Lauren's breath caught in her throat and goose bumps covered her flesh. The man lying on the ground wasn't moving. "Should I call 911?" she asked of the group of men surrounding the body. "I'm afraid it's a little too late for that, Lauren." Chase put his hands in his pockets. "He's already dead.""Who iser, who was he?" "Hank Hardy. He worked for a neighboring ranch. It seems he was thrown from his horse on my property. We still haven't figured it all out, but Mitch and Doc Stevens here, our coroner, will take poor ol' Hank back to town to see if they can put two and two together." He took off his Stetson and slapped the dust off of it on his thigh."Lauren, I presume," the coroner said, nodding at her. "I'm Doc Stevens. Nice to meet you.""Same here." She wrapped her arms around her waist, chilled by the circumstance of meeting him while standing over a dead man. She turned at the sound of the ambulance from Saddle Creek coming up the gravel drive. Getting out of the way, sh

Chase's desire raged painfully though his body. He wanted her. He wanted to feel every inch of Lauren's sweet flesh beneath him yielding, warm, and giving. He wanted to feel her arms slide around his neck as she moaned with the joy of wanting him in return. He wanted to taste her, to consume her, to hear her call out his name as he plunged hard and deep inside her. He wanted to feel her body close around him as he claimed her so completely he would never feel uncertain again.He clutched her close as he savored her kiss. The brown silk of her hair felt cool to his touch as he wound his hands tightly in locks that were as luxurious as the mane on any of his beloved horses. Her mouth was soft and giving as he caressed its intimate hollows with his tongue. He bared her warm breasts, her flesh sweet and fragrant, enticing him to suckle the perky, rigid peaks. Her body quivered as his caresses traveled a steady downward trail, as trembling hands and fumbling fingers ripped away her shirt a

Lauren woke up early. After a restless night she was tempted to stay in bed but wanted to start the day with Chase, talking, over a cup of coffee. She yawned. I can sleep another time. She quickly dressed, brushed her hair, and pulled it back into a ponytail. Then she tiptoed down the staircase. In the kitchen, she poured water into the coffeemaker and pushed the button to start it brewing. Suddenly, she was enveloped by a pair of strong, lightly furred arms. Chase! Her body shivered as she rubbed her cheek against his warm chin."Good morning, babe. Did you sleep well?" he whispered in her ear, then kissed and nuzzled her neck. The warmth of his body pinned her to the counter while softness grew in her heart."Good morning to you, too. I did some tossing and turning." She had reached for him numerous times, only to find the queen-sized bed far too large and cold and empty. "How about you?""I wanted to beat you to the coffee, at least once, but you keep sneaking in here before

Chase had to walk away from Lauren or they'd end up spending the day in bed.He wanted to be in bed with her, but she wasn't a neighborly rancher's granddaughter he was trying to entertain, or some random date for the hell of it. I'm hooked, damn it.He didn't understand his feelings for her and didn't know if he ever would. When near her, he felt like the king of the mountain, savior of the worldSuperman. He groaned. And Lauren was his Kryptonite. She sapped the strength from his body. When she turned her gorgeous green eyes on him, his knees grew weak. He broke out in a sweat when she was anywhere in his vicinity. Just thinking of her left him heaving for air like a racehorse.What was wrong with him? No other woman had such an effect.He reached the stall of the buckskin he was training and led the colt out of the barn and into the round pen. He swung the lead rope above the horse's head like a lariat, sometimes touching the animal's legs, chest, or sides. When the colt no lon

Lauren opened the door to the dress shop and a bell jingled above. A middle-aged woman walked out from the back. Her blackish-gray hair was pulled up on top of her head in a tight bun and her glasses dangled on her chest by a gold necklace. She was dressed casually in black slacks and a black print top. "Good morning, how can I help you today?" Her blue eyes brightened as her gaze traveled from Lauren's head to her toes. "Well, I've been invited to your town dance, and I have no idea what would be appropriate to wear. Can you make a recommendation?" Lauren began to look through the racks of clothes."Ah, the spring dance. I remember it well. It's always so much fun, and I think I've got the perfect dress for you. It comes with a matching sweater, which you'll appreciate come the chilly evening." The store assistant walked over to a rack and searched for the right size, then pulled out a simple coral sundress. "This looks about right," she said, holding the dress up next to her. "G