COZYING UP WITH THE COWBOY

RUST CREEK RAMBLINGS

Ah, wintertime in Rust Creek Falls! It’s the perfect time of year to snuggle up by the fireplace and indulge in some juicy gossip. Speaking of snuggling, did you hear that Eli Dalton and Hadley Strickland were forced to spend the night together in an abandoned barn during our recent snowstorm?

While it may have been a horse in distress that brought the lovely veterinarian out to the Circle D, we’re betting handsome, steady Eli will draw her back. We believe the rancher could melt fair Hadley’s frozen heart—if she can find the courage to reveal her past. So hang the holly, dear readers, and remember that this is the season for miracles. Could a holiday proposal soon be in the works?

Lying on the blanket beside Eli, Hadley didn’t sleep.

She was aware of his breathing, his every movement. She tossed and turned, careful not to let her hand brush Eli’s, not to let her arm nudge his. She stayed on her side and her side only. But in spite of the blankets and the sleeping bag, the floor was hard. In spite of the heater in the room, the air was chilled. To her dismay, she began to shiver.

Eli must have heard her teeth chattering because he turned around to face her. “Are you cold?”

“Yes. And I’m thinking about tomorrow, and the mom out there and the foal, and the other horses.”

“World peace, and if your family’s worrying?”

“My mind doesn’t want to turn off.”

“I think it would if you got warm. Come here.”

She could tell he’d held out his arm to her.

“Come on,” he coaxed. “Combined body heat will warm you up.”

She didn’t know if she was being stupid to try it. But she was cold. And if she was going to get any sleep tonight, she had to warm up. She moved into the crook of Eli’s arm, and he wrapped it around her.

“Better?”

Oh, yes, it was better. Too much better.

* * *

Montana Mavericks: The Great Family Roundup—Real cowboys and real love in Rust Creek Falls!

The Maverick’s Snowbound Christmas

Karen Rose Smith

www.millsandboon.co.uk

USA TODAY bestselling author KAREN ROSE SMITH’s eighty-seventh novel was released in 2015. Her passion is caring for her four rescued cats, and her hobbies are gardening, cooking and photography. An only child, Karen delved into books at an early age. Even though she escaped into story worlds, she had many cousins around her on weekends. Families are a strong theme in her novels. Find out more about Karen at www.karenrosesmith.com.

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To my veterinarians,

Doctors Brian and Jessica,

who treat my cats with expertise and caring.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Extract

Copyright

Chapter One

Eli Dalton ran his hand over his pregnant mare’s side. He breathed in the scents of leather, straw, old wood and the dampness from snow that had begun to fall. Worry niggled in his gut. He’d been around horses all his life, and something just didn’t seem right with Amber’s labor. She’d been a wild mustang, and he’d gentled her himself. He couldn’t let something go wrong. He couldn’t lose her foal.

Leaving her for a few moments to get some perspective, he went to the barn door and peered out. Two or three inches of snow had already fallen. Any other time, somebody else would be around to give him an opinion. Of course, this weekend of all weekends, everyone was gone from the ranch. His parents had left for Missoula for an equipment auction, and Derek, the only sibling who was still living at home, had gone with them, as had his uncle and cousins. One of his sisters, Kristen, might have been some help, but she’d flown to LA with her husband to celebrate an early Thanksgiving with him. Eli’s gaze ran over the miles of fencing on the Circle D. Ranching and caring for horses had been embedded deeply in his soul from before he could remember.

He heard a noise coming from Amber’s stall. She was down. He rushed to her and ran his hand over her belly...looked into her eyes. She whinnied at him, and he knew there was only one thing to do. Call the veterinarian.

* * *

“Don’t you know your biological clock is ticking?”

Hadley Strickland pushed her wavy dark brown hair away from her face and glanced around the kitchen at the dishes being prepared for the Strickland clan, wondering how to exit this conversation. Her sister Tessa, who lived in LA, had a vacation home on Falls Mountain and was here for Thanksgiving, didn’t hesitate to probe, question or bully. Ever since she’d found her “happily-ever-after,” she was worse. Hadley was just glad her sister Claire wasn’t in the kitchen right now to weigh in on this conversation as well.

Hadley cast her dark brown eyes on her grandmother Melba Strickland, who was matriarchal and grandmotherly all at the same time. But her grandmother was no help at all because she asked, “Have you dated in the past few months?”

There were so many ways to answer that question. Hadley put in long hours at the veterinary clinic where she worked in Bozeman. She often covered for other vets when it wasn’t her turn in the rotation. She kept up on all the latest veterinary journals. On top of all that, she was qualifying for her pilot’s license. However, the simplest answer could usually turn the subject of the conversation in another direction much faster. She didn’t want anybody dwelling on her personal life.

She added cherry tomatoes to the salad she’d been fixing and said offhandedly, “I’m too busy to date.”

As a small animal vet, she was thinking of expanding horizons by owning her own practice someday. But for now, if she became a pilot, she might be able to help animals at a greater distance or in the wild. She knew someday her life would come together. But she also knew it might never include romance again. Her family didn’t know her secret, a secret that was embarrassing and showed how foolish a woman could be when she was wildly attracted to a man.

She could see Tessa was gearing up for another question when the cell phone attached to Hadley’s belt buzzed. She kept it there from habit because she was never without it. Gratefully, she plucked it out of its case, gave a sheepish smile to her grandmother and sister and checked the screen.

“It’s Brooks Smith,” she murmured. He was the town’s main veterinarian. She always stopped in when she was in Rust Creek Falls to check out his practice and talk to him about the latest advances in animal care. She even helped him now and then. Maybe he wanted to set up a time they could get together while she was in town. He and his wife, Jazzy, ran a horse rescue ranch, and Hadley was always fascinated by the work they did there.

She held up her finger to her sister and grandmother, indicating she was going to take the call. “Hi, Brooks,” she said.

“Hey, Hadley. How are you?”

“I’m good. What’s up?”

“I need a favor.”

“What can I do?”

“I’m tied up on a ranch near Kalispell. Dr. Wellington, a vet working with me, quit unexpectedly, and my backup vet, my dad, just had knee replacement surgery.”

Hadley knew Brooks and his dad coordinated their practices even though they were in separate locations. Brooks’s dad had been gearing back, hoping to retire soon.

“What’s the favor?” Maybe he wanted her to go in and check on animals at his practice.

“There’s a mare in labor at the Circle D, and Eli thinks she’s in trouble. No obvious signs, but he knows horses. She’s down in her stall, and he’s worried.”

Her grandfather, Old Gene as he was called, came into the kitchen and was studying the women with a probing eye. He spotted Hadley on the phone.

“So you want me to drive to the Dalton ranch and see if he needs help?”

“That sums it up. I know it’s snowing and you’re spending time with your family, but Eli wouldn’t put out a call without good reason.”

“I have all-wheel drive. I’ll be fine. Does he know you’re calling me?”

“He doesn’t know I’m specifically calling you. I told him I’d try to get somebody out there. I’ll call him back and let him know. Thanks for doing this, Hadley. I owe you.”

“You owe me nothing. You know, Brooks, I mostly handle small animals. Horses aren’t my specialty.”

“You’re a vet, Hadley. That counts right now. I’ll tell Eli you’re coming, and I’ll text you his number in case you need it.”

Drew and Benjamin, two of Hadley’s cousins who were here for Thanksgiving, suddenly made an appearance in the kitchen doorway. Hosting family for the holidays, her grandparents had a full house. Drew and Benjamin were over six feet tall, and with their sudden male presence, the kitchen seemed very small.

“Are you really going out in this?” Old Gene asked.

