by Maggie Ryan
She nodded and stepped into the water, kneeling and sitting back on her heels, allowing the cold water to wash the pain away. He stripped and joined her, pulling her into his arms as he walked further out into the river.
"I'm sorry, I swear, I'll never make you do that again."
"Thank you," Richard said, holding her close for a while before releasing her.
They swam together until she began to shiver. He pulled one of the towels from the tree branch and dried her, pleased to see that most of the redness had already gone from her bottom. He combed her hair with his fingers as she sat on his lap. As she leaned against him, his cock stiffened. Turning her to face him, he kissed her softly, his hands cupping her breasts.
"Ride me, wife."
As she lifted herself and used a hand to guide him inside, he bent and kissed a nipple. She rocked back and forth and up and down his shaft until she was moaning, her cunny tightening in preparation of her explosion.
"Cum with me, husband," she whispered.
Their moans and gasps filled the area, the lesson given and hopefully remembered as they made gentle love, exploding together, their cries of passion drifting across the rippling water.
That night at the meeting, Anna surprised Richard by asking to speak. She stood and looked around the circle at the faces of people she had come to consider part of her family.
"I wanted to apologize. Thank you for searching for me, and I'm so sorry you had to do so. I promise I will stop acting like a child and begin to act like the adult—like the mother I want to be."
"Well said, Mrs. Andrews," Mr. Morgan said as he stood. "All we can ask of anyone, young or grown, is that they never stop learning." He gave her a hug before turning to the assembled group. "We've come a long way together. Let's remember to do everything we can to ensure we all arrive safely together as well." As the group nodded, he grinned. "Now, get some sleep. Remember, we pull out at first light."
EPILOGUE
One beautiful morning, the train stopped again, as it had several times over the past two weeks. The line of wagons had grown smaller and smaller as pioneers left the larger train to settle on the lands they had claimed with the free-land act. Anna had cried and laughed, she'd promised to keep in touch, and she'd wondered if she'd ever really see these wonderful people again. Their wagon was in the lead and Richard called to the team, the oxen moving ahead.
"I thought we were stopping," she said, looking back to see the other wagons weren't moving.
"Just a bit further," he replied, as the wagon climbed a large foothill.
Anna gasped as the sun shone down on a valley. It was the most magnificent sight she had ever seen. Richard pulled the wagon off the trail and applied the brake. Anna turned to him, her smile brilliant.
"What do you think?" he asked, helping her down from the wagon.
"It is exactly how I picture heaven will be."
He grinned and kissed her before turning her from him. She leaned against him, his arms around her, his hands resting against her rounded belly. They stood silently for some time until others began to arrive. Anna heard Charity gasp as her friend joined them. There were no words to describe the true beauty of the land spread out before them.
Anna saw Mr. Morgan approach. Richard moved to shake his hand. Mr. Morgan simply smiled and nodded.
Richard turned Anna to face him and said, "It's not truly heaven, Anna, but if you want, I would like to claim a slice for us. The Rose Ranch can be our heaven on earth."
She felt her mouth drop open before she squealed and jumped into his arms. "Yes, oh God, yes! It couldn't be more perfect. Is it really ours?"
"The Donation Land Act gives us 640 acres, and James and Charity are claiming their 640." He turned around, and the three men he'd hired to drive the cattle grinned. "Not only have Wyatt, Roger and Matthew agreed to stay, they can claim land as well." He smiled at the small woman standing at her new husband's side. Now that Wyatt has wed Agatha, they can claim another 640. Roger and Matthew each have 320 acres. We've all agreed to a partnership. Between us, we'll have a large amount of land, and can build the ranch and raise the cattle we've all dreamed about."
"A dream that now includes all of us," Anna said, tears filling her eyes. "I love it, and I love you, Richard!"
Charity hugged her. "Our babies will be the first children born here."
James laughed. "Though God knows, they aren't likely to always be the angels heaven usually sees running about."
"No, they will be the witnesses to what the goal of all pioneers who take this risk can achieve," Richard said. "They'll be blessed to see all the changes as more and more people find the promises of the Willamette Valley."
Soon several families were announcing their intent to stay, the Stanfords among them. Doctor Williams and Harriet announced they would also stay. When Anna hugged Harriet, the older woman laughed and said, "After all, you little ladies will need a doctor around to take care of those precious babies." Both Charity and Anna laughed and hugged her hard, letting her know they loved her very much. They'd left Missouri as strangers and, in the 2,000 miles they'd traveled, they'd become a family.
