Kid had looked so sad and lost, sitting there after Doritha's funeral. He'd said how alone he felt… more alone even than when his brother had died. Lou had quickly reminded him that he wasn't alone… he had his express family, before more slowly revealing that she wasn't going anywhere either. His eyes met hers and he had read there her true meaning; that she still loved him and wanted to try to make things work again. It was the signal he'd been waiting for, almost since they'd gone their separate ways. Very soon after breaking up with Lou, he'd known they had made a mistake in walking away instead of working on their problems. But he'd feared crowding her too soon would only drive her even further away. Now, he saw that she was at last ready to try again. He'd reached out gratefully to clasp her hand, but refrained from anything further just then. He hadn't wanted her to think he was just reaching out to her out of loneliness or sadness at Doritha's death. Each of them had several back-to-back runs immediately after that fateful exchange. It was several days before Lou rode back into the station. Opening the bunkhouse door, she was surprised to find it empty. A note on the table explained that all the other riders were out on runs, or out at a dance in the next town with Rachel and Teaspoon, and not expected back until very late that night. Lou briefly considered joining the boys at the dance, but dismissed the thought. She'd risked appearing at the town dance recently dressed as a girl, but didn't think a repeat appearance by "Louise" so soon was wise. And she really had no interest in going into town to a dance by herself dressed as a boy. She picked idly at the food Rachel had left, then brightened. She had the bunkhouse all to herself tonight; why not enjoy it, Lou reasoned. It was a hot summer night; too hot to stay cooped up inside. After a quick shower, she put on the nightgown Rachel had given her and pulled a rocking chair onto a corner of the porch with a kerosene lamp beside her, and curled up with a favorite book. Somehow, the warm summer breezes lulled her to sleep amid the chirping of crickets and frogs. Suddenly, she jerked awake at the footsteps on the porch, and looked up to see Kid standing, confused, on the porch with her. "Kid… I … I thought that no one was expected back until late tonight… what are you doing back already?" Kid was staring nearly open-mouthed at Lou; he recognized the nightgown Lou wore as the same one she had on their first night together at Redfern. It had slipped down a little on one shoulder without her realizing it; in the moonlight, she looked as beautiful as he'd remembered from that very first night. He could barely manage a verbal response. "I … uh… I'm back early - - got a message that the special pickup I went out for wasn't coming after all and to head back here tonight instead of tomorrow." He pulled off his hat and hung it on a peg by the doorway, realizing as he did so that she'd said that no one else was expected back until late… he remembered that the boys had talked about going to a dance in the next town tonight. Likely they wouldn't be back for a couple hours yet. His hands were trembling slightly, realizing that this was the opportunity he'd been looking for. Tonight was the night he'd ask Lou if he could have a second chance with her… to promise to try whatever it took to make it work this time. Lou had hastily pulled her shawl up over her shoulders, and opened the door to the bunkhouse, pausing to speak to him about something, something about getting him something to eat…. As she did, the parts of her nightgown that weren't covered by the shawl were nearly transparent in the light from inside the bunkhouse, making his breath and heart start to quicken, and he didn't quite catch all her words. He met her in the doorway, struggling to keep some control with difficulty. He had to fight back a wild desire to pull up her nightgown and make love to her against the wall without any preliminaries. He thought that would be a little inappropriate, to say the least. "That's okay Lou, I'm not hungry… had something on the road. I was hoping we could talk though?" Lou recognized the strained quality of Kid's voice, even as she'd recognized the glint in his eyes as he'd looked at her in her disarray. She was a little nervous, since it had been so long since Kid had shown any desire for her… although she'd fantasized about him enough for both of them. Her body was reacting to the clear message in his eyes. She felt her nipples hardening against the thin fabric, and the familiar moisture begin to form within her. She forced herself to remain calm as she casually answered, "sure Kid. What do you want to talk about?" Looking up, her breath caught in her throat at the pure love and passion reflected in her lover's eyes. Yes, he was still her lover, always her lover. She barely heard the words as he caught her up in his arms, mumbling almost incoherently into her hair. There was no need for words, really, though they spoke them, the truth of their longing and love tumbling out in a torrent. The only words that really mattered - "I love you" - repeated over and over by both. Kid's mouth was on hers then, insistently, kissing her so thoroughly that she was weak and breathless, pressed up against the door jamb. She tugged at his belt, jerking it free and flinging it down the porch steps with a loud clang, while unbuttoning his pants. Slowing suddenly, she pushed him back into the rocking chair and knelt before him, pulling off his boots one by one. Her eyes never left his. She opened his pants, freeing his now painfully engorged member. He moaned as she stroked it tenderly with a finger, contemplating… he was awfully big… they were actually outside in the summer moonlight … did she dare? Then, unexpectedly, she took him fully in her mouth. He jerked with pleasure, but protested weakly … he'd wanted to please her first … but she tenaciously worked away at him, sucking and licking him, before again taking him fully into her mouth, right there on the front porch of the bunkhouse. Lou, astonished at her own