Lily’s Cowboys is part of the Heaven Sent series. This series will be based on those unusual angels that are still very human in nature and who come back to help others. There will be others in the series. It is just getting the chance to write the next one which I already have shed a few tears over.

Riley St. Claire has always followed her own rules. When she discovers her current employer is not as law abiding as she thought, she has to leave town in a hurry or end up buried with the dead guy she discovered. What she does not expect is to find herself being picked up by a passing trader from another world.

As the ruling King of Sarafin, Vox d’Rojah, was expected to produce a son who would be joined in marriage with the first-born daughter of the King of Valdier. The problem was Vox did not intend to have any sons, at least not in the near future. He was quite happy with the wide selection of females he had at his disposal. When he is captured by a ruthless Valdier royal and sold to a mining operation the last thing he expected to find with his bride mate.

Vox is not sure which would be easier: fighting another war with the Valdier or capturing and holding onto the human female who is unlike anything he has ever encountered before.

Now, Vox has to escape back to his world while fighting pirates, traders, and Riley!

The King of Sarafin has met his match with Ms. Riley St. Claire from Earth. Now, he just needs to figure out a way to let her know he has chosen her as his Queen and he has every intention of keeping her by his side forever as always followed her own rules.

Since I wanted to share something and have more than once been accused of being a tease here is proof! The following is from one of the time travel stories I have almost completed. I hope you enjoy it. If you do, check out next month’s newsletter for more of it! This is one of those episode books (think TV series or Part I in a movie!)

Indiana Wild

Spirit Pass: Book 1

By S. E. Smith

Paranormal/Time Travel Romance

INDIANA WILD

Copyright © 2012 by Susan E. Smith

First E-Book Publication November 2012

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission from the author.

All characters, places, and events in this book are fictitious or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations are strictly coincidental.

Synopsis

Indiana Wild is as wild as the Montana ranch she was raised on. The youngest of four children, she was a delightful surprise for her older parents. She spends her time training horses and cow dogs and loving the freedom of the wide open spaces. When her grandfather dies, she finds her much older brothers have different plans for the ranch she calls home and for Indiana.

Indiana’s oldest brother is determined to tame Indiana and bring her to live with him in Los Angeles where he can keep an eye on her and the money she is inheriting. He believes with a little taming, he can control the wild spirit of his little sister and find her a good husband who can manage her.

Furious with the court order giving her older brother guardianship over her, Indiana turns to the only place she feels at home…the wide-open spaces of Montana. She is determined to avoid her controlling brothers and their greed, even if it means hiding from them until they give up. An unexpected trip through Spirit Pass takes Indiana further than she ever expected…by almost a hundred and fifty years.

Jonathan Tucker is as tough as they come. He and his twin brother have cut a successful horse and cattle ranch in the harsh Montana territory. When cattle rustlers try to steal his cattle and shoot one of his men, he is grateful to the young boy named Indy who comes to the rescue, even if the boy does have an attitude. The last thing he expects is to find the ‘boy’ is in fact an independent, free-thinking, stubborn female who is not afraid to voice her opinions. She is as wild as the untamed land around them and he is determined she is the wife for him.

When Indiana is taken from him, Jonathan finds he will do whatever it takes to bring his Indiana Wild home for good, even if it means following her to the future.

Chapter 1

“How could you? How could you do this to me?” Indy whispered in disbelief staring at her brothers as if she had never seen them before.

“Indiana, it’s for your own good,” Hayden said sternly. The oldest of the four Wild family kids, he was also a successful attorney in California. “Grandfather was old and senile. A new will needed to be done. It was well within our rights for me to help him draft the new one.”

“Grandfather was not senile! You bullied him into signing the papers making you his legal guardian. We were doing just fine until you came out and stuck your nose in our business,” Indy said angrily.

“Now Indy, you know Hayden is right. We were only thinking of your best interests,” Gus said leaning forward as if to pat Indy on the knee.

“Touch me Gus and I’ll slice your greedy fingers right off your thieving hand,” Indy said through clenched teeth.

“Indy, there is no need to speak to Gus like that,” Matthew said moving a little further away from where Indy was sitting.

“Shut up, Matt. You are nothing but an opportunist gambler who sees another way to support your lifestyle. You’ll blow your inheritance in less than a year and be begging at Hayden’s door for more,” Indy said coldly.

Indiana “Indy” Wild looked at her three older brothers in anger and disbelief. She couldn’t believe they had been so underhanded as to steal the only place she had ever called home from her. Hayden sat looking at her from behind her grandfather’s old desk. The oldest at forty-seven he was an imposing figure taking after their father’s side of the family. He was six foot one with broad shoulders and a slight pouch around the middle from all the days of sitting in courtrooms making millions. His dark brown eyes stared at Indy coolly as he waited for her to calm down.

Calm down like hell, Indy thought dispassionately. He just wants me to sign on the dotted line so he can add more millions to his bank account.

Hayden had come to the Wild Ranch in Wyoming six months ago when their grandfather had a slight stroke. Until then, it had been ten years since he had returned and then only to bury their grandmother and parents who were killed in a car accident. Indy had no idea that during the two weeks he was there he had their grandfather sign a new will giving him power of attorney.

Indy glared at her brothers feeling her stomach tighten with nerves. She had been a surprise to her delighted parents when her mother became pregnant unexpectedly in her forties. There was a twenty year difference between her and her youngest brother, Matthew. She was twenty-two to his forty-two.

Her parents raised all of them on the ranch, living in the same house as her grandparents. When her parents died, her grandfather took over raising her since her older brothers had their own lives to live. It had worked out well. Indy had always been close to her grandfather and after the accident they had grown even closer. While Indy’s brothers left as soon as they were old enough to live elsewhere, Indy never planned on leaving. She loved every aspect of ranch life from the cattle, to the horses, to the old cowpunchers that came and went each year.

“Indy, accept it. The ranch has already been sold. You will receive a sizable amount of money which should help you. The money will be set up in a trust account and you will receive monthly checks until you reach the age of twenty-five. At that time, you will receive the full amount. The company that purchased the ranch will take over at the end of the month. Everything goes to them except personal belongings, of course. I have made sure you have enough money to cover your first six months of living expenses so you can find a job. I suggest you plan on attending graduate school. You will have a better potential for finding a job with a higher level degree. If you need funds to cover it I can release them as I have control of your trust fund.”

Indy just stared at Hayden in disbelief as he continued describing how he was taking over the ranch, her money from the sell, and her life. Gus fidgeted in his seat as he watched the emotions crossing Indy’s face. Out of the three brothers, Gus at forty-five was the most compassionate of the three. He was married to a nice woman and had four kids. He was currently working at Montana State University as a math teacher.

