Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/337237.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      F/M
  Fandom:
      Big_Valley
  Relationship:
      Heath_Barkley/Original_Female_Character
  Additional Tags:
      Explicit_Sexual_Content, First_Time
  Stats:
      Published: 2012-01-20 Words: 2482
****** Options alternate chapter 1 ******
by LoriLee_(cowgirl65)
Summary
     The NC/17 rated original first chapter of my story Options
  This work was inspired by
      Options by LoriLee_(cowgirl65)
The bartender eyed the scruffy young man as he entered the saloon. He
didn’t look old enough to shave, but he had a shadow of stubble on his
chin and his hat and clothes were worn and travel-stained.
“Whiskey,” and a coin was plunked down on the bar. The bartender
gave a mental shrug and poured a glass. It was none of his business how old the
boy was, if he could pay for it, he could drink it.
The young man eyed the saloon’s other patrons. He took a drink and
pushed his hat back on his forehead. His blue eyes took in the poker game at
the far end of the room and the trio of rough-looking cowboys at a nearby
table. A pretty blonde, wearing a dress cut to show an ample bosom and shapely
legs, brought them another bottle at their shouted request. One of the men
grabbed her roughly and pulled her into his lap.
“How ‘bout you an’ me head on upstairs for a little
fun?” The girl wore a frightened look, but headed with him to the
stairs. One of the other saloon girls, older than the blonde, moved to
intercept them.
“I would think a man like you would prefer something a little
more…experienced,” she purred, stroking his arm. The cowboy shook
her off and crushed the blonde closer to him.
“Naw, I like ‘em fresh.” He laughed callously as he
dragged the girl up the stairs.
The young man at the bar sipped his drink as he watched the older woman walk up
to the bartender.
“Hank, you shouldn’t let them---“
“She knows what workin’ here means, Sally,” Hank said
abruptly. “Now see about them gents playin’ cards.” Sally
shook her head and went to wait on the other customers.
The young man felt a surge of sympathy for the girl. He knew too well what it
was to be trapped in a life not of your choosing and he was sure the blonde
wouldn’t’ve chose this life if she had any other options. He
stayed at the bar, nursing his drink, thinking about where he would head next.
His pay from the cattle drive was almost gone and not too many outfits were
hiring right now. Maybe across the Sierras. There was talk of some silver
strikes up there, but he hated mining. He noticed the cowboy swagger down the
stairs and was still mulling over his options when the young saloon girl came
back to the room.
“My turn next,” one of the cowboy’s friends stated and
went to grab the girl’s arm. The young man noticed a trace of tears on
her cheeks and a darkening bruise under her right eye. He stood up abruptly.
“How much for her for the whole night?” he asked the bartender.
Hank eyed him appraisingly. “Ten dollars.”
The young man mentally winced. That was almost all the money he had left. But
he just couldn’t let that frightened young girl go off with another of
those brutes. He slowly counted out the money and laid it on the bar.
“She’s all yours.” The money quickly disappeared behind
the counter. The other man grumbled a little but didn’t object any
further as the young man took the blonde’s arm and led her up the
stairs, his eyes already on Sally.
 
After closing the door to the room and walking to the bed, Katey took a deep
breath and forced a smile onto her face. Maybe this one wouldn’t be as
bad, she told herself, but knew the kind look in his eyes could be an act. She
put a hand on her hip and turned to face him. The young man was still standing
by the door, awkwardly holding his hat in his hands. “Why don’t
you have a seat and tell me what you’d like.” Katey tried hard to
inset a note of cheerfulness in her voice. It’s better than starving,
she told herself, but that line was wearing a little thin. Especially after the
last one. She refrained from touching her bruised cheek. Maybe starving
wasn’t such a bad choice.
The young man, still ill at ease, sat gingerly on the edge of the bed. Katey
sat beside him and placed a hand on his leg. He looked up at her.
“What’s your name?” His voice was a deep, soft drawl.
“Katey.” She couldn’t look away from those warm blue eyes.
They seemed so kind, not cruel and lustful like so many men she’d met.
“What’s yours?”
“Heath.” The young man pulled his gaze away.
Katey started unbuttoning her dress. Might as well do it herself, at least that
way it wouldn’t get damaged. But before she got very far, Heath put a
hand on hers to stop it.
