City Girl Turns Country [Traveler/Vampire07]

It was a sad lonely existence traveling from Derby to Derby to accompany her older brother as he invested in a strong Thoroughbred stallion who was the top twenty in the racing circuit. Lillian Stone was a young mid 20 year old woman with long wavy brown hair and sparkling emerald green eyes. Often she was seen in photos with her brother with the winning stallion. For a century the Stone Family was the Elites in the Business World and the Equestrian World.

For awhile Lillian was starting to feel awkward about not doing anything yet not earning it based on her family name. A year later her grandparents passed away they left her a run down Ranch that was left in her Great Grandmother's maiden name, Cruz.

"Oh sell it! Why would my daughter want anything to do with a low rate roach hotel when she can get a better one!" A middle aged woman said as she literally turned her nose up at it while they were meeting for the Will. Hearing this outburst and chuckles it was then Lillian knew what she had to do. Lillian's own Grandparents even left a couple of horses to her plus some money to help get things in order only if she takes the challenge on.

"I'll honor their wishes." Lillian smiled brightly as she wanted to own horses or her own and actually work. She grew to hate to have things given to her just because of her name.

~~~~~~~~
So here was a woman driving up in a truck to the old Ranch to see the place itself was in bad shape. Stepping out Lillian was a slender woman with ample breasts with plenty of horse showing experience but yet little training or caring. The care taker took off yesterday so the horses were left in a over grown pasture with broken fences and rocks in the fields. Walking over to see one horse who looked wild but soon as it saw her it bolted for the broken fence line. It had a stocky form which Lillian knew was a Mustang. The other horse it had befriended was a fat Thoroughbred with a red chestnut coat.

"Aren't you a fat one." Laughing as she looked around as she could hear nickers but couldn't see the other horses. Knowing she had a certain limit as in Finances to get this in order and to make her own way in life. She had shed her family name and took on Cruz as her Surname to cut ties off from her cold, sabotaging family members. Plus there was one more reason why she was out in a middle of nowhere. She had fallen in love with a man who abused women and she became his newest target.

About two weeks had passed as Lillian Cruz was reaching the end of her ropes on not asking for help. The old ATV was busted, the horses were constantly getting loose and she didn't know actually how to fix a fence or how to tell if the wood was still good! She was in over her head to the point she cried herself to sleep at nights. Though today she called a Vet to check her four horses; the Thoroughbred, Arabian and two other quarter horse but only the Arabian was the mare of the herd. In other words all were separated and tied off to shady trees until the Vet appeared. At this point Lillian has been bitten and trampled which was another reason why she felt overwhelmed.

"Where is this Vet?!" She looked at her watch as she worked inside her home in jean shorts and her sports bra. Sweat dripped down from her neck and over the swell of her breasts as she looked at the newly painted den, a smear of a pastel green paint over her left cheek. Horses nickered loudly at the sound of a engine coming from the long drive way.

"Someone bought the Cruz ranch? You're kidding me, right?" John Tanner glanced over at his receptionist in mock shock. She smiled back at him, her grey hair curling at her temples and her blue eyes peering over her reading glasses as if to say "what did you expect?"

"Did they even see the place before they bought it?" He grinned and shook his head, pulling his cowboy hat off the peg by the front door to the clinic. "Okay... don't call me unless there's an emergency, Aunt Mae. This is bound to be one of those yo-yo's way in over his head. It might take a while."

"Well, your 'he's' a 'she'." Miss Mae Anne smiled at him. "Now get your cute fanny down there and take care of her horses!"

John shook his head. "You know I don't like it when you tease me like that, Mae." But he was grinning the whole time. His aunt had raised him from the time he was eight, and she was prouder than anyone of the man he had become. He grabbed his phone and then hopped in the big vet truck they had just added to their inventory. He was the only large animal vet for nearly sixty miles worth his salt, and the country kept him busy.