“Indy, you can come live with Marge and me in Billings. Billy and Taylor are moving out to go to college and their rooms will be open. You might like it there,” Gus said quietly.

Indy’s eyes filled with tears but she refused to let them fall. She would be damned if she would give any of them the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Standing and walking over to the window, she stared out over the mountains she loved so much.

“That won’t be necessary,” Indy said quietly.

She kept her shoulders straight. She knew there was nothing she could do. Hayden wasn’t just good as an attorney; he was cut-throat good. He would have made sure he had all his bases covered before he presented the sale of the ranch to her. Her other two brothers didn’t give a damn about the ranch. Gus, though the nicest of the three, needed the money to pay for his kids’ college tuitions. Matthew just wanted the money to live the good life. He would be broke before the year was out as soon as he went to Vegas. Hayden, well, he was just greedy.

“Midnight, Khula, Chester and Tweed are mine. I paid for them out of my own money. They go with me,” Indy said with her back still turned. Midnight and Khula were two horses she had bought and trained for rounding. Chester and Tweed were her two cow dogs. “I’ll have my stuff out and be gone within the next two weeks.”

“I took the liberty of looking at several places you might be interested in living at…” Hayden began.

Indy turned sharply, staring coldly into Hayden’s eyes. “Hayden, you can take your liberties and stick them up your ass. I go where I want, when I want. I don’t need you or anyone else’s help. Once I’m out of here I don’t give a damn if I ever see any of you again. Now, if you will excuse me I have some packing to do,” Indy said in a stiff voice.

Indy walked out the door of her grandfather’s office. She felt numb inside as she headed toward the upstairs and her bedroom. It wouldn’t take her long to pack as she didn’t own much. She had never needed much living on the ranch. Anything she had ever wanted the ranch had supplied.

*.*.*

“I think that went well. What about you guys?” Matthew said as he watched Indy walk out the door.

“Matt, sometimes you can be such an ass,” Gus said as he stood up. “We shouldn’t have done it this way to Indy. This ranch is all she has ever known. We should have discussed what we planned with her.”

“You are too soft on her, Gus,” Hayden said pulling all the paperwork together and placing it in a large envelope. “This ranch is worth a fortune and we were lucky to be able to sell it for what we did. Indy will adjust. This is no place for a young girl anyway. Once she calms down, I’ll let her know I took the liberty of purchasing her a condo in Los Angeles. She’ll thank us one day,” Hayden said as he stood up and brushed an imaginary piece of lint from the pants of his expensive Armani suit.

“Los Angeles?” Gus stared in disbelief at Hayden. “You can’t put Indy in the middle of a big city! She hates cities.”

“As I said before, she’ll adjust,” Hayden said grimly before heading out the door. “I have to fly back to L.A. tonight as I have a case on Monday morning. I’ll let Sam know to make sure Indy has everything packed and moved out by the end of the month. I’ll let you know when the final payment for the ranch has been made and make sure it is deposited into your accounts.”

Chapter 2

“Indy, are you sure about this?” Sam Whitewater asked for the third time as he handed her another pack. “Winter is still upon us and it can be brutal out there. What if we get a late winter storm?”

Indy ignored Sam for a moment as she clinched the ties onto the packs she had loaded on Khula. She had enough gear to last her a couple months if she was careful. The air was still frigid from the snow that fell last night. It had been a light dusting though and shouldn’t hold her up. The horses and dogs could easily handle it. Staring out at the mountains to the west she knew her brothers would think she was just being difficult, unreasonable, and immature but she knew differently. When she had read the letter from Hayden last night it had taken everything in her not to call him up just to cuss him out. It wouldn’t make any difference anyway. How did you cuss the devil out? He just enjoyed your pain.

“Sam, I’ll come by your place sometime in early spring to visit and resupply. I know how to survive in the mountains so don’t worry. I had the best teacher after all,” Indy said with a slight curve to her lips.

“You’re damn right you did. Now you make me wish I hadn’t taught you so well,” Sam replied sadly. “Your brothers do not understand your heart. Hayden would never have demanded you move to the city if he did.”

Indy had shown Sam and his wife, Claire, the letter she received. Hayden had gone before a judge and had a court order giving him guardianship of Indy until she was twenty-five on the basis she was unable to make clear, rational decisions ensuring her mental and physical health and finances. She had been ordered to live with him at his L.A. home until further notice. A certified copy delivered by the local sheriff along with an airline ticket had been enclosed. In addition, the document stated any livestock or animals were to be placed in the care of new owners of the Wild Ranch until further notice by her guardian.

Indy stared out at the mountains for another moment before she called out to Chester and Tweed. Pulling her gloves on tighter and securing her hat, she mounted Midnight. She reached down taking the lead rope for Khula that Sam held out.

She looked down at Sam with a sad smile. “I would rather live in the mountains for the next couple of months to a year before I live in a city. Hayden might cause a fuss but they won’t find me. I’ll be moving around a lot so don’t bother trying to look for me. This way if Hayden asks you don’t know anything,” Indy said quietly looking at the man who understood her better than her own family.

Sam observed the young woman sitting up on the solid black horse with a mixture of sorrow and respect. She had chosen a hard path most men couldn’t survive. He knew she could. She had been raised to be a part of the land and would die anywhere else.

Lifting a beaded necklace from around his neck, he handed it to Indy. “Okoblaya icimani. Peaceful journey, little one.”

Indy grasped the necklace tightly in her fist before sliding it into her pocket. “Wowahwa. Atewaye ki,” Indy replied with a tight smile.

With a click of her heels, Indy moved off slowly heading for the mountains loaming far to the west. She knew she could die but figured she had a choice this way. She could die on the land she loved, doing what she was born to do or let her spirit die a slower, more painful death at the hands of her brother in a city. She had a much better chance of surviving in the mountains.

*.*.*

It had taken her two days to reach the mountains. She had to keep moving using as many different methods as possible so she couldn’t be tracked. She had headed out through the lower cattle pastures first making sure her tracks were mixed in with those of the cattle. It hadn’t snowed again so she couldn’t use it to help her. Once she was near, she moved along the river where the ground was harder and didn’t leave any tracks. She crossed over the river and headed up the mountain following little used trails Sam had taught her about when she was little. There were a number of caves and shallow rock overhangs she could use for shelter in the higher regions. She would head north now. There was a huge ranch on the other side of the mountain range. Maybe she could hire on as a cowpuncher in the spring. If she kept a low profile she should be alright. By then, Hayden should have given up looking for her.

