Chapter 13

"Lou would you stop wiggling around up there, I'm trying to sleep." Buck whispered to the young woman on the bunk above him.

"Sorry Buck, I can't help it. I'm itching like crazy." Lou said in a loud whisper.

"Well don't scratch, it just makes it worse." Buck whispered back.

"Damn it to hell." Lou said loudly a few minutes later, waking the other guys.

"Lou what's wrong with you we're trying to sleep." Cody whined.

"Sorry guys… Buck can you scratch my back?" Lou asked in a whiny voice.

Buck sighed and got out of his bunk to scratch Lou's back. "Better?" he asked after a few seconds.

Lou wiggled around scratching different places. "No… I itch everywhere."

Buck went over to the table and lit the lantern so he could see Lou better. "Alright let me see."

Lou pulled up the sleeve of her long johns to show him her arms. Buck looked at her arms and started laughing. "Lou I thought I taught you well enough that you would know to stay away from poison ivy."

"Ah damn it." Lou muttered.

"Where all do you got it?" Buck asked with a chuckle.

"Everywhere," Lou mumbled.

"How did you manage to get poison ivy everywhere?" Buck asked loud enough that the guys heard. They all started snickering.

Lou threw her pillow hitting Cody in the face. "Shut it… it's not funny."

"But it really is Lou." Jimmy said chuckling.

"I went swimming earlier, I thought since all of you were busy it would be safe for me to swim in just my skin. But while I was there I heard horses approaching. I had just enough time to grab my clothes and duck into the bushes. I must have come into contact with the poison ivy then. After the men left I got dressed and came back here. But now I can't stop scratching." Lou said as she started scratching her leg.

Buck was trying very hard not to laugh at the predicament she had gotten herself into. He grabbed both her hands to keep her from scratching. "Lou you're just making it worse. I know something that will help relive the itching but it will take me a few minutes to mix it up. Do you think you stop scratching long enough for me to do that?"

Lou nodded her head and Buck let her hands go, but as soon as she was released she started scratching again. Buck grabbed her hands again and called over his shoulder to Ike, "Come over here and hold her hands so I can go mix up that salve."

Ike got out of his bunk, a huge grin on his face, and came over and held Lou's hands. Buck slipped out of the bunkhouse and searched for the ingredients he needed. A little while later he poked his head back into the bunkhouse. "Alright Lou come with me."

"Why?" Lou asked confused.

"Well you did say that you had it everywhere, I just assumed you would want to put the salve everywhere. If you don't mind the guys seeing you in the all together we can just do this in here." Buck said grinning devilishly.

"That's a good idea Lou, you just stay right in here and we'll help Buck." Cody added teasing her.

Lou quickly hopped off her bunk and left the bunkhouse. Buck took her into the barn and up into the hayloft where they would have some privacy just in case one of the boys tried to sneak a peek at her.

"Alright Lou, I'd get Emma to help you with this but since it's the middle of the night, I don't want to wake her. So you're going have to let me help." Buck said blushing slightly.

Lou just nodded her head and turned her back to Buck as she unbuttoned her long johns and let them drop to the ground. Buck had put a horse blanket on the hay loft floor for Lou to sit or lay on. Lou stretched out on her stomach so Buck could take care of her back first.

Buck swallowed hard and slowly moved closer to her. Kneeling down on the ground beside her Buck started spreading the salve over the rash. Lou could feel his hands trembling as they moved over her body, his touch feather light.

"Buck?" she whispered.

"Yeah Lou?" he asked back, his voice husky sounding.

"You're shaking, are you scared?"

"Terrified Lou, I've … I've only ever seen … my mother undressed before." Buck managed to choke out.

Lou giggled, "I promise I won't bite Buck."

"Lou, what if I'm like my father." Buck whispered in a strangled voice.

"What do you mean Buck?" Lou asked confused, Buck had never talked about his father before.

"My father was a white man, he took my mother against her will, and I was the result. Do you think that the sins of my father will be passed on to me?" Buck asked worried.

"Buck, you are a good man. You're nothing like your father. You would never do that to a woman." Lou said in full confidence.

"Roll over your back is done." Buck said and Lou obeyed revealing her chest to him. Buck closed his eyes in an attempt to get ahold of himself.

"Buck I trust you. I know you won't hurt me." Lou said touching the side of his face. Buck leaned into her touch; he was shaking like a leaf.

Opening his eyes he focused on putting the salve first on her legs, then stomach, then arms, leaving her chest for last. Steeling himself he moved to treat her breast. Lou gasped when his fingers brushed over them. Buck pulled his hand back as if he had been shocked. "Lou I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you."

"You didn't hurt me Buck. It … it felt good." Lou stammered out blushing hard.

Buck turned red and closed his eyes. If he didn't finish this soon, he was not going to be able to control himself. But when he touched her chest again, Lou shuddered under his touch, he couldn't help himself any longer. Buck moved his hand so he was completely covering one of her breast and then he leaned down and kissed her passionately. Lou was shocked at first, but quickly gave in to the passion of the kiss. Buck continued caressing Lou until she moaned, causing warning bells to go off in Buck's head. He quickly jumped back breathing hard.

"Maybe you should finish this by yourself Lou. I'm afraid of what I might do to you. I don't want to become my father." Buck said panting.

"Buck Cross you are not your father and you will never be. You wouldn't hurt me." Lou said sternly.

"Lou I want you. I want you like my father wanted my mother. How can you say I'm not like him?" Buck asked shaking his head.

"Because Buck, the difference is your mother didn't want him. I love you Buck, and I want you. I want to be with you and I know you love me too. That is what makes you different." Lou said looking Buck in the eyes.

"I do love you Louise." Buck whispered before he kissed her gently. "But I still think you should finish this up yourself. You know my beliefs. Are you really ready for that?"

Lou grinned and shook her head no. Buck handed her the salve and moved away so she could finish up. Once all her rash had been treated she pulled her long johns back on and moved to sit next to Buck. "Thank you Buck, I don't itch at all anymore."

"That's good, you'll probably need to put that on again in few hours but Emma will be up by then." Buck said with a slight grin.

Lou laughed, "Chicken."

"Maybe… or just a guy. I don't think I'd be able to stop myself a second time." Buck said giving her a lopsided grin, "You're very beautiful you know."

Lou blushed and gave him a playful shove. "Come on we might as well head back to bed." Lou said standing up and heading for the ladder.

They returned to the bunkhouse to find that all the guys were sound asleep. They quickly climbed into their bunks and were soon fast asleep. When morning rolled around Lou went up to the main house to get Emma to help her put more of the salve on. When Emma asked how she had managed during the night, Lou told her the whole story. Emma was surprised by the restraint Buck had shown. She knew had it been any of the other boys, they would have taken advantage of the situation. Her 'Loulabelle' had picked herself a good man.