Upon The Fields Of Barley
Arthur Morgan x F!Oc
Chapter 5
Summary: Arthur never imagined himself to be with a girl such as Jodie Reed, she was the complete opposite of him. A rich, privileged, law abiding, kind woman who by all accounts shouldn't have even batted an eye at him, but she did. They were each other's first love and their bond was like no other. But with years the difference in their lifestyles was made more apparent and with Jodie's family heavily disapproving of their relationship will they manage to stay together or grow apart?
ď˝ JODIE P.O.V ď˝
Sundays were what she hated the most.
Being dragged out of her warm bed and into a church wasnât exactly fun, especially after barley getting any sleep due to Arthur. She came home late last night and before she managed to shut her eyes quite a lot of time has passed.
But how could she possibly fall asleep when the thought of him kept invading her mind. The image of his bulge was ingrained in her eyes.
She knew it was her fault, she shouldnât of straddled him the way she did. What was she even thinking at that moment? Ofcourse that would be the reaction of any men with a woman sitting on his lap and kissing him so heatedly.
Still he apologised, he apologised for something that wasnât even his fault.
If anyone was to apologise it would be her for acting so inappropriately.
Even now, sitting in a church with her parents next to her awaiting for the preacher to come she couldnât stop her mind from wondering to the events of last night. She felt ashamed to be thinking such thoughts in a church.
Her mother requested her to be dressed in the finest clothes for the church.
She looked around and saw Cassidy and Annie sitting a few rows from her, waving for her to come sit next to them. Jodie found church visits awfully boring but with Cassidy and Annie at least the time would pass a bit quicker. âMay i sit next to Annie and Cassidy?â Jodie asked in a whisper, pointing to the two girls.
Her father observed as if to make sure it was really them. âGo ahead, but donât disrupt todays sermon with anything you hear?â
âI wonâtâ Jodie smiled and stood up.
Picking her dress she quickly walked to the row where her friends were seated.
âHow come youâre alone today?â Jodie asked, knowing they usually come with their partners.
âAustin went to New York on a business tripâ Cassidy said. âMine got too drunk last night, i couldnât even wake himâ Annie said.
Jodie chuckled softly âDid you check if heâs even alive?â
âHis chest moved up and down so hereâs hopingâ Annie replied.
They shared a laugh before Cassidy turned to Jodie. âI have some news for youâ She started, softly grabbing Jodieâs hand. âAustin sent me a letter that he met someone in New York, a young and wealthy man who is coming to Blackwaterâ Cassidy stopped for a second to look at Annie before she smirked and looked back at Jodie who looked at her with interest âHe was asking Austin about the women here.. If there are any unmarried onesâ
Jodieâs eyes widened âAnd?â She asked, not of excitement to hear Cassidy continue but more of fear and anxiety. This would complicate things with Arthur.
All she wanted was to be happy and free, even if just for a few weeks. She would make sure that those weeks would be the best in her life.
âWell he told him about you and Austin said that the man seemed interestedâ Cassidy said with a big smile.
âOhâ Was all that Jodie managed to utter.
Cassidy squeezed her hand âWell arenât you happy?â
At that moment Jodie realised that she probably wasnât giving off the emotion that she was supposed to, so she quickly corrected her facial expression into a happy one âThatâs⌠amazing, im shockedâ Jodie said, faking a smile on her lips.
âPositively shocked, right?â Annie asked.
âOf courseâ Jodie lied quickly. Her face mustâve showed the truth because Cassidy caressed her hand âAustin described him as a handsome man, he said you would like him a lotâ She explained.
âI trust his judgementâ Jodie spoke.
The doors to the church suddenly opened and the preacher came inside to give his usual sundays sermon.
Jodie didnât even pay attention to a thing that the preacher was saying. She completely zoned out, thinking about what to do. Should she tell her friends that she met someone? She feared that they would immediately tell her parents.
She couldnât wait for the preacher to finish his speech so that she could run out and get some fresh air.
Cassidy poked Jodieâs side âYou alright? You look a bit pale?â She whispered.
Jodie smiled âYeah im fineâ She lied.
She wasnât fine. Not at all.
âWe were going to take a walk after church, you wanna join?â She whispered.
To be honest Jodie wasnât feeling it. But it was much better to be with her friends than her parents, so she nodded and looked at the preacher, not wanting her parents to notice that she was chatting during the sermon.
After some time the preacher finally ended his sermon and everyone made their way towards the exit of the church.
Jodie walked to her parents just to tell them that she was going to hang out with her friends for a short time. After that she found Cassidy and Annie and they walked towards the docks again, which was their favourite place to hang out. âSo when will Austin and this new handsome man come here?â Jodie asked, wanting to know how much time she had left with Arthur.
âWell Austin returns in two weeks, so im guessing the man will come at the same timeâ Cassidy explained with a playful grin âWhy? Is someone impatient?â She teased.
It took Jodie everything to fake a smile âI think every lady would be in this situationâ
Cassidy laughed loudly âTrueâ
âDo you know his name?â
âI sure do, itâs Lukeâ Cassidy smiled.
âOhhh Luke and Jodieâ Annie teased âIt matches perfectlyâ
No, she thought to herself. Arthur and Jodie matched perfect, not this. Of course she didnât say that out loud. âIt doesâ
âWhatâs his last name?â Annie asked Cassidy.
âThompsonâ Cassidy replied, knowing why Annie wanted to know.
âJodie Thompsonâ She chuckled, saying the name out loud.
âIt has a nice ring to it, donât it Cassidy?â She kept joking while nudging Jodieâs shoulder.
If only they knew how much heartache their teasing was causing her. Her eyes roamed around the streets as they walked and talked.
Once they finally made it to the docks they sat down and continued chitchatting about usual things. But the only thing that was on Jodieâs mind was Arthur. It was as if he felt that she was thinking about him because as Jodie turned she saw two men ride towards the sheriff office.
She looked more closely and noticed that it was Arthur and someone who she didnât know.
Arthur had someone tied up on the back of his horse and when he dismounted he pulled that person off and easily threw him over his shoulder as he carried him into the sheriffâs office.
Jodie was unable to look away. The sight of Arthur easily picking up and throwing a whole person on his shoulder like he weighed nothing was a sight to behold for a young woman like her. It showed Arthurâs strength.
She knew that he had to be strong due to his arms being so big but now seeing this, she was foaming at the mouth.
âJodie.. Hello..?â Annie called her name a bit annoyed that she completely zoned out. âWeâre asking you somethingâ
âOh yea, sorry, what?â Jodie apologised, focusing her attention back to her friends.
âWeâre asking you what you think about Katieâs new boyfriend?â Annie said.
âThird one this monthâ Cassidy added before they started laughing.
âAwful.. She changes them like clothesâ Jodie said.
âOh i just canât wait for the day her many boyfriends realise that sheâs been playing them allâ Annie said chuckling.
As soon as Jodie heard the sheriffâs office door open she immediately turned to look again. Arthur was coming out with some money. He licked his thumb and started counting the money before handing half of it to the other man that arrived with him.
He had to bring in a bounty, she thought.
Her eyes never left him as he mounted and said something to the man before riding away. Oh how she wanted to stand up and run after him.
âCome letâs take a walk, my ass hurts from sitting so muchâ Jodie said suddenly. She didnât really care for a walk she just wanted to run into Arthur, even if she was well aware that this decision wouldnât be the best. But she needed to see him.
âAlright..â They said and gave each other a funny look.
Jodie walked in the direction where Arthur went.
She saw Boadicea hitches outside the saloon and she smiled. Naturally she walked to the mare who seemed to immediately recognise her. "What are you doing Jodie?" Cassidy asked her as they watched Jodie walk to the horse. "Oh come on, you girls know how much i love horses" Jodie said.
"But you cant just approach a random horse like that" Annie argued.
Oh if only they knew that this wasn't just a random horse. This horse knew everything. Boadicea knew what happened the previous night, she knew who rode her last night. She knew that her owner visited Jodie last night and that they spent almost the whole night together.
"Hey beautiful" Jodie whispered, petting her neck.
Boadicea sniffed her hand and neighed happily which made Jodie laugh "You know me huh girl"
Jodie brushed Boadicea's nose "Where is Arthur?" She asked as if the horse would answer.
Boadicea snuggled her head into Jodie's shoulder. "I love him, you know" She whispered to the mare's ears. Looking into the saloon she saw him leaning onto the bar still in the company of that other man. Jodie sighed "I truly do"
"Jodie let's go" Cassidy hissed, a bit annoyed at Jodie for not listening to them.
"Your mother will be displeased if you come smelling of horsesâ Annie added, thinking that would make Jodie move but she didnât care for their words.
âI donât care about my motherâs opinion anymoreâ Jodie answered quickly. âShe would be displeased either wayâ
âWell we should leave anyway, itâs getting lateâ
Jodie stopped patting Boadicea and approached her friends âNo.. What we should really do is go inside and have some funâ
âInside where? The saloon?â Cassidy asked in shock. After Jodie nodded with a smirk Annie gasped âJodie are you crazy? You want us to go in there with all those dirty old men?â
âThereâs women there tooâ Jodie shrugged.
Perhaps she really was losing her mind.
âNot of our standards. We donât fit thereâ
âThats exactly why we should go there, no one will expect anything from us, no one will watch our behaviour and manners.. We will be free to have some real fun with no reservationsâ Jodie explained.
Cassidy and Annie looked at each other âIm not sure Jodieâ
âIm done with always doing what im toldâ Jodie said and turned towards the saloon âItâs my life and weâll only be young onceâ With that she walked to the saloon.
âJesus Jodieâ Cassidy said running after her.
As soon as they entered the saloon all the people turned to look at them. Men would whistle lowly as they passed them by. Jodie only kept her head straight, she knew what she wanted and she walked right over to the bar, with Cassidy and Annie following close behind her.
âSomething without alcohol pleaseâ She said once she was next to Arthur.
He was turned away from her as he talked to the man but as soon as he heard the familiar voice he turned.
His face was full of surprise as he saw her there.
Arthurâs mouth opened as if he wanted to say something but remembered that there were people around so he quickly shut them.
Annie pinched her sides âThatâs that manâ She whispered.
âI knowâ Jodie replied back.
âWe have coffee, tea and root beerâ The man behind the bar answered.
âWeâll have root beerâ Jodie smiled, stealing a quick glance at Arthur who was still looking at her. She smirked and looked away.
When the bar owner gave them their root beers they turned and waked to a free table.
The way Arthurâs eyes followed her movements was not dismissed by her. âWe really should leave before that man comes to bother you againâ Cassidy said, quickly drinking her beer.
âHe wonât, he was nothing but respectful when i turned him downâ Jodie said, not trying to make them think something bad of Arthur. âLetâs just relax and enjoy ourselvesâ She tried to ease some of the nervousness that she saw Cassidy and Annie had.
The whole time they were there Arthur kept stealing quick glances at her.
The bar soon became very lively as the drinks started to have effect on the men.
The girls were sat next to the poker table and the people playing it started to become more and more aggressive with their words, especially when they were losing money.
All Jodie wanted to do was to go and be with Arthur but her circumstances would not allow her that.
Suddenly one of the man from the poker table stood up âYou fucking cheat!â He accused one of the other players.
The mood in the saloon instantly changed.
