Work Text:
“Good morning!” you said cheerfully as the door opened. But your bright smile faltered slightly when you saw the tall, well-armed man walk inside. For the past couple of weeks, he had been coming by to pick up mail for a Tacitus Kilgore; you highly doubted that the mail was for him, as it came from a variety of places and clearly from all different kinds of people. But you didn’t question it; they were all clearly addressed to the same person and the same place, and asking more questions would probably bring you more trouble than it was worth. You went towards the shelves to look for his mail, pulled out a small pile, and turned back to hand it to the man. But then you heard your name being called from the back office.
“Yeah?” you hollered back.
Your boss came out from around the back, taking the pile of letters from you and handing you a large shoulder pack.
“Could you take the buggy to deliver a couple packages and get these delivered today? Our usual boy couldn’t make it.”
“Sure,” you said, taking the heavy pack and slinging it over your shoulders.
“Yer just gonna let the lady go out on her own like that?”
Both you and your boss looked at the man, this ‘Tacitus’, in surprise.
“Why, yes,” your boss answered matter-of-factly. “She’s done it before, she's perfectly capable, and it’s only a few hours of travel. She’ll be back before sundown.” He handed the man his mail. “Those are for you, sir.”
‘Tacitus’ took his mail and nodded, but then he followed you out the door.
“Hey, why don’t I follow you out there, make sure you don’t get robbed. Or worse.”
You turned to look at him. You took in his outfit, covered with the dust of the open road: a worn gambler’s hat, black ranch pants, a black collared shirt with suspenders, and dirty boots. He had a couple day’s worth of beard and glancing at all of the guns on his person, he looked rather unsavory. He looked like the kind of man who would rob you.
“I can handle myself,” you said, though you really wanted to ask him why should you trust him.
He stepped closer to you, invading your personal space. You looked up at him, intending to tell him to step off, but then you were caught by his eyes; they were the color of a gemstone you had seen a few months ago that had caught your attention when you were browsing the street market in St. Denis. The seller had called it an apatite gemstone, and because of its softness, most jewelers didn’t value it. You bought it and had him make a pendant for you, partially because it was cheap, partially because you loved the color.
“I’m not sayin’ you ain’t capable, but goin’ alone ain’t safe for anyone, man or woman.”
His voice brought you out of your reverie. You blinked and glared back at him. If he was trying to intimidate you with his size, it wasn’t working, because you were, as your boss liked to tease, an amazon of a woman.
“Surely you’re not doing this out of the kindness of your heart,” you retorted.
"Maybe I've got a bit of kindness just for you," he replied smoothly.
Stumbling for a reply, you were caught off guard by his charming answer. You clearly weren't going to get rid of him easily. And he had a point. It was easier to focus on either driving or shooting if one didn't have to do both at the same time.
"Fine," you relented. "But I'm shotgun. You drive."
***
You had thought that having him drive would mean his hands would be occupied. But he was a seasoned driver, managing the horse with just one hand. Which meant his other hand was constantly on you in some fashion.
“Just makin’ sure I can pull you to safety if I need to,” he would say.
But you couldn’t deny the heat that suffused your body wherever he touched. At first he had not-so-subtly put his arm on the back of the seat, his fingers grazing your side ever so lightly. You didn’t pull away; you couldn’t even move, really. If you moved away from him, you’d be leaning into his touch. If you moved away from his hand, you’d be closer to his body.
With each stop you made to drop off the mail, he’d quietly take a little more of the seat, forcing you to either sit closer to him, or perch at the edge of the seat. There was nowhere to go.
He must have known you were trapped; after all, he put you there. So his fingers traced circles on your shoulder blade, slid down the gentle curve of your body until he could grip your hips and slowly pull you towards him. Like being pulled down into quicksand, you were being drawn closer to him as his legs shifted closer to yours, as he slid his hand over your shoulder and leaned you against his.
At the next stop, you walked over to the other side of the buggy. He raised an eyebrow at you, but held his hand out to help you up. Ignoring it, you climbed into the driver’s seat and took the reins from him.
