A Settler's Wife's Dreams (Erotic Romance, Romantic Erotica, Erotic Historical Romance) (7 page)

Back in town things people bustled through the streets like normal. Lisa left her horse at the stable and walked back to the shop as night turned all the colors to Gray. The shop door was unlocked. Lisa stepped through and gingerly shut it behind her, not wanting to make too much noise, afraid she would wake Ted if he was home. If he woke up she would have to explain her whereabouts.

Often she didn’t know whether she’d find Ted home or not. Many times the towns people would call him out to lead whatever fool notion fear had forced into their heads. Ted didn't relish his new position as leader among the townspeople. In fact he found many of them unbearable because of how they clung to old ideas about race, sex and class. Ted was a forward thinker, extremely liberal for his time—a radical. The puritans in the town would probably have called him a libertine, or some other label they bandied about like a scarlet letter.

Both of them wondered what people thought about Lisa sudden move from the homestead to Ted's shop. They were both sure that no one knew about what had happened between them during Lisa's visit because there hadn't been any backhanded sympathy or sneers when people found out that Frank had been killed. Lisa understood that Ted wanted her to live in another part of the house for at least a few months so that people didn't talk. When they went out in public together it was as dear friends and nothing more. Ted hadn't had to articulate any of this to Lisa. She just knew by the way he acted and his tone of voice when they went out.

For the first few days it had bothered Lisa somewhat, having to separate her attraction to Ted from how she treated him. She hated putting up a facade that hopefully the rest of the community wouldn't be able to see through. When Lisa would get a sour look on her face in public after resisting the urge to kiss Ted on the cheek, he'd tell her that he didn't like any of it either, although he never defined what he really meant by it. Ted was in a hard spot with the town because he relied on their business for this lively hood, a lively hood that had just recently expanded to double what it had been just a short time before. The expansion had been bold and Ted was starting to feel the strain on his account with the bank.

Lisa would nod as he'd tell her that he couldn't afford to take out a line of credit with the kind of interest the bank wanted to charge him. The contracts with the bank were always long and hard to understand, but Ted did his best to make his way through it and came to understand that the bank wanted to tack a huge amount of compounding interest onto the principle every quarter.

A few of the businesses around town had already started to come to realize that there would never be a way for them to get out from under the financial burden the bank had yoked them with. All of the owners had signed the contracts, but none of them had taken the time understand what was really going on in all of the mumbo jumbo on the page.

Lisa thought about all of this while she powdered her nose the huge vanity in her room. Ted had told her that morning they would be having dinner with the owners of the new bank opening up in town. Ted hadn't had to explain that it was very important that they make a good impression and also that they not appear too friendly. It wouldn't do to put all their eggs in one basket by warming up too quickly to the new bankers in town lest the old bankers hear about it. Right now there was no guarantee that the new bankers were going to be able to stay open long enough to open a line of credit with Ted that he could afford.

Lisa wrinkled her nose in disgust as she thought about the multitude of fake smiles she would have flashed at her throughout dinner. She didn’t want to think of how she would have to respond with her own fake smile and everyone would pretend they were real.

Politics was what she hated the most about living in the town opposed to the homestead. Life in the homestead was much simpler and worth it overall. She thought this, but just when she'd come close to thinking that she missed the homestead she would think about the last time she was visited, before she'd told Ted to have it burned to the ground. When she thought about her last visit she thought about the dirt and how dingy everything had been. The homestead seemed so quaint now; like it belonged in a completely different time in her life that had been very far away.

As she finished doing her makeup she stood back from the vanity and assessed her skills. Lisa had never really had the money to afford makeup so this was all something very new to her. Although Ted had offered to hire one of the local beauties to show her how to do her makeup Lisa had refused. Instead she chose to look through books and other sources that might tell her how to correctly apply the blush to her cheeks to bring out just the right hue. It had taken her a long while to get the hang of it but standing back and looking at it now, she thought she'd done a pretty good job in figuring it out.

Now all she needed to do was pick out her clothes for the night and she would be set.

The dinner was at one of the largest houses in town. One of the new bankers had relatives that opened up their doors to the general public—a kind of meet and greet except instead of friends, the guests were just casual acquaintances. It was a big early plantation style house that seemed out of place and certainly out of style in the small town nestled into Iowa's rolling hills.

