Violence: There may be violence in this story, but not for a while, and not real graphic…I'm the squeamish type. So if you are into that sort of thing, go get your jollies elsewhere (sorry!).
Subtext: Yep. Nothing really graphic, probably PG-13 at the most, 'cause I ain't that talented. Two women meet and fall in love…if you can't handle it, get over it. If it's illegal where you live, I sympathize. If you're too young, grow up!
Quality Disclaimer: This is my first attempt at fanfic. If you don't like it, tell me why. If you do happen to like it, I'm glad I could amuse you for a while. Feedback is greatly appreciated. You can reach me at cb.zeer@worldnet.att.net
Chapter 33
Lex watched Amanda ride away until she disappeared into the dense foliage. Now let's go have some fun. She jogged back to the clearing, her mind running through several different scenarios.
Sitting in some tangled underbrush, the hidden rancher had a very good view of the entire clearing. A dark shadow passed over her, making the watching woman jump slightly. She looked up sheepishly. Just a damn cloud. A slight grin quirked her lips. Cloud? Hmm…looks like rain again. If I can just keep these fools busy for a while, hopefully they'll be stuck here until Amanda can get the sheriff out here.
Charlie Bristol had been the sheriff for longer than Lex could remember. He had a knack of always being around when she needed him, especially after her father Rawson left. The sheriff would show up for breakfast at least once a week for several years, ostensibly to make sure everything was okay. But only Charlie and Lex knew the main reason - Martha Rollins.
The tall and lanky man was several years older than the heavyset housekeeper, but he followed her around like a little boy with his first crush. He'd bring her flowers, ask her out to the movies on Saturday night, and plead with the sweet woman to marry him at least once a month. Every time she gently turned him down, with the excuse that she could never leave her "little Lexie" to work the massive ranch alone. Charlie respected that, and in truth it made the gentle woman even greater in his eyes.
It took a couple of years, but poor Charlie finally got the hint. Martha cared for him, but she just couldn't bring herself to leave the ranch and settle down. Charlie understood, and he stayed close friends with Martha, taking her to various dances and picnics, but he never gave up the hope that someday she'd tire of the ranch life and agree to become his wife. But until that day arrived, he was more than happy to have Martha has a good friend. And the lovestruck lawman never stopped dreaming about settling down with the sweet housekeeper that ran the Rocking W Ranch.
Lex circled around the clearing until she was behind the large truck and trailer. Looking around, she noticed that several of the men were arguing. She pulled out her pocketknife, then began crawling towards the parked vehicles, which were apparently empty. Making her way under the trailer, she positioned herself near the wheels on the farthest side. Oh yeah…face down in the mud is so much fun. She grimaced, then slowly poked a small hole on the inside of the tire, which began to loudly hiss. Damn! She quickly wiped a small amount of mud on the neat slice, quieting it, and also slowed the speed that the air was leaking out. Lex proceeded to take care of the remaining tires in the same manner, then stealthily made her way back to her hiding place.
The clouds quickly took over the late afternoon sky, thunder rumbling ominously in the distance. Lex smiled. She could see the trailer slowly sinking to the ground. Only a matter of time before these morons notice. She decided to take care of the attached truck next. I wonder how Amanda's doing. I hope she made it to the ranch all right.
Chapter 34
Martha hung up the phone with a grim smile. "Charlie's on his way…he said he'd take the back way in." She crossed back over to where Amanda sat, nervously tearing a paper napkin into tiny bits. "Honey?" she touched the younger woman's shoulder.
Amanda jumped, startled. "What?" she looked down at the mess on the table. "Sorry…" then she raised her eyes to the older woman. "Did you say the sheriff is on his way?" The small blonde stood up, pushing her chair back up against the table. "I've got to get back…Thunder should be rested enough by now." She had begun to walk towards the kitchen door when Martha grabbed her arm.
"Now you wait just a darn minute! If you think I'm going to let you go back to…" she was interrupted by the anxious blonde.
"I've got to." A gentle pleading look. "She may need me." Then, with a more determined air. "I can't leave her out there all alone, Martha. Don't ask me to."
The housekeeper released the young woman's arm with a heavy sigh. "All right…" she motioned with her hand, "But you're not going anywhere without a radio." She led Amanda down the hall and through the den, making her way into the office. She pulled a handheld radio out of its charging base, handing it to the younger woman. "I'll sit here by the base radio, and you can call me if you need anything, okay?" she was about to say more when a rumble of thunder interrupted her.
They both looked up, as if to see something through the ceiling. "Great. Now Lexie will have an excuse to play in the mud again." Martha shook a finger in Amanda's direction. "And you're gonna put on a raincoat before you take off again, right?"
Amanda ducked her head and smiled quietly. "Yes ma'am." Suddenly she was enveloped in a strong hug, which she happily returned.
"Honey, I want you to be extra special careful - don't take any crazy chances." Martha rubbed the younger woman's back. "I have enough to worry about with Lexie always going off half-cocked." She turned around and led Amanda out of the room. "C'mon…let's get you bundled up and ready to go."
Chapter 35
Lex had just returned to her hiding spot after sabotaging the truck when the first raindrops began to fall. Great. I knew I should have brought my coat. The flannel shirt she had on felt great earlier in the day, but now that the sun was hidden by the sudden cloudcover, the wind was decidedly cooler. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms briskly, trying to keep warm, almost laughing out loud at the scene unfolding in front of her.
The rain started coming down in earnest, causing the would-be thieves to rush around picking up their belongings. One of them, a short and stocky dark-haired man, had almost made it back to the truck when he noticed that something was wrong. "Hey, Matt!" he yelled, looking back at the tall lanky man near the campfire, "Looks like we got a couple of flat tires!"
Lex nearly gave herself away laughing. Oh, we've got a regular Einstein among us. She shook her head. Wonder what his first clue was? She blinked away an errant raindrop, thankful for the dark cowboy hat that kept most of the rain out of her face.
Another man checked the other side of the trailer. "This side's flat too!" The man they called Matt walked over to the truck and pulled a rifle from inside. "You guys keep a close watch. I don't like the looks of this."
The rancher crept slowly back from her vantage point. Uh-oh…I think he means business. She slunk back farther into the brush.