His white truck rounded the bend, and as he pulled up into the driveway he saw that the ranch had fallen into even worse disrepair than before. The woman that he saw looked entirely out of place. She looked tired and worn out, like life had kicked her up and down the tracks. A smudge of paint was streaked across her cheek, and her shirt showed signs of sweat and dirt.

"Well, aren't you a hot mess?" He thought to himself as he climbed out of his truck. John walked over to the woman and nodded, looking her over briefly before glancing around for her husband. "Morning, Ma'am. I'm Doc Tanner." He inclined his head toward the horses tied to the trees. "Those the patients you want me to look at?"

Lillian turned as she heard Tanner. Even if she was slender woman her work outs had given her a spank-able ass. "Hm? Yes them...The rebellious herd." Smirking as she held her hand out. "Cruz...Lillian Cruz." She didn't have a country accent but a more polished one along with a mannerism that screamed city woman. Stepping down from the porch as she lead him over.

Valor, the Thoroughbred looked over at Tanner and laid his ears back with him snorting. Diamond, the Arabian nickered as she was further from the stallions. Ash, one of the two quarter horses just pulled up some grass munching on it peacefully as the other quarter horse Thorn snorted as the tri color Mustang was back and in the fields calling out to them. The horses nickered to their wild friend's call.

"Nice to meet you," he said, shaking her hand. "Are you any relation to the previous owners? Or your husband...?" He turned to look at the horses, recognizing them from her grandparents. "Ah... yes. They kept Valor a stud, hm?" He shook his head. "I'd suggest gelding him if you want to use him. He's too hot to be kept by an inexperienced horse owner."

John looked over at the horse and then walked up to it, greeting the Thoroughbred with an outstretched hand and letting the horse touch him first. "How have you been, boy? You gone and gotten Diamond in the family way yet?" his lips curved up into a smile as he looked over the horse, running his hands over the animal's body. "What are your plans for these horses, Ma'am? Are you going to keep them or find them new homes?"

Lillian was taken back by his comment of inexperienced horse owner. "Pardon? I've ridden for years just first time I actually get to handle them other than showing them." She pointed out but mentally kicked herself for proving him right. "I'm single and I plan on getting them back to a healthy weight and showing them. Valor there I haven't decided what I'll do with him yet. Perhaps get him racing ready and try him out."

"As for Valor getting Diamond...I think she kicked his ass a few times. Look at his chest...I had to be sure to keep them all separated when I arrived. She's been the angel of the herd." She said as she walked over to the dark Arabian who sniffed the bruise on Lillian's thigh before nuzzling Lillian's cheek. The short woman smiled as she held the mare's head. "Hello...Sug..." Lillian had an act to bond with stallions so Diamond was the first mare she formed a bond with.

John grinned. She proved his point. "Riding a horse isn't handling one. Let me guess... English? And the stable boy put the tack on for you and presented you with a pretty package to mount, right?" He shook his head, disbelieving what he was hearing. The huge bruise on her thigh didn't go unnoticed either.

"Well, Ma'am... he's a stallion. He's one of the most dangerous creatures on the earth, especially if he's trying to mount that mare." As the vet talked to Lillian he also moved around and checked the stallion, taking his temperature, checking his teeth, and updating Valor's vaccines. "I haven't seen these horses in almost two years. You need a farrier out here, and he needs to have his teeth floated." John gave the horse's flank a pat. "He should be kept in a fenced area that's six foot tall at least, per most insurance regs in thee parts."

He walked over to the next horse. He peered behind the two quarter horses and shook his head. "You got yourself a whole herd of stallions here, Miss Cruz. That's the epitome of foolishness. Now, I told the last owners and I'll tell you - there are very few people who should keep a stallion. They're tricky; that's a lot of power to have running on two cylinders, and if you wind up having a miss-fire, say... Miss Diamond here kicks one of her suitors when they try to mount her, they could wind up with a paralyzed penis." He checked over the next horse's teeth and his nose before moving onto feeling his legs. "It sounds funny, but they can die from that. It's not a pretty death either."

