As I drifted in this place, my mind wandered from thought to thought until one stood out and caused me to stiffen. "Ice?"

"Mmm?" came the contented murmur of my lover's sleepy voice.

"As much as I can't believe I'm saying this, do you think maybe we'd better go back now? Before Montana calls in the National Guard, I mean?"

"All taken care of." I felt her stretch against me, then settle back, tangling our legs together and taking in a deep, contented sigh.

I pulled my head back slightly to look up into her eyes. "Rio?"

"Rio."

I nodded, then nestled into her warm body, smiling slightly as I felt her rest against my hair. "Thank you, by the way."

"For what?"

"Being my knight in... um... black cotton."

Snorting softly, she shook her head, her chin brushing gently along the top of my scalp.

"How long were you there?"

"Since before you came into the stables."

Shock ran through my body, and I pulled away again to look up at her. "Then why... ?"

She shrugged. "You were handling it."

I could feel my jaw hang suspended, like that of a gaping fish, as I continued to stare at her. Though a woman of relatively few words, sometimes those she chose to utter made me feel more than fifty feet tall.

Smirking slightly, she brought a hand up and gently closed my mouth. "Don't want a scorpion crawling in there."

If any threat in the world could have broken the spell I was under, it was that one. Had Ice not been holding me, I would have jumped clear up to the moon. Though I'd never seen one up close and personal, my hatred of scorpions was already legendary, if to no one other than myself.

And now, apparently, to Ice as well. "Don't worry. There aren't any around here."

I could feel my eyes narrow. "How do you know?"

"I just know," was the soft-voiced reply.

"Alright then. But if I get stung on the butt, you know who's going to be sucking the poison out."

"With pleasure." Her tone of voice caused me to think that perhaps finding such an insect was suddenly quite high on her list of priorities.

I grabbed her in a tight hold. "Don't even think about thinking about it."

An evil little smirk was her only answer.

Stealing a kiss from her lips, I laid my head back down against her shoulder, reveling in the smoothness of her skin against mine and the scent of our loving which surrounded us both. The brush of her fingers against my hair as she started a slow, gentle stroking caused yet another smile to break out across my face. I knew, without any sense of false modesty whatsoever, that I was the most loved and cherished person in all the world at that very moment in time.

A moment I hoped would last an entire forever's worth of forever.

After several long moments spent in silence, listening to the gentle hiss of the wind against the grass, my mind turned back to other things. Less pleasant things. Things that had no business being spoken of after what we just shared-and were continuing to share-but nevertheless just wouldn't go away.

Ice must have felt the change, because her hand stilled and she pulled away just far enough to look into my eyes. "What is it?"

I laughed to keep from crying, and she knew that too, because her eyes narrowed and her head tilted as her hand came up to cup my cheek.

"What Rio said back in the stables," I said through a tremor in my voice, "was it true? Did I make you soft? Weak?" I sighed heavily, lowering my head so as to avoid looking into her eyes. "So much of this is my fault."

The hand on my cheek lowered to grip my jaw, forcing my gaze back up. Though her touch remained gentle, her eyes were anything but, reminding me of nothing so much as the roiling black clouds which preceded a midsummer's furious storm. "Don't you... ever... say that... again."

"But..."

"Never. Do you hear me?" Her body, once sated and soft, was now hard and stiff with anger.

I felt her stiffen further, fury literally radiating from every pore, and as I felt her muscles begin to move in what I knew was a prelude to escape, I did the only thing my heart would allow. I threw myself on top of her and held on as tightly as I could. "I'm sorry," I said, half sobbing. "Please, don't leave. I'm sorry. Please."

After a long moment of intense inner struggle, she relaxed somewhat beneath me, though her eyes still blazed out their anger.

"I'm sorry. I should never have said something like that. I don't know why I did. Please..."

When several more moments passed in silence, I sighed and rolled away, berating myself internally for picking the exact wrong time to forget how to keep my damned mouth shut.