Drew studied her with a worried expression. “This is supposed to be a monster storm. We could get a lot of snow in a short amount of time.”

“Then I’d better get going,” she said. “There’s a mare who needs me.”

And before anyone else could protest or stop her, she left the kitchen to dress in warmer clothes and boots.

* * *

Hadley veered down the lane to the Circle D, her vehicle’s tires churning up snow as she drove. She’d almost been relieved to leave her grandmother’s boardinghouse, and that was unusual. She enjoyed being with family. But on this visit there seemed to be pressure from her sisters, her grandparents and even her cousins to talk about her love life. She had no love life—with very good reason. No one knew why, and she wasn’t about to reveal it. Her parents were supposed to arrive for Thanksgiving next week, and that would mean even more pressure.

Pressure for what? Finding Mr. Right when Mr. Right didn’t exist? Pressure to be some woman she wasn’t? Pressure to get hurt again?

She took the fork in the lane that led to the house and barn. She assumed that if the mare was having problems, that’s where Eli Dalton would be. She thought about this rancher who was supposed to be one of the eligible bachelors in town. Their paths had crossed now and then, most recently at his sister Kayla’s wedding. But there were so many cowboys and ranchers in Rust Creek Falls that Hadley didn’t pay much attention to him. After all, she wasn’t looking.

As she climbed down from her vehicle and slammed the door, complete silence surrounded her. There wasn’t a creature stirring. Snow fell more heavily now, and she supposed they’d all taken cover as best they could. Montana was beautiful, but the winters could be harsh. Most humans and creatures living here knew how to survive and thrive. She was still trying to figure out the thrive part.

Opening the back door of her SUV, she grabbed her bag, closed the door and trudged to the barn. After she opened the door, her eyes adjusted to the dimmer light. As they did, she took in the scents—horses, hay, aged wood. She took a few more steps forward, and then she saw him. Eli Dalton was leaning low over his horse. She assumed it was his horse. The way he was caressing her, she saw so much caring just in the stroke of his hand. He was murmuring to her, encouraging her, and something in his tone made Hadley’s throat tighten. That was silly. She’d seen a man’s kindness to a horse before.

Eli’s hair was dark brown, thick, and fell over his brow as he leaned forward. He knelt by the horse’s back, his own back long and lean as he bent down to the horse’s belly and put his ear to it. His shoulders were so broad. Although he was kneeling, she could tell his legs were long. He was wearing the requisite worn cowboy boots that looked like his favorite pair. His navy insulated vest fell open over his green-and-navy flannel shirt. He was so focused on the horse, he was totally unaware that she’d come in.

She made sure her boots made a scuffling noise as she approached him.

He looked up as if startled from his concentration.

“I’m Hadley Strickland,” she said in explanation. “Brooks Smith called me to help you.”

He looked torn, as if he wanted to stand and approach her, yet he didn’t want to leave the horse. To help him with that dilemma, she went to him.

He held out his hand to her.

“I’m Eli Dalton. We met at Kayla’s wedding briefly. In the receiving line.”

As Hadley shook his hand and gazed into his eyes, her world seemed to spin a little faster. His grip was firm and warm and urged her breaths to come faster. Recognizing the red flags of attraction, she pulled her hand out of his clasp. “There was a lot of chatter and bedlam at the wedding,” she murmured for something to say. “That’s a wedding for you.”

He gave her an odd look, and she changed the subject. “So what seems to be the problem?” She looked over the horse again from her golden-brown coat to the white blaze, from her forelock to her nose.

“I’m not sure. Amber is a wild mustang I adopted. I gentled her. I’ve been with her every day. I’ve been around pregnant horses since I was three, and I know what pregnancy and labor is supposed to look like.”

“What are the signs that make you think something’s wrong?”

“This is a maiden mare from what I can tell, so I know she can foal a bit early or late. She’s not particularly high-strung, so I don’t think she’s resisting the normal process of delivery. Her udder has been swollen for the last five weeks. I’ve been cleaning her with warm cloths.”

“And she let you?”

“She trusts me.”

Hadley took that in. As she knelt beside Eli, she saw the thickened nipple. They naturally developed a thick waxy material. When the nipple got waxed, that was an indicator that the foal would be born within the next day or so. Even though Hadley didn’t often handle large animals, she knew each mare was unique. All the owner could do would be to evaluate all the signs for an impending foaling.

“Will she let me examine her?” Hadley asked.

“If I stay here and talk to her, she will.”

“All right, let me get my gloves on and we’ll do it.”

Hadley tried to forget that Eli was there as she checked signs of the rump and tail-head muscles softening. “Any changes in behavior?”

“She’s been more affectionate lately and separated herself from the other horses.”

“What about appetite?”

“She hasn’t eaten today.”

“I see you laid down straw.”

“I’ll switch it to shavings a few days after birth. Usually this is a natural process, but something’s bothering me about it.”

“Nothing specific?”

“No, but I didn’t want to get in trouble with the snowstorm. It was better to have someone here to help than me not having the expertise to handle anything unusual that comes along.”

Aha, Hadley thought. Eli was a planner. Rumor had it that he was steady and responsible. His attitude today proved it.

Hadley continued her examination, then stripped off her gloves and put her stethoscope back in her bag. “All we can do is wait. This could be a couple of hours, maybe more.”

They both heard the howl of the wind against the side of the barn. “Maybe you should leave. Go back to the boardinghouse while you can still get out.”

“Brooks is a friend, Mr. Dalton. He asked me to help so I’m here to help. I’m staying.”

Eli had to be a good six foot four. She was only five foot four. He studied her with probing green eyes from her green jacket to her cowl-necked pullover sweater to her skinny blue jeans and boots. “All right,” he said, “But call me Eli.”

“And I’m Hadley.”

He nodded. “It’s good to have backup here, Hadley. Thanks for coming out. Have you eaten lunch?”

“No. I didn’t think to grab anything to bring along.”

“I’ll go up to the house and get us something.” He nodded to the horse. “We have to keep up our strength so we can help her.”

“Amber, did you say?” she asked.

“Her coat’s that color,” he explained. “And her eyes.”

A man who noticed the color of a horse’s eyes. Eli Dalton was intriguing her more and more.

* * *

As Eli trudged through four inches of snow to the farmhouse, he knew he shouldn’t feel hot. It was just the stress of worrying about Amber. It wasn’t his blood running faster every time he looked at Hadley Strickland.

Although he’d more than noticed her when they’d crossed paths in the past, he’d never gone out of his way to chat her up. There was good reason for that. He knew her type all too well. She was educated and career-minded just as Elaine had been. His thoughts wanted to take him back twelve years, but he resisted as he always did. He had no intention of ever getting involved with a woman like that again. Since then, “serious” hadn’t been on his mind.

He knocked the snow from his boots before he went into the house. Once inside, it didn’t take him long. His mom always had the refrigerator stocked. After all, hungry ranch hands needed fuel. He scooped together sandwiches with thick bread and lots of meat and cheese, then slipped them into ziplock bags and put those into a grocery bag. He grabbed packets of mayonnaise and mustard from the refrigerator shelf. His mom kept plenty in there to put in lunch boxes for when they were out for the day fixing fence or other repairs. Next, he brewed coffee. When it was ready, he poured it into a large thermos, grabbed a tin of cookies, a few foam cups and paper dishes, then pushed everything into another grocery bag. Picking up both bags and the thermos, he headed out again.

In the barn once more, Eli spotted Hadley standing at Amber’s stall. The mare was back on her feet.

“She’s not ready,” Hadley said. “I think she’s trying to help herself.”

“You mean let gravity help her,” Eli amended.

Hadley looked at him then, her gaze locking to his.

He felt a jolt of elemental attraction that he attempted to dismiss.

