Cody was all too well aware of what was going on between his two friends. Despite his tendency to gossip, he had managed to keep their secret from the others. It was probably his soft spot for Louise, or his fear of her and Jimmy's tempers. Yep, it was one of those for sure.
The day went on and Cody did his chores slowly as usual while Buck and Ike worked on mucking stalls together. Noah returned from his run and had left the station for a swim in the creek. Jimmy was doing odd jobs around the yard and his eyes kept glancing towards Rachel's where Lou had disappeared to after breakfast to help with something or other. After awhile, she came out and started hanging laundry. Lou watched the horizon as she worked while Jimmy continued to watch her, and Cody watched them both.
As if on cue, Lou pegged the last bit of linens to the clothesline and Kid and Katey came trotting up to the corral. The lovebirds' gazes finally met and, even across the yard, Cody saw their joint determination. He watched Kid leading his horse into the barn, knowing Kid liked to cool down his mare himself. "This is as good a time for a break as any," he told himself and dropped what he was doing to talk to Jimmy.
He pressed his friend to confront Kid with the news now, while the others were busy and they could have the bunkhouse to themselves. "If you wait, you're just gonna keep finding excuses to keep waiting. Trust me, I'm the king of procrastination." As Louise walked over he nudged Jimmy one last time. "Just get it done and over with man. Then you can deal with it in the open instead of anticipating it."
"What's going on?" Lou asked as she reached the two men, though she was certain she already knew what they were discussing.
"Seize the opportunity Lou." And with that last bit of advice, Cody turned on his heel and walked away.
"He's right," she said to Jimmy. "We should just tell him now. There's never gonna be a good time and thinking about it is turning me in knots."
Jimmy released the breath he'd been holding. All day this had been weighing on him. Would gaining Lou as a lover mean losing Kid as a friend? He felt guilty admitting it but if that was the price, he'd pay it to be with her. Anyway, he had already made Lou his and that couldn't be undone. "Let's go then," he told her, and the pair made their way to the bunkhouse.
Once inside, Louise was the first to speak. "How was your ride Kid?"
Giving her a quick glance he told her how the rain had washed out the trail and he had to double back which is why he got home later than planned. His attention remained on unpacking his things.
"There any food left from lunch?" There was a time when that question alone would have sent her sprinting to Rachel's to fix him a plate.
"I'm sure Rachel will make you something if there isn't. But, um, we kind of wanted to talk first."
Looking over his shoulder he seemed to notice Jimmy for the first time. Once he gave them his full attention, he noted their serious expressions, their anxiousness. The two looked to each other before focusing back on him. Lou was the one to speak.
"We wanted to tell you first that, well, Jimmy and I, decided, well we have feelings for, one another." Her words came out in stops and starts. "We're courting." She frowned as she let the words out. Whatever they'd done had gone far beyond the typical courtship activities.
Kid took a breath and let the news wash over him. His eyes traveled to Lou. She wouldn't meet his gaze. Jimmy looked guilty as sin. His steely blue eyes passed over his fellow riders. They've slept together, he realized. He was sure. He tried to think of the right words to say but before he could respond Noah burst through the door.
"Hey ya'll, guess what. Carnival's coming to town!" He shoved a flyer in Lou's hand. "They'll be here tomorrow and then for a few days. Could be fun, no?"
"Yeah," Kid answered. "Sounds like the perfect outing for a courting couple." With that he shoved his way past the three of them and out the door.
"What I miss?" the other rider asked, hanging his wet towel from his bunk. Lou stared at the paper in her hand, speechless, and Jimmy cleared his throat. He was about to speak when the door flew open again.
Cody walked through the door and quickly patted both Lou and Jimmy on the back. "Now it's all out in the open. Feel better?" The expressions of his two friends answered negatively.
"Wait," Noah looked at each of his friends. "Kid said, 'courting couple.' You and…" He pointed back and forth between Lou and Jimmy. To their surprise a wide grin broke out on his face. "Bout time you ask me." With a shake of his head he turned and began to rifle through his things, emerging with a crisp five dollar bill. Cody snapped it up eagerly. "I thought you were too chicken shit Hickok."