John put straightened up and put a hand to his hat. "If you don't mind me sayin', Miss, you need to get someone out here to fix those fences and put in a few paddocks to separate this boys from your mare. That bruise of yours looks pretty painful. You're lucky they didn't get you in the head."

"I was lucky I wasn't trampled to death." she muttered as she nuzzled Diamond who stepped around to push Tanner further from Lillian. Lillian smirked and moved around the mare.

"I tried fixing the fences but that damned mustang keeps breaking them down!" She pointed to the wild horse in the northern pastures grazing. "They left me this ranch and I plan on getting it back up to code but I don't know where to start, honestly." She admitted to him that she felt overwhelmed. "Oh Valor has a temper when it comes between him and food. Its not a mare he gets upset over but I kept her apart from the others on some rides." She said as Diamond seemed bit more groomed than the others. Lillian looked at Valor thinking things over about him.

"Do you think training him could keep his mind off of mounting?" She asked as she walked over to him as Ash nipped her left buttcheek making her jump. "Ah! Damn it ASH!" Glaring at the mischievous stallion. "I guess my great grand parents decided to leave this in my hands." Looking over at Tanner seeing his broad shoulder frame with the farmer's tan and that cowboy's hat. "I'm in overwhelmed do you know some people I can contact who can give me supplies and help me? I'm restricted on funds."

John was finding himself growing impatient with the way the horses were pushing her around. It wasn't that it was rude or 'cute', but that it was down right dangerous. As he observed the way she seemed to coddle and scold her horses, and then the way she yelped and moved out of the way when Ash nipped her, he had enough. He pulled off one of his leather gloves, and when the grey quarter horse started to edge forward again to give Lillians' shapely rear another nip, John muttered "Excuse me" to his client and used the glove to smack the horse across the nose.

He yanked the knot tying the horse to the tree, thankful that Lillian at least knew the right way to tie a horse, and then he clicked his tongue at the horse and flicked the lead up and down, forcing the grey to step back to get relief from his pressure. When the horse stopped moving, John increased the pressure until he had the stallion backed up a good distance from Lillian.

"These aren't dogs. You can't pet them and love on them, and then expect them to love you back, Miss. They're going to kill you if you keep that up, and then they'll be no good for anyone and you'll be crippled or in the ground."

Ash laid back his ears at the vet and started to act out, but John began to drive him in a circle around himself, turning him every so often and simply moving the horse until he stopped being such an ass. At one time the grey tried to cow-kick him, and John just chuckled and moved him back and forth more so that the horse was forced to give him all of its attention.

"I tell you what... I've had my eye on that mustang for years, but the Cruz's weren't about to sell. So how about I do this? I'll trade you labor and some work on your horse, and when I've done enough, that mustang's my payment." He looked at her and then stopped Ash. The horse stopped, licked its lips, and then turned to face the vet. "But if I'm going to do that, you have to stop treating these things like they can just crawl up into your lap like some kitten. They're strong and dangerous, and if they don't have a strong leader they'll get scared... and a scared horse is a dangerous one."

She was biting her tongue as she didn't want to give it away she has a history with horses. Even well trained horses threw her and she gave them a few smart whacks in the chest to make them mind her.

"If you can catch that horse then its yours but I do need help as I plan on racing Valor next year." She told him in a stern voice as her naïve tone seemed to have vanished. "As for you country hick!" She snapped at him as she was on the verge of losing it as if she was hotbloded like Valor. "I know fucking Thoroughbreds! I don't treat them as dogs or pussy cats but a few placed hits and strokes and that makes a whole fucking difference!" Her cheeks were red with rage. "If you mind do you know the numbers of people I can contact for help on the fences and stables." By now she was growling faintly. Even the horses looked at her and grew still.