“I told you I don’t have a lot of experience with horses,” she reminded him.

With difficulty, he transferred his focus to Amber again rather than Hadley and gave her an out if she wanted it. “I hate to tie you up here if it’s not necessary.”

“But you’re still worried.”

Apparently she could read him. He didn’t like that. Over the past dozen years, he’d dated...but never seriously. He tried not to let women read him. Still, he answered her truthfully. “I am worried. Not only about Amber. The snow’s getting deeper, and you might not be able to get out if you don’t go now.”

She laid her hand on his forearm. “I think taking care of a horse in labor is more important than my getting back to town.”

The sincerity in her voice rocked him almost as much as the feel of her hand on his arm.

They stood awkwardly for a few moments because they both knew what Hadley staying would entail. They’d be cooped up here together, almost perfect strangers who knew nothing about each other. She pulled her hand away from him.

They might be strangers, but he was becoming more curious about her.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s go into the tack room and have some lunch. Dad had that area of the barn renovated so he could use it as an office as well as a tack room. He made sure it was safe for a gas-fed infrared heater. It’s not toasty, but it’s warmer than the barn.”

Hadley followed him to the tack room.

“Living in Montana, I’m sure you’ve been snowed in before.” They might as well get to know something about each other.

“I have,” she agreed with a nod. “If I’m at the clinic, I keep the animals company. I’ve always been able to entertain myself with a good book, and I carry one wherever I go.”

“Do you have one with you now?” he asked as he pulled a wood captain’s chair next to the desk chair.

“I have one in the SUV.”

Hadley was glancing around, and Eli tried to see the tack room area through her eyes. It was orderly with saddles on sawhorses and harnesses and bridles hanging on pegs on the wall. The concrete floor, absent of straw or any debris, made the space safe for the heater. The heater kept the room between fifty-five and sixty degrees when it was running. He kept his jacket hanging on a peg behind the door. If it came to it, Hadley could use his coat as well as her own. Eli’s gaze swept from the computer and flat-screen monitor on the scarred wood desk back to her.

She caught him watching her. “What?”

“I just wondered if you were cold.” He reached for the bag of sandwiches to give his hands something to do. For some reason, he was so tempted to push back the waves of her hair from her cheek. That was a crazy idea.

“I’m cold-weather friendly,” she told him with a smile. “Even though I spend most of my hours in the clinic with small animals, I do like to hike and cross-country ski.”

He arched his brows. “Good to know.”

A few minutes later he’d laid out everything he brought into the tack room and poured the coffee into the insulated cups. She looked at all of it a bit wide-eyed.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

Her cheeks reddened. “This is really thoughtful.”

He chuckled. “Making a few sandwiches and brewing coffee?”

“You brought chips and cookies, too.”

There was something in her voice that made him study her. “Why do you think that’s thoughtful? I need to eat as well as you.”

“Never mind,” she said, her cheeks growing a little redder.

He handed her a sandwich. “We could be here a while. We need stuff to talk about. Feel free to spill anything you want.”

Now she laughed. “It’s no deep, dark secret.”

Although those were the words that came from her very pretty lips, a shadow passed over her eyes. That shadow convinced Eli that maybe Hadley Strickland did have secrets. He waited.

“I’ve just come to expect men to think about themselves first.”

To lighten the mood, he grinned at her. “I did. I was hungry.”

She gave him a steady look. “Let’s just say I think your momma taught you well.”

That gave him pause. “She did,” he agreed. “Though with my brother Derek, I’m not sure he had his ears open.”

Hadley laughed. “He does have a reputation.”

“You’ve heard about it from Melba and Old Gene? Or maybe your sisters?”

“My sisters mostly. Not that we talk about men every time we get together.” There was amusement in her voice, and he wondered what they did talk about. Family? Their goals and dreams?

After taking a few bites of his sandwich and having a swallow of coffee, he asked, “How long are you staying in Rust Creek Falls?”

“I plan to stay until after Thanksgiving. My mom and dad will be joining the rest of the clan here.” When she said it, she wrinkled her nose slightly. When she did, he noticed freckles on her cheeks. She had such a beautiful natural look.

He cleared his throat and asked, “You’re not glad your mom and dad are coming?”

She looked thoughtful for a moment then shrugged. “Oh, I love spending time with Mom and Dad and the rest of my family. It’s just that sometimes they gang up on me because my life isn’t as settled as theirs. As long as I can keep the conversation on everybody else, we’re good.”

In the silence that followed, Hadley’s cell phone beeped. She’d opened her coat, and now she pulled the phone from a holder on her belt. Eli couldn’t help but glimpse under her coat—at her softly rounded breasts, her slim waist. She wasn’t tall either. Just how well did she handle the animals she treated?

When she seemed to hesitate about answering the call or text message, he encouraged her to do it. “You’d better use your phone while you can. Service is spotty out here on the best days, and on days like this, it can cut out anytime.”

She checked her phone and smiled. “It’s my grandmother. She wants to know if I got here safely.” Her thumbs worked the small keyboard, and then she returned to eating her sandwich.

“What did you tell Melba?”

“That I’m midwifing and don’t know when I’ll be back.”

“And you added, Don’t worry about me,” he guessed.

“You obviously understand the protective family.”

“I’m protective myself at times.” After all, he was the oldest. He’d learned responsibility at a young age. He’d not only learned it but accepted it. Taking care of those around him came naturally to him.

Suddenly Hadley put her sandwich down and looked over her shoulder.

“What is it?”

She put her finger to her lips to shush him, and seemed to listen intently. Then she got to her feet and was careful to step softly toward the shelves to the rear of the tack room.

“A field mouse could have made its way in here,” he began.

But Hadley paid no attention. Instead she bent over to the lowest shelf, moved a box of grooming equipment and scooped up something. When she turned around, in her arms she held a kitten.

At that moment, Eli knew he was in big trouble. Hadley Strickland standing there with a kitten in the crook of her arm was a sight that made his blood run fast and his heart increase its rhythm. Just what he didn’t need—an attraction to a well-educated woman who probably considered ranch life foreign to her. He had to get his libido under control and do it fast.

Chapter Two

Hadley walked toward Eli, and for a few seconds he thought about backing up. But he couldn’t. He was mesmerized by her and the kitten in her arms.

As she stood in front of him, she handed him the kitten. “Can you hold her? I think the mom is back there, too.”

What choice did he have? Along with catching Hadley’s vanilla scent that was so different from the perfumes women usually wore, besides being close enough to think about touching her hair that looked even softer than he originally thought it might be, besides staring at her lips for a nanosecond and imagining—

Coming back to reality with a jolt, he took the kitten and nestled it on his forearm. It was adorable with colors split on its face. One side was tan, the other dark brown into black. All shades from gold to brown melded in its coat.

Hadley’s gaze met his, and they seemed locked in the moment. Then her focus went to the kitten. She brushed her thumb under its eye.

“She’s too little to be separated from her mom, so if we make friends with one, we have to make friends with both.” With that she swiftly turned and went back to the shelves. In another minute, she had another cat in her arms, a lighter tortoiseshell, one that hardly looked old enough to have a litter of kittens.

“Do you think they’re hungry?” Eli asked. “There’s cat food in the cupboard.” He motioned to the storage units near the shelves.

“Stray cats are usually always hungry,” Hadley agreed. “The little one should be old enough to eat a bit of cat food mixed with water. You haven’t seen them around before?”

“Barn cats come and go. My guess is they hide whenever humans come in. If I see them, I feed them.” He gave a shrug. “But I haven’t seen these two before.”

“They probably took shelter in here from the cold and the snow. They need to be tested, and the little one looks as if she might need eyedrops.”