âI knew you cheated you fucking cunt!â
âI did no such thingâ The man accused of cheating hissed as he stood up too.
The tension in the saloon was rising and Jodie and her friends felt quite vulnerable, sitting right next to the poker table where violence was just waiting to happen.
âLetâs leaveâ Annie urged Jodie.
Jodie saw how Arthur kept a close eye on the situation happening next to them. How could he not when the men were causing such a big scene. âYou did!â The man shouted again.
Annie yanked Jodieâs sleeve âWe really should go Jodie, this ainât no place for usâ
Jodie didnât move, she was way too curious to see what happens next to even comprehend the danger that they were in. Would a stand out happen? Like in the books?
The man suddenly pulled out his revolver and pointed it at his accuser âSay that again and youâre a dead manâ
The whole saloon was dead silent that you could hear a needle drop.
Arthur inched closer to where she was as if he sensed danger.
As that man was pointing his gun, the other one suddenly grabbed the empty beer bottle on the table and threw it at him, causing the one pointing the gun to just barely dodge the bottle. It angered him madly as he grabbed the poker table and flipped it onto the other man.
Screams from the girls erupted as the man flipping the table came over and started punching the other one that was trying to free himself under the poker table.
Everyone in the saloon started to fight each other, it was as if they were just waiting for something to happen so that they could fight. âJodie come on!â Annie yelled grabbing Jodie but the crowd was too big and Jodie got separated from her friends as everyone fought.
Jodie got caught in the midst of men fighting, she couldnât go right and she couldnât go left. Everyone was out of their minds as they punched and pushed each other.
Each time she tried to move she just got slammed back into the wall.
âFuckâ She whispered to herself, panic rising up in her chest.
On the last attempt to move away she got pushed to the ground. She couldnât even stand up and that was when she really started to freak out.
Out of a sudden someone punched a man standing in front of Jodie. She looked up to see Arthur absolutely beating everyone that was near her before he leaned down and picked her up, throwing her over his shoulder and moved through the crowd, pushing everyone out of the way as he carried her out through the back door.
She gripped his clothes tightly as he carried her and she knew then that she was safe.
Once they were outside of the saloon he finally lowered her onto her feet. âArthurâ She let out a sigh of relief.
âJesus Jodie.. What were you doing there?â Arthur asked her.
âI noticed Boadicea and i.. well i guess i just wanted to see youâ She explained, her voice still shaken up.
Arthur caressed her chin âAre you okay?â
âIm okay nowâ She smirked.
He shook his head and looked down âThought you said that a saloon was no place for a lady like yourselfâ
âItâs not and i wouldnât of went inside, but i saw you so i came insideâ She shook her shoulders.
âAnd nearly got trampled because of itâ Arthur said, obviously unhappy with her choice. âSilly girlâ He smiled as his thumb traced her lower lip.
Jodie smirked, wrapping her hands around his shoulders as she stood on her tippy toes and gave him a kiss.
They were alone in the alleyway thanks to Arthur carrying her through the back door instead of the front exit. âI simply couldnât wait till tonightâ She whispered against his lip.
âWhat are you doing here anyway?â Arthur asked.
âItâs sunday, we went to churchâ She said.
âChurchâ Arthur repeated, his voice a bit contradicting.
âWhat?â She asked confused. âAre you not a religious man?â
âNot reallyâ Arthur confessed.
Jodie smiled âThen i have a lot of work to doâ
âDo you now?â Arthur raised one eyebrow, teasing her as he leaned into her. He was just about to kiss her but the voice of Cassidy and Annie stopped them. They heard them calling for her on the other side of the saloon, where the main entrance was.
âShit.. I have to goâ Jodie said, resting her palm on his chest, slightly pushing him away.
She walked away but not before Arthur pulled her back for another kiss âSee you tonight then?â He murmured against her lips.
âYesâ She whispered back.
With a quick peck on his lips she quickly walked away to meet her friends. She came around the saloon and saw her friends looking into the window of the building. âIm here im hereâ She ran to them.
Annie grabbed her hands âOh Jodie, thank godâ They sighed in relief upon seeing her.
âWhat happened to you?â Cassidy asked, hugging her.
âI got caught up in the crowdâ Jodie replied.
âHow did you manage to make it out of there?â Annie asked, her hands still gripping hers tightly.
Jodie looked down and blushed. âWell, actually.. That man saved me, you know.. the one i turned downâ
âThe cowboy?â Annie raised her eyebrows.
âYes himâ
Cassidy and Annie looked at each other âDamn Jodie, he really likes you huh?â Cassidy commented.
Oh if only they knew.
âI guess..â She shrugged, trying to act like she didnât care. âLetâs go, your parents will be worried if weâre gone too longâ Annie said and they walked back to church.
Her parents were already waiting for her so she said her goodbye to Cassidy and Annie before leaving for home.
Jodie spent the entire day just wandering around. Helping her mother cook and clean, then she spent the afternoon in her room, reading books to make the time pass quicker.
The day was long and dragging on and on but finally the dusk approached and Jodie was preparing the table for dinner. Her mother had prepared some oysters which they all ate.
After the dinner Jodie went to her room, saying that she was gonna retire for the night. If only her parents knew that this was far from the truth. Her night was only just begging, she just needed to wait for her parents to go to sleep. Arthur would be here when the lights would go out, no sooner so she had to be patient.
After some time she heard sounds from the hallway and so she peaked her head out of her room. She saw that the house was dark and silent, meaning that her parents finally went to sleep.
Now all that was left was to wait.
Finally, after what seemed like hours she heard something hitting her window. She jumped up from her bed and ran to the window. As she looked down she saw him, mounted on Boadicea and looking up at her with a smile. âReady, princess?â He whispered.
Oh she was more than ready.
She carefully stepped out of the window as Arthur dismounted to catch her as she jumped.
Like previously he caught her with ease. Jodie wrapped her hands tightly around his neck as she gave him a hug. âI missed youâ She said.
Arthur smiled and kissed her cheek sweetly. âMissed you too, pretty girlâ
âSo, where are we going tonight?â Jodie asked when Arthur lowered her onto her feet.
âWherever the horse leads usâ Arthur joked while he helped her mount Boadicea. âOh weâre being mysterious now huh?â Jodie said with a smirk. She moved back to give Arthur space in the saddle but he stopped her.
He then mounted behind her and grabbed the reins.
She felt so safe, having his arms on both sides of her body as he held the reins. When they started moving she leaned back against his chest. âI saw you today, even before the saloonâ Jodie said, turning her head back to meet his eyes.
âYea?â Arthur raised his one eyebrow.
âMhm, you and your friend were going into the sheriffâs office and you were carrying someone on your shouldersâ Jodie explained.
âOh yea, we were bringing in a bountyâ Arthur said.
âThought so.. Who was the man you were with?â
âA good friend of mine, Javier Escuellaâ Arthur replied, smiling at her curiosity.
âMay i know what the man did to have a bounty?â Jodie asked again. She knew she had a lot of questions but she knew that Arthur didnât mind any of them.
âEver heard of the Skinner brothers?â
Jodie looked at him with a puzzled expression âNo.. but they sure donât sound too friendlyâ
Arthur chuckled lowly, his chest rumbling against her back. âThey are awful.. to call them human beings would be an insult to usâ He started talking and looking around âThey live up in Tall Trees and they are dangerous, the things iâve seen in that place as we searched for that bounty are never leaving my mind againâ
âWhat have you seen?â She asked. Maybe it would be better if she wouldnât know but curiosity is a dangerous game.
They looked at each other for a moment âThings that are not for your pretty ears to hearâ
âWell my pretty ears wanna know anywayâ She argued.
Whatever he saw had to be bad for him to protect this information from her this badly.
âMen burned alive, amputated, hanged, dismembered, skinnedâ He started going off.
âYou saw all that?â Jodie asked in shock.
âThat forest is filled with things like thatâ Arthur replied.
Jodie faced forward âGuess that would explain why my family always evaded going through Tall Trees, they would rather take a route that would take us much longer than to go through that placeâ She looked back at Arthur âI always wondered why and now i have my answerâ
Arthur nodded âSmart decision, that place only brings troubleâ
âItâs like those woods are cursedâ Jodie murmured.
âThey might beâ He agreed.
âWell you were a brave man to go there to catch a bountyâ She said.
âNo man is invincible to bulletsâ
Jodie huffed âStill, you need guts to go thereâ
âTrue, but me and Javier have each otherâs backs so it felt safer going there with himâ Arthur answered.
At that Jodie turned around and gave him a small smile âStill.. No amount of money is worth risking your life forâ She told him, almost as if she was scolding him. Maybe she was, because what she heard definitely sounded very gruesome and dangerous. Why would anyone want to risk getting tortured and killed for a few bucks?
He snorted âEasy for you to sayâ
His words stung her a little. Everyone saw her as a spoiled girl with her daddyâs money and she honestly never cared for anyoneâs opinion but hearing Arthur say that was a little different. She knew he was probably just joking and teasing but still she didnât like being seen as spoiled.
After she didnât reply and instead turned to look straight ahead he knew what he said was wrong.
âHeyâ He whispered, letting go of the reins with one hands to caress her chin and make her look at him âI didnât mean it like thatâ
âDo you see me as spoiled?â She asked gently.
He smiled softly âIf i wouldnât know you then yes, iâd probably see you as spoiled daddyâs girl. But i know you and i see the truth, you donât enjoy this rich lifeâ
âHaving money is great, but not at this price where i have to behave how they want, do what they want, dress how they want and the worst marry who they want. I live a privileged life but itâs filled with so much control that its hard to enjoyâ
âI understandâ
âYou might think im lying but iâd truly much rather be poor if that would make me freeâJodie said and that was the truth.
He pressed his lips against hers âI believe youâ He whispered.
Boadicea neighed which made Jodie flinch as she got startled. Arthur laughed into the kiss before they stopped to look at their surroundings.
Jodie saw that they were at Upper Montana River.
âWhat are we doing here?â She laughed.
Arthur dismounted and helped her down. "Teaching you how to fish" He smiled.
"Teaching me?" She raised her eyebrows "What if i already know how to fish?"
"Oh do you now?" Arthur asked, approaching her with a smirk as he towered over her. Jodie bit her lip and smiled, obviously teasing him, she was trapped between Boadicea and Arthur as he stared her down seductively âMaybeâ She looked at his lips as if to wait for him to kiss her but the kiss never came.
Instead Arthur reached behind her and pulled his fishing rod out of the side of his saddle.
He walked towards the shoreline, fully expecting her to follow him.
Of course she did, without a second thought.
She stood beside him as he dug through his satchel for a small piece of cheese âWe will use this as baitâ He said as he placed the cheese on the hook, then he handed the fishing rod to Jodie. âHere you go, letâs see your fine fishing skillsâ He joked.
Jodie gladly took the rod and casted the line into the water. âNow you just feel for the tugâ Arthur said to her ear as he stood behind her.
She waited, in that time Arthur managed to start a fire, hoping to roast some fish for them. They waited for a long time but then finally something tugged on the line âArthur! Arthur!â Jodie said excitedly âI got one!â She shouted.
Her excitement was an obvious sign that she indeed never fished before despite her statement earlier.
Arthur quickly stood up and ran to her side. âStart reelingâ He said.