He'd hit a nerve, it seemed. John stroked Ash's neck before retying him to the tree. "Yeah, I know a few numbers I'll give you." His jaw tightened as he took in the way she was looking at him, like some spoiled aristocrat who had her favorite pet scolded. He turned to the other stallion, Thorn, and went about checking him out and then catching up on his shots as well. He had given every horse their worming paste as well, convinced that they hadn't been treated in a while but knowing, from their plump appearance, that they weren't suffering from a loss of calories. Once he as finished with Diamond he went over to write up the bill.

He jotted down the number of his farrier and a few numbers for people who worked on fences and did other handy men thing around the county. He also wrote down the names and number of a few people he knew who worked with horse. Other than himself.

Her bill came to nearly four hundred dollars. He handed her the bill to sign, thinking over what she said about the mustang and not having a lot of money to spend. "I'll come by tomorrow to catch that mustang, and when I do, this checkup and their fall shots will be made even. Here..." he pointed out the numbers he wrote down, "are the people in the county who do what you need. I'm not endorsing them, Miss. I'm just giving you their numbers. Now if you have any problems you can call Mae Anne, my receptionist, and she'll take care of you." He glanced from where the horses were tied to where they needed to go for the night.

"Do you need help bedding down them horses tonight? Or do you have that under control?"

Taking the numbers as she glared at him. "I don't know...Think a tiny woman like me can't handle a few horses?" Turning from him as she grabbed the big quarter horses and lead them away. Thorn pulled but she yanked which popped him a good one. The stallion stepped away from her looking at her with shock. Walking the stallions back to their stalls where she had their feed ready for them.

Another trip she grabbed the other two horses and bedded them down. Walking out of the barn to see Tanner was eyeing the Mustang. "She disappears off in the woods. Hell, Valor may have gotten to her so if she is with foal you know you can't predict her movements." She warned him as she looked at the numbers on the paid. Flipping her phone open as she began to make the needed calls. "Yes the Cruz Ranch...Yes I'm the biggest Joke in the area. John Tanner gave me your number and I assume you know about fences for Horny stallions and one mare."

She stood there on the porch with her back to John listening. "I do have a request; mind if I work beside you and your guys? I need to learn this stuff so I don't need to call you for every nail that pops out of the wood." There was a soft giggle as the man on the other end agreed to let her work with them to get a grasp of what needs to be done. Lillian left Tanner to gaze at his prize longer as she went in to look at ATVs to use on the property though she could use the quarter horses as working horses to get their weight down. Sighing as she stood at the counter as she rubbed her face knowing atleast she knows who to turn to for help.

She seemed insulted when he asked to help, and then she asked him if he didn't think that a tiny woman would be able to handle thr horses. John shook his head as he packed his truck. She was a fiery one, that was for sure, and full of piss and vinegar as Aunt Mae would say. Of course, Aunt Mae would have a lot to say about this particular filly if she had been around to watch the exchange that just happened. John was glad that she wasn't.

"No Ma'am. Just trying to be nice is all." He bit the inside of his mouth when she took two of her horses and began to abuse them on the way back to the barn. The vet found that he was almost more worried about the horses then about her, despite her tiny size, and several times he wanted to tell her that she was doing it wrong, but he had to bite his tongue and let her do as she wished with her animals.

To kill time while he waited to make sure that she got the animals where she wanted them, he leaned against his truck and watched the mustang grazing across the way. The mare called out to the other horses and then tossed her head, whinnying as if she was buddy or barn sour. Certainly she wasn't human sour. The way the little mustang flared her nostrils and flicked her ears forward indicated that she was alert and ready to challenge anyone who came into her pasture.

He listened when Lillian came back and told him that she suspected that Valor might have impregnated her. It would have been a miracle if she wasn't done by all three of the stallions on the ranch. "Yep, it's likely that she's gonna be unpredictable," he said, sticking the end of a blade of grass between his teeth. "Most females are." He eyed her as she tuned her back on him and then called one of the handymen services in town.

