Payton arrived at the swimming hole a few minutes after noon. Mineer settled into the outside paddock and started grazing immediately. She was almost an hour early, but she couldn't help herself. Maybe Brock would come early too.

This day had been chaotic. Well, her mind had been chaotic. Things were finally beginning to go her way. After years of mooning after the man, they'd finally made the connection. And physically, what a connection, boy howdy.

And emotionally, Brock seemed ... invested.

Over the years she'd seen him date other women, but she couldn't remember ever seeing him affectionate with any of them. At the time, she hadn't been hurt because he seemed to keep them at an emotional distance.

All of that had disappeared with her.

Her body began to hum just thinking about him. A few hours ago she couldn't have acted on any more urges, but now that she'd had a break and eaten and rested, she was ready to go again. He would be too when he got here.

She hurried to the path, backpack bouncing against her hip as she jogged down. There was a little lunch in the bag, with grapes and cheeses and crackers. They needed energy to recharge their bodies. Excited at the prospect, she grinned.

Payton didn't see the two men at the bottom of the hill until she was almost upon them. They looked up in surprise and she recognized them immediately. Ronnie Critman and Beau Green, the two men that had fought with Brock more than a week ago.

"What the hell are you guys doing here?"

At first they seemed a little spooked and on the defensive, until they realized she was alone. Ronnie grinned, circling her. "Oh, it's the little paramedic lady, Beau. Lookie here."

Reaching out, he fingered a section of her long hair. Payton refused to pull away and act scared, though she was. Her heart was racing, and she tried to plan an escape. What could she do?

There were a few small logs laying around, but nothing substantial enough to take out Green. Ronnie was a creep, but Beau was the muscle. Anything Ronnie wanted to do, Beau would implement. She still had her backpack on, but there wasn't much in it to use as a weapon either.

Brock would be along any time, assuming he hadn't gotten sidetracked. Stall!

"Why are you guys trespassing on the Blue Star?" she demanded.

"Oh," Ronnie said, acting all surprised and innocent. "We're not trespassing. We're jest lookin' around. Tryin' to figure out why you dammed all the water up."

Payton scowled, crossing her arms over her breasts. "They didn't dam any of the water up. The spring is still flowing. You can see for yourself."

She pointed at the pond overflow. It was still running, just like it always had, but it had been a while since they'd gotten rain. Everything was drying up a little bit.

"It's not flowing like it was before."

She smirked. "Well, of course not. We going on a month without rain. Everything is running slow right now."

Faster than a cobra, Ronnie reached out and smacked her in the mouth. Payton reeled back, almost losing her feet, but she deliberately staggered up the hill a little.

"Ronnie," Beau said, caution in his deep voice.

"You don't laugh at me, bitch." Ronnie stomped close to her and jerked her up by her T-shirt. "Just because I don't have all the schooling you do, it doesn't make you better."

"No," she agreed, spitting blood from her mouth. "The fact that I'm a law-abiding citizen that helps people, and doesn't look for short-cuts through life, makes me better."

Before he could smack her again, she shoved the backpack as hard as she could at him at him and knocked him down the hill and into Beau. Ronnie staggered, flung the bag away and raced up the hill after her. Payton knew before she crested it that he was going to catch her, so she scrambled on all fours. Just as she reached the peak of the hill, he grabbed one of her ankles.

She kicked out with the other foot, connecting to something. Snatching up a handful of dust and gravel, she hurled it into his eyes. He let go of her leg, but seemed even madder than before, hurling insults and threats.

She crested the hill and took off running, calling Mineer. The horse jerked his head up when he saw her and trotted toward her. She snatched one rein to her, but missed the second. Barely daring to pause, Payton grabbed his mane and swung herself up onto his bare back. She hurried him toward the gate. Her fingers fumbled as she tried to flip the latch, but she did it. As soon as she was clear, she kicked Mineer into a hard gallop.

Brock met her part way to the ranch a few minutes later. When he saw her split lip and the blood on her chin, anger took over his features. "What the hell?"

"Ronnie Critman and Beau," she gasped. "Not sure what they were doing but they were at the pond. ‘Investigating’ Ronnie said. He hit me then tried to keep me from leaving."

He urged his horse tight to Mineer's side and cupped her face. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Just a little shook. Ronnie is bad business."

Brock was torn. He wanted to gallop to the pool and confront the men, but the odds weren't good. It was time to put a stop to whatever Ronnie was trying to do and they needed to have the law on their side. So, with a backward scowl, he escorted her back to the Blue Star.