Jodie started reeling like crazy at which Arthur grabbed her hands âSlowly.. You donât want to break the lineâ He said with a small chuckle.
âItâs a strong oneâ Jodie commented. She truly never thought that fishes are that strong. She reeled and reeled but was unsuccessful in each attempt. âArthurâ She pouted in disappointment, still trying to get the fish to the shore.
âDonât give up now princessâ He said.
Whenever he called her princess she felt weak in her legs. It sounded so good when he said it. If anyone else would call her that she would feel disgusted and weirded out but when he called her that it had a completely different effect on her.
âI canât, itâs going to get away Arthur!â She shouted when she felt a particularly hard tug on the line.
âHereâ Arthur said as he came to stand beside her, stretching out his hands to grab the fishing rod.
Jodie handed it to him without hesitation and as soon as Arthur grabbed the fishing rod everything seemed to run smoothly as he easily reeled the fish out of the water.
As he grabbed it he smiled cockily at her. âOh look, a Bluegillâ
She shook her head and pushed his shoulder playfully âA few more of these and we have ourselves a fine dinnerâ
âGet on it then Mr Morgan, im starting to get hungryâ Jodie said confidently.
âOh what now, you give up on fishing already?â He teased.
âSo what if i do?â She teased right back, sitting down beside the fire. Arthur smiled and shook his head âYou gotta stick at things and not let small inconveniences ruin your learning experienceâ He looked back at her âItâs all part of it, no one knows how to do new stuff right away, it takes times and practiceâ
âYes but we donât have time right nowâ She smiled.
âThen sit back and watch how itâs done, princessâ Arthur said with a grin.
It didnât take Arthur long to catch three fish. He sat down next to Jodie and placed the fish on the grill grate.
Arthur wrapped his hands around her, bringing her into his touch as they waited on the fish to be done. âYou do this a lot? Camp out in the nature?â She asked, looking at him.
âQuite a lot yesâ He answered.
âWho taught you how to fish?â
âMy fatherâ Arthur replied.
âHe taught you how to shoot too?â She raised her eyebrows at him which made him smile softly.
âHe taught me pretty much everythingâ He replied, meaning Dutch and Hosea.
âWhat did your mother teach you then?â
At that Arthur grew quiet. Jodie instantly noticed the change in his mood. âMy mother didnât teach me much, she died when i was still very young, I donât remember much of her. I just know she loved flowersâ
âIm sorry.. I shouldnât have askedâ Jodie quickly apologised.
âYou couldnât have knownâ He smiled softly âItâs good that you ask Jodie, how else are we supposed to get to know each other?â He explained.
âWell i still feel stupidâ She admitted.
âShhâ He whispered, kissing her softly.
Their kiss was interrupted by the sound of a loud shriek going through the woods behind them. âWhat was that Arthur?â She asked, obviously spooked by the sound.
Arthur looked around and thought about who the sound might belong to. It shrieked again and it sounded like it was in pain. âMust be an animalâ He commented, not paying much attention to it.
Jodie stood up âIt sounds hurtâ She said with a worried expression.
The horrifying sound echoed through the woods again and Jodie stared down at Arthur âCome onâ She urged him to his feet âWe need to help itâ
âA pack of wolves probably got to whatever animal that is Jodie, thereâs not much we can help withâ He said.
âWe donât know thatâ She simply said and turned to run in the direction of the noise.
âJodie!â He hissed quickly following her, obviously not happy with her decision to run towards the noise.
She ran through the thick forest with haste and urgency that Arthur was barely keeping up with. âJodie stopâ He called out for her, unable to see her in the dark and the bushes.
Then he saw her frozen body as it stopped as she looked at something on the ground.
âJodieâ He said again, stopping by her side. He examined her face that was full of shock before looking down only to be met with the sight of a small buck that got his leg caught in a bear trap.
She leaned down and grasped the trap, trying to open it only to result in the buck screaming out in pain.
Jodie looked up at him with tearful eyes âWe have to help him Arthurâ She sobbed.
Arthur knelt down next to her, placing his hand upon her shoulder to comfort her âJodie..â He said gently, not really knowing how to break the bad news to her.
âArthur no! Help him, now!â She said loudly.
âThere is nothing we can do, heâll either bleed out or get eaten by a pack of wolves Jodie..â He explained as softly as he possibly could to not break her heart.
He straightened up and pulled out his revolver before cocking the hammer.
She knew that this buck was doomed, of course she did but the harsh reality still hurted her deeply. She simply couldnât accept it. âStop Arthurâ She sniffed, immediately standing up at the sound of him readying his gun.
âJodie im going to save him from sufferingâ
âMurder isnât the solutionâ She hissed.
âThis is mercy, not murderâ Arthur said looking at her. He noticed how her expression changed. âJodie this little thing wonât surviveâ He said pointing to the buck that was suffering. âThis injury is a death sentence for an animalâ
Jodie turned away, looking into the distance before giving Arthur a quick glance with a nod.
She couldnât bare to look at it but she heard Arthur as he knelt down and whispered âSorryâ Before he shot the buck.
The shrieking instantly stopped.
Arthur walked holstered his revolver before walking to Jodie. âIm sorry.. But it was the right thing to do, we spared him a fate that would be far worse than thisâ
At that point he realised how innocent Jodie was. How blinded she was to the harsh realities of this cruel world. Maybe the right word to describe her would be naivety but that word seemed too negative for her. In truth she was too good for him.
If she reacted this way to him killing a wounded animal how would she reacted to the news that he was a criminal that robbed and killed people?
It will ruin her but the truth has to be told, there was no way he could hide that from her. She doesnât deserve to be lied to.
0 notes
âThe great angel, Arthur, shall smote you downâ
5K notes
¡
View notes
Rdr2 will forever be my roman empire.
0 notes
Upon The Fields Of Barley
Arthur Morgan x F!Oc
Chapter 4
Warnings: Nsfw, Smut (Masturbation)
Summary: Arthur never imagined himself to be with a girl such as Jodie Reed, she was the complete opposite of him. A rich, privileged, law abiding, kind woman who by all accounts shouldn't have even batted an eye at him, but she did. They were each other's first love and their bond was like no other. But with years the difference in their lifestyles was made more apparent and with Jodie's family heavily disapproving of their relationship will they manage to stay together or grow apart?
~ ARTHUR P.O.V ~
âDid you get him?â Charles asked Arthur, they went out hunting for rabbits.
Arthur sighed as he walked back to their horses where Charles was waiting âNah, he slipped awayâ
Charles laughed âThey are much more difficult to catch than one would thinkâ He patted Taima on her neck. âWe shouldâve opted for proghornsâ He added.
âMaybe we are just bad at huntingâ Arthur said.
âSpeak for yourselfâ He said laughing loudly. Arthur looked around the plains, the midday heat was getting to him. He could feel his clothes clinging onto his sweat damp skin. âYou know, these fish will suffice, i have to get out of this sunâ Arthur said pointing to the few fish he had stored on his saddle.
âYou sure?â Charles questioned.
âYeahâ Arthur answered, grabbing the saddle horn to pull himself onto his horse. âIm sure youâll manage just fine on your ownâ He added, looking at Charles.
âDamn right i will. See you back at camp?â Charles questioned.
âOf courseâ Arthur smiled.
Little did Charles know that Arthur had no intention of going back to camp, he had a different one in mind. One that would consist of him riding to Jodieâs house.
Yes, he knew where she lived. He found out yesterday when he followed the stagecoach that she and her father were in. When he saw how mean her father treated her by gripping her elbow and dragging her, he worried for her wellbeing.
So he followed for a bit just to make sure there wasnât any big trouble.
They had a big house just outside Blackwater. The house looked exactly how he expected it to look with a rich family living inside it.
Jodie didnât want them to see each other anymore but he knew she didnât really feel that way.
It was her attempt at trying to convince herself that she doesnât want him, that she doesnât love him. But Arthur knew that this game couldnât be played.
The heart wants what it wants, it doesnât listen to the brain.
He waited for it to be dark before heâd made his move.
First he had to find out which window was hers. He climbed on a nearby tree and observed the windows. He could see two silhouettes that went into the bed and he was sure that wasnât Jodie. She didnât have anyone to share her bed with.
He jumped off and walked around the house. There was a light in the window and he could see a woman standing and brushing her hair.
This had to be her.
Picking a tiny rock he threw it to the window.
The silhouette moved away before her curiosity got the better of her and she slowly approached and opened the window carefully.
âPssstâ Arthur whispered from the ground, looking up at her as if she was a princess.
âArthurâ Jodie let out a surprised gasp, stepping back to give him the room to enter as he climbed up and jumped into her room.
For a moment Jodie didn't know what to say, she just stared at him.
There was no need for any words as Arthur leaned in and kissed her lips deeply. He smiled when he felt her immediately relax and melt into the kiss. He grabbed her face gently as he looked into her eyes, not saying anything, just admiring her beautiful face.
"What are you doing here? How did you find my house?" Jodie asked, breaking the silence.
"I followed you yesterday, i feared your father would hurt you somehow.. He didn't look happy" Arthur answered before looking down with a mischievous smile "And i also needed to know where you live so i could visit you"
"Arthur.. I thought i told you that we shouldn't do this" She whispered.
"No one has to know, we can keep this a secret" He motioned between them.
"And when my father finds me a husband?" She raised her eyebrow.
"We'll deal with that when it happens. For now we should just enjoy each other" Arthur explained as he held her hands "There's nothing wrong with loving each other Jodie"
He kissed her again, not being able to keep his hands off of her. "Come with me" He whispered before moving again towards the window. "Come where?" She giggled quietly.
"Out to enjoy a nice walk under the stars" He whispered.
"My parents.." She started before Arthur cut her mid sentence "Are asleep, i saw the lights go off and two figures go into the bed" He moved towards the window yet again "Come, let's have some fun, you'll be back before they wake" Arthur convinced her, yanking on her hand gently.
For a second he thought she would decline him but she didn't. She only looked back towards her door before shaking her head with a smile and walking towards the window with Arthur. He climbed out before jumping down. "Here, i'll catch you" He whispered, stretching his arms.
She climbed out "You promise? You won't drop me?" Her voice was so tiny and scared it made Arthur smile.
How could she possibly think he would drop someone as precious to him as she was. "I promise"
When she was out of her room she turned and looked down, her fingers still gripping the window shelf. She let out a shaky breath as she lowered her body as much as possible before letting go and jumping into Arthur's arms.
He caught her effortlessly and it made her giggle loudly as Arthur twirled around with her in his arms still. "Shhh" He whispered with a grin, leaning his head to kiss her.
His arms slowly lowered her to the ground. "You'll get to meet my horse, come"
"Really?" She asked excitedly, following behind him as he walked.
"Uh huh, in fact you'll even get to ride her" He smiled softly "You know how to ride, right?" He asked.
"A little.. The basics of it" Jodie replied.
"Basics are good enough" He confirmed leading her into some nearby bushes behind a tree. "Here she is, my Boadicea" Arthur spoke, untying her from the tree where he tied her reins on.
"Oh hi there" Jodie spoke in a soft voice, stretching her arms for Boadicea to sniff her hands. "She's beautiful Arthur"
"On that much we agree" He confirmed, petting Boadicea.
