Cowboy 2

I.S.D.H.

She walked to the window, looking out. “One question. Do you love me?”

“Complicated." he sucked in a breath, "Yes, I love you, Akane. But no, I do not chose you.” He snorted in amusement, he stood, turned her to face him, “I started calling you uncute, because you were not cute, but rather brutish. but as time passed I started calling you uncute because you were not cute, but rather beautiful.” he lifted her face, and kissed her gently on the lips. “But while you were fighting for my hand, someone else stole my heart. I am taking your father’s offer. I get to chose which of the Daughters Tendo I marry.”

Tension melted out of Akane. “Whom do you choose?”

“Not telling, Not until I am named Master of the Saotome Ryu. I hope that once I am named Master, I will shortly have a Student.”

“Akane, Whom do you choose?” Kasumi asked quietly.

“I have yet to Choose.” Akane looked Ranma in the eye, "My first choice has removed himself from those who are trying to Claim my hand. Father is accused of allowing another guy sleep in my bed, scaring my honor. And this Bastard," She slugged Ranma in the arm, "I find that he is taking liberties with my sister, when he is not hitting up his floosies for free eats."

"Just to be clear, we are talking about Ryouga being P-chan.” she looked at both sisters and Ranma.

“Yes.” Nabiki spoke quietly from her bed. “to make matters more complex, there is a rival for his hand in marriage. The girl who raises the sumo pigs. Akari, I believe. "

"Are you sure that He has not tarnished my honor?" looking at Ranma.

"Any Female, other then Ranko, shows a hint of cleavage or more skin then school dress code allows, and he has a nose-bleed." catching her chin, “If you notice when you are changing with P-Chan in the room, he is looking the other way. He thinks he loves you, but now that Akari has told him how much she likes piggies..."

“What are you doing, Ranma?” Inquired Nabiki.

“Making up for lost time. When one of us leaves this room, I will never get a another chance to just kiss her, just for the fun of it.” He slowly lowered his head and captured her lips with his own, as his hand slid from her chin to the base of her head.

Akane stiffened at the assault, but then moaned as she fell captive to the pure simple delight of being kissed, just for the fun of it.

The door jerked open. A scowling Nodoka filled the doorway, until she saw what Ranma was doing to Akane. ‘My Little Man is so manly!!!’

When he finally broke the kiss, Akane gasped for breath as she leaned into his muscled chest. he stroked her hair, and whispered something into her ear. She snapped upright, took a step back, and backhanded him across the face. “You Pervert!”

As she stomped out of the room, he turned to Kasumi. “Run while you can, Nurse. When I catch you, you won’t be able to stand, little alone run.”

Kasumi eeped and bolted from the room.

Turning finally to the intruder, “Mother. You ruined my nightly game of squealing Tendos. How am I to know which one is to be my bride?”

Nodoka took a deep breath. another. and another...

then hit the floor in a dead feint.

Looking at the girl laying helpless on the bed. “Looks like only one Tendo gets to ‘Squeal’ tonight.”

121

“Making up for lost time.” his voice deep and husky, ”When one of us leaves this room, I will never get a another chance to just kiss her, just for the fun of it.” He slowly lowered his head and captured her lips with his own, as his hand slid from her chin to the base of her head.

Akane stiffened at the assault, but then moaned as she fell captive to the pure, simple delight of being kissed, just for the fun of it. She heard only her own heart beating. Felt his Beat out a rhythm that was equal, and yet counter to her own... the smell of his musk filled her nose... and she was lost in the kiss

When he finally broke the kiss, Akane gasped for breath as she leaned into his muscled chest. he stroked her hair, and whispered into her ear, “With an open mind, Ranko is even better. If you might be interested, call me a Pervert.”

It was all reflex; yet she knew she could not have stopped herself if she tried, She snapped upright, took a step back, and backhanded him across the face. “You Pervert!”

She moved as fast as she could on her wobbly legs, not even noticing that she had to shoulder past Ranma’s own mother. As she was closing the door to her room, she heard Kasumi squeak and saw her run down the hall.

‘What did I get my self into?’

121

striping to his pants and under shirt, Ranma stretched out along Nabiki’s bed, less then an inch between them.

“Hey lover-boy, everybody but the Fathers know who you have chosen.” she traced his upper ear with a finger, “And your mother is showing signs that she thinks that you are test driving all three of us. Want to try me out?”

“Not until you can fight me off a bit.” he licked her nose, “A good ride offers some resistance, as a good rider offers some restraint.”

“And what of the Others?” She griped his ear, and twisted.

“Xain-Pu and Ukyo I would like to keep. If my Wife is willing, Ukyo, who is registered as male, were to marry Ranko, and Xain-Pu, who would be willing to accept me as First Husband and will allow my to have a bit of fun on the side as long as she is seen to. Moose can be bought off with a place in the circle.”

“That is asking a lot.”

“Look at it this way. With legal ties through marriage, you have access to all the money coming into the cat-cafe and Ukyo’s. With you giving up the photo and gambling rackets, You can go legit. You will always have access to four of the big five of the NWC; a bodyguard if things get nasty, and muscle when you need to push back. “

“oh you, sweet talker, you” She pushed him off the bed