Sheriff Sheridan Lane arrived within a couple of minutes, his big Sheriff's department truck gleaming in the sun. He'd been on his way out to the Blue Star already, wanting to talk to Sean about the prints he’d found when Mopey Dick had gotten out.

It was a fortuitous set of circumstances that allowed him to arrive at the Blue Star, get the story and head down the back access lane just in time to see the two men galloping away to the South on horseback. Brock had gone with him as support and seriously prayed that Ronnie would do something stupid. But the men reined up and acted as if they had no idea what had happened.

Caught in the act. Sheridan made them get off the horses and handcuffed them right there for the assault and trespassing.

Once he got the men cuffed and in the back seat of the truck, Brock took the horses. He waved Sheridan over. "Look at that."

On the ground were prints from the horses the two men had been riding. Ronnie's horse, a little paint, was barefoot. And Beau's horse, a tall bay, was missing one nail from the near side shoe.

"Let me get my camera," Sheridan said. He opened the diamond plate toolbox in the truck bed and grabbed a camera case. After snapping a dozen pictures from different angles, he loaded everything back into the truck.

"Brock, I hate to ask you, but do you mind bringing the horses back?"

With a laugh, Brock shook his head. "I can do that. You okay with these yahoos?"

Sheridan grinned, his bright teeth shining. "Yeah. They're within punching distance if they get out of line. My ears might be bleeding from Ronnie's caterwauling by the time I get back to town, but I'll survive."

So, Brock found himself mounted on the bay, turning the horses around and heading toward the Blue Star.

As soon as he was within sight of the ranch, Payton rode out to him on Mineer. "Are you okay?"

"We're fine. Caught them hauling ass toward the CNC ranch. Wanna know the best part?"

"What?" she grinned at him.

"This big bay," he patted the animal's dark neck, "leaves great prints, with his iron shoe with only seven nails holding it on."

Her eyes widened as she absorbed the implications. "No way," she said softly.

They rode back together, chatting back and forth as they tried to reason out why the CNC men had been on such a tear. Brock told her about Garrett's postulations.

Jackson illuminated the picture later when they arrived at the barn. "I was in Sophia's and heard a couple of men talking about picking up rangy CNC cattle for cheap, because they were having to haul water out to the herd. And about six months ago your dad was approached by old man Critman to see about selling water rights to the CNC. Garrett didn't, of course. And he never completely blocked the springs, but legally he could have."

"So, why drive the bull through the fence?" Payton asked.

"Well," Brock said thoughtfully. "If they ruined my breeding operation and we took enough of a financial beating, we could be forced to sell. We're so far in the black, though, it would take years to do that. There's no way we're selling."

Jackson nodded and leaned against the fence to watch the CNC horses in the paddock. Someone would have to come get them if they wanted them back.

Payton leaned into Brock's chest and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Are you sure you're okay?"

She nodded, tonguing her lip. "I'm fine. Ronnie Critman is a typical Napoleon, and he hits like a twelve year old girl. I am going to have to ride out and make sure that gate's secure around the Oasis. I seriously doubt they took care of it. I also need to get my saddle."

She motioned at Mineer, standing patiently beside the barn with only a bridle on.

Brock looked at his phone when it buzzed. "Sheridan made it to town fine and the men are in lockup. I'll ride out with you. I need a break from all this craziness."

Holding his clasped hands at knee level for her, he helped Payton up onto Mineer's back.

Jackson waved them on and called after them as they headed down the lane, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Brock and Payton let the horses have their head as they turned toward the spring. Bravo and Mineer always had a bit of a competition going, so they got there pretty quick. As expected, the gate to the inside was standing wide open. Brock closed it behind them.

"Do you still want to go for a dip?"

"Absolutely," she nodded. "Those two yahoos aren't going to chase me out of one of my favorite places on earth."

They untacked the horses and let them roam. She gave Mineer an extra pat for being the patient horse he was, then headed for the path.

When Brock saw the signs of her struggle, his jaw clenched and he stopped her. "Let's go this way," he told her, leading her in an alternate direction. "Just in case Sheridan needs pictures of something."

Payton followed along and soon they were on the beach. They looked around for anything the men might have done, but they didn't see anything out of place.

"Assholes," Payton muttered. "Why do people have to be like that? Always wanting to ruin what other people have?"

"Not sure," Brock murmured.

"Fuck 'em," she muttered, stripping off her T-shirt.

Payton wore a dark purple bikini beneath her clothes. Within moments she'd stripped down and was wading into the water. "Oh my gosh, this feels good."