It made Lisa wonder if the town was really as small as Ted thought. Sure, it wasn't as big as the larger cities out east, but there seemed to be quite a bit of interest directed at the town in general. Why else would this new chain of banks want to move in and try to muscle the old bankers out of business? And why else would a plantation style house exist at all?

As Lisa maneuvered her way to her designated seat at the table she noticed that there seemed to be a lot of new money in town. People that Lisa had never seen before took their seats around the table. She realized that there were probably some people in the town that she didn't know, but living in the rooms above Ted's shop meant she came into contact with most people that had a little bit of money to rub together and also meant that all of the friends that Ted had with money were people she saw quite a bit.

The people currently sitting around the table were people that she had never seen before, not even once. She was sure of that much. She glanced at Ted to see what his reaction was but Ted's glance was cagey and wouldn't meet hers for more than a moment at a time. Lisa had learned to read Ted very quickly and took this as a kind of veiled signal that she should keep her thoughts to herself and that he was having much the same thoughts about present company.

The head of the household took the seat at the front of the table and raised his glass for a toast. Before he could give it however, someone else rose and introduced the man giving the toast as the owner of the house and one of the principal investors in the new bank. The way the person doing the introduction said it made everyone present wonder if this was really the truth or an embellishment, though.

The head of the household stood with his glass raised waiting patiently while swaying drunkenly. Finally he spoke, “My name, as you all have just heard, is Mr. Finkle. I come from a long line of investors and pioneers of industry that many of you have heard of, I'm sure. What brings my glass to an elevated position this eve isn't to toast to a wedding, as we have been so blessed to have many of lately. Instead it is to encourage all of you to invest in the branch of American United opening in our humble little town,”

The man paused to take a drink of his glass before raising it once again and continuing. “Some of you may have noticed many new faces around my table on this fine eve. I tell you that all of the new faces here are going to be valuable assets to our little community.”

“People out east are looking to aggressively expand west, but the west coast is full of mystery and magic, it would seem. While some that go out there to seek gold find it, many others end up broke and destitute after chasing nothing but the glimmer of fools gold until all of their money is used up.”

He paused again to take a drink before hurrying on, eager to keep their attention.

“The people out east with money want a safer investment, something that they can ride to see the fruits of in a few weeks, not a few months. Something that is a little more reliable than rushing around after gold that may or may not be for fools. Industry is a funny thing, and right now the banking industry is booming like never before. People in this nation have the blood of inventors and investors coursing through them and those kind of people are meant to go somewhere in life. But often times what people find is that they need money to make money.”

“You can't make an omelet without cracking a few eggs as the saying goes. As such sometimes you need to prime the pump with some of the stuff you want to get back out of it. So it is with money. Lending, right now, in this very nation, is the most lucrative thing you can do. I would suggest we all get on board with it so we can usher our community into a new era of borrowing and lending to people. We need to start giving money to people with ideas and businesses in mind so that we can all flourish and abound from each other.”

The man wobbled badly for a minute, as if a wind that only he could feel had picked up in the dining room. Finally, after what seemed like a full minute and a great struggle to maintain his balance, the man sat down.

A slow smattering of applause started towards the back of the table and soon everyone was clapping as hard as they could. The room thundered with the sound of hands beating each other with the gusto of those who think they will strike it rich off the sweat of others brows. Lisa felt sick to her stomach as she thought of all the work Frank had done on the homestead to try to get by somehow. How they had both toiled against the land and elements but always ended up owing the bank in the end.

Frank had told her how they would make it eventually, how if they kept making a certain amount each year that, in a few years, they would be able to pay off the principle on their loan the interest that was building up with it. After a few more speeches the dinner ended. Ted and Lisa walked back to Ted's shops which was only a few blocks away.

“What do you think, Ted?” Lisa asked as they walked through the front door of the shop. “Do you think these people have the communities best interest at heart like they say or do you think they have ulterior motives?”

“They most certainly have ulterior motives,” He turned to her and swept her into his arms as he added, “But we all do, don't we?”

Lisa giggled. “But whatsoever do you mean?”

“Oh, you know what I mean,” Ted ran his finger over her lips and then pressed his lips to hers.

“I’m…I’m not sure I do,” She gasped when he ran his hands down the length of her body and then traced his way back, lifting the skirt of her dress up. She asked, “What are you doing?”

He smiled, “If you have to ask, I must be doing something wrong.”