Matt tossed the rifle over to the short, stocky man. "Darrell…take this and do a perimeter check. If anything moves, SHOOT IT!" He turned to face the older man who had checked the far side of the trailer. "Randall, get the other rifle out of the truck and check the other side of the clearing." The gray headed man nodded and complied.
Lex looked around. Where did the other three go? Suddenly, the bushes to the left of her began to rustle. Shit! She ducked down lower, practically lying face down in the rapidly building mud. Man number four stepped out of the shrubbery almost on top of her.
"Hey, Matt! What the hell's goin' on?" he asked, zipping up his mud-covered pants.
The rancher slowly lifted her head. Two left…She decided not to move until she knew where the other men were. Looking around, Lex noticed a slight movement in the trailer. I thought that thing was empty. As she watched, a younger man, probably still a teenager, climbed out of the trailer and over to the leader.
"Aw, Matt. It's starting to rain again. Are we gonna get out of here pretty soon?" he ran a hand through his shoulder-length brown hair. "I really want to go home."
Matt put his hand on the smaller man's shoulder. "Yeah…we'll just leave the trailer for now…why don't you go on and get into the truck? We'll be there in a little bit." The young man nodded and started towards the vehicle.
Lex looked at her watch. The sheriff should be here before too much longer…and knowing Amanda, she's probably on her way back by now. She moved slowly backwards. Better get back to the pass and wait for her. The rancher started making her way slowly around the clearing, trying to stay out of sight.
She was more than halfway there when she nearly ran into man number six, who was making good use of the nearby thick bushes. He had long blonde hair that was partially tied into a ponytail, and did not look at all happy to be squatting in the rain.
Lex edge around until she was directly behind him, waiting patiently. Hurry up, buddy…she thought to herself, I really don't want to be watching this. He grunted, then began pulling up his pants. Ew…I'd hate to have to do your laundry! She mused to herself.
The man stood up and turned, coming face to face with a tall drenched woman in a black cowboy hat, who had a very 'not nice' expression on her face. "Wha…?" he started.
"Say nighty-night!" she punched him hard in the face, getting an intense amount of pleasure watching the man crumble to the ground. Lex pulled off the man's shirt, tearing it into two strips. One she used for a gag, and the other to tie his feet together. She used his belt to tie his hands, smiling down at her handiwork. Flexing her right hand she grimaced, Damn hard-headed thief. Then she continued her journey towards the pass. Suddenly, she heard one of the men in the camp shout.
"Hey, Matt! I think I see something!!" he took careful aim and fired.
Chapter 36
Amanda was almost back to the pass when she heard the first gunshots. Oh my God! LEX! She pressed her heels to Thunder's sides, urging him to move even faster. She knew that the rancher was unarmed, and she was terrified of what she may find. Hang on, I'm on my way!
Tearing through the pass, Amanda had to pull the huge horse up quickly, almost colliding with the solitary figure on the path.
"Hey! Slow down!" Lex said, reaching up to grasp the heaving animal's reins.
Amanda slid off of the exhausted horse, stumbling over her feet and almost tackling the older woman.
"Amanda? What's wrong? Are you okay?" Lex wrapped her arms around the younger woman, who buried her face in the damp material of the rancher's chest.
The smaller woman choked back a sob. "Am I okay?" she squeezed tighter. "I heard gunshots." She pulled back away from the taller woman, using her hands to search the muscular form. "Are you okay?"
Lex grinned. "Oh, yeah…I'm just fine…" she took her hat off and shook the excess water from it, even though the rain still fell heavily. "A little damp, but fine."
The younger woman was not completely convinced. "Are you sure? You're not hiding anything from me, are you?" She continued to search the tall woman for any signs of injury.
Lex grasped her hands and smiled. "No…they weren't shooting at me…" she laughed. "But I'm not sure if that rabbit will ever be the same again."
Amanda smiled through her tears. "God…I heard the shots, and I thought…" she sniffed, trying to regain some composure.
The older woman pulled Amanda into her strong arms, then bent down to place a gentle kiss on the blonde forehead, which was partially hidden by her hood. "Were you able to contact the sheriff?" she asked, pulling back slightly. "I don't think those guys will be going too far right now."
"Yeah…Martha talked to him - he said that he'd come in the back way." She paused. "What do you mean, they won't be going very far? What have you done?"
Lex gave her a devious little grin. "Seems the tires on their trailer went flat…" she pulled a piece of wire out of her back pocket, "and this accidentally fell off of their truck." She laughed.
Amanda shook her head. "Never mind…I don't think I want to know." She walked back over to Thunder, untying something from behind the saddle. "Here…you look half-frozen." Handing the rancher her duster. She then grabbed the saddlebag and began to dig through it. "Oh, and Martha sent this." She pulled out the handheld radio and tossed it to Lex.
"Great. Now I don't feel so damn isolated." Lex stuffed the radio into an inner pocket of the large coat. Holding out her hand, she silently requested that Amanda move closer to her.
The small woman quickly complied, tucking herself comfortably up against the rancher's ribs. "Now what are we going to do?" she asked, gratefully absorbing the taller woman's warmth.
Lex looked down at her with a gentle smile. "I don't suppose I could talk you into going back to the house?"
"I don't think so." Amanda said seriously.
"That's what I thought." She gave the younger woman a gentle smile. "We," she hugged her close, "are going to find a good spot to watch the fun." She sobered. "But we have to be very careful, since these idiots have guns." She held up a warning hand. "And," no smile now, "You have to do exactly as I say, no questions asked, okay?"
Amanda gave her an equally serious nod. "Okay…as long as you realize that I'm not completely helpless, right?" she countered.
"Gotcha." Lex agreed, and led her down the trail back towards the clearing.
Chapter 37
It took them almost an hour to walk back to the clearing, their progress hampered by the heavy rain. Lex placed Amanda in the dense shrubbery, then settled down behind her, wrapping her long arms around the small waist. They watched in amusement as the man Lex identified as Matt looked under the hood of the truck, apparently having no success in getting it to start.
Lex leaned into Amanda and placed her mouth next to a small ear. "I wonder what his problem is?" she whispered, an evil chuckle coloring her tone.