“We can do that,” he said. “They’re not going to get out of the barn now, that’s for sure.”

Hadley settled the momma cat on the chair. Instead of scampering away like Eli might have expected she would do, she sat there and looked up at Hadley, as if grateful for the company and the attention.

“What about the kitten?” he asked. “Should I just put her down?”

“Do you have a box and maybe an old blanket? We can make her a better bed. After she eats, she might sleep there, depending on the mom.”

“You said they need to be tested. What are you testing for?”

“Feline leukemia and FIV.”

“And if they have it?”

“We’ll talk after they’re tested. No use jumping the gun.”

Eli handed Hadley the kitten, understanding that she dealt with this every day—clients bringing pets for her care, clients losing pets, clients hoping Hadley could make everything better. He found the food, then emptied a box that held old tack that needed repair. In no time, he’d created a bed with a fleece saddle pad.

Eli searched for something they could use for dishes. He borrowed the lid to a jar that held organic cookie treats for the horses. It was big enough that both mom and kitten could eat from it.

Handing it to Hadley along with a bottle of water from a case on the floor, he said, “This is the best I could do.”

“This will work great. Are you sure you’ve never done this before?”

“There’s a first time for everything.”

When their eyes met, Eli thought he caught a flash of attraction in Hadley’s brown gaze. He knew he was feeling it. Maybe it was just the idea of being cooped up during a snowstorm that made their awareness of each other so intense.

“I’ll check on Amber,” he said gruffly and exited the tack room to do just that.

Hadley told herself to focus on what she was doing while Eli checked on his horse. Why did her gaze want to follow him? Eli drew her eyes to him like he was a magnet and she was the weakest piece of metal. It wasn’t just his broad shoulders, though they were broad. It wasn’t his slim hips and his flat stomach under his vest, though she could imagine a six-pack under his flannel shirt. It wasn’t his long legs encased in jeans that fit oh, so well. How often had she seen cowboys in jeans? Eli’s jeans looked as if they were comfortable, worn white in some places. She had to stop sneaking peeks at him.

Focusing on the cat food and the water, she mixed it together in the lid. As soon as she lowered it to the floor, momma cat was there instantly and so was baby. Only baby seemed to be having a hard time of it. Not used to eating food from a dish? That was easily fixed.

Hadley dipped her finger into the mixture and held it to the kitten’s nose. The kitten’s little pink tongue snuck out and lapped at her finger. The hairs on the nape of her neck prickled, and she felt Eli’s presence as soon as he was near. It wasn’t his shadow. It wasn’t the soapy leather scent that seemed to surround him. It was just...him. He was back and watching her.

Hadley knew about the cowboy kind. She’d dated a few. They were hardworking, but often narrow-minded, never looking at the world around them, only at the world they knew.

Eli hunkered down next to her and lifted the cat food can. “It looks like she needs a little more.” He forked more food into the lid, his arm bumping hers.

Hadley poured more water from the bottle and almost spilled it. Being this close to Eli made her feel a bit shaky. How crazy was that?

“Do you really think they’ll sleep in the box?” he asked.

As she turned to face him, her body was close to his. She took in the details of his face, the lines around his eyes, the slight furrow in his brow. There was a light scar on the left side of his cheek, and her fingers suddenly itched to touch it.

No, no, no, she told herself, turning away from him. She murmured, “They might. If Momma thinks it’s cuddly, warm and safe.”

Giving her attention once more to the momma cat and baby, she saw the kitten was eating from the dish now, having gotten the idea from tasting the food on Hadley’s finger.

Feeling suddenly nervous around Eli, she needed something to say. “They’ll probably sleep after they eat. If you put the box right near those shelves where they were, they’ll probably settle there. They’re creatures of habit just as we are.”

She used a bit of the water to wash her fingers, and then wiped them on a napkin. She went to her bag that she’d dropped on the desk and took out a vial of antibacterial gel that needed no water and rubbed it on her hands. Then she hurriedly left the tack room to check on Eli’s mustang.

Immediately, Hadley saw that Amber didn’t seem to be in any distress. Maybe Eli had been all wrong about a problem with labor. Maybe she should leave while she could.

On the other hand, she sighed at the thought of being around a whole boardinghouse full of Stricklands. Maybe the truth was that it was getting harder to keep her secret from her family. In some ways, she wanted to talk to her sisters about it. Yet in others, she still felt ashamed and foolish about a romance that had been so wrong. No one really needed to know what she’d done. Not ever. But keeping her past romantic mistake to herself sometimes made her feel as if there was a wall between her and her family.

As she walked back to the tack room, she glimpsed Eli setting the box near the shelves. Joining him, she watched the momma cat walk toward the box and the baby follow. Momma circled a few times, hopped in and kneaded the saddle pad. Baby hopped in with her. Soon she was suckling her mom.

With a smile that made Hadley feel tingly all over, Eli studied the cats with her. Then he asked about Amber. Though she told him the mare was fine, he obviously needed to see for himself.

In the barn once more, he ran practiced hands over Amber’s flanks. “She’s restless, but not pushing. I don’t know what happened earlier. She’s even eaten a little.”

“We’ll keep watching her,” Hadley assured him.

The gusts of wind outside suddenly became more forceful. The side door of the barn blew open, and more than one horse whinnied.

“I’ll get it,” Hadley said, rushing toward the door.

“Put the bar across,” Eli called to her. “Or do you want me to do it?”

“I can do it,” she called back. She might be short and slender, but she was strong. She worked out with weights when she could. She had to stay strong to lift animals, even though she was a small animal vet. Sometimes she had to handle German shepherds that could weigh ninety or a hundred pounds.

The vehemence of the wind pushed against the door, and she pushed back, closing it with a bang. She hefted up the plank of wood beside the doorjamb and swung it into place. She glanced toward the other end of the barn, where, luckily, the large airplane hangar-style door was securely latched. When the wind blew, the plank rumbled a little, but it wasn’t going anywhere. She couldn’t see out of the high windows up above. Falling snow completely blocked them.

Eli came out from the stall. “That was impressive. Do you handle elephants in your small pet practice?”

She laughed. “No, but I try not to let the big dogs run away with me. I had to lift a pregnant Newfoundland once. Ever since then, I’ve kept up my strength. It comes in handy at times like these.”

He beckoned to the tack room. “Come on, let’s finish our lunch. Maybe nibbling on those cookies will help us forget about the wind howling outside. Are you nervous being in here?”

Following him to the warmest spot in the barn, she sat in the captain’s chair and watched as he poured coffee into the top of the thermos and handed that cup to her. He used a foam cup for himself.

“Nervous?” she asked. “You mean about the storm?”

“About the storm, about being cooped up in here with a relative stranger, about not knowing when you’ll get out.”

She motioned to the heater. “We have heat.” She gestured to the cookie tin. “We have food.” She pointed to the water. “We even have bottled water. That’s more than a lot of people have on a daily basis. I think we’ll survive. No, I’m not nervous.” Though if she was really honest with herself, being this close to Eli in a confined space caused the jitters to plague her.

“How long did it take you to gentle Amber?” Conversation seemed the best way to calm them. She had to admit she wanted to know Eli better.

“It depends on what you mean by gentling,” he explained. “It took about a week until she would come to the fence when I called. I just sat there and spoke to her in a low voice, not expecting anything from her. The next part of the gentling was treats. A hungry horse will want to get to know you faster. I ordered those organic cookies that are supposed to be good for horses. She definitely needed her share of vitamins. She took to them. I’d hold out one of those and she’d come right up. She was still skittish, but after another week or so of that, she let me touch her. First her neck, then her flank, then her nose. I would just go outside and sit with her and whittle.”

