I'd still like to know what you think, just drop me a note - cb.zeer@worldnet.att.net

This is dedicated to AJ, who holds my heart and inspires my thoughts. I love you!

Part 2

Chapter 3

Amanda spent the next half-hour trying to make her partner more comfortable. She had a large majority of the debris cleared away from Lex's body, but there were still several limbs that were just too heavy for her to move without risking more injury to the rancher. Inside one of the bags that Roy had left was an emergency kit that contained several shiny thermal blankets. Amanda had covered Lex the best she could with the flimsy material. She was more than a little concerned about how well they actually worked since they were so thin.

"Lex…can you hear me?" the young woman cleaned off Lex's face with a damp cloth. "C'mon, honey. Wake up for me, okay?" The rain had stopped for the moment and it looked as if the afternoon sun was trying to make an appearance. "I wish I knew what happened. And if you fell, how did all this stuff ended up on top of you? It doesn't make any sense." She began to run her fingers through Lex's hair.

One blue eye blinked partially open. "I'm not real sure myself. I remember a calf…" Lex's voice was hoarse, but stronger than before. She was able to look at Amanda without having to move, since the blonde was kneeling on Lex's right. "How long have I been out?" When she saw the tears begin to fall from the younger woman's eyes Lex almost cried herself. "God, baby…

please don't cry. Everything's gonna be okay."

"Sorry…" Amanda sniffed and wiped her face with the back of one hand. "It's just that you were unconscious and I didn't know how badly you were hurt, and I can't get all of this stuff off of you, and…" she knew she was babbling but couldn't stop.

"Amanda." Lex stopped her in midstream. "I'm fine. Just pinned down and sore. It doesn't feel like anything is broken." Although I can't feel my legs - but that may be due more to the cold than anything else. No sense in scaring her. "And even though I'm really glad you're here, how did you find me?"

Amanda took a deep breath. "Are you sure you're okay? You keep fading out on me." She continued to stroke the tangled dark hair.

Lex closed her eyes tightly, then reopened them. "Yeah…just got one hell of a headache. Now tell me how you got here, sweetheart."

"Well, when you didn't radio back like you said you would, Martha and I got concerned." Try scared to death, but she doesn't really need to hear that right now, Amanda thought to herself. "So she called Roy, and he saddled up a couple of horses. We found a calf tied to some bushes up there," she pointed with her free hand, the other still unconsciously stroking the rancher's dark hair. "And then I saw a lot of footprints near the edge. When I looked down I could see you lying here." Amanda stopped as her throat closed with tears. "I couldn't tell if you were…" she couldn't even say the word.

"Sshhh…" Lex struggled to pull her right arm out from under her body. She wanted to try and calm the younger woman somehow. The weight of the branch still lying across her back stopped her. "Damn."

Amanda stopped her quiet stroking and placed a gentle hand on the rancher's shoulder. "Please stay still, Lex. Roy should be back soon with help."

The rancher stopped her struggle. Lex allowed her head to fall forward slightly until her forehead was resting against a sturdy limb. She had landed on top of a small patch of cedar, and the overwhelming smell was beginning to get to her. Damnit! I hate feeling helpless like this…god. She could feel the fuzzy feeling returning and yet was determined to fight it. I keep going out like that, and Amanda's gonna be scared to death. "Amanda?" Lex whispered as she turned her head slightly sideways, "how long has Roy been gone?"

"A little over an hour, I think." Amanda glanced at her watch. She studied the glassy-eyed look on her companion. "You're not looking too good, love. How are you feeling?" She began to play with the rancher's hair again. When her hand grazed the base of Lex's skull, the older woman gasped and flinched.

"Ow…think you found a sore spot, sweetheart." Lex tried to joke, but she could feel the sharp pain radiate all over her head.

The younger woman knelt down until she could look closely into Lex's eyes. "Oh, Lex… I'm so sorry." She leaned forward and looked closely at the older woman's scalp. "God… you're bleeding!"

Lex closed her eyes as Amanda gently probed the back of her skull. "It's not that bad. Just a little tender."

"Yeah, right." Amanda pulled a square of gauze from the medical kit and placed it over the wound. "This certainly explains the reason you keep nodding off. You've probably got a concussion, honey." She emptied one of the bags, then placed it under the rancher's face. "Here. This should make you a little more comfortable." Amanda wiped Lex's face again with a damp cloth.

"Thanks." Lex tried to swallow back the pain that was coursing through her body. She opened her eyes and gave the young blonde a grateful look. "I'm really glad you're here."

Amanda stopped what she was doing and gave Lex what she hoped was a smile. "I'm really glad I'm here, too. Just wish I could do more." The honking of a horn cut off what the blonde was about to say. Turning around slightly, Amanda could make out the form of Lex's truck heading towards them. "Thank god. Roy's here."

The dark green Ram pickup pulled to a stop just a few yards away from where the rancher was lying. Amanda almost cried with relief when the ranch foreman jumped from the vehicle, followed by an older, bearded man from the passenger side. "Lester?" She turned back around and leaned down closer to Lex. "You're not going to believe this, honey. Roy actually got Lester to leave the bunkhouse!"

Lex chuckled, then winced. "You're kidding me. The only time that old man ever gets out is to go to town and buy groceries. Martha can't even get him up to the main house very often." Her headache began to worsen and Lex knew she didn't have much time. "Amanda," she whispered, "I'm going to have to rest for a bit, okay?" The rancher closed her eyes and allowed sleep to claim her once again.

"Lex?" Amanda leaned down and whispered into the rancher's ear. "Hang in there, sweetheart. We'll get you out of here in no time." She left a trembling kiss on Lex's scratched brow.

"How's she doing, Miss Amanda?" Roy asked as Lester helped him carry a six-foot long plank of compressed wood. They put the door-sized piece down close to where Amanda was kneeling, and Lester went back to the truck to gather some more supplies. The foreman dropped to one knee next to the small blonde and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Martha said that she was conscious for a bit?"

