She froze in the doorway as she looked up. A man she'd never seen before, sitting tall in the saddle and wearing a gray Stetson low over his eyes, moved as one with a big black stallion. Kathleen felt something stir deep inside her as she looked at his wide shoulders. She heard Boyd snort and knew he was awake, but she couldn't drag her eyes from the stranger.

He drew the stallion up a couple of feet from her. "Ma'am," he drawled in a deep rich voice, politely touching the dusty brim of his hat to her before tilting it back.

Kathleen felt something akin to shock. The sound of his voice seemed to echo inside her, shaking her. His dark eyes, in the chiseled ruggedness of his face, held her full attention. Kathleen smiled. It had been a long time since a man had tipped his hat to her, or looked at her like that.

"Like to stable your horse?" She reached out and stroked the big beast's muzzle, but her eyes never left the man.

"Stop gawkin' slut an' take the man's hoss!" Boyd growled, springing to his feet and raising a threatening hand to her.

It was the first time in a long while that Kathleen's cheek stung hot with embarrassment at Boyd's humiliating treatment. She felt it was important that this stranger think highly of her. Kathleen didn't know the reason why. As usual, Boyd had bared her soul and advertised her shame. She resented it, but she couldn't do anything about it.

"Whoa there fella," the stranger drawled, as he swung one long, lean leg across the saddlebags and hit the ground. "I was speaking to the lady, and I don't take kindly to being interrupted when I'm talking." He stared coldly at Boyd.

Kathleen sensed the quiet strength in the man. He was self-confident, sure of himself. There was also a hard ruthlessness about him. He wouldn't be pushed. Evidently, Boyd, shooting off his mouth, had riled him.

Boyd turned sunset red. He was no fool and no gunfighter either. He'd seen the Colt strapped to the stranger's hip. In a fearful effort to appease, Boyd said, "Didn't mean to butt in. Gotta watch her ever minute." He spat tobacco juice into the dust with contempt. "Hell, she ain't no lady anyways. The whore's my wife." He stuck out his barrel chest importantly and hooked his thumbs into his hip pockets. "Don't let her talk to no one 'less I say so."

A muscle twitched in the stranger's jaw. "I don't bed my horse where I can't leave instructions for his care." He lifted the reins from Kathleen's hand and touched the brim of his hat again. "Ma'am."

"Now, don't be rushin'," Boyd whined, backtracking fast, fearful of losing the stable fees. "I ain't said you cain't talk to her. Jest go ahead an' tell her what's to be done. She'll take care of this hoss of yours real good like."

To Kathleen's surprise, the stranger looked from her to Boyd and back again. Then, he placed the stallion's reins in her hand. "What's your name?"

His question startled Kathleen. She stared up at his face and felt her skin blush hotly. None of the cowboys had ever had the common decency to ask for her name.

About
'D. Musgrave'
The reader is entertained by the journey of another,
but the writer is the changer of worlds
                                                               D'ni proverb.

      When D. Musgrave first read this proverb, it rekindled the desire to write that he'd thought had burned out during eight long years of college. Since then, he's dabbled in a variety of genres, but the 'other' works had no audience, until he connected to the Internet. A whole new world of possibilities for his writing unfolded.

       Many struggles and much effort later, D. discovered that he indeed could write and, most surprisingly, people wanted to read the words that spilled onto his pages. During his time riding the learning curve of authorship, he stumbled upon Erotica Writers Too, a small online writing community. It wasn't long afterwards that he found himself as the assistant administrator. There he found a handful of friendly and helpful writers that encouraged his efforts, one in particular was Jude Mason. With her kindness and skill, a mutual working relationship developed along the way that became a deep and valued friendship.

       D. joined Erotica Readers and Writers Association a few years ago and developed even more skill with the help of the talented writers there. Employing the help of the varied voices contained in that community, D. finished his first novel, 'Trail of Seduction'. It was published by Renaissance eBooks and was subsequently voted fourth best romance of 2003 on the Preditors and Editors poll. Most recently, his second novel, 'Foxy!', was released by Renaissance amidst a flurry of hysteria. His works have garnered much acclaim and Sensual Romance Reviews hailed D. Musgrave's erotic novels, "An emotional roller coaster of needs, desires, doubts and rewards."

      Several of D's shorter works have been published on the net and he's become a featured writer on a fetish site, Darker Pleasures. D. has also developed a website called ~Hidden Treasures~, where you can see more of his voice and a few of his works in progress. As previously mention, Matt Nicholson of Darker Pleasures, has created one of the most unique and classy fetish-lifestyle sites on the net and D's thrilled to be a part of such a great website.

      During this period, D. has also spread the word about safe anal-play with The Art of Anal Forum, a site where people who enjoy all forms of anal play discuss the aspects of anal sexuality and dispel a few myths.