"We're coming, honey," she said as she set Rose down and held her hand, helping her walk the rest of the way up the large staircase. Lexie reached over and licked the four-year-old's face and Rose giggled.

"She's not wearing her gla.s.ses today." Savannah noticed.

"Well, she broke them. Sometimes I think she does it on purpose," she said, a knowing look on her face.

After taking a tour of Adam's room, greeting all of the animals-including Peaches-and visiting over coffee and m.u.f.fins, Adam waved goodbye to his mom, "other dad," and sister.

"What shall we do first?" Michael asked.

"Can I take Rags out to play?"

"Well that's a nice idea," Savannah said. "It's been a while since he has been outside."

"You mean he hasn't got to go visit Peaches?"

"No."

He frowned. "I bet he misses Peaches." His face lit up. "Can I put his harness and leash on?"

"Yes, that's a good idea, buddy," Michael said. "We don't want him getting away from us."

"Can I hold the leash?" Adam asked.

"You sure can."

Savannah watched as Michael helped Adam strap the harness on Rags and hook the leash to it. She followed them outside and smiled when she heard Peaches whinny at the sight of them walking toward her. She's probably most happy to see Adam because he always gives her apples and carrots. But she does seem to be rather fond of Rags, too. And he sure likes hanging out with her. Suddenly, Savannah looked beyond the corral at the barren land. She strolled out there and stared for a moment at the dried-up fruit trees planted here and there. She walked up to one of them and snapped the tip off a branch. She stepped over to another tree. Most of these trees were here long before I came and I don't remember any of them bearing. What's wrong with this soil? What's wrong with this land? Is it the curse? But there is no curse on Antonio's garden, she thought as she ambled over to the raised beds their long-time gardener so lovingly tended. She stared down at the lush eggplant plants, kale, and cabbage. She looked over at the thriving rows of cauliflower and broccoli. Why is his garden a success? I must ask him. He grows some of the best and biggest tomatoes around all summer long.

She glanced at her watch and then turned toward the corral. "Michael, I'm going in to work now. You boys have fun. I'll be home in time for lunch."

"Okay, hon. Have a good day," he said as he watched Adam feed Peaches some carrot tops. He then called after Savannah, "How about if us guys fix corn dogs for lunch?" When he remembered how diligently Savannah was watching her diet, he added, "And a watercress, spinach, tomato, and gorgonzola sandwich on rye."

Savannah smiled. "Perfect. I'll see you two soon."

"That was a killer shunshet," Brianna said. "I mean sunset," she corrected herself with a laugh.

"Are you shlurring your words, Brianna?" Bud asked. "'Cause it shounds like you are."

"Yeah a little."

"You only had one gla.s.s of wine."

"A big gla.s.s and on an empty stomach." She turned and pointed at him in a scolding manner. "You didn't feed me lunch. That's the problem."

"I didn't? Oh my gosh, I guess I was so anxious to get us here, I plum forgot to stop for lunch. I'm sorry. Will you forgive me?"

"Only if you'll kiss me again," Brianna said, looking at Bud and making no attempt to conceal her flirtatious mood.

"Sure will." He leaned in her direction and then stopped, stood up, and walked over to the railing around the balcony. "No, I don't think I will."

Her smile faded. "Why not?"

He squinted in her direction. "You've been drinking, young lady, and I don't want to take advantage."

"Oh please Bud, take advantage," she pleaded. "I only had one gla.s.s of wine."

"One big gla.s.s," he reminded her.

She walked over to him and said, "I will absolutely not regret anything that happens here this evening. I promise; okay, Bud?"

Although he tried, he couldn't resist her. He was ever so aware of her sumptuous body next to his. He looked down at her full lips. No, he was past any possibility of resistance. He grabbed her and kissed her hard.

"Wow!" she said when he let her go. "Wow!" She pulled him to her again. After kissing one another over and over, Brianna moaned and pulled away. "Bud," she said.

"Yeah?" he was obviously a bit unsteady and out of breath-weak with pa.s.sion.

"Let's get in the Jacuzzi."

"Did you bring a bathing suit?"

"Nooooo," she said, peering at him from under feathered bangs.

"Oh," he said looking from her toward the door where the Jacuzzi waited-the thought of it tempting every fiber of his body. "Okay," he said as he walked over to the sofa, sat down, and started pulling his shoes and socks off. Next, he pulled his T-shirt over his head as he headed toward the bathroom and the Jacuzzi. He reached over to turn on the water. "Do you like it hot?" he asked.

"I like it just about any way I can get it," she responded while unb.u.t.toning her light-weight cotton blouse. Bud watched as she unfastened her capris and let them drop. She stepped out of them and tossed them on a nearby chair. She then stood in front of the mirror and pulled her hair up, wrapping it in a loose knot. Bud was mesmerized as he stared at her lovely womanly form and the dainty skimpy undergarments she wore. If I'd known she was wearing such s.e.xy underwear, he thought, I would have been so distracted while driving, I might have crashed the car.

"It's taking a long time to fill," she said, leaning over the edge of the tub and watching the water run into it. Bud stood bare-chested, staring down at her. After a few minutes, she looked up at him. Man is he ever toned and taut. He's actually quite gorgeous-something that's not obvious under the clothes he usually wears. "It's full enough, don't you think?" she asked.

