How To Kiss a Cowboy

Six-packs, shooting stars and memories.

Niall knew this kiss didn't mean anything to Liam. He'd dallied with most of the barrel racers, and there was no reason he should be special to him, no matter what sweet nothings he whispered. But after awhile, the warnings in his head faded away, because Liam knew exactly, precisely how he wanted to be kissed.

Liam's lips slid over his slowly at first, softly, in a sort of experimental way. His knees turned to jelly, but then a plume of warmth rose inside him and he felt suddenly strong. Lacing his arms around Liam's neck, he kissed him back and the night noises that surrounded them moments ago, faded away.

He'd wanted this kiss since the day he had first seen Liam swaggering down the Halls of Grigsby High. He and his Rodeo brothers were from the Ranch in Wynott. It was the Ranch where the bad kids lived-or so said the school gossips. Liam Payne, Luke Hemmings and Harry Stlyes walked like men, not boys, and they could send both girls and guys stumbling through a haze of hormones just by glancing their way.

The gossips in school used to whisper that they were so bad, their parent's could't handle them. So bad, they'd been sent to the Ranch In Wynott. So bad, that when everyone else was sent home to their families, these three stayed.

The gossips eyes used to glitter when they talked about the boys, and they tossed secret flirtatious glances at them from under their lashes. They seemed to think being bad was a good thing. Niall didn't get it any more than he understood why his own eyes always sought out Liam in the hallway, or why he felt a strange flutter inside when ever he would catch him looking.

Tonight, Niall got it. Apparently, Bad boys knew how to kiss someone senseless, and Liam was no exception. He'd dated a few times, sure, but he'd never been kissed like this. Liam seemed to be tasting him, testing him, drinking in his secrets and needs.

Then the kiss changed-the angle and the intent. It was as if the conscious part of kissing was over, and the two of them were lost inside a fog of sensation. Liam's breath came hard, and Niall could feel his heart pounding under his shirt, because, oddly enough, he had actually put a hand on Liam's chest to push him away at first. Not because he didn't want Liam to kiss him, but because Liam was famous for teasing the guys and he was afraid it was a joke.

This was no joke. Something about laughing, goodnatured Liam had changed. His tongue danced deliciously with Niall's , stroking, probing, exploring as if he needed to know every part of him.

Niall knew a Sunday night affair with Liam Payne wouldn't last through monday's sunrise. But just this once, he let himself go. He felt like what they were doing was meant to be, as inevitable as the flowing of a river or the whispers of the wind in the trees.

He knew he was feeling too much. Men like Liam didn't want guys to fall in love with them. Sex was a game to them, and if you took the game to seriously, nobody would ever pick you to partner again.

Niall broke the kiss, turned away, and walked smack dab into the side of his trailer.

  "You okay?" Liam took him by the arm and looked him up and down.

Oh, those eyes. Hot fudge. Warm and sweet.

  "I'm fine." Niall said. "Just clumsy." He laughed, and it came out a little too high. He sounded crazy.

Liam smiled, putting the killer dimples on display. "Were all clumsy sometimes. I fall off horses a lot."

Niall laughed, "You do, don't you."

Liam sobered. "Sometimes I'm clumsy about kissing too." He said. "I hope you didn't mind."

  "No." Niall replied. "No I didn't mind. It was fine."