“You hold a weapon for a bit,” you said tersely.
So of course, he pulled out a revolver, so he could keep one hand on you.
“Get your rifle out,” you ordered.
He smiled. “Of course, whatever you say.” He swapped weapons, but his leg was still right up against yours as you continued your route.
***
“That’s the last one,” you said as you walked back to the buggy after delivering the last two letters. You climbed into shotgun and your temporary partner started driving the buggy towards the office.
“I thought you wanted me to shoot.”
“I’m probably a better shot than you,” you replied simply. Of all the post office workers, you were the best shot, proven after a contest when a former mail worker had questioned your abilities.
“Oh?”
You looked at the man. He was looking at you, intrigued. And there was something in his eyes that made your body burn. You had to look away from him, gripping your rifle and pretending to scan the horizon instead.
But then you saw something.
“We got company,” you mumbled as you got your rifle up. ‘Tacitus’ looked around you and saw the three men of horseback, guns out, clearly making a beeline for your buggy filled with mail and packages to bring back to the post office.
“Shit,” he muttered as he drove the carriage faster and pulled out a revolver.
“Just drive,” you ordered, and you lined up your sights.
You let out a breath as you pulled the trigger.
A man fell from his horse.
Then the bullets started whizzing past you as you lined up another shot, breathed out, and fired.
Another man fell. Just one more.
He was getting closer.
You winced as a bullet grazed your arm, but kept your aim steady and true.
Breathe out. Pull the trigger.
Last man down.
You sat back down, taking a few deep breaths as the adrenaline left your body.
“That was some mighty fine shootin’.”
You glanced over at him; his eyes were shining with true admiration. You very rarely saw that in a man, especially from one his age.
“Thank you,” you said, feeling shy all of a sudden.
His free hand touched your arm. “You got bandages?”
You reached in the back of the carriage and pulled out a small box. It had some gauze and a bottle of iodine.
“First aid kit, made it after the first run in with bandits,” you said with a bit of pride.
‘Tacitus’ eyed you while you took off your autumn jacket and tossed it in the back. You rolled up your sleeve, and despite the blood staining the fabric, the wound itself was minor. It was just a light graze; you were grateful that your jacket and shirt took most of the damage, although that meant you’d have to sew it up later.
He handed the reins to you as he took care of your arm. Expertly bandaged, you admired his handiwork.
“Not bad,” you mused.
“Let me check ya for other injuries,” he rumbled, suddenly leaning in close. He dipped his head down and lay a soft kiss on your neck.
“H-how is that checking?” you stammered out, unprepared for his very forward advances.
“You want me to stop?” You felt his breath as he spoke, felt his lips move against your ear.
Oh lord. It felt too good; all your could do was lean your head back and give him access to your skin. He took that as consent, and kept moving his lips ever closer to yours.
“T-Tacitus…”
“Call me Arthur,” he uttered just as he captured your lips. It was a heated kiss, full of carnal promises, and you opened your mouth to him, wanting more.
“Not here,” he said as he took the reins from you, forgotten in your grasp. He urged the horse faster down the road.
Looking at his profile, he looked like a man on a desperate mission. The hunger in his eyes when he glanced back at you both scared you and sent a thrill through your body, straight to your lower regions.
You couldn’t wait to get back.
***
He parked the carriage it its proper spot and hopped out, holding his arm out to you. This time you took it, and he helped you down, reluctantly letting go of your hand as the two of you took all the packages and letters inside.
You called out to your boss, but he wasn’t around. After dropping off the parcels & letters in the delivery area, you peeked in the back office. Seeing a note on your desk, you walked inside and read it.
Close up when you get back. Thank you for your hard work.
You smiled. Your boss was always direct, but kind.
“So, no one else is here?”
You turned to look at Arthur, leaning against the door frame, a dark look in his eyes.
