Truth or Dare
Lou was thrilled as she saw the Rock Creek station not too far ahead. The blizzard had come out of nowhere and she was frozen through to the bone. All she wanted to do was get back, take a hot bath, and then crawl into her bunk and sleep. After tying Lightning to the post, she quickly hurried inside to grab her stuff and ask someone to take care of her horse. But the sight that greeted her as she entered puzzled her.
“Come on Kid, you agreed to tell the truth,” Noah said. “You mean Lou’s the only one? You and Samantha never…”
“That’s none of your business,” Kid hissed. “But yes, only Lou,” he said suddenly feeling ashamed and blushing from the top of his ears to the tips of his toes.
“What’s goin’ on?” Lou asked wondering why Kid was talking about the relationship they once had. She stormed in front of Kid and poked at his chest. “What gives you the right to talk to them about us?”
Kid was concerned more with the blueness of her lips than he was by her fiery anger. “Lou, your clothes are frozen stiff. Buck, quick, get the bottle of brandy so we can warm her up.”
“Don’t you dare change the subject! Is that what you boys do when I’m gone? Talk about your lovers?”
“It’s not like that, Lou,” Noah said trying to calm her down. “We were playing a game, that’s all.”
“And what game was that? Talk about Lou behind her back?”
Buck handed her the flask of brandy that Rachel insisted they kept in the bunkhouse for incidents such as this. “It’s a game Ike and I used to play back at the mission. It’s called Truth or Dare.”
Lou looked at Buck exasperated. “That still doesn’t give him the right.”
“He had to, Lou,” Cody said. “He either had to tell the truth or he’d have to take a dare.”
“I’d hate to think what the dare would’ve been,” Lou mumbled as she grabbed a towel and change of clothes. “Kid, will you take care of Lightning for me? I’m gonna see if I can take a hot bath over at Rachel’s.”
Jimmy shook his head. “She left this morning and locked up the house tight. She wasn’t expecting you back until tomorrow.”
Lou sighed. What else could go wrong? She thought. “Fine, I’ll take care of Lightning myself and change in the barn,” she said heading towards the door.
“Lou, wait,” Kid said following her. “Don’t go back out there. Come back in and sit by the fire.” Or let me help warm you up like I did that one time, he thought.
“And listen to you talk about me like I’m not here?” she said angrily. “No thanks.”
“Lou,” Buck tried to reason. “It’s better to stay by the fire and drink some more brandy for now. We need to get your temperature back up before you go back out there.”
Lou sighed knowing Buck was right. “Fine, but just because I’m stuck in here doesn’t mean I’ll play your stupid game.” She flung her things back on her bunk and went to sit in front of the fire.
“Lou, you need to get out of those wet clothes,” Kid informed her. “Just draw the curtain and change like you always do.”
**I’ll go take care of Lightning,** Ike told her, knowing his turn was next. He wouldn’t mind getting as far away as possible.
“Thanks, Ike,” she said smiling as she went towards her bunk. Lou nodded thankful that when Kid and Jimmy rebuilt the station, they were considerate enough to build a separate alcove for her complete with a privacy curtain. Though she missed sleeping above Kid, now that they’d broken up, it allowed her to be miserable in private.
“Fine,” she said as she went into the alcove and pulled the curtain harder than usual. After removing her wet clothes, she thought about crawling into her bunk and taking a nap, but the laughter coming from the other side told her sleep would be impossible.
Kid couldn’t help but glance towards Lou. He felt a familiar pang as he saw her silhouette and he tried fighting back images of her beautiful body. He knew he was still in love with her, and probably always would be, but they were just becoming friends again. He would hate to do anything to jeopardize their relationship until she was ready. He was brought back out of his fantasy by Cody’s voice.
“Do you think she’ll let us continue playing?” he asked.
“Is that all you can think about?” Noah asked. “Maybe we should stop. Things were getting a little too personal.”
“Noah’s right,” Buck agreed. “Some of this stuff is too personal.”
Lou threw open her curtain wearing only a pair of dry long johns. “Go ahead and play your game,” she said irritated. “See if I care,” she said sitting down in front of the fireplace with the book she grabbed from beside her bed. She turned when she heard the door open and saw a wet Ike enter.
**Lightning’s in his stall covered in a couple of blankets. He seems to be in better shape than you, all things considered.**
“Thanks for doing that for me, Ike,” she said smiling, knowing that Ike would spoil her horse. “I’m sure you even slipped him a carrot or two.”
Ike nodded and sat down at the table. Lou went back to reading and tried to drown out the voices coming behind her, but couldn’t help hearing the boys as they continued playing the game. Some of the questions were ridiculous and the answers even worse. Part of her longed to play, but knew after her outburst they wouldn’t include her. Finally she turned towards her friends. “Can I play?” she asked quietly.
“Are you sure, Lou?” Kid asked.