The snow had gotten deeper as she moved further up and light snow flurries mixed. Tweed and Chester ran ahead bouncing up and down. If it became too difficult for them she would have to make a sled to pull them on. For now though, they acted like the two year old Australian Cattle dogs they were.

Days turned into weeks and before Indy knew it almost a month had passed. It was getting to be late March. She was close to a hundred miles from her grandfather’s ranch from her calculations. She had had to stop a few times for several days as late winter storms blew through the upper elevations. Luckily, she had purchased specialized camping gear several years ago made just for the cold Wyoming winters. The arctic tent and sheet metal stove had kept her, Tweed and Chester nice and warm. She had extra tarps she had strung up to make a portal lean-to for the horses. She had supplemented her food supplies with small animals she had trapped or the dogs had run down. The first two weeks had been the worst. She had heard the sound of planes making a criss-crossing pattern and knew Hayden had discovered her missing. She had had to move mostly at night during that time until she moved out of their search field. Once, she heard dogs far off in the distance. She had put Tweed and Chester up onto Midnight and Khula and used a small stream to help hide their scent. After the third week she figured she was far enough to be safe and had been able to gain more ground during the daylight hours.

It wasn’t until she reached Spirit Pass that she felt totally safe. Sam had told Indy about it when she was little. He had brought her up here only once and told her of the legend of Spirit Pass. It is said those who travel through the sacred ground would complete a journey that would change their lives. When Indy asked what type of journey Sam had told her he once had traveled through the pass only to find himself in another world. There he had met Claire and fallen in love. This world had been a dangerous world for red man and white man did not like each other.  Claire had been traveling with her family when her parents and little brother had taken ill. Her parents had died leaving Claire and her little brother alone. Sam had come upon them lost and alone on the other side of the mountains. He had helped Claire nurse her brother back to health. Claire and Sam had fallen in love and Sam had convinced Claire to come back with him over the mountains where he owned the ranch next to her grandfather. Indy had always liked Claire. She had always acted like a second mother to Indy teaching her stuff like how to cook using ingredients not found in a box. Those lessons had come in very handy over the last couple of weeks.

“Come on guys. Once we get through the pass we should be safe. We’ll head down to the lower elevations where it shouldn’t be so cold. Maybe we can find work on a ranch,” Indy said suddenly excited. Tweed and Chester wagged their tails as if to agree and took off ahead.

Laughing, Indy nudged Midnight on with Khula following behind. The cut through the pass was long and narrow. Indy looked up as small rocks and bits of snow fell off the sides. She vaguely wondered what world she would end up in. She hoped it was one with wide open spaces, no big cities, and no big brothers. The air around her seemed to swirl and a cold shiver ran down her spine as she passed the halfway mark. Turning on Midnight’s back, Indy looked behind her. She was surprised to see a mist of snow so thick she couldn’t see the entrance to the pass. Shrugging her shoulders, she turned back around and focused on the path ahead of her. Yeah, she thought to herself, it would be nice to find a world where she could be who she was and not have to worry about her brothers anymore.

Indy made good time after she made it through the pass down to the lower elevation. She stopped on a ridge about half way down to take a break and give the horses and dogs time to rest. She sat on the ledge looking out over the valley below. It was beautiful. There were patches of snow dotting the landscape and probably a hundred head or more of cattle grazing.

She would make camp down near the timberline and scoped things out before she approached the ranch. She wanted to make sure it was safe. She hoped her brothers hadn’t sent notices out to all the ranches. She decided she would take it slow and see if she could find a cowpuncher or two alone. She would approach them and make polite conversation checking to see if they said anything. If they didn’t, she would see if there were any positions open. If they did say something or acted strange she would head back up into the mountains to hide.

Chapter 3

Indy set up her tent and just a top covering for the horses’ lean-to. It was warmer down here and she could keep their blankets on them to help them keep warm at night. She spent the next three days enjoying the peace and quiet of the woods. She took the opportunity to wash some of her clothes out in the nearby river bed and even warmed up enough water to take a nice shower using the portable solar shower she had. It felt good to wash her hair out and feel clean again.

“Come on boys; let’s go see if we can find us any cowpunchers to talk too,” Indy said as she saddled Midnight. She looped the lead rope over Khula’s neck knowing the mare would follow Midnight anywhere.

Riding down to the lower region she was almost to the stream crossing over to the cattle when she heard gunfire. Pulling in the reins, she listened carefully as the gunfire continued. Moving across the stream to a rise, she slipped off Midnight’s back and motion for the dogs to lie down. Pulling out a pair of binoculars from a saddle bag, she laid down on the cold ground and looked to see what was going on. It was downright stupid to be shooting guns around that many cattle. It wouldn’t take much to start a stampede.

Indy watched as three men on horseback charged at another two who had been sitting around a fire under one of the few trees dotting the landscape. One of the men on horseback fired a pistol hitting the older man in the chest.

Oh shit, Indy thought stunned.

The younger man who had been sitting moved to grab the injured man and dragged him behind the tree firing his own gun at the masked man on horseback who had fired. Indy turned her binoculars towards the other two men on horseback. They were trying to herd the cattle up. Rustlers? In broad daylight? That took some balls. Swinging her binoculars back to the two men who had been sitting under the tree she could tell they were in a world of hurt. There was no way this wasn’t for real from the bark flying from the tree and the blood on the ground.

Getting up, Indy motioned for the dogs to go after the cattle.  “Round ‘em up, boys,” she said grimly.

Indy swung up onto Midnight’s back and pulled her Ruger semi-automatic rifle from her saddle. Laying it across her lap, she kicked Midnight into a full run knowing Khula would be right behind her. Charging at the masked man shooting at the two men behind the tree, she stood up in the stirrups to get a steadier ride clutching the saddle with her knees to keep her balance. Raising the rifle, she let out a series of shots close enough in front of him to let him know she meant business. The masked man on the horse swung around startled to find someone shooting at him from behind. The younger man behind the tree took advantage of the rustler’s sudden distraction, stepping out from behind the tree and firing a shot that hit the man in the arm causing him to drop his gun. The masked gunman yelled out in pain clutching his wounded arm against his chest. Unarmed now, the man pulled back on the reins and headed after the other two men who had tried to take the cattle. He rode through the herd which was heading back towards the camp, the two dogs barking and nipping at their heels.

Indy pulled her jacket up higher around her neck and pulled her hat further down. She needed to check on the two cowpunchers to make sure they were okay but didn’t want to take the chance of them recognizing her. She would play it safe for now by keeping her face covered as much as she could. Hopefully if her brothers put out posters looking for her they didn’t include anything about her traveling companions.

Midnight slowed to a walk with Khula right on his hind quarters as Indy approached the tree. The last thing she wanted was to get shot. Stowing her rifle back into the gun harness attached to her saddle she held up her hands to show she was unarmed.