He thought Jodie wouldn't be as relax near the big animal but she surprised him. She had no fear of Boadicea whatsoever, she petted her instantly. It made him proud as he saw how great they got along. "Here" He said, placing a carrot into Jodie's palm before leading it to Boadicea's nose. "She won't bite me?" Jodie asked, flinching a little at the feeling of Boadicea's thick lips touching her palm.
"She won't, just keep your palm open completely so that she can grab the carrot with her lips" Arthur explained. He was standing right behind Jodie, reassuring her the whole time.
Boadicea successfully took the carrot and ate it in a few bites.
"Go ahead" Arthur said, motioning to the saddle as he held the stirrup for Jodie.
"She won't move?" Jodie asked.
Her interest made Arthur genuily feel warmth inside his heart. "Of course not, but here" He whispered, grabbing the reins with his other free hand to keep Boadicea steady "If it makes you feel any safer"
"It does, thank you" She smiled walking to the side and placing her feet into the stirrup before grabbing the saddle horn and hoping on. Arthur gave her a little push.
"You nice and comfortable?" He asked, looking up at her.
"Yes" Jodie chuckled happily.
"Let's go then" Arthur said, clicking his tongue to signal Boadicea to start moving. He walked by their side as he lead Boadicea by the reins.
"May i ask where you're taking me?" She asked curiously.
"Somewhere beautiful" He answered.
"And where might that be?" She continued.
Arthur smirked as he looked up at her "Just relax, princess"
She remained silent for only a short moment before speaking again. "Can you hand me those reins?" She asked, pointing to Arthur's hand that was holding onto them.
"I want to go faster" She explained as he kept looking at her.
"You sure?"
Jodie laughed "I know how to trot a horse Arthur"
He handed her the reins, still looking a bit unsure which made Jodie chuckle as she grabbed the reins and nudged Boadicea to make her start trotting. Arthur's worries disappeared as he saw that Jodie knew what she was doing and with her mounted on top of Boadicea he had nothing to worry about. He knew Jodie was in good hands.
Jodie started doing circles around Arthur and her smile was a sight to behold. She looked so happy while riding Boadicea.
"Stop showing off" Arthur smirked.
âOh now donât get jealous of my fabulous riding skillsâ Jodie said dramatically, a big grin on her face.
âIm jealous of the horse for having someone so beautiful riding themâ Arthur said without even thinking.
Jodieâs eyes widened as she gasped before letting out a loud laugh. Arthur looked down awkwardly âShit.. That uhhh.. Came out wrong, sorryâ He apologised shyly. He didnât want her to think that he was a creep.
She stopped Boadicea by his side. âItâs alright, at least youâre honestâ She smirked cockily.
And he was honest. He mightâve been respectful and gentleman like but to claim that the thought of making love to her didnât cross his mind would be a huge lie. It did, more than once. Every single time they kissed he could barely hide his arousal.
âI-â He stuttered, not knowing what to say to her.
Jodie hooked her leg over Boadicea and motioned for Arthur to help her down. He came closer and grabbed her hips, steadily lowering her down onto the ground.
âItâs not a secret, i want you tooâ She said, looking into his eyes intensely.
God how he wanted to take her right then and there. But she was a lady, she deserved better than some cold and hard ground. Jodie deserved a big warm bed with soft cushions and nice pillows.
âBut thatâs one thing we canât do, we canât let ourselves go in that way Arthurâ Jodie explained, her palms coming up to rest on his vest. She looked down âItâs my duty to remain untouched for my husbandâ With a sigh she continued âMy mother always talks about the importance of that, if a woman is not a virgin for her husband than her value goes down horribly and she is seen as damaged goodsâ
It would be a hard task, resisting her but he would do anything just to be with her. Even if that meant that things would not escalate beyond heated make out sessions.
âAlrightâ Arthur said quietly but determined.
She smiled softly âStill think this is a good ideaâ She pointed between them.
âI doâ He replied.
âYou sound a bit unsureâ She said and moved, turning her whole body away from him. âI donât blame you, i know how important sex is to you menâ Jodie said, looking into the distance.
âHey heyâ Arthur said coming to face her again âI wonât lie sweetie, itâs going to be very hard but i wonât do anything that would ruin your reputation and valueâ
âSo you still want to see me?â She asked surprised.
He grabbed her hands, urging her to look him into his eyes âOf course Jodieâ Kissing the back of her hand he added âIm not in it for sexâ He said.
Jodie smiled widely âIm happy we settled thatâ
âI have a question though.. Wil you be able to resist me?â He asked cockily.
She gasped playfully âI hope to god that i doâ
Arthur leaned down to kiss her softly. Their lips moved slowly but passionately. His tongue founds its way into her mouth.
Would they really be able to resist each other when they canât even resist their lips from touching and their tongues from tasting each other so desperately?
His hands wrapped around her hips, pulling her into an even deeper kiss.
Boadicea suddenly snorted behind them, making them both jump before they laughed. "I think it's her getting jealous now" Jodie chuckled.
"Come let's go" Arthur said and started walking.
They walked a bit further before stopping on a nice destination under the stars. "You like strawberries?" Arthur asked as he knelt down to start a small fire to keep them warm.
"I sure do" She smiled, looking at him as he yet again lit a fire so easily.
"Well do you like chocolate covered strawberries?" He smirked.
Jodie chuckled "You really made an effort huh"
He did. He honestly would've never do something like that for anyone but Jodie was different. He knew from the moment he saw her that she is someone who he wouldn't mind spoiling and loving shamelessly.
Arthur placed a cup on top of the fire anchor and opened a chocolate bar, throwing it into the cup and waiting for it to melt.
"Sometimes" He answered and sat beside her. "You cold?"
"A little"
He stood up and walked to Boadicea, he grabbed his bed roll, pulling a blanket before walking back to her and wrapping it around her shoulders. He checked the chocolate which was already completely melted into liquid.
Arthur then took the strawberries, dipping one into the warm melted chocolate before bringing it towards Jodie's mouth.
She grinned and opened her mouth. "Mmm, that's so good"
He took one and ate it too.
"Here" Jodie said, wrapping the blanket around him as well, bringing them closer. "So Arthur, i never got the chance to ask what you do in life" She started as they continued to eat the strawberries and chocolate.
Shit, Arthur thought. He knew that the conversation would happen sooner or later but was he ready to tell her who he was? He wasn't. In his mind it would be better to wait a little longer, make sure that Jodie was head over heels for him before telling her the truth. He knew that the more she loved him the harder it would be for her to leave him if that would cross her mind.
"I do a lot of different jobs"
"Such as?" Jodie asked curiously while chewing on her strawberries.
"Break in wild horses for different families, guard their wagons on the road, work on ranches, guard people, collect bounties.. I pick up any kind of work i can get" He explained.
God if only she knew that he was doing the exact opposite. He was doing the robbing not the guarding.
"That would explain the guns" She smiled looking down at his gun belt.
"You don't like guns i take it?" He asked.
That made her laugh "Who does?"
"Well i do" Arthur replied honestly. "And lots of other people too"
"But just imagine how many lives those things took" She said.
"What about how many they saved?" He raised his eyebrows at her, playfully. "Guns aren't bad.. You just have to know how to use them and most importantly you have to be alright in the head"
How ironic of him to say that, he thought. He had so much blood on his hands. "Here" He said and unbuckled his gun belt, the memories of him doing this exact thing a few days ago came flushing into his brain. "If it makes you feel safer" He added and dropped his gun belt near them.
"It does" She acknowledged "But i will say that they make you quite sexy"
He raised his eyebrows in surprise before letting out a chuckle "Sexy? I thought you said they make me look intimidating?"
"They make you intimidatingly sexy"
If only she realised that she shouldn't be saying things like that to him when they both knew he couldn't have her. He wanted to kiss her again but he knew if he did it wouldn't end well, not with her saying stuff like that.
Arthur cleared his throat and pulled out a pack of cigarettes "You mind?" He asked, grabbing one out of the pack.
"Not if you let me try" She answered with a smirk.
He looked at her and lit his cigarette, inhaling the smoke before exhaling and answering "Nah"
"Nah?" She raised her eyebrows.
"No. They're bad for you"
She chuckled "Oh and they aren't bad for you?"
"Im already too far gone darling, but you.. Well i wouldn't want to get you hooked on something as unhealthy as cigarettes" He explained.
"You fear you'll have a bad influence on me?"
He snorted "I guess i do"
Jodie shook her head with a smile before standing up and turning around dramatically "But i wanna be cool like those ladies at the parlour who lean on counters and smoke"
"Smoking ain't cool though, itâs a bad habitâ
Jodie stepped closer, her hand reaching for the cigarette between Arthur's lips "Nah uh" He murmured and threw the cigarette away, preventing her from trying it.
Maybe he was an asshole, maybe he should've let her try it but why? He didn't want to teach her only bad stuff. He wanted her to remain as innocent and pure as she was.
She laughed at his action to stop her from smoking. Hooking one leg over his lap she slowly lowered herself onto him. His hands automatically wrapped around her hips, keeping her secure on his lap.
Jodie smirked as she leaned down and kissed him passionately.
This time he allowed her to take the lead as their tongues brushed against each other. "I can taste it you know" She whispered against his lips. "The cigarette"
"Bad girl" He commented in return before melting into another kiss.
"But i also taste strawberries and chocolate" She whispered again, smiling into the kiss.
"Focus on that then" He replied.
She too tasted like the mix of chocolate and strawberries, it was so addictive to Arthur. He gripped onto her hips tightly as they continued to make out.
It surprised him that she was bold enough to sit on his lap. Previously they only shared kisses but this was a big step from that. His heart raced at the thought of their clothed genitals brushing against one another in such close proximity.
His pants started to get a bit tight in his crotch area.
Shit, not now, he thought. Whenever he got an erection he always managed to hide it from her successfully but now? With her sitting on his lap? There was nothing that could be done to hide it because she would most certainly feel the bulge poking up at her crotch.
And she did. He was sure she did as after another shared kiss she looked at him and then down at where she was sitting âI should probably go homeâ
âThatâs not a bad ideaâ He agreed.
Of course he didnât mean that literally. He didnât want her to leave, ever. But now in this situation and with his uncomfortable ache in his hard dick having her so close would only bring him pain.
Jodie moved away from his lap and her curious eyes didnât go unnoticed by Arthur as she stole a quick glance at the bulge in his pants.
She didnât look disgusted by him. Her eyes showed a different emotion. One that he would explain as hunger and need.
As soon as she realised Arthur caught her looking she turned around. Arthur took this time to quickly adjust himself as he stood up. âIm.. Sorry about thisâ He murmured awkwardly, too ashamed to even look her in the eyes. âI canât help itâ He explained.
âItâs okayâ She answered, blushing.
Arthur didnât know what more to say, it was way too awkward to try and explained so he knew it would be better to just ignore it. He called Boadicea and as she walked to them he helped Jodie up onto the saddle before he himself mounted as well. He sat in front of her and as she wrapped her hands around his torso he nudged Boadiceaâs sides, urging her to start moving.
They trotted quickly back to her house. There was no conversation as they rode, only silence.
When they reached her house Arthur dismounted and helped Jodie off of the horse.
He touched her chin and made her look up at him before slowly closing the gap between their lips as he kissed her sweetly.
