SECOND CHANCES AT MG RANCH Read Online Free PDF Page B

the time he had reached her.   He looked around for an alternative route, not wanting to turn around and go back the way they had come.
    As much as he hated it, there was no other choice but to turn around.   If they rode up the mountain ridge, there was the possibility of becoming separated.
    He was afraid if they were separated, Loren would either get lost or the cat would follow her and wait for another opportunity to attack.  It was a chance that he wasn’t willing to take.
    “We are going to have to turn around and go back the way we c ame.”
    “What about the mountain lion, did you scare it off?” she asked.
    “I think I may have just confused it a little by fighting back.”  His breathing was a little heavy as he paused to take a breath.  “Just as I thought, here it comes again and it seems determined to have one of us for lunch.” he said.
    She wasn‘t sure if he had meant that comment to be funny or if he was just trying to make light of their current situation.   Either way, she wasn’t humored.
    “So, what is your plan?   How do we get past the ferocious beast this time?” Loren asked.
    “Stay behind me.   I am going to run straight at it and try to trample on it.  Maybe that will bide us some time.  But no matter what happens, please don’t fall off your horse.”
    “Okay, I am read y.  Let’s do this!”  Loren sucked in her breath and let it out slowly, waiting to follow Sam’s lead.
    Sam took off at a hard run with Loren following close behind.   The cat was still coming at them, growling and hissing.
    Nearing the cat, Sam spurred his horse hard in the ribs to pick up speed.   Horse and rider collided with the cat, knocking it a flip. Kate’s back hoof struck the cat in the head, causing it to become dazed for a moment.  Luckily, before Loren reached it, the cat jumped up and ran off into the woods.
    She kicked Dakota hard causing him to let out a grunted noise.  She felt bad knowing that his ribs were going to be sore, but she meant to stay close behind Sam.  Hopefully, this time the cat would not continue to follow them.
    The fallen tree was now in sight and instead of slowing to coax his horse around it again, Sam leaned low over his saddle and barely cleared the tree.
    Loren’s horse was much shorter and cleared it with ease.  Feeling that they had finally reached a safe distance, Sam reined his horse to a stop and turned back to watch Loren as she approached him.
    “You okay?” he asked, showing much concern.
    “Yeah, I think so.” Her breathing was a little irregular from the hard riding and the excitement that she had just experienced.
    Both horses had broken a sweat.   She looked back to where the trail began and thank goodness, there was no sign of the cat.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 5
    They both rode back to the barn in silence, lost in their own thoughts.  Loren was in awe of everything that had just happened and could not wait to call her parents.
    Sam was just relieved that the outcome had turned out favorable, but at the same time he was confused by the feelings that had come over him when Loren was in the line of danger.   He feared that he was starting to like her a little more than he should.  He preferred to think it was just attraction, plain and simple, and nothing more.
    What else could it be? Love at first sight? That was not very likely. As far as he was concerned, that was just a myth.  Not something that was actually possible.  Besides, he had sworn not to ever fall in love with anyone else after Stephanie and to this day, he had held true to that promise.  No, love was not on his agenda, and never would be. He was as sure of that as he was about the day he was born.  The best explanation was that it had just been too long since he had taken a woman to his bed.
    Once they had reached the barn, Sam pulled his horse to a stop at the