You swallowed. “N-no…”
“Good.” He took two swift steps towards you and pulled you into his arms. He kissed you, this time invading your mouth the second you opened for him, one hand digging into your hair, the other wrapped around you, grabbing your rear.
“Arthur!” you gasped once he let you breathe. “Someone could come in and see!”
“Then let’s make this quick,” he said, picking you up and sitting you on your desk. Pushing you down, he pulled your skirt up and tore your drawers open.
“Wait-”
“No time,” he growled, unbuttoning his fly, releasing his hard cock to your view. “Been wantin’ you for so long, can’t wait no more.”
“I-I need…” you trailed off as you eyed his shaft. What did you need, again?
Arthur grinned as he gripped your hips and slid you to the edge of your desk. He pushed your legs open and started moving his hips back and forth, teasing your opening with the head of his cock, sliding it around, rubbing your clit.
“You need me, darlin?”
You bit your lip and looked up at him.
“You gonna beg me?”
“You’re an ass,” you finally said.
Arthur’s hand shot out and grabbed your neck. “I thought you’d be sweeter than that. After all we’ve been through.” He leaned forward, putting a little more pressure against your clit as he rubbed against you.
“Yes, yes, more, please,” you said faintly.
“Good girl,” he growled, and reached down to thumb your sensitive bud, giving you the pleasure you craved. He watched, his other hand gently caressing your neck as he stroked you, all the while nudging your opening with his thick shaft. An insistent pressure pushing at you, slowly spreading you open as he leaned forward, putting his weight to use as he entered you.
“A-Arthur…”
“That’s it, look at me darlin’.”
You lost yourself in his beautiful eyes as he took you, inch by heated inch.
He released your neck and grabbed the hair at the back of your head.
Then he thrust all the way in.
You let out a strangled noise at the sudden force, the intense feeling of being so thoroughly filled by a man making your heart race.
“Eyes on me, sweetheart.”
Your eyes never left his as he stared at you with a deep hunger, and then he started to move his hips.
“Yer alright, just breathe... that’s it... Good, feel me.”
He talked you through the initial shock, coaxing you into a pleasurable trance as he took you with languid but powerful strokes.
“Yer doin’ good, darlin’.” He nuzzled your neck as he began to unbutton your shirt. Revealing just enough to let him kiss the top of your breasts, he kept pumping into you, his pace gradually speeding up as he wanted more.
“You are just the finest,” he mumbled, burying his head in your bosom as he started to fuck you wildly, his restraint quickly disappearing as he buried himself inside of you over and over again. His rough treatment of you was, to your surprise, making you incredibly wet and hot; you wrapped your legs around him, mewling in pleasure. You dug your nails into his back, gripping his shirt and tugging as he continued to pound without a care, mindlessly taking you like an animal.
His heavy breaths and grunts grew louder, and so did your cries of bliss. He was taking you so good, so deep, that when he stood up straight, grabbed your hips, and lifted you up slightly to enter you from a different angle, going even deeper, you came hard around him, your fingernails digging into his forearms as you released, the bliss shooting throughout your body like fireworks.
Watching you writhe under him was too perfect, as Arthur quickly pulled out of you with a moan, rubbing himself against your nether lips as he came, his spend spilling onto your belly and your torn drawers.
“Darlin’, darlin’,” he mumbled as he leaned in close. “Yer so damn pretty when you let go.”
You smiled up at him, the afterglow permeating your entire being.
The sunset coming through the window hit your pendant, resting on the table next to your shoulder. You put the gemstone closer to his face, next to his eyes.
“It does match.”
Arthur turned his head slightly to look at the gemstone you were holding. “Never seen a gem like that before. What is it?”
“Apatite.”
He chuckled. “An appropriate name.” He got up and held his hand out to you. “Lemme help you clean up, then I’ll be on my way.”
“You sated, now that you’ve had me?” you asked.
“Never, darlin’.” He leaned in and kissed you deeply. “That just whet my appetite for ya.”
Laughing, you shook your head at his silly joke. You got the distinct feeling he’d be coming by again tomorrow.