“You don’t hafta do that.”
Katey looked at him in surprise. The young man, Heath, was looking at her
again, an unfathomable expression on his face.
“But you paid…” she started and stopped when he shook his
head.
“Not for that. Couldn’t just sit by and let those men hurt you
any more.”
Katey saw the sincerity on his face and offered Heath a genuine smile.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “But you still paid good
money. What were you planning on doing all night? Talk?”
Heath just shrugged. “Hadn’t thought that far,” he
admitted. He regarded her closely. She looked even younger than he’d
originally guessed. “How old are you, Katey?”
Katey looked away, then gave him a challenging stare. “Just turned
fifteen last month. You can’t be much older.”
It was Heath’s turn to look defensive. “I’m almost
seventeen. Been on my own for about four years now.”
Katey smiled. “I guess you’ve got me there, too. I only left home
two years ago.” Then it struck her and she laughed. “But
we’ve got something in common, both being on our own since we were
thirteen.”
Heath gave her a charming lopsided grin. “I reckon we do at
that.” They were silent for a moment, then Heath asked, ”So how
did you end up in a place like this, as a…” He couldn’t
say it.
Katey looked down at her hands. “Nowhere else to go,” she
admitted. “And not many other ways a girl can keep herself fed.”
“No family to look out for you?” Heck, even he had his mama, back
in Strawberry, if no one else.
But Katey just shook her head. “No, the only family I
have…” She wasn’t about to go into details.
“Let’s just say, they’re not looking out for me.
You?”
Heath smiled slightly at the thought of his mama. “Just my mama,”
he replied. “Never knew my father.”
There was another awkward silence. Katey wasn’t sure what else to say.
Most of the men who brought her up to this room weren’t interested in
talking.
It was Heath who spoke up again. “Is it usually like that?” he
asked hesitantly. “I mean, the bruise on your face…” The
words trailed off. He oughtn’t have asked, but hated the thought that
Katey endured that sort of abuse on a regular basis.
Shrugging, Katey replied, “Sometimes, not always. But I can’t
really expect any different.” Her stepfather had taught her that.
But Heath persisted. “Why don’t you just leave? Go somewhere
else?’
Katey laughed, but it wasn’t a happy sound. It was full of a bitterness
someone her age shouldn’t have to feel. “And do what? Would
anyplace else be any different?”
“What if you left with me?” The words were out of his mouth
before Heath realized what he’d said. What was he thinking? He certainly
couldn’t offer her anything. But, looking at her bruised face, she had
even fewer options than he did. If she came with him, at least he’d try
to protect her.
Katey looked at him in astonishment. This boy, no, in spite of his age she had
to think of him as a man, was asking her to go with him. She shook her head.
“Why? I’d only just get in your way. I don’t have a horse
or much money.”
“That don’t matter,” Heath told her. “I
don’t have much money, either, but I do have a horse. At least
it’ll give you some time away from places like these. And how could it
be any worse?”
Katey considered. He was right. It couldn’t be any worse. And if she
wasn’t any help on the trail, at least she could repay his kindness in
other ways.
“I’ll go with you, Heath.” She gazed into his blue eyes
again and couldn’t stop herself from leaning over and kissing him full
on the lips. As she felt him respond, Katey slid a hand up the inside of his
thigh. Even though he’d said that wasn’t why he’d paid for
her, his kindness and generosity made her want to give him something in return.
Heath abruptly pulled away and walked across the room. Suddenly, Katey felt
ashamed. What must he think of her? Of course a decent man like Heath
wouldn’t want to have anything to do with a cheap saloon girl like her.
“I—I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I understand
if you don’t want me.”
Heath turned back and she could feel the shame reddening her face. Looking at
him, she saw his face blushing as well. “It’s not that I
don’t want you, Katey,” he blurted out, “it’s
just…” His blush deepened. Katey suddenly realized the cause and
couldn’t help but smile.
“Heath, haven’t you ever been with a woman before?’
Heath shook his head, profoundly embarrassed.
Katey walked over to him, unbuttoning her dress the rest of the way and letting
it fall to the floor. She took Heath’s hand and placed it on her breast.
“Then don’t you think it’s about time?” She stood
on her tiptoes and kissed him. Katey could feel his member harden and slid her
arms around his waist.
