At a quarter to four the following afternoon, Danny found Lindsey going over the crime scene photos from the law offices where a top-rated attorney had been murdered a few days before. Danny watched her a moment, wishing he could get past that wall she'd put between them.

"You ready?" he asked, startling her.

"Ready?" she asked, glancing at the clock.
"It's still early." she stated, and Danny shrugged.

"I've got a surprise for you," he said, and Lindsey sighed.

"Really, I need to finish this." She gestured to the photos.

Mac appeared behind Danny, and looked directly at Lindsey.

"Hawkes can finish that; take the rest of the afternoon off and I'll see you in the morning." he said, and without a second glance, walked on down the hall.

Frowning, Lindsey slid the photos back in the brown envelope. Looking at Danny, she gave a small smile.

"That answers that I suppose," she said, reluctantly shrugging out of her lab coat.

Danny hated the look of resignation on her face, and wondered if she'd just rather he fell of the face of the earth. What the hell was it with her? Here he was, trying to be nice; to take her on a platonic date for her father's birthday, and she seemed to act like she would rather have a root canal. He watched her walk across the room, her black strappy sandles showing off perfectly manicured

toenails in a bright shade of red.

"First we'll go by your apartment so you can change," Danny informed her as they walked toward the elevator.

"Change clothes?" Lindsey asked, looking down at her black slacks, pink shirt and high heels.

Danny escorted her into the elevator.

"I've got a surprise for you if you'll just trust me," he said, staring at the floor and daring not to look at her.

The explanation seemed good enough for Lindsey, and soon they pulled up to her apartment.

"Casual stuff," Danny answered, when she asked what sort of clothes he had in mind.

She noticed he was wearing jeans and a button up chambry shirt, so she decided to follow his lead.

The drive was silent, and Danny tried not to let Lindsey's lack of conversation get to him. But damnit, the way she kept him at arms' length was beginning to annoy the fire out of him. She'd dressed in faded Cruel Girl jeans, a red and blue plaid shirt, and a pair of lace up ankle boots. Her slim waist was encircled by a belt with a silver and gold heart shaped buckle in front. Danny tightened his grip on the steering wheel as he pulled up to the low-slung stables at the end of a tree-lined drive. Lindsey turned to him in surprise.

"This is a barn," she stated matter of factly, and Danny grinned.

"Looks like it, don't it?" He responded mysteriously and got out of the car.

Lindsey followed curiously, and they walked past two saddled horses standing tied to the fence out front.

"Wait here," Danny said, and went inside.

Wondering what in the world he was doing, Lindsey walked up to the horse nearest her.

"Hi big guy," she crooned, touching the palomino's shoulder.

The horse turned it's head, and she rubbed his nose.

Both horses wore English saddles, and Lindsey was becoming more and more suspicious. Her thoughts were confirmed when Danny stepped back out of the office.

"Mount up," he said and Lindsey's head jerked round in astonishment.

"Are you serious?" She asked, delight in her voice.

Danny grinned but said nothing as he untied the reins of the palomino. Holding them out to her, he shook them slightly when she didn't take them.

"Thought you said you rode horses," he said, and she nodded.

"Yeah, but not.." she waved her hand at the small, hornless english saddle strapped to the animal's back.

Danny grinned wickedly and laced his fingers together to form a makeshift stirrup.

"If you know how to ride a horse, then I don't think you'll have

a problem," he replied and boosted her into the saddle.

Lindsey was used to the big, heavy ranch saddles that she'd grown up with; the English saddle made her feel as if she were riding without a saddle at all, but she dutifully placed her feet in the iron stirrups.

"You said birthday parties included a ride, and I thought maybe this would help you feel like you were at home with your family," he explained.

"I didn't know you could ride," she answered flippantly, and then realised how cold her words sounded.

Danny glanced at her for a moment, and then without a word, swung astride the chestnut mare he'd been given. Gathering the reins, Danny squeezed the horse's sides and rode away. Lindsey's horse moved to follow, and she fixed her gaze on Danny's back. This ride wasn't going to be much fun, now that she'd pissed him off, and she felt instantly sorry.

Great, Montana, she thought to herself. Why not just kick him in the belly? It'd be just as effective. Patting her horse's sleek neck, and swallowing back tears, Lindsey let herself relax with the easy motion of the animal's walk. At least the horse seemed happy, she thought, and concentrated on the sound of the warm wind in the trees.