The housekeeper had been waiting for Roy when he pulled the horses up to the back of the ranch house. Amanda had radioed ahead so that Martha was prepared, and she had everything organized so that he could return immediately. She had also contacted Lester and had him load up Lex's truck with the supplies - the two of them were pacing the kitchen floor when the foreman finally arrived.

Amanda covered his hand with her own. "Yeah. She's been in and out for the last half-hour. I think she has a concussion, Roy. There's a nasty gash on the back of her head and her eyes looked really out of focus." She looked back down at the unconscious woman. "Aren't we going to wait for an ambulance?"

Lester stepped over to the other side and looked down at the remaining limbs that covered the rancher. "Only have the one in town, and it's in the shop." He rubbed his thin gray beard with one hand. "But Martha sweet-talked Doc Anderson into making a housecall. I think she promised him pork chops for dinner." He gave Amanda a sly wink. "He should be there by the time we get back to the house."

"Great! Then let's get the rest of this stuff off of her and get out of here." Amanda was about to stand up when Roy stopped her. "What?"

"Miss Amanda, I think Lester and I can handle the heavy stuff. But we're gonna need you to keep her as still as possible, just in case her back or neck is hurt."

Amanda nodded. "Okay." She moved around until she was sitting in front of Lex, then placed a hand on each shoulder of the still woman. "How's this?"

Roy smiled. "Perfect." He got a strong grip on one end of the branch that was lying across Lex's back. "Let's get this one first, Lester. It looks to be the biggest." The older man nodded and the two of them slowly lifted the large limb. "Damn…" Roy groaned, "this damn thing weighs a ton!" When he saw the upset look on the blonde woman's face, the foreman could have slapped himself. "I'm sure she's okay…the brush she landed on helped a lot."

The young woman looked up fearfully as Lex moaned and began to stir. "Sshh…stay still." Amanda leaned forward and whispered softly into the rancher's ear. "Lester and Roy are here to help, but you have to stop moving."

Lex tried to wriggle free from Amanda's grasp. "Hurts…" she mumbled as she attempted to turn her head.

"Honey, please!" Amanda released the rancher's shoulders and gently held Lex's head immobile. "Listen to me, Lex. We're going to get you out of here, but you have got to keep still." She bent down until she could look into Lex's face.

"God…" Lex muttered as she slowly opened her eyes. With the large limb removed, she was able to slowly raise her left hand and lay it on Amanda's arm. "I'm okay, sweetheart. Just really sore." She started to turn her head, but Amanda's firm grip held her immobile.

"Dammit, Lex! I said to stay still!" the blonde snapped, her nerves raw and on edge.

The one blue eye that was visible opened wider at the sharp tone. "Sorry." Lex stopped trying to move her head and sighed.

Amanda's eyes widened also. "No, Lex…I'm the one who's sorry." She leaned forward and dropped a light kiss on the rancher's face. "Guess I'm still a little rattled. I didn't mean to jump down your throat like that, love."

Lex smiled. "Well, I can't say that I blame you, sweetheart. I should have listened to you the first time. I'm sorry you've had such a…Ow!" The last piece of wood had been removed from her lower legs, which caused a sharp pain to shoot across Lex's back.

"What is it, Lex?" Amanda felt a surge of panic rise in her chest. She looked up at Roy fearfully. "What did you do?"

The foreman gave her a reassuring smile. "Just got the last of this mess removed, Miss Amanda." He walked up until he could kneel down and meet the rancher's gaze. "Boss, do you have any feeling in your legs?" He hated to ask that question in front of Amanda, but Roy wanted to know just how careful they needed to be. He had seen enough bad injuries over the years to know when to be cautious.

"Oh yeah. Hurts like hell." Lex flashed him a pained smile. " Never felt anything hurt so good, though." She moved both feet slightly with a grimace. "Don't think anything's broken, but I bet I'll be a solid bruise for a week or so."

"How about your neck?" Amanda asked in a shaky voice. She had released her hold on the older woman's shoulders, and one hand had begun to stroke Lex's cheek gently.

The rancher turned her head slightly and kissed the small palm. "My neck is fine, sweetheart. I just have a headache - everything else seems to be intact." Lex looked at Roy. "But I could sure use a little help getting off this damn brush. Never did care for the smell of cedar."

Roy grinned. Oh, yeah…she's just fine. "Sure thing, Boss. Just let us know if we start to hurt you any." He motioned to the still quiet Lester, who reached over and got a gentle grasp on Lex's right leg. "Miss Amanda, if you'll support her head, we'll try to do this as easy as possible."

Amanda smiled down at Lex. "Let us do all the work, okay?" The rancher looked as if she were about to argue. "Please?"

Lex looked into the worried green eyes of her lover and sighed. "Yes, dear." She winked.

"Thank you." Amanda kissed the dark head. "Now, just relax." She braced Lex's head with her hands and nodded to Roy.

The foreman looked at Lester as they began to slowly rotate the rancher's body. When they had gotten Lex turned onto her left side, the injured woman bit off a pained groan. All movement stopped as Lex fought the urge to scream.

"Stop!" Amanda yelled to the men. "Oh, god…Lex!" she held the rancher's head perfectly still as terrible visions played in her mind. We've paralyzed her! I knew we shouldn't have moved her. Oh god…what if she has internal injuries? Moving her may have punctured a lung, or worse…

"Amanda." Lex's quiet voice broke through her mental chastising. "It's okay."

"No…you…" Amanda stuttered as she watched the dark-haired woman fight the pain. "We hurt you, didn't we?"

Lex opened her eyes slowly. "No, baby. It's just my arm. I must have landed on it wrong. I'm fine, really."

Lester grabbed one of the emergency blankets and cut a long strip from it with his knife. "No problem there, Miz Walters. We'll just tie it down until the doc can take a look at it." He gently and efficiently tied Lex's right arm across her chest. "That ought to help."

"Thanks, Lester." Lex took a cautious breath. Doesn't seem like anything is broken inside, thank god. She offered Amanda a gentle smile. "Sorry about that, love…didn't mean to scare you like that."