The younger woman giggled, and squeezed the hands that were wrapped securely around her stomach.
Another man walked up to the truck saying something to Matt, who looked around the clearing. He pointed in the opposite direction from where Lex and Amanda were sitting, and Darrell walked in that direction, carrying his rifle.
Lex whispered, "Uh-oh…they must have finally figured out that one of them is missing."
Amanda turned slightly in the older woman's arms so that she could speak. "Missing?"
The rancher nodded. "Yeah, he's tied up over in those trees to the right." She pointed.
Amanda frowned at her. "You?"
Lex gave her a sheepish shrug. "Yeah…I practically tripped over him on my way back to meet you." She grinned. "He was, uh…somewhat indisposed."
Amanda's brow creased in a thoughtful manner, then suddenly cleared. "Oh…eww…"
"Yeah…" Lex agreed. "But now that they've figured out he's missing, things could start to get a little hairy." She gave the smaller woman a concerned look. "We may have to get out of here in a hurry, so be ready."
Amanda nodded, then reached a hand up to cup Lex's cheek. "As long as we leave together." She pulled the rancher's face down for a gentle kiss. "No heroics, right?" she managed to ask after they finally broke apart.
Lex placed a quick kiss on the tip of her nose. "Right." Then she became instantly alert. "Get ready to move…looks like they're beginning to search for their missing buddy." She released Amanda's waist and captured her hand. "C'mon. We'll be safer back by the pass." Lex crawled back through the bushes, pulling Amanda behind her.
They decided to circle around to the left of the clearing, hoping that the longer path would be free of the searching men. Lex suddenly came to a halt, causing Amanda to slam into her back.
"What…?" the smaller woman whispered, fearing detection.
The rancher turned halfway around, placing a gentle hand over Amanda's mouth. "Shh…" She motioned with her other hand to the right of where they were standing.
Darrell was searching the underbrush, using the barrel of his rifle to move the heavy shrubbery out of the way. In his other hand he carried a flashlight, to help cut the gloom of the heavy rain and early evening stormy sky. He was swinging the light in a wide arc, coming dangerously close to the two women.
Lex pulled Amanda to stand directly behind her, hoping that the dark duster she wore would camouflage them. "If we happen to get separated, take Thunder and meet me back at the pond. They'll never find us there." She whispered. A strong squeeze of her hand and an emphatic shake of Amanda's head were her only answer. Lex spun around to face the young woman. "I'm not planning on it happening, but we need to be prepared just in case!"
The small woman sighed, then nodded. Lex turned back around to watch the man search, slowly backing the two of them away from him. She froze as the light panned across her body, feeling small hands clinch tightly on the back of her coat. The light kept going, and Lex released a breath she didn't even realize she had been holding. The tall woman started slowly backing up again, gently pushing Amanda back as well.
The light suddenly hit her in the face, and the man let out a yell of surprise. "Hey!" he lifted the nose of his rifle, trying to aim it and the flashlight at the dark apparition in front of him.
Lex spun around quickly, still using her body to block his view of her companion. "RUN!!!" she hissed, pushing Amanda forward roughly.
The small woman stumbled, but regained her footing and began to move quickly through the heavy trees, with Lex right in behind her.
'CRACK!'
Bark exploded off of a tree near Amanda's head. Oh, God! She willed her body to move faster. Through the pouring rain she could hear men shouting. Great! Now he's got help! She risked a glance behind her, seeing Lex a few steps back.
'CRACK!'
'CRACK!'
More shots rang out, and Amanda could hear several bodies crashing through the brush right after them.
"To the right!" Lex hissed, pulling the small woman's arm in that direction, as they veered off of the slight path they were on, pushing through even denser foliage.
'CRACK!'
'CRACK!'
Those shots sounded further away this time, Amanda thought to herself, as Lex pulled her down into some heavy bushes. Panting hard, the young woman looked around, squinting in the dim light. They seemed to be inside a small burrow, so thickly concealed that the falling rain could hardly break through. It was so dark that Amanda could barely make out the large form in front of her, but she knew in her heart who it was.
They sat silently for what seemed like hours, just waiting and listening, trying to hear any noise over the rumbling thunder. Each of them was too tired and afraid to utter a sound. After half an hour had passed, Lex finally broke the silence.
"Stay put. I'm going to take a quick look around." She whispered.
Amanda grabbed her arm. "Please, don't!" she begged, fear evident in her tone.
Lex leaned into the young woman's ear. "We can't stay here all night." She reached into her pocket and pulled out the radio. "Call Martha and find out where the sheriff is." She placed a soft kiss on Amanda's cold lips. "If I'm not back in thirty minutes, make your way back to the house."
Amanda wrapped her arms around Lex's neck, pulling her close. She gave the rancher a searing kiss, finally breaking off to catch her breath. "No…you will come back to me!" Her voice trembled. "This is non-negotiable, got it?"
Lex cleared her throat. "Yeah, I got it." She leaned forward and kissed the smaller woman's damp forehead. "I'll be right back." She turned and crawled out of their hideaway.
The young blonde wiped her eyes and turned on the radio. Holding the button down, she whispered, "Martha, can you hear me?" she released the button, hearing a small burst of static.
"Amanda? Child, is that you? I can barely hear you." Martha's voice broke through the static loudly, making the young woman wince and hurry to turn down the volume.
She placed her mouth as close as possible to the microphone. "Yes, it's me. I have to be quiet, though. Have you heard from the sheriff?"
"Yes, I have, honey. He should be at the site any time now - he's got three deputies with him."
Amanda breathed a sigh of relief. "Martha, you have to warn him that they have guns…"
She mentally added up what she had seen. "Two rifles that we're aware of. And there's…"
She was abruptly cut off by the sounds of gunfire, although it sounded like it was quite some distance away. NO!!! She almost sprang out of her hiding place, her heart pounding.
"Amanda? Honey, are you still there?" Martha's concerned voice broke through her racing thoughts.
"Uh, yeah…I'm here." She took a deep breath. "Look, I've got to go, Martha. I'll talk to you later, okay?" She turned off the radio then sat in the dark, straining to hear anything over the thunder and pounding rain that punctured the stillness.