“That’s far enough,” a young voice called out from behind the tree.

“I’m unarmed. I just wanted to make sure you two cowpunchers were okay,” Indy called out trying to deepen her voice. “Looked like one of you might have been hurt.”

A gruff voice murmured something to the younger man. “Get down off your horse and keep your hands up,” the younger man called out.

Indy slowly lowered her hands long enough to get down without falling before raising them again and taking a step towards the young man.

“Do you need some help?” Indy asked.

A young boy of about fourteen slowly emerged from behind the tree. He looked scared and the gun in his hands shook as he pointed it towards Indy’s chest. He took a deep breath as he studied Indy for a moment.

“Jake took a bullet to the shoulder. You know anything about bullets?” The boy asked.

Indy tried not to smile. “I know if you keep pointing that gun at me I might be learning more about them then I want too.”

The boy flushed as he lowered the pistol in his hand. “Sorry about that. Didn’t know if you were with them others or not.”

“Not, is the correct answer,” Indy said. “Let me take a look at your friend. The boys will bring your cattle back.” Indy walked slowly towards the boy and around the tree where she saw an older man in maybe his early fifties leaning up against the tree. Blood soaked one shoulder and he held a gun in his other hand.

“Hey, looks like you’ve had a rotten morning,” Indy said huskily. Bending down, she carefully looked at the man’s shoulder.

“Hell, that’s an understatement if I ever heard one,” Jake replied in a deep, pain-filled voice.

“Looks like the bullet went all the way through. I’ve got some first aid stuff to patch you up with until we can get you to a doctor,” Indy said rising and moving to the pack on Midnight.

“Did you know any of those men who came at you?” Indy asked as she gently unbuttoned Jake’s shirt.

Pushing the shirt down, Indy cleaned the area around the wound carefully before pulling out a bottle of Novocain and a small syringe with a hypodermic needle attached. Filling the needle with a small amount, she gently numbed the area on the front and the back so she could sew up the wound. Taking an extra fine needle she wiped it with an alcohol swab before threading it with stitching thread. Sam had taught her how to take care of cuts and other wounds while out on the range. Most time if you were going to get hurt there wouldn’t be a doctor around so it was common sense to learn advanced first aid. Indy had taken it a step further and had gone to college for nursing. She had finished her bachelor’s degree in a record two years because she hated being away from home for so long.

She quickly sewed up both wounds and wiped it down with another alcohol swab. Cleaning up the used material she walked over to the fire and dumped everything but the hypodermic needle into it. She would put it in a container to depose of later.

“Shit, I didn’t feel a thing but a few pinches after you stuck me with that needle. What the hell did you do?” Jake asked in astonishment.

Indy laughed. “I thought you might prefer a less painful way of getting stitched up. I could have opted for the old fashion stick between the teeth and hope you passed out if you would have preferred.”

“Hell, no,” Jake grumbled. “My name’s Jake Turner. The boy here is Calhoun Tanner. We’re much obliged for your help.”

“No problem. I’m Indy.” Indy looked over to see if there was a flash of recognition on either man’s face. Not seeing anything she turned to look out over the cattle. Tweed and Chester were barking madly pushing the cattle into a tight circle. Letting out a loud whistle both dogs stopped and looked towards her. With a flick of her hand both dogs trotted away from the cattle and moved towards her.

“Cal, you did a good job. I owe you my life pulling me out of the line of fire,” Jake growled out.

Cal turned red at the old man’s compliment. “Thanks, Jake. I hit one of ‘em, the one that shot you. I hit him.”

“Know you did, boy. Good shooting. Boss men will be proud of you,” Jake said. “Those are some dogs of yours. You train them?”

“Yes, sir. The one with the black patch around his eye is Tweed. The one with the brown face is called Chester. I’ve had both of them since they were born. They are the best cattle dogs in the country.” Indy knew that for a fact after the last rounding competition she had participated in a year ago when they had still been pups.

“The boss men are always looking for new hands. You need a job or you passing through?” Jake asked curiously looking a little closer at the kid in front of him. It was hard to see the kid’s face as he kept it turned slightly away and had his hat pulled down and collar pulled up. He didn’t look much older than Cal did. Still soft in the face like Cal was.

“Looking for a job. You think your boss men will hire me and the boys on?” Indy asked nodding towards Tweed and Chester.

“Hell yeah after what you saved them today. Those thieving butchers would have killed the two of us and took damn near a hundred head of cattle if it hadn’t been for you.” Jake spit into the dirt next to the tree.

“I’ve got to break camp. I can be back before nightfall if you think you can get me a job. This way it will also even out the odds if those men decide to come back,” Indy said rising and moving towards Midnight.

“You wanted by the law, boy?” Jake asked suddenly watching Indy carefully.

Indy jerked to a stop not turning around. “Maybe.” Indy turned around to look Jake in the eye. She never lied if she could help it and she wasn’t about to start because of her brothers. “I don’t lie, steal, or hurt other people. I just want to be left alone. There are some men looking for me I would prefer didn’t find me. Why they are looking is between me and them. If you have a problem with that I’ll head out now and keep going.”

Jake studied Indy for a moment seeing the truth and pride in her stance. He believed she didn’t lie, steal or hurt other people, not after the help she had been to them. He was of the mind if it wasn’t any of his business he stayed out of it. He just didn’t want to make a mistake that would cost his bosses.

“I don’t have any problems. Go get your stuff,” Jake replied with a nod.

Indy let out the breath she had been holding. She meant what she had said. If Jake had had a problem she would have gotten on Midnight and left never to return. Now she was riding back to break camp. She knew instinctively she could trust Jake and Cal. They were good men.

It didn’t take Indy long to break camp as she had been doing it so much over the past month or so. In no time at all she was heading back down the trail out of the timberline and towards the camp by the tree. It was just getting dark when she rode up. Cal was riding around the herd making sure they were okay. He nodded as Indy rode by followed by her band of misfits. Pulling up near the fire Indy slid from the saddle. She moved with quick efficient steps pulling her remaining supplies off of Khula’s back and removing the lead rope. Next, she pulled her saddle and bridle off of Midnight. Giving them both a hand signal she watched as they moved off to join the cattle and graze.

“You train them too?” Jake asked as he stirred a thick stew in a pot over the fire with one hand. He had the other in a sling.

“Yes. I have something that will help you with the pain if you like,” Indy said reaching for her saddlebag. She had noticed the tight lines of pain around Jake’s mouth as he moved. She removed a couple of tablets holding them out for Jake. “They won’t make you sleepy or anything, just cut the pain. You’ll feel a difference in about fifteen to thirty minutes.”