Amanda returned the smile gratefully. "It's okay, honey. Guess my nerves are shot." She looked at the two men sheepishly. "C'mon, guys…let's get Lex into the truck before she turns into a popsicle." A damp mist was beginning to fall once again, and the blonde thought she might have seen a snowflake come down as well.

Fifteen minutes later, a very grumpy Lex was lying in the bed of her truck. They had tied her down to the plank of compressed wood over her objections. After the earlier scare, Amanda had demanded that they not continue until the rancher was completely stabilized to the board.

"Are you sure you don't want to ride up front with the heater?" Roy asked the young woman for the third time. "Lester can ride back there and help keep her still."

Amanda walked wearily up to the truck with Lex's old hat in her hands. She had searched for several minutes to find it because she knew how much the battered Stetson meant to her lover. "No, thank you, Roy." She climbed into the back and sat next to the injured woman. "I'll be more comfortable back here."

Lex smirked at the foreman, who was peeking over the edge of the truck. "Give it up, Roy. I haven't won an argument with her yet." She gave the blonde a loving smile when her hat was placed by her head. "Thanks, sweetheart."

"No problem." Amanda twined her fingers with the rancher's, even though Lex's arm was pinned in place by the restraints. "We about ready to go?"

Roy saluted. "Yes, ma'am." He climbed into the front of the truck and started it up. "I swear, Lester…it's never a dull moment around this ranch."

The old cook shook his head. "You got that right. We need to get the boys back to the ranch, pronto. I don't like the smell of this."

Amanda was pacing back and forth in the hallway next to the master bedroom. She would stop ever so often and listen at the closed door, then sigh and continue her march. "What could be taking so damned long?" she grumbled, angry that she had been asked to leave the room almost an hour ago by the kindly doctor. She was about to knock on the door when Martha appeared behind her.

"How's it going, honey?" the housekeeper had a large covered tray in her hands. "What are you doing out here in the hallway?"

"He kicked me out, Martha." Amanda huffed incredulously. "He said that I was getting in his way and aggravating his patient!" She looked down at the tray. There's more than one way to skin a cat. I think I just found my way back into the bedroom. "Do you want me to take that in for you?"

Martha shook her head. "Oh, no. You're not getting me into trouble too, young lady. Dr. Anderson wanted you out here for a reason and I'm not about to cross him." She felt pity for the young blonde. "But you can open the door for me, and I'll put in a good word for you, okay?"

Amanda took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay. But can you at least find out what's taking so long? I'm really getting worried." She reached for the doorknob and almost screamed out loud when the door opened instead. "Oh!"

Dr. Anderson opened the door the rest of the way and smiled. "You can both come in now, ladies." He smiled apologetically at Amanda. "I'm sorry I ran you out like that, honey, but I really needed to get her calmed down before I could check her out. She was more concerned about you than her own injuries, so I had to remove the distraction."

"That's okay, I understand." Amanda started to move around him and stopped. "Is she okay?" Distraction? I'm a distraction? Good grief…if she hears that, I'll never live it down!

"She's going to be fine, dear. As a matter of fact, I gave her something earlier and she's resting comfortably right now. Just try to keep her in bed for a couple of days, if you can." Dr. Anderson opened the door wider for Martha so that she could carry the tray into the room. "I'm afraid she won't know you're here, Amanda…but you're more than welcome to sit with her for a while."

Amanda stepped quietly up to the bed where Lex was peacefully sleeping. The rancher's face had been cleaned, and the scratches that looked so bad earlier now appeared minor in the soft glow of the bedside lamp. Her right arm had been heavily wrapped with an elastic bandage and was casually draped across her stomach. The young woman turned to face the doctor who had moved to stand beside her. "How is she, really?"

Dr. Anderson chuckled. "Very lucky, actually. She has a concussion, and I had to put six stitches in the back of her head." Before Amanda could ask, he continued, "I know…but Lexington was so agitated, that knocking her out for a while was the lesser of the two evils."

"I certainly don't blame you there," Amanda murmured, "she can be pretty bull-headed at times." She turned and brushed the dark bangs from the resting woman's eyes. "What about her arm?"

"I think it's just seriously wrenched. But I need you to get her into the office first thing Monday morning so that I can take a complete set of x-rays on her arm and her back." The elderly doctor patted Amanda on the shoulder. "I swear, the girl must be part feline to fall that far and not break any bones."

She sat gently on the edge of the bed as her legs gave out in relief. "She's really okay?"

Martha put the tray down on a nearby table. "That's really great news, Doc. Why don't you come downstairs and I'll fix you up a plate of that dinner I lured you out here with?" She took one last relieved look at the still form on the bed before ushering the older man from the room.

Amanda watched the door close then turned her attention back to the woman lying in the bed. "So much for our quiet Saturday, huh?" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Not my fault," Lex mumbled as she opened her eyes, "at least not this time." She blinked several times as she tried to focus on Amanda's face. "Umm…sweetheart?"

"What is it honey? Do you need anything?" Amanda looked worriedly down at her lover. "Are you warm enough? How about some water? Maybe…"

Lex lifted her left hand and covered the blonde's mouth. "Sshh. I was just going to suggest that maybe you would like to get cleaned up and changed." She removed her hand and caressed the younger woman's jaw.

Amanda closed her eyes and leaned into the touch. "Mmm…that's a good idea. I've got to put some fresh sheets on the bed in the guestroom anyway." She kissed Lex's palm.

Did I miss something here? "Why? Is Dr. A hanging around for the night? I told him before he gave me that damned shot that I was okay." The rancher struggled to sit up. "Maybe I should just go down there and…"

"Stay still, honey." Amanda put her hand on Lex's shoulder. "No, he's probably going to be leaving right after Martha feeds him. I just thought that it would be better for you if I wasn't bouncing around on the bed all night. You really do need to get your rest."