The thirty-minute time limit was almost up, and the young blonde was a nervous wreck. I can't believe I let her talk me into staying here…where could she be? Is she okay? Oh, God… She almost screamed when a dark form broke through the dense brush, almost tumbling in on top of her. "Lex?" she reached out blindly.
"Yeah, it's me." The form wheezed, trying to catch her breath. "I led them back towards the clearing…those fools will be chasing each other in a big circle for hours."
Amanda let out a deep breath. "Good…Martha said the sheriff should be there with his deputies any time now." She placed her hand on the rancher's shoulder. "Is it safe for us to get out of here?" She was more than a little concerned about her friend. Lex was still breathing hard. "Are you okay? I heard more gunshots while you were gone."
The older woman was silent for a few moments, trying to get her breathing under control. "Yeah, fine…it's just real hard to run in the driving rain wearing boots and a heavy duster." She chuckled. "Guess I'm a little out of shape."
Amanda crawled closer, almost sitting in the dark woman's lap. "Yeah, right. You're still recovering from broken ribs, remember?" She snuggled into the welcoming arms. "Ooh…this feels really good. I'm a little chilled." She looked up, barely able to make out the outline of Lex's face. "I imagine you're freezing, since you've been out in this cold rain longer than I have."
"I've been warmer, that's for sure." Lex whispered, nuzzling the sweet neck below her. "But to tell you the truth, I'm pretty warm right now." She chuckled, then fought back a small cough.
The small woman lifted a hand and placed it on the shadowed face above her. "You're feeling a bit warm…we need to get you back to the house, and into bed."
Lex gave the hand a small kiss. "I'm fine…just out of breath from all that damn running." She cocked her head, listening. "But you're right…I think it's safe for us to try and leave now." Climbing to her feet, Lex offered the younger woman a hand up.
Chapter 38
The walk back was slow, with Lex cautiously keeping them off of any real paths. The rain also hampered their progress, even though the heavy tree cover blocked out most of the downpour.
How on earth does she know where we are going? Amanda wondered, keeping her eyes locked on the tall figure a bare step ahead of her. Lex doggedly made her way through the thick foliage, not hesitating in which direction to take. She must have some kind of built-in radar, the blonde mused. The object of her thoughts must have felt her scrutiny, because Lex turned her head, giving the younger woman a weary smile. Amanda returned it with a smile of her own. I'm really worried about her. She seems so…washed out.
They had been traveling for nearly an hour when Amanda reached forward and captured a muscular arm. "I hate to sound like an annoying kid on a trip, but how much further?" she asked quietly.
"Do you need to stop and rest?" Lex questioned. "I'm sorry it's taking so long, but I thought it would be a good idea to take the roundabout way, in case those guys are still trying to find us. Let's take a quick breather," she sank to the ground gracelessly, propping her back up against the nearest tree. "We've still got about thirty minutes of walking to do."
Amanda dropped down beside her, linking her hand with one of Lex's larger ones. "Sounds good to me." Leaning her head on the nearby broad shoulder, she sighed. "Is your life always this…interesting?"
The older woman chuckled. "No. Well, at least not until recently." She glanced down and could just barely make out the young woman's features, between quick flashes of lightning. "I've had more things happen in the last week than in the past couple of years." Lex squeezed the small hand in hers. "Guess you brought the excitement with you."
"Oh, yeah…I love driving my car off into flooded creeks then run around in the cold rain getting shot at." Amanda laughed. "All part of my big plan to bring some thrills into my otherwise boring existence."
"Got more than you bargained for, huh?" Lex released the small hand, then wrapped her arm around Amanda's shoulder, pulling the smaller woman close. "Me too." She gave the damp head a gentle kiss.
They sat there quietly, listening to the sounds around them. Thunder rumbled intermittently, punctuating the bright flashes of lightning. Lex felt her body relax, and her eyes slowly drifted shut.
Amanda felt the body next to hers relax, and she looked up in alarm. The older woman's head was tipped forward, her chin resting lightly on her chest. Reaching up with her free hand, the young woman lightly touched the still face, which appeared unnaturally wan in the flashes of light.
Pale eyes popped open, tracking to Amanda's face instantly. "What?" Lex blinked, opening her eyes wide in an effort to become more alert. "Sorry…all this exercise must have worn me out." She wiped a hand over her face.
"Uh-huh." The small blonde pulled Lex's face towards her with her hand. "Are you getting sick?" she asked, peering intently into the somewhat glazed eyes.
The older woman blinked again, shaking her head slightly. "No…really, I'm okay. Just a little tired." And I think my ribs decided to shift apart again…but she doesn't need to know that just yet. Lex tried to take a deep breath, feeling a sharp pain along her side. Oh, yeah…I'm not gonna hear the end of this for quite a while. Martha's going to kick my butt. She glanced over at her companion, seeing the exhaustion on the fair features. Lex gathered up what little stamina she had left and stood up, pulling Amanda up with her. "C'mon. We're almost back to the pass, and then we can ride the rest of the way home."
Amanda allowed herself to be hoisted to her feet, not missing the slight tremor in the hand pulling her up. "Now that's the best idea I've heard all day." She brushed herself off and resumed her place behind Lex, as the dark woman began blazing a trail through the thick trees.
They found Thunder standing under a canopy of leaves, happily munching shoots of tender grass. The big stallion looked up as the two weary women approached, nickering a greeting.
Amanda expelled a huge sigh. "I never thought I would be so happy to see a humongous horse." She walked over to the still animal, patting his neck in relief.
Lex followed her, checking Thunder's saddle. "Hey, boy…you about ready to go home?" She leaned against him heavily.
The small blonde wrapped an arm around the weary rancher. "C'mon, honey…let's get you home too." The endearment had slipped out before Amanda could take it back. Lex didn't say anything, but the happy smile on her face said it all.
"Sounds like a plan." Lex climbed up on the tall horse and pulled the smaller woman up behind her. "Thought I'd drive, this time."
Amanda wrapped her arms carefully around the rancher. "Sure…I've always been told what a great back-seat driver I am, anyway." She felt a chuckle rumble through the tall woman, and gave the flat stomach her hands rested on a gentle tickle. "Home, James." She commanded regally. Snuggling up to the strong back, Amanda placed her cheek against Lex's shoulderblade.