"Uh-oh." He looked over. "Yeah, I guess it is." He stood up, turned away from Brianna and slipped out of his jeans. Brianna did not turn away.

Chapter Thirteen.

The following day, Brianna and Bud woke up in each other's arms. "Good morning, beautiful," Bud said, brushing a curl off Brianna's forehead.

"Hi," she said sleepily. "What time's it?"

"Do you need to be somewhere?"

She thought for a moment, looked around the room and then at Bud, and said, "As a matter of fact, no." She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

"Mmmmm," he said as he pulled away from the kiss. "Don't get me started again. I have a horse to look at, remember?" He kissed her once, twice, three times on the lips and then moaned, "I really have to get up or..."

"Or what, cowboy?" she asked.

"You know what," he said kissing her one more time before climbing out of bed quickly lest he succ.u.mb to the temptation to stay there all day.

Brianna rolled over and watched as Bud grabbed his clothes and headed for the bathroom.

"Good bye beautiful room, Jacuzzi, view, winery... I hope to see you again," Brianna said, giving the room one more look on her way out the door with her overnight bag. "And dinner last night under the stars...it was wonderful," she said. "And so were you." She grabbed the front of Bud's shirt and pulled him in for yet another kiss.

"I'll give you all day to quit that," he said with a chuckle.

She looked up into his eyes. "I wish we had another whole day."

"We'll have others, Brianna. At least, I'd like to."

"Promise?" she asked.

"Oh yes. I want to see a lot more of you."

She turned toward him on the way out the door and said, "What more is there to see of me?"

They both laughed.

Once the couple had loaded their two small overnight bags into the back of the SUV, Bud pulled out a square device with a small screen and affixed it with a suction cup to the windshield, at the left of the steering wheel.

"What's that?" Brianna asked, crinkling up her nose.

"GPS," he responded while pushing some of the b.u.t.tons.

"Oh brother," she said. "Don't you know how to read a map? Those are the most ridiculous and annoying things ever invented. I knew someone who used one and he had these conversations with that woman in there all the time-even argued with her when he didn't want to go where she said to go. I hated that thing."

"You have one in your Lexus, don't you?" he asked as he programmed the device.

"Yeah, but I rarely use it."

"Well, I like GPS technology. It's amazingly accurate." He started the car and looked over at her. "Did you know that your cell phone has GPS? I find it to be incredibly useful for all types of travel. It's a great system."

Brianna flashed him a disgusted look and shook her head.

After they'd been driving for a few miles, Bud asked, "Are you hungry?"

"Sure am."

"Wanna stop here for breakfast?" he motioned to a restaurant up ahead.

"Sure. As long as they have hot coffee."

"How far away is the horse we're visiting?" she asked after they were seated and had placed their order.

"According to the GPS, about thirty miles northwest. So not too far."

"What will the horse be used for?"

"Dad's looking for another ranch horse."

"Oh, a working horse?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"What will his job be?" she asked.

"It's a mare. She'll be used for round-ups, branding; things like that."

"Does your dad treat horses well?" she wanted to know.

Bud looked at her, c.o.c.king his head, a lock of his wavy dark-blond hair trailing alongside his temple. "Yes," he said. "He's very good with horses-has a gentle way with them."

"So he doesn't whip them and stuff to make them mind? I've seen guys do that and it always makes me mad."

He shook his head and said, "Oh no, he doesn't believe in mistreating any animal." He thought for a moment and then said, "He's the reason why I decided to become a vet-Dad and Grace."

"Well, you're not a vet, are you? I thought you were a vet tech."

"Oh, I have my license, just haven't officially put it into practice, yet. Too much responsibility, still, at my folks' ranch."

"Who's Grace?"

"She was my first dog. We had dogs on the ranch-working dogs. And I liked them fine, as well as the cats and horses and cattle. But Grace was my first pet dog." He seemed to be in another world for a moment as he brought her memory into focus. He looked at Brianna and said, "She was the most beautiful border collie mix and smart, too. Mom and Dad gave her to me for my eighth birthday and we were best pals until..." He took a deep breath.

Brianna stared hard at Bud and asked quietly, "How was it that she made you want to be a vet?"

"Well, she was only six years old when she died; she was. .h.i.t by a car. I was the first one to find her. She was hurt real bad and I wanted so much to be able to help her, but there was nothing I could do. I swore then that I would never let another animal die if I could help it. I was fourteen when she died and I've been focused on being a veterinarian ever since."

Brianna reached out and rested her hand on Bud's, ma.s.saging it with her thumb.

He took a deep breath, looked her in the eyes and asked, "So what made you want to be a doctor?"

"I'm afraid I don't have such a touching story. I've just always been interested in science."

"Oh, one of those brainy math and science students?"

"You might say that. When a junior high counselor suggested that I could become a doctor if I wanted, I thought, 'why not?' And my path has been leading in that direction ever since."

"What will you specialize in? Have you decided?"

"Yes, I'd better have made my decision by now. I graduate in the spring. I want to be a geriatric specialist."