"You're kidding, right?" The dark-haired woman leaned back against the pillows with a heavy sigh. "There's no way in hell I can get any rest if you're sleeping across the hall." She looked down at the quilt that covered her. "I didn't get any sleep the night you were gone."

The quiet admission tore at Amanda's heart. "Oh, Lex…I'm so sorry." She saw the light blush that covered the rancher's face. "Can I tell you a secret?"

Lex looked up and saw the green eyes filled with unshed tears. "Sure, sweetheart."

"I didn't get any sleep either. My grandmother teased me unmercifully yesterday morning." Amanda leaned down and kissed Lex tenderly on the lips. "Now…" she inhaled deeply to control her emotions, "if you'll give me a few minutes, I'll get cleaned up and we'll see what Martha has brought up for dinner." She stood up, wiped her eyes with her hand, and walked into the bathroom. "I'll be right out."

The rancher closed her eyes with a weary smile. Damn, she's cute. How did I ever get so lucky? Must have done something right, sometime…

* THUD! *

"Dammit!"

Amanda woke up with a start and rolled over, only to find Lex's side of the bed empty. "Whatzit?" she mumbled as she looked around frantically. Where is she? God, what time is it? She blinked a couple of times and peered through the darkness to focus on the alarm clock. Twelve-thirty in the morning?

* THUNK! THUNK! *

There it is again. Where is that noise coming from? Amanda climbed out of bed and noticed the light from under the bathroom door. She slowly opened the door and peered inside. "Lex? Is everything okay?"

"Umm…" the rancher's sheepish voice was coming from the tub. "Everything's okay… sorta."

"What do you mean, sorta okay?" the blonde stepped further into the room. "Oh, Lex." She quickly covered her mouth with her hand. "Are you okay?" Don't you dare laugh, Amanda Cauble, she sternly warned herself.

The tall woman was lying sideways, butt down in the empty tub, wearing only the boxer shorts that she normally slept in. Lex looked at her lover with a sheepish grin. "Yeah. I'm fine. But since I can't use this arm," she waved her bandaged right arm around, "I seem to find myself stuck."

Amanda chuckled. "Looks like it." She stood directly in front of Lex and crossed her arms across her chest. "And just what were you planning on doing at this time of night?"

"I thought I'd take a bath…Dr. A told me not to get the bandage on my head wet, but I felt so damn dirty that a nice soak sounded good." The rancher raised an eyebrow at the blonde. "Well? You gonna help me get out of here, or do I need to just wait until Martha comes in to clean?"

"Hmm…" Amanda appeared thoughtful. "I dunno…I ought to make you sit there for a while and suffer, since you didn't have the sense to wake me up and ask for help."

Lex sighed. "Okay. What's this gonna cost me?" She tried her best pitiful look. "You shouldn't pick on me, you know. I'm injured."

Green eyes sparkled with glee. "Uh-huh. Are you saying that your bad judgement was brought on by the head injury?" Amanda could barely contain her laughter. Does she have any idea just how adorable she looks right now? Probably not…

"Would it get me out of this mess with my dignity intact?" Lex bargained.

"Nope."

"How about I throw myself at your mercy? Do any penance that you see fit?"

Amanda brightened at that offer. "Really? You'd do whatever I asked?"

The rancher looked at her friend with suspicion. "Yeah…okay."

"Cool." The younger woman offered her hand to Lex. "Here. Be careful now." She slowly pulled the tall form from the tub, but didn't release her grip until Lex was steady on her feet. "You got dizzy and lost your balance, didn't you?" Amanda accused as she wrapped an arm around the naked torso. "Damn, Lex…you feel like a chunk of ice!"

Lex leaned into Amanda gratefully. "Well…it's a fiberglass tub, what did you expect?" She looked down at the blonde. "I really would feel better after a bath."

"Oh, really?" Amanda steered Lex back into the bedroom and guided her onto the bed. She leaned down and nibbled on the rancher's ear. "How about a nice warm sponge bath? That way you won't get too chilled, and I get to have a little fun too?" She raised her head as she felt a strong hand begin to glide up her back under her nightshirt.

"That sounds like a pretty good idea to me." Lex continued to explore the younger woman's back with her left hand. "Although I could think of something else that we could do for fun." She tried to lean up for a kiss but was stopped. "What?"

Amanda dropped down and kissed the strong chin below her. "Not tonight dear, you have a headache." She laughed. "I've always wanted to say that."

A pitiful groan was her only answer.

"Good morning, honey." The housekeeper cheerfully greeted Amanda as she walked into the kitchen the next morning. "How is Lexie doing?"

Amanda reached into the cabinet for a coffee mug. "She's really hurting this morning. I didn't even have to force her to stay in bed." She peeked over the older woman's shoulder. "You want me to take that tray up for you?"

Martha covered the tray and smiled. "That would be really sweet of you, Amanda. I was just about to bring it upstairs."

"I don't mind…you have enough to do around here without waiting on me hand and foot." Amanda gathered up the tray and started for the door. "Is there anything I can do to help you around here today? I'm going to make sure Lex takes her pain medication, so I'll be free pretty much all afternoon."

"Well, I…" A knock on the front door interrupted Martha's answer. "That must be Charlie. He told me on the phone yesterday that he wanted to have a talk with Lexie." She hurried to the door and opened it. "Charlie Bristol! Get in this house!" Martha grabbed the sheriff's arm and pulled him inside. "What have we told you about knocking around here? You're family."

The tall thin man took off his hat and grinned. "Hello, honey. Nice to see you too." Charlie winked at Amanda, who was standing at the foot of the stairs with the tray still in her hands. "Good to see you, Amanda. How's Lex doing?" The housekeeper had briefed him on the rancher's condition yesterday. Since the lawman thought of Lex as the daughter he never had, he had personally driven over to Dr. Anderson's home earlier this morning to get a complete medical report. If I find the son of a bitch that did this to her I'll wring his neck myself and save the taxpayers a load of money.

