“I’m trying to help you, you know.”

“I can tell.”

“Is your sex life more important than your company?”

Stephanie increased her pace, stomping forward, ignoring Alec’s question.

Sex life.

Ha! She couldn’t even get a kiss.

She passed through the open barn doorway, squinting into the bright sunshine, focusing on Wesley who was across the ranch road, mounting Rockfire.

Too late, she heard the roar of the pickup engine, then the sickening grind of tires sliding on gravel.

She had a fleeting glimpse of Amber’s horrified face at the wheel before a strong arm clamped around Stephanie’s waist and snatched her out of harm’s way.

Alec whirled them both, sheltering Stephanie against the barn wall, his body pressed protectively against hers as the truck slid sideways, fishtailing out of control, roaring past to miss them by inches.

“You okay?” his voice rasped through the billowing dust.

She told herself to nod, but her brain was slow in interpreting the signal.

“You okay?” he tried again, louder.

This time, Stephanie managed a nod.

“Stay here,” he commanded.

And suddenly, he was gone. Without Alec’s physical support, her knees nearly gave way. She grabbed at the wall, mustering her balance, blinking the blur from her eyes while the world moved in slow motion.

As she turned, she took in two ranch hands across the road. Their eyes were wide, mouths gaping. Wesley struggled to control Rockfire, turning the big horse in dust-cloud circles.

Stephanie followed the direction of the hands’ attention. A roar filled her ears as Amber’s blue truck keeled up on the left wheels.

Alec was rushing toward it

Stephanie tried to scream. She tried to run. But her voice clogged down in her chest, and her legs felt like lead weights.

Then the truck overbalanced, crashing down on the driver’s door, spinning in a horrible, grinding circle until it smacked up against an oak tree.