"Ya shoulda seen 'im Lou," Kid said with a grin.  "I took Lexi out there to the corral and would ya believe them horses walked right up to 'im?  I thought for sure when they started sniffin' at 'im that he'd start cryin' 'cause they're so big.  Well, he just gives 'em this big ol' grin and laughs right in their faces.  I tell ya, Lou, he's a born horseman."

Lou looked up at him and chuckled.  "Well of course he is, he's my son" she replied.  She leaned closer and pulled the baby's gown down over his backside.  He was holding onto Kid's hands and bouncing up and down on his chubby little legs as he jabbered.  "Soon as he's old enough to sit a horse by himself, Mama's gonna teach 'im how to ride proper.  Ain't that right, Lexi?

"Oh, really.  Your son, eh?" Kid said incredulously.  His eyes twinkled in merriment.  "I suppose you fancy yourself the best rider out of all of us, hmm?"

She pursed her lips in thought.  "You said it, I didn't."

"If you count in all those hours we spent breaking horses, all of us boys have more hours in the saddle than you've had in a lifetime."

Lou laughed.  "And if you ask me, the horses won," she teased.  "Kid, you boys spent more time gettin' thrown from the saddle not sittin' in it."

"I seem to remember one particular time you were thrown from the saddle," he said suggestively.

Her face blushed slightly.  Well, two could play that game.  "Oh, you mean Redfern?" Lou asked.  "Please, that don't count 'cause I planned that one.  And if memory serves, you fell for it hook, line, and sinker.  'Course, it's hard to protest when your mouth's otherwise occupied."

Kid laughed, only slightly embarassed at the memory which showed as the tips of his ears turned pink.  He shook his head slightly.  "Ya got me there, Lou," he admitted.

They let the warmth of the memory wrap around them as they looked at each other.  Suddenly, it was all too much and they both looked away.  Louise, picked up the brush in her lap and began brushing out her unbound hair so it could dry.

They sat on the floor in front of the fireplace chatting.  Things had been a bit awkward when he'd first come in for breakfast, though.  She wasn't sure what to say to him after learning what he'd been through.  However, Kid had just walked up to her and pulled a handful of tiny yellow daisies out from behind his back, flashing her that charming smile that had won her heart before.  After the others had left for church, Kid had offered to watch Lexi while she cleaned up a bit.  He'd even lugged the tub and several pails of water into the bunkhouse for her to bathe with.  It felt so good to have clean hair again.  For women, the rest of you could smell like rosewater, but if your hair wasn't clean, you didn't feel clean.

Lou had turned her head towards the fire and now felt something tug slightly at her hair.   She looked down, surprised to find Kid's fingers sliding through the ends.

"Ya know, I never pictured you with long hair," Kid muttered.  He stared entranced at the auburn tendriils sliding over his hand.  "Often wondered about it, but never quite pictured it."  He could slide his fingers through the soft, silken waves forever, he thought.

She tried to ignore the way her heart fluttered and her breath came more and more shallowly as she continued brushing.  "I'd almost forgot what it felt like myself," Lou admitted.  "I was fourteen when I cut it all.  Actually it used to go clear down to my waist."

Kid sensed the disquiet in her as she mentioned being fourteen.  He knew her life had been pretty hard around then.  She'd been fourteen when she left the orphanage, he remembered.  "I have yet to understand what could happen to make you do what you done then," Kid said quietly.  There'd been a time when his curiosity would have gotten the better of him and he'd have pushed her into telling him what had happened.  However, that man was long gone.  He'd missed her so much and knew they were on fragile ground yet, so he'd never do anything to risk frightening her away.

Kid shook his head with a wry smile.  To this day she didn't realize just how beautiful she really was.  She was always comparing herself to other women.  "Gosh, you musta been such a pretty little thing at fourteen," he said, trying to catch her gaze around the curtain of her hair.  "When I was fourteen, heck, I was so skinny if I stood behind a tree trunk, I'd disappear."

Louise couldn't help but laugh at the image.  She pulled her hair to the other shoulder so she could look at him.  "I'm sure all the little girls loved you," she teased.  "Probably used to lure 'em back behind the barn or somethin' and steal kisses.  All ya'd have to do is give' em those hound-dog eyes and ask 'em if they wanted to take a walk.  You forget I know what takin' a walk with you means."

He'd scooted slightly closer to her, having placed the baby down on his blanket.  Kid's hand reached out and he allowed the curling ends of her hair to wrap around his fingers.  "Oh, yeah?" he asked huskily, his eyes fixed on hers.

His voice wrapped around her low, soothing, and familiar and she could feel his breath on her face.  All she could see and feel was Kid and the sensations began to make her more than a little nervous.  She knew he wanted to kiss her, she could see it in his eyes.  But it was her desire to have him kiss her that frightened her.  Lou's eyes began to drift, trying to find anywhere to look but at him.  "Kid?" she whispered.

"Hmm?"

"Why'd you shoot Danny last night?"  Lou knew why as sure as Christmas is in December, but she wanted to hear him say it, hear him admit it.

Kid's eyes fell slightly, a guilty light shining for just a moment before departing beneath a calm assurance.  "You know why, Lou," he replied.

She had to hear him say it to be sure.  She couldn't truly let her heart go until she was sure of how he felt about her.  A quiet desperation seized her and it reflected in her eyes.  "Just say it, please," she demanded, her voice breathless with anticipation.