âSorry if i made you uncomfortableâ He whispered. âIt wasnât my intentionâ
She smiled against his lips âStop apologisingâ
They shared another quick kiss before she looked at him âWill you come tomorrow too? At the same time?â
âI sure willâ He nodded with a smirk.
âIâll wait for youâ
âGoodâ
She turned to look up at her window. âWill you be able to climb up?â Arthur asked as he saw her looking up with her face in thought.
âIm not sureâ She giggled.
âLet me help youâ He whispered before kneeling down. âHere, sit on my shoulders, Iâll give you a boostâ
Jodie laughed loudly as she sat on Arthurâs shoulders and when he stood up she squeaked. Causing Arthur to keep having to shush her to not wake her parents. Her hands gripped his shirt tightly.
âGrab onto the window shelf, iâll help you upâ Arthur murmured.
âIm scared Arthurâ She said with a lighthearted chuckle, causing him to laugh quietly.
âDarling just grab onto the shelf and pull yourself up, iâll do the restâ He demanded.
She did as she was told and as she pulled herself up Arthur helped her by allowing her to stand on his palms before pushing her up.
With Arthurâs help she managed to pull herself up and enter her room through the window that she left opened. âTomorrow then?â She whispered, looking down at him.
âIâll be hereâ Arthur smiled.
âIâll wait for youâ She blew him a kiss before closing the window.
God what she was doing to him. His cock still twitched as he remembered the way she sat down on his lap and how good she felt against him. In that moment he wanted nothing more than to have her right then and there beside the fire.
His cock started to get hard again at just the thought of that.
He rode off in the direction of the camp, thinking that his erection would go away but after a few minutes the ache was only getting stronger and he knew what he needed to do. He stopped and dismounted.
Walking to a nearby tree he unzipped his pants and pulled out his throbbing cock.
His palm grabbed tightly around his shaft as he started pumping up and down. It felt so good to release some of the painful ache. He closed his eyes and imagined Jodieâs palm around his cock.
He fantasised about her perfect slim body, her perfect skin, perfect round butt, perfect breasts, her long black hair that he wanted to grab a fistful of as he thrusted into her. He imagined how good she tasted or how good she would feel.
âFuckâ He grunted to himself, squeezing his cock hard as he pumped quickly.
Jodie was making him go crazy.
Heaven forbid anyone saw him right now, leaning against the tree with his cock in hand. He was smart enough to turn away from the road, besides it was still night so no one should come this way, he thought.
He was facing the tree as he supported his weight on his forearm.
All sort of grunts and groans escaped his lips as he imagined Jodie was doing this to him. The sight of her perfect rosy plump lips never leaving his mind.
What he would give to have her.
âGod dammitâ He groaned as he came. His seed shooting out and landing on the tree before him. He panted loudly, trying to catch his breath as he quickly tucked himself back into his pants.
He turned and slid down, a bit ashamed of what he just done and how perverted all his thoughts were.
He let out a loud sigh as he walked to Boadicea. âTry not to judge me too much girlâ He whispered as he mounted her.
It was now finally time to return to the camp.
0 notes
Upon The Fields Of Barley
Arthur Morgan x F!Oc
Chapter 3
Warnings: Violence, Abuse, Attempted S* Assault, Cursing
Summary: Arthur never imagined himself to be with a girl such as Jodie Reed, she was the complete opposite of him. A rich, privileged, law abiding, kind woman who by all accounts shouldn't have even batted an eye at him, but she did. They were each other's first love and their bond was like no other. But with years the difference in their lifestyles was made more apparent and with Jodie's family heavily disapproving of their relationship will they manage to stay together or grow apart?
~ JODIE P.O.V ~
She couldnât get any sleep that night. She twirled in her bed, thinking about the kiss. She has only kissed one person before Arthur and it was nothing like how Arthur kissed her.
Everything he said was true, she was attracted to him, she did like him. From the moment she saw him in the theatre she felt an insane pull towards him, it was like magnet. He didnât look like anyone sheâd usually hang out with but there was something about him. When she heard him say that it was love at first sight she laughed but what he didnât know was that she felt the same way she just wasnât ready to admit it.
But now, as she laid in her bed and thought about that kiss she was certain it was love at first sight for her too.
The second that she closed her eyes she could only see him, so manly and strong but yet very gentlemanly and charming.
She remembered how his beard felt against her face, how his lips brushed against hers and how his tongue played with hers.
She could still taste him now, the coffee mixed with cigarettes was a strange but inviting taste. God, how she didnât want him to stop. She wanted to stay in that alleyway with him all night but she knew that would be a mistake.
Had she stayed with him for a few more seconds it would lead to something that she wouldnât be able to undo and yet she wouldnât be able to stop. If only he knew how aroused and hot he made her feel. At that moment she cursed being raised by such a privileged family where the status and reputation meant everything. She was sure her father would bury her alive if he found out who she was kissing with, she couldnât even imagine what heâd do if they were to have sex that night.
Jodie was a virgin. Her mother kept yapping about how important it was for her to be pure for when they find a suitable match to marry her.
She feared that day when she would be forced to marry someone and sleep with him just because he happened to be rich. She didnât want that.
All the men that were considered for her match were complete assholes. So entitled and rude that it made her physically cringe at the thought of living with them let alone share a bed. She wanted to run away, live her own life and not be controlled by her parents anymore.
They controlled every aspect of her life. Who her friends were, what she would do in life, who to marry, who to talk to, how to behave.. Everything she did was observed by her family.
When she thought of Arthur it made her think of hope. But allowing herself to fall in love now would be a big mistake.
Love was the only privilege she could not afford.
She knew that her parents would ruin this as well. Rhe second that theyâd find out sheâd seeing someone theyâd go and marry her off, especially if they knew that Arthur was the one she was dating.
So she had to see him again. To explain this to him, to end things.. Even if they werenât anything yet.
This needed to be stopped before it gets the chance to turn into something more. But damn it, will she be able to remain this strong minded and motivated when she looks at him? Will she truly not fold as soon as he looks at her with his ocean eyes, or when his big hands touch her delicate ones?
Jodie prayed to god to give her strength. To do the right thing.
It took her a long time to fall asleep that night. But as she woke up Arthur was the first thing on her mind.
âBreakfast!â She heard her mother yell out.
With a grunt she got up and dug through her closet for a pretty dress. She decided on a green one. The dress wasnât as puffy and big as her other ones, instead it was slimmer. It hugged and showed off her body perfectly.
She walked to her vanity where she put on a small amount of makeup and doused herself in perfume.
Jesus christ she thought.. She wanted to end things with Arthur so why was she over here trying to look good and smelling so inviting? It will have the opposite effect. Still she didnât stop.. She combed her hair and styled it. She would have to touch up in the evening before meeting him anyway.
She finished the look by adding some gold earrings and a gold necklace with a green pendant, it matched her dress perfectly.
With a deep breath she walked downstairs to join her family at breakfast.
âOh look who finally decided to join usâ Her mother said.
âSorry, i slept inâ She answered dryly.
Her mother gave her a disapproving look. âYou look exquisite todayâ She commented on Jodieâs attire. No doubt disapproving of Jodieâs choice of a dress that wasnât as puffy as her other ones.
Jodie shrugged as she picked at her scrambled eggs âWasnât in the mood for something extra todayâ
âOh please, a woman like you should always dress extraâ
âItâs still a luxury dress motherâ
Her mother sighed before looking at her husband, Jodieâs father. âYour father will be going to Blackwater today, thereâs still chance to find you a decent suitor at todays auctionâ
Jodie wanted to flip the table. It seemed whenever they talked the only thing the conversation would be about is her suitors. âHereâs hopingâ Jodie said, not even hiding the sarcastic tone in her voice.
âYou should be happy, i donât understand why youâre acting the way you areâ Her mother said. âYour friends are all excited to be betrothed and yet youâre making it seem as if itâs the worst fate in the worldâ
âI guess it is.. Being married to a stranger, to a man that i donât know let alone love. It seems pretty atrocious to meâ Jodie bit back at her mother.
âI didnât know your father too, love doesnât just happen instantly Jodie, you fall in love with timeâ Her mother said again âAs youâll get to know your husband thatâs when youâll fall in loveâ
What she said sounded like a bunch of nonsense. How come she felt love immediately when she looked at Arthur? She didnât know him but yet she felt in her heart that he was the one. She wanted no one else and this conversation was making her feel sick. But the auction would be a good excuse to go to Blackwater and meet with Arthur. âMay i at least come with?â Jodie asked, looking at her father.
He nodded.
They left for Blackwater after they had their lunch. Her father summoned a stagecoach to take them to town. They didnât live too far from Blackwater but far enough to where they couldnât walk.
âAnnie and Cassidy will be here tooâ Her father said when the stagecoach came to a stop.
âI know, thatâs why im goingâ Jodie lied. She knew damn well why she came.
âIâll go look for themâ She said to her father.
He nodded and so they parted ways. She walked to the docks of Blackwater where she knew that her friends would most likely be and she was right. They were there sitting on the benches overlooking the sea. âHi thereâ She smiled and waved to them.
She knew Annie and Cassidy since her family moved here to Blackwater. Her father got a job in the bank so it was most logical for them to move here.
âOh hey you!â Annie waved, her curly blonde hair moving in the wind.
âHere sit down girlâ Cassidy moved to make some space between them.
Jodie sat down with a sigh. âHere for the auction again?â Annie asked with a smile. Jodie nodded âMy father is, but as you both know i find it way to boring so just decided to take a walk because i knew you two were here somewhereâ
âYou guessed correctlyâ Cassidy nodded.
âSoâŚâ Annie nudged Jodieâs ribs.
âWhat?â She asked, genuinely confused.
âHow was that coffee?â Cassidy asked, looking at Annie and falling into laughter.
Jodie wasnât sure if they were tainf a piss or genuinely asking her. She thought it would be more likely that they were messing with her. They both also came from a rich privileged families which they showed of proudly and carried themselves like a proper high society ladies.
She thought about her answer and she almost answered with truth but knowing them she knew they would immediately blurted out everything to their parents which would mean that their parents would instantly run to her house to tell on her. So she decided to lie.
âOh i didnât go with himâ
âWhat do you mean? We saw you walk away with himâ Cassidy replied with a puzzled face.
âOnly around the corner, i didnât want to embarrass him by turning him down in front of everyoneâ Jodie lied expertly.
They looked at each other âSo where did you go then?â
âWell i felt a bit sick so i went homeâ She quickly replied with a false smile.
Cassidy and Annie apparently believed her as they looked concerned âOh my.. Well are you alright now?â
âYes yes i am, no worriesâ
They all looked at the view in silence for a short moment before Annie spoke up âI heard there is gonna be some champagne and cakes at the auction, shall we go?â
Cassidy looked her up and down âSure.. But i canât have too much of them, Austin will notice if i gain weightâ
Austin was her betrothed. Jodie remembered how excited Cassidy was when she announced to her and Annie that her family finally decided on a suitor. They met him and sure he looked alright, he was a typical rich man in suit. But right from the start his control over Cassidy was apparent.
She started dressing like how he wanted, styling her hair how he liked and doing makeup the way he preferred on a woman. Even her personality changed, she used to be a very outgoing girl but since Austin she was less spoken and more quiet. But Cassidy would never admit how much she changed, she would never admit that Austin had a negative effect on her mental health.