As if agreeing with me, the wind blew harder suddenly, and even though I was still half covered by the blanket, it was as if I was naked to the world without the living heat of my lover pressed so close against me. I fought against the forming shiver, but it came anyway, making me even more miserable than I already was.

Not more than a second later, I was once again enfolded in wonderful warmth as she eased up behind me, grasping me tight and pulling me close. "Never doubt my love for you, Angel." The low, serious timbre of her voice hummed through me, warming me even more. "Never doubt yourself. Never doubt the gifts you've given me."

Her arms tightened their hold around my body. "You haven't made me weaker, Angel. You've made me stronger. You've taught me how to feel again. And how to love again." My scalp tingled from the kiss she pressed onto it. "You are a gift beyond price to me, Angel. And anyone who doesn't believe that, or can't accept it... can just go straight to Hell." I felt her chest and belly press against my back as she took in a deep breath of air, then let it out slowly. "And if need be, I'll put them there myself."

Tears trailed down my face. "You're... incredible."

"'You're not so bad yourself, sweetheart.'"

The mimicry was damn near perfect and my laughter flowed freely, easing the last of my soul's somber aches.

Turning easily within the nest of her arms, I pressed my lips to hers in a kiss of profound gratitude which quickly grew into something stronger and more passionate.

The sounds of laughter and tears were slowly replaced by the soft sounds of loving in the cool of a sweet desert night.

The house was tomb-silent as I stepped inside and closed the door gently behind me. Pushing up the sleeves of the too-large shirt Ice had given me to replace the one she'd ripped to shreds (and let me tell you, the added benefit of seeing Ice sitting astride that stallion in nothing but her jeans and a smile more than made up for the destruction of a one-time favorite shirt) I broke out of my bliss-induced haze just long enough to wonder at the silence and chance a look around.

Nearly a dozen women looked back at me from their places on the couches and chairs in the sunken living room. The expressions of awe on some of the faces caused me to whirl and look behind me, thinking that perhaps Ice had reconsidered and decided to spend the night after all.

But no, the door remained resolutely closed, and I remained alone and standing on something which was quickly coming to resemble a stage.

A piercing whistle shattered the unnatural stillness, and when I whirled back around, I saw Cowgirl coming to her feet, a knowing and incorrigible grin on her face. Throwing me a wink, she brought her hands together and started clapping.

Others stood, joining her, and soon the entire house was filled with wolf whistles, thunderous applause, and comments ribald enough to sear the skin from my face.

In a state of embarrassment more acute than any I've ever known, I whirled around again, intending to charge right back outside to escape the spontaneous combustion which was threatening to consume me on the spot. Only to find the way blocked by a leering Pony and a grinning Critter who stared at me, arms crossed against their chests and feet spread wide against any possibility of an escape.

"Don't make me hurt you again, Pony," I half-growled as I slapped away the hand which was intending to turn me around to face the music, as it were.

"Ooo. More butch lessons from Ice, I see." Her leer grew more pronounced as she tried again. "Were they before or after she..."

"Pony... ," Critter warned, seeing the glint in my eye.

"C'mon, Critter! It ain't every day someone survives a knife fight with Rio and goes riding off into the desert to get banged by Ice, ya know. I'm just expressing my admiration here."

Critter barked out her laughter. "God, Pony, you are so damned crude."

"I call em like I see em, babe."

"Keep calling 'them' like that and you'll never see 'them' again," I warned through gritted teeth.

"Enough!"

Turning at the sudden silence in the room, I saw Montana and Corinne striding toward me, identical expressions of serious resolution on their faces. "Everyone to bed." Montana ordered, sweeping the group with her lancing gaze. "Now."

With some good-natured protesting, the group broke up and filtered through the house to return to their rooms and bed down for the night.

"Don't you have things you should be attending to?" Montana asked as she arrived at my side, pinning Pony to the door she was guarding with a very pointed look.

My friend paled slightly, then blushed, ducking her head very much like a chastised schoolgirl. If there was a pebble on the ground, I think she would have kicked it. "Yes."

