Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders or other characters that are not mine: they belong to S.E. Hinton and other ff authors respectively.

Soda The Cowboy

Summer 2000

Soda tugged on the reins and Andy slowed to a trot then stopped as they reached a large shaded tree. He got off and helped Alli down behind him. She hopped off and smiled up at him as he held her in his arms helping her down. They both looked around the property Alli's uncle left them. Alli looked around the property with sadness in her eyes. She sighed and looked back up at Soda. "I can't believe how far gone it went in a few months." She sighed and walked away and looked down the little hill that overlooked the property.

"You were right, Soda. We can't get this back up and running. I don't know what I was thinking." She gave a humorless laugh, "Heck, I don't even know were to start." She heard him walk up to her and tapped something against her arm; she looked down and saw a blue sheaf of papers. "I was wrong, Alli girl."

With trembling hands she opened the sheaf of papers and saw the seal from the local bank. It was a approved loan for them to start reconstruction on the buildings and property. But they didn't have any collateral…..

She looked down at what Soda put up for the collateral and gasped. Then started to cry, she turned around in his arms, "You mortgaged the house and your share of the station?" He nodded and leaned down to wipe the tears off her cheeks. "I believe in ya, Alli. I think if anyone can get this off the ground and back to what it used to be it's you. And me." He grinned down at her, "And, I talked to Cherry and she said she would be happy to get the word out to rodeos this season." Her jaw dropped, "But Soda, we can't ask her to do-" He shook his head, "Already did and you know if Okalahoma's best female barrel racer suggests something, their gonna listen to her." She smiled up at him, "Thank you, Soda. Not just for believing in me, but for being you,"

She wrapped her arms around his neck as she spoke, their faces so close their shared the same breath, "But for being the sweetest guy I've ever know." And her lips touched his, brush of one's lips against the others, really. But it wasn't enough. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest. She raised her face up to his and their lips met again, the world around them disappearing.

She broke away first, breathing hard in the hot summer night as he looked down at her with a intensity and heat that rivaled the sun setting in the distance. Taking her by the hand, he led her to the cooling shade of a willow tree. He didn't say anything as he gazed down at her with, hungry eyes. But he didn't need to, his actions spoke for him. He cupped her face in his work-roughened hands; he kissed her so gently it felt like a butterfly kiss. He pulled back and slowly, gently, ran his hands down her face and neck like a long caress. His hands stopped at the top button of her shirt. Slowly, he undid it pushed the material away showing the barest hint of skin. But he didn't stop, not until it was completely unbuttoned and bared her torso to him and the starlit sky. His eyes lit on her lace-covered breasts, barely covered by the sheer pink lace.

She reached up and cupped his face in smooth, soft hands, mimicking his actions til his own shirt was open and his white shirt underneath was bright in the night. She pushed the buttoned-down shirt off his strong shoulders and it was tossed in a heap behind her. She tucked his white shirt free of his pants and slowly raised it up over his toned stomach and past his chest and over his head. It met the same fate as his other shirt. He reached around her and unhooked her bra and it fell away from her in a lacy heap at her feet.

She kicked it out of her way as she walked into his arms, shivering at the feel of her bare breasts against his bare chest. She shivered as his hands brushed over the sensitive skin of her stomach, reaching lower til his fingers brushed against the button of her pants. She ran her hands over the hot skin of his back, making her way around to his front.

He shuddered as her hands brushed over his lower stomach as her hands unbuttoned and zipped his jeans. She kicked off her shoes and slid her jeans off, leaving her in only pink lace panties. He toed his boots off and slid his jeans off, leaving him bare to her and the dark night. He pulled her back into his arms, taking her mouth in a hungry kiss. Her hands gripped his shoulders as he lowered her to the pallet their clothes made. He broke away, breathing heavy as he looked down at her, his eyes dark with desire. His hands touched her face moving down her neck. He could feel her pulse pounding with anticipation, then moved lower. She moaned low in her throat as he covers her breasts; he grinned down at her and leaned down to take one in his mouth.

Her hands went to his hair, cradling his head to her as she writhed beneath him as his other hand went lower, playing with the lace of her panties as he pulled them down and off her. She arched against his caressing fingers as he touched her, she was greeted with a muffled moan as her hands slid down his back and round his hips, holding him in her hands. Just as she neared release, he growled low in his throat and pulled her maddening hands away from him, pinning them to either side of her head as he leaned up.

Soda loomed over her, til he was all she could see. She arched against him as he settled against her, her hips cradling his. He leaned over her, his lips a breath away from hers. "I love you, Alli," he thrust inside her, taking her mouth as he did. He pulled back to look in her eyes as he started a rhythm that was as old as the elements around them. His eyes captured hers, making her feel like she was drowning in a sea of chocolate.

Her hips arched against his as he moved in and out of her heat. She felt like every nerve in her body was alive. The hot summer night closing around them as their bodies became slicker with their movements. The slight breeze caressing over her, making her shiver against her lover.

Her moans were driving him wild. He was trying to hold back, but he couldn't any longer and clutched her hips as her thrust deeper insider her, loving the way she clutched him to her as her release neared.

Finally, she couldn't take anymore and she went over the edge, crying out his name as he joined her. He collapsed on her, breathing in her ear as their hearts settled back into a steady rhythm. She held him to her as her breathing settle back to normal. She pushed a stray lock of hair off his face and looked up into his eyes and smiled, "Thank you for believing in me, Soda. Do you think we can get it back up off the ground?"

He grinned down at her and stood, walking unashamed to the edge of the hill. She smiled and shook her head as she got up and slid his work shirt over her head and walked to stand next to him. She had held on to her modesty despite all this time being married to Soda, but he hadn't; if he had his way he'd be naked all the time. He gestured out to the land before them, a couple of lit lanterns in the house, broke up the darkness. "When I first started coming out here with you to visit Miles, I knew this place was apart of you. That's why he left it to you. He knew you loved this place as much as he did, that you would do right by it and him. I'm with you, Alli. I think we can do this. I trust you."

She put her hand to her mouth, trying to stifle the sobs his words created. No one but Soda would put that much trust and belief in her, especially on a dream and hope that would probably fall flat. She took one of his hands in hers, brushing a light kiss over his scarred knuckles. "I love you, Soda. Thank you for believing in me."

He seemed choked up, but recovered with his usual grin and grinned devilishly at her. "You really wanna thank me?" He scooped her up and wrapped her legs about his waist as she laughed. "You can start by fulfilling this little fantasy of mine. It starts out with you sitting barebacked on a horse. Wearing only a cowgirl hat."

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