The cool morning wind nipped at Ridley's exposed nose as she knocked on the door. As it slowly opened, she was greeted by Trina's smiling face.

"Ridley! It's about time. We're ravenous," Trina said with a smile as she pulled the door all the way open, motioning with her hand for Ridley to enter.

"I'm sorry," Ridley said with a smile, her shoulders hunched in an effort to ward off the breeze. "The horses were restless. They don't like this wind all that much."

"Storm never did like wind all that much," Karol said with a smile as she curled her leg underneath her before dropping to the couch. She held her morning coffee cup between both hands as she blew on the steamy brew.

"Oh, please tell me that you have more coffee," Ridley asked as she unbuttoned her coat.

Trina smiled. "We do and it's freshly ground. Quite tasty I might add. I'll get you a cup." Brilliant green eyes sparkled like diamonds and Ridley couldn't help but to return the smile.

"Thank you Trina," she said as Trina disappeared into the kitchen. Ridley looked around the comfortable room. There was a welcomeness to the apartment, causing Ridley to think of Drew. "How's Drew doing? Vin told me about the new package and her hospital scare. She resting more now?"

"She's okay I guess," Karol said, resting her elbow on the back of the couch with the palm of her hand planted firmly on her cheek. "Buck seems more worried about the whole thing than Drew does. I don't know." Karol sipped on her coffee as she choose her words carefully. "She may just be trying to be strong, but is secretly worried. Heck, I know I am really worried about this whole thing."

"I am too," Trina said carrying two steaming cups of coffee. "It seems that things are progressing. I'm afraid it's only going to get worse before it gets better."

Ridley shook her head in agreement. "Oh Karol," she said, remembering her friend's terrible turn of events. "I was so stunned to hear about your van getting hit like that. I'm just glad you weren't hurt."

Karol shook her head, a playful smile curling the corner of her lips. "Imagine how I felt. I was sound asleep when it happened."

Trina held a hand to her mouth as she fought her laughter. "I would have been so frightened; it's not even funny."

Ridley felt the humor of the situation as much as Trina did. Karol hadn't been hurt, only startled and that seemed to make the humor okay. "Talk about a wake up call," Ridley said as the laughter she held came out in soft chuckles.

Karol shook her head. "It's so not funny that it's funny." Looking at Trina, she smiled. "But at least now I have a much better living situation."

"You ladies ready to do some shopping?" Ridley asked as she clapped her hands together. Though she never bought extravagantly for herself, Ridley loved to shop for others.

A brilliant sparkle lit Trina's green eyes. "Absolutely. I'm always ready for shopping....especially when it's for baby stuff."

Karol stood from the couch. "You both know much I hate shopping," she said with a scowl. "But the baby stuff......" A slow smile spread across her face. "It must be a woman thing that we love to buy baby stuff."

A lighthearted laugh sounded among them. "Maternal instinct I guess," Ridley finally said. "Hey, Drew doesn't know we are going, does she? Or at least what our mission for the day is?"

Trina shook her head no. "She knows we are going to Tucson, but she thinks we are going to buy a new saddle and bridle for your horse Rid."

"Good," Karol said with a smile, setting her empty coffee cup on the table as she grabbed her coat off of the couch. "Then I suggest we head out. We have shopping to do."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Thanks for inviting me out for a drink Mr. Prescott," Vin said nervously as he sat the two long neck bottles of Budweiser on the table before slipping into the closest chair. "I feel like I know you already with all that Ridley talks about ya."

Cleaver smiled, taking a long draw on the bottle that Vin had set in front of him. Savoring the cool liquid as it eased it's way through his stomach, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before setting the beer back on the table. "I wish I could say that Ridley's talked about you Mr. Tanner too," Cleaver said callously as he glanced around the small restuarant/bar. Seeing the look of hurt on the deputy's face, Cleaver forced a smile. "But then I haven't talked with Ridley much since her arrival to Four Corners."

Vin let go of the breath he was had been holding. For one brief moment, he thought the evening was over before it had even begun. Check and Mate. But then the faintest glimmer of hope shone upon his face when Cleaver smiled, and Vin knew he still had a chance. "So tell me Mr. Prescott, where is your wife? Will she be joining you later?"

It bothered Vincent Tanner terribly that he was at the man's mercy as he was. But there was no way around that. Ridley was so close to her father, and Vin wanted more than anything to get close to Ridley. By default, that meant Vin getting along with her father. As he sat in silence, awaiting the man's answer to the simple question, Vin knew that Cleaver Prescott was going to make him work for it too.

