**Now *that* is one fine ass**

The thought passed through the observer´s mind as it had every time the man in the close-fitting jeans walked by. And when he leaned over...The temptation was too great.

And oh, lord, the man was leaning over now...

Chris bent down, giving the pipe a final turn with the wrench, when his brain registered danger just a second too late. He barely had time to straighten before a solid blow to the rear sent him flying into the fence. With a muttered oath he scrambled under the bottom rail, then raised a hand to his head, glaring angrily at Big Boy. The old bull blinked languidly at him.

“I suppose you´re happy with yourself,” he growled. He brought his hand down, noticing the blood even as it started to run into his eyes. “Son of a...Do the words ground round mean anything to you?” The bull shook his head and snorted, and Chris could swear that the animal was laughing.

Blood was starting to drip onto his shirt as he reached through the fence and turned on the water. The bull´s trough started to fill and Big Boy stepped forward to drink. “You´re welcome, you ingrate,” Chris mumbled as he pressed a cloth to his head. He picked up his tools, dropping them in the shed before heading to the house to take stock of his injuries. One glance in the mirror revealed an angry gash across his forehead.

Well, a shower was out of the question, at least until he got the cut taken care of. Hopefully he could talk Nathan into doing it for him. The small clinic in town had yet to reopen after Doctor Quackenbush had retired, and he didn´t have the time to run into Casa Grande.

Chris stuffed his shaving kit into a duffel bag, then grabbed his uniform and stalked out to his car. He would have to shower at the station. As he closed the door of the Cherokee, he hoped that the wound wouldn´t bleed through the makeshift bandage and ruin the upholstery.

Nathan´s vehicle was parked in front of the medic´s house, and as Chris pulled into the driveway, Nathan came out. Chris sighed at the look that crossed the overly-protective man´s face.

“What happened to you?” he asked.

“Got cut,” Chris growled. Nathan lifted the bandage and shook his head.

“Gonna need stitches,” Nathan declared. “Cleaned, disinfected. Your tetanus up to date?”

“Kinda figured,” Chris muttered. “Can you..?”

Nathan shook his head and stepped back. “You know that´s not in my scope...”

“...of practice,” Chris finished. “I know, but I´m pressed for time...”

Nathan shrugged. “Sorry, really, but I don´t do stitches.”

Chris nodded. He had to respect the medic´s integrity, but sometimes it was downright annoying.

“Saw the door to the clinic open,” Nathan said. “Might be someone there.”

7777777

Chris navigated the rows of boxes cluttering the waiting area of the clinic and glanced behind the counter. When he didn´t see anyone he called out, “Hello?”

“Just a minute,” a feminine voice responded from one of the exam rooms. A few seconds later a small young Mexican woman cradling a baby came out, followed by a tall blonde.

“Give him a dropperful in the morning and in the evening,” the blonde said, handing the mother a slip of paper. “If you have more problems, we´ll be open next Wednesday.”

“Gracias,” the Mexican woman said with a smile. She accepted the prescription and left.

The tall woman turned to Chris. “Doctor Kenin Darnell,” she said, holding out her hand. “Can I help...” She trailed off as she noticed the dirty bandage on his forehead. “Accident?”

Chris snarled. His head hurt, and his mood was turning more surly by the minute. It was getting late, and he faced a day confined to court. And, as he´d gotten into town, he´d seen Buck with Drew Standish and knew that he needed to talk with his friend about the misguided relationship soon before it went too far. It was a confrontation he wasn´t looking forward to.

The doctor saw his expression and frowned slightly. “Can I help you?” Any hint of amicableness was gone, and she was all professional.

Chris cursed to himself. That wasn´t what he´d intended. But it was too late now. “Need stitches,” he muttered.

“I can see that.” Kenin slipped on latex gloves, then lifted the bandage to examine the wound. As her cool fingers brushed his forehead, Chris glanced into her eyes. There was an openness there that he found appealing, but she maintained her cool front. “You can get stitches at the clinic in Casa Grande. We´re not open yet.”

“Don´t have time for that,” he grumbled. “Can´t you...?”

“I was still trying to organize things.” She looked around at the mess and sighed. “Have a seat and I´ll see if I can find what I need.”

Chris sank into a chair and watched as the doctor rifled through cabinets and boxes. Despite the faded jeans and loose fitting cotton shirt, her movements were graceful, and he suddenly felt very self-conscious in the dusty, sweat-stained clothes he was wearing.

“Here, hold this.” He almost jumped at the words. He hadn´t realized how close she´d gotten. He took the basin she offered and held onto it as she cleaned the wound, her touch soft and gentle. Chris felt the urge to pull away, and it had nothing to do with the small bit of pain the doctor´s ministrations were causing.

7777777

Chris rubbed a hand across his eyes, dreading the task he'd taken on himself. The day had been spent in court, an aspect of the job that Chris particularly hated, and he considered letting the matter drop, But it had to be done, and Buck and he were alone in the office. He filled a cup with the vile liquid Vin considered coffee and walked to the desk Buck was seated behind.