Emboldened by her actions, Heath let his hands wander freely over her body.
Katey had never experienced such a gentle touch and felt an unknown passion
build within her. All those times, all those men, and she had never experienced
what it felt like to be awakened to desire. Until now.
Katey unbuttoned Heath’s shirt and felt his strong muscles under her
fingers. Removing it, she caressed his back and let her hands slide lower to
his muscular buttocks. She maneuvered him to the bed and playfully pushed him
down across it. Straddling his legs, Katey undid the buttons of his pants and
removed them. Heath tried to protest, but she stopped him by covering his lips
with her own, her tongue gently exploring his.
Heath gave in and flipped her onto her back, continuing to kiss her. His hand
wandered across her hips and paused when it reached the nest of hair between
her legs.
“Go on, Heath,” Katey encouraged gently, “don’t be
afraid to touch me.” She covered his hand with hers and guided him to
her moist opening. Katey let out a gasp when Heath gently rubbed across her
sensitive nub, his touch giving her an unexpected pleasure.
“Oh, Heath,” she whispered, “that feels so good.”
Heath continued stroking her, enjoying the feel of her silky wetness, enjoying
the smile of pleasure he brought to her lips. Then it was his turn to gasp as
Katey took hold of his shaft and stroked it firmly.
“Katey,” he breathed.
Katey spread her legs wide, inviting him in. She guided Heath’s manhood
inside her and with a moan he began to thrust, slowly at first, almost
hesitantly. Katey wrapped her legs around him tightly, moving with him, and the
rhythm of their bodies grew faster, more urgent. A wave of ecstasy overcame her
and it wasn’t long before Katey felt Heath shudder as he came to his
climax. She held him close, giving him time to recover before he rolled off.
Never in her wildest dreams did Katey imagine being with a man could be so
powerful and so emotionally fulfilling and she fought back the tears that
threatened to fall.
Heath brushed a stray lock of hair off her face and kissed her, not knowing
what to say. Katey just snuggled into his arms, letting herself relax in the
warmth of his body as he drifted off to sleep.
About an hour before sunrise, Katey slipped out of the bed and got dressed. She
left and went to the room she shared with Sally. If she was planning to leave
with Heath, she might as well gather up her few things. A brush that used to
belong to her mother, a locket her brother gave her before he went off to fight
in the war, a book of poetry given to her by her favorite teacher, the nineteen
dollars she’d managed to save. She changed into the one other dress she
owned and surveyed her meager belongings laid out on the bed. Oh, well, at
least it wouldn’t weigh them down.
The door opened and Sally walked in.
“Didn’t expect to find you here,” she said, then saw
Katey’s things on the bed. “That sweet talkin’ cowboy
convince you to leave with him?”
Katey nodded silently, unsure what the older woman’s reaction would be.
Sally went to her side of the dresser and pulled something from the top drawer.
“Here.” She thrust a small pouch into Katey’s hands.
“It’s not much, but maybe it’ll help.”
Katey felt the weight of the pouch’s contents and heard the soft jingle
of coins. “Sally,” she said, aghast, “I can’t take
your money. It just wouldn’t be right!” She tried to give the
pouch back, but Sally wouldn’t take it.
“Nonsense. I won’t need it. Besides, you’ve got a chance
to get away from here, maybe even out of this life if you’re
lucky.” Sally grabbed a shawl from the back of a chair and quickly
bundled Katey’s things into it. She handed the bundle to the girl and
gave her a warm hug before pushing her toward the door. “Hank’s
sleepin’. Don’t know if he’d try to stop you, but
there’s no use waitin’ around to find out.”
Katey couldn’t believe the support Sally was giving her. “I
don’t know what to say.”
“Nothin’. I hate long goodbyes.” Sally opened the door and
chased Katey out. “Now get along and don’t look back.”
With that, she closed the door and left Katey standing in the hall.
Katey returned to the room where she had left Heath sleeping. He was already
awake and dressed, just buckling on his gunbelt. He gave her one of his
heartstopping smiles as she entered.
“Thought you’d changed your mind. Glad you didn’t.”
Heath grabbed his hat. “Glad you’re an early riser, too. Ready to
go?” At Katey’s nod, he took the bundle from her and led the way
out the door.
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