"Ridley's mother has remained quite active in the rodeo circuit since Ridley's withdrawal. She organizes and arranges most of the rodeo queen pageants for the Texas State circuit," Cleaver answered almost robotically as his attention remained on the Grille's patrons. There were several lawmen at a table at the back of the room, loud and slightly rowdy as they drifted between the bar's two pool tables. "She's presently judging the Dallas finals as well as the Dallas Regional Rodeo Queen pageant." Turning back to his table companion, Cleaver stared at him blankly. "That keeps her pretty busy these days."

Vin smiled grandly, taking a long draw on his beer. "I bet that does," he muttered nervously as his eyes turned toward the door. He silently prayed that Ridley would walk through the door, almost willing it to open. But it didn't. Ridley was in Tucson and Vin was left to his own devices. Instead, Vin turned his attention back to Cleaver. "So...."

"So tell me about yourself Mr. Tanner. What do you do? Ridley mentioned that you worked in law enforcement."

"Yeah, part time," Vin said, running his thumb absently up and down the perspiring beer bottle. Almost as if he were just remembering it, Vin looked up. "And I do contractor work, roof repair, electrical, some plumbing....things like that. That's how I met Ridley."

Cleaver stared at the Texan with a disinterested gaze. "Hmmm.....and your family, Mr. Tanner? Where are they?"

Vin took a deep breath. With each passing minute, he felt as if he were losing some big battle he hadn't realized he was fighting. "I have no family to speak of Mr. Prescott. Well, except for the men I work with at the station. That's really my family."

Raising an eyebrow, Cleaver tilted his head slightly to one side. "What of your mother? Father?"

"No Sir," Vin said with a small, forced smile. "I don't know my dad and my mom died when I was just a kid. Never had no one else. Except for Nettie." Vin's smile turned genuine when his thoughts turned to the older woman who had taken him in. "But she's gone now too."

Cleaver shook his head once in acknowledgment Tipping his beer all the way back, he drained the last drop from the bottle. Setting it on the table forcefully, he met Vin's clear blue eyes. There was no smile, no anger, no emotion whatsoever. There was only a single moment's contemplation on Cleaver's part as Vin began to squirm under his heavy gaze. Finally, Cleaver reached into his pocket, pulling out a long, thin black book. "I've been thoroughly enjoying your nervous chatter Mr. Tanner, but let's cut the crap, all right?"

Vin was so completely stunned by the change in the man's demeanor that he could only stare at the older man, his mouth hanging open in surprise and confusion.

Cleaver continued, flipping open the long book and beginning to write. "My daughter seems to have grown quite fond of you since her arrival here. She's infatuated, that much I know. But what I don't know are your intentions where my daughter is concerned."

He stopped writing, looking up so suddenly that Vin nearly drew back. Instead, he smiled nervously. "Mr. Prescott, I can assure you....my intentions with Ridley are genuine. I care for your daughter a great deal. She's quite remark...."

Cleaver held up a hand, stopping the deputy in mid-sentence. "Yes, Ridley is quite a remarkable girl. She's also very beautiful, very wealthy and very naive. She believes in people Mr. Tanner, and for the trusting girl that she is, she often places a great deal of faith in people that don't deserve it." He returned to writing in the long black book as Vin tilted his head to one side, trying to see what the tycoon was writing. Finally, Cleaver stopped. Setting his pen on the table, he ripped the paper from the book, and for the first time since Cleaver retrieved the object from his coat pocket, Vin realized it was a check. "Now Mr. Tanner, I think we both know what this is about. Ridley is a very valuable asset to me. I will not allow anyone to cause harm to her as I think you will do. So what I need to know from you...." he said as he laid the check down in front of him. Picking up his pen once again, Cleaver's cool, calculated gaze bore down on Vin. "How much is it going to take to make you disappear from my daughter's life, Mr. Tanner?"

Vin's mouth hung open in a perfect O, his eyes unbelieving as the reality of the situation finally hit home. He was being paid off, paid not to see Ridley anymore. Looking down at the small piece of paper with the light blue background and glossy blue monograms, he could see it was made out to him and his heart sank. He met Cleaver's eyes once again, and for the first time that night, Vin realized that the look of interest he had thought the man held for him was nothing more than contempt. "Mr. Prescott, I don't think you understand. I don't want your money. I want Ridley. I...uh," Vin stopped, realizing what he was about to say and knowing it to be true. "I love your daughter Mr. Prescott. I love Ridley, and I'm going to be a part of her life as long as she lets me be."

Cleaver shook his head; Vin's heartfelt words having fallen on deaf ears. "How about $100,000?" he asked as he started to fill in the numbers on the check.

"Mr. Prescott, I....."

"$200,000."

"But you....."

"$400,000."

Vin stood speechless, his face a twisted mess of confusion. 'How can any man be so heartless?' he thought to himself as the Texas tycoon ignored him.