"Evening. Got a minute."

"Sure thing. What you need?" Buck sat back and grinned.

Chris grimaced as he took a drink of coffee, running over the ways to approach the subject yet again, not coming up with anything better than out and out bluntness. "About you and Miss Standish..." Chris sighed. "What´re you thinking?"

"What do you mean? I like her, Chris." Buck winked. "What's not to like? ‘Sides, I do actually have feelings for her. Her brother doesn't seem to think so, but I do"

Chris realized belatedly that this wasn't the time or place for this particular discussion, but it was too late now. "She's a child, Buck. What's going to happen when she grows up, matures...Hell, Buck, it's just stupid...Where´re you going to stop thinking with your privates?"

Chris sighed again. His argument was lame, to say the least. The torrent of emotions that were running through him as he watched his oldest friend walk a narrow path to trouble with a near-teenager were making it hard to think coherently.

Buck narrowed his eyes. "Drew's not a child, she´ll be 21 in a few months. Did it ever occur to you that I might actually care about her?"

"Like you cared about Katherine? Or Debbie? Or...Hell, I can't name 'em all. She's a girl. You're supposed to be an adult."

"That was different. Hell, I don't blame you for feeling this way. All
I can say is I'm drawn to her, Chris. She's all I think about. Drew is different. I know she's young." Buck looked down. "I know what you all are thinking too, and I don't blame you but this is different. It is. I won't hurt Drew. I couldn't live with myself if I hurt her."

"Maybe not, but...She's just a kid," Chris finished, rubbing his eyes. "Have you really put any thought into this? And Ezra...You need to consider his feelings in this."

Buck stood up and glared. "What about my feelings, Chris? Huh? Do they matter at all? I don't need your approval or Ezra's, nor am I asking for it." Buck walked over and poured himself a cup of coffee. He took a sip and made a face, throwing the cup into the trash. "Chris, maybe you should mind your own business?" Buck paced. "That girl is a woman. I see it. Why can't anyone else? I adore her already and I want to get to know her.
I won't do anything stupid, but I don't expect you to believe that."

Chris shook his head and stepped back. "That's not what I meant, Buck. You're track record's just not that good. And she's an out of control delinquent who would jump at the first grown up that said hello to her...Are you sure she even knows your name?"

Chris regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth.

Buck moved towards Chris. "No one, I mean no one talks about Sunshine that way!" He grabbed Chris and shoved him roughly against the wall. "You want to say more Larabee?! I'm sure Ezra would love to hear how you feel about his little sister too!"

Ezra walked in and looked to the scene. "What about Drew?"

Chris tried to push away from Buck, but the man held him fast. Somehow,

this whole thing had gone wrong and he'd let his temper take control. His eyes flickered to Ezra, and the need to escape rushed through him. He pushed Buck again, reining in the urge to take a swing at him when Buck shook him.

"You gonna tell him what you just said?" Buck snarled.

"Yes, Mr. Larabee. Pray enlighten me." Ezra's voice was a very soft drawl. But the anger behind it was clear to be heard.

"Let me go." Chris' voice was low, the threat clear, but Buck knew him too well, and shook his head. Ezra took a step closer and raised an eyebrow in question.

"This isn't any concern of yours, Standish," he snapped. His tenuous grip on control was slipping.

"If it concerns my sister, it concerns me," Ezra replied, grabbing Chris's arm. "Now, what did you say?"

Chris glared from one man to the other. He wracked his brain trying to think of a reply that wouldn't be taken in the wrong way, but there really wasn't any.

Ezra looked pointedly back to Chris. "Because, I'm quite certain if that were the case, Mr. Larabee would have realized the error of his ways and

offered an apology."

"Not gonna apologize for bein' right," Chris snarled through gritted teeth, staring at Buck. "Your sister needs some...discipline."

"I highly doubt Buck would be this ired if all you stated was that my sister was in dire need of lessons in responsibility. No, Mr. Larabee. You said something else. And I demand to know what it was."

Buck pushed against Chris. "That ain't what you said and you know it."

Buck turned to Ezra and hissed. "Ol' Larabee here said Drew was a slut who'd jump any man's bones, without even knowin' his name!"

Ezra turned to Chris, furious. "Where the hell do you get off sayin' that about my sister?"

Chris tried to break Buck's grip. His head was starting to pound. This

whole thing had gone way too far, and he certainly hadn't intended for Ezra be involved. "I didn't..." He shot Buck a piercing glare. "Does your mind ever come out of the gutter, Wilmington?"

"Don't try to pin this on me, Chris. I heard what you said."

"Let the man go, Buck," Ezra said.

"Not until he apologizes for what he said."

"He will not be leaving, will you Mr. Larabee?"

"This is none of your goddamned business," Chris snarled again, his hands balling into fists. "I'm not going to apologize for something I didn't say. The girl is out of control, and looking for attention in the wrong places. One of these days, she's going to get involved in something she can't buy her way out of."

