Her One Desire

Prolog

Her One Desire©

3rd Book in the Rocking R Series

Nate Gregory's Story

By

Mary Short

Rocking R Series

Trail of Deceptions (Sam and Jake)

Haunted by the Past (Dusty and Dallas)

Her One Desire (Nat and Blythe)

PROLOG

Rocking R Ranch 1893

Sam Roberts-Morgan rode in from the range late one afternoon to see her stepfathers horse tied up in front of her ranch house. She wondered what prompted his visit without her mother or her little brother Brandon coming along. She handed her horse Misty off to one of her hands for him to put up while she went on into the house to find her husband Jake in the kitchen drinking coffee with her stepfather.

"What brings you here?" Sam asked as she leaned down and kiss Jim Harrison on his cheek. "Where's Mother and Brandon?

"I left them at home," he told her smiling up at her. "Brandon is cutting a tooth and he's been a bit fussy lately".

"He's only six months old is that when baby's cut teeth?" she asked him

"Your mother and aunt say it is," Jim replied with a smile. "I know just about as much about babies as you do, Sam."

"Touché,," Sam replied returning Jim's smile then went to the stove and poured a cup of coffee before returning to the kitchen table to join the men.

You still didn't say what brought you here," Sam noticed the look that passed between her stepfather and husband Jake Morgan which instantly put Sam on alert.

"I received a letter from and old friend that needs our help. His son is having problems with he thinks another rancher trying to run him off his ranch in Wyoming. The mans not being very nice about it either."

"So you and the men are going up there to help them out," Sam stated. She wasn't looking forward to seeing her husband put himself in danger but she knew when she married Jake this would eventually happen. It was after all how she met Jake, when he, Jim and four other men came to her ranch at her mothers request to help protect her as well as find her fathers murderers. It was also how Alyssa James, one of her best friends, met her husband Dusty Gordon and her mother married Jim.

"The others are going without me this time, Sam", Jim replied. "I dont want to leave Julie and the baby just yet. I asked Jake to be in charge and hes agreed."

Sam put a smile on her face she didn't feel like and looked toward her husband. "How soon will you and Dusty be leaving? Dusty is going isnt he?" Sam asked her husband knowing that Alyssa and Dusty had just recently married. Still considered newlyweds and Dusty might consider not leaving his wife just yet either.

"In about four days. Jim wired the others to meet Dusty and I there. Jim has already spoken with Dusty and hes agreed to go with us. Well travel as far as we dare by train then its only a few hours ride to the sons ranch. We dont want anyone knowing weve arrived so wont take the train all the way to the nearest town to the ranch."

"How bad is this trouble?" Sam wanted to know then took a sip from her cup.

"Strong arm tactics so far. Some intimidation, missing cattle, nothing we havent dealt with in the past."

"Will you be asking Buck to go along?" Sam asked knowing that their butler would feel left out is not asked. He was almost as good with a gun now as she was with the practice he was putting in.

"I've thought about it Sam but Im not sure hes ready just yet," Jake replied. "The house has another three or four months before its finished and I should be home long before then. Just check on the progress once in a while will you while Im gone?"

"I will take care of it so dont worry about anything here while you are away."

"Well I guess we have gone over about everything we need to", Jim said then finished up his cup of coffee." I should head home now we can discuss this more before you leave Jake."

"Yes," Jake told him friend and father-in-law. "I should be in town day after tomorrow. Be sure to stop by the depot and have them get my railroad car on the train we need to take north and the horses transportation taken care of when you get back into town. Let Dusty and the others know when we are scheduled to leave."

"Sure will," Jim replied. "It sure feels funny not going along with you guys."

"Don't worry about a thing," Jake reassured him. "If Id just become a new father I wouldnt leave Sam and the baby now either."

"Give Mother my love and kiss Brandon for me", Sam said before Jim left to start toward town.

Once he was gone Sam turned toward her husband. "What all do you need to take with you? Will it still be cold up there?"

"The snows should be melting unless theyve had a late spring but Im sure its still cold at night and who knows they might even have some late spring snows," Jake told her. "I'll take Cyrus for the railroad car and we will stock it before we leave. Youre okay with my leaving?"

"Yes", Sam assured him." I knew when we married you, Jim and others would help people in need. I cant say I wont miss you a whole lot while youre gone though".

"I'll miss you too," Jake told her then kissed her. "Jim left the choice up to me if I wanted to go or not".

I know he did," she said. "Ask Buck if he wants to go. Give him the choice Jake I think hes more then ready to help you and besides that will give you another gun to take Jims place."

"I suppose youre right", Jake replied." Come on help me decide what all I need to pack.

"Sure", she told him.

* * *

Alyssa, Jim and Sam watched the train pull away from the depot four days later.

"Don't worry girls," Jim told them once the train was out of sight. "They will be home before you know it. Sam are you coming to dinner tonight, you to Alyssa."

"Alyssa and I made plans to eat at the hotel," Sam told him. "She has some work to catch up on. Tell Mother I'll see her tomorrow before I leave for the ranch".

"All right then," Jim replied." Now you know that if either of you need anything all you have to do is ask."

"We know," Alyssa was the one to reply and Sam nodded at her stepfather.

The two ladies watched as Jim Harrison got on his horse and rode toward his house near the edge of town. They both then walked to the hotel Alyssa owned in silence. Sam followed Alyssa into her office and sat down in a chair as Alyssa walked behind her desk and sat there.

"I knew when I married Jake this day would come I just didnt know how hard it would be to wait for his return", Sam told her friend. "He's only been gone twenty minutes and it feels like a month."

"I know just what you mean", Alyssa told her.

"I think its harder on you since you and Dusty have only been married for a few months," Sam said. "I wanted to go with them but I knew Jake would tell me no if I asked even though I can out shoot any of them. Im the one that taught Buck for heavens sake and hes going."

"I wanted to go too," Alyssa told her. "I know I cant shoot as well as you do but I can hit what I aim at. Hanna would gladly look after Tanner while I was gone."

Tanner was Alyssas son from a previous relationship.

Sam rested her elbows on her knees and put her hat in her hands as she thought about how long Jake and the others might be gone. She knew there wouldnt be a day go by that she wouldnt worry about him along the others. They were all family to her now that shed married Jake Morgan.

"What!" if they both said at the same time then smiled at each other.