Whenever the conversation about him happened she always defended him and kept making a point that she was so in love with him. Jodie didnât know if that was true or not. How could anyone love someone as controlling and manipulative as Austin?
Annieâs betrothed was a bit better although he was much, much older than her. She didnât talk about him a lot and Jodie couldnât blame her. It canât be easy knowing youâre about to marry a man who could be your father.
Todayâs auction was much more crowded than any other days. Of course it was since it was the last day and there was a party yet again. But todayâs party was much more special since it was the end.
âHere we goâ Annie said as she grabbed three glasses of champagne and handed it to her friends.
As they sipped on their alcohol Annie pointed âLook Jodie, that man seems infatuated with youâ
Jodie looked to see where she was pointing at and she saw a somewhat older man dressed in suit, clean shaven and seemingly well behaved as he smirked at her. His hair was cut short and nicely smoothed with a hair pomade. âHe doesnât look bad you knowâ Cassidy came to whisper in her ear.
âDoesnât matter, itâs my fatherâs say in who gets to marry meâ Jodie replied coldly.
âYouâre rightâ Annie answered.
For the remainder of the auction they stood together, slowly sipping in their champagne while observing the crowd. At some points Jodie felt uncomfortable because that man wouldnât stop looking at her and whenever they locked eyes he would smile.
His smile didnât make her feel good things. It was a strange smirk that she couldnât understand.
Every now and then she looked around, hoping to see Arthur even though she knew she shouldnât want to see him, not under these circumstances where she knew she couldnât be together.
But she explained her desperation to see him with the goal of ending things.
The night drew closer and the party was in full swing. Jodie, Cassidy and Annie all danced together while laughing. Her father was totally immersed in the conversation that he was having with a random man.
As they danced suddenly the man that was looking at Jodie approached as he looked at Annie âMay i steak her for a dance?â He asked Annie, pointing to Jodie.
Jodie again felt that uneasy feeling at the presence of this man. She desperately hoped that Annie would deny him and kept dancing with her but of course she didnât. âSure thingâ Annie smiled and let go of Jodie hand, allowing it to be grasped by the manâs.
She gave a small smile, cringing inside as they started dancing âJodie Reedâ The man bowed as he twirled her around.
Her eyes widened, making him laugh as he shook his head âIm Bennett Parker, i know your fatherâ
âOh do you?â She raised her eyebrows. Not remembering his name ever being mentioned by her father.
âIm an old friend of your familyâ He explained.
Jodie smiled âInterestingâ
âMhmâ Bennett smirked âWe talked about you todayâ
Jodie only blinked at him, waiting for him to continue which he did âHe told me that he considers me among the top suitors for your marriageâ
She stumbled at his words. âOh..â
âWe in fact already agreed on the matter todayâ Bennett remarked.
Jodie glanced at her father who was still in deep conversation with that man.
What Bennett did next made her shiver. His hand traveled down from her hips and resting on her butt. âSoon youâll be my wifeâ He whispered which gave her the goosebumps.
She cleared her throat and moved away. âI look forward to itâ She lied.
Shock is what she felt in that moment. âWhere are you going?â Bennett asked, grinning like a fool.
âTo find my friends and tell them the good newsâ Jodie said to him, once again lying just to get out of this extremely uncomfortable situation.
âWill you return to the party?â He asked.
She nodded quickly, desperate to run away.
As soon as Bennett let her go she turned and started walking away from the party. She needed to find Arthur, she needed to get away from this creepy man. Did her father really promise her to him?
The streets of Blackwater were mainly empty, the reason being the party which most of the citizens attended. While she walked she constantly felt like someone was following her and as she turned her stomach dropped.
It was Bennett, he walked a few feet behind her.
Panic started to rise up as she fastened her pace to quickly go to the alleyway where she was supposed to meet with Arthur. She prayed to god that he would be there. Every now and then she glanced back and Bennett was always close behind her.
At first she thought it was pure coincidence but now she was sure that he was following her as he stayed on her trail no matter how many turns she made.
She cursed that damned auction party that caused the streets to be so empty.
Gathering her dress in her hands she walked even faster. Finally turning into the dark alleyway where she was supposed to meet Arthur.
But he was not there and now she was stuck.
âYour friends are at the party, where are you going?â Bennett asked when he caught up to her.
It was just them in the dark alleyway and with that her heart raced wildly as her mind tried to make something up. âI just needed to take a short walkâ She lied, smiling sweetly at him.
He approached âDo you usually take walks through the dark alleywayâs such as this?â Bennett asked, doubt clear in his voice.
âI know Blackwater pretty well, im positive nothing bad could happen to meâ She replied quickly.
âOh pleaseâ He said, coming face to face with her now before touching her hands. âI thought youâd prefer a better place than thisâ He smirked.
His comment made Jodie confused âExcuse me?â
âYou were giving me hints. Running away from the party like that.. constantly looking back to make sure im still with you and now bringing me here where we can have some privacyâ He smirked.
Jodie finally started to realise what he wanted and her heart sunk to the bottom of her chest.
Her eyes searched left and right, begging that Arthur would show up.
âOh no i-â
âShhâ Bennett placed his index finger on her lips, shushing her âI get it, weâre going to be married so why wait on the wedding night when we can have each other right nowâ
âI-â
His fingers brushed her hair away from her neck, exposing the skin.
He suddenly kissed her neck, his hands coming up to grope her breasts.
âStopâ She gasped in shock.
âJust relaxâ Bennett whispered, his lips starting to suck her neck.
âNo im serious, stopâ She demanded this time.
âShh itâs okay, youâre going to be my wife anywayâ He said, his fingers started to unbutton her dress.
It was then that Jodie pushed him off with all her strength âI said stop!â She shouted, staring at him with fear in her eyes.
âOh you like it rough i seeâ He commented, approaching again and grabbing at her skirt to yank it up her hips, exposing her undergarments as he tried desperately to remove them.
Jodie felt tears in her eyes, was this how it was going to happen? On a random night in the middle of a party being forced like this? It was her worst nightmare and now it was happening.
âNo, stop it!â She shouted trying to smack away his hands but he gripped her throat.
âPlaying hard to get huh?â He growled. His other hand ripping her dress, causing her to cry out loud.
âStop it!â Jodie yelled again, attempting to push him away.
âI thought she told you no buddyâ A voice suddenly spoke up from the darkness.
It made Bennett immediately release his grip on her as they both looked in the direction of the voice. There was Arthur, standing in the middle of the alleyway staring at them with his cold blank expression. Jodie thanked the god as she let out a sigh of relief.
âThis doesnât concern you, get lostâ Bennett said turning his attention back to Jodie, fully believing that Arthur would leave just like that.
But he was wrong. Arthur took a few steps closer âYouâre harassing the lady, let her go and leave before things get uglyâ He warned again.
âThis lady is to be my wife, i can do as i please with herâ Bennett hissed.
âNo you canâtâ Arthur said again.
Bennett turned to him then âWho the fuck do you think you are to tell me what to do huh?â
âJust a feller who knows what the word no meansâ
Bennett walked towards Arthur with an angry expression âThink youâre funny huh?â He asked. âOne last warning to leave so i can fuck my fiance in peaceâ Bennett growled at Arthur.
That was his mistake because as soon as Arthur heard him say that he grabbed Bennett by his collar of his suit and slammed him into the wall. He started punching him repeatedly, making Jodie gasp at the scene.
The blood splashed everywhere and Jodie was sure she saw some teeth being knocked out of Bennettâs mouth.
She rushed to Arthur and tugged at his shoulder âStop youâll kill himâ She said, not really caring if he did but she was just worried what would happen if he did murder Bennett.
Unlike Bennett Arthur immediately stopped when he heard Jodie tell him to stop. He let go of Bennettâs collar, making him fall to the ground with a thud.
Bennett spat out some blood as he crawled away from Arthur. âYouâll answer for this!â He stuttered as he slowly stumbled onto his feet.
Jodie walked forward âGo ahead tell them about what happened and i shall tell them about thisâ She showed the bruise on her neck. âYou donât wanna mess with my daddyâ She added.
The fear in Bennettâs eyes felt like justice. Jodie couldnât lie that it felt great seeing him as helpless as she was just a few moments ago.
The man scurried off like a coward.
âOh Arthur thank godâ Jodie said as she suddenly wrapped her hands around his torso, resting her head on his chest as she gave him a tight hug.
Arthur immediately wrapped his around her, making her feel safe in his grip.
âIm sorry i was lateâ He apologised, looking down at her âAre you all right?â
She couldnât find the right words. No men has ever stood up for her like that before. There was something so attractive in the way he beat that man for the simple fact of insulting her.
âJodie?â He asked again after not receiving an answer.
In a split unthinkable second she crashed her lips on his. Arthur melted into the kiss right away. Their mouth moved with need while their tongues danced with hunger. The kiss felt like it wasnât enough. Jodie wanted more of him, so much more.
He was a respectable man, never letting his hands touch anywhere else other than to caress her cheeks and jawline.
Arthur slowly walked them both backwards until Jodieâs back hit the wall behind her. She felt safe being trapped between a wall and Arthurâs body.
They kept kissing for a long time before Arthur eventually broke the kiss. âIs it true? What the man said? Youâre to be his wife?â He asked, not moving away from her as he awaited her answer.
Her expression changed as she looked down âI just found out today, itâs not official yetâ
Arthur snorted âYeah.. Especially not now after all thisâ His fingertips gently touched her bruises.
âArthur..â She started looking up into his ocean eyes âWhat you said about me.. That you fell in love with me the moment that you saw me?â For a moment she stopped, swallowing the lump in her throat âI felt the same way about youâ
He grinned and pressed his lips to hers in a passionate kiss, obviously happy with her confession.
âArthurâ She whispered again, her words melting right into the kiss. âWe canât..â
He slowly stopped no matter how addicting her lips were, he had to force himself. His eyes glanced at hers. âThis.. We.. It can never beâ She said quietly, voice almost as tiny and unsure as she was. âIm a high society woman, my parents would never approve of you so we better stop meeting before our feelings get too hard to controlâ She explained with a heavy heart.
Strangely her words didnât hurt Arthur. She was right, she was a highborn and he was just a cowboy even worse an outlaw which she had no idea about yet.
By all rights they shouldnât be even in the close proximity of one another. He truly felt like she was way out of his league.
No matter how hard she tried to convince herself that they donât belong together her lips were automatically drawn to his. âPlease tell me you understandâ She whispered as she brushed her lips against his, breathing him in.
His fingers caressed her cheeks gently âI do, but i donât want toâ
âYou have toâ She whispered, kissing him again.
âAll i know is that i love you Jodie Reedâ
She grabbed his hand and removed it from her face âYouâre making it harder for me Arthurâ
Jodie stepped away from him. âI canât afford to fall in love now.. My father will marry me off any day and what then huh? When im married to someone else while being in love with you?â
âThen weâll run awayâ
âRun away?â She asked in disbelief.
âYes run away.â Arthur replied, determined.
âI canât do that.. my family would never stop looking for me, theyâd send every detective agency after usâ Jodie explained, her eyes sad. âAnd they would find us, Arthurâ She said it as a fact.