The exhausted woman unconsciously leaned back against Amanda. "Yes ma'am." She gently kneed the big horse, guiding him back up the path to the pass, letting the large animal find his way cautiously through the dark.
Chapter 39
The ride back to the ranch house was uneventful, and even the rain finally took pity on the two damp and tired women, slowing down to a light drizzle. The moon was trying to break out of the clouds as Lex pulled Thunder up to the stables.
Swinging her leg over his massive neck, the rancher slowly dismounted, then turned and pulled Amanda down to the ground. "C'mon, buddy…let's get you cleaned up and fed." Lex led Thunder into the building, walking him to his stall while the young blonde went to get a bucket of feed.
When Amanda returned with the oats, she noticed that the older woman had already pulled the saddle and blanket from the animal, and was in the process of brushing him down. She poured the contents of the bucket into his trough, and then stepped into the stall. "Here," she said, taking the brush from Lex's hands, "let me finish this. Why don't you go on up to the house, and I'll meet you there?"
Lex looked down into earnest green eyes. "I'll make you a deal. You can finish with the grooming, and I'll clean up the tack. Fair enough?" when the smaller woman opened her mouth to argue, Lex continued, "That way we can walk back up to the house together. Deal?" she placed a grubby hand on the small shoulder. Let's try a different tact. "Besides," she hesitated, looking down at the ground, "I could kind of use a little help with the walk up there…I'm so tired I'm about to fall down." She finished, in a near whisper.
Amanda placed a concerned hand on the rancher's arm. "What's wrong?"
Lex shook her head. "Nothing much, I'm just real tired…" she leaned heavily against the side of the stall.
"If you're admitting to that, it's time to take you up to the house." Amanda wrapped a small hand around Lex's arm, and began pulling her out of the stall. "I'll come back after while and finish up with the tack."
Lex meekly let the small blonde drag her from the stable, a tiny grin on the edge of her mouth. She is certainly something else, I can't believe I let her get away with this sort of thing.
Amanda slung open the back door, practically dragging the exhausted rancher behind her. "Martha! Where are you?" she yelled, pulling the tall form towards the kitchen. "Here," she pushed Lex into the nearest chair, "sit down before you fall down." She gave the sitting woman's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I'm going to go find…"
"What on earth happened to you two?" Martha bellowed, standing in the kitchen doorway. "I swear Lexie…I can't leave you alone for a minute!" she stomped over to wear Lex was sitting, slumped in her chair. Pulling the battered black hat from her head, the housekeeper scowled. "Good Lord! You're as white as a sheet!" she exclaimed, running a pudgy hand across the mud-spattered brow. Turning her attention to the young blonde woman, she asked, "Are you okay, sweetheart?"
Amanda sighed, and dropped into a nearby chair. "I'm fine…just tired, and a little damp." She pushed the wet hood off of her head with a grim smile.
Martha, who had begun helping the rancher take off her coat, gasped. "Is this blood?" she gently touched Lex's side.
"Ow!" Lex flinched. "Probably just mud." She tried to bat away the housekeeper's hands, which were pulling at the damp shirt. "Ow! Hey, Martha! Cut that out!"
Amanda stood up, then walked over and squatted down beside the beleaguered woman. "Blood?" she put a small hand on the dirty denim-covered thigh to balance herself. "Lex?" The young blonde forced the rancher to look her in the eye. "What happened?"
"I dunno…I think it's just mud." She scowled.
Martha shook her head and gave a derisive snort. "Honey, if that's mud, I'm a size 6!" She pulled the coat off the rest of the way, then began unbuttoning the filthy shirt. "Let's just take a look, okay?" She turned to Amanda. "Sweetheart, could you go upstairs and get the salve and some clean towels out of the master bathroom?"
Amanda nodded, a worried look on her face. "Sure." She hopped up and patted Lex on the shoulder. "Be right back." She kissed the dark-haired woman on the top of her head, then hurried from the room.
The housekeeper turned her attention back to the rancher, who was fighting to keep her eyes open. "Lexie?" she tapped her leg, "Now would you care to tell me what happened out there? I didn't want to upset Amanda, but the sheriff radioed about twenty minutes ago, said that by the time he got there, all he could find was an abandoned trailer, and a stolen truck." She pulled the shirt open, and away from the rancher's side. "What happened to you?" The older woman used a corner of the wet fabric to wipe at the blood on Lex's side. "This looks like a mighty wicked gash on your side here, honey."
Lex tried to shift away from what Martha was doing. "Ouch! Would you please stop that!" she found her hands captured by smaller, older ones. "Okay, okay." She cleared her throat. "I think it's a bullet wound." She looked into the concerned brown eyes of the woman who was like a mother to her. "Musta happened when they were chasing me." A questioning look at Martha. "Wait. Are you trying to tell me that Charlie didn't catch those idiots out there?" She tried to stand up, but was quickly pushed back down. "Damn! How could he let those fools get away? They could barely take a crap by themselves…"
"Now you listen to me, young lady! Last I heard he was still looking for them, so you just calm down." She began pulling the shirt off of Lex, who began fighting her again. "Would you please let me take a look at that?"
Lex held the shirt closed stubbornly. "Wait." She took a deep breath, "Can we compromise?" she gave the older woman a pout. "I really want to take a shower…it feels like I'm wearing at least half of the back pasture."
Martha shook her head. "I dunno what I'm going to do with you, Lexie." Then she nodded. "Okay. Compromise it is. But," she held up a warning hand, "it will be a quick shower, and then you're going to bed. You've spent too many nights staying up late."
Amanda was standing in the doorway, requested items in hand, with a cute grin on her face. "I bet it was almost impossible to get her to take medicine as a child, wasn't it?"
Lex scowled, while Martha burst out laughing. "As a child?" Another chuckle. "Sweetheart, I'd rather pull my own teeth than try to get this one to do something that may actually be good for her." She held out a hand to the rancher, who had a grumpy look on her face. "Alright, let's get upstairs and get you cleaned up."
"I can do it myself, you know." She complained, but accepted the help up anyway. "You're not gonna bathe me too, are you?" Hearing a giggle from the doorway, she glared at Amanda. "Aw, not you too!"
