Chapter 37

The breeze blowing off of the ocean was cool, but not cold as the two women walked side by side on the nearly deserted beach. When Lex had questioned Amanda about the sparse crowd, the younger woman told her it was the wrong time of the year. "Most people spend their time in the nearby shops right now."

"This is great." The rancher sighed, bending over and picking up a small shell, then cramming it into the pocket of her faded cutoffs like a small child.

Amanda giggled, then looped an arm through Lex's, bumping the taller woman with her hip. "Yeah, it is." She stopped and picked up another seashell. "Here, I think you missed one." She handed the treasure to her companion, who blushed slightly.

"Thanks." Lex sheepishly put it in her pocket. "Thought that maybe Martha might like them." Then she grinned at the look on the younger woman's face. "Yeah, yeah…okay. You caught me. I like 'em." She pulled Amanda into an impromptu hug. "Thanks…I'm really having a good time today."

"You haven't seen anything yet. Wait 'til we hit the shops - now there…are some… interesting…sights." Amanda smiled, totally charmed by the child-like glee her lover displayed at all the sights and sounds on the beach. Lex had dragged her playfully into the surf when they first arrived, and threatened to throw the smaller woman into the ocean until she surrendered a kiss. "C'mon, you silly thing. Let's take your little…treasures…back to the car, and we'll have lunch then do a little shopping." Amanda pulled the smiling rancher back towards the parking lot.

After a light lunch of corn dogs and potato chips, Amanda guided Lex towards a row of colorful shops, slinging a large, brightly decorated straw bag over one shoulder.

"What's in the bag?" Lex asked, trying to peek inside as she walked beside her friend.

Amanda pulled away with a quirky grin. "Nothing, yet. But I like to be prepared." She pushed her wide sunglasses up on her nose.

Lex laughed, and pulled her just acquired aqua baseball cap that stated 'Life's a Beach' down a little further over her eyes. "If you say so, sweetheart." She glanced down at the younger woman's legs. "You've got a really nice tan, you know that?" She grinned at Amanda's blush.

"Thanks. I used to spend a lot of time at the beach when I lived here - just to get out of the house…you know." Amanda studied her companion with a less than clinical eye. "I've never really noticed before, but…you…have a good tan. How did you manage that? All I've ever seen you in, besides nothing," she leered, "is jeans." Lex not only had a nice tan, but long, very muscular legs as well.

"Well, when I'm putting the colts through their paces in the summertime, I sometimes wear cutoffs so I don't pass out from the heat." Lex admitted with a grin. Then she stopped, sidetracked by several girls jumping multiple ropes. How in the hell do they do that? She wondered, fascinated.

Amanda wandered ahead a few yards, enamoured with the sight of a man who was making colorful sand sculptures. Just as she turned to get Lex's attention, a young man grabbed at the bag on her shoulder, backhanding her across the face to make her release the purse.

Lex looked up just as the man hit Amanda. "Hey!" she yelled, grabbing one of the long jump ropes without a second thought. The rancher started running towards Amanda, who was sitting up holding her hand against her cheek. "You okay?" Lex asked, looking over her lover carefully.

"Yeah, just caught me off guard." Amanda tried to smile, but winced instead.

The rancher patted her knee. "Okay. Sit tight…I'll be right back." Then she took off, sprinting after the thief.

"Lex! Wait!" Amanda yelled, as she watched the older woman's long legs shorten the distance between herself and her quarry. A young boy stepped over to the still seated blonde, handing her a small bag filled with crushed ice. "Thank you." She smiled at the boy, who ducked his head and blushed.

As she chased the thief down the paved path, Lex fashioned a loop on one end of her confiscated rope. She never broke pace as she dodged the seemingly endless throng of people in her path. Seeing the young man look back at her in fear, she grinned. "That's right, you little shit…you'd better be scared." She growled, slowly making progress in catching up to the purse-snatcher, who quickly decided on an alternate route.

Knocking a few pedestrians down, the man took off across the sand, not even realizing when his pursuer got closer. Lex was only about ten yards away when she began swinging the rope over her head in a wide loop, closing in on the man quickly.

"URK!" The thief gasped, as the tightened rope around his chest stopped his progress. He wheezed again as he fell onto his back in the sand, hard.

