Author's Notes: All characters of legal age.
This is my second Western. It's written for the One Night In XXX event. Because of the "one night" limitations set out by the event, it's fairly short. There's a back story with one of the characters and if the story is well received, I'll write the next chapter.
My first Western,
"The Gunfighter"
https://www.literotica.com/s/the-gunfighter
was put out as a "see if there's any demand" for Western stories. Unfortunately because there was a site upgrade going on it got published the afternoon of the day after it was supposed to. Then got hit by an avalanche of stories from an event a few hours later. It only got a few hours at the top of the list, instead of a couple of days. The views were way down compared to other stories although I was thankful for the awesome ratings and comments you gave. So if you have a few minutes please give it a read, vote and comment. Please let me know if you like Westerns and would like to see more.
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Black Bart lazed on a bench in the warm sunshine outside the Long Branch saloon. Despite it being so early he'd wet his whistle with one beer. He didn't like to drink more. In his position he never knew when he needed his wits about him and liquor slowed his draw down.
The smile on his face didn't reach his eyes. Townspeople were crossing the road to the opposite side of the street to avoid him. With his reputation for gun fighting none wanted to offend him. Yet by not treating him proper, that's exactly what they did. Although they didn't know it, he knew he'd respect anyone with the sand in their craw to walk up and say good morning to him. A simple measure of respect, that was all he wanted. He had no need of killing people for nothing. Truth be told, he'd never killed anyone over nothing. Every one of them had it coming.
Leon, a grizzled old cowboy already deep into his cups stumbled out of the saloon and sat down beside him. Bart didn't care much for him, but it was a public bench.
"That one shor is purty," Leon nodded his head at a couple on the opposite sidewalk.
Bart took her in. She was definitely a looker. Young, sweet, blond curling ringlets escaping her bonnet. Her figure was very petite. Not much on the chest. But there was something more important at the moment. The man and woman had been a few stores down the sidewalk. They'd crossed over, he presumed, to avoid him.
"Yeah," he agreed feeling annoyed that perhaps they'd slighted him. He couldn't help admiring her ass though when she turned to gaze into a store window. They were right across the street and he could see his own reflection in the glass. He wondered if she was looking at him. That was wishful thinking he concluded and wondered what she was looking at in that window. Then he wondered if any woman of that quality had ever looked at him with anything but fear.
"Ya ever been with one that purty?" Leon pressed.
Bart shook his head thinking about all the worn out saloon girls he'd been with over the years, "naw, never. Never met a whore that new to the trade."
"Lucky guy," Leon groused, "if that was mine I'd poke her all night, every night. All day too, come to think of it."
"And how you gonna pay fer that?" Bart laughed, clapping him on the shoulder good-naturedly. "Come on I'll buy ya another beer."
Sittin in the saloon later listening to the buzz of conversation Bart realized he was bored. It had been a while since his last job and he could feel a powerful need to do something. He could take one of the whores upstairs and poke her. In the harsh light of day their heavily painted faces looked garish and showed the wear and tear. Knowing they had all been upstairs at least once with someone else he decided to pass. He didn't feel like sticking his cock in some other's leavins.
He caught sight of the couple from earlier passing by the window. Outside, he watched their wagon piled high with their purchases roll down the street. An idea was forming in his mind.
He headed back in to Leon who was now almost dead to the world, "that woman and her husband earlier, who were they?"
Leon raised his grizzled head his red eyes fixed on Bart, "wha...?"
"The girl that ya said ya wanted to poke day and night. Who were they?"
"Emily," he offered slumping down again. "Conrad..." and he was gone.
Bart lifted him by the hair and slapped his face a couple of times, Leon opened a gummed up bloodshot eye.
"Where do they live?"
"Bought the old Smith place twenty miles out," was all he offered before passing out again.
Bart let go of his hair not caring when his head thumped down on the table.
"Emily and Conrad," he whispered to himself.
Outside he took a deep breath smelling the pall of dust and horseshit hanging in the air. The passing wagons and horses kept it stirred up.
"Emily." he smiled.
**********
Emily and Conrad finished unloading the supplies they got from town. They heard the slow moving clip clop of hooves heading their way. Conrad grabbed his rifle and settled behind the wagon.
"Git inside Emily," he hissed.
Emily turned to head in but stopped, "if'n ya git hurt I got nothin to defend myself with in there. I'll stay here with the rifle Conrad"
He shook his head in irritation but she was right. Danger was everywhere. If he got hurt or killed she'd have nothing.
"Ain't that Black Bart?" Emily whispered.
Conrad took a good look and nodded, "wonder what he wants?"
"Yo the ranch house, Ok if I water my horse?" came the call.
"Comin in peaceful like," came the next offer. They watched him take his pistols and tuck them into his saddle bag, then cinch the buckle. He was unarmed and they had a rifle trained on him.
Conrad and Emily relaxed, "you're welcome to water your horse, Bart." Conrad lowered the rifle, "what brings ya out here?"
They watched the large man dismount and tie the horse up by the water trough.
"Old man Smith and I used to play cards once in a while. I worked for him a couple of times. I didn't have much to do today so I thought I'd take a ride out and see who bought the place and introduce myself."
He lifted a canvas bag off the horn of his saddle, "I brought some Apple Jack for ya made by a friend of mine." He held it out to Conrad.
"Well that was right nice of ya. I'm Conrad and this is my wife Emily."
"They call me Black Bart but please just Bart," and stuck out his hand to shake theirs.
Conrad and Emily looked at each other and Emily gave a slight nod. There were rules to western hospitality.
"Say it's about supper time, Bart. Why don't we put yer horse in the barn and ya can stay for supper with us. Maybe we can share a toot of that Apple Jack after."
'I'd like that Conrad. Thank ya Emily for yer hospitality. Let's get him in the barn."
The two men walked away leading the horses and wagon to the barn.
When they got back the two sat and talked about cattle, weather and the difficulties of running a ranch. Bart was quite talkative and Conrad appeared to be enjoying himself. Not that she was being left out, they made every attempt to include her in the conversation while she got supper. She surreptitiously looked Bart over while she worked.
They'd noticed him in town this morning and had crossed the street thinking it safer to stay away.
He was a huge man, a giant really. His muscular arms and chest looked more like a bull than a human. His thighs looked like two oak trees, the muscles on his legs obvious even through his pants. He was over six feet tall, easily a half-foot or more than Conrad. Heavy curls of chest hairs spiralled out of his shirt and his skin was swarthy from the sun. His beard was heavy and dark again despite him obviously having shaved this morning. His eyes were dark brown as was his hair. She couldn't help noticing his hands lying on the table. They looked to be the size of a small shovel.
With his hat off he had several little cowlicks that made him look less dangerous. She knew he had a reputation. He was kind of good lookin she had to admit. Definitely a man's man, not that Conrad suffered by comparison. The two of them would make any woman sneak a second look.
He was a dangerous killer by reputation. She wondered if he'd been pushed to that point or born mean and ornery. She couldn't ask, that would be impolite and possibly upset him.
Supper passed very pleasantly the conversation light and interesting. Bart finally slumped back after his second helping of warm peach pie.
"Emily, that was scrumptious. I rarely git a home cooked meal and yer cooking is right tasty."
Emily blushed pleased at the compliment, "that's real nice of ya Bart. I hope ya won't be a stranger out here." She blushed realizing she'd invited a notorious gunslinger to visit them again.
"I'm right pleased by that thought Emily."
Conrad was busy pulling the corked bottle open with his teeth. Splashing a goodly amount into two cups he offered one to Bart.