"He is," chimed in Cody. "But Lou's too damned determined." He turned to their topic of conversation. "Now you know why I was so elated to find you together this morning." He winked.
"What all happened this morning, Cody?" Noah inquired with twinkling eyes.
"Now that is an interesting story." He slung an arm over Noah's shoulder. "I had just got back from a ride, early in the morning…" Two pairs of brown eyes shot daggers at Cody but their friends just laughed at them.
"I can only imagine what you must have found when you got home." Noah and Cody exited the bunkhouse together in a fit of laughter.
The pair left in the bunkhouse contemplated one another tentatively.
"Kid just needs some time to let things sink in and I'll talk to him again later," he reassured her. Lou nodded and, to Jimmy's surprise, he even saw a slight smile form on her lips.
"You really think the others are happy for us?"
Jimmy had never confided his feelings about Lou to anyone. But Noah had guessed awhile ago and even discreetly encouraged him to pursue her after Kid and her split. "Yeah. I imagine they are. Especially Cody, profiting off our relationship and all." He swore under his breath. "I'm gonna wrangle that little son of a bitch before he starts blabbing to everyone." Jimmy was thinking about the position Cody had caught them in and he didn't want his embellished version being spread to the other guys.
"Wait." Lou grabbed him by his sleeve. "You can wrangle Cody in a minute." She pulled him to her and tilted her head up, planting a kiss that soon had him forgetting just exactly what he'd had a mind to do only a second before.
Back over at the corral Cody was describing the sight he'd walked in on this morning. "They're lucky it was me and not Kid or we'd be planning a funeral right now." Noah couldn't help but agree. Judging by the Kid's actions earlier he was not happy with the turn of events. At the moment he didn't know where their southern friend had ventured off to, but he was sure he was somewhere licking his wounds.
"You know you might not want to be joking about this, Cody. Things are gonna get a might more difficult round here." Especially for Lou, he thought to himself. He admired the slight woman who had proven herself a true friend and ally during the time they'd worked together. Though he was closest to Jimmy and Cody, he felt a kinship with both Lou and Buck. They all had to do their best to survive in a white man's world and Lou especially had to hide who she was. They all faced danger but hers was different and he knew they all worried over her in their own way. He worried about Jimmy too and the gunslinger's nihilistic attitude. If he was taking a chance with Lou, it meant he saw a future for himself beyond just Wild Bill. Noah's happiness for the two was tempered only by his empathy for Kid.
After a bit, Jimmy and Lou emerged from the house and walked their separate ways. Jimmy joined the other two men at the corral and Lou hesitantly walked into the barn. She was relieved when she found only Buck and Ike. The stalls were neat as a pin, which she expected, and the two of them were taking a break, signing back and forth. She'd always enjoyed Buck and Ike's company a great deal. They were both gentle souls and seemed to value their peace and quiet just as she did. Even after revealing her true gender she'd found it easy to relax around them, as if their expectations hadn't changed one way or the other. She supposed the three of them were all misfits of a sort.
Lou greeted them both and took a seat on a nearby hay bale. *I have something to tell you,* she signed. *It may surprise you, may not. Seems you may have been placing bets already.* She stopped signing and gave them a chance to reply. Ike smiled and Buck reached into his pocket, procured a few bills and handed them over. "You too?" Lou spoke aloud.
*Sorry,* Ike apologized. *But good action's good action. Speaking of which…* He wriggled his eyebrows. Lou just shook her head.
"I had no idea that Jimmy and me made such a good diversion for you all." She threw up her hands. "Not that it needs saying but we've decided to see each other."
"So how much ya seen?" Buck sputtered out his comment between bursts of laughter. Ike's smile widened. Lou grabbed some loose hay and threw it at the both of them. She laughed along with them, feeling lighter than she had in awhile.
At Rachel's, Kid had just pushed his food around the plate. Finally he couldn't take her questions or worried glances any longer and decided to hoof it into town to talk with Teaspoon.
When the marshal saw him, he immediately knew something was eating at him. His first thought was Lou, as that was usually the case with this particular young man.
"What brings ya in, son?" The boy's dejected expression confirmed the older man's suspicions. "Female troubles?"