Jake took the two green gel tablets looking at them with a puzzled expression on his face. He didn’t question Indy about them though he looked like he would have liked too. He swallowed both of them down with a swig of water from his canteen.

“How’d you learn so much about doctoring?” Jake asked.

“School and a friend,” Indy replied shortly not wanting to say too much. “Tell me about the ranch and who you work for. You said boss men. How many own the ranch?”

Jake swallowed back the grin. He could tell an evasive move when he saw one. The lad didn’t want to talk about his self. “Twin Rivers is the name of the ranch. It’s owned by twin brothers, Jacob and Jonathon Tucker. They mostly raise horses but keep a nice stock of cattle for their own food supply. They have one of the largest ranches in the area.”

“How many men do they employ?” Indy asked pouring a cup of coffee into a cup. She wrapped her gloved hands around it for warmth. It had cooled off considerably after the sun went down. 

“About fifty at any given time. Sometimes more, sometimes less. It’s hard to find good help out here. Most men are either passing through, looking to make a little money, or not cut out for the life,” Jake said scooping up a bowl of thick stew and handing it to Indy.

Both of them turned when they heard Cal ride up. He quickly dismounted and pulled his saddle off. “Smells good, Jake. How you feelin’?” Cal asked as he grabbed a bowl and filled it with stew.

Jake looked up in surprise at Indy. “Good. Damn lad, those pills you gave me took the pain away like you said. If’n I didn’t know better I would never have guessed I’d been shot this morning.”

Indy just grinned before taking another bit of the stew. She hadn’t missed the use of the word ‘lad’ again. Maybe his thinking her a boy would help her establish herself and give her time to make sure she was safe. “You said the Tuckers raise mostly horses. What type of horses?”

“Mostly mustangs for the army and local ranches. They have a few race horses too they breed and send back east,” Jake replied. He gave out a loud belch.

Indy smothered a grin. She remembered having belching contests with Sam’s boys. She never seemed to win as she could never eat as much as they did. They used to call her runt because they all towered over her. Sam was tall for a Sioux. He stood at six foot one. All his boys were at least six two or three. Claire used to say it was from all the milk they used to drink. Indy’s own five foot four was not nearly as impressive. She was small boned on top of that and it made her seem even smaller than she was. She had inherited her mother’s features. She had large dark green eyes framed by dark lashes. Her face was heart-shaped leading to the impression she was more feminine than she really was. She had braided and covered her light brown hair with streaks of sun-bleached blonde with a black bandana before covering that with her large Stetson. Her figure was hidden in layers of clothing. She wore a pair of light-weight long johns covered by her jeans and a pair of leather chaps. Her dark brown coat covered her almost to her knees and had a thick wool lining. She finished out her outfit with a thick scarf she kept tucked into the collar of her coat. She probably looked about the same age as Cal did.

Cal looked at Indy then at Jake. “Do you think those men will be back tonight, Jake?”

“Might, though I doubt it,” Jake scratched his chin, the whiskers making a sound similar to someone rubbing sandpaper on a piece of wood. “Might want to take turns keeping watch.”

Indy nodded. “Jake, why don’t you take the first watch? Cal, I’ll take the second if you don’t mind. The boys will help out as well. I’ll set them to making rounds and keeping an ear out.” Indy looked over at Tweed and Chester, with a flip of her hand they took off like ghosts in the night.

Cal looked at Indy in awe. “How’d you do that?”

“I trained them to protect me as well as the cattle. I studied guard dog training videos and read books then spent hours and hours working with them on hand signals. Not all dogs are as good as those two. The boys and I have been together since they were born so there is a large amount of trust built in to our relationship,” Indy replied. It was a shame that same thing couldn’t have been said about her own brothers, she thought sadly.

Jake poured the remains of his cup into the fire. “You two get some shut-eye. I’ll wake you at midnight, Indy.”

Indy nodded. She cleaned up the dirty dishes before stacking them neatly back into the box next to the tree. Pulling her sleeping bag out, she laid it near the fire. She would leave her boots on tonight. She didn’t need any surprise visitors in them when she went to put them on. Unzipping the thick bag, she pulled her coat off and rolled it up to use as a pillow before she slid in and zipped it back up. She hadn’t realized Cal was watching her with wide eyes until she had laid back down.

“What type of bed roll is that?” He asked looking at her thick sleeping bag before glancing down at his thin wool blanket.

“It’s a thermal sleeping bag designed especially for cold weather country. I can zip myself in this puppy and stay warm in sub-zero temperatures if I had too. Bad part is getting out of it. It keeps you so warm you don’t want to get up in the morning,” Indy said. “It also has a little extra padding so you don’t feel the ground as much.” She couldn’t help adding with a grin before rolling over. She might be a softy but she had learned a long time ago never to give up her sleeping bag.

Jake woke Indy up at midnight eyeing her sleeping bag with envy as he threw another log on the fire. Indy unzipped the bag and softly whistled for Midnight. The black horse was impossible to see at night. A moment later the sound of hooves appeared. Indy quickly saddled Midnight and led him out of the firelight before mounting him. She rode down toward the stream first to take care of her personal business. One thing she desperately missed about home was indoor plumbing. She would kill for a hot soak in a tub and a real toilet. She spent the next four hours making rounds. She motioned for Tweed and Chester to return to camp to stay near the men. If she was right, the two dogs would snuggle up to each one of them. They loved to snuggle with her at night. At four she woke Cal to take over and crawled back into her sleeping bag. Chester quickly resumed his snuggling duty next to her since he lost his.

Indy rose early the next morning. She was just coming back from the stream again when she heard the sound of horses approaching. She pulled her toiletry bag closer to her and felt for the nine millimeter fully automatic pistol she kept under her coat. She quickly motioned for the dogs to go on alert. If they were expecting trouble she would need the element of surprise. When she topped the rise she could see a group of about six men. One of the men climbed down off his horse and shook hands with Jake and clapped Cal on the back. It looked like the men knew each other. Indy rose and slid the nine millimeter handgun back into its hoister. Pulling her hat further down to cover her face and pulling up her scarf so the lower half of her face was covered fairly well she moved cautiously towards the group of men now standing around the fire.

 Jonathan Tucker watched as the small figure moved slowly towards them. He had listened as Jake and Cal had told them about how this lad named Indy had come riding in firing his rifle while the kid’s dogs had gone after the other two men and rounded up the cattle they had tried to steal, then patched Jake up better than the doc from town. He couldn’t see the kid’s face because of the way the kid was wearing his hat and coat. Jake had said the kid was looking for employment and the Twin Rivers would be getting a deal between the kid and the dogs.