"She's okay. Just really sore." The young woman began her trek up the stairs. "And probably hungry." Halfway up, Amanda called over her shoulder, "Give me a minute to get this stuff settled, then come on up. I know she'd love to see you."

"Well? Are you gonna stand there in your coat all morning, or will you be joining me in the kitchen for some coffee?" Martha winked at Charlie before she made her way back to the rear of the house.

The lawman stood silently for a moment with a silly grin plastered on his face. I think I fall deeper in love with that woman every time I see her. Maybe Amanda has an idea on how I can get her to say yes. Charlie had proposed to the housekeeper at least once a month for the past ten years. Even though Martha returned his love, she gently continued to turn him down time after time. I'll just keep asking her until she says yes just to shut me up, he vowed as he followed her slightly rounded form into the kitchen.

"Please, Lex. Just take the darn pill." Amanda had cleaned the dishes away, and was now trying to convince her stubborn friend to take something for the intense pain she was now experiencing.

Lex took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "It's not that bad." She leaned back against the headboard of the bed, sweating from the exertion of putting on a nightshirt.

Amanda sat down gingerly to the left of her. "What's the big deal? You're supposed to rest for a few days anyway."

"I just don't want to spend our only day together sleeping when I'd rather be spending the time with you," the rancher admitted, "I've…uh…really missed you lately." She opened her eyes and searched the younger woman's face.

"Oh, honey…" Amanda framed Lex's face with her hands. "Do you really think that I could leave you when you're feeling like this? I've already called my grandmother and she's agreed to take care of things at the office for a few days." Amanda's grandmother, Anna Leigh Cauble, was the retired owner of Sunflower Realty. She had recently turned the management over to her granddaughter after she had to fire the previous manager for misconduct.

Lex smiled. "Really? You're going to stay home for a day or two?" Her blue eyes lit up like a small child's at Christmas.

Amanda returned her smile. "Try for longer than that. Gramma told me to take the entire week off - she says someone has to keep their eye on you, and poor Martha needs all the help she can get." She leaned forward and captured the rancher's lips gently with her own. She felt Lex tangle her left hand in her hair as she deepened the kiss.

"Ahem." Martha stood at the doorway with a blushing Charlie right behind her. Since her head only came up to his chest, the sheriff had a very good view of the activity on the bed. "I don't think that's what the doctor had in mind when he said for you to stay in bed, Lexie," the housekeeper teased as she stepped into the room.

"Oh, god." Amanda laughed as she buried her head in the dark-haired woman's chest.

Lex smirked at the older woman as she ran her fingers through Amanda's hair. "You got a better way to keep me in bed?" She felt her lover laugh again.

Charlie choked as he tried to stifle a chuckle of his own. "She's got a point, sweetheart." He closed the distance between himself and Martha and wrapped his arms around her.

"Don't encourage her." Martha playfully slapped the arm that was settled around her ample waist. "She's hard enough to live with as it is."

"I can imagine she is." Charlie kissed the top of the older woman's head, then walked over to the bed and kneeled next to it. "How are you doing, sweetheart?" He put a weathered hand on Lex's leg. "Doc tells me you were pretty damn lucky out there."

Lex gave the older man a pained smile. "To tell the truth Charlie, I hurt like hell." She looked down at her right arm, which was still wrapped heavily. "And I feel like a total idiot, letting someone get behind me like that."

Amanda sat back, ran a hand through her hair, then turned around and snuggled up on the rancher's good side. "Why don't you two pull up a seat and get comfortable?" She grabbed a medicine bottle and a glass of water from the nearby table, and handed Lex a pill. "And you…take one of these before I have to get tough with you."

"Yes dear." The injured woman took the offering meekly as her eyes twinkled. Lex swallowed the pill with a frown. "Yuck!" She continued to drink from the glass until all the water was gone. "Nasty stuff."

Charlie stood up and brought two chairs closer to the bed. "This is a semi-professional visit, honey." He waited until Martha sat down before he continued. "I sent a couple of men out to check the area out. Is there anything you can tell me that might help?"

Lex felt Amanda grasp her uninjured hand. "It was definitely a set up; that much I know for sure." She squeezed the smaller hand and sighed. "The fence was cut, and a small calf had been tied to some brush near the edge of the drop off. When I went over to cut him free, I felt something slam into my head, and then everything went black." She pulled the younger woman's hand up and kissed the knuckles. "Next thing I knew, I was lying at the bottom of the ravine covered by a bunch of limbs and branches."

"Have you gotten any threats lately, Lex? Something that might explain why someone would do this to you?" Charlie had pulled a small notepad from his shirt pocket, and was busily taking notes.

"No…not that I can think of." Lex was already feeling the effects of the medication that she had taken. "And if someone wanted me dead, why didn't they just shoot me?" She heard a sharp intake of breath as Amanda realized where these questions were leading.

Amanda looked up at the rancher with a serious expression. "That's not completely true now, is it? You've had two separate threats in the last month." She saw understanding in the blue gaze. Turning her attention to Charlie, Amanda bit her lip. "Rick Thompson threatened her at my grandmother's office last month in front of several witnesses."

The lawman nodded. "That's right. I'd forgotten all about that." He added Rick's name to his notes. The ex-manager of Sunflower Realty had been fired when it had become known that he had sent Amanda on a wild goose chase to the Rocking W ranch. She was supposed to get Lex to sell the property. Her car was washed off the old bridge that led up to the ranch and the dark-haired woman jumped into the raging creek to pull her from the water. Rick had thought Lex was involved in his dismissal, and had threatened to get even when he was arrested at the office later on that week.

"That little turd," Martha muttered. She had never liked the man, and made a mental note to ask Roy to have some of the boys keep a closer eye on the ranch house until Lex was back on her feet.

"And then there's my father," Amanda uttered quietly, looking down at their linked hands. "He made some nasty threats when we were in California."

Lex struggled to keep her eyes open. "Sweetheart, I honestly don't think that your father would resort to something like this. Besides, how did they know I'd be the one checking the fence? I think it's more like vandals that were afraid I'd catch them, so they did what they could to give themselves time to escape." She felt her eyes grow too heavy to keep open.