Tanner smiled and shook his head. He was all about letting people find out the hard way, but a woman like Miss Cruz was going to get herself hurt if she kept blowing through life like a tornado. He heard her ask if she could work alongside the men, and that gave him pause.

"So," he walked over to where she was looking at her ATVs, "when are the Michaelson boys coming over to work on your fence?"

He leaned against the barn and took the blade of grass out of his mouth. The muscles on his tanned arms flexed from that simple movement, and he seemed like he was eying her machines with curiosity. He wanted to make sure that he was there when the brothers showed up; they were known for mischief, and with a pretty gal like Lillian out here, alone... things could go from bad to worse.

Lillian snapped her phone shut as she looked over at him seeing he had an act for sneaking around and sticking his nose into other's Businesses. Looking him over knowing his type who taught she did everything wrong because it wasn't what they'd done.

"If you must know in the morning." She eyed him closely wondering why was he sticking around. "In your terms....Willing to take an idiot on to teach them what to look for and how to fix it on their own." Lillian didn't like this man even if he was handsome and had the body frame she'd welcome to her bedroom. There was no way in hell she'd be caught dead romancing John Tanner. Something told her he will be taking his time on persuading the Mustang rather than catching her. Though she noticed he was eyeing the ATVs under the over hang.

"If you must know...Those don't work. I am college educated but no mechanical skills what so ever to save my life." She figured there was enough slaps and jabs passed around this evening. "I figured to work the quarter horses by having them haul or do heavy cleanup in the pastures. Make it safer for them and if that Mustang will be having a foal....I don't want the foal to get hurt if she brings it back." Lillian had a soft spot for foals as they were sweet and a mischief bunch that you really can't get mad at them.

John Tanner smiled at her. "Is that what I said? "Willing to take an idiot on to teach them what to look for and how to fix it on their own"?" He tossed the blade of grass to the side. "Well, if that's what I said, I didn't mean to call you an idiot. Out loud." His smile widened and he pushed off the barn to stand on his own and begin walking.

"I'll see you in the morning, Miss Cruz. You like coffee?" He glanced back at her as he walked away. "Most people in these parts start their day off with coffee."

The next morning was going to be interesting. He intended to get there early; Aunt Mae could always call him if an emergency came up, but until then, he had a mustang to tame. And it wasn't necessarily a creature of the equine nature.

Rolling her eyes as she waved him off. When morning came she had the boys out on tethered line to graze away from work areas while she had Diamond's hooves cheeked by the Farrier.

"Ma'am you don't need to treat them so rough." He commented as he looked to the boys.

"I'm use to handling horses who are trained and proven to have a gentle nature since I rode them since I was a child." So this whole being able to handle all personality types. "Think she's good for a quick ride?"

"Yeah, a gentle one so she gets use to the new shoes." He smiled as Lillian took the dark mare off and saddled her up in an old English saddle then was gone trotting off. Shaking his head as he grabbed the big boy who tried to yank free until the Farrier put some weight on the lead rope. "HEY! Behave! You're lucky she hadn't sent you to the glue factory!" He snapped as the large horse settled down as the need to run full out was in his eyes. "You behave you're next." He tied the Thoroughbred up as he checked his hooves seeing the time out in the pastures for a few years did some damage. Shaking his head as he clipped and shaved the hooves down which he suspects was a factor in his nasty behavior. If he could guess it was a source to the twins as well.

John pulled his trailer into the large circular dirt driveway in front of the Cruz barns. He saw the farrier's truck parked near the barns and Fred was out there, working on the big thoroughbred.

"Hey Fred!" He stepped out of his truck and slid on his white cowboy hat. "Is the lady rancher around?"

Fred looked up and nodded his greeting at John. He had a piece of leather in his teeth, as he set the fetlock on the stand. "Yeah...she took that arab of hers for a little ride." he jerked his head to the side. "Up Robert's Creek I think."