Weeks passed, and the valley rang with the sounds of building. Richard smiled as he stood on the porch of their new log cabin home. It would be expanded as time allowed, but until then, it was their home. He watched as Anna fed their new chickens. He was bone tired, every day full of helping the other families finish cabins before the first snows were expected. He grinned as he saw her stand, leaning back to place her hands at the small of her back. He heard her give a small groan and was soon at her side. He swept her up and carried her into their house. She giggled as he put her onto her feet.
"Stop it! I'm huge, you shouldn't lift me anymore."
Richard drew her to him and kissed her deeply. "You'll never be too heavy, darling. I'll carry you and this little one anywhere you want to go."
Anna smiled as he cupped her swollen belly and she felt their baby move. Richard's eyes flew wide and he grinned. She was blissfully happy, she had everything she had ever dreamed of. A wonderful, loving though strict husband, a new ranch, a beautiful new home, great friends, and, best of all, their first baby would arrive any day.
He kissed her again. "Seems like our little one is going to be a spitfire like her Ma."
She laughed. "More like big and strong and wonderful like his Pa."
Richard grinned, not caring which one they had as long as their baby was healthy. He knew that no other child would feel as loved as theirs did. Cupping her cheeks in his palms, he bent to kiss her gently. "Love you, wife."
Anna smiled. "Love you, husband."
The End
Note To My Readers:
Thank you for joining me in the wondrous journey that was made by thousands in the 1800's. As I wrote this book, I tried to imagine what it must have been like, leaving everything familiar to move across a land to a place you'd never seen before. It must have been both fascinating and terrifying, and I will always admire those pioneers who risked losing it all to build their dreams.
You might remember Anna and Richard from their introduction in my previous book, Treasured Submission. In that book, Abby Pierce took a chance in writing about the dreams and the lessons learned by these two characters. I promised then to write a book about Anna and her life as she learned how to be a wife, a pioneer, and how to live a life that was full of love and trust even when her husband turned her over his knee. I hope I did them justice.
Without you, my readers, these characters would never come alive for me and for that, I will always be grateful.
Happy Reading—
Maggie Ryan
Maggie Ryan
Author for Blushing Books. I write both contemporary erotica and historical spanking romances. I enjoy writing about characters that enjoy the provocative D/S lifestyle of today’s times as well as taking a step back into the past to write stories that take place in the Victorian era with age-play as a theme.
> I live in the great Lone Star state with my wonderful husband. I have always loved reading. Growing up in a family with four children, it was difficult finding a place to be alone. I was probably one of the squeakiest clean girls on the planet as I would spend hours in the tub so I could read without being bothered. It wasn’t long before I began to make up my own endings to the books I was reading. From there, it just seemed natural to begin writing my own stories.
I never try to restrict myself to any one genre because there are just too many delicious possibilities out there and inside my head. I admit to being somewhat of a romantic though as my stories always must have a great deal of love, passion, corporal discipline and, of course, great, mind-blowing sex. I want my readers to be able to see, hear, feel and know the characters that I’m creating as well as I do when I bring them to life and transfer their stories to paper. I want my women to be strong of character but also strong enough to know that submission given in love and trust to your partner does not make you weaker, it makes you far stronger. I want my men to be sexy, strong, demanding alpha males who know how to take what they want while acknowledging it is a gift they have been blessed with by the women that have chosen to submit to them. I want there to be no doubt that they truly would die for the other no matter how others might view their relationship.
Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/_Maggie_Ryan
Email: [email protected]
Don’t miss these exciting titles by Maggie Ryan and Blushing Books!
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Summer Solace
Becoming His: The Teaching of Rebecca
Lucy’s Journey Home: Hunter’s Ridge Book 1
Homecoming: Hunter’s Ridge Book 2
Reunion: Hunter’s Ridge Book 3
Designed for Submission: Divine Designs Book 1
A Submissive's Dream: Divine Designs Book 2
Treasured Submission
Haven’s Promise: Divine Designs Book 3
The Christmas Pickle
A Submissive’s Gift: Divine Designs Book 4
Rosie’s Resolutions (Masters of the Castle)
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