“Whittle?”

He shrugged. “It’s just a hobby of mine.”

“So you took time out of your daily schedule to spend with Amber?”

“I did. How else was I going to get to know her, or let her get to know me?”

Hadley pulled one of the cookies from the tin to give herself something to do and something else to think about other than the sound of Eli’s voice and the idea of him running a hand down Amber’s flank. The cookie was chocolate chip, and she took a bite and savored it. “Great cookies.”

“My mom knows how to bake.”

“Melba does, too,” Hadley said. “And she teaches me favorite recipes whenever I’m around her.”

“Do you cook much for yourself?” Eli asked.

Hadley shook her head. “I’m rarely at my place. Mostly I pick up takeout. Sometimes on weekends I’ll make a stew or soup, sticky buns or a loaf of bread. It isn’t that I don’t know how, it’s just that I don’t have time. I’m taking lessons for my pilot’s license now. I have even less leisure time than before.”

For some reason, Eli frowned. “A pilot’s license. You sound like a woman who wants adventure.”

Something about the edge to his voice told her he didn’t think that was a good thing. “I don’t know about wanting adventure. I just don’t want my life to be static. Piloting a small plane could help me reach patients at a greater distance, even the wild horses if they need medical care. I haven’t figured it all out yet. I just know I want to.” Changing the subject away from her life, she said, “I understand you have cousins staying here now.”

“I do, but I’m not in the mix too much. I built a cabin on my chunk of the ranch in late summer, so I have privacy when I want it. My brother Jonah designed it, and I worked on it myself.”

“Did you decorate it, too?” She could imagine that it was a bachelor pad with a requisite big-screen TV, recliner, king-size bed and not much else.

But Eli answered her seriously. “My sister Kristen gave me some suggestions, but for the most part I went online and found the rest.”

“You mean like stuff for the walls?”

“Why sound so surprised?” he asked with amusement twinkling in his eyes. “I like art and pottery. There’s a wall hanging a friend of my mom’s made. Or are you more surprised that I know how to use a computer? I’m a rancher, Hadley, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have other skills.”

He seemed insulted when he said it, and she’d never meant for anything she’d said to be an insult. But she must have touched some kind of nerve because he definitely had withdrawn.

Taking a cookie from the tin, he stood. “If you could keep an eye on Amber, I’m going to check on the other horses. Just yell if you need me.” Then he gave her a look. “Yell if Amber needs me. I have the feeling you’re the type of woman who doesn’t need anyone.”

Leaving her sitting there with her mouth practically open, he left.

* * *

Eli had to admit he didn’t know what had gotten into him. Maybe he’d just wanted to put some kind of wedge between himself and Hadley since they’d been thrown into this situation that had seemed to produce a potent attraction. Or maybe, truth be told, he’d never put his failed relationship with Elaine in the past. He thought he’d gotten over any insecurity he might have had about not going to college or seeking a higher education. At the time, he’d told himself it was an unnecessary expense and not essential to a good life. After all, he could read on his own, and he did. He knew about subjects from inorganic chemistry to horse husbandry, and he had traveled. He’d traveled with Elaine.

When she’d left, any wanderlust he might have had went with her. Hadley, with her education and expertise and adventurous spirit, had reopened past wounds without even knowing it. It wasn’t her fault. She was who she was. The problem was—she was damned attractive. But she seemed to have an attitude that he was a cowboy, a rancher who couldn’t see farther than the end of his nose. That’s what had gotten under his skin. Granted, he was self-taught at computer skills, but he could master any program or app. He didn’t care about just barbed wire and the best boots to wear on the ranch.

He was emptying a sack of feed into a bin when Hadley called to him. “Amber is down again.”

Without hesitation, he rushed to the horse’s stall, wondering if this time the foal would be born or if something else was going on. He saw right away that Hadley had wrapped Amber’s tail. Smart move, and he should have done it.

“Do you need the foaling kit?” he asked. He had one and kept it well stocked.

“No, I have my bag.”

He could see the placental sac had broken. The pressure of Amber lying down had probably ruptured it.

“She’s starting to push,” Hadley said, kneeling on the straw beside Amber.

Eli knew this part of the labor. It should happen fairly quickly. If it didn’t happen in an hour, then there was trouble.

Amber was making groaning sounds now, and Hadley was concentrating on her and what was happening. “I see it,” Hadley said, and he knew she was talking about the white sac that covered the foal.

But Eli realized suddenly that this wasn’t going to be a normal birth. The foal was in the breech position, hind feet first.

Crouched down beside Hadley, Eli asked her, “What’s the best way to handle this?”

They both could see the hooves, and they were flexed upward toward the mare’s tail. “Are we going to lose it?” he asked, his chest feeling tight.

“We are not going to lose it,” Hadley assured him. “Breech births are more difficult, but we can still make this as natural as possible without complications.”

As Amber groaned, Eli’s elbow brushed Hadley’s. Their eyes locked for a moment, and he said huskily, “I’m glad you’re here.” He meant it, feeling something deeply comforting because of her presence. And it wasn’t simply because she was a vet.

“I’m glad I’m here, too,” she murmured. Then louder, she admitted, “I haven’t done anything like this since an apprenticeship with a vet right after college. But I know what to do, Eli.” This time Hadley pulled on gloves that reached to her elbows.

His thoughts seemed to be in an uproar until he pulled one free. “What are you going to do?”

“Just give her a little help if she needs it. Let’s just see if nature takes its course. I don’t want to step in if I don’t have to.”

He was experienced enough to know that letting nature take its course was the best route to take. Amber giving birth was a natural process. Yet he didn’t want to lose either the foal or the mom.

The foal’s hocks delivered, and Eli knew the foal’s hips and tail would follow. Yet there seemed to be a problem, and Amber was straining hard.

Hadley murmured almost to herself, “The hips are the foal’s widest part when delivery happens this way.”

“Can you help? Can you get her baby unstuck?”

“I don’t want to interfere too much, and I don’t want to hurt either of them. I remember when Charlie did this...”

“Charlie?”

“The vet I worked with. He was seventy and had been delivering horses for almost forty years. I can picture exactly how he handled the birth. I’m going to grasp the foal’s feet and just pull gently down toward Amber’s hooves. That should rotate the foal’s pelvis so it can pass through the birth canal more easily. Say a prayer.”

As Hadley did what she said she was going to do, Eli did say a prayer. They both seemed to hold their breath as the foal slid out, making its appearance into the big wide world.

In the next few moments, Hadley removed an instrument from her bag and broke the sac surrounding the foal.

When Eli glanced at Hadley, he saw her eyes were misty. The birth of Amber’s foal had touched her deeply. His throat constricted too because a miracle lay before them. What would have happened if Hadley hadn’t been here?

“You saved them,” he said, close enough to Hadley to kiss her.

She seemed to be eyeing his lips the same way he was eyeing hers. “You could have done the same thing,” she whispered.

He got a whiff of that vanilla scent of hers that right now seemed as magical as an aphrodisiac. Shaking off the feeling and gathering his concentration, he conceded, “Maybe. But you knew what you were doing. I’ve only read about it.”

Her eyes searched his face. “You were prepared for this?”

“I try to be prepared for everything. But I’ve never delivered a breech birth.”

Awareness of the fact that he and Hadley seemed to be breathing in unison swept over him.

He was also aware of the way Hadley’s bangs lay near her brows...aware of her high cheekbones...aware of the curve of her lips. With a supreme effort, he forced himself to focus on the situation at hand.

“They’ll probably lie like this for ten to fifteen minutes,” he said.

The horses needed to rest as the umbilical cord transferred a vital amount of blood from mare to foal. When that was complete, the cord would break on its own.