The vet glanced up the way. He could actually see a puff of dust where the horse had gone over the ridge. "Thanks. I'll see you around." He went to his trailer and unloaded his five year old. The black and white mustang was a good teacher, and he was looking forward to using him to calm the mare. After giving the gelding a once-over he mounted up and then went to find Miss Lillian.

Out here by the creek she didn't need to act like a total idiot to get by. "Come girl..." She pushed Diamond on the shallow end where there was a large tree down. Lillian didn't know John had made his way to the creek and Lillian was in full view.

"Up!" She pulled the reigns and pressed into the mare's sides having her clear a five foot jump with ease. The mare nickered with glee as she pranced in the water, splashing. Lillian laughed as she became soaked from the mare expressing her joy of running. Clicking her tongue as she rode up on the bank where the two were about to go full gallop to the trail until she saw John sitting there.

Lillian's once smiling face went ghost white with her stomach turning into knots. "John...." Clearing her throat as she knew this mare could clear jumps and has the blood for endurance racing. Diamond snorted as she held her head high even if the reigns were bit slacked while she walked over to John.

She was quite a sight. Mare and woman flying over the branch, her laughter practically dancing through the air. He thought that it was foolish to jump her horse over an unknown path and risk hurting it, but he couldn't argue that it looked like they were both having fun. John let the horse's reins rest and he leaned forward on his elbows, resting on the thick pommel of his Western saddle. He didn't want to disturb her. Life had too many sad days to take away from the good ones.

She turned her horse and began to gallop up the trail towards him, causing his horse to flick his ears forward.

"John..." She seemed to pale when she saw him.

He tipped his hat forward in greeting. "Ma'am. Having a nice ride?" He sat back and surveyed the trail and the stream. "I don't suppose those are new shoes on Diamond? She seems to like them." Even though his tone was pleasant there was the underlying message: why were you riding her so hard after she had just been shod? It's been a long time since her feet were cared for!

"Do you mind if I join you on your ride?" He tilted his head to the side. "It's a good morning for it."

Sitting in her saddle as she looked into his eyes but Diamond wandered over and sniffed his own horse as if greeting him.

"I was having a good ride but I did promise the Farrier I wouldn't push Diamond on a short ride. If you'll excuse me." She didn't have to touch her reigns as Diamond stepped around John and headed up the trail back to the house. Once arriving she noticed there was another truck with some men talking to the Farrier who were helping with the hotblooded Valor.

"Hello?" Riding over in a walking pace as the men looked up.

"This is Cruz the owner of this...Ranch." The Farrier must think back in his mind she didn't belong anywhere near the area.

The workers smiled as one helped her off and if John was there he'd see disgust in her eyes. Though Lillian smiled as she talked to the men before walking off to unsaddle Diamond and rub her legs down. This small ride and that tiny jump was a easy ride as she had the mare saddled for ten minutes.

"Did you hear? Thunder won another race." One of the older boys commented as Lillian was in ear shot.

"Yeah I would give just about anything to work on a fine horse like him." The farrier commented. "I heard the Stone girl has ran off...Perhaps with a drug dealer. You never know with those spoiled rich girls with unlimited money and time. Heard she was a competitor on the Show Circuit until she was thrown then stepped on. A coward for not getting back in the game." The farrier expressed his honesty as he looked to Lillian whose back was to them. "What do ya think? Quiet a coward for not getting back in the saddle!" The men laughed.

Lillian stood in silence as that day forward she was placed in her brother's shadow. Sighing as she turned to look at the men. "I'm not paying you to gossip. Move your asses!" She snapped as if someone yanked her tail. The fence workers were bit taken back but enjoyed it as they took her to a section of the fence to teach her the basics of what to look for in wood and what to use. The sun was hot and beating down but thankfully there was a breeze blowing in the area though there were moments there was hands on her ass. To her to get the job done she didn't need to raise a fuss but she hauled lumber and posts to and from the work scene. In the neighboring field was the mustang mare who watched what was going on but never ventured from the woods.