"Okay, Mr. Tanner, you drive a hard bargain. $500,000." Looking up to meet Vin's eyes, Cleaver regarded him coolly. "That's a half a million dollars Vin. That's probably more money than you will ever see in your entire life," he added as he finished filling out the check. Standing up, Cleaver stuck his pen in his shirt pocket. "Half a million and all you have to do is stay the hell away from my daughter. It's as simple as that," he said as he handed the check to Vin.

Vin looked down at the older man's hand. "Mr. Prescott, Ridley is not an object that you can just buy....or keep locked away, for that matter. She's a brilliant, loving human being, and I'm in love with her. No amount of money....."

Cleaver slipped the check in Vin's shirt pocket. "Just think it over Mr. Tanner. Look at all those zeros and think it over. I'm sure you will come to the smart decision," Cleaver said as he patted Vin hard on the chest. Turning, he headed for the door.

Vin had seen a lot in his life. He'd lived the mean streets of Dallas and walked away a better man. He'd lost his parents, seen friends die needlessly, seen criminals walk away scott free and victims scarred for the rest of their lives. But in all his years, he had never experienced anything like Cleaver Prescott.

Pulling the check from his pocket, Vin felt a loathing disgust. He would not be bought. Grabbing the check on both sides and preparing to tear it in half, a thought crossed Vin's mind. He had to tell Ridley; had to let her know just what her father was capable of. Looking at the check, he sighed. He knew it was going to break her heart to know what her father had done. "But she has to know," he said, folding the check in half and sliding it into his pocket.

He would show her when she got back from Tucson, show her what her father had done. He only prayed that she would be strong enough to handle it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ridley tip toed out onto the patio, not wanting to disturb Vin. It was late, and she was near exhausted. But it had been one of the best evenings she had had in a long time. Trina and Karol were amazing, so funny to be around. Ridley couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so hard. She only wished that Drew had been there. That would have completed the night.

As she stood in the patio doorway, she saw Vin standing against the wrought iron black railing that lined the large pool area. A cool even breeze was blowing softly across the desert, sweeping through Vin's hair like fingers and Ridley sighed at the marvelous sight. 'He's so handsome,' she told herself as she clutched tightly to her chest, laying her head against the door frame as she continued to watch him. 'How did I ever get so lucky?'

Vin must have seen the movement out of the corner of his eye. Quickly he turned toward her. "Oh God Rid, you scared me. I didn't hear you come in," he said as he turned his back to the fence, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned back against it. "Listen Rid, I need..."

Ridley's eyes took in every detail of his strong form, the flexing muscles that stood out in his forearms from years of roofing, the fine lines around his eyes from squinting against the strong desert sun, the rock hard pecs that pressed tightly against the black t-shirt he wore. Slowly, Ridley began to lick her lips. "Did you miss me?" she asked seductively as she started out on to the patio.

Vin smiled, puzzled by the unfamiliar look on the rodeo queen's face. "A whole bunch," he said playfully, enjoying the silky way she moved across the stone floor.

"Like this much?" she asked, holding her index finger and thumb one inch apart.

He shook his head no. "Like this much," he replied holding his arms out as far apart as they would go.

While Vin held his arms open in a wide gesture, Ridley slid up to his chest. Sliding her arms around his waist, she looked up into his loving eyes. "Then show me Vin Tanner. Show me how much you've missed me."

Vin could smell the faint hint of Chablis on her breath, and began to understand the newfound boldness his girlfriend had. "I think you may have had just a little bit too much to drink sweetheart," he said as he closed his arms around her shoulders, pulling her tightly to him as he placed a tender kiss on the tip of her nose.

Ridley shook her head innocently. "No Vin, I haven't." She stopped, considering the night's events. "Okay, maybe one drink. But I know what I'm saying Tanner," she said forcefully as she slipped her hand up into his thick wavy locks, her tongue rolling across her bottom lip. "I want you Vin. Make love to me, right here. Right now."

Vin could see the truth in her words despite the alcohol he knew she had consumed and his want increased ten fold. Burying his hand into her silky auburn mane, Vin consumed her lips in a passionate kiss. "Are you sure about this?" he uttered thorough the kisses that he placed along her neck, his hands exploring her enticing body.

Ridley slid her hands up his Vin's cheeks, turning him to face her. Meeting her dark brown eyes, Ridley smiled. She placed a soft, tender kiss on his lips as she shook her head. "I love you Vin Tanner."

Vin had been waiting to hear those words from her since the day he met her. Smiling, he swept her up into his arms as he made his way toward the bedroom. "I love you too Ridley Prescott," he said as he laid her gently on the bed, the check in his jacket pocket all but forgotten. "I love you too."

.