"Ouch! So will the miners," she cried, "and I doubt they'll be interested in spanking…"
"I'll marry you," he said gently, quietly.
Clem froze, not sure she heard him right. Jewel warned her about this sort of thing.
"Why, why would you do that?" she asked, wide-eyed.
"I have absolutely no idea," he replied, shaking his head. "All I know is I don't like the feel of this."
"Then take your hand off it, because I don't much care for the feel of it either," she said squirming under the hand grasping her hot cheek.
Jasper laughed, the spell broken and spanked her in earnest until she was nearly sobbing over his lap.
"Well that makes one of us because I enjoyed spanking you very much," he said, smiling as he turned her over and plopped her bottom on his lap. "You've got a big chip on your shoulder Clem, and I'm just the man to knock it off. I don't know if trouble is going to search you out or you're going to pan for it just as hard as you did on the Culpepper, but I'm telling you one thing. Get in over your head and I'll spank you for real."
"What do you mean for real?" she gasped. "What do you call what you just did?"
"That? That was just playing. A real spanking will be much different and if you're a smart little girl, you'll remember that. Why won't you marry me?" he asked as an afterthought.
"That's easy. Here I'm selling myself under my terms. I can walk away whenever I want. Marriage to you wouldn't be like that. I have a feeling I'd have a hard time getting away from you," she whispered, looking at him from under her damp lashes.
"You would be right about that, honey," he sighed, holding her close. Carefully he tipped her chin up and kissed her. "Now it's about time I showed you what you'll be missing by refusing me," he teased, tossing her onto the bed and falling over beside her.
***
Clem gave a squeal of protest when her bottom hit the bed, squeezed her eyes shut and spread her legs. Nothing happened.
"Well?" she demanded after several extremely long minutes during which she could only hear his breathing and feel his eyes on her.
"Well what?" Jasper asked, watching her with a silly grin on his face.
"Are you going to poke me or what? I don't have all night you know," she snapped.
"So you're planning on a big turn over are you? One man after another until your purse is bulging?"
"Exactly! Jewel says sometimes it's over in a couple of minutes so snap to it will you?"
She ignored his scowl and tried to out-glare him. Shivering, she wondered if it would be better if she kept quiet. His next words confirmed it.
"Listen, for someone who's never done this before, it might benefit you to just shut up and do what you're told," he warned. "Put your arms up, grab hold of the bedstead and don't let go unless I tell you, understand?"
Clem complied slowly, snagged the iron swirls with her sweaty hands, planted her heels deeply into the mattress and stiffened. Taking a deep breath, she held it until his hand gripped her cheeks.
"For heaven's sake," Jasper growled. "This won't last long if you don't breathe. Do you want to pass out?" he demanded.
"Maybe," she said, thoughtfully, not having considered the possibility previously. "Would that make it easier?"
"Not for me, it wouldn't," he snorted, shaking his head. "I prefer my woman awake and participating."
"Oh," she sighed not hiding her disappointment. Looking into his blue eyes, she forced a couple of breaths in and out. "All right, I'm ready."
"Happy to hear that," he replied sarcastically. "All you have to do is try to relax. I'm going to touch you."
"Where?"
"Anywhere I want to, damn it," he shot back. "As you so touchingly pointed out, I am the one paying, remember?"
"Oh yes, right."
"You may ask questions, and if something is hurting you, speak up, but under no circumstances do I want to hear any moans or groans that aren't genuine."
"All right," she replied, wide-eyed as he toyed with her ear lobe.
***
Jasper leaned forward and nibbled on her naked shoulder as his other hand slid from her ear into her hair. His lips traced the contours of her jaw, working to the side of her neck as he angled her head for better access. Slowly he allowed his breath to warm each spot before he applied his lips, noting every nuance of her reaction. Each shiver encouraged him; each tiny gasp of surprise delighted him. Turning her face to his, he took her mouth, his lips moving slowly against hers until they parted slightly. Gently he slipped his tongue inside her mouth.
At first, she froze as he carefully dueled with her within the warm confines, but within a few moments he felt her respond, giving back as good as she got. Lifting his mouth from hers, he smiled into her startled brown eyes.