"It's Lou." Kid nodded. "And Jimmy. Lou and Jimmy actually."
Teaspoon sighed. "Tell me what's going on?"
Kid told him about the conversation he'd had this morning. He explained his reaction, how he'd hightailed it and run. Teaspoon could tell his feelings were all jumbled: love, hurt, anger, jealousy, betrayal, regret. The boy needed time and distance. That was the only remedy for heartache that Teaspoon knew of. Might be best, if Kid could get away for awhile. An idea began to form. He had made contacts with horse dealers around the territory. He planned to send some of the boys out to scout new stock but the opportunity had yet to present itself. This seemed like a good opportunity to give Kid the space and time he needed to sort out his feelings. Teaspoon pulled out a pencil and paper from his drawer and made a list of three different horse peddlers that needed checking. Kid could scout the best of 'em, place an order and hire a couple hands to help him drive them to the station. He was the obvious choice anyway; he was great with horses and he knew his stuff.
As Teaspoon explained his thoughts, he saw some of Kid's despondency fade. This would provide him with a distraction, a job that he'd enjoy. And it meant that he could avoid playing witness to whatever was happening between Lou and Jimmy till he'd had more time to come to terms with it. The trip wouldn't require much in the way of supplies, so he could leave first thing in the morning. The young cowboy sauntered out of the office and the marshal breathed a sigh of relief. "Disaster averted for another day."
Kid decided to walk to the creek to clean off after leaving the marshal's office and when he made it back to the station, the rest of the family was sitting down to dinner. His mind had cleared some since accepting Teaspoon's offer. By the time he joined back with the others he could give Lou a small nod, if not a smile. He couldn't quite bring himself to look at Jimmy yet. His love for Lou outweighed anything else he could feel for her, but his emotions where Jimmy was concerned were much more conflicted. Right now he was just trying to keep those thoughts at bay so he could do the same with his anger.
Kid managed to find a moment alone with Lou after all the dishes had been cleared and the others were busy getting ready to turn in. "I didn't mean to walk out on you earlier," he explained. "I just want you to be happy Lou. A little time away will give us all space to get used to things being different around here. You know?"
She did know. First she'd had to get used to them all knowing she was a girl, then to the teasing they both endured when they first got together, and of course the tension after they'd broken up. She was also dealing with the inner turmoil of being a girl who'd slept with two of the men she worked with. She did not conform to the rigid moral guidelines of what proper ladies could and couldn't do, but it had been drilled into her since birth that this type of behaviour was immoral. She also felt guilty because she was actually relieved that Kid wouldn't be around for a bit, giving her and Jimmy a little freedom to enjoy these early days of their relationship.
When it was time to turn in, Kid found that he actually fell asleep quite easily. All the walking had worn out his body and everything else had worn out his mind. He was ready to let the blankness of sleep engulf him. Meanwhile, Lou and Jimmy struggled to find rest. Being in the same room and unable to touch was proving excruciating for the both of them. Eventually, they slept from sheer exhaustion.
The morning was mild, promising fair weather for the riders. Kid was the first to saddle up and leave the station, eager to put distance between himself and the new lovers. It gave him a warped sense of satisfaction knowing they too would be riding out today, in opposite directions. He nudged Katey onward and she galloped off to the west towards The Golden Horse Ranch, the first of three, if you believe Teaspoon, exemplary horse dealers he was to visit on this excursion.
Kid wasn't the only early riser that morning. Soon after he left, Lou was dressed and helping Rachel put breakfast together in the main house. With the task of telling Teaspoon complete, thanks to Kid, Rachel was the only one left to hear Lou's confession. She was relieved to finally be able to talk without restraint.
Finally able to speak woman to woman, Lou told Rachel all about her first time with Jimmy and how Cody had found them in her bed. She explained the conversation with Kid and the reactions of the other boys. She tried her best to articulate her confused feelings, but when she was smiling ear to ear by the end of it, both women knew that she was in love with Jimmy.
"Well go tell him, silly," was her friend's advice.
