Mannysmoke Episode 3: Where

There's Smoke There's Fire

By SJ

Cassie rose at 6 AM to clean, cook and pace the floor waiting for Ray Santos to come back again this morning. The thoughts kept coming to her, why did she ever let him leave.  All she could do was think about him all night long. She should have thrown him down in the grass last night and kissed him mercilessly until he succumbed to her charms. On the other hand, maybe she should have just taken advantage of him yesterday afternoon right there on the river bank, she should have just let him be surprised that she was untouched. Cassie knew she was entering dangerous territory with this man.

With a man like Ray Santos, it was very possible she would cease caring about much other than her primal need for him all of the time.  She thought to herself, I am such a fool. We only kissed; let us see what today will bring.  It is likely he will not even show up. That deputy Marshall said ranchers were different sorts from sodbusters and townsfolk.

Cassie bathed, braided her hair and prepared dinner including a dish she learned to cook back east using ham and potatoes and curdled cheese. She made fresh corn bread and deep dish apple pie. She changed into a pair of her deceased husband's old pants and an old denim shirt. She wanted Ray to think she was serious about this and was not using riding as an excuse to get him back out here. The truth was she knew how to ride, but what he did not know could only help her right. She liked the way the pants and shirt looked on her; she looked almost like a harlot.  This should attract him.

Ray showed up an hour early. He brought along two dogs, two horses, a surrey (a hitched buggy) and four ranch hands.  He set the hands about fixing up the bunkhouse and setting up their canteen then instructed them to start repairs on the corrals, the field fencing and barn roof repairs.  Cassie wiped her hands on her pants. All of a sudden, she was warm and perspiring. He looked more handsome today than yesterday. He was wearing black raw denim pants with a double loop suede belt, a dark denim shirt and a black straw cowboy hat. No chaps today, oh well, she sighed.

When he saw her, he removed his hat and blushed deeply. Then he saw that she was wearing pants and he pulled her into the house quickly and said that she needed to put a skirt on, maybe one of those broomstick skirts the women from Mexico wore at least until they'd left the ranch.  He did not want any of the men getting any ideas about her. She said that she would gladly comply and thanked him quickly for all the bounty he brought her today.

Ray Santos watched her turn away from him and walk towards the room he assumed was where she kept her clothing and where she slept; her bed was in there.  He made two strides and gently grabbed her hand, and whirled her around. She looked up at him breathlessly.  He quickly kissed her soundly on the mouth, his hands encircling her waist. As the kiss intensified, she pushed her pelvis towards his, but he broke the kiss suddenly.  "I forgot to tell you hello," he said rather sheepishly. 

"Well, hello," she said.

Ray let go of her and watched her go into the room.  She returned a minute later wearing a long calico print skirt. Ray showed her the horse he had brought a long for her as a gift. He told her he selected the animal just for Cassie based on its athletic ability and gentle manner, he added that the horse was sometimes testy but a sure hand would keep her in control.  Cassie smiled at the similarities the horse shared with her person.  She told Ray that she loved the horse but would prefer riding with him today on his horse.

Ray smiled to himself this was going to be easier than he thought. All the way over he worried that yesterday's meeting was a mistake.  However, her responses to him today proved that he had been right; this filly was very interested in the same things as he. No doubt the shock of grief, all the travel and being 25 and unmarried contributed to her desire to mate and soon. If someone had to do it, Ray Santos was the man.  He warned himself once again not to get hooked to this woman. He would not stay the night with her and he would play hard to get and wait for her to come to him next time. That was the right way; to get what he sought. He wanted this land and as for his desire for her well, she made for a nice concession prize. 

Cassie smiled as she thought about her earlier concerns.  She was sure she had the cattleman in an awkward position now.  His response to her kiss indicated that yesterday's interplay was not an accident.  She would have him today and repeatedly if she had anything to do with it.  Sure she'd marry if she had to but there was no way this man would ever play a central role in her life. She reminded herself again not to allow him to spend the night.  That would not be proper.  She patted the two dogs. How did this man know that she loved mutts especially white and black ones?

"What shall I call them," she said?

Ray replied, " I'm not sure it is up to you."

"Well, do you like the names Slate and Chalk?"

Ray responded, "Sure sounds good."  He thought if she does foal, no way is she naming the kid.

Cassie accepted Ray's offer of his hand to mount his horse, today he rode a tame Bay mare named Brandy. Cassie did not ask but assumed the name came from the horse's coloring, which resembled the color of brandy liquor.  He helped her place her boot in the stirrup and was surprised when she pulled herself up and mounted the mare.  He was equally surprised to see that she no longer had on those denim pants underneath the skirt; in fact, it appeared she had nothing on underneath at all. He swallowed hard.  He got on the horse behind her and started teaching her the basics of rein work, foot work and how to sit up and down in the saddle as the horse moved.  He explained that the movements of the horse and the speed of the horse's gallop or gait would indicate to her after a bit the movements she in turn should learn to coordinate in the saddle. Soon after more lessons, she would set the pace by her actions and the horse would work to coordinate with her actions. 

Ray explained that if you did not accompany the horse's movements, your legs would be sore for days and you would experience what was commonly called saddle sores but in reality this meant a rear end that was so bruised you could not tell your seat's proper coloring for days on end.  After a bit, with every movement the horse made, Cassie followed in perfect rhythm.  He sat there thinking about the lack of clothing underneath her skirt and he forgot to give her further instructions. 