Amanda released her hand and kissed her cheek. "Rest well, love." She looked at Charlie and Martha with a quiet smile. "Why don't we go downstairs and discuss this a little more? She'll be out for hours." She rose from the bed gently.

Martha nodded and stood up. "Good idea, honey." She stepped over to the bed and placed a light kiss on the sleeping woman's forehead. "Foolish child. She's gonna drive me crazy before this year is out, that's for sure." She grabbed the discarded food tray and headed for the door. "You two coming downstairs with me, or do I have to drink that whole pot of fresh coffee all by myself?"

Charlie looked at Amanda and grinned. "Gotta love a woman like that." He offered her his arm with a bow. "Shall we?"

"Yes, I do believe we shall." Amanda accepted his arm with a curtsy. "Thank you."

Chapter 4

"You idiot! I'm paying you to keep an eye on her, not kill her!" He had to pull the phone away from his ear to protect his hearing. "Good god! Have you no sense? What if they figured out that you did it?" the voice continued to rave.

The victim of the tirade sighed. "Look. I…was…keeping an eye on her. And I really had intended to just cut the fence and then leave. But when I saw that SHE was the one there, I couldn't resist," he chuckled. "After I saw her lying at the bottom of that ravine, I honestly thought I'd killed her. So I tried to throw some stuff over the edge to hide the body."

A short silence from the other end of the line. "It's somewhat of a shame that you didn't succeed - it would have certainly made things a lot easier for me." Papers shuffled in the background. "Okay, here is what you're going to do. I want you to keep a high profile - make a nuisance of yourself. That should come easily for you."

"What?!? Are you out of your mind? They'll lock me up for sure!" The underling's voice was incredulous. "You don't pay me enough to go to jail for you!"

"Listen to me, you fool. If you go into hiding, you'll be the first person that they would suspect. You're probably already top on their list. Trust me…the best place to hide from these backwater bumpkins is right under their noses," the cultured voice purred. "You might even try threatening her in front of some of them…they'll never figure you to be that stupid." Although I could vouch for your lack of intelligence.

The man looked around his cluttered living room, noticing, not for the first time, the empty food cartons lying around. I really should get someone in here to clean this place up sometime, he thought as he took another deep swallow from his beer. "Okay…but if they bust me, I'm taking you down with me."

"Don't…even…try to threaten me, you worthless little pissant. I can make you disappear in a heartbeat…permanently."

"Um…yeah. Sorry about that. I wasn't really threatening you, honest. I'm just a little nervous about getting caught, you know?" He ran a trembling hand across his forehead. "I didn't mean nothing by it."

"Just remember who's in charge, and you'll be fine. I want you to make yourself VERY visible for the next few days, got it?"

"Yeah, I got it." Once his 'boss' had hung up the phone, the man threw his can of beer across the room. He proceeded to throw things around the living area until he wore himself out. "Damn you, Walters…" he stood in the middle of the destruction. "I can't wait until you get what's coming to you."

The rest of the morning and afternoon went by peacefully at the ranch. Amanda would go upstairs every so often to check on her friend, but spent most of the day sharing stories with Martha and Charlie. The sheriff left in the late afternoon because he wanted to get back into town. He needed to organize the reports his men would be turning in after their investigations. Martha allowed him to leave only after getting his promise to be back at the ranch early Thursday for Thanksgiving dinner.

The young blonde looked at the computer screen and sighed. She had decided to work on the ranch finances for Lex. The older woman tended to get overly stressed whenever she tried to handle the paperwork. Amanda had always enjoyed working with numbers, and Lex had happily handed over the bookkeeping duties to her. It happened after one especially trying night of attempting to balance the ledger.

Amanda had rolled over in her sleep only to find herself alone in bed. She glanced over at the alarm clock and saw that it was almost one o'clock in the morning. After slipping on the colorful robe that had been a gift from Lex, she padded quietly down the stairs in search of her lover.

The young woman had spotted a light coming from the den and moved toward it. After stepping into the den, Amanda found that the light was actually leaking out from the attached office. She stood in the doorway for a moment and watched the dark-haired woman. "Lex?"

The rancher looked up from the computer screen and rubbed her eyes. "Amanda. What are you doing out of bed?" She pushed her chair back from the desk with a sigh.

"I got cold." Amanda smiled as she stepped into the room.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I should have checked the fire before I came downstairs," Lex apologized, not noticing the glint in the green eyes.

Amanda stalked towards the desk. "It wouldn't have helped," she stated as she stepped in front of Lex and stopped. "I missed you." The blonde climbed into the older woman's lap facing her and straddled her legs. She put her arms around the rancher's neck with a sultry smile. "You can't honestly tell me that you'd rather play on the computer than come upstairs and play with me." She bent down and gave the startled woman a passionate kiss.

Lex wrapped her arms around the smaller woman. "Mrrumph…" she pulled away regretfully. "God, baby…you sure make it hard to say no." She trembled slightly when Amanda started placing gentle kisses on her neck. "But I've been…ah…" Lex put her hands on the voracious woman's shoulders and gently pushed her back. "Please, Amanda. I've got to get these damn ledgers to balance. I have a phone conference with Mr. Collins first thing in the morning to discuss the next quarter."

"Okay." Amanda sighed, somewhat heartened by the genuine regret in the blue eyes across from her. "What seems to be the problem?" She chuckled as Lex spun the chair sideways to allow them both to see the computer screen without unseating Amanda.

"See right here?" Lex used a long finger to point out a number on the screen. "This figure should match that one." She touched another part on the display.

Amanda twisted around until she had a clear view of the computer. "May I?"

Lex lifted the smaller woman until she was facing the screen completely, but still situated on the rancher's lap. "Be my guest." She rested her chin on the blonde's shoulder and wrapped her arms around the small waist. Lex closed her eyes as she listened to Amanda type.

"There you go."

