Lily Culpepper slammed the ranch house door and headed straight for the barn. She was madder than she had ever been at her father. How dare that man?! How dare he say that now. After twenty years of living on this Wyoming ranch and learning how to run it in every way it needed to be properly ran, he wanted her to go to a finising school and learn to be a wife. And her mother. Her mother just stood there and smiled. Smiled!!! She did at least try to calm her before she reached the door by saying that she needed to know more than running the ranch. At least her mother was smart enough to realized that when she did finally married, she wasn't going to be the type of wife that stayed in the kitchen all day.

Throwing open the barn door, she headed for her saddle and horse. Whiskey didn't even flinch when she roughly threw the saddle on him. He was so use to her saddleing him in a fit that when she was calm, it made him nervous and jumpy. "Come on Whiskey," she coaxed. "Let's ride!"

The cold winter air breezed past her as her beloved horse ran. She felt so alive and free when she rode. As the miles slipped by, so did her anger. She could see her father's side of it all now. Even she had to admit that she was tomboyish in both dress and manners. She did prefer the manly clothes she wore to the more feminine ones. And she did prefer to spend time in the bunk house with the ranch hands when her parents entertained guess. It wasn't just because they treated her like one of the guys, but because there was one of them in particular that she wasnted to be near. She didn't even know if they even saw her as one of them or as the bosses daughter, but either way, none of them ever made a move on her.

Before she knew it, she was at the river. On the other side, was the mining cabin that had been her grandfathers first house here. He had made his fortune in that mine. He then bought all the land and cattle he could. Now, the small claim that he had started out with was the largest ranch in the area known as the Circle C. She sighed as she thought of how much her grandparents had went through in that cabin. The idea of having her own home without having to listen to her father and obey his rules sounded wonderful. Not that she ever listened to him, but still... To have her own home and family sounded wonderful.

She watched the rolling river passing by as Whiskey sipped from the slower moving edge. Both of them jumped as the scream of a panther was heard near by. She did her best to control the spooked horse, but nothing worked. Another scream from the large cat and she found herself in the shallow waters of the river. Whiskey was running for all he was worth towards the ranch.

She had begun to feel the temperature dropping before she had been tossed into the water. Now, drenched in the icy waters, she felt the chill even more. The panther's scream made her turn around. She saw the glow of the large cat's eyes as she watched it charging her. Just as it lept for her, she moved to the side and watched it land in the icy water; dead center of the river. The cat became more worried about getting out of the swiftly moving water and forgot all about her. She watched as the river swept the black cat away from her. She was saved from the large cat, but the chill of her wet clothes and the cold air was starting to take effect. It was too long of a walk back to the ranch. Her only chance was to walk the river's edge to the bridge or a shallow spot to cross. Then... then she could get to the cabin and get warm. The not-so-distance sound of a wolf howling made her suck in a deep breathe and hurry as quickly as she could.

Hank Williams, the foreman of the Circle C, rode his large black stallion, Night Mare, up to the gate. He was surprised to see it still closed. Usually Lily was waiting for them with the gate open when they returned with the cattle. For a week he had been out on the range with the handful of men he had taken with him to round up the last of the grazing cattle. He was now ready for a hot meal, a warm bath, and a soft bed. "Where's Lily," he asked his boss as the last of the cattle passed through the gate. The frown on Walt Culpepper's face told him everything. Both of them looked up and saw Whiskey racing towards them like the devil himself was on his heels.

Jumping form Night Mare's back and onto Whiskey's, he reined the large stallion in. He was every bit the equal to his own and was easily brought to a halt. He saw the look of terror in Walt's eyes as he seen that his daughter was not with her horse. Next to Lily, Hank was the only one capable of controlling Whiskey. And for her horse to be riderless meant that something was wrong.

"He came from the direction of the cabin," Hank said as he mounted his own stead. Before another word was said, he steered Night Mare towards the cabin and took off in a full gallop. Whiskey headed for the barn as the man that had stopped him took off. Like the men coming in from the range, he too was ready for the warmth of his stall and a trough full of grain.

