“How early was the foal born?”
“ About three this morning.”
“ So, when you knocked on my door earlier...you had been up for quite a while already.”
“ Been up since around one thirty,” he opened his mouth and yawned deeply.
She stared at him in amazement. “Doesn’t that make you proud?”
His brows gathered together in confusion. “Proud?”
“ You brought a life into this world, Noah. Doesn’t that make your spirits soar?”
His smile was wide and gentle. “Of course it does. I feel very energized, even though my body contradicts that right now.”
Laughing, she laced her fingers with his and squeezed his hand. “Yes, you look exhausted.”
“ That look in your eyes...what are you up to?” Noah squinted at her.
She sighed, then turned her gaze to the horses. “Just hope you’ll see what I see.”
“ I think my mind’s too tired to see or think much of anything right now,” he rubbed his eyes.
“ You helped this little miracle along, Noah. Doesn’t that make you....feel an attachment?”
His eyes darted to her face, which was again turned to him. “ Now I know what you’re trying to do!”
“ I think we should name the foal Stormy,” she tossed her head back, her long waves floating in the air as she rose.
Noah gazed up at her. “Amanda, this event isn’t going to make me change my mind. I’ve helped deliver foals before.”
“ But no one like me was around to make you think about the amazing event. To make you feel the joy of the moment so deeply that it will linger and you won’t be able to forget it.”
He rested his head in his hands, shaking it lightly. “Amanda, Amanda.”
“ Every time you look at Stormy, you’ll be reminded that Moonlight Ranch is a place of miracles. How could you still want to give this place to a man who will destroy it?”
He stood, glancing over his shoulder, grasping her arm. “Lower your voice.”
She looked at the three cowpokes cleaning the stable. “What? They don’t know about your plans to sell the ranch? Maybe they should Noah.”
“ Don’t say a word to them,” he warned, drawing her closer.
“ Well, I’ll have to think about that,” she swallowed a hard lump in her throat. Her pulse quickened at the intimate contact between their bodies. “I am part owner. D-Don’t want our employees to be shocked when they’re suddenly out of a job.”
His breath was rapid on her forehead. “I’m really not in shape for arguing right now.”
“ Are you in shape for driving me back to my house? I really don’t think I can manage walking back with my bags and Webster through so much mud left by the rain.”
Nodding, his face softened. “Would you like to have a cup of coffee with me before you go?”
Feeling his grip loosen on her arm, she relaxed. “I think I should get back to the house. I have a web page to finish before tomorrow.”
Letting her arm go, he backed away. “I need to tell the cowpokes a few things, so I’ll be a few minutes.”
“ Ok, I’ll get my things together,” she broke their fused stare, and hovered over the new foal. “Bye little Stormy. I’ll come see you again, soon.”
The foal whimpered softly when Amanda touched her neck. Possessively, Angel twisted her head and snorted at Amanda, who smiled at the mare’s motherly love for her baby. Such a miracle, she thought to herself again. As if Noah could hear her thoughts, he turned his head to stare at her. The penetrating heat from his eyes caused her to look away, but she still felt his burning gaze even after she left the stable.
********
The short ride back to her house was quiet. She wanted to talk about Stormy but knew that it may stir up an argument. Noah would think she was trying to manipulate him again. Which was furthest from the truth! She was only trying to make him feel. To feel something for the ranch that would cause him to think twice about selling it.
When the truck pulled up to the house, Amanda felt a queasiness
“ About three this morning.”
“ So, when you knocked on my door earlier...you had been up for quite a while already.”
“ Been up since around one thirty,” he opened his mouth and yawned deeply.
She stared at him in amazement. “Doesn’t that make you proud?”
His brows gathered together in confusion. “Proud?”
“ You brought a life into this world, Noah. Doesn’t that make your spirits soar?”
His smile was wide and gentle. “Of course it does. I feel very energized, even though my body contradicts that right now.”
Laughing, she laced her fingers with his and squeezed his hand. “Yes, you look exhausted.”
“ That look in your eyes...what are you up to?” Noah squinted at her.
She sighed, then turned her gaze to the horses. “Just hope you’ll see what I see.”
“ I think my mind’s too tired to see or think much of anything right now,” he rubbed his eyes.
“ You helped this little miracle along, Noah. Doesn’t that make you....feel an attachment?”
His eyes darted to her face, which was again turned to him. “ Now I know what you’re trying to do!”
“ I think we should name the foal Stormy,” she tossed her head back, her long waves floating in the air as she rose.
Noah gazed up at her. “Amanda, this event isn’t going to make me change my mind. I’ve helped deliver foals before.”
“ But no one like me was around to make you think about the amazing event. To make you feel the joy of the moment so deeply that it will linger and you won’t be able to forget it.”
He rested his head in his hands, shaking it lightly. “Amanda, Amanda.”
“ Every time you look at Stormy, you’ll be reminded that Moonlight Ranch is a place of miracles. How could you still want to give this place to a man who will destroy it?”
He stood, glancing over his shoulder, grasping her arm. “Lower your voice.”
She looked at the three cowpokes cleaning the stable. “What? They don’t know about your plans to sell the ranch? Maybe they should Noah.”
“ Don’t say a word to them,” he warned, drawing her closer.
“ Well, I’ll have to think about that,” she swallowed a hard lump in her throat. Her pulse quickened at the intimate contact between their bodies. “I am part owner. D-Don’t want our employees to be shocked when they’re suddenly out of a job.”
His breath was rapid on her forehead. “I’m really not in shape for arguing right now.”
“ Are you in shape for driving me back to my house? I really don’t think I can manage walking back with my bags and Webster through so much mud left by the rain.”
Nodding, his face softened. “Would you like to have a cup of coffee with me before you go?”
Feeling his grip loosen on her arm, she relaxed. “I think I should get back to the house. I have a web page to finish before tomorrow.”
Letting her arm go, he backed away. “I need to tell the cowpokes a few things, so I’ll be a few minutes.”
“ Ok, I’ll get my things together,” she broke their fused stare, and hovered over the new foal. “Bye little Stormy. I’ll come see you again, soon.”
The foal whimpered softly when Amanda touched her neck. Possessively, Angel twisted her head and snorted at Amanda, who smiled at the mare’s motherly love for her baby. Such a miracle, she thought to herself again. As if Noah could hear her thoughts, he turned his head to stare at her. The penetrating heat from his eyes caused her to look away, but she still felt his burning gaze even after she left the stable.
********
The short ride back to her house was quiet. She wanted to talk about Stormy but knew that it may stir up an argument. Noah would think she was trying to manipulate him again. Which was furthest from the truth! She was only trying to make him feel. To feel something for the ranch that would cause him to think twice about selling it.
When the truck pulled up to the house, Amanda felt a queasiness
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