"How did you…?" The rancher opened her eyes and looked at the screen. "Damn." The figures matched. "I've been working on that for well over an hour. How did you figure it out so quickly?"

Amanda leaned back into the warm body she was cradled against. "Guess my college years weren't a complete waste of time." She tilted her head as Lex began kissing her neck. "Mmm…I've always loved playing with numbers." The young woman smiled as she felt insistent fingers loosen the tie on her robe.

The rancher placed her lips near the blonde's ear. "What would it cost me to have you help with the bookwork around here?" she whispered as she gently bit Amanda's earlobe.

"Oh, god…" Amanda almost melted onto the floor. "For this kind of payment, I'll do just about anything you ask." She felt herself being lifted as Lex carried her into the den and placed her carefully on the sofa. "Oooh, yeah. You've just hired yourself a bookkeeper," she growled and welcomed the rancher into her arms.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Martha asked from the office doorway. "You look a little flushed."

Amanda looked up guiltily. "Umm, yeah. I'm great. Just going over the books for Lex." She ran a hand over her face to try and dispel the blush. "Do you need my help in the kitchen?" She had told the housekeeper earlier to come get her whenever she needed help starting dinner. After much discussion, they had made a truce as far as the household chores. Martha would let Amanda help with the laundry and the cooking and the blonde wouldn't get in her way when she did the rest of the housework.

Martha shook her head. "No, nothing like that, dear. I just came in to tell you that your grandmother called a few minutes ago."

"She did? I didn't hear the phone ring." Amanda looked at the offending item. "Is everything okay?"

"That's because Lexie keeps the ringer turned off in here so it won't disturb her. Mrs. Cauble was just checking in to see how our patient was doing." The housekeeper moved into the room and sat down. "Are you real busy?"

"No, not at all. What's wrong, Martha?" Amanda could see that something was on the older woman's mind.

"That business yesterday scared the living daylights out of me," she admitted. "Do you really think that someone is out to get my Lexie? Who would do such a thing?" Martha looked down at her lap, then lifted her head and met Amanda's gaze. "I've alerted the boys down at the bunkhouse, and they're going to keep a close eye on the house until she's back on her feet." She leaned forward with an intense look on her face. "My little girl has finally found happiness, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna let some low life ruin that. They'll have to go through me to get to her."

Amanda stood up and stepped around the desk, then knelt at the older woman's feet. "I know, Martha. I feel the same way." She gripped both of the housekeeper's hands tightly. "When I look at you, I can see where Lex got her beautiful heart from. I wish that I would have had half as good a mom growing up as she did."

Martha pulled Amanda towards her and enveloped the smaller woman in a fierce embrace. "Honey, I thank the good Lord for you each and every day." She stood and helped the young woman to her feet. "Now let's stop all the serious talk, and go check on the cookies that I left baking in the oven. They should almost be ready."

"Oooh, cookies." Amanda followed her dutifully out of the room and down the hallway. "What kind?" she asked, as she took a deep sniff of the air.

"Brown sugar." Martha stepped into the kitchen and made her way to the oven. "Be about another minute, dear. Why don't you go ahead and get yourself a glass of milk?"

Amanda smiled. "Mmm…my favorite. But I think I'll run upstairs real quick and check on Sleeping Beauty. Maybe she'll be awake and I can take her some cookies, too." She started out the door and suddenly screamed. "Aaaah!"

Martha rushed out of the kitchen, only to find Amanda leaning back against the wall with her hand over her heart. Lex stood a few feet away dressed in gray boxer shorts and an unbuttoned black nightshirt. "What are you doing out of bed?"

"You scared me half to death!" Amanda chastised, willing her heart to stop pounding. "Martha's right. What ARE you doing out of bed?"

Lex was propped against the banister, holding her injured arm against her body. "I was bored, and tired of lying in bed." She inhaled deeply. "Cookies? Smells like brown sugar!" She pushed away from her leaning position by the stairs and slowly limped into the kitchen.

The blonde looked over at Martha and shrugged. "You raised her."

"Good lord! Just had to toss that one in my face, didn't you?" the housekeeper joked as they followed Lex into the kitchen.

"I hate to break up your little gabfest, but could one of you come over here and help me with the milk?" Lex was standing at the cabinet holding a glass. "I can't get the damned lid off."

Amanda shook her head and smiled. "Okay." She walked over and grabbed another glass. "You want one too, Martha?"

The housekeeper laughed. "No, thank you, dear." She pulled the tray of cookies out of the oven. "I bake them… I don't usually eat them."

"Really?" Amanda was intrigued. "Are they safe?" she teased as she poured two glasses of milk. After she returned the jug to the refrigerator, she gently began buttoning the rancher's shirt. "Looks like I get to pamper you a lot for the next few days, huh?" The blonde looked up into Lex's eyes with a tender smile.

Lex returned the smile. "I guess so. Thanks," she whispered and kissed the smaller woman on the forehead.

Amanda grabbed both glasses and ushered the rancher to the table. "Sit down, tough stuff." She watched with concern as the tall woman moved stiffly to a chair and sat down. "You look like you're completely miserable."

"It's not that bad, sweetheart. I'm just really stiff from lying around for so long." Lex shifted around uncomfortably in her chair as she picked up her glass with her left hand. "I think I'm more sore today than I was yesterday."

Martha stepped up beside her and touched the top of her dark head. "Honey, there was a good reason the doctor told you to stay in bed for a few days. You have to give your body time to heal." She waited until Lex looked up into her eyes. "After you eat I want you to go back to bed, okay?"

Lex wanted to argue, but relented when she saw the concern on the older woman's face. Besides, she thought, I really do feel like hell. "Yes, ma'am." Maybe I can talk Amanda into joining me…this might not be so bad after all!

"Thank you, Lexie." Martha leaned down and kissed the rancher on the cheek, and then moved away from the table with purpose." Don't fill up on cookies. I'll heat you up some stew."

Amanda chuckled. "She's got you pegged, sweetheart." She reached for another cookie. "But don't worry, the stew is really good."