Indy glanced warily at the men giving them a brief nod before moving over to her saddle bags and tucking her toiletry bag away. She knew she was being rude but after having been in hiding for so long she didn’t feel comfortable around so many people. The man standing near Jake took her breath away. His dark hair and chiseled features made her think of dark nights and steamy beds. Shaking her head lightly at her bemusing thoughts, Indy wondered if she was about to lose her mind from being out on the range for so long. Turning, she gave a silent motion with her hand to Tweed and Chester. A few moments later, Midnight and Khula were walking slowly towards her following by the two dogs.

“Boss, this here is Indy, the lad I told you about. Those two bringing up the horses are Tweed and Chester. Best damn cattle dogs I’ve ever seen,” Jake said spitting.

Jonathan had watched as the lad had walked right by them with barely any acknowledgement. It had surprised him as most boys his age usually wouldn’t shut up, especially if they wanted a job working for the Twin Rivers. He watched closely as the boy barely moved his hand giving the two dogs a signal. The two dogs sitting next to him immediately took off. His eyes widened when a few moments later the lad looked over towards the two horses moving towards him. Another slight hand movement had the horses standing still and the dogs returning to their spot behind him.

“Nice trick,” Jonathan said waiting for the lad’s reaction to him noticing the signals.

“Not a trick, training,” came the calm, husky reply.

Jonathan felt a shiver run down his spine at the husky voice. His eyes narrowed as he studied what little he could see of the kid’s face. It was baby smooth with lush pink lips and a small nose. He let his gaze wonder further down but couldn’t see much under the thick coat and chaps. He felt a stirring of his body. He frowned. What was he thinking? It had been a long time since he had been with a woman so he could understand having a reaction like this to a woman but for a boy? He scowled as his eyes moved back up to the boy’s face. Dark green eyes narrowed on his as he jerked his eyes back up.

“Nice training,” Jonathan corrected. “Jake says you’re interested in working for the Twin Rivers.”

Slim shoulders barely moved in a shrug, “Yes,” came the short reply.

“You old enough to be working? Last thing I need is your ma to come looking for you,” Jonathan replied beginning to get irritated with the lad’s attitude.

“I’m old enough to shave. And for your information, my ma is dead. So’s my pa,” came the short response.

“Sorry to hear that,” Jonathan said.

Again, the slim shoulders shrugged drawing Jonathan’s attention to the figure hidden under the thick coat. Jonathan turned before he said something he knew he would regret. He needed to pay a visit to the brothel in town if he was having reactions like this to some smooth faced kid. It had definitely been too long.

“Jake, I want you to head back to the ranch house and have doc take a look at your shoulder. Indy, you’re hired. You’ll stay here with Cal, Levi, and Duke. I want you to bring the cattle to the pasture closer to the homestead.” With a nod of dismissal he turned toward his horse.

Indy let out a sigh of relief as she watched her new boss and two other men ride away. She felt good about her act. She could tell he misinterpreted her comment about shaving. He didn’t have to know she was talking about her legs and not her face. If she could keep out of everyone’s way and keep a low profile she didn’t have to correct their views on her, at least not at first. She didn’t owe anyone anything as far as she was concerned except a full day’s worth of work. Moving quickly, she saddled Midnight and motioned for the dogs to follow her. She wanted to put as much space between her and the other cowpunchers as possible.

Chapter 4

Indy spent the next three weeks out on the range. At times it was tough. Since she was a girl she couldn’t just whip it out and go like the guys did. She also liked to bathe more than they did. So she had taken to leaving early or coming back late. She used Tweed and Chester as an alarm system to let her know if anyone was around. There had been a couple of times when she had almost gotten caught. She knew she would have to do something when it came time to return to the ranch. There was no way she was going to stay in the bunkhouse. For one thing, all the men seemed to take great pleasure in releasing gas from both ends of their body. While accustomed to working with ranch hands and being around Sam’s boys, these guys seemed to take it to a new level of competing with each other to see who could be the most obnoxious. Even Cal had joined in after the first night. Indy had quickly taken to building a camp away from the others saying it was better for the dogs to be alert for danger.

The weather had started to warm up a little more as it moved into the middle of April. Indy still hadn’t seen the ranch house yet. Jake had come out once to let her know he had healed up right pretty and the doc wanted to meet the lad who had done such a fine job of sewing him up. Indy had talked with Jake for a while before he had headed back to the ranch.

It was about mid-day two days later when Indy heard her name. Turning in her saddle she watched as Jake rode up again. She turned Midnight around to let him know she had heard him.

“Indy, boss man says to come in,” Jake said pushing his hat up onto his forehead.

“What for?” Indy asked. She hoped it wasn’t to fire her. She liked the job even if she had trouble with the overabundance of gas the men put out.

Jake spit before answering, “Seems Jacob is bringing in a herd of mustangs and they need some help with them. Things are quiet out here. Trace and Butler can handle the cattle.”

“Need to pack my stuff up,” Indy said nodding towards her camp.

Jake looked in surprise. “What you doing camping out here by yourself?”

“I’m not by myself. I have the boys. I prefer their snoring to the gas geysers going off with Trace and Butler,” Indy said as she turned Midnight towards her camp. With a whistle, Khula and the dogs followed.

Jake and Indy were heading back to the ranch within the hour. It took them half a day to get there and it was getting dark as they rode into the yard.

“You must have left right at first light. I didn’t realize we were still so far out,” Indy murmured softly looking at the ranch house in awe. It was huge! Even bigger than her grandfather’s house. It had a large wrap-around porch with plenty of windows.

“Wow. Some house,” Indy said staring.

“Yeah, pain in the ass if you ask me. Jacob and Jonathan’s folks built it. They wanted a place big enough to entertain. Their ma was from a rich family back east used to big houses, hard to heat during the winter months if you ask me,” Jake said spitting again. He groaned as he got down off his horse. “I’m getting too old for those long rides,” he muttered under his breath.

“Where will I be staying?” Indy asked getting down.

“No room in the bunkhouse. Boss man said you can stay in the old cabin near the river. Needs some work but he figured if you wanted to stay there you could do it. If not, he said the barn would have to do until a space was freed up. Since you was the last hired you don’t get much choice.”

“Why don’t any of the other men want the old cabin?” Indy asked curiously. If she had a choice of staying in a smelly, overcrowded bunkhouse or have a place of her own she would choose a place of her own.

“None of them want to waste time fixing it up. They would rather be going to town on their time off to spend it with the ladies,” Jake said with a grin.

“Oh. Well, my luck then,” Indy said. “Which way to the cabin and when should I report to duty?”