“I know,” Hadley responded.

Her eyes were on his again, and she was close enough for their words to mix in the chilly air. Suddenly, she backed away. “Since we still have some waiting to do,” she said, pulling off her gloves, “is there any more coffee?”

Now Hadley had refocused her gaze on the foal and his chocolate-brown coat. He had a white blaze like his mom.

“Do you see babies delivered often?” Eli asked.

“Mostly dogs and cats. It’s been years since I was present at a foal’s birth. I’m always in awe.”

“Just wait until the little one starts to nurse. That’s a sight to behold, too.”

She nodded, her long dark hair slipping over her shoulder. “When a baby’s born—dog, cat, horse—it’s hard for humans not to want to step in, care for it, wipe down and cuddle it. But letting nature take its course and letting momma and baby bond is so important. Maybe that’s why some women like to use midwives at home instead of going to the sterile noisy atmosphere of a hospital. Mother and baby can bond more easily.”

“Could be.” Eli had never really thought about that. But Hadley could be right. Hospitals, antiseptic walls, nurses and doctors could muddle up the whole process.

He would have stepped away then to go fetch the coffee for their wait, but Hadley took hold of his arm. Her touch through the flannel of his shirt caused a reaction inside him he hadn’t felt for a very long time.

She said, “I’m glad you called Brooks, and I’m glad he called me. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss this.”

In spite of what he’d thought about Hadley earlier, he suddenly realized his attraction to her wasn’t going to go away merely because he wanted it to.

Chapter Three

Hadley had amazed Eli as she’d helped deliver the foal. In spite of being short and slender, she was strong, and she was capable. As they’d tended the mare, they’d been huddled close. Very close. If he had leaned in, he could have kissed her.

But the enormity of the birth had prevented him from doing that. Watching the miracle had kept him grounded—grounded in what he did for a living, grounded in the satisfaction of raising horses, grounded in the knowledge that Hadley was an expert in her field.

As they sipped their coffee on stools, watching momma and foal rest, he asked, “Where did you go to school?”

“Colorado State. It was a good experience.”

“Have you been in Bozeman since vet school?”

“I have. They’ve been good to me at the practice. There are three vets, so we rotate and we can each get time off. That’s how I was able to come here to Rust Creek Falls for Thanksgiving.”

“Delivering a foal came back to you. Maybe you should expand your practice,” he suggested.

She looked over at the colt. “Actually, doing this has revved up my interest in larger animals again. One of our vets specializes in farm and ranch animals. I might tag along with him more often.”

She gestured to the lid that had come from the cookie jar. “I noticed those organic cookies for the horses.”

“I try to keep up with the healthiest feeds and herbs that help temperaments. I keep everything as natural as possible,” he confirmed.

“You use herbs for temperament?” she asked.

He nodded. “I mix them in with the feed. I’ve picked up a thing or two over the years.”

He wasn’t sure why he’d just made himself sound a lot older than she was. But he didn’t think he was. He was thirty-five.

“How old are you?” Eli asked her.

“Thirty-one. Why?”

He shrugged. “I just wondered.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Did you think I was younger or older than that?”

Releasing a long breath, he knew he’d backed himself into that corner. “I plead the fifth. No matter what I say, it will be wrong.”

She laughed, and he liked the sound of her laughter.

Suddenly their attention was taken by Amber. Apparently the rest period for the mare was over. She stood and the umbilical cord broke.

Hadley quickly stood, too, as did he.

Arm to arm, they watched as the foal, on shaky legs, rose to its feet. Again, Eli could almost feel Hadley’s emotions as she watched mother and baby bond.

Sometimes in the past, he’d had to guide the foal to its mom’s nipple. But this foal found it easily. His momma nudged him a little and accepted him.

Eli knew they weren’t out of the woods yet. The placenta still had to be delivered. If that didn’t happen in about four hours, the risk of infection in the mare was greater. Once again he was glad that Hadley was here. Standing close together, shoulder to shoulder, arm to arm, he was disturbed by an attraction to Hadley that he now had to acknowledge.

But acknowledging it didn’t mean he was accepting it. He stepped away. “I’m going to see what’s going on outside.”

He felt Hadley’s gaze on his back when he went to the barn door. To his dismay, he couldn’t get it open.

Hadley glanced his way. “What’s the matter?”

Instead of going to the back door near the tack room this time, he went to the bigger door and tried to slide it on its tracks. He managed only a few inches when snow fell in. Lots of snow.

“We’re snowed in,” he announced.

Hadley came hurrying to the door, looked outside and gasped. “There has to be twenty inches out there.”

“Close to it,” he agreed, accepting the situation for what it was. After all, he did live in Montana.

Hadley began pushing some of the snow away. She looked almost frantic.

“What are you doing?”

“I have to get out. It’s still snowing. There will be even more in a little while. I’ll never be able to get back tonight.”

Earlier, she’d sounded reconciled to the fact that she’d be here awhile. But maybe she hadn’t considered an overnight stay. Was she panicked because of their attraction?

“Would that be so awful?” he teased, hoping to ease her anxiety.

Then he saw a multitude of emotions flash through her eyes. Panic. Maybe even a little fear. What was that about?

“I can’t be cooped up with you,” she said, kicking at the snow again but only managing to have it stick to her jeans and her boots.

He wasn’t sure what made him do it, but he took her by the shoulders and turned her toward him. “Hey! You’ve got to relax. I have power bars stowed away in the tack room, peanut butter, canned stew and bottled water. As you said earlier, we have more than some people.”

Just then, the lights in the barn blinked out.

“Oh, no,” she said. “The electricity.”

To reassure her, he gave her shoulders a little squeeze. “The space heater is run by gas, and I have battery-powered lanterns. Not to mention a butane stove to warm the stew. We’re not going to freeze or go hungry. This could be one of those times when you have to roll with the punches.”

“Oh, I’ve rolled with plenty of punches,” she insisted, looking almost angry about it. She jerkily pulled away from him.

He couldn’t understand her withdrawal and couldn’t help but take it personally. Apparently being cooped up with a cowboy wasn’t her cup of coffee.

“Look,” he said, “you don’t have anything to fear from me. I’ll be the perfect gentleman.” He raised his hands in a surrender gesture. “I won’t touch you. Promise.”

Then he pushed the door to the outside world closed again before any more snow could fall in. When Hadley didn’t say a word, he left her standing there as he returned to Amber and her foal.

* * *

Hadley stood in a far corner of the barn, cell phone in hand, trying to get a connection. She was upset with herself and upset with the situation. Eli wanted her to roll with the punches. She’d certainly done that in the past. But for some reason, it was harder to do it now.

She tried again to connect with Melba or her sister. But her texts wouldn’t go through. She was glad she’d texted after she’d arrived. At least her family knew she was safe here.

Safe?

Oh, she was sure Eli would be the perfect gentleman because he said he would. From everything she knew about him he was steady, reliable and kept his word. Not only that, but from their conversation, she’d gleaned the fact that he wasn’t narrow-minded like some cowboys. He seemed to have a wealth of knowledge about many subjects.

The bottom line was that she was attracted to him and didn’t want to be. Worse, she was cooped up with him in an almost intimate situation. The birth of that foal had made this situation intimate. She’d felt it when the baby was born and she and Eli had gazed into each other’s eyes. They both valued that momma and colt the same way. That had made Eli even more attractive to her. And when the colt had stood on wobbly legs and gone to his momma, she was so touched she could have cried.

Trying to get a grip on the situation, she told herself she could handle her attraction to Eli. All she had to do was ignore it. She knew how disastrous instant attraction could be. She’d lived with the regrets that had come from it. Attraction had caused the biggest mistake of her life.