Lou glared at him. “I asked didn’t I?”
“Sure, Lou. You can play.” Jimmy answered. “Truth or Dare?”
Lou thought about it for a moment. She was secretive about her past, but it seemed the questions were innocent enough. “Truth,” she said smiling.
**How long have you been pretending to be a boy?** Ike asked.
Lou sighed and took a deep breath. “About five years,” she replied quietly. “I had left the orphanage a year before, and found how hard it was for a young girl on her own to get a respectable job,” she paused and looked at Kid wondering what he would think if he ever found out that was only part of the truth. “So I cut off my hair and started dressing as a boy.”
Kid knew there had to be more to the story, but didn’t want to push her. She was as secretive about her past as he was with his. Hopefully one day she would learn to trust him again. Trust him with the secrets he knew that kept her up at night.
“So is it my turn to ask?” Lou said smiling. The others nodded. “Jimmy, truth or dare?”
Jimmy smiled knowing Lou would ask an innocent question. “Truth.”
“How many girls have you kissed?” she said grinning.
“He doesn’t have enough fingers to count that high,” Buck said causing everyone to laugh.
**He can borrow mine,** Ike signed.
“And mine,” Noah added.
Jimmy glared at his friends and smiled. “Does that include you?” he asked smiling. Lou turned bright red.
“What?” Kid asked shocked. “You kissed Jimmy?” he said looking at Lou in disbelief.
Lou shook her finger at Kid. “Sorry, Kid. It’s Jimmy’s turn to answer a question. Not yours to ask one.”
The others busted out into laughter at the strange expression on Kid’s face.
Jimmy shook his head. “I’ve honestly lost count,” he said. “But I can tell you who my favorite was,” he said winking towards Lou and than watching Kid’s reaction.
Lou watched Kid as well, glad that he didn’t seem to catch Jimmy’s wink. “Well, I guess since you chickened out you have to take the dare now. Right guys? Isn’t that how it works?”
Buck nodded. “And you get to dare him, Lou.”
Lou thought about it for a few moments before a wide grin spread across her face. She knew the brandy was starting to affect her, but she was going to enjoy this as long as she could.
“Uh oh,” Jimmy said. “I don’t like the look on her face.”
“Jimmy, for your dare you have to run from the bunkhouse porch to the barn and back.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Jimmy said standing up.
“Buck naked,” Lou added.
“Oh come on, Lou,” Jimmy protested. “It’s freezing out there! Look how bad you are?”
“I rode all the way from Seneca, Jimmy. You just have a couple of hundred feet.”
“You have to, Jimmy,” Noah taunted. “Or are you chicken?”
The other riders started making clucking noises and Jimmy shook his head.
“You owe me for this, Lou,” he said standing up and started to remove his clothes.
“Outside, Jimmy!” Kid hissed. He just found out the love of his life kissed his best friend; he didn’t want to think she’d seen him naked.
Jimmy nodded and stepped outside the bunkhouse. The riders except for Kid and Lou gathered at the windows to watch.
“He’s nuts!” Cody replied.
**Nope, looks like they’re about to freeze off though.** Ike said causing the others to burst out laughing again.
Back by the fire, Kid looked at Lou. “Are you gonna tell me about the kiss?”
Lou shook her head. “What do you care, Kid? You moved on first, ‘member?”
Kid opened his mouth to say something when the bunkhouse door flew opened and Jimmy burst in wearing just his long johns bottoms and shivering. He grabbed the blanket off his bunk and sat next to Lou in front of the fire.
The game continued on for a little while until it was Kid’s turn. “Lou, truth or dare?” he asked seriously.
Lou sighed. “Truth,” she said hoping the question wouldn’t be painful.
“When did you kiss Jimmy,” he asked staring at both of them.
“I think we’d all like to know that,” Noah added.
Lou rolled her eyes. “Which time do you want to hear about?” she taunted him. “When Jimmy and I went to dinner in Willow Springs when you were courtin’ Samantha or the time we were taking Elias to be hanged?”
“Lou,” Jimmy said in a warning tone. He knew Kid would be mad, but that was no reason to play with his emotions. Especially since the kiss in Willow Springs was just a peck on the cheek.
“Fine,” she said taking a frustrated breath. “We were talking and I kissed him good night on the cheek. When I started to walk away, Jimmy pulled me back and kissed me.”
“Is that it?” Kid asked.
“That’s none of your business,” she retorted angrily. “But yes, that’s it. We were interrupted by Marshall Gilmore and it was over.”
“It was over, just like that?” Kid questioned doubtfully looking at the two of them.
“Back off, Kid,” Jimmy snapped. “She told you what happened, and it’s the truth.”
“Sure, Jimmy. Whatever you say.”
The game continued on but the others avoided asking Kid any more questions. They could tell he was still in shock over the news of the kiss, and thought it best to let him brood by himself.
