'd just scattered. "You are not, I repeat, not needed to provide the eggs these ladies so thoughtfully provide for my husband's breakfast, or the bread and cakes I bake for his enjoyment." Wyatt had a hard time not chuckling as she shook her finger in the rooster's direction.

"The only job you have is to make baby chicks, but let me warn you. If you chase me again, if you peck at my ankles or make me be naughty, I won't be happy. I might get my bottom smacked, but you, sir, will find your head separated from your cocky body, which will be roasting in my pot. Do you understand?"

He could swear the rooster was actually listening, and when it raised its head and crowed, Wyatt expected her to turn and high tail it out of the coop. Instead she surprised him again.

"Good, now that we have an understanding, here's your dinner." She flung some feed onto the ground. The rooster began to peck at the tasty morsels but when several of its flock ran over, it stepped back, allowing them to feed. "Well, that's more like it," Agatha said. "Every female appreciates a gentleman."

Wyatt dismounted as she scattered more feed. She squealed when he slipped his arms around her waist as she backed out of the coop.

"Think you straightened him out?"

"Wyatt, you scared me," she said, turning in his arms.

"Sorry, darlin'. Let me make up for scaring you." He bent his head and kissed her. She kissed him back, her arm going around his neck. Though he'd left her only a few hours earlier, and though he'd poured himself into her body, his cock was rapidly rising. He pressed her closer and pushed his pelvis into hers before he lifted his lips. Before he could speak, she did.

"Seems there is more than one cock in this yard."

He was shocked but then he grinned. "Yes, but I'm the one you need to truly worry about. That cock," he paused to nod towards the rooster who was enjoying its dinner, "might get you into trouble, but, young lady, I'm the cock who will have the pleasure of roasting
your
little ass." He loved the flush that appeared on her face. "Get back inside before we give a physical demonstration on proper fertilization."

"Wyatt!"

He chuckled. "Go on, it's cold out here. I'll be in as soon as I see to the horses."

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. She headed towards the house and he returned to his horse. Once in the barn, he removed the saddle and gave him a rub down, and then a quick brush. He'd retrieve his own horse, Chester, tomorrow, but in the meantime he made damned sure he took care of Richard's. Filling feed buckets and making sure water pails were full, he forked a few pitchforks of hay into the stalls before picking up his rifle and stepping out of the door. The overcast had cleared, and he could see the beginning glow of millions of stars across the deepening violet of the sky. The only sounds were the wind, the shuffling of the animals in the barn, and his sigh of contentment. Remembering his plan, he propped his rifle against the wall of the house and picked up both buckets by the barrel. The creek was only a short distance from the back of their cabin and it didn't take long and only three trips before he'd not only completely refilled the barrel, but the two buckets were also full. Leaving them on the porch, he picked up his rifle and entered the house.

The aroma from the venison stew greeted him the moment he opened the door. Agatha was at the table, slicing a loaf of bread. She looked up and smiled when the sound of his stomach growling filled the cabin.

"Or maybe that was a bear in the yard instead of a cock."

He had no idea where her teasing was coming from, but God, he loved her sassiness. He could give her tit for tat. Drawing her close again, he bent down to kiss the sensitive spot behind her ear before whispering. "The only bare thing in this room is going to be you." He could feel her shiver and didn't think she was cold.

He gave her bottom a swat and after putting his rifle on its hooks, he told her he'd be right back. Bringing the buckets into the house, he set them on hooks over the fire. By the time dinner was done, they'd be ready. As Agatha dished up the stew and put their bowls on the table, Wyatt shrugged out of his coat, hanging both it and his hat on their hooks.

"This smells delicious," he said after pulling out her chair and kissing the top of her head as she sat. The stew tasted as good as it smelled, and he gladly accepted a second bowl. Freshly baked bread slathered with butter and honey completed the meal. He insisted she join him for coffee and then helped clear the table. He carefully transferred some of the hot water to the dishpan.

"I'll fix your bath while you finish these," he said.

"Thank you."

He left her humming as she worked. Going back outside, he got the tub they used for bathing and carried it into the house. Setting it down before the fire, he poured the first bucket of heated water into it.

"What are you doing?"

"I told you, fixing your bath," he said, lifting the second pail.

"I bathe in the bedroom."

"Not any longer," he said, emptying most of the water from the second bucket into the tub. "It is far too cold to bathe in the bedroom and besides, I believe I just told you that you'd be bare in this room."

"Wyatt, I was just teasing about the…"

He stood and turned towards her. She was standing by the table, her hands twisting in her apron. Going to her, he took her in his arms.

"I know you were and I loved hearing you tease. It tells me that you are learning to relax, that you are happier." He kissed her forehead. "Don't start tensing up now, Aggy. Let me teach you there are all sorts of wonderful ways to relax."

"Will you go into the bedroom while I bathe?"

"No, darlin', this lesson is going to be very up close and personal." He reached behind her back and untied the bow at her waist. "I'm not only not going into the other room, I'm going to be joining you in
our
bath."