âThey wouldnât and if they did iâd kill themâ
It made her laugh, his optimism. âIf we end this now itâll be so much easier for both of usâ
âNo it wonât Jodie, you think youâll do good if we donât see each other but it wonât. Nothing good will happen from thisâ He urged her.
âNothing good will happen if we continue to see each other either, we will only torture ourselvesâ Jodie was adamant about making her point.
âAt least weâll have a little piece of heaven when togetherâ
She didnât know what more to say. God if he knew how much she wanted this, him. She would give up everything to be with him but she knew she would put him in danger. Her rich family would hire everyone and then theyâd probably kill Arthur. She didnât want this tragedy to be bestowed upon them both. If something were to happen to Arthur she would never forgive herself.
âJodie!â She heard her father call out from the streets, looking for her.
âIm sorryâ She whispered as she quickly kissed Arthurâs cheek and ran to meet her father.
The heartache she felt was unexplainable. She fought off her tears as she approached her father. The feeling of anger and frustration was the only one she felt as she stared at her father.
âIâve been looking for you everywhereâ He said angrily.
Jodie shook her head âOh were you? Well sorry i was busy getting assaulted by that man you want to marry me off to!â She hissed as she showed her bruised neck.
Her father gasped as he examined the bruise âBennett Parker?â
âYes, Bennett Parkerâ She confirmed angrily.
âDid he do anything else?â He asked her. She knew what he was hinting at and she also knew that he was asking purely because he knew that if she wasnât a virgin anymore her value would unfortunately go down.
âNo father, he didnâtâ Jodie answered, not bothering if she sounded annoyed.
âGood, iâll find you someone elseâ He said, grabbing her by the elbow and dragging her towards the stagecoach. âI can walk on my ownâ She growled as she yanked her arm free from his grasp.
She entered the stagecoach and looked back at her and Arthurâs spot where she saw him leaning on the wall, smoking a cigarette as he looked at her.
Her heart felt pain again. It was hard seeing him with such hurtful expression on his face.
Jodie gave him a weak smile before the stagecoach started moving, leaving Arthur alone in Blackwater.
0 notes
đ đś
614 notes
¡
View notes
âđ¤ŁđĽ§đĄźâąđˇâ°đĄźđĽ§đ¤Łâ
178 notes
¡
View notes
I hope he has found peace.
(AAAAAAAAAAAAA, who devoured the quality, damn it???)
722 notes
¡
View notes
đťâ¨
277 notes
¡
View notes
like you Iâve been running for as long as I can remember⌠and like you, my time here is nigh on done
431 notes
¡
View notes
618 notes
¡
View notes
"You fancy a game of dominoes?"
286 notes
¡
View notes
never understood john x arthur. how do you look at john literally word for word say âyouâre my brotherâ and think theyâre fucking
470 notes
¡
View notes
Bleh :p
920 notes
¡
View notes
Upon The Fields Of Barley
Arthur Morgan x F!Oc
Chapter 2
Summary: Arthur never imagined himself to be with a girl such as Jodie Reed, she was the complete opposite of him. A rich, privileged, law abiding, kind woman who by all accounts shouldn't have even batted an eye at him, but she did. They were each other's first love and their bond was like no other. But with years the difference in their lifestyles was made more apparent and with Jodie's family heavily disapproving of their relationship will they manage to stay together or grow apart?
~ARTHUR P.O.V~
He returned to Blackwater the very next day.
Dutch caught him just as he was ready to slip away from the camp before any duty gets put on him but no one could escape Dutchâs eagle eyes. Even after telling Dutch that he was busy he insisted on making Arthur join Micah on some stupid stagecoach robbery.
Him and Micah could never get along and it angered Arthur how much Dutch tried to get them to like each other by constantly putting them on jobs together.
Arthur only told Dutch that heâll go after he returns and if heâll have time for it.
He could see the disapproval in Dutchâs eyes but that day he didnât care. The gang could survive another day without him.
Sitting on a bench outside the post office he observed the town. Each time a carriage pulled up he stood up to see if it was her. The auction already started and for a while he wondered if she would even come today. Then a stagecoach rode in, the doors opened up and the same man from yesterday exited the coach before offering his hand to someone.
The woman placed her hands in his palm and exited the stagecoach and much to Arthurâs luck it was his woman.
He couldnât decide which day she looked prettier, today or yesterday. She decided on a yellow dress today which made a beautiful contrast with her black hair that she had completely down today, she carried a purse and had a cute hat with a bow on the back.
This had to be love at first sight, as foolish as that sounded it was the only way Arthur could explain what this feeling was. He just knew that he constantly wanted to see her and when he did his heart was beating heavily and his eyes couldnât move away, his whole body couldnât move.
He didnât even care if she was out of his league, he had to have this woman.
The man went to join the auction but today the woman didnât go with him. Instead she walked in a different direction, alone. Arthur didnât want to appear as a stalker but automatically he followed behind her, of course remaining a safe distance.
He watched her as she walked into a general store. Leaning on a wall of a random building he observed her, he could see her from the window. She seemed so nice as she had on a bright smile on her lips the whole time while talking to the store owner.
His daydreaming was interrupted by a sound of some kids arguing and pushing each other in the alleyway. He turned and saw them. They had to be orphans judging by their ripped clothes, dirty faces and ill manners. He recognised himself in them thatâs why he knew that they were orphans right away. Thatâs when an idea struck him. He looked at the store again and noticed that the woman exited and started walking down the street.
Arthur turned back to the kids âHey youâ He called, waiting to get their attention. When they looked at him he continued as he stepped closer to them âWanna earn some money?â He whispered.
The kids nodded and approached him when Arthur motioned for them to come closer âYou see that lady thereâ Arthur asked and pointed to the woman.
The small kid nodded and stared up at Arthur âI want you to run to her and steal her purse then i want you to run around that corner and wait for me to comeâ Arthur explained.
He crossed his hands âYou want me to steal for you mister?â
Arthur quickly shook his head âNo, just take the purse and bring it to me so that i can return it to herâ
The kid laughed âOh so you wanna play the hero huhâ
âDo you want to earn a dollar or not?â Arthur asked angrily, time was running out and so were his patience.
He stretched out his hand âMoney firstâ
âNo, youâll get the money after i make sure i get her purse and that you donât steal itâ Arthur said.
âTwo dollars and you got yourself a deal misterâ
Arthur sighed, two dollars was a lot but he was desperate. He needed a way to talk to this woman and pretending like he retrieved her stolen purse for her would definitely make him gain some points with her and he could come across as a total gentleman and as far as he was concerned women loved that.
âFineâ Arthur murmured.
With that the kid walked across the street before yanking the purse out of her hands and running away behind the corner.
âHey! Come back here thatâs mine!â The woman screamed as she ran but her long and puffy skirt was in the way.
Now was his chance he thought. âGet back here you maggot!â He growled as he ran past the woman and after the kid. They both didnât run for long because as soon as they turned the corner and were out of sight the kid stopped and handed Arthur the purse, he then stretched his hand and opened his palm.
Arthur handed him $2 dollars âPleasure doing business with yaâ The kid giggled and ran away.
Arthur looked at the purse and smiled, hopefully this plan will work. He took a deep breath and put on his best charm as he walked back to return the purse to the woman.
As soon as he appeared around the corner she let out a loud sigh of relief âOh thank godâ She said âMy father would kill me if i lost another oneâ
He smiled âHere you go maâamâ He said and handed her the purse. He purposely referred to her as maâam even if he knew she wasnât that, he just wanted to see if she would correct him and he would also know if she was married or not.
âItâs missâ She corrected and grabbed her purse âMiss Reedâ She added with a big smile. Her eyes were a beautiful blue colour and they looked like they were shining as she maintained a deep eye contact with him.
She was so beautiful Arthur thought. He didnât even realise he was still clutching her purse as they held eye contact. He wanted to feel her fingers on his skin when she would reach for her purse and he did. Her soft and long fingers brushed against his calloused ones and his heart felt warm, hot even.
âArthurâ He introduced himself.
âDidnât i see you yesterday at the theatre, mister?â She asked, her voice was so soft and gentle.
Everything about her was so perfect, this had to be love. He never felt this way about any women and he knew lots of them but the way she made him feel was something entirely different.
Arthur could almost feel himself blush, she remembered him. âYes, yes you didâ He nodded.
âI knew itâ She smiled before looking around awkwardly. âI have nothing to repay your kindness with misterâ
âItâs Arthur, please just call me Arthurâ He corrected her. He wanted her to call him by his name. Mister sounded way too formal. âAnd itâs okay, you donât have to pay meâ
She smiled shyly âAlright then Arthurâ
They shared one last eye contact before she focused her gaze down on the ground and turned to leave âThanks againâ With that she started walking away and Arthur felt helpless, he didnât know what to do he just knew that he couldnât let her walk away. He needed to have her.
In a sudden urge he walked after her and grabbed her by her elbow very gently, just enough to get her attention âLet me buy you a drink Missâ He said without thinking twice.
Miss Reed looked at him in surprise.
âYou said you have nothing to repay me with so please allow me to buy you a drink and iâll see It as your way of repaymentâ He continued.
She stared at him speechless. âA drink?â She questioned, still looking at him. âNow?â
Arthur nodded so fast that his hat almost fell off, his eyes were full of hope as he stared at her awaiting her answer. Miss Reed looked around before meeting his gaze again "I can't, sorry" She smiled sincerely and started walking again.
"It would only be one drink" He tried again.
She smirked mischievously as she gazed at him. Her smile was so infectious, Arthur thought. Her eyes were playful and he knew she wanted to say yes. âI will not keep you too longâ He added, desperately trying to make her agree. He knew that he probably came across as a complete fool but he really didnât care.
âWhere would you take me?â She asked, still having that smirk on her lips. âTo the saloon?â She raised her eyebrows in a sarcastic tone.
âYes?â He replied.
Jodie snorted a laugh before she started walking again.
âWhoa, whoa, waitâ Arthur said running after her and stopping just in front, gently placing his hands over her shoulders as if to keep her from running off.
The woman tried to remain serious but failed as she still had a small smile on her lips. She probably enjoyed being pursued like this and Arthur didnât mind it. âWhere would you want me to take you?â
âWell definitely not to that saloon filled with nasty old menâ She replied quickly, pointing her head in the direction of the saloon.
She was right and he was stupid to even suggest bringing her to a saloon. A lady like her deserves far better than a saloon full of drunks and men that are practically undressing the women with their eyes. Especially someone like Jodie, he couldnât imagine the way theyâd look at her with their hungry eyes.
He felt like such an idiot and he was sure that he lost his chance with her. What kind of a fool invites a lady to a saloon?
Jodie shrugged âI donât know. Youâre the man, you should be the one making the plansâ
With that she walked off again and this time Arthur let her, feeling completely defeated. But there was still hope because she glanced back with a playful grin, indicating that maybe she was interested in him and wanted him to keep trying.
Arthur started to think what to do. What would impress this young lady?
He sat down on a nearby bench, still gazing at Jodie from a distance as she joined the auction and got lost in the crowd. He overheard two people talk next to him about a party that would take place in Blackwater right after the auction. They mentioned something about this being a traditional thing for Blackwater, that a party was being held every year after the auction is finished.