“Cabin is down that trail about a quarter mile. Rivers not very big but has been known to flood a time or two. Cabin is up high enough though it usually just gets water to the steps. Boss man wanted to give you time since you ain’t had none off to work on it. He had a couple of the men deliver some materials down there yesterday figuring you might prefer it to the barn. Jacob is supposed to be in with the horses in about three days. That’s when we’ll need you.”

 Indy nodded. So she had three days to get the cabin fixed up which shouldn’t be problem as long as it wasn’t too bad. She wondered if it had a tub or a shower. She really didn’t care as long as it had a real toilet. She thanked Jake for his help and told him she would be back up at the barn at sunrise three days from now. Mounting Midnight again, she turned the horses towards the narrow road Jake had pointed towards and rode off.

*.*.*

By the middle of the first day Indy was thinking Jake needed to clarify what ‘some work’ meant. She had spent the better part of the first night just cleaning out all the local inhabitants who had moved in which included a family of raccoons and mice, in addition to all the ugly bugs. Chester had even found the remains of a rattlesnake that hadn’t survived the frigid temperatures of winter. Indy was just glad it was dead. She ended up tossing what was left of the mattress outside and built a bonfire with it to help light up the night so she could see. After setting up her sleeping bag in the finally clean cabin she fell into an exhausted sleep. The next morning she took a survey of what all needed to be done. First, there was no tub, no shower, no toilet because there was no bathroom or indoor plumbing! She had screamed out her frustration for a good ten minutes. The cabin consisted of one room. The kitchen consisted of a long shelf with what looked like a wash tub and hand pump along with more shelves above it and an old wood burning stove. The dining room consisted of two rickety chairs around a small rough wood table set in the middle of the room. The bedroom consisted of an old wash stand, a charming chamber pot, and a rope bed that looked more like a medieval torture chamber rack along one wall.

Indy finished cleaning the sparse area inside until it shone before she moved to look at the outside. The roof needed repair in several places. As she moved around to the back she noticed an outhouse that was leaning slightly. Moving over to it, she carefully opened the door and peeked inside. A wooden seat with a hole cut out of the center greeted her. Indy closed the door and pushed gently on the small structure. It didn’t move at all. It must have settled into the ground after one of the floods. Well, at least she had a toilet of sorts instead of a pot to piss in. Beside the house was a small enclosed area with some of the fencing missing and an old double stall lean-to. Midnight looked up as Indy walked around the structure testing it for weaknesses. He whinnied softly when she shook her head in dismay. It needed a new roof as well but seemed to be sound otherwise.

“I know, boy. Not like home is it? Guess we’ll just have to make a new home for you. Custom built by Indy Wild,” she said petting his head as he leaned over her shoulder.

“Well, daylights wasting. Guess I’d better get busy,” Indy said moving towards the little cabin.

The weather had become unexpectedly warm for an April day and Indy knew it was only going to get warmer as she worked. Changing out of her jeans into a pair of low-cut tan shorts and pulling on a sports bra and a button up shirt she changed into a pair of tennis shoes. They had a better grip than her boots and would have to do. Pulling her long hair into a ponytail on top of her head she pulled out her iPod touch and a set of ear buds. She had bought one of those new cases that used solar to charge it. It had been a life saver over the last couple of months as she liked to listen to music or read one of the many ebooks she had downloaded before her escape. It helped to fight the loneliness too. Setting her iPod to shuffle the music, she cranked up the volume as she tied a small fabric utility belt with pockets around her waist and knotted the shirt under her breasts. She was ready to do some serious damage.

*.*.*

Jacob Tucker was never as glad as he was now when he caught sight of the main house. He had ridden ahead to make sure everything was ready. He had left his foreman, Ed Rawlings, to finish bringing in the herd. He had been on the trail for the past six weeks and was ready for a hot bath and a decent meal. Right now, he would take the hot bath. He smelt like horse, smoke, and sweat. Pulling up in front of the barn, he dismounted.

“Hey, boss man, didn’t expect you back for another two days,” Jake said coming out of the barn. “I’ll take Roam if you like.”

“Thanks, Jake, appreciate it. Hell, it’s good to be back,” Jacob said as he moved toward the huge ranch house.

“Jacob, welcome back. We weren’t expecting you for another couple of days,” Jonathan said meeting Jacob before he even had a chance to put his foot on the first step.

It was almost impossible to tell the two apart when they were cleaned up. Six foot two, with broad muscular shoulders built from years of hard work had given them hard bodies the women liked. Jonathan and Jacob couldn’t go to town without the women flouting their daughters and sometimes themselves before them trying to catch one of the bachelor brothers’ eyes. They both had dark blue eyes and dark brown hair that hung almost to their shoulders. The only difference was Jacob had a slight scar above his left eye from a fight a few years back. They often liked to use their close looks to sample different women. If one liked a woman, he might see if the other did and vice-versa. At that moment though, they looked nothing alike. Jacob was covered in filth from the long ride and had a couple days growth of beard on his face not to mention his hair was down below his shoulders.

“Looks like you could use a bath. Come on in and I’ll get Wally to prepare you one.” Wally was a Chinaman they had found in the back alley a few years back. He had been drunker than a skunk and smelt like one too. He had come out to work on the railroad and didn’t like it. He had been beaten pretty badly by the time Jacob and Jonathan stumbled upon him while taking a leak out the back of the saloon in town. They had brought him home and Wally had been with them ever since.

“Wally, can you draw a bath for Jacob here?” Jonathan called out.

“Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Welcome home Mr. Jacob. Wally, have you bath in no time,” Wally said as he moved with lightening quick reflexes to pull out a huge cooper tub into the middle of the kitchen. In a matter of minutes, Jacob was lowering himself into the steaming tub with a groan.

“Damn, that feels good,” Jacob said as he leaned back.

Jonathan sat at the table. “How did it go?”

“Great. All the ponies made the journey, I have a signed contract with the army to supply them with a hundred and fifty trained horses by the end of the summer, and I got laid while I was in Jackson,” Jacob said with a grin.

“Shit. Was she good?” Jonathan asked rubbing his crotch. Damn, it had been the better part of six months since he had gotten laid. He didn’t like visiting the local brothel but he just might have too before too long.

“Good enough,” Jacob replied before dunking his head under the water. He washed it and then leaned back as Wally cut it for him and gave him a shave.

“Do you think it is possible to train a hundred and fifty horses by the end of the summer? That doesn’t give us much time. They wouldn’t agree to sign unless I could promise it,” Jacob asked looking over at Jonathan.

“We have at least five of us who can do the training, six if you count the new kid,” Jonathan replied pouring a glass of whisky for himself and Jacob.

“What new kid?” Jacob asked reaching for the glass of amber liquid. Damn, but it was good to be home.