Her sharp gasp didn't deter him in the slightest. He tossed her apron onto the table and took her hand, leading her to the tub.

"Wait," she said. He held back a sigh, having hoped that this would go differently. Reminding himself to be patient, he released her hand. "You forgot the soap and towels." She slipped away and he took a deep breath. It seemed that he wasn't the only one who needed a few lessons.

Taking a twig from the mantle, he smiled. She'd told him that she hoped he didn't mind that she'd moved his centerpiece so that it wouldn't get broken. She hadn't told him that she had obviously put some thought into making it even more special. Though the fire gave off some light, he'd appreciate a bit more, and they'd need the candle when they went to bed.

He saw Agatha placing the towels onto the stool next to the hearth. "That's very pretty. Thank you for adding your touch."

Her eyes followed his gaze to the centerpiece. They both stood in silence for a moment. "It takes two to build a life, Aggy. I need you to help me and I pray that you accept my help and my love."

"I-I do."

He undressed her slowly, caressing her skin as he bared it. When she was down to her chemise and bloomers, he took off his clothes until he stood naked in front of her. He was expecting her blush but he wasn't expecting her giggle. "Imagining that funny person again?"

"No, I was trying to picture the look on your face if I wore your union suit instead of my bloomers."

He shook his head. "Darlin', I don't give a fig what you wear. I'd still think you were the most beautiful woman on earth." He reached for the ribbons of her chemise. When the fabric fell open, he slid his hands inside and cupped her breasts, his cock twitching at the realization that her nipples were already puckered so tightly. "My wife," he said, bending to kiss the throat she exposed when she threw her head back. "My love." He removed her bloomers and helped her into the bath.

Despite his vision of romance, he had to join her in laughter when he stepped in as well. Water sloshed over the edge and it took several attempts and adjustments before they were both immersed. He sat with his legs folded to form a lap on which she could sit. She leaned her back against his front. He lathered a cloth and gently washed her arms before sliding the cloth over her breasts. He enjoyed every sigh, every moan and every soft mew as his fingers both bathed and played across her skin. She giggled as she lifted first one leg and then the other out of the warmth of the water so that he could wash them. She blushed when he told her to kneel up.

"Relax, Aggy, I've got you." He ran the cloth over her back, circling slowly down until he reached the swell of her bottom. Her skin was slightly flushed but he knew it was from the heat of the bath and not from her spanking. "Spread your legs for me." When she did, he ran his hand down her thigh. "Wider."

"Um, I can't."

"Yes, honey, you can. Remember…"

"No, I didn't mean that. I can't because this tub is too small."

"Oh, well, shit."

"Wyatt Wilcox, it is not proper to curse."

"Agatha Wilcox, a man can't help but curse when forces outside his control obstruct his ability to please his wife."

"Please me later, husband. For now, can we finish our bath? The water is getting cold."

Satisfied that she had the right idea, he finished bathing her and then immensely enjoyed her returning the favor. It had taken several minutes, but she'd finally managed to wrap the soapy cloth around his cock and hadn't seemed surprised to feel it lengthen beneath her hand. He wanted nothing more than to lift her and impale her on his shaft, but forced himself to be patient. Instead, he set her back and then stood and stepped from the tub. After wrapping a towel around his waist, he told her to bend forward.

She moaned as he washed her hair and he took the time to massage her scalp. After he poured the rest of the warm water over to rinse it, he wrapped it in a towel and then helped her from the water, wrapping the last towel around her body, not failing to notice that her nipples were hard as diamonds and that her eyes were filled with desire. As much as he wanted to pick her up and deposit her on the bed, he knew that she couldn't go to bed with wet hair.

"Stay here," he instructed, guiding her to sit on the stood. She nodded and began to towel dry her hair as he went into the bedroom. Returning with her hairbrush, he pulled up a chair from the table and sat behind her.

"Careful," she said and he paused.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to pull."

"You didn't," she said turning her head to look up at him. "I just meant that if you aren't careful, you are going to spoil me. It feels wonderful to have my hair brushed, and I just might forget how to do it myself."

He bent to kiss the top of her head before continuing to brush out the drying strands. "As long as you forget how to bathe yourself, I'll be very glad to
not
be careful." He saw her tremble and smiled. As soon as her hair was dry, he was going to show her exactly how much he planned on spoiling his wife.

Chapter Nine

"Anna, we are only going for a few hours, not months," Richard said as his wife tucked yet another diaper into the satchel.

"You can never be too prepared," she countered, looking around the cabin and grabbing a blanket from the back of a chair. As she attempted to shove it into the very little remaining space in the bag, her husband took it from her.

"Nope, that's enough," he said, taking it from her and buckling it closed.

"But, Richard—"

"Annabelle Rose, do I need to remind you that you gave birth to only one child and not triplets? Johnny has his quilt, and how many diapers can one boy go through in an afternoon?"

"You might be surprised."

"What will surprise me is if you manage to get your backside out the door without it being warmed first." When she opened her mouth to protest, he grinned. "Of course, I believe there are several more ginger roots in the cellar."

* * * * *