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Chapter Seven
Arriving at the ranch with the Sheriff on her arm gave her ammunition for her next tale. Ben gave the impression they were more than friends, which furthered the plotting. From his amorous kisses she knew he liked her a little, but she wasn't foolish enough to believe she could get anywhere with a man who swore against marriage. She was grateful... and yet the lie still niggled. After all, Janet was her best friend.
"I've been worried sick. The desk clerk said you hadn't come home, and I didn't know what to think." Janet was saying as she hugged Savannah, and gave Ben a complete once over.
Ben smiled, "Sorry, Janet...is it? She's been in good hands. I assure you, I wouldn't let anything happen to Savannah."
The way he called her name made her shiver. But she couldn't forget this was all just a act, either. Ben had been honest with her, and she knew what she was getting into. This time!
Men kissed women every day, and there was no use making a big deal out of it. Still, she knew deep down that they had shared much more than a few kisses and truths. Odd as it seemed she felt closer to Ben now.
"Yes, well, I'm really bushed. I think I need a bath and some rest. Thank you for...handling everything for me."
He winked, bent and kissed her cheek, tipped his hat to Janet and left.
"Now he's a living doll." Janet said when the door finally closed and left them in privacy.
"Yes, isn't he?" she managed.
It wasn't a lie. She thought Ben was very good looking. All she had to do was reprogram her heart not to think so.
It was a tall order, because while her brain told her that there could never be anything between them, her heart told her differently.
As long as she didn't lose her head, she could pull this off. Of course keeping her heart safe from Ben Hogg was one heck of a job, especially after those kisses!
"Did he do anything?" Janet asked.
Savannah chuckled and turned beet red. Did he do anything? How could she begin to answer her questions?
"Oh yeah, something happened, I can tell. You are blushing down to your toes."
"Nothing happened really...I mean...he did kiss me...but." she admitted.
"Is he getting serious?"
"Oh, I don't know. It's a little early to tell. I'm not rushing things, Janet." Savannah said not wanting to play it up too much.
"Well don't let him think you're nuts about him."
"No?" She queried as they mounted the stairs together.
"No. It's the worst thing you can do. Play a little hard to get. But give in...eventually."
Savannah giggled all the way up, and headed for the tub where she could relax and warm up or cool down...
* * *
"Just how close to these critters do you aim to get, ma'am?" her guide ask her the next morning as they rode out on the range looking for wildlife.
"As close as I can," she replied, "Why?"
"Well, some animals are kinda dangerous ma'am." the cowboy answered in a drawl Savannah wasn't sure was real.
"I wouldn't want to put anyone in danger, but the magazine says I get better pay, for better shots. So as close as I can get without getting hurt," she answered him with a smile.
Her horse was one of the tamer of the outfit, and she was thankful. She hadn't ridden in so long, she wasn't sure she remembered how. Mounting and dismounting wouldn't be a feat for a cowboy, but for a woman who hadn't been on a horse in a long time, it was almost painful. Still, the inborn excitement of a hawk in flight, or a prairie dog peeking out of his hole, or the graceful alertness of the sheep feeding kept her going. But as they went further into the back pastures, there were more animals that needed to be zoomed in on.
The guide was more than helpful in pointing out game, stock, and wild animals to her. He went at a leisurely pace, so keeping up wasn't hard. Plus he kept them at a steady, safe distance. He even managed to find the young of several animal groups, and their dens and Savannah got all manners of pictures. She had taken scores of pictures and she could make a perfect layout with this material. Maybe her luck was changing.
