Lou felt a wave of heat climb her face as she caught Kid stalk around the corner of the bunkhouse. His bare chest rippled as he moved, the tanned flesh glistened with water from his recent shower. The worn buckskin pants he wore hugged his legs and buttocks like a glove.
She sank her teeth into her lip to still the moan that sat in her throat. Her eyes devoured the sway of his hips as he walked and she leaned forward. Every muscle tensed, gathered in preparation of her rising. Instead she sat on her hands, her gaze steady as she watched him vanish into the bunkhouse.
The image of his trim body hadn't left her head since the day before. His tanned torso blended perfectly into his pale buttocks and muscular legs. Each him was sculpted from hard work and long hours spent in the saddle. Water had clung to the curls on his chest, between his legs before he grabbed for his long johns, a flush crawled up his face. She shivered at the reminder that unlike his name, Kid was no boy.
"You plannin' on holding that step in place or something?" Cody trotted up on his bay a smirk on his face.
"Shut up Cody," she snapped and leaned around him to stare past the annoying blond she rode with. "Don't you have something to do?" .
"Whatcha starin' at?" Cody glanced over his shoulder a puzzled look on his face.
"Ain't nothing there you haven't seen before." .
Lou felt the heat climb in her cheeks and looked up slowly to glare at him. "I ain't doing a darn thing Cody, go away." .
Cody chuckled and reined his mount aside. "Sure Lou, if you say so. I'm gonna go grab a bite to eat." .
"You do that." Lou snapped at him. She turned her attention to the closed bunkhouse door. With a muttered curse she got to her feet and headed for dinner. "Probably dressed by now. All that tanned, muscled skin covered up. That' boy's gotta relax, ain't like I'd say a word about catching him without his britches on. Hmm, now there's a thought to drool over." She muttered as she tromped up the steps and into the bunkhouse. .
Kid sat next to Jimmy, his sandy hair still damp enough to have soaked his collar. He glanced up at the sound of the door opening and caught her gaze for a second before his eyes darted away; a slight flush climbed his neck. .
Lou ducked her head to hide her grin and sat next to him. She shifted over so that every move either of them made he brushed against her. The heat from his body soaked through her shirt to race along her skin. A slow spreading warmth filled her with each point of contact. .
The faint hum of voices echoed around as she picked at her dinner. She chewed slowly as she watched Kid from the corner of her eye. His curls had fallen across his forehead and she clenched her free hand in her lap to stop herself from reaching up and pushing them back. .
A snicker from Cody drew her attention. The blonde rider stared at her, a goofy, love-lorn look on his face. "You have something to say Cody?" She felt Kid tense beside her at the warning note in her tone. .
"Me? Of course not," Cody grinned. "Just thinking you look mighty uncomfortable over there." .
"Yeah Lou," Jimmy chuckled. "There are a few more inches along the bench; you could slide down a bit." .
"Hardy har, har." Lou glared at them. "Don't y'all have nothing better to do than mind someone else's business." .
"Now Lou," Teaspoon shifted as he glanced at the boys. "Boys don't mean nothing by it. Just ignore 'em." .
Lou glared at both of them before she shrugged and turned her attention back to her surreptitious study of Kid. He looked vaguely uncomfortable but didn't say a word as she shifted against him. .
Goodness, gotta figure this out. Rachel's cookin' is good but it ain't exactly what I want these days. How could I get Kid to relax, to notice that I'm ready for the next step? Lou mused as she pushed the last bite of potato around her plate. Maybe I could talk to him after supper. No, that won't work the boys are going to be listening. Darn it, how can I get that man alone?.
"Lou, if you're finished," Rachel stood. "You can help me with the dishes." .
"Sure Rachel," Lou shrugged and reached for her empty coffee cup. She put it in her plate and glanced down the table to see Kid's plate was empty. A tiny bolt of pleasure rippled through her as she leaned over him, making sure to brush her breasts against his shoulder as she picked it up. She could hear the snickers from the boys and see the tension in Kid's shoulders as she moved around him. With a roll of her eyes she took the dirty dishes to the sink and grabbed the bucket for water. Determined to figure a way of getting Kid alone, Lou headed for the pump, her mind a tangle of ideas and thoughts half finished. .
Rachel watched Lou as she scrubbed at the dishes. Dinner had been a strained event for the young woman; the boys teasing had only added insult to injury. It was obvious what both Kid and Lou were suffering from and it had nothing to do the boys. .
Rachel turned to look across the yard to where Kid stood brushing down Katy with but separated from the boys. It was clear from his pained expression that the boys hadn't given up their teasing, or their questions. Well, she couldn't help Kid out but she could help Lou. "Lou, you wanna talk about it?" .
"Not really." Lou muttered and scrubbed harder at the plate in her hand. .
"There's nothing to be ashamed of," Rachel smiled at her and eased onto the bench next to her. "Lou, I'm not blind I can see something is bothering you. Why don't you tell me about it?" .
"Ain't nothing to tell. Just gotta figure this out on my own." Lou replied, a frown on her face. .
"I have a suggestion or two." Rachel offered. .
"I know what I want," Lou glanced at her, embarrassment in her gaze. "I just don't know how to um get him where I want him." .
Rachel smiled and nodded her understanding. "I might be able to help you with that. Give me a little while to think about it and I'll figure something out for you." .Rachel promised.
Lou shifted and picked at the table in a move Rachel had seen Kid do a hundred times. She smiled; obviously Lou and Kid shared more than a past history. Rachel waited patiently for Lou to speak. "Won't Kid think badly of me if I um…?".
"Seduce him?" .
Lou nodded and shrugged, "Yeah. I mean ain't that the man's job to do the seducing? I love Kid, I do. I'm just not sure he's ready to be with me like that." .
"I think, Kid is ready for anything that you are. Kid loves you, more than anyone I've ever seen. Somehow, I don't think he'd run if it was you doing the seducing." .
Lou bit her lip, a thought filled, uncertain look in her eyes. "Um how do I do it?" She asked softly. "I'm not sure I know enough about um that sort of thing to actually make him understand."
Rachel smiled kindly and patted the younger woman's hand. "Well, Lou its sorta like this." She leaned forward and lowered her voice as she began the long, difficult task of teaching Lou something that Kid could teach her in ten minutes. Twenty minutes later, Rachel watched Lou sit at the table her face red with embarrassment and a determined look in her eyes. She shook her head as Lou stalked out of the bunkhouse, and Jimmy stepped inside.
"What's up with her?" Jimmy pointed out the door to where Lou was vanishing into the barn.
Rachel smirked at him, "Kid's in for a surprise, although I don't think he's gonna mind too much."
"Was wondering when she'd break him in," Jimmy chuckled and flopped out on his bunk. "Wish I could be there to see his expression - but then again, I don't think I'd want to.
"I don't hink you would either." Rachel said and patted his knee. "Get some sleep you have a run tomorrow. And I've got to get things ready for when Lou actually gets her man."
A loud crash from the barn followed by dead silence had everyone tensed even as Katty and Lightening trotted out into the corral. Rachel looked at the boys on the porch and shook her head, "Not a word from any one of you."
*No ma'am.* Ike signed with a grin. *We wouldn't say a word.*
End