With those words he swooped down, crushing his lips against hers. As always the inferno was sparked almost immediately Ted kissed her. Her body lit up in a spark of desire, the flames licking into every vein till her body was aching for him. She pressed her body against his, winding her arms around his neck as the kissed and running her fingers through his hair. She loved how those thick black strands fell so smoothly against her fingers.

They stood in the middle of the shop, their desire swirling around them as the kissed. The mating of their lips and their tongues was as sweet as it was sensual; as soothing as it was arousing. Lisa always felt so protected in Ted’s arms; like nothing could get to her when she stood in the protection of his embrace. Over and over, he had proved his ability to protect her, taking her in when Frank had died even though just that act alone could have risked his business. To show her appreciation, she lifted to the tips of her toes, nibbling on his bottom lips and teasing him with her kisses.

Ted growled before moving his hand the rest of the way up and shoving her dress up to her waist. The soft breeze in the room blew against her as her panties were revealed in the shadowy room but Lisa barely noticed. All that existed was those tempting fingers gently easing their way towards her inner thigh. When he finally touched that sweet spot over her panties her legs buckled under her.

Knowing the she needed the support, Ted backed her against the wall as he soothed his fingers over the smooth fabric that covered her. Over the fabric, he caressed her sensitive nub, worrying it and sending pangs of pleasure through Lisa. Just when she thought she couldn’t handle it anymore, he pushed the gusset aside, finally letting his finger and her wetness come in contact.

If she thought the pleasure before was intense, this was above any heights she had been to before. He flicked and strummed at her clit, working it expertly and making her moan, “Ted, please.”

“What do you want?” He asked sinking one finger into her heated cavern.

“Please.” She begged. She didn’t even know what she was asking for. All she knew was that she needed it.

“Tell me what you want.” He ordered, his hot breath washing over her cheek as he pushed her against the wall. The hard stone pressed into her back but she barely felt it as he began to work the finger inside her in small smooth strokes. How she loved the feeling of his fingers around her? Ted knew just what spots to touch that had her begging for more.

“Please.” She pleaded, lifting her leg and hooking it around his flanks so he could go deeper as she flailed against the wall. “I want you.”

They were all the words he needed. All over sudden there was a ripping sound and her panties fell away from her body and in a tattered bunch on the floor. He had already unbuttoned himself it seemed, because the next thing she felt was the blunt head of him pushing against her.

Usually Ted was tender, but today he seemed on the version of explosion just like she was. He needed to be inside her just as badly as she needed to him to be inside her. He wanted to feel her closing around him tightly just as badly as she wanted him to fill the ache he had created. There was no teasing today, only a long drawn out stroke as he pressed deep inside her.

“Lisa.” He groaned as her moist warmth embraced and squeezed.

“Ted.” She whimpered, convulsing over his filling length and coating him completely. She couldn’t help squeezing her muscles around him, the actions only increasing the tightness in her lower body. It was almost painful. Sweet pain!

Once he was completely seated inside her, he used one hand to lift her till both her legs were wrapped around his waist. When they both ready, he supported his palm on the wall beside her head and started to move. And move he did.

Long strokes! Short strokes!

Hard strokes! Smooth strokes!

In! Out! In! Out!

His breath fluttered roughly over her clothed shoulder as he pleasured her with his body. The shop disappeared in their frantic mating. The hardness of the wall disappeared in the sensation of his chest pressing against her breast. Lisa clawed at his shoulders urging him to ride her harder, faster and for longer.

He was forceful with her yet for some reason it still felt like he was putting genuine feeling into it. It felt even better when he moved his lips back to hers, nibbling at her lips with aching tenderness even as he hips pressed in and out of hers in long sensual strokes. Perhaps it was this tenderness that did it because soon she plunged into that abyss that was orgasm. Within seconds he followed her in.

It took some time for both of them to get their breath back. When they did, she expected him to let her down. Instead he turned with her still in his arms and headed up the stairs, his shaft still tucked inside her. With each step up he bounced inside her slowly reawakening the desire that she thought had surely been exhausted.

He smiled when he felt a fresh burst of her moisture coat him, “Aren’t you ever satisfied?”

Lisa blushed and lowered her head in embarrassment. Tilting her chin up, he kissed her lips softly before setting her on the bed. He pulled her dress up and over her head leaving her naked.

“Round two.” He said with a wicked smile as he bent his head towards her breast.

Lisa could hardly wait.

It was a long time before she was coherent again. They lay side by side on the bed, recovering from another bout of vigorous lovemaking when Lisa brought up the subject that had been troubling her the whole day.