She would be there for sure. Especially because the way they explained it, it sounded like a fancy party, one that only rich folks attended with their expensive suits and dresses. He didnât care though, if there was a possibility of seeing her again then he will join, even if just observing.
So he waited in Blackwater until it got dark and the party started. He knew that he should go and join Micah on that stagecoach robbery like Dutch had asked him but he truly couldnât be bothered with that right now. He had way more important tasks at hand.
As he waited an idea popped into his mind of how to win her over.
His eyes watched her as she attended the party with two friends from yesterday. They stuck together as they danced and drank champagne.
Then a man approached Jodie and offered her his hand, inviting her to a dance. At that moment he thought he would burst. The jealousy was at the highest peak but he knew he couldnât do anything about it. Normally he would just beat the man but he didnât want to spook Jodie by showing her his nature despite knowing that it would come out sooner or later.
To his surprise she turned him down.
Arthur couldnât believe it. Jodie smiled politely and shook her head awkwardly, really and truly denying this rich fool a dance.
He started to get self conscious. If Jodie didnât want anything to do with a rich, well mannered and well groomed man like that.. what could she possibly want with him?
He had to try nevertheless.
Taking a deep breath he strolled towards her with as much confidence as he could. People were turning and looking at him up and down, basically hinting that he wasnât in the right place.
Upon approaching Jodie she had this shocked face but her expression wasnât a bad one, Arthur believed she was in a good type of shock.
âYou like coffee?â He asked without any context.
Her friends giggled but Jodie remained speechless as she stared at him, her mouth slightly opened as if she was surprised that this man still tried to get her to come on a drink with her. âDonât worry i wonât take you to a saloonâ Arthur explained himself.
Jodie turned to her friends and whispered for them to give them some privacy which they did, with a loud childlike giggle they turned and walked away.
Then she looked at Arthur âYou donât stop do you?â She asked, the corner of her lips tucked upwards in a sassy smile.
âI donât and i wonât till i get that drink with youâ Arthur replied. âIm not asking for much here..â
She searched the crowd as if looking for someone before returning her gaze to him. âFine, one drinkâ
âOne drinkâ Arthur repeated with a big grin. He motioned for her to walk forward, away from the crowd. âHope you donât mean any funny business mister Arthurâ She looked him up and down, completely serious this time.
âOf course not my ladyâ Arthur replied.
They began walking âSo where exactly are we going?â She asked.
âUp to the high plains, the view is beautiful there especially now with the moon looming over Blackwaterâ Arthur explained to her as they walked side by side. It took everything in his power not to wrap his hands around her or to brush his hands against hers.
âWe wonât get coffee thereâ She raised one eyebrow at him.
âSure we will, iâll brew you someâ
Jodie chuckled as she looked at him âYouâll brew me coffee?â She questioned, surprised.
âYes i willâ He answered confidently.
âHow romanticâ She said.
Arthur wasnât sure if she was being sarcastic or not but as he examined her expression it showed no signs of sarcasm, only positive surprise.
The walk wasnât too long, it was just outside the town on the outskirts of Blackwater.
âWowâ She whispered as she looked and saw that the view was indeed beautiful like he claimed.
âTold youâ He said as he dug through his satchel to pull out a peculator and two cups. He started a small fire while Jodie looked at him, impressed with his skills of starting a fire that easily. âIt looks so easy when you do itâ She commented, motioning to the fire.
âIt is easy, it just takes practiceâ He smirked and started to brew coffee.
âThis view would make a beautiful paintingâ Jodie said as she looked. âYou paint?�� Arthur questioned, looking up at her.
She nodded and sat down on a nearby rock âI do and i want to make a business out of itâ Her expression sombered âBut my family doesnât approveâ
âWhy not?â
âI guess theyâre stuck in that mindset that a womanâs only obligation is to marry into a rich family and be a good obedient housewife to her husbandâ She explained, clearly angry.
âYou should do what you want to do miss, donât let them control your lifeâ Arthur said.
Jodie sighed âIf it were only that easyâ
At that moment Arthur felt sad for her. She looked very unhappy.
âHere you goâ He handed her the coffee.
Finally she smiled when she grabbed the cup out of his hands. She looked at it before back at him âIs there any sugar in this?â She smiled.
âDamnâ Arthur looked down and chuckled gently before glancing back at her âYouâre really high maintenance, huhâ
That made her laugh âI live a bitter life, i want at least my coffee to be sweetâ She joked.
If only she knew how sweet he could make her life if she would just give him a chance. Pulling out some sugar from his satchel he handed it to her and as she took it their fingers brushed again. âAre you a cowboy Arthur?â
âI amâ He nodded, taking a sip from his cup.
She looked around âA cowboy with no horse, thatâs strangeâ
Arthur chuckled again, it seemed as if everything she said was funny to him âI do have a horse but i left her hitched in Blackwaterâ
âA pity, i love horsesâ
âYou do?â Arthur asked in surprise. He didnât know what to expect but for some reason he thought she didnât like horses. They definitely donât fit with her attire and class.
âI sure do, always wanted to own one but my father claimed itâs unladylike to ride horsesâ Jodie said and tried her coffee.
âYour daddy sounds like quite a manâ He teased.
âHe would kill me if he found out im over here, sipping on coffee with a cowboy that i donât knowâ
âDoes my presence make you uncomfortable?â He asked, wanting an honest answer. Usually it did, especially with women of her standard.
âIt intimidates meâ She replied, maintaining strong eye contact with him.
Arthur couldnât say he never heard that before. He knew that he was intimidating to some people, usually men. Standing up he unbuckled his gun belt, throwing it to the ground before removing his hat. âAm i less intimidating now?â He asked smirking.
She laughed, her cheeks sweetly illuminated by the orange glow that the fire gave off. All Arthur could think was how damn beautiful she was and how lucky he is for even having a chance to share this moment with her.
âI think it might be your deep voiceâ She replied, squinting her eyes at him.
He sat down next to her and he dared to be a little closer. âIm told i have an attractive voiceâ
She raised her eyebrows âDo you now?â
Arthur nodded before looking at the fire. âYou shouldnât be intimidated by me, iâm known for being a gentlemanâ He spoke and there was truth in his words. He mightâve been a bad man and a killer but for women he had nothing but respect.
Hosea and Dutch raised him to always be a gentleman and to always treat women right, to see them as equal.
âI wouldnât know.. I just met youâ She shrugged, still holding that smile. âBut i will admit that this is pretty beautifulâ She pointed to the coffee and to the fire and the view.
âYouâre beautifulâ He admitted suddenly, shocking himself as well as her. He thought he was only thinking that but apparently he blurted it out. He cleared his throat, playing it off casually as he continued âYouâre the most beautiful woman i ever sawâ
Jodie was looking him in the eyes, her smile slowly dropping when she heard him say that. âHow many women did you see?â She asked.
Did she not think of herself as beautiful?
âA fair share and iâm telling you now that none are as beautiful as youâ He said truthfully.
She chuckled shyly and shook her head âA real charmerâ Jodie remarked.
âIm just being honestâ
God how he wanted to kiss her. Sitting this close to her was killing him, her lips looked so inviting and yet he needed to refrain himself from leaning forward to kiss them, but it was all he wanted to do in that moment.
He could feel the sexual tension radiating off of their bodies. He knew that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her, it was just a matter of time before she admitted it.
âYour honesty is much appreciated, but thereâs more to me than just my beauty and i wish men would understand that some dayâ Jodie said, her voice sounding a bit upset.
âAnd i would love to find out everything about you if you just give me a chanceâ He admitted.
âWhy me?â
âI believe we are meant to beâ Arthur said âFrom the moment i saw you yesterday at the auction it was like love at first sightâ
Jodie started to laugh âLove at first sightâ She repeated looking into the distance âHow many times have i heard that before it turned out that they only wanted to try and sleep with meâ
âIt ainât like thatâ He stopped her âIm not looking to sleep with you.. i mean i am but⌠â All she could do was laugh at his antics as he tried to explain himself. âLook if i wanted to have sex i couldâve gone to the saloon and bought a whoreâ
âI believe you.. But you must know that this is not love at first sightâ She stood up âI shouldnât even be hereâ
Arthur felt defeated, what more could he say.
âI think this is exactly where you should be.. Itâs exactly where we should beâ
âItâs notâ She said firmly âWe are too different you and iâ
âOpposites attract donât they?â
Jodie didnât say anything as she looked him in the eyes, finding the right words to say something. âItâs getting late, we should head backâ
He nodded, picking up his things they walked back to Blackwater. âIâll walk you to the general store and then iâll go the opposite way, donât want to get you in trouble if your father sees you with meâ
âIm sorry about this alrightâ Jodie apologised all of a sudden.
They were in a dark alleyway. âNothing to apologise forâ Arthur acknowledged but his voice was obviously sad.
âMy family would never approve of this.. of usâ
Arthur stopped and turned to look at her âSo you thought about being with me?â
âI..â She stuttered.
He approached and gently grabbed her hands âI know that you feel the same way, i see the way you look at me, the way you smile at everything i say.. I know it because you make me feel the same way. We just met, yes but you canât deny the attraction that we share, itâs like a magnetâ
âArthur..â
Without saying anything more he leaned down and pressed their lips together.
He believed that Jodie would stiffen or be shocked by his action, instead she instantly melted into the kiss like sheâs been waiting for him to do that. She felt just as desperate as he did while their lips melted together like butter. Her lips were so soft.
Arthur had her pressed against the wall of a building in the dark alleyway where no one could see them. There was music and voices that could be heard but all he could focus on was the sound of their lips smacking together.
He licked her bottom lip, begging for permission which she gave right away. She opened her mouth and let him slip his tongue in to meet hers. It was heated and needy, desperate and hot. It was everything he dreamed of.
His tongue danced with hers in perfect harmony. Jodieâs fingers found their way into his hair where she buried them and pulled on his locks. He let out a moan that was swallowed by yet another kiss.
With his hands he grabbed her face on either side and pulled her into an even deeper kiss. One that was filled with moans and sounds of tongues.
They were basically eating each otherâs faces as the make out session was so hungry and needy.
Stopping only a second to catch their breaths before connecting their lips again. They both wanted this. They both needed it, no matter how much Jodie tried to deny it or object to them being together her body spoke a completely different story and body language doesnât lie.
âI have to goâ She whispered in between kisses.
Arthur slowed down his kisses, basically now only pecking her lips âAlrightâ He replied, still obviously not wanting to let her go and stop kissing her.
She was so addicting.
âMy father will be worriedâ She said when Arthur gave her one last passionate kiss. âI understandâ He spoke against her lips, his fingers gently held her chin up to kiss her lips for the last time before stepping away.
Jesus christ how he didnât want to let her go.
âWill i see you tomorrow?â Arthur spoke, reaching his hand to grab hers in a gentle, loving way.
âIm not sureâ She replied.
âIâll wait for you here in the evening hours after itâs dark should you decide to come see meâ He told her.
âOkayâ She said before slipping her hand out of his and moving away, leaving him alone in the dark alleyway, wondering if sheâll come tomorrow or not.
Why wouldnât she? He wondered.. The connection that they shared was like no other. The kisses felt ljke they were made for one another and he knew she felt it too, the heavy attraction, the need for each other. Not just in the physical way but in emotional way too.
Arthur walked to his horse and rode back to the camp.
0 notes