Shaking her head, the young blonde smiled. "Sorry. You're just too cute when you act like an overgrown child." Seeing the outraged look on Lex's face, she backed up. "Umm…I'll just go upstairs and get the shower ready for you." Amanda turned and took off down the hallway, laughing.
"You'd better run, blondie!" Lex called after her. "I'll get you back for that little remark!"
Chapter 40
It took a while, but Lex finally got finished up in the shower, walking into the master bedroom wearing her flannel pajama bottoms and a large towel draped over her shoulders. Wow, even after the day she's been through, she's still absolutely beautiful. Amanda had returned from her own clean up effort, and was sitting on the bed with Martha when Lex made her entrance.
Martha stood up. "Lexie! Where's your nightshirt? Are you trying to catch pneumonia, or just drive me insane?" she grabbed the dark woman's arm and pulled her over to the bed.
"I didn't see any sense in putting it on until you were finished clucking over me." Lex sat down slowly. "It's right here on the bed…would have bitten you on the butt if it had been a snake." She teased the older woman.
"Hrumpph. We'll just see about that, won't we, Little Miss Smarty Pants." Martha gently pushed her onto her back. Addressing the young woman now standing beside her, "Amanda, don't let this one here get away with anything - she really is impossible sometimes."
"Hey!" Lex pouted, trying to regain some dignity as the housekeeper began spreading salve over the long gash across her ribs. "Ow! Careful there, I'd like to keep myself in one piece, if you don't mind." She slapped at Martha's hands.
Amanda sat down next to the rancher's legs. "What on earth happened there?" she looked carefully at the wound. "If I didn't know any better…" her face took on an angry edge. "You were shot?!?" she stood up and paced the length of the room. "I don't believe you! You got shot, and didn't tell me?!" The young woman stomped back over to the opposite side of the bed. "How could you not tell me something like this?" She sat on the edge, glaring at the dark haired woman.
"No! It's not like that…really." Lex stretched her arm across the bed, beckoning for Amanda's hand. "I didn't know." Seeing the storm clouds gathering on the fair brow, she continued, "Honestly…I didn't. I though my ribs were just acting up again. And it's really just a slight scrape…" giving her best pitiful look.
Martha listened quietly to the young women argue. Poor Lexie…looks like she's finally found someone who's not afraid to stand up to her. Good! She smiled to herself.
Amanda took a calming breath and grasped Lex's hand. She looked the rancher in the eyes, and saw nothing but the truth. "Okay, I believe you." She pulled the hand to her lips and gave it a small kiss. "But," she squeezed it a little tighter, "Next time tell me when you're hurting, okay?"
The rancher nodded. "Promise." Then she flinched. "Damn it, Martha…I think you're enjoying this a little too much!" She gasped as the housekeeper taped a large square of gauze on the wound. "Easy, there…Hey!" she squirmed as the older woman tickled her good side.
"Hush up, you! Now sit up, and I'll wrap these ribs again." She smiled as Amanda crawled over to help her patient into a sitting position. "If you would keep these wrapped for more than a day, they'd heal a heck of a lot faster, you know." She pulled the large elastic bandage from behind her back.
"Where did you…?" Lex asked, her face flushing slightly.
Martha laughed. "Honey, I do the laundry around here, you know?" she began wrapping the wide bandage around Lex. "And I know about the last time you broke your ribs." She laughed at the look of surprise and embarrassment on Lex's face. "Teach you to try and keep anything from me." She snickered.
Lex rolled her eyes, but stayed silent. Figures…damn woman has eyes in the back of her head, and can read minds, too! She glanced over at Amanda, who was covering her mouth with one hand. "What?"
The younger woman shook her head, but the sparkle in her eyes gave her away. She sputtered, then finally laughed out loud. "Sorry, Lex…but she is right. You shouldn't try to hide things like that."
"There. All done." Martha tied off the bandage with safety pins. She picked up the nightshirt and started slipping it on the injured woman's body. "By the way, Roy called while you were out. He said that he and the boys are bringing out a truck tomorrow, and they're going to finish the work on the bridge. He said that they had to wait until all the supplies came in, that's why it's taken them so long." She began buttoning the shirt, much to the rancher's dismay.
"I can dress myself, Martha." She argued, but let the older woman finish. "I'm glad they're coming out tomorrow…the six of them can have it finished in no time." She sat back, exhausted.
Amanda brushed the hair out of those blue eyes. "I was wondering, where do the hands stay? I've seen Martha's house, the stables, and the hay barn, but…" she stopped when Lex squeezed her hand.
"The hands stay at the bunkhouse, which is just up the road from here. It's closer to the main cattle pens." She took a pained breath and closed her eyes. "It can hold up to fifteen, but there's only six of them right now. We hire extra help when we start tagging in the spring."
Martha chuckled. "Actually, there's only five real hands. Lester is mainly the cook, right, Lexie?" She looked up when there was no answer, seeing that Lex had fallen asleep. Shaking her head, the housekeeper smiled at Amanda. "C'mon honey, let's go get you something to eat. I still have some roast and potatoes left." She stood up and covered the sleeping woman with a blanket.
Amanda regretfully let go of Lex's hand, and climbed off of the bed. "Okay, then I'll come back and sit with her for a while." She followed the older woman from the room, glancing back at the doorway at the woman asleep on the bed. She looks so fragile, when she's asleep. "I'll be right back," she whispered.
Chapter 41
Amanda had eaten a quick dinner then raced back up the stairs, after being chased out of the kitchen by Martha. "Just see that she stays in bed tonight…don't let her take any more trips out to the stables, alright?" the housekeeper commanded, then sent the young woman on her way.
Stopping at the doorway to the master bedroom, Amanda leaned against the doorframe and sighed. The rancher was still sleeping peacefully, although she had kicked off the blanket and was now curled up on her good side, facing away from the door. The small blonde tiptoed into the room, making her way quietly to the bed. She picked up the blanket from the floor, and was about to cover the older woman with it when Lex rolled over and sat straight up in bed, sweat dripping from her body.
"Damn!" she muttered, visibly trembling. "Amanda?" She looked at the smaller woman in dazed surprise.
