Lou’s anxiety had been stirring in her stomach for hours. Her skin was tight and her muscles pulsated through out her petite body. She couldn’t keep herself still; but she had to try. Hot and cold flashes came in waves as her temperature raised and lowered. She tossed and turned in her bunk. She stopped in the middle of a toss, and stared at the ceiling, in a frozen gaze. Her lips curled as she remembered the feeling of Kid’s tongue on hers. She could already taste his salty skin and feel his arms around her. She breathed in deep, letting the night air travel into her lungs, oxygenating her entire body. With one fast shove, she pushed the blanket down to her feet. The blanket traveled farther than she imagined it would and fell to the ground, passing Kid’s bed on the way down.
*****
Kid had been listening to Lou stir for what seemed like an eternity, and he had a feeling he felt the same way. Ever since their first time together, they had had a hard time keeping their hands off of each other. They took afternoon walks down to the water hole and made late night rendezvous in the barn. Their most passionate nights occurred during the thunderstorms that had happened recently. Lou always seemed inspired by the lightning, and her energy increased.
Kid’s eyes remained fixated on the boards above him. At one time, he even tried to see through the solid wood and mattress above to see her. After this thought, he slightly giggled.
*****
During this whole time, the other riders had also been kept awake by the love-birds’ insomnia. Ike had long before turned his head to the window and covered his ears with his pillow, but that didn’t help. He had his own worries to think about, and was sick of Kid and Lou’s new found love. Buck had begun chants in his head, asking the spirits for strength to make it through the night. The spirits had yet to reply. Every time Jimmy was awaken, he swore it would be the last, but he had a hard time holding true to his own promise. That moment he awoke, he only wanted to fall back asleep to return to the woman in his dream. Cody was still thinking about the three women he met earlier in town… “Lets see...Aimee, Amy or Amy?"...the names sure had a nice ring, he thought to himself.
And then Kid started laughing and Jimmy responded, “Kid, you are a sick, sick puppy.” This comment sent the whole bunkhouse in an uproar. Lou, acting embarrassed by the laughter, jumped off of the bunk and ran out of the building. All of the men watched and when she was gone the laughter became louder. All eyes turned to Kid, who remained staring at the shut door.
“Well, Kid?” Jimmy asked with anticipation.
“Well what?” Kid responded dumbfounded.
“Aren’t ya gonnna go after her?” Buck asked.
“Yeah, that’s probably all she needs right now,” he concluded.
“Kid, ya gotta start reading her better,” Jimmy added. “I’ve got two words for you,” Jimmy looked around the room at all of the others and they responded in unison,
“COWBOY UP!”
Kid thought about this comment for a moment and then, finally, understood what they meant. His eyes widened. He jumped from the bunk, threw on his boots, and ran outside. After the door slammed, he could hear footsteps running toward it, then they stopped.
Ike kneeled down to look through an open knot in the wood of the wall. Jimmy and Cody just put their ears up against the door to listen. Buck waited for Ike to move, so he could have a chance to see.
On the porch, Kid was startled when Lou ran up to him and gave him a enormous, passionate kiss. “Thought you’d take forever, Kid,” she said.
“Well, I figured I’d wait for the boys to fall asleep,” he answered. That comment sent the boys in the bunkhouse into a greater roar of laughter than before.
“Go for the glory, Kid,” Cody shouted from inside.
Lou grabbed a hold of Kid’s hands and dragged him in the direction of the barn. Their shadows disappeared behind the door.
The End