Snow began to lightly fall as he rode for the cabin. Hank couldn't help but fear what he might find. The predator's seemed to be hungier this winter than any of the past winters. This was evident by the five dead cows they had found while gathering the herd. Each had been ripped to shreds and the scattered bones picked clean. "Please God," he begged as he rode quickly, "don't let anything have happen to her."

He thought back to the day that he and his father had arrived at the Circle C. He had only been five at the time and could remember the birth of Lily. He remembered it so well because his own mother had died while giving birth to his baby brother. He kept asking his father over and over if Mrs. Culpepper was going to die just like his mom had. He was relieved when she didn't and that it was a little girl born and not a boy.

The snow was fallening harder now as the old Culpepper cabin came into view across the river. He could see Lily. She was almost to the cabin before she collapsed. He heard the howl of a wolf in the distance. It was on the other side of the cabin. If he didn't crossed the river here, he would never reach her in time. Night Mare hisitated about going into the icy water, but went when urged to do so. The icy water took the breathe from both horse and rider. In no time, they had crossed and was now coming up on Lily. Hank saw the wolf as it came around the back of the cabin. Firing his rifle twice in the air, he watched at it headed back for it's pack in the nearby woods. Two more shots in their direction and the whole pack fled. Dismounting from his horse he gathered her up in his arms. "Whiskey threw me," she said weakly. He could feel her shaking uncontrolably. He needed to get her into the cabin, get a fire built, and get the wet clothes off of her.

Craddling Lily in his arms, Hank mounted his horse and rode for the cabin. After making sure Night Mare was safe in the barn, in case the wolves came back, he carried her into the house and sat her in the chair in front of the fireplace. In no time, a fire was blazing and the cold was fading from the cabin. He knew once her clothes were off, he would have to warm her body. There was only one way he knew of to do that task. He would have to strip himself and then share his body heat with hers.

So many nights he had dreamt of her naked body laying next to his, but this was not the way he had wanted it to be. Quickly pulling a mattress from the bedroom, he laid it in front of the fire. He began the process of removing her wet clothes. Her body was beautiful and he had to keep reminding himself why he was getting to see it. Time didn't need to be wasted.

Lily felt herself starting to warm once the heat of the fire reached her. But she still couldn't keep from shaking. "I have to remove your clothes," Hank said. She shook her head "yes" and helped him as much as she could in getting her clothes off. She couldn't help but notice him blushing everytime their eyes met. "I promise I won't brag to the guys about this," he said with a serious face. Her body began to warm as his hands rubbed her arms and legs before placing some thick quilts over her. "What are you doing," she asked as she watched him strip his own clothes. "I'm getting you warm," he said.

She couldn't keep from staring at his body. It was slender in build and wirey like most of the men that work on ranches. For the first time in all the years she had known him, she noticed just how brown his eyes were. Even his hair was dark brown. His body was white as the falling snow outside, but the patch of hair on his chest was a brown as the hair on his head. Not to mention the hair around his manhood. Oh, his manhood. She couldn't keep from staring at it. He was the first naked man she had ever seen and she wanted to make sure she never forgot what one looked like.

Lily felt Hank's body heat the instant he slipped into the make-shift bed. She also felt the harding of his manhood on her back as he pressed his warm body against her cold one. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her tight to him. "I won't brag to my friends," she said through chattering teeth. They both laughed as she said his words back to him.

Once their laughter faded, she stared over her shoulder at him. She felt his hand move to her breast as his lips touched hers. She definately felt herself warming as the heat from inside of her spread throughout her body. She was even warm between her legs. It was then that his tongue plunged into her mouth. She felt it searching for hers and she gave it to him. His hand slipped from her breast, down her stomach, and to the warmth between her legs. She moaned as his finger rubbed her clit.

"Lily," Hank gasped as she wiggled her ass against his hardness. "You keep that up," he said breathlessly, "and I'll be doing something to you that only married couples are suppose to do." He got her answer by her rubbing against him harder and more provocatively. "Of all of dad's men," she whispered, "you're the only one I've wanted." That did it for him. He turned her around in his arms so she faced him. He kissed her deeply as he moved on top of her. "I've wanted you for so long," he said as he stared into her eyes. "So many nights I've dreamt of having you under me, just like you are now." "Then stop talking and make me yours," she gasped.