He looked down briefly.  When he looked up, he smiled and his eyes had darkened again, their gaze frank with longing.  "'Cause I love you and I couldn't stand the thought of someone else touching you like that, like I did," Kid said simply, with a shrug.

"See, now that wasn't so hard...."  The rest of the sentence was swallowed up by his kiss, chaste at first but then deepening as she responded.  For the first time since she'd returned, Lou felt like she'd come home.  Their kiss was passionate and sweet, flavored with all the longing and loneliness of the past year.  His hands wrapped around her waist, holding her closer, her hands straying into his hair.

One kiss blended into another and another.  They would've kept kissing forever if Lexi, upset at the sudden lack of attention, hadn't decided to begin fussing.  Lou pulled away with a soft laugh, breaking the kiss, her breath coming in soft gasps.  She leaned her head against his chin and smiled as Kid's strong fingers massaged the cords at the back of her neck.  "Oh, my," she sighed.

"Lou?"

"Hmm?"

Kid kissed the top of her head affectionately.  "Can we start over?" he asked softly.  "You and me.  Can we forget everythin' that happened and just start from scratch?"  He paused as the baby's fussings finally made an impression on his foggy brain. "Uh, maybe one of us oughta see to him."

Lou's head shot up and she looked over at her son.  Lexi was trying to lever himself up onto his hands and knees to crawl.  However, he wasn't yet strong enough and was getting frustrated over his efforts.  God, she hadn't even heard him fussing until now.  Startled, Louise picked the baby up and cuddled him close, cooing apologies in his ear.  She caught sight of Kid's silly grin out of the corner of her eye.  "What?" she demanded.

He shook his head.  "You.  You've changed so much," Kid said.

She glanced up shyly.  "Is that a good thing?" she asked skeptically.

"Very," he replied.  Absently, he reached out and brushed away Lexi's tears.  "You're so much more, I don't know, stable?"

"Oh, thanks a lot," Lou laughed.  "Nice to know I don't seem nutty as a fruitcake anymore."

Kid glared at her in mock annoyance.  "I didn't mean it that way," he insisted.  "You're more sure of yourself.  Ya don't seem so restless, so anxious to prove you can do everythin' on your own."  Kid brushed her hair behind her ear.  "Ya went and turned into a woman on me, Lou, and a beautiful one at that.  Don't exactly know how I feel about that."

"I always was a woman, Kid.  Can't help it y'all didn't notice half the time," she replied a bit saucily.

He raised an eyebrow at her.  "Oh, we noticed alright.  It's just that now the rest of the world can't help but notice, too, and that's what I don't know how I feel about."

"Hmm.  Well, you keep your eyes on me and I'll keep mine on you and let's damn the rest of the world.  What d'ya say?" Lou asked boldly.  She watched his response closely just waiting for any sign of reticence.  "I don't know if we can take up where we left off or even if we can start at the beginning but anythin's better than this."

Kid thought briefly of Laura.  Things were definitely not working out with them.  Hell, he was in love with Lou--always was and always would be.  And she loved him.  He'd seen it in her eyes and felt it in her kiss.  They had a son together.  This was what he'd wanted all along, what he'd thought he could have with Laura and in that moment he made his decision.

Kid smiled warmly at her.  He kissed Lexi's head gently before kissing her lips lightly.  "The rest of the world can go down in flames for all I care," he said softly, nuzzling his cheek against hers.  "All that matters to me is you and Lexi and Tessa, that's all.  I finally got you back and I'll be damned if I'm lettin' go again so easily."

The day went by fast after the others had returned from the service in town.  Dinner was almost as lively as it had been when the bunkhouse had been full and the Express had been up and running. There were presents for both children, even though Lexi was more interested in the string than the wooden top he'd gotten.

No one missed the little looks and touches that passed between Kid and Lou.  It didn't take a genius to figure out that something had happened between the two.  Consequently, no one mentioned the run-in with the Wilsons.

They were all in the middle of dessert when the knock came at the door.  Kid wiped his mouth and stood.  "I'll get it," he offered, moving toward the door.

"Oh, no, Kid," Rachel said.  "Don't interrupt your dessert.  I'm already up."

"Rachel, you're eight months along.  You go to answer the door and you'll end up in labor," he teased back.  "I don't mind, really."  Kid let his hand slide along Lou's back out of sight of the others.  They shared a look as he passed.

Kid opened the door, a smile on his face, and came face to face with Mayor Wilson.  He blinked twice, wondering if he was dreaming.  "Uh, Mr. Wilson, what're you doin' here?" he asked.

"Happy Easter, Kid," the mayor replied.  "We ran into the Hunters at church this mornin' and they told us about the close call you and Miss McCloud had with little Alexander."

"And Mama felt we should come on out and pay a call," Laura spoke up from behind her father.  "Happy Easter, Kid.  May we come in?"

Kid looked between the Wilsons and the rest at the table in confusion.  "Uh, yeah," he replied awkwardly.  He moved aside and let them in, shutting the door behind them.

Laura and her mother went immediately to Louise's side to examine the child.  Lou for her part had felt like she was being invaded and hadn't been able to control the urge to stand defensively.  She didn't like the suspicious looks passing between the two women.

"Well, now, that musta been the fastest case of croup I've ever seen," Mrs, Wilson replied dryly.
 
 

Chapter 14