Still, she knew she’d offended Eli, and she needed to apologize. She just didn’t know the best way to do it.

For a while, Eli had been closeted in the tack room, coming out now and then to check on Amber and her colt. Whenever he did, his face softened just looking at them. But as soon as he turned away, he was stoic again.

She had to fix this. They would be stuck here together until tomorrow. She’d accepted the situation for what it was—she was snowed in with Eli. But this awkwardness between them was her fault, and she had to remedy it.

Thinking about the best way to approach the sexy rancher, first she checked on the momma cat and kitten. The kitten was nursing, and its momma looked content. Hadley hoped they were both healthy. When she left, she’d take them to Brooks’s clinic.

Noticing the tin of chocolate chip cookies, she remembered she and Eli had eaten only a few. They’d be delving into the rest for supper. She checked her watch, glowing in the darkness of the barn. It was almost suppertime. Eli had set one battery-powered lantern near Amber’s stall and another in the tack room. He had a third he could carry wherever he went.

She glanced around the tack room. Eli had mentioned a butane-powered stove. Maybe they could warm water for hot tea. She always carried tea bags in her purse. It was a habit she’d started in college when she’d had a mug warmer in her room. She still carried that mug warmer in her SUV, but it wouldn’t do any good if she couldn’t plug it in. But a portable stove would be a means to mediation. She decided a peace offering might be the best way to start conversation again with Eli.

Rooting in her purse, she found the small plastic bag she kept the tea bags in. Taking her courage in hand, she walked to Amber’s stall. Eli was sitting on a stool watching the mare. It was actually hard to see him because he wasn’t right by the lantern.

He must have heard her footsteps because he turned toward her. “They seem to be doing well,” he said in an even tone.

“Yes, they do,” she agreed, not knowing how to begin. It seemed she was as bad at apologies as being cooped up with Eli. She wiggled the plastic bag in her hand. “I have a few tea bags. I thought maybe we could warm water on the stove. Even weak tea would be something to warm us up.”

He studied her in the shadows. She noticed his jaw lose some of its rigidity, and his stance relaxed some. “Hot tea sounds good. I’ll see if I can rustle up a pot to use.”

She followed him to the tack room and watched as he took out the portable stove and fired it up. Then he opened the cupboard and dug around inside. He produced not only a small saucepan but canned beef stew. “When I spend time down here with an ailing horse, I make do with whatever supplies are around. How do you feel about beef stew from a can?”

“If we can warm it up, it will be great. If we can’t, I’ll leave the beef stew to you and I’ll take the power bar.”

Opening another upper cabinet, he took out the box of power bars. “We can sit in here for a spell. If you’re cold, you can wrap up in a saddle blanket.” He gestured to a man’s suede jacket hanging on a peg behind the door. “Or put that on, on top of your coat.”

“I’m fine,” she assured him, imagining the feel of Eli’s coat around her, his scent enveloping her.

He handed her the saucepan. “If you want to start the water, I’ll find a flashlight. We might need that, too. The lantern batteries could run out.”

As Eli left the tack room, Hadley realized that he was a planner and apparently thought ahead, always prepared with plan B.

She set the water to boil and glanced over at the momma cat and kitten. They stayed cuddled together in the bed Eli had made.

When he returned to the tack room with two flashlights, Hadley said, “I’ll have to feed momma again when we’re done. She needs nourishment to be able to nurse her baby.”

From somewhere Eli had found two more foam cups. Hadley dropped a tea bag into each. “I hope you like orange spice. That’s all I have.”

“Orange spice is fine. My mother has a whole cupboard full of everything from chamomile to Earl Grey.”

Again Eli had surprised her. Men didn’t usually notice that kind of thing. “You’re a tea drinker?”

“It’s not always my choice,” he admitted. “But whenever Mom wants to talk, she pours us both a cup of tea. In a sense, I’ve learned what I like and what I don’t.”

From the cabinet he pulled out a jar of peanut butter. “We can always slather peanut butter on the cookies.”

With a smile, she suggested, “I think beef stew and plain cookies will be fine.”

Once the water for the tea was poured, Eli popped the top of the beef stew can and dumped it into the saucepan. He found a few utensils in a drawer and used a fork to stir the stew. The light from the lantern was bright in the dark room and played over Eli as he prepared their dinner.

She handed him a cup of tea. “It should be brewed. You don’t want it to get cold.”

“It will feel good going down.”

Every time Eli spoke, his deep voice seemed to mesmerize her. She found herself staring at his face, the creases around his mouth, his firm jaw, his lips. She didn’t know why, but she got the feeling that he was a sensual man, not afraid of touching.

She quickly shut down that thought and took a sip of her tea. It was hot and did feel good going down. Now was the time to apologize.

However, just as she was about to open her mouth, and probably put her foot in it, he looked away, down at the stew. “I think it’s ready,” he said, and she wondered if he’d been studying her face as carefully as she’d been studying his.

He’d found only one bowl in the cupboard. It had a black stripe around the outer rim and was chipped here and there. “We’ll have to eat out of the same bowl,” he told her gruffly. “Or you can have the bowl and I’ll eat out of the pot.”

“Whatever suits you is fine with me.” After all, she could roll with the punches, couldn’t she?

After a quick glance at her, he said, “You take the bowl.” He produced a glove from somewhere, and when he sat on the desk chair, he laid it on his thigh. Then he propped the pot on that.

They ate for a few minutes in companionable silence, hearing only the sounds of the wind against the barn, the soft whinnies of horses stirring in their stalls, the creak of the timbers overhead as the roof absorbed the cold.

Finally, she moved restlessly on the stool and worked up her nerve. “Eli, I’m sorry about earlier.”

“Earlier?” he asked as if he didn’t know what she was talking about.

“I never meant to give the impression that I thought—”

He cut in. “That you thought I was just a cowboy. That I only knew how to rope a steer. That I didn’t pay attention in school because my life was only here on the ranch.”

She wasn’t sure what to say to all that.

As if he’d never intended to say what he had, he sighed and ran a hand through his thick hair. “I guess we all have preconceived notions.”

She was cognizant of the fact that he didn’t mention what his might be about her.

He did add, however, “Just so you know, I ran track. I could have had a scholarship to college.”

“You didn’t want to go?” There was no judgment in her voice. She seriously wanted to know.

“I had other things on my mind then. And, no, I didn’t see the need. One year passed into two and then three. My parents depended on me, and I’d made a life here.”

He wasn’t saying what had happened in those years after high school, and she really had no right to pry. She certainly didn’t want him asking her personal questions.

After Eli had finished his stew, he set the pan on the desk. Hadley passed him her bowl, and he set that on top of the pan. She couldn’t help but slip her phone from her pocket and check it.

“There’s still no signal,” she said with disappointment.

“Your family knows you’re here.” His tone was reassuring.

She shook herself free of the notion that her family was worrying about her. “Old Gene and Melba know I can take care of myself. I don’t think they’ll worry. What about your parents?” she asked him.

“They’ll have watched the weather reports for here from Missoula. They’ll know what’s happening. I’ve often handled the ranch on my own, and they know everything will be taken care of.”

“Because you’re the dependable one?” Hadley asked.

“Something like that,” he said with a nod. “I’m the oldest, so I’ve probably always had more responsibilities than the others.”

She could easily see that.

“Ready for that cookie now?” he asked with a smile that made him look rakish and charming, even handsome. At first she’d thought his face was too craggy to be handsome, but she’d been wrong. And now with a bit of beard stubble shadowing his jaw, he was downright sexy. Way too sexy.

“A cookie sounds good,” she said, noticing the husky tone in her voice. Eli Dalton made her insides quiver.