After a few moments, he heard Cassie laughing and saw clearly that she knew how to ride, probably had since childhood. He thought this was a typical woman's trick to try to fool the man into thinking he is teaching what has already been taught. Ray decided to take her through some more difficult paces and directed Brandy to head towards some fencing for some jumping. 

Brandy knew his commands by the feel of the reins, his hands and the sound of his whistles and overall voice tone. All animals seemed to respond to him especially females.  Cassie saw the horse was going to start a series of  jumps and grew stiff; Ray put his arms tight around her waist.

He said, "Are you ready?"

She nodded yes and then said, "Yes," she took the jumps brilliantly.  Ray was stunned. Whatever he gave, Miss Cassie responded in kind.   

He tried a different tact.  He leaned forward and whispered into her left ear.

"Are you sore; are your legs tired from the ride?"  

She nodded and said, "A little," assuming he meant them to get off the horse a bit and walk about.  Instead, he gave the horse a command to walk on at a gait. He slipped his arms back through Cassie's and placed both hands on her hips then moved them farther down touching her thighs. From there he started a slow gradual massage of her thighs, rubbing their tops to relieve the soreness that she hadn't even realized was there until his hands touched her legs.  He leaned towards her ear again and half blew half whispered  

"Are you sore anywhere else?"

She shook her head yes and he started to massage her inner thighs, she leaned back into him and he continued the slow movements, he felt her body heat rise as he continued to massage the tops and then again her inner thighs.  His touch intensified from a gentle massage to a stronger stroking and then to a soft intense rake with each individual finger. She had her head back against his neck now and was moving around a bit in the saddle to indicate her discomfort or was it pleasure?  Ray moved ever closer to the area she wanted him to touch, the area which was now beginning to throb. But no matter how much she moved or contorted, he would not touch her there.  Finally, she brazenly pulled her skirt up to expose her suede moccasin styled boots and the bare expanse of pale white thigh above it.

"Ray," she cried out, "please."  Ray was a strong man and did not answer her sirens call he just continued the massage and continued to kiss her neck and blow small breaths of air into her ear.  Finally, she stood up in the saddle, quickly swung one leg around and grabbing onto Ray quickly executed a turn so that she was facing Ray and sitting in his lap.

"Turnabout is fair play," she said and began to kiss him while at the same time unbuttoning his shirt.  She started pulling at his belt and was able to pull the looped buckles loose. She undid three of the buttons of his pants and breathed in heavily.  Ray laughed at her surprise.

"So what you said yesterday was true, you haven't been with a man or seen one have you?"

"Umm no, is this how they all look, I like it.  But are you sure this will work?  How is that going to fit?"

Ray laughed and pushed up her skirt again, he lightly patted Brandy on the side and said walk on to the Mexican field.  At least it sounded like he said something like that. He started his massage of her inner thighs again and Cassie reached inside of his pants. Without warning, she stood up then and while leaning against Ray sat back down.  Santos heard the sharp intake of her breath and he said. "Oh I am so sorry Cass."

She was crying now, it hurt and hurt badly.  "Stop trying to move," he said, "just wait, here cry into my shoulder Cass, it will be all right." She definitely had been a virgin, he should have taken more time to prepare her, and he should have touched her when she begged for it.  Slowly as the horse sauntered on, Cassie started to raise her head.  With each movement of the horse, she felt herself accommodating to the size of this man.  She leaned into Ray again and he kissed her as sweetly as he knew how. Slowly, Cassie's feelings of pain and discomfort were changing into feelings of excitement and her stomach felt as if a small group of butterflies were dancing around. She also felt a strong return of the urging feeling she had earlier.

As they broke from the kiss, she sighed, "This was worth that fifteen day tip by train and coach out here, Ray Santos.  Men like you do not exist back home."

They were both a little displaced, he said, "Hmmm, what?" 

She murmured, "Hmmm?  Ray, this is very nice, I like this, I do."

"Oh you do, do you?" he queried. 

"But is this it?  I like this, how long does it last?"

"Cass, this is not it, just a minute."  He kissed her again and once again, she willingly folded into his kiss, each of them soulfully kissing the other, following one another's tongues in a separate mating ritual.   

Ray called out to Brandy, "Whoa, there girl." Brandy stopped.

Cassie looked into Ray's face questioning the loss in movement and said. "What, where are we Ray?"

He replied, "This is too rough on the horse's back and loins and besides honey for your first time I really think this place would be better."

Cassie looked up and around and saw that they were in a field of brilliant purple flowers. "What is this, where are we?" she said. 

"We are in field of Mexican Heather, it is a flower indigenous to this area and to Mexico. It is a very resilient flower just like you. It needs very little water to thrive and survive the harsh conditions around here.  But Cass, you are going to need a lot of me to thrive, I promise you." 

He reached into his saddlebags and threw two blankets down to the ground. Santos gently lifted her from him and sat her back down properly on his lap.  He reached and put his feet through the stirrups and started kissing her again. She liked this kissing but was growing a bit inpatient, there really seemed to be something missing now, although she still could not place what it was.

Part 3b

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