Amanda placed the blanket around her shoulders, and then felt of her forehead. "You're burning up, Lex. I'd better go…"
Lex grabbed her hand. "Don't leave me." She asked in a hoarse whisper. "I'll be okay." She trembled again. "Could you just stay with me for a while, please?"
Amanda smiled. "Of course I can. Just let me get you some aspirin for that fever, okay?" seeing the older woman nod, she quickly stepped into the bathroom. Bringing a glass of water and several white tablets, she sat down next to the rancher. "Here…take these, then I'll get you tucked in." She gave a teasing smile. "I seem to be doing that a lot, huh?"
Taking the aspirin, the older woman finished the water and sat the glass on the side table. "Yeah…" she leaned back into her pillow, "does that bother you?"
"No…in fact, it makes me feel really good that you let me." Amanda pulled the covers over the still trembling woman. She ran her hand gently through the dark hair.
Lex partially closed her eyes and smiled softly. "Thanks." The feel of Amanda's fingers combing through her hair was very relaxing. "Mmm…" she closed her eyes the rest of the way and drifted off to sleep.
Amanda sat by her side for a long while, running her fingers through Lex's thick hair. Guess I should go to bed myself, now…she thought, but really had no interest in leaving the sleeping woman's side. She lay a gentle hand along the strong jawline, noticing with relief that the fever seemed to be easing. Standing up, Amanda was about to walk towards the door when she heard Lex moan slightly in her sleep. I really don't want to leave her, though. She compromised with herself, crossing to the other side of the bed and crawling under the covers. Oh yeah…this feels great! Lex moaned again, and the younger woman turned on her side and took a large hand in hers. "Shh…it's okay. I'm here." She whispered, which calmed the rancher down immediately. Pulling the large hand up to her face, Amanda tucked it carefully under her own cheek as she lay there, just watching the older woman sleep.
Martha walked into the master bedroom with a tray in her hand, humming softly to herself. It's going to be a beautiful day! She thought, then stopped dead in her tracks. Looking towards the bed, a big grin broke out over her round features. That's just too cute! She chuckled to herself.
Lex was still sound asleep, even though it was almost eight o'clock in the morning. She was lying flat on her back, with Amanda curled up beside her, blonde head tucked neatly under her chin. The younger woman had one arm outside the covers, wrapped protectively around Lex's shoulder. The rancher's left arm was uncovered as well, wrapped securely across the young woman's back.
The housekeeper walked over to the bed and sat the tray down on the side table. Seeing that both women were still deeply asleep, she reached over and placed her hand gently on Lex's forehead. Thank the good Lord that she's not running any fever this morning. I was a little concerned about that bullet wound, but I guess I cleaned it up okay. Not wanting the sleeping women disturbed, she reached over to the telephone on the table and turned off the ringer. Heh. There's more than one way to skin a cat! She quietly snuck from the room, closing the door behind her.
Chapter 42
She was lying on her back in a field of wildflowers, the sun soaking into her body. Filled with a contented peace, she was enjoying the gentle fragrance of the flowers around her as a warm breeze passed through her hair. Knowing she should get up, her body rebelled, embracing the warmth of the quiet spring day with decadent pleasure.
Lex took a deep breath, inhaling another lungful of the sweet smell of flowers. Opening her eyes, she was somewhat surprised that she was indoors, and even more surprised to find herself in bed. But I could swear that I smelt flowers. Her brow creased in confusion, and then she noticed the source of the delightful smell. A tousled blonde head was tucked comfortably against her shoulder, directly under her chin. Gotta compliment Martha on her choice of shampoo for the guest room, Lex smirked. That dream was nice, but reality is so much better. She didn't want to disturb Amanda, but her body demanded that she get up. The rancher carefully rolled the smaller woman off of her, which got her a small sigh in return. She was finally able to maneuver herself into a sitting position, and was charmed when Amanda rolled back over and snuggled into her pillow. Lex eased herself off of the bed, biting her lower lip to stifle a groan. Getting too old to play all day in the rain, Lexington, she admonished herself, making her way slowly into the bathroom.
Mmm…something smells tasty. Amanda woke up, concerned to see that she was lying in the big bed alone, and hugging Lex's pillow? She turned her eyes towards the bedside table, which had a large tray sitting on it. "So that's where that wonderful smell is coming from," she mumbled, taking another deep breath, closing her eyes in bliss.
"Gee…thanks." Lex drawled, stepping out of the bathroom.
Amanda blushed, and pulled the pillow over her head. "Oh, lord…" she giggled. "I can't believe you heard that."
The tall woman walked over to the bed and sat down. "Good morning to you, too." She grinned.
One green eye peeked out from under the pillow. "Morning." Amanda grumbled, the sat up. "How are you feeling?" She reached towards the older woman. "You look a lot better this morning."
Lex accepted the small hand, pulling it to her lips for a little kiss. "Must be the company I'm keeping."
Amanda blushed to the roots of her hair. "Umm…" she pointed to the tray, "isn't that breakfast?" trying desperately to change the subject.
Lex raised an eyebrow, but relented. "Yeah…Martha must have just brought it up a few minutes ago…the food is still steaming." She grinned when the younger woman blushed again.
"Oh, God…she was in here when we were asleep?" Amanda stuttered.
The older woman winked at her. "Yep. And now she probably realizes that I didn't need any extra blankets last night." Ooh…bad, Lexington, very bad. But she's just so damn cute when she blushes!
To her surprise, the blonde grinned. "That's funny…neither did I." She crawled over to Lex, wrapping her arms around the older woman's neck. "Good morning." Amanda whispered, leaning in and planting a sensuous kiss on Lex's mouth.
The rancher moaned and deepened the kiss almost instantly. Lex put her hands on the small of Amanda's back, pulling her closer, melding their bodies together.
Amanda leaned into the taller woman, burying her hands in the thick dark hair. She gasped when Lex finally broke away, her heart pounding so hard she just knew the dark woman could hear it.
"Goo…" Lex had to clear her throat before she could continue. "Good morning." She pulled back a small bit. "Certainly makes waking up worthwhile."
Amanda giggled, then leaned forward until her forehead was on Lex's chest. "Oh yeah…I think I've just become a morning person."