The cookie tin was sitting on the desk. Removing the lid, he smiled at her. “There’s only one. Do you want it?”

“We can split it,” she suggested.

He took it from the decorative tin, and she couldn’t help but notice his long fingers and large hands. Those hands had been so gentle on Amber.

As if he’d caught her watching him, he said, “I washed up a bit ago. I let snow melt and added dish detergent.”

“I wasn’t thinking that—” Her voice broke off because she didn’t want to tell him what she had been thinking. That the touch of his hand on her skin would be a pleasurable thing. She was hoping he couldn’t see her blush in the dusky barn.

He didn’t question her further. Rather, he broke the cookie in half and gave her the larger piece. That said something about him, too. Not only that he was a gentleman, but that he might often be self-sacrificing. No. She was reading too much into a simple gesture. No man she had ever known had been self-sacrificing, and certainly not the one she’d gotten entangled with.

“What’s wrong?” Eli asked.

She took a bite of the cookie. “What makes you think something’s wrong?”

“You were frowning. Not just a simple frown, but a deep one.”

“Just thinking about something in the past I’d rather forget,” she said truthfully, then finished the cookie and the rest of her tea. Her thoughts pushed her away from Eli. “I’m going to check on Amber.”

Once she was on her feet, she didn’t want to seem rude, so she asked, “Are you going to name the colt?”

“I’m going to wait until tomorrow so I can see him better in the light. I like to let the babies name themselves.”

She liked that idea. In fact, she liked a lot about Eli Dalton.

* * *

Eli watched Hadley walk away with the third lantern, wondering what had unsettled her again. He took the empty cookie tin and the dirty pan to the counter. There he poured in the soapy mixture he’d made from the melting snow. That would have to do until morning or whenever someone plowed them out. That’s what it was going to take. He could probably forge a path through to the house, though it would be foolish in a blizzard. If he’d been more prepared, he would have tied a length of rope from the door of the house to the barn as a guide rope. But there was really no reason why he and Hadley couldn’t stay in the barn comfortably until morning. Then they could decide if they wanted to venture to the house.

He wondered if the snow was still coming down. He didn’t want to attempt to open the door and have it get jammed in the snow, letting cold air in. But there was another way he and Hadley could check on the outside world to see what was happening.

When Eli returned to Amber’s stall, Hadley was standing there watching momma and baby.

“This is a sight you can never get tired of,” she said.

He felt that connection again with Hadley because she understood the bonds between mother and baby. “I know,” he agreed. Then he said, “And I know another sight that’s spectacular, too. Come with me to the hayloft.” He picked up the lantern Hadley had carried to the stall.

She glanced over her shoulder at him. “Seriously?”

“I don’t have a secret lair up there,” he promised her. “I just want to show you something.”

“Famous last words,” she mumbled under her breath, and he had to grin. Just what kind of men had she been associating with?

“We’ll have to feed the horses, and I want to make sure everything’s locked up for the night first,” he explained. “This will be the first step in doing that. Come on.”

“Do I need to bring anything with me?” she asked, trailing after him.

“Nope. Just your sense of wonder.”

When he stopped, turned around and studied her, he could see she had no idea what he meant. But she followed him, and that meant she trusted him...a little.

Making sure the loft ladder was steady, he asked, “Do you want me to go up first, or do you want to climb first?”

“You go first,” she said. “You know where you’re going.”

Easily he climbed the ladder to the hayloft, still holding the lantern. He was used to doing it. Once there, he waited for her.

She climbed up more slowly, careful each booted foot was steady as she took the next rung. As she reached the top of the ladder, he held out his hand. She hesitated only a moment, took it and held on until her feet were firmly planted in the hayloft and the straw there. Holding her hand like that, he felt more than a little warmth zing up his arm. But when she was balanced, she quickly let go.

She looked around, and he could tell she was trying to compute what he wanted to show her. Bales of hay and a few farm implements sparsely dotted the hayloft. He went to the doors. They were made like shutters, two halves coming together to form the door closing. Now he unlatched the left side and let it swing open. Then he did the same thing on the right. The snow had stopped for now, but the wind still blew. The sight beyond the barn was worth the frigid rush of air.

When he beckoned to Hadley, she stepped closer, finally realizing what he wanted her to see. Under the moon glow, the landscape was pristine, white as far as the eye could see. Fir trees rose up in the distance against a blue-black sky.

“What a view!” Hadley said with awe in her voice. “This is what Christmas dreams are made of.”

“Or a cowboy’s winter dream,” Eli said softly. “The snow causes problems, that’s for sure. It’s going to take us a while to dig out. We’ll even have to get the corral clear so we can exercise the horses. But I wouldn’t give up moments like this to live anywhere else.”

One moment they were standing in the straw looking out over the snow-covered landscape, and the next they were gazing at each other. Understanding seemed to pass between them once more, and something even more potent. Hadley’s face was tilted up to his. He’d set the lantern on the floor a couple of feet away so it wouldn’t ruin their view of the outside. He couldn’t see much, but he could see the sparkle in her eyes, the look on her face that said maybe, just maybe, she was thinking the same thing he was—that a kiss right now could be something special. He wanted to reach for her, pull her close. But if he did and she didn’t want that, or if he did and she suddenly got scared, they still had the rest of the night to spend together. He wanted her to trust him, and a kiss right now could end that possibility before it even started.

A cold gust of wind suddenly blew their way, and Hadley shivered. That was a signal.

He couldn’t refrain from touching her, though, so he gently placed his hand on her shoulder. “Come on. I don’t want you to get colder than you are. We can go back to the tack room and warm up. I just thought you needed a little entertainment tonight.”

“That view is better than a movie,” she assured him, turning toward the ladder.

After he secured the doors to the hayloft, he said, “Maybe I should go down the ladder first. I can make sure you don’t fall.”

“I can get around on my own quite well,” she protested a bit defensively.

“All right,” he said. “Go on. I’ll follow you.”

She gave him a look that was cautious, no doubt because he’d given in so easily. He watched as she tried to figure out how to maneuver herself over that top rung of the ladder from the hayloft. Finally, she got down on her knees and eased onto the first rung backward.

“Maybe I should have let you go first,” she muttered.

“Hindsight is twenty-twenty,” he said amiably.

In the light of the lantern, he could see her glare. Ignoring it, he held the ladder steady until she was halfway down. Then he maneuvered onto it and climbed down after her.

When he’d reached the barn floor, too, she said, “You mentioned we have to feed the horses. Any special feed for Amber?”

“It’s made up in the bin next to the large one. It’s a special mix that should suit her well for the next couple of weeks.”

Apparently Hadley was going to help him. She easily found the bin, scooped the feed into a bucket and took it to Amber while he fed the other horses. When he passed the birthing stall, he told her, “I’ll lay out blankets in the tack room. Hopefully that will be enough cushioning so we can sleep. Are you okay with that?”

“We can be thankful for the heater,” she said, not expressing what she thought about the blankets.

Following the trend of her thoughts, he added, “And we can be thankful that we have friends and family out there who will see that we get dug out as soon as possible.”

“And if we aren’t dug out tomorrow?” Hadley asked in a low voice.

“If we’re not dug out by noon, I’ll get to the house somehow and figure out how to get you there, too.”

But Hadley didn’t look reassured by his words, just worried. “What if the snow starts again?”

“It has to stop sometime.” He could see her eye roll from the light of the lantern he carried. He asked seriously, “Wouldn’t you rather think about the best rather than the worst?”

“I would, but that doesn’t mean the best is going to happen.”

There was something about Hadley that told him she’d been through a crisis that had colored her view of men and maybe even the world. The question was—would she let him get to know her well enough to find out her secret?

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