A little later in the morning, Rachel was serving breakfast to all but two conspicuously absent riders. "Where are those two? I made Lou's favorite, blueberry pancakes, and she ain't even here to enjoy 'em," Rachel mused, mostly to herself. When she had said for the young girl to go find her beau and share her feelings, she hadn't meant physically.
"I'm sure she's getting her appetite tended to," Cody japed around a mouthful of pancakes.
"Cody finish chewing before you start yapping," The pretty blonde woman narrowed her eyes at the young man, yet she couldn't help but giggle.
Lou had tried to untangle herself from Jimmy several times, knowing that their absence was sure to be noted. Every time she tried to get up, he pulled her back into the mess of hay and blankets where they'd spent the better part of the morning. Their clothing was strewn about the hayloft and she did not want Cody walking in on them again. After missing breakfast, they were sure to be the butt of his jokes as it was. She sighed as she gave up her struggle and settled against Jimmy's warm chest. In truth, she hadn't tried that hard. Her lover's strong hands traversed her body and evoked recent memories of their morning in the barn. As one hand cupped her breast, running a finger over her pert nipple, and the other slipped between her thighs, she was lost.
When Lou finally emerged from the barn it was on horseback, just in time to make the handoff. She had no breakfast in her belly and had only packed a light lunch but she was smiling ear to ear as she flew like the wind over the plains.
Jimmy remained inside, taking his time readying Sundance for their ride. He was in no rush to leave the quiet of the barn or hear the taunting of the others. Lou had told him that she loved him. Actually what she had said was that she realized she was in love with him. Jimmy thought that sounded even better. It sounded like she was his, like their hearts were in accord. He had needed her right then, in that moment. And without hesitation, he had taken her. He could still taste the sweat of her skin, the juice of her core. It was going to be an awfully uncomfortable ride to Odell, if he didn't change the direction of his thoughts.
Finally presentable, he made his way to the bunkhouse, hoping that something of Rachel's breakfast might be leftover. He found Buck, Ike, and Noah relaxing on the porch while Cody waited for his parcel. Just his luck that Cody's ride wasn't till later in the afternoon.
"You save some energy for your ride I hope," the blonde rider remarked flippantly while studying the pages of his latest dime novel.
"You can just save it Cody," he replied, brushing by him and into the bunkhouse without a glance towards the others.
Inside Rachel was loading the dishes into a basin for washing. She looked up at Jimmy with an unmistakable gleam in her eyes but kept quiet. He thanked her for the plate of pancakes and sausage that she'd set aside for him. It was cold but it hit the spot and he was grateful for the nourishment. It wasn't long before he heard the call and he was off, leaving a thick cloud of dust in his wake.
"I think he wanted you to choke on it, Cody," Buck commented, giving his friend a once over. "Maybe you shouldn't poke the bear."
"Poking bears is what he does," Noah chimed in.
"The bear I'm worried about is somewhere between here and the Golden Horse."
Buck, Ike, and Noah were watching tent after tent get raised for this fair. The other fellas had to admit they had not anticipated anything this large coming to Rock Creek. As they watched the carnies set up, they grew more and more excited for the entertainment to begin.
The entire set up was about a half mile south of town. At the center was what could only be the main tent, large, round, and colorful in comparison to the others surrounding it. Additional tents spread out from the center and were dingier looking but came in various shapes and sizes. The men raised their tents and booths with practiced efficiency and in a few hours it was like a whole nother town had sprung up next to Rock Creek.
Of course, while the boys would each have their chance to explore, they were all expected to act as deputies as well. So while they watched everything coming together with awe, they were also sussing out the layout and preparing for the night to come.
The marshal had spent hours at his desk, writing and rewriting the schedule, doing his best to make sure all his boys (and his girl) would get a chance to enjoy the festivities. Perhaps he was hastey in sending Kid on that errand. They'd be stretched thin, but as always, they'd manage. Teaspoon sat back in his chair and gave his stubble a good scratch. Buck and Ike trudged into the marshal's office side by side. "What'd ya see boys?"
Ike sketched a rough map of the festival as Buck filled Teaspoon in on what they'd seen. The biggest tent sat in the middle and looked like it could hold a couple hundred people. It was unmistakable because it was the only round, multi-colored tent of the lot, flanked by three other large rectangular tents. Making a circle around those were about a dozen other small tents where you could find the games and food.
