Mary-Beth still hadn't heard the full story of what had gone wrong at Blackwater. Dutch had been giving his speeches about the gang needing to trust each other and work together to survive their predicament. Other than that, nobody spoke of the failed robbery, and Mary-Beth herself kept busy with her usual camp chores. But Colter's harsh conditions and dwindling food supplies cast a shadow of uncertainty over their future. She hoped they wouldn't linger here too long, risking their survival.
"How are ya doin', Miss Gaskill?"
Mary-Beth recognized the raspy but calm voice immediately—it was Arthur. "Can't say it's been pleasant, Mr. Morgan, but thanks for checkin' on me."
"No problem," he replied, "been makin' rounds to see how everyone's holdin' up. Been tough for all of us since Blackwater."
"You're quite right about that, Mr. Morgan. But I'll manage for now."
"That's all I wanted to hear, Miss. Hope ya do fine."
"Goodbye, Arthur."
"G'bye, Mary-Beth."
She watched as the large figure walked off carefully. Ever since she had joined the gang, he had been nothing but nice to her, and everyone else for that matter. But, at least to her, he was more like an older brother than anything else.
Nearby, Tilly was tending to a pot of stew over a weak fire. "Arthur's got a good heart, doesn't he?" Tilly remarked, stirring the pot slowly.
"He does," Mary-Beth agreed, offering a small smile. "We're lucky to have him."
"And we're lucky to have you," Tilly added, squeezing Mary-Beth's shoulder gently.
Mary-Beth returned the gesture, feeling a flicker of warmth in the cold.
Just then, a shadow moved at the edge of the camp. It was Will, carrying a bundle of firewood. His gleaming auburn hair caught the dim light, and his soft green eyes found Mary-Beth's, offering a shy smile. They had shared moments of intimate conversation and lingering looks that hinted at a deeper connection since he rejoined the gang.
"Need a hand with that?" he asked, his voice warm and inviting.
Mary-Beth's heart skipped a beat. "Oh, I'm fine, but thank you," she replied, her cheeks flushing slightly in the cold.
"Alright," Will nodded, his gaze lingering on her for a moment before he turned and walked away.
Later, as the camp settled into a quiet lull, Mary-Beth found herself alone with Will near one of the fires. They had shared moments of playful banter and lingering glances since he returned.
"You look like you could use some warmin' up," Will said, sitting close beside her. His hand rested on her knee, a gentle but firm presence that sent a shiver down her spine.
"I'm fine, really," she murmured, though she made no move to push him away.
Will moved his body close to herself, wrapping his arms around her delicate figure. He pressed his lips upon the side of her neck, continuing when she showed no sign of protest. His hand slid slowly, almost imperceptibly, up her side, stopping just below her chest. She held her breath as his fingers traced the edge of her blouse, teasing her sensitive breasts.
"Will," she whispered, half in wanting, half in encouragement. His touch was intoxicating, a dangerous dance on the edge of propriety.
Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps made her heart leap into her throat. Karen and Tilly were coming around the corner, laughing about something. In a panic, Mary-Beth grabbed Will's hand and pulled it away, her face burning with embarrassment.
"Don't touch me like," she hissed, but her words laced conviction.
Will looked very confused, his eyes searching hers for an explanation. "Sorry, you won't have to worry about me again," he said, with pain in his eyes. As he walked away, she could see a hint of shame evident in his demeanor.
Karen's voice rang out as they approached. "Why's your face so red, Mary-Beth? You look like you've been sunburnt.
Mary-Beth stammered, trying to think of a quick excuse. "I-I just got too close to the fire, that's all."
Tilly raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "Sure you did. Just be careful, you don't want to get burned."
Mary-Beth was conflicted within while she sat there, listening to the other women. What Will had started to do to her, what she was so sure she was ready for, all ruined because she was too embarrassed to have her friends see her doing something wrong. And she knew she hurt Will. Bad. If she had told him that she didn't want to get caught, or that she wasn't ready, he would have understood. But, she instead did something stupid and told him to not touch her like that. And she could see he was shamed because he thought they were close enough for this, but she had just straight up rejected him after he went a little further. She wasn't specifically embarrassed of Will or what they were doing. She was embarrassed, at the time, because she didn't want her friends seeing her sitting there, enjoying it . She didn't want them thinking she was some kind of little whore. She shed a tear. This is something she wished she had Will to talk about it with. But she pushed him away. How could she be so stupid.
