Cowgirl Up! by Carolyn Anderson Jones

little older and has more ranch experience. We also have visitor’s almost everyday - prospective buyers or passionate horse people. We get all kinds and Lance loves to show them around and give them the run of the place. It could have been anybody.”
     
    “That doesn’t make it easy. Maybe it wasn’t someone working for the Lazy W. Maybe it was someone who comes around a lot. Know of anyone who’s been hanging around a good bit lately?”
     
    “Not right off, but I’ll give it some thought and keep my eyes and ears open.”
     
    “I would love to find the jerk who injected those horses,” Sam said with fervor. “
Brilliante
died a horrible death and
Brio
suffered tremendously. No animal deserves that and I’d like to find the person or persons responsible.”
     
    “I would too, Sam. I wanted Lance to turn everything over to Sheriff Olson and have him investigate, but he was afraid word would get out and the ranch would get some bad publicity so he wouldn’t do it.”
     
    There was silence for a few minutes as they both dwelled on their own thoughts. Sam decided it was time to change the subject to something more pleasant.
     
    “Do you go to all the out of state shows?” She asked casually as she relaxed under the warm spring sun.
     
    “Usually. Why? You gonna miss me when I’m out of town?”
     
    “Oh, I don’t think I’ll miss you all that much,” Sam said nonchalantly.
     
    Cheyenne slowly drank the rest of his wine and stared at her. He leaned back against the log, took his cowboy hat off and placed it beside him.
     
    Sam picked up their empty wine bottles and started to stand.
     
    Before she could get to her feet Cheyenne reached up, grabbed her shirt and pulled her on top of him.
     
    “We’re not going yet.”
     
    His eyes were dark and serious. Sam watched his face as he reached up and slowly pulled her cap off and gently loosened the band around her ponytail. He rubbed both hands through her hair and she melted under his touch.
     
    “Why do you always hide your beautiful hair under a cap?”
     
    His mouth curved as he stroked his hands up and down her arms and pulled her into his chest.
     
    Sam trembled and Cheyenne felt it.
     
    “Are you afraid of me, Samantha?” He smiled and Sam could feel his lips brush ever so gently against hers.
     
    She stiffened and pulled back, but his grip tightened and she couldn’t move.
     
    “I’ve never been afraid of you,” Sam told him defiantly.
     
    Cheyenne chuckled softly as he rolled over on top of her.
     
    “I didn’t think so.”
     
    Sam felt Cheyenne’s fingers move gently across her shoulder as he leaned in and kissed her softly. Then his hands moved down her sides and up to caress her breasts. She moaned as he kissed her neck and then moved his mouth lower so his tongue could tease the cleavage peeking out of her tank top. His hands roamed possessively over her body, and then his mouth came down with a powerful crush against hers.
     
    His kiss was seductive and dangerous. Sam was lost in a world she’d never been in before. In one breath she wanted him to stop, and in the next she didn’t. Cheyenne softened his kiss and pressed his lips to her chin, down her neck and then back to her lips again. When he turned Sam loose, she was comatose.
     
    “Now tell me you won’t miss me,” he said huskily as his hand touched her face.
     
    “Okay, well maybe a little.”
     
    He rolled over on his side and they were stretched out on the blanket face-to-face.
     
    “Who’d of ever thunk it,” Sam whispered with a sultry smile. “Samantha Kendrick and Cheyenne Wells nose to nose and toes to toes making out.”
     
    Cheyenne looked at her darkly. “I want to do more than make out, princess.” Then he seduced her with another kiss.
     
    Sam pushed him back and looked into his eyes. She couldn’t breathe. Not even her yoga could help her now. She felt out of control and wanted to slow things down.
     
    “We have to follow the