"Then I suggest you attend to them."

Muttering something a touch too soft to be easily comprehended, she spun on her heel and took the ready escape I had been seeking just a moment before, closing the door swiftly behind her.

Corinne closed the distance between us, took my hand, and gently ushered me through the house and into my own room, Montana trailing silently behind. Once the three of us were safely ensconced in my room, Corinne released my hand and smiled. "Are you alright?"

"I didn't think it was possible to die from embarrassment," I said, chuckling slightly. "Now I'm not so sure." I ran my hand through my still damp hair. "But yeah, I'm alright."

Reaching out, she gave me an "around the shoulders" type hug, something most unusual for her. When I looked up as she pulled away, her eyes twinkled and she fingered the fabric of the black top I wore.

I could feel my eyes widen when the realization sunk in. I couldn't help but grin. "Who knew there was such a pile of warm mush beneath that granite exterior?" I joked, enjoying the blush which briefly suffused her face.

Easily evading her kidding slap, I turned my head to see Montana studying me intently. I felt a blush of my own coming on, and thanked god that the shirt I was wearing, high necked as it was, covered what was no doubt a multitude of sins.

"Are you sure you're alright?" she asked.

"Pretty much, yes. Is there a reason you're asking?"

"Do you want to press charges?"

I could feel my head cock as I looked at her. "For being kidded? I don't think you can arrest someone for embarrassing you. Can you?"

"I was speaking about Rio," she replied with an air of exaggerated patience.

"Oh. Rio." I could feel the bridge of my nose crinkle with distaste. Still... "Um... I don't think that'll be necessary. I think she's pretty much learned her lesson, don't you?"

"This isn't about learning lessons, Angel. She came after you with a knife. She could have killed you."

"She could have, yes. But she didn't."

"Again, you're missing the point."

Holding up a hand for quiet, I sank wearily down onto the bed. "No I'm not, Montana. I understand your point. And your concern. Believe me, I do. It's just that..." Steepling my fingers together, I sighed, then looked up at her. "I think people are entitled to second chances. She made a mistake, and I know it was a big one. But it was a mistake just the same. In the end, she realized her mistake and no harm was done."

Corinne snorted. "From what I was given to understand, Angel, Rio didn't exactly 'realize' her mistake on her own. She had it beaten into her."

"She didn't..." I sighed again. "Ice was very angry."

"And she had every damn right to be," Corinne growled.

I looked up, surprised. Swearing was very unusual for her. As was growling.

"What? She's just lucky Ice stepped in. Were it me, I would have killed her. Then asked questions."

Smiling slightly, I reached up and took her hand in mine, giving it a fond squeeze. "So no, Montana. I don't want to press charges. I think that whatever crime she committed has been more than paid for already."

After staring hard at me for another long, tense and silent moment, Montana finally nodded. "Fine. I'll have her pack her things and be out of here by sunrise." Then she turned to leave.

"No! Wait. Montana, that's not necessary, is it?"

She turned back to me, a strong sheen of regret easily evident in her eyes. "Rio has broken every oath she has sworn to uphold, Angel. She's turned the Amazon name into a mockery. That's not something I can just overlook, no matter how much I might wish to."

Corinne, beside me, looked thoughtful. "Perhaps if she was stripped of her membership, yet allowed to make restitution with the possibility of regaining her status within the group?"

Montana frowned slightly, but after a moment, her expression cleared. "You've given me something to think about, Corinne. I'll let everyone know of my decision in the morning." Looking at me, she smiled slightly. "I'm glad you weren't harmed, Angel. You're a very special person."

"Thanks," I replied, returning her smile. "You're pretty special too."

As soon as the door closed quietly behind her, I let out the deep breath I'd been holding and fell back onto the bed, my feet still planted firmly on the floor, my arms flung wide. "God. What a mess."

"It could have been worse," Corinne observed, coming to sit down beside me and shoving one of my arms out of the way.

"True. I could be lying dead in a pile of horse manure right now."