Finally Cody got around to asking Lou a question. Since the kiss had been brought up, he’d become more and more curious about the female rider. “Truth or Dare, Lou?” he asked.
“Truth,” she replied.
“How many guys have you slept with?” Cody asked with a huge grin.
“Cody!” Kid shrieked causing the others to laugh. “Lou you don’t have to answer that.” Lou smiled. “Seven,” she said.
Kid nearly choked on his drink. “Seven?” he squealed. He knew he wasn’t her first, but never could he have imagined…
Lou nodded, smiling as the other’s eyes had nearly popped out of their sockets. “Sure. I sleep with you guys almost every night, and then my brother before we went to the orphanage.”
“That ain’t what I meant, Lou, and you know it,” Cody whined.
“Well it’s the truth,” she said hoping they’d buy it.
“I think she has to take a dare,” Cody said. “She’s not answering the question.”
“She answered it fine enough for me,” Noah stated.
“Me too,” Buck added.
**And me.**
“He’s right though,” Jimmy said. “I’m not satisfied with the answer.”
“Fine,” Lou said. “I’ll take you’re stupid dare, Cody.”
Cody thought about it and then grinned. “Since you already kissed Kid and Jimmy, I dare you to kiss the rest of us.”
“What?” Kid and Lou shrieked at the same time.
“Come on, Lou. You have to take the dare.” Jimmy said. “You have to kiss us all, even me and Kid.”
“I ain’t gonna let her do it,” Kid protested.
“You ain’t gonna let me?” Lou hollered at him. “Don’t you remember what happened last time you said that to me? And I don't recall asking your permission. We aren't together any more. I can kiss whomever I want, whenever I want. And me taking this dare might not sit well with you, but I intend to enjoy it!”
“Yeah, but this is the bunkhouse, not a whorehouse. You don’t have to do it.”
Lou shot him a nasty look and shook her head. “Yes, I do. Cody and Jimmy are right, I didn’t answer the question.” She looked at the others and smiled. “So who’s first?”
The guys all blushed, and looked away. Cody never thought Lou would actually do it. “I’ll go first,” he volunteered.
Lou went over to Cody and giggled. His eyes were closed and his mouth was already open. She leaned in and kissed him. It reminded her of the way a puppy dog kissed you on the cheek; wet and sloppy. She pulled back horrified as she felt Cody’s hand moving down her neck towards her breast.
“Sorry, Lou. Sometimes they have a mind all on their own.”
Lou glared at him. “Sure, Cody. Whatever you say.”
She moved on to Ike whose kiss was gentle like him. Buck’s was shy and timid, but filled with passion. Noah’s was deep and exotic. She finally stood in front of Jimmy, not sure if it was wise. He nodded slowly and she gave into the longing. Like last time, his kiss was hard, rough, and demanding. His tongue forcing its way into her mouth to dance with hers. Finally, she broke free, thankful the spark wasn’t there.
When she got to Kid, she was scared to look him in the eyes. What must he be thinking of me right now, she thought.
“Lou,” he said as if reading her mind. “You don’t have to do this, they all know we’ve kissed before.”
“And a lot more,” Cody said under his breath. “But it ain’t like we’ll ever get to see that part.”
“You don’t want to kiss me?” she said sadly ignoring Cody’s comment.
“I’m just sayin’ you don’t have to do something just ‘cause everyone wants you…”
Before he could finish, Lou’s mouth had covered his in protest and he groaned. He instantly wrapped his arms around her neck pulling her even closer. He’d dreamed of this day for so long and wanted to let her know he still loved her.
Lou melted as Kid’s kiss reminded her of their better times. It was predictable to say the least, but she realized it was filled with the love and passion they once shared. She finally broke away when she heard someone clearing their throat, and blushed. She was scared to look at Kid; scared to see that she had imagined things.
“I think you boys ought to get to bed now, don’t you?” Teaspoon said staring at his group of boys and girl. He had been astonished to walk in to see Kid and Lou in a passionate embrace, and that the others seemed to be mesmerized by it.
The riders all agreed and headed for their respectable bunks. Lou, still feeling the affects of the brandy stood on her tiptoes and kissed Teaspoon on the cheek. “’Night, Teaspoon,” she said as she headed towards her bunk. As Teaspoon left, Lou lay in her bed listening to the other wishing everyone a good night, but still thinking of the kiss with Kid.
“Hey Lou?” Cody called out from across the bunkhouse. “So who’s the best kisser?”
“Hmmm,” she said pausing. “Teaspoon,” she said before turning over on her bunk and burying her head in her pillow to muffle her giggles.
A/N: Big thanks to Shannon who practically co-wrote this story with me! I can tell you've spent a lot of time wondering how each riders kiss! Thanks to Lisa as always for being a great Beta and making me laugh with your comments! You guys rock!