Lex chuckled, and pulled the smaller woman close. Nibbling the nearest ear, she whispered suggestively, "I'm more of a night person, myself." She felt Amanda tremble. "You cold?" she teased, squeezing the small body a little tighter.
"Umm…" the blonde stammered," Nnn..no….as a matter of fact, I'm pretty darn warm right now." She tilted her head back, as the older woman worked her way down the slim neck. "Ahh…oh…" she couldn't seem to put together a coherent thought, with Lex taking tender bites of her throat. "Oh, God…" she whispered, running her hands down the strong back. Amanda found that she couldn't sit up any longer, so she fell back gracelessly to the bed.
Lex followed her, never giving up on her quest to know every inch of the young blonde's throat. "So sweet…" she mumbled, then turned on her side to get more comfortable. The tall woman's ribs complained, and she let out a pained gasp.
Amanda pushed her back to get a look at her companion's face. "Lex? What's the matter?" she could see the pain in those blue depths, and she grasped the paled face with gentle hands.
Lex felt herself guided onto her back against the bed. "Sorry…guess I turned wrong or something." She mumbled, "Just give me a minute to catch my breath." Closing her eyes, she concentrated on trying to will the pain away.
Brushing her hands slowly across the strained face, Amanda leaned down and kissed Lex on the forehead. "Shh…just lie still for a little while. Let me go get Martha." She started to get off of the bed, but found her arm grasped.
"No." The barely heard plea slipped through Lex's lips before she could stop it. "Stay." She muttered. "Please." So faint, the younger woman sensed it more than heard it.
"Okay, I'll stay." Amanda positioned herself with Lex's head in her lap, gently stroking the older woman's face and running her hands through the dark hair. "Shh…" she continued her soothing motions, trying to keep the rancher calm.
A quiet knock at the door made Amanda look up. "Come in." she offered quietly. Lex's eyes were closed, and she finally had a peaceful look on her face.
Martha came into the room slowly, apprehensive as to what she would find. Hope I'm not interrupting anything. "What's going on, sweetheart?" She saw the look on the young blonde's face, and Lex apparently asleep in her lap. "How's Lexie this morning?" She looks pale… The housekeeper walked over to the bed, and could now see tears forming in the young woman's eyes.
"Umm…she was doing pretty good earlier." She flushed at the double meaning. "I mean, she was feeling better than she was last night." Amanda looked down at the still face in her lap.
Martha sat gently on the edge of the bed, placing a light hand under Amanda's chin, forcing the younger woman to look at her. "And…?"
Amanda looked into those caring brown eyes, her own tears threatening to spill. "We were…uh…just…"she bit her lower lip, "she turned wrong, and I think her ribs moved, or something." Her hands kept up their gentle tracing, although they were shaking somewhat.
"Oh honey…" the older woman wiped a stray tear from Amanda's cheek. "Everything's going to be just fine." She looked down at Lex, who now looked completely relaxed in sleep. "Darn fool kid…" Martha smiled. "Why don't you come downstairs with me, and we'll let Lexie get some rest?"
"No, I can't." Amanda shook her head. "I promised her I would stay with her, and I don't want Lex to wake up alone."
Martha was about to argue with her, when she heard the phone downstairs ringing. She reached over to the bedside table and plucked the cordless phone off of the base. "Walter's residence, Martha speaking." She listened for a moment, and her face lost some of its color.
Amanda reached a hand over and touched her lightly on the arm. "Martha?"
The housekeeper shook her head, still listening. "Are you sure, Charlie?" her voice was strong, but she sounded a little nervous. "No, I appreciate you calling. I'll let Lexie know." She listened for a minute or so more, and took a deep breath. "Yes, we'll be just fine. The boys should be back by late this evening, hopefully." Martha looked down at the sleeping rancher's peaceful face. "Yes, we will, Charlie. Thank you." She hung up the phone with a shaky hand.
"What was that all about, Martha?" Amanda noticed the slight tremble to the older woman's actions. "Was that the sheriff?" she gave the chubby arm a gentle squeeze.
"Yes sweetheart, that was Sheriff Bristol. He wanted us to know that they haven't been able to find those thieves yet…they lost their trail earlier this morning." She looked down again at Lex.
Amanda's brows knit in confusion. "Well, that's rotten luck and all, but why do you look so upset? I mean, he's going to keep looking, isn't he? And they weren't able to get away with anything, right?"
Martha swallowed hard. "The last trail they found was headed in the direction of the ranch house." Her voice shook a little bit. "And, unfortunately, there's been a big ruckus in town, and Charlie had to send some of his men back…so he and one deputy are the only ones still searching."
"But…" Amanda shook her head, "These men have guns, and they're running around loose!" She stopped a moment, when a thought suddenly occurred to her. "What if they realized that Lex was the one who sabotaged their truck? Do you think they would be stupid enough to come up here?"
"I don't know, honey. That's why Charlie wanted me to tell Lexie…he said she's more capable of defending this house than most of his deputies are." Martha gave her a rueful grin. "He tried for several years to get Lexie to join his department…said she was stronger, smarter, and a heck of a lot better shot than those college boys that work for him." She reached down and brushed the tangled bangs from the sleeping woman's face. "Let's let her get some rest, and I'll tell her about Charlie's phone call when she wakes up." She was about to stand up when the ominous rumble of thunder caught her attention. "That's just dandy. Just what we need, more rain!" Martha stood up and then spotted the untouched tray. "Ahem." She mock glared at Amanda. "Honey, next time you two get involved in something, eat your breakfast first."
The younger woman closed her eyes in embarrassment. "Oh, God…."
Martha walked to the doorway, then turned back. "Might as well get started on it…breakfast, I mean. You can feed Lexie when she wakes up." She grinned, and sauntered out the door.
Amanda scowled down at the sleeping rancher. "You are in so much trouble when you wake up!" she kissed Lex softly on the lips, then eased out from under her. "She's not going to let us live this one down, and you made me face her alone." She whispered in Lex's ear, as she covered the injured woman with a blanket. "And I think we're about to run into some more trouble, so you had better get to feeling better, pronto!"
Another deep chord of thunder rattled the windows, punctuating her observation.