"So what's in these four around the main tent, I wonder." Teaspoon continued to stroke his salt and pepper stubble while he studied Ike's sketch of the fairgrounds.
Buck pointed to each tent as he described to him what they'd seen. There was one for what looked like pig races. Another with a stage that promised some sort of extraordinary performances. The third was set back away from the rest and from what Buck described, Teaspoon knew it housed adult entertainment, whether that was whoring or just dancing, he couldn't say yet.
"Probably about time I went and introduced myself to our visitors anyways." He rose slowly from his chair and tried not to think about the aches and pains that were making themselves more apparent each passing day. With one hand, he placed his hat on his head. With the other he grabbed Ike's little map and stuck it in his breast pocket. "Keep an eye on the place till I get back boys."
It wasn't all that surprising that a traveling carnival would include prostituiton. Especially seeing as how it was so profitable. In Rock Creek, he had managed to keep that business tightly regulated. It was to be kept inside the saloons and brothels and out of sight of the children and gentlefolk. Off the main streets, so to speak. Teaspoon also made sure the women had certain protections to keep them safe and make sure they got their cut. He had no such agreement with these outsiders and he had no idea how they ran their business.
The half mile trip took almost no time at all on horseback, and Teaspoon soon found himself outside the tent city. From the looks of it, everything was fully assembled and the carnies were busy putting the finishing touches on their displays. Already, a layer of dust was forming on the thick canvas and wood. He'd barely had a chance to dismount when he found himself surrounded by several of the men. Tipping his hat politely, he introduced himself. "Good afternoon fellas. I'm Teaspoon Hunter, Rock Creek's marshal. Might I have a word with the purveyor of your grand fair?"
Looking at things now, in the light of day, it seemed innocuous enough. It was mostly silly games: ring toss, darts, ball toss, and many more. The "Show of Extraordinary Acts'' included a strong man, a snake charmer, and a sorceress who could tell your fortune for a price. Mr. Mackey seemed quite proud of all of it as he escorted Teaspoon through the grounds.
Eventually they came to the tent that he'd been looking for. Red and gold tapestries adorned the entrance to the tent and the sign posted in front warned that children were not allowed.
"I assure you Marshal, we treat our ladies here with nothing but respect. As you know, life on the road can be difficult at times. This particular attraction is a necessity, if we're to make ends meet."
"I'm sure that is the truth Mr. Mackey. I just need your assurance that you'll keep eyes on the comings and goings in this particular area. What I don't need is any of the parents coming to me telling me their young ones got in for a taste of the forbidden fruit…" He winked. "I'd also like to speak to the women, if I may."
About a half hour later, Teaspoon left the fairgrounds satisfied but wary. He had met eight different women who all attested that they were working of their own volition. Once they'd assured him that they would report any incidents directly to him or his deputies, he'd left. Mackey had not objected to the local law enforcement and had been nothing but cooperative. Most of it seemed on the up and up but he didn't like the looks of a couple of those girls. They just looked too damn young. He thought of Lou, and shuddered.
That evening, Louise arrived at the Fairbury Express station just as exhaustion was setting in. In the morning she would pick up a different package and haul it back to Rock Creek. While of course welcome to stay at the station's bunkhouse, she preferred the privacy of her own hotel room. To her knowledge none of the other stations' riders had caught on to her secret and she aimed to keep it that way. After making the switch, she made her way to the center of town. Lou was fond of Fairbury and so often took runs here. The place itself was not much to look at, a scattering of buildings, housing all the necessities of a frontier town. The hotel was clean and fairly priced and served good food and, as they didn't do all that much business, didn't mind housing dirty Express riders from time to time. Mostly she liked it cause they paid her no mind.