One thing that John Tanner wasn't, was a man who pushed to be where he was unwelcome, and it was obvious that Miss Cruz didn't want him anywhere near her. He decided to give her the space she wanted and he walked his horse down the trail and around the back side of the Cruz ranch. It was a long ride and he saw where trees had fallen and blocked the trail. He'd have to go out there and cut a new path before the winter. She could probably use the wood for heat.

Once he reached the large pasture he could see the Michaelson boys working alongside the ranch woman. The mustang was also watching, and she was so intent on the work nearby that she startled when John's gelding snorted near her. The vet chuckled to himself and looked across the field just in time to see Bobby Michaelson rub his hand across the lady's ass.

John grunted. That was unexpected, he thought sarcastically. He rode his horse into the field and began to explore the pasture. Soon the mare, who was bored and lonely, began to follow John's gelding around. The vet occasionally glanced over to where the ranch owner was working with the handymen, but for the most part he kept away from the foursome.

Back at the work site, Harry Michaelson was getting a good look at Lillian as his brother was instructing her on how to bend over and nail in the fence staples to secure the wire. Harry was moving his hands in circles to mimic feeling up her round, perfect ass, and trying not to snicker too loud.

"Hey, after work today you want to go have a few beers with us, Miss Cruz?" Tony was the slickest of the brothers. He was thinking that it would be fun to get her alone, drunk, and have a little fun with this city slicker playing cowgirl.

Lillian had caught on to their tricks but she needed the help so she allowed this to happen. "Can't...Tony is it?" she said as she bend down grabbing the wire as her shirt slipped down to reveal the hoof shaped scar right on her spine. It was the only mark that could confirm she was the Stone Girl who went missing. Fastening in the wire then she moved down and dug out the old posts then replaced them.

"Once you gentlemen are gone I plan to keep working and it seems Tanner won't be coming around." She nodded to the pregnant mare following him. Lillian knew about lone horses seek out herds of any kind but once they form a herd they tend to stick around. So she stayed away from that pasture so John had the chance to form the bond with the mare. Worn out as she stood there as sweat dripped down over the curves of her breasts. "Thanks for the offer. Mind leaving the lumber in the barn?" She asked as she pushed by them but jumped when Bobby grabbed her ass. Lillian grit her teeth but walked to the house where the cooler for beers stood. Though she slipped off to the barn where she went to a storage room and looked at the boxes of ribbons and trophies she collected through her career as a rider.

She made up her mind to keep them and perhaps someday she could come clean. Taking her shirt off as she wore a tight sports bra underneath it. In silence she worked in and around the barn doing what she could to make it better for the horses up to the point where she was carrying the lumber and stepped in a hole. "AH!" Crying out as she found herself on the ground with a sprained ankle. Trembling as pain coursed through her form as her broken and dirty nails dug in the saw dust floor. "Wonderful...." She looked up to see the Farrier releasing the last horse to find her on the ground.

"Miss Cruz!" He shouted and rushed over and lifted her up.

"Put me down!" Lillian growled at him.

"No, Miss..You're hurt. We may be real men out here but we look after women." He said as he walked out and set her down on the porch then went inside to fill a bag of ice.

The Michaelson boys were loading the wood into the barn while they had a few beers. They eyed Lillian lustfully, and one of them mentioned the scar on her back to the others.

"Wonder if she's got any tat-toos." Bobby grinned over a beer. "Maybe some of those sexy piercings? You know, like in her pussy or her nipples." He waggled his eyebrows at his brothers.

"We could give her a couple." Snickered Tony.