Ezra's eyes narrowed. "That is none of your damned business, Chris. None at all. I will thank you to keep out of my family's concerns. If I hear more of this, you and I will have a serious discussion, and I promise you, I will not be nearly as courteous as Mr. Wilmington has been today. Are. We. Clear?"

Buck gave Chris one final shove and then backed away from him, giving him a look that said, "So there"

"And as for you, Mr. Wilmington," Ezra said looking at him, “my family's business is no more of your concern than it is his. Clear?"

"Drew is my concern until she tells me she ain't."

"I am telling you. And that had best be enough."

Chris pushed past Buck and grabbed Ezra by the arm. "Don't threaten me,

Standish. An as long as that hellion is running loose in my jurisdiction, she is my concern."

Ezra glared at him. "I suggest you remove your hand from my person, and cease in slurring my sister. And for the record, Mr. Larabee, this is my sister's first offense, and she is fulfilling her sentence. You've no call to be treating her differently from any other first time offender."

"I don't see you shooting your mouth off about Peppe, who keeps stealing

from Miss Irene's," Buck put in helpfully.

Chris maintained his hold on Ezra's sleeve and shot a feral glance at Buck. "You're not dating Peppe," he snapped. "And as for Drew, I doubt

she's pure as the driven snow. And the sooner you realize that, the sooner you can start to keep her in line."

Ezra didn't reply, he simply drew his arm back and punched Chris. "Next

time I tell you to release my person, I expect you to do it. I don't care what kind of surly mood you're in, that doesn't give you reason enough to take it out on me OR my sister."

Chris landed hard on the floor, then stared up at Ezra, rubbing his chin. He started to laugh. "You got quite a cross there for an accountant, Ezra."

Ezra shook his fist and grinned slyly. "Boxing champion, junior year at

University of Georgia."

Wisely choosing to stay on the relative safety of the floor, Chris grinned, blinking away the unbidden tears caused by the stinging of his jaw. He'd deserved Ezra's treatment. Things had gotten out of hand and

he'd been too damned stubborn to back down.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. Apologizing didn't come easily for him. He sighed and scooted back against the wall so that at least his back was protected. "I was expressing concern about Buck's interest in your sister. She is young, and not exactly mature. She's looking for the approval of an older man, but I never called her..." Even now he wouldn't say the word. He had no idea where Buck had gotten that notion.

Ezra looked to Chris. "Thank you, Mr. Larabee." He then looked to Buck. "And you are not dating Drew."

Buck gave him a look. "Drew is plenty mature."

Chris shook his head. If there was some way he could take back the past

several minutes he gladly would. He was truly concerned for Buck. His friend had such a big heart, and he would hate to see it broken when the girl actually did mature and found someone in her own circle and left him.

"Physically, Buck. Yes, she is. But Drew has been hurt so many times. I don't know if I can put the pieces together again. Would you

please respect that?"

Chris glanced up at Ezra's comment, shocked to realize that they felt the same concerns, albeit for different people.

"I'll respect her wishes, Ezra. If she wants to be with me, I ain't letting you stand in her way. And if she don't, I won't bother her."

Ezra looked to the ceiling and shook his head. "You hurt her Buck..." He didn't finish the statement.

Chris started to laugh again, and when both of the other man looked at him like he was insane, he struggled to his feet. "I was just thinking the same thing about Drew," he chuckled. He raked a shaky hand through his hair as the adrenaline rush waned, leaving exhaustion in its wake. Without further comment, he grabbed his hat from its peg and stalked from the building.

Chris was on the dirt road that led to his ranch before the trembling in his hands stopped. Ezra´s punch had been totally unexpected, but in hind-sight well deserved. His choice of words hadn´t been the best. First he´d insisted that he didn´t think Drew was a slut, then he´d claimed she wasn´t pure. He hadn´t been referring to her virtue, but what was the man supposed to think?

Drew Standish had made a glorious arrival in town, managing to get into hot water with both state and local law before she had even hit the town limits. But since then she had been behaving herself. But Chris suspected it was just a matter of time before she got bored again...

Chris slammed on the brakes and the Cherokee slid sideways in the gravel. He shoved the gearshift into neutral, then slammed his fist on the steering wheel.

“Damn!” Anger flared again, this time at himself. Did he really think so poorly of Ezra that he would assume Drew was trouble just because she was his sister? Or that it was in the girl´s genes to lie and cheat her way out of trouble?

And Buck...While he flirted shamelessly, he had never dated more that one woman at an time, and had never led them on or promised anything he wouldn´t be willing to deliver. He respected and admired women and would never intentionally do something that would hurt one.

But as much as he was concerned for his friend´s gentle soul, he would support his choices. Chris just wanted him to think about what he was getting into.

And what was that? A relationship with a wild, emotionally neglected girl...Chris shook his head. Buck was grown, and had too much sense to jump into something he couldn´t handle, and that wasn´t right for him and the lady.

“Damn!” He hit the steering wheel again, then leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes. He had some apologizing and explaining to do, and he really hated that.

.