“Oh, Ted,” Lisa said. “I love how you make me feel when you make love to me. I love how passionate you are, but how you don't get carried away and how the focus is always on me. Could we start sleeping together every night? We don't have to make love every night, I know that we are both getting a little bit old to be getting so worked up all the time, but I do like being close to you and how it feels when you touch my skin. I just want to be close to you more of the time is all. I hope you understand that. Can we please start sleeping together every night?”

“I'd love to,” Ted said. “But I'm afraid of what people would think. Right now people know that we aren't sleeping together because people are nosy. People see two rooms lit up late at night, know about the time that both of us go to bed. I’m sure they’ve put two and two together and decided that we have separate lives and that we aren't sleeping together. Granted, I'm sure many of them still believe that we make love sometimes, but they know that if we keep it somewhat secret that it's none of their business.”

“Could be become an item, then?” Lisa asked. “I mean, couldn't we make it public knowledge that we are romantically together and all of that? What could people say then?”

“Well, I do see where you might think that would be enough,” Ted said. “But nothing short of a marriage is going to get people to accept us sleeping together. And I need their acceptance, Lisa. I know that neither of us like it but I rely on their patronage of my shop. I can't just turn my back on their opinions like they don't matter because they do matter. They matter quite a bit because their money matters.”

“I can't afford to pay the rent here without everyone in the town supporting me.” He continued, “If people stopped coming in here then demand would be created and someone else would open another shop. Right now I'm the only shop that does what I do so I get all of the business. I hope you understand.”

Ted nuzzled his face into Lisa's neck and let his full body weight rest on top of her. Lisa found herself pushed deep into the down mattress that Ted slept on. She tried not to cry. It wasn't that the sex hadn't been good, because it had been. It was just that she wanted to be emotionally closer to Ted and that just wasn't going to be possible until they were more or less married.

Maybe they could just up and get married. She hadn't ever asked Ted what he thought about it because she just assumed that he would say no. Getting married was a pretty serious thing. It would mean that she had some kind of legal right to all of his property and that he could treat her like property if he wanted to. She knew that many men beat their wives and got away with it because most law men looked at women like little more than chattels. Frank had been good about treating her like an equal, and she had really loved him for that. Ted seemed like he thought she was an equal as well but business was always going to come before her right now.

As Ted snuggled into her, Lisa thought about asking him if he would marry her so they could live how they both wanted to live; or at least how she knew she wanted to live and Ted said he wanted to live. Was it even a good idea to ask? Asking something like that couldn't be taken back when if he gave her an answer she didn't want to hear. She pushed her face into his neck.

“Are you . . . are you crying? Why does my neck feel all wet?” He asked.

“I want us to get married, Ted,” She sobbed. “I can't stand living in the same house and living apart like this. I need to be near you every night. I want to feel your touch on my skin every night. I'm sick and tired of acting like we are brother and sister in public. It's not fair to me and it's not fair to you. We both have strong feelings for each other so I don't know why we aren't acting on them.”

“I know we both have strong feelings,” he said, “but I don't know if it's as simple as just acting on them. It might not be a good idea for either of us to act on them. If we did there could be a backlash that would negatively affect my business. People would talk Lisa. Less than a few months ago you were happily married to a man on a homestead on the plain to the south. He suddenly died and then you shack up with the local up and coming business man? I mean, you and I know it's not like that, but no one else will. Everyone else is going to think that something funny is going on, especially when I'm the person in charge of rounding up the tribe of Indians that doesn't exist and everyone is afraid of. What if people get to talking and decide to think that I somehow was involved in your husband’s death?”

Lisa pushed her face deeper into his neck and listened as he talked, caressing his back with her fingernails.

“Maybe it could work though,” Ted said. “Maybe we could get married and live our lives like everything is normal. The truth it everything is normal. Neither of us had anything to do with some lone savage kicking in your homestead door and killing your husband. There is absolutely nothing either of us could do about that. I'm more sick of hiding what we have than you know. I just want to be able to hold you in public. You have no idea how much I want to hold you in public. I want to shout my feelings about you to the world. But I can't because I have to pretend that we don't have feelings for each other to keep people from talking. It's stupid.”

Lisa tried to hold the tears back but knew that her efforts wouldn't be able to do so for long. The more she tried the more her eyes burned until finally she let herself weep into his arms. She could feel him gently caressing her as she started to calm down, her hysterical sobs slowly shrinking into sharp intakes of breath.