Harry elbowed him when he saw their 'boss' walking past them. "Shh. Idiot." He whispered harshly at his brothers. He took a long gulp of his beer and watched her sweet ass as she sauntered by. When she took off her shirt so that there was just a sports bra on they moved slower, taking their time moving wood so that they could ogle her sweat-glistening body. There was nothing as desirable as something that wasn't yours.

When she fell into the hole and hurt herself the brothers happened to be outside. They only saw that she was hurt after Frank the farrier carried her out to the porch.

"Hot damn..." Harry jerked his head towards the sight of Lillian on the porch. "We should be neighborly and see what kind of help we can offer her, hm boys?"

The brothers began to walk across the yard towards Lillian. Meanwhile, John Tanner had finished working with the mustang and had brought his horse through the gate and had tethered him by the water. He glanced over to the house and immediately read Lillian's body language. She was in pain.

He took off his leather gloves and walked over to the porch, arriving just after the brothers. "What happened?" He saw Frank coming out of the house with a bag of ice in his hands.

"Doing work in the barn and stepped wrong...I thought I filled in all the holes in the barn." She cursed softly as Frank wrapped the ice pack with his large hands over her ankle. "Not cursing at you I-"

Frank chuckled as he shook his head. "Been here to many times." He held her ankle still as possible but pulled slightly until he saw her body stopped withering in pain. "Bobby...Run inside and find some bandages." He looked to the youngest of the brothers.

"I think- AH! Ok Ok!" She sat there gritting her teeth. "In the hall the first door to the left is the closet. The bandages are in a clear box...." Her body quivered as a horse who was put through their paces. Once Bobby had disappeared inside he had plenty of time to get a quick layout of her home before returning to Frank's side tossing him the ace bandages. "So Tanner...When are you going to take the mare? I hope before she gives birth." She said as she looked up at him while Frank wrapped her ankle just enough to give her structure but yet not to cut the blood off. "Also I think I can handle it from here, Boys." She looked to the brothers while she got Frank's help to get to her feet but she leaned against a column with no pressure on her ankle.

The farrier was doing a fair job of icing her ankle but John stood there, his arms crossed as he leaned against the porch support and watched her being tended to. "You know..." he drawled, "I know a little something about medicine if you want me to take a look. Or even to x-ray your ankle. My truck has a sonogram and mobile x-ray on it." He shrugged and looked up at Lillian. Unfortunately, that meant looking into her eyes, and for a moment he was lost in them.

"It doesn't matter to me. If you want to let them handle it, that's fine." He glanced over his shoulder at the mustang as if contemplating the horse's condition. "As far as the mare goes... I don't know. I want her to come with me because she wants to." He returned his gaze to Miss Lillian and smiled. "It's not good to force a female to do what she doesn't want to do. Only a fool would think that's a good idea."

She smiled as she heard those last few words. "You got that right. But...If she foals while you're gone I'll do what I can so she feels safe to stay close to the barn or even in the pastures." Standing there as she felt the weight on her hurt ankle. That one comment did soften her heart abit towards Tanner. "I'm going to take it easy for the rest of the day. So why don't you head on home and come back early to see if she's still around. I may leave Diamond out there so she feels its safe to venture out more."

Reaching out as she touched John's shoulder with her stepping down from the porch. Walking off to the barn but mostly limped as she discovered not just one but several. A damned armadillo's work. Sighing as she got some dirt and filled the holes in then covered it with saw dust. Thinking the guys were gone she slipped to the storage room where she pulled a book out. Sitting on a box as she flipped through the faded pages of her riding a pony with her friends then it moved up to her doing horse shows. Her first show was on a large stallion who was the sweetest creature on earth. He'd sail over jumped with no command from her. Though it got to the point of the accident and her disappearing from that world. Even the thoroughbred she was riding was killed for what it had done to her. Lillian knew something else was behind it. Reaching in the box she pulled out the bloody horseshoe that sliced her spine up. Closing the book she stepped out to only shut it somewhat only to be scooped up and locked in an empty stall.