“Some kid traveling through. He looks like he’s about fourteen maybe fifteen. He has a real attitude problem. Anyway, some rustlers shot at Jake and Cal while they were watching the cattle out near the timberline. Jake took a bullet to the shoulder but Cal was able to hit one of the guys. This kid comes riding up shooting at the rustler taking shots at Cal and Jake while two of the other rustlers try to take off with the cattle. Only thing is, the kid has these two cattle dogs he has trained go after the men and the cattle. Before long according to Jake and Cal, the kid has Jake patched up better than the doc could do, with no pain, and his dogs have all the cattle back,” Jonathan said before taking a drink.

“You don’t think it was a setup do you?” Jacob asked looking at his brother.

“No. I watched as the kid gave out the signals. Kid has his horses trained too. I watched as he controlled them with just hand movements. When I commented on it the kid gave me an attitude. Anyway, he’s been out for the past four weeks with the herd. Every cowpuncher I sent out there came back with the same story. The kid and his dogs keep the herd in place and the kid knows what he is doing. I kept him out there for so long to see how he’d handle it. He made his own camp away from the others claiming it was better for the dogs but never complained. Jake said he didn’t even seem in that big a hurry to come it yesterday.” Jonathan looked out the window before grinning.

“I told Jake to tell him the bunkhouse was full and he had to stay either down at the old cabin or in the barn. Last night there was one hell of a fire down there. I could see it from my bedroom window and this morning I swear I heard some cussing before the hammering started.  That should give the kid a little bit of an attitude adjustment,” Jonathan commented, finished his drink with a laugh.

Jonathan didn’t want to admit he was trying to keep the kid as far away from him as he could. He didn’t understand why just thinking of the kid did things to his body he had never felt before, not even for the experienced women in town. It worried him and he didn’t know how to handle it.

“Damn but you have a mean streak in you,” Jacob said getting out of the tub and wrapping a towel around him. Wally set a hot plate of food down on the table in front of Jacob. The men spent the next half hour talking about the army deal they had signed.

*.*.*

Jake felt sorry for Indy. The kid had been good through all the trials the boss man had set up for the kid. He knew what the boss man was doing when he had changed out all the men except the kid. Seldom did the boss man make any of the men stay out on the range for more than a week at a time. He also knew for a fact there was plenty of room in the bunkhouse for the kid. He had felt guilty as hell for lying to Indy but he had his orders. Jake had been listening to the non-stop hammering all morning. He figured Indy probably hadn’t had anything to eat last night or this morning so he fixed a couple of biscuits with bacon to take down. He would even see if the kid needed any help with the repairs.

Walking down the road he rounded the bend and froze staring up at the roof in disbelief, the plate of biscuits and bacon falling from his numb fingers. Moving backwards, he didn’t take his eyes off the figure standing on the roof until he almost fell in a rut in the road. Turning quickly, he practically ran all the way back to the ranch house.

*.*.*

Indy wiped the sweat running down her face on the shirt she was wearing. It was definitely hotter up here than down on the ground. She finally decided if she was going to be out in the sun she might as well work on her tan. Pulling her shirt loose she laid it down on the roof next to her, pulling the bandana off her head to wipe the sweat. She was almost done. Another five rows and the roof on the cabin should be good. At first she had been afraid she would fall through the damn thing in a few places. Now after working on it for the past three hours she could appreciate the workmanship that had gone into the building of the cabin. While it had been neglected for quite some time it was still very solid. Her mind had turned over different options as she worked and she decided if she added on a bathroom it wouldn’t be such a bad place to live. She could add the indoor plumbing. She had helped her granddad add two bathrooms to their old homestead.

 She sang along with the songs as she worked, enjoying the tempo and even doing a little jig or booty shake as she worked. Midnight, Khula, and the dogs were in heaven lying in the sun and enjoying a day off too. Indy was moving to another spot when she had the feeling of being watched. Standing up on the roof, she used on hand to shade her eyes while she looked around letting her eyes traveling the perimeter of the cabin. The dogs were still lazing in the front yard under a tree. Turning, she looked towards the river.

Indy’s eyes widened as she saw a Sioux Indian brave standing on the other side of the river watching her. She could tell he was Sioux from his traditional clothing. If she hadn’t been looking she would have missed him. She frowned a moment wondering what he was looking at. Hadn’t he ever seen a girl working on a roof before?

Probably not, Indy thought after a moment grinning.

Smiling, Indy waved a hand to say hello and returned to her roof. She didn’t have time to waste if she was expected to be back at work day after tomorrow. She still needed to finish the lean-to for the horses and fix the fence. Plus, she wanted to see what she could do about making a mattress for the bed.

*.*.*

Miakoda stood staring in disbelief at the white woman on the roof of the old cabin. He had been traveling through this part of the valley on his way north. He knew the white men who lived here and they did not mind when he travelled through their land. He had been wounded once many years before by a bear and one of the white men named Jacob had saved him, nursing him back to health. Since then, he had moved through their lands with a sense of brotherhood not often found among the white skins. He made camp not far from the river and was hunting when he heard the singing above the loud sounds of the hammer. He had never heard songs like those floating on the wind. When he had followed it to the river he had thought at first it was a water spirit singing until he had looked up and seen the nearly naked white woman working on the roof as if she did it all the time. She seemed unconcern about her state of undress which surprised him. All the white women he had ever seen wore so much clothing he did not know how they moved. It surprised him also that she seemed to sense his presence. When she had stood up, his breath had caught at her beauty. Her hair was pulled back carelessly but the colors seemed to glow in the sun. She wore a small piece of cloth to cover her breasts and the breeches she wore were almost non-existent. When she turned to stare at him, he noticed how she had frown at first looking around. He had thought to hide so as to not scare her off but had not been able to move. When she had looked at him he had been surprised at her lack of fear. The white woman had not been afraid at all. She had smiled at him, raising her hand in welcome before turning back to work on the roof uncaring that a Sioux brave was watching her.

Maikoda pulled back into the woods when he heard the dogs bark. He had not seen them so they must have been in front. He would remain close should the woman need help. He wanted to know more about her.

To Be Continued next month……

Gracie's Touch was a story that kept playing over and over in my mind. The story is about a young girl who had to grow up fast when the Earth is invaded. Fleeing to the subway systems of New York she is found by four men who took her under their protection and they become known as the Freedom Five. Gracie uses her skills to help defeat the invading aliens but it comes at a cost - she loses everything and everyone she has ever known and loved.

This is a touching story of a girl who is willing to risk everything for others and about the one Grand Admiral of the Confederation that not only finds her but falls in love with her. Take a trip and discover that love can happen in the most unexpect places!