part, and if you want, you can hide your eyes.”
Marisol may have traveled the world, but
she’d never seen the miracle of birth. She’d see plenty of it by the time she’d
been in South Dakota for a year, though. In a few years, it would be old hat.
For now, he looked forward to experiencing this first with her.
Quinn was in the barn, kneeling in the
thick blanket of clean straw next to the mare’s head. She’d looked beautiful
the night they’d kissed, but here, with concern and love on her face and straw
in her hair, she was stunning.
She glanced at them and smiled. “You
made it in time.”
Marisol’s stare fixed on Doc Tolson as
he assisted the mare, her eyes and mouth wide. She clung to Craig’s hand with a
tight grip.
The mare’s sides heaved with the effort
of bringing her foal into the world. Quinn returned her attention to the
animal, her voice low and soothing.
Once the foal’s forelegs appeared, the
rest of the birth seemed to go with lightning speed. With one last Herculean
push, the foal slid onto the straw. Everyone sighed in relief and Marisol
squealed in delight.
The next few minutes were a blur of
motion. Doc delivered the afterbirth and tended to the colt while Quinn cared
for the mare until she was on her feet. Then Dee took over the mothering of her
son. Quinn backed off and went to the door. She grinned at Marisol.
“Well? What did you think?”
“Oh my God, that was amazing!” The
girl’s eyes were as wide as her smile.
Quinn laughed. “I still think the same
way, no matter how many times I see it.”
“What are you going to name him?”
“Well, his mama’s name is Dee-Light and
his dad is Ace of Diamonds. What do you think a good name would be? I think he
takes after his Dad with his white face and the stockings.”
“You mean I can name him?” Marisol’s
eyes widened even more. It was one marvel after another.
“Sure, I bet you can come up with
something to do this little boy justice.”
Marisol leaned against the stall door
and Craig knew she was lost.
“There’s a pot of coffee brewing in the
tack room, if you’re interested,” Quinn offered him. “I need to wash up.” She
wiped her hands down her denim-clad thighs.
Craig followed the motion of her hands,
admiring the shape of her legs in those faded, close-fitting jeans. Suddenly,
his throat was chalk dry, and that all too familiar rush hit him square in the
belly.
“Coffee sounds great, if it’s okay for
Marisol to stay here.”
Quinn chuckled and threw a glance back
at the girl. “I don’t think we’d be able to tear her away. Doc would be glad
for a new ear to fill with his knowledge.”
Craig followed her to the end of the
barn where the wranglers and other ranch help hung out. It was rustic and bare
bones, but comfortable none-the-less. Saddles lined the walls and bridles hung
in another corner. An old sofa took up one wall. It looked ancient and of
questionable condition, but when Quinn handed him a cup of coffee, she dropped
into it as if it were the softest surface in the world.
“Have a seat,” she said and patted the
cushion next to her. “I promise it’s not too dusty. Most of the time the guys
keep their feet off it.”
Craig smiled. He liked this relaxed Quinn.
She had lowered her guard and he planned on taking advantage.
“I was putting those numbers together.
For the ranch. If you’re really serious. If not, I understand. Marisol may have
put you on the spot.”
“No, I thought about it and it makes
sense. More sense than fixing my grandparents place. That would be my dream
come true, but I have to be sensible. At the moment I don’t have the cash. This
is much better. Until I can get myself established.”
“It’s a small place.” Craig warned her.
He didn’t want her accepting it unless she knew exactly what she was getting
into.
“About half the size of the Shady H?”
“About. A hundred-fifty acres. Long
Knife Creek is enormous compared to it.”
“I’m
Marisol may have traveled the world, but
she’d never seen the miracle of birth. She’d see plenty of it by the time she’d
been in South Dakota for a year, though. In a few years, it would be old hat.
For now, he looked forward to experiencing this first with her.
Quinn was in the barn, kneeling in the
thick blanket of clean straw next to the mare’s head. She’d looked beautiful
the night they’d kissed, but here, with concern and love on her face and straw
in her hair, she was stunning.
She glanced at them and smiled. “You
made it in time.”
Marisol’s stare fixed on Doc Tolson as
he assisted the mare, her eyes and mouth wide. She clung to Craig’s hand with a
tight grip.
The mare’s sides heaved with the effort
of bringing her foal into the world. Quinn returned her attention to the
animal, her voice low and soothing.
Once the foal’s forelegs appeared, the
rest of the birth seemed to go with lightning speed. With one last Herculean
push, the foal slid onto the straw. Everyone sighed in relief and Marisol
squealed in delight.
The next few minutes were a blur of
motion. Doc delivered the afterbirth and tended to the colt while Quinn cared
for the mare until she was on her feet. Then Dee took over the mothering of her
son. Quinn backed off and went to the door. She grinned at Marisol.
“Well? What did you think?”
“Oh my God, that was amazing!” The
girl’s eyes were as wide as her smile.
Quinn laughed. “I still think the same
way, no matter how many times I see it.