daring, ran her mouth over him, up and down, back and forth, unbuttoning her nightgown to the waist, arching her back and rubbing her hardened nipples against his legs. Kid groaned in ecstasy, as she brought him to the brink, before suddenly regaining his senses. Reluctantly, he gently pushed her back, before his own release. She looked up at him, confused. "Kid … why are you stopping m-". Kid reached down and covered her mouth with his own, kissing her gently, tenderly. He gathered her into his lap in the rocking chair, rocking them slowly back and forth as they kissed, his tongue gently running over her lips and just barely in her mouth. They were already covered with sweat from the heat, both of the night and from their own passion. As she sat comfortably in his lap in the chair, his hands began to work on Lou's breasts, caressing them, gently pulling at her nipples, before moving his head down to suck and gently nibble at them. He was rewarded by the sound of her panting becoming more and more labored, as her hands tangled in his hair. While sucking on her nipple, Kid gently moved a hand between her legs and began stroking her with his fingers; on sliding a finger inside, he found her hot and wet and wanting as ever. She whined softly as he moved his fingertips inside her, rubbing her tenderly in a circular motion. Lou clenched her muscles around Kid's hand, frantic suddenly for his manhood inside her. He knew what she needed, and he needed to give it to her just as much. Freeing themselves of their remaining clothing on the way down, she fell back onto the porch floor with Kid above her. He placed a hand under her buttocks and tilted her pelvis upward, kneeling between her thighs and looking straight into her eyes. The spot on the porch where she lay was as bright as day, from the light inside the bunkhouse and the full moon above them. They stared each other down for a second… Kid never closed his eyes while making love, and neither did she. Eyes locked to hers, he thrust himself fully into her in one motion; though she was small inside as he remembered, she was so wet, so ready, that he slid in effortlessly. After he entered her, she clenched her muscles around him again, and began thrusting her hips against him rhythmically. Lou had a moment of shock as he entered her quickly… he was so big, he filled her completely … she watched, fascinated, the sight of their joined bodies, his long, thick shaft disappearing into her and reappearing, shining wet from her moisture, over and over by the light from the door. Kid for his part watched Lou's eyes, fixed between their legs. He glanced down at what she was watching, at her slender hips and waist, and himself, thrusting deep inside her. She begged, breathlessly, for him to push harder, faster. Kid lowered himself onto his arms, and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he thrust into her over and over, increasing his speed and force as she begged him for more, all the while never taking her pleasure-widened eyes from his. Just when Kid was afraid he couldn't hold back his own release another moment, she began to buck and writhe wildly under him, her womanhood contracting over and over again around his swollen member. He watched, awestruck, as she came, hard, under him, enjoying the sight of her abandoning herself completely, the sounds of her calling his name, her fluttering, helpless hands striking out at him wildly, and at last, her eyes rolling back in her head as she moaned his name a final time. Just as she climaxed, he could no longer hold his own orgasm back; he called out her name and, his body jerking uncontrollably, he released himself into her. The two of them lay in front of the doorway, panting, covered with sweat, for long moments before they could regain their composure. Kid's erection softened, as he gently pulled out of Lou. He stroked her face tenderly, and then rose, picking her up in his arms as he did. He wanted nothing more than to carry her to his bunk and lie with her there all night, but he knew the others would be returning in a few short hours. Kid settled for carrying her inside, placing her on his bunk, and pulling out the long johns she normally wore to bed from her trunk. He held the bottoms out for her to step into, and pulled them up over her legs and tied them around her waist. He gathered the top, and she obediently put her arms up for him to tenderly finish dressing her. He helped her up to her own bunk. He stood, naked next to the bunk, eye to eye with her. He leaned over to her and they kissed, more with tenderness than passion this time. "I love you Kid… I want to try harder this time.. Try to understand each other better. I don't ever want to lose you again," she murmured sleepily. "Love you more," he whispered to her., standing beside the bunk, lightly stroking her face with his hand, and watching until she drifted off to sleep. Pulling on his own long johns, he went outside to find their clothes in the hot midsummer night. He'd located everything except his belt… when the sound of the other riders coming in made him give up the search and hurry inside, shoving their clothes into his trunk quickly. He didn't have time to turn out the lights and get into his bunk, before Jimmy, Cody, Buck and Noah came into the room. "Still up, Kid?" asked Noah. "Yeah… it… was, uh, a hot night, had some trouble sleeping." "Hmm, yes, I can see how that could happen," assented Jimmy, as the others glanced from the clearly exhausted, sleeping Lou in her bunk to the totally mortified-looking Kid, hair standing upright from where Lou's hands had raked through it, his face still flushed, standing beside her bunk. "It was pretty warm tonight." "Oh by the way, Kid… did you lose this?" asked Cody, casually, holding up the missing belt. "Found it about twenty feet from the porch steps. Odd thing, don't you think?" Kid snatched the belt back, reddening even further if possible, and muttering, "I'm… I'm heading out for some air," rushing out as the rest of the riders dissolved into helpless laughter, echoing into the summer night. Email Ellie TYR EXPRESSions Home