Once she was settled in her room with a hot bath, Lou stripped her clothes off and submerged herself in the steaming water. She sighed contentedly as the sweat and grime were washed from her body. As she bathed, she studied the love bites Jimmy had left on her breasts and smiled, wishing every morning could begin as this one had. Something about loving Jimmy made her feel powerful and wild and safe all at once. She rose from the tub and dried herself with the fluffy towels provided for her. She loved bathing at Rachel's every now and then but hotels were the best. They always gave her the best smelling soaps and the softest, biggest towels. It was a small luxury that Lou savored whenever she could. Finally clean and dry, she jumped onto the oversized mattress, planning on enjoying a nice long nap, in a quiet, peaceful room.
Kid could hardly believe it, but he was actually tired of the peace and quiet. The road to the Golden Horse Ranch was smooth and, compared to riding for the Express, relatively easy on both him and his horse. The trail was not only easy going but he had hardly seen another traveler all day. Solitude was one thing, but he could use at least a little distraction from the thoughts buzzing through his head. Part of him felt it had been a mistake to leave like he had. He should have fought harder for Lou. But no, crowding her just made her angry, 'cept when Jimmy did it apparently. Kid urged Katey on, hoping that he'd get to the ranch soon enough, and find himself something else to ruminate over.
When Jimmy reached Odell it was nearly dark. After checking in at the station, he went directly to the saloon where he ordered his usual, sarsaparilla and a couple cheese sandwiches. While he ate his humble meal, Jimmy kept his head down and his coat on to cover his two ivory handled colts. Occasionally he'd look up and glance around the bar. It smelled like smoke and working men and had the haze of cigars and trail dust about it. Like everything in the west, the dust gave the place a brownish tinge. Every now and then he'd see one of the saloon girls flutter by and their frilly dresses would splash a bit of color into his view. Not long ago, he would have been paying them a bit more attention, or looking for a card game to pass the night. Now it seemed of utmost importance that he keep a low profile and avoid any trouble. His only concern was getting back to Lou. She'd been on his mind the whole ride here. Usually once Jimmy bedded a woman, he'd put her out of his mind. But this was different. He didn't just want Lou, he loved her, more deeply than he'd known was possible. Even now, as he made his way to the hotel, when he paid the clerk and took his things to his room, as he undressed and turned the bed down, he smiled thinking about this morning and her declaration of love. Again, as he'd done countless times on the trail, he replayed the morning's events, the sweet look on her face, her big brown eyes shining at him as she said the words, his immediate reaction and everything that had come after. He reached for himself in the dark as he recalled each detail.
He'd smiled as she'd told him, "Jimmy, I'm in love with you." Nothing had ever sounded so good to him in his life. Her small hand gripped his as she stared up at him, expectantly. He'd growled some sort of reply, completely consumed with his need for her. He was always better with actions than words anyway. Scooping her into his arms and depositing her on some hay bales, he'd ignored her protestations. They soon faded when he covered her mouth with his own, forcefully demanding access by parting her lips with his tongue. Soon he was kissing her deeply, straddling her small frame with his own. Carefully, and with control he didn't know he could muster, he undid the buttons of her shirt and continued to kiss down her body - the soft skin behind her ear, the slightly salty taste of her neck, each delicate collar bone - before he parted the sides of her shirt and cupped her perfect breasts in his calloused hands.
Lou's hands found the front of his pants and deftly undid the buttons, pulling him out and stroking him firmly. He broke their embrace to stand and pull off his own clothes while she shimmied free of her pants. She shoved him playfully onto his back and climbed on top of him. She trailed her fingertips lightly down his chest before bracing herself. Jimmy's hands grabbed her waist and helped guide her down onto his stiff and aching cock. He should be used to it by now - her wetness, her warmth, how tightly he fit in her. He growled, she mewled as their bodies merged together. The tight grasp of his hands encouraged her and she rode him hard. She leaned forward and her hips rocked her swiftly up and down, up and down, over his length. He watched her breasts sway in his vision as he bucked himself deeper into her. She fell into him, smashing her breasts against his chest, burying her face into the crease of his neck and shoulder, wrapping her arms around him and holding tightly as she gave control over to him.
His hands slid down to her thighs and each finger dug into her as he moved in her, making sure each thrust was hard and deep. She cried his name and he felt her contract, felt her wet warmth coating his dick.
Jimmy felt the warmth of his own climax spurt onto his belly. Not bothering to clean up, he rolled over and let sleep take him.