Brock stripped down to nothing. He hadn't planned ahead like she had, so he had to go au naturel. Payton's bright green eyes watched him as he entered the water, and she swam forward. Looping her arms around his neck, she let him support her weight as he moved into deeper water.

"Thank you for coming to my rescue," she murmured, pressing a wet kiss to his lips.

He raised his eyebrows and shook his head a little. "I didn't rescue you. You did that on your own. I just did a little cleanup."

She kissed him again. "You would have come to my rescue if you'd been here."

"Hell, yes, I would have. Maybe then I would have been able to beat Ronnie's face in like he deserves."

"I love you, Brock."

His eyes softened as he looked at her. "I love you too, Payton. Don't scare me like that again. Between the bull and you walking out of the pond naked and Ronnie, you've been trying to give me a heart attack all week."

She stilled at his words, as if letting them sink into her heart, then she laughed and pushed away from him, swimming backward. When she hoisted the top of her bikini out of the water and flung it toward the shore, he grinned. Oh, she was in that kind of mood.

Brock swam toward her, trying to grab something, but she was too quick. When she threw her bottoms toward the shore he made a mad lunge and gripped her by the bare hips. "Now what are you going to do?"

She wrapped her thighs around his hips, nudging at his hard length. "What do you think we should do?" she murmured, pressing kisses along his jaw line.

Brock squeezed her ass cheeks, positioning her. It was a little difficult in the swaying water. "I say we head to the beach to sun ourselves."

Putting actions to words he walked toward the edge of the pond, carrying her directly in front of him. Only when they reached the smooth pebbles of the beach did he let her down. Payton headed toward the box, the drops of water glistening on her hourglass shape. Retrieving several towels and a blanket she returned to him. The approaching view with her full breasts swaying was just as amazing as the retreating view, and Brock wrapped a fist around his dick. It had only been hours, but he was starved for her.

When she bent over in front of him to spread the blanket, he almost moved in behind her, but he thought she had other plans. Quickly, she blotted herself dry with one of the towels, then moved to do the same to him. She jostled his erection and grinned at him. "Sorry," she murmured.

His patience was almost gone by the time she dropped to her knees and took the head of him into her mouth. Brock could have keeled over with pleasure, but he braced his knees and rested a hand on her head. Her talented tongue swirled over and around him, then her mouth widened and she took him deeper down her throat. Brock looked down the line of their bodies, a hard wash of arousal making him even harder. Payton moved her head up and down, licking and sucking every inch of him. Brock knew that he would orgasm within just a minute if she didn't pull her from him.

"We gotta swap, baby, or it's going to be over before it's begun."

Payton wiped her mouth with her hand.

"Did that hurt your lip?" he asked.

She shook her head and grinned. "Didn't notice it until I stopped."

He made a motion to the blanket and she relaxed back onto it, silky as a cat. Her nipples were hard but the long expanse of her perfect skin had dried, giving her a beautiful glow. She shifted, frowning, and he realized that even though the pebbles were fairly smooth, it wasn't like making love on a mattress. He motioned her out of the way and took her place.

Oh, this was going to work out so much better. Brock could not have envisioned a more beautiful woman standing over top of him. Those beautiful teardrop breasts jiggled as she moved close, stepping over him with one leg. Her lean thighs parted as she lowered herself over top of his waiting cock.

Brock tried to pay attention, but all he could feel was the wet, burning heat enveloping his bare penis. Payton gasped as she settled her weight onto him. "Oh, my holy hell, you feel huge this way," she whispered.

She braced her hands on his chest as she rocked forward, then back, finding a rhythm. Brock growled low in his throat as he gripped her hips in his hands.

Payton's eyes fluttered closed and her head tipped back as she rode him, obviously searching out her own pleasure. One of her hands reached up to pinch her nipple, then drifted low to finger herself. Brock had a feeling that he could come himself just by watching her masturbate.

As her pleasure neared and began to peak, she moved her hips faster, harder. Brock dug his fingers into her skin, urging her on. Oh, fuck, she was going to kill him!

But when the orgasm rolled over him it was one of the most surreal feelings he'd ever experienced. From the tips of his toes to the lobes of his ears, goose-bumps broke out all across his skin. Payton continued to manipulate her hips, because she hadn't found her peak yet, but she was becoming more frantic, and dragging his pleasure on even longer. Brock arched up into her, his spine cracking, as she pulled every bit of release from him.

And when she finally found her climax, she cried out above him over and over again, her body gripping his rhythmically.

When she fell to his chest, still joined, and began kissing him, Brock could have wept. Emotion choked him and he wondered where the hell the tough ass cowboy had gone. She'd picked him up and loved him and completely changed his life in a few short days.