He felt her cold shaking subside and a new trembling began. She trembled from excitement; the excitement that he was causing in her. It was seven years ago, not long after turning eighteen, that he had his first woman. She was whore in town. He had been nervous that night. But that was nothing compared to the nervousness he was feeling now. He had never wanted a woman as much as he did twenty year old Lily Culpepper at this very moment.

Her sky blue eyes stared at him eagerly. Her honey blonde hair fanned out from her head like a halo. Her lush, poutly lips begged for him to kiss them, and kiss them he did. He felt her warmth growing as he kissed her way down to her breasts. Her nipples were hard, pointed numbs that stood at attention in the glow of the fire light. He played with one as he suckled and teased the other. Her moans filled the air. He kissed his way down further. He spread the honey colored hair away from her womanness. The slick juices seeped from her. He tasted her sweetness. He heard her gasp as his tongue flicked at her swollen clit, causing it to swell even more. "Hank. Hank." He smiled at hearing her calling his name so sexually. He felt her juices flow as his tongue entered her. Again he tasted her sweetness. Three more times he tasted it before laying himself back between her legs.

Lily stared into Hank's eyes as he slowly entered her. She felt him slowly slipping into her. Her opening began to stretch painfully. "Hank," she gasped as he pulled back and then pushed back in. "Hank," she again said, this time almost screaming. "It's begining to hurt." "Relax," he told her as he kissed her forehead. Again he pulled back, but this time he pushed so hard, she felt herself ripping. Pain shot from inside of her and spread throughout her body. "Hank," she screamed. He said nothing but began to move in her. Slowly at first, letting the pain ebb away. Then pleasure took hold of her.

Lily moaned with pleasure as Hank moved in her. She had heard the married woman talk about this as "their wifely duty" and the whores as "fun between the sheets". She felt dirty as she had to agree with the whores. This was definately "fun between the sheets". And if this was to be her "wifely duty" then she hoped the man she married would make it feel as good as Hank was right now. "Hank", she panted. Her arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him close to her. "That feels so good," she cooed in his ear. "It certainly does," he answered.

With each slow movement he made in her, she enjoyed their love making more and more. She felt an explosion deep in her and she screamed with pleasure. This must have encouraged him, because he encreased the pace and her feeling of this explosion came more and more. Not to mention becoming more and more pleasurable. She dug her fingernails into his back and raked them down. She heard his deep moan and felt an explosion not from her as she did. "Lily," he panted in her ear. "Lily. Oh God, Lily."

For sometime, Lily laid in Hank's arms. The darkness of the night had covered them completely. From the make-shift bed, she watched as he added more wood to the fire. "I'm sorry that I don't have any food for us," he said over his shoulder. "But when Whiskey returned without you, I lept on Night Mare and headed straight for the cabin." She moved back over as he got back into the bed. "All I could think of was finding you," he said as he wrapped his arms around you. For some time, they talked about the fight she and her father had, and what had happened to her before she was found. And then twice more that night, she knew the pleasure having him between her legs before falling asleep in his arms. But the morning light brought with it something very unexpected.

Hank jumped to a sitting position, pistol drawn and pointed directly at the source of what had waken him. Lily had just barely sit up and covered herself when the door of the cabin was shoved open. There in the light of morning stood Walt Culpepper and several of the ranch hands. "Thank God you're both alright," was all he said before closing the door of the cabin. The ride back home though was a very long and quiet one. Lily did notice though the smiles that both she and Hank were getting when her father wasn't looking. But once they were back at the ranch, and inside the house where the other hands couldn't hear, the two of them got an earfull. And before the day was over, she had become Mrs. Lily Williams. Hank's belongings were moved into her room and that was were he stayed for the next sixty years. Not once did she ever set foot into a finishing school. But she helped run the ranch until the day she died.

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