The morning after, Mary Beth walked over to the cabin Will was staying in and knocked on the door. The door opened and she was about to explain the events of last night when she saw that Javier was at the door, not Will.
"Miss Gaskill. What do you need?"
"Mr. Escuela, do you mind asking Will out here for me?"
"Sorry, Mary Beth, but Will's not here. He went hunting with Charles and Arthur earlier this morning. They haven't come back yet."
"Thank you, Javier. Can you send him my way when he gets back?"
"Course, ma'am. It's no problem."
A few hours later, she was sitting but the fire, knitting, when she saw Will walk towards her.
"Wanted to see me, Mary Beth?"
"Yes, Will about last night…"
"I told ya, Mary Beth, you don't got to worry about me doin' that again."
"No, Will, that's not what it was about. I was fine with ya doin' that, ya crossed no lines. I just got scared cause Karen and Tilly were coming towards us."
"You sure that's all that was 'bout? You seemed kinda flustered. Still do."
"Will, no, I feel bad for pushing you away like that. I was just embarrassed cause I enjoyed it a bit."
"Ya don't have nothin' to be sorry for. I know you got your bound'ries."
"Look, just listen for a moment Will. I thought there may be a way I could make it up to ya." Then, she blushed a bit and asked him, "You know how I said I haven't been with a man yet, in that way?"
"Yes, I know what you' said and what you sayin' now, Mary Beth. There 's'not any need for that. I don't want you makin' a mistake cause you feel bad for something ya did, even though ya did nothin' wrong.
"Will, I wouldn't do that just cause I'm feelin' bad about pushing ya 'way. Please just trust me, I'm ready for this."
"I don't know if that's the best idea right now Mary Beth. We both are in a pretty vulnerable spot."
"I'm a grown woman, Will. We are both grown adults. We can make decisions on our own. I feel we at least are responsible 'nough for that."
"I understand Mary Beth, but…"
And then she kissed him, stopping him in the middle of his sentence. She was done talking. They kept kissing and she moved her hips into his, slowly moving back and forth on his lap. She felt him start to harden and she blushed. She was going to ask him if he wanted to go somewhere more private but instead got up, took his hand and started pulling him towards his cabin. She walked a bit, still looking guiltily at him as she opened the door and pulled him close, kissing him on the lips.
"Just lettin' you two lovebirds know I'm still here."
Mary Beth had started unbuttoning her blouse when she turned toward the voice and blushed. Javier was sitting at the table in the roomy living area, eating lunch.
"Javier," she said, still red in the face, "I did not know you was here."
"Javier," Will said, looking around awkwardly, "you mind not telling no one 'bout this."
"Have my word, Will. I'm just gonna leave you two be and step out." He opened the door just enough that he could fit through, and slipped out.
Mary Beth, still blushing, asked Will, "You want to start unbuttoning me?"
Will gave her a nod of acceptance, picked her up, and carefully sat her on one of the living area chairs. He set on her blouse, kissing her back and face up and down. Eventually he got it undone, pulled it off and discarded it to the side. He slid his hands under her chemise, working them around to make her feel good, and he also kept kissing her, now from her cheek all the way to her shoulder.
"Will," she moaned, pushing her hands into his underwear.
He pulled back for a second when she gripped him, but pulled himself back to her to keep pleading her.
She slid her hands up and down on him, and felt him getting hard again in her hands. He pulled back for a second to finish undoing his belt and pull his jeans off but she forced herself back into him and started to do it herself. She pulled his belt off easily and started to unbutton his jeans. She started to pull but wasn't getting anywhere, so she stopped kissing him for a minute to focus on pulling them off. They came off after a little, and she threw them to the side with the rest of their clothing. Her curls and braids had come loose with all the pulling and pushing and she let Will push her hair off her face as she continued rubbing his manhood.
He pulled his underpants off when she took a small break, and pulled her perfect body onto his manhood, letting out a soft breath when her bottom hit his lap. She continued to kiss him, and a moment later started to undo her chemise. He pulled her hands away from the buttons, and set them on his neck. She threaded her fingers together as her arms wrapped his shoulders and neck, squeezing tightly as he undid her chemise and as she slid back and forth on his exposed package. Her chemise came undone and she pulled her hands back to let him slip it off, exposing her chest.