The housekeeper cleared her throat from across the room. "That goes for you too, young lady. You barely touched your lunch today."

"Ha!" Lex grinned triumphantly. Then she realized what Martha had said. "Are you feeling alright?" She covered Amanda's hand with her own. "You're not coming down with something, are you?"

"I'm fine, love. Guess I'm just a little tired." Amanda squeezed the rancher's hand. Of course, I spent the entire night watching her sleep. No wonder I'm a little tired. The younger woman didn't even lie down for most of the night; for fear that she would try to snuggle up against the injured woman in her sleep.

The dark-haired woman sighed. "Amanda. What am I gonna do with you?" She looked down at the bowl of stew that Martha had put down in front of her. "Mmm…you're right. This smells fantastic." She began to eat, then paused to yawn. Damn…hope I don't fall asleep in my bowl.

"That settles it then. After you finish your dinner, it's off to bed for you both." Martha settled into another chair. "You girls will need your rest since you have to be up early in the morning."

Amanda looked at her quizzically. "We do? What's going on, Martha?" She started eating her stew with fervor.

The housekeeper gave Lex a no nonsense look. "You're going into town first thing tomorrow so that Lexie can get a complete checkup." She raised a hand when the rancher opened her mouth to speak. "No arguments. You can barely walk, and you're hurting so bad that you're not even trying to hide it."

Lex decided to concentrate on not spilling her stew. She was still shaky and her vision had not completely cleared up. Probably a good idea. Then she grinned to herself. Oooh…Martha won't expect me to agree with her. This will be good for the shock value alone. "I think you may be right, Martha," she murmured quietly, keeping her attention on her bowl.

"What?" The housekeeper dropped her spoon in shock. "Lexie? Oh, honey. If you're feeling that bad, maybe we should go this evening." She started to get up and clear the table. "I knew we should have taken you to the hospital yesterday…"

She stopped in mid-sentence when Lex looked up with a sneaky grin. "Maybe I'd feel better if you would bake me more cookies." The rancher tried to look innocent.

Amanda almost choked on a mouthful of stew. "Oh, god! That's funny!" She coughed a couple of times and took a large drink of milk. "She got you, Martha."

Martha sat back down with a sigh. "I swear you're gonna be the death of me one of these days, Lexie." She shook her head and began to eat again.

"Sorry, Martha. I just wanted you to relax a bit. You worry too much." Lex smiled again. "But if it would make you feel better, you can tuck me in tonight and read me a story."

"Just wait until you get better, young lady. I'll take a spoon to your backside!" the older woman threatened, but she couldn't keep the smile from her face.

Lex was stopped from making another sarcastic remark when the phone rang.

"I'll get it!" Amanda practically leapt from the table and raced across the kitchen. Thank god…I think Lex was about to get herself into more trouble. "Walter's residence, Amanda speaking." She saw the rancher frown out of the corner of her eye. Lex had asked her several times not to answer the phone that way. The rancher stressed that it was just as much Amanda's home as it was hers, but the blonde stubbornly refused. We're going to have to come up with a compromise, before Martha ends up being a referee. The voice on the other end of the line caused her to scrunch her face into a frown. "Hold on just a minute, I'll see if she's available." She held the receiver to her chest.

"Who is it, Amanda?" Lex tried to turn around in her chair, but a sharp pain in her back stopped her. "Dammit…"

"It's your brother. Do you want me to just take a message?" Amanda whispered. She didn't want to see Lex get upset, which was always a good possibility when her brother was involved.

The rancher slowly climbed to her feet, barely able to hold back a pained groan. "No… he'll just keep calling until I talk to him." She held her hand out for the phone. "Let's see what he wants now." Lex allowed Amanda to drag a chair from the table and help her sit down. "Thanks," she whispered. "Hello, Hubert. What can I do for you this time?"

"For one thing, you can tell your little…girlfriend…to drop the damn attitude. I'm not amused." Hubert's nasal tone whined. "She thinks she's better than me, and I'm tired of it!"

Lex sighed. "Hubert, you're imagining things. And, for the record," she looked over at her lover with a smile, "she IS better than you. Now what do you want?"

Hubert was livid. "Now you listen to me, you perverted bitch! Don't you dare talk to me that way! I'll…"

"SHUT UP!" Lex barked, then instantly regretted it. She fought back a wave of dizziness and continued, "You've got exactly one minute to tell me what you want before I hang up." She closed her eyes and leaned back in the chair.

"Fine. I got some papers in the mail Friday that require your signature. I left a message on your damn machine yesterday, but you didn't bother to return it." The older man sounded like a petulant child. "Do you want me to bring them out to the ranch, or will you be in town sometime this next week? I'd like to return them as soon as possible."

The rancher opened her eyes and caught Amanda's worried look. "I'll be in town tomorrow, Hubert. We'll drop by the office then, okay?" She winked at her friend.

Hubert laughed humorlessly. "My, oh my. Miss High and Mighty is actually going to sully herself and grace the little people with her presence. Why I ought to…"

"Goodbye, Hubert." Lex hung up the phone in the middle of his sarcastic speech. "Asshole." She muttered, then glanced over at Martha. "At least he won't be bothering you anymore tonight."

The housekeeper stood up and walked over to where Lex was sitting. "Sweetheart, let's get you back upstairs and into bed. You're looking a bit pale."

"She's right, Lex." Amanda reached down and helped Martha pull the dark-haired woman to her feet. "C'mon. If you're a good girl, I'LL tuck you in and read you a story."

Lex released a tired chuckle. "That's the best offer I've had all day." She draped her left arm over the blonde's shoulders, and felt Martha wrap an arm around her from the right. "I must be doing something right." She joked.

"What makes you say that, dear?" Martha asked as they helped her slowly up the stairs.

"I've got the two prettiest ladies in the state of Texas hanging all over me!" Amanda tickled her ribs while the housekeeper lightly slapped her rear end. "What?"

Continued in Part 3.