Lex fell to her knees, straddling his still panting body. She tangled her hands into the front of his sweat-stained tee shirt, a dark look on her beautiful face. "You son of a bitch!" The furious rancher pulled him up slightly, then slammed him back into the sand. "I ought to kill you right here, and save the state some money." Before she could do any damage, two police officers jumped from their bicycles and pulled her off of the now terrified man.

"Easy there, miss." One of the cops said, holding onto Lex's shoulder as his partner handcuffed the frightened thief. "Must have been something pretty important in that bag." He commented, handing the item back to the still heavily breathing rancher.

"No…" Lex, still on her knees gasped, getting her breathing under control, "It's empty." She gave the subdued man a nasty look. "The little bastard hit my friend." As if that explained everything.

The other cop grinned as his partner handed the rope back to Lex. "Nice job, by the way. We're going to need to get a statement from you, though."

"Can I go back and check on my friend first?" Lex asked, standing up and brushing the sand from her knees.

"Sure." Cop number two agreed, leading the thief towards a nearby police car. "We'll even have someone give you a ride back, since we need to collect a statement from your friend too." He opened the front passenger side door for Lex, then pushed the still-dazed thief into the back seat. "Johnston here," he nodded to the burly officer behind the wheel of the car, "will drop you off on his way to the station, and we'll meet you there, okay?"

"Thanks." Lex shook his hand and sat down in the car, still shocked at what she almost did. Damn…I could have killed that guy - thank god the police showed up when they did, or I'd be the one in the backseat.

***************

If I have to fend off one more…kind…person, I swear I'll scream! Amanda thought to herself. Ever since Lex took off after her assailant, concerned bystanders, offering her everything from a glass of water to a dinner date bombarded the young woman. Some helpful soul had even brought her a folding lawn chair to sit in, as she fretted on the location of her companion. God, Lex…why did you take off after that guy? You knew there was nothing in that damn bag, she wondered silently, hoping that the tall woman would return soon.

When a police car pulled up into the parking lot beside where Amanda was sitting, she immediately thought the worst. Oh, god…what's happened to her? She fought to keep the tears at bay, when a tall form blocked the sun in front of her.

Concerned blue eyes looked right into her soul, as Lex knelt down in front of the frazzled blonde. "Amanda?" The rancher placed a warm hand on the younger woman's knee. "You okay, sweetheart?"

"Oh, god…Lex…" Amanda began to cry, as she launched herself out of the chair and into the arms of her lover. She wrapped her arms around the older woman's neck, ending up on her knees in front of Lex.

"Easy there, Amanda…shhh." The dark haired woman murmured in her ear, rubbing her back with a comforting motion. She slowly stood up, pulling the sobbing young woman with her.

Amanda pulled back slightly, tears still running down her face. "Are you okay?" she sniffed, a small smile forming when Lex gently wiped her face with her hand.

"Yeah, I'm fine. How about you?" Lex asked, running her fingertips lightly over her jaw, where a bruise was already beginning to form. That son of a bitch…I should have killed him when I had the chance.

"I'm okay." Amanda assured her, then slapped her hard on the side. "Don't you…ever… do that to me again!" she demanded in a shaky tone, anger and fear in her eyes.

"Ouch!" Lex jumped. "What?" she stepped back away from the younger woman, whose eyes were sparkling with emotion.

"Take off after a thief like that…Dammit, Lex! That stupid bag wasn't worth risking your life for!" the blonde fumed.

Lex stepped towards Amanda cautiously. "Him? Aw, Amanda…he's just a scrawny two-bit little purse-snatcher."

She really doesn't get it…"Lex…" Amanda began patiently, "He could have been a junkie looking for quick money - and carrying a knife or gun for protection." She put her hands on the dark-haired woman's waist. "And I don't want to lose you this soon after finding you, okay?"

Understanding raced across Lex's tan features. "Oh…I never really thought about that. I just saw him hit you, and kinda lost it." She pulled Amanda into a strong hug. "Sorry about that."

She regretfully released the younger woman when a throat was cleared discreetly behind her. Turning around, Lex kept her arm around Amanda's waist as she greeted the two bicycle cops. "Oh, hi…Officers. Sorry, I didn't catch your names." She grinned, as the policemen shook their heads and laughed.