He tossed it aside, and began rubbing on her sensitive breasts and nipples. He pulled her off his package for a second to cool things down right before he would have finished, and she signaled for him to undo her corset and pull off her underwear. She went to get his manhood hard again but he pushed her off worked very diligently to get her corset undone, but accidentally ripped it. He decided it was already destroyed enough and tore the rest open and threw it aside.
"You know I'll have to get a new one now," Mary Beth said.
"You don't need that," Will replied, "you already are skinny enough."
"I know," she said, "but it's keeps my stomach skinnier than my waist. I like how it makes me look."
"If that's how you feel."
He started kissing her again, and rubbed his fingers on her newly exposed sex. She moaned, louder and louder as he continued working on her now throbbing sex, but had to cover her mouth when she started getting loud enough that the other gang members might've heard them.
She looked at him lovingly, and whispered in his ear, " I'm ready, Will. I need you now."
He looked at her hungrily, and kissed her nipple as he slowly pushed his hard manhood into her lady bits. She cried out as he pushed in, but he pulled his face up, stroking her hair as he whispered in her ear that it was alright.
He looked at her eyes, and continued to stroke her light-colored, curly hair as he said, "If you want me to stop at anytime just tell me. I'll do whatever you're comfortable with."
She nodded, acknowledging his statement, but couldn't respond, still hurting from his entry into her tight, virgin lady parts. She moaned, showing him that she felt pleasure even in the immense amount of pain she felt. Once she adjusted she pushed on him back and forth to let him know, and he held her as he very slowly pushed his manhood in and out of her sex. She moaned, louder than before, and he neglected trying to hide the sound because if someone was there to hear, they already heard the two. He kept pushing in and out of her for a few minutes, kissing her up and down.
"You can go harder, if you want," she said, longing in her eyes.
"I just don't want to hurt you," he replied.
"You won't, just go ahead and do it."
And he listened. He started going louder and both of their moans were loud enough that they were sure at least one person had heard them. He went for a little after she had already hit her climax once, and he could feel himself struggling to resist spending. He went to pull out of her, but as she felt him pulling back she held his hips from leaving, and told him, "I want you to spend inside me."
He looked concerned, and stammered out to her, "Mary Beth, you know it only takes what to get—you know. I don't want to get you—that."
"It's my first time, Will. I want to make it special. Come on, please, I still probably won't get—that."
"It only takes once."
"I know, Will, but please." Her eyes were full of pleading.
He gave in and stayed in, regretting the choice but knowing it made her happy. After a minute more he gave his first spend, and then the second one came a moment later. He kept going for airless more to make sure she got her second climax, and felt her pulse soon after. They both fell back into the chair then, Mary Beth laying her head on his shoulder.
"That was amazing," she said, "thank you."
"Was no problem," he said uncertainly, still concerned about how they finished the interaction.
"If you're worried about me getting—ya know— don't. I won't make you do it again. Just wanted my first time to be special."
"I understand," he said, kissing her on her lips. He has gotten confidence back by her reply. "You felt amazing."
"You too," she said, giving him a naughty grin.
Then she yawned. "Could you get me some water, I'm thirsty as hell for some reason."
"Sure," he said, smiling. He knew why. He got up and pulled her a cup of water from his and Javier's personal barrel. She drank the entire thing really quickly and yawned again.
"Thank you," she said, starting to give him a little peck on the lips, "I'm tired though. I should probably turn in for the night."
"You could stay for the night, if you want to."
"I don't want to be a burden."
"You won't be."
"I guess I'll stay then."
"I'll leave a note on the door for Javier."
"That's fine." She started towards Will's room.
He got up from the chair and grabbed the ink pen. He tore a page out of his personal journal and scribbled on it 'MB staying the night. Just letting you know she's in the cabin.'
He penned the note onto the front of the cabin door with his hunting knife and walked towards his room.
She has the covers wrapped around her, hiding her still bare body.
"Care to join," she asked, grinning.
"Why not?" He slid under the covers, not bare like her but still dressed down to his undergarments. He cuddled her soft body and they fell asleep swiftly.
