Sorry I haven't written in so long! I hope I didn't loose any fans. My dog recently died and i've recently had a huge writers block. I hope you guys know that I'm really sorry and I promise that I will write more often, I'm back!Enjoy!

Chapter 6

"Jake!" exclaimed Sam, falling down onto slippery rocks of the creek. Her butt and legs were soaked, but she didn't notice. What she did notice was that Jake Ely was standing five feet away from her, eyebrows raised.

Sam glanced to her right, somewhat not expecting the Phantom to be there. She was right; the silver stud stallion was nowhere to be seen.

"What are you doing?" the two asked in unison, and Jake beckoned to her to reply first. He was mounted on Witch, wearing a Darton High Track shirt and jeans. For once, his black Stetson wasn't on his short black hair.

Sam muttered something and stood up, her jeans dripping. "I was standing here bonding with Za- Blackie, when all of the sudden you came and scared me out of my pants, Jake."

"You've got the pants thing right." Jake smirked.

Exasperated, Sam stomped out of the La Charla and faced Jake's dragon-like mare, looking up in frustration at her friendly enemy/boyfriend. "You know I haven't seen the Phantom for a long time." she continued, glancing worriedly at the dark still house.

"What about Ace?" Jake asked calmly. "Have you seen him lately?"

She nodded. "Duh, Jake, he's my-" she stopped abruptly as her gaze landed on the barn.

"Did ya think I was just comin' here to see you, Brat?" Jake laughed. "No, Ace seems to have a crush on Sky."

Cloudy Sky was Bryan Ely's new gray appaloosa filly. Bryan had bought the beautiful half-wild horse only about a week ago from someone down in Carson City for a remarkable price. Since Jake's brother was now out of college, he planned to spend the summer and fall raising the filly for barrel racing.

"You, you mean Ace is over at Three Ponies?" Sam gasped, starting to run towards the barn.

Jake must have tied Witch to the hitch rail because as soon as Sam saw Ace's empty stall, Jake was right behind her inspecting the bolt on the swing-out door.

"I told you he shoulda been let out." Jake mumbled, seeing that the hinge had been rusty and not as tight as they thought it was.

Sam buried her face in her hands in embarrassment. "Ohmigosh, Jake, I must of forgot, you know, after"-

Jake didn't look that mad, more embarrassed than angry. "Uh, yeah." he said, as if dismissing the thought. "I don't know if I want to wake Wyatt up to come fetch your mustang…" Jake ended, glancing up at Sam.

Relieved at the thought of not waking up Dad or Brynna and getting in trouble again, she agreed, and in no less than two minutes she was up on Witch behind Jake.

At least Witch wasn't a whinnying type of horse, Sam thought. You can give her credit for that. The ranch home was still as dark as ever, and Sam saw no signs of anyone slipping on their boots and turning on the porch light.

Once Jake and Sam were over the bridge, Sam asked how Jake had seen Ace outside. "I just saw him, Sam." Jake told her as if she were ten years old. "My eyes were obviously made for seein'."

Jake's dumb sarcasm made Sam grumpy. Since it was after twelve in the morning anyhow, Sam wasn't exactly happy-go-lucky. At least Jake came to tell me, she thought, squirming on Witch's back. Her jeans were stuck to her skin, where she didn't want them to be, but fortunately the normally desert-cold night temperature was surprisingly warm that night.

"Looks like you peed your pants, Brat." Jake smirked, like he knew what she was thinking. Sam suppressed a shriek and the urge to tighten her hands around Jake's abdomen.

Since Sam didn't reply to his comment, he actually attempted again. "But at least if you did it wouldn't matter…"

"Shut up, Jake." Sam muttered, refusing to make a big deal, and not taking his joshing seriously.

When they reached Three Ponies, Sam spotted her little mustang, tied to the post. He let out a whinny when he saw Sam, and she winced, hoping none of Jake's family had heard.

Quickly Jake dismounted and helped Sam down after him, when her foot got stuck in the long stirrup and she almost fell flat on her face. If horses could impatiently groan, that's what Jake's fiery mare would've been doing.

"Walk much, Brat?" Jake asked Sam jokingly as she tripped on a rock and fell into his arms, once more.

Sam grinned back, but kept steadily walking towards Ace. "Hey, you bad boy." she scolded, untying him from the post. "You got yourself a new girlfriend, huh? What cute fillies or colts your children could be."

"That's what I'd be afraid of." Jake mumbled quietly. "Geez, it's already after twelve thirty, Samantha. You'd better be gettin' home before Wyatt notices."

"Are you kicking me out?" Sam asked teasingly, but she had already been in the process of undoing the lead rope from the stake…

"'Bye, Brat." Jake said, and when Sam looked up he gave her a quick kiss on the mouth, and when Jake started to rub his neck in awkwardness, Sam pulled it away. "You don't have to be so scared, Jake. Dad's not watching."

Sam was still holding his hand, and so he kind of gave a small smile and kissed her again, long and gentle that time. Sam's incoherent brain always were thinking the same thing, Jake seems so unlikely to kiss this good! Of course those thoughts always embarrassed her and she would never tell anyone that, not even Jen.

After Sam pulled away, she grinned at Jake as she mounted up on Ace's bare back. "You might want to change those jeans of yours, Sam." Jake advised Sam, motioning to her wet pants. Sam turned and saw that they were indeed as uncomfortable as they thought. Her underwear line was visible and the butt of them looked Xeroxed to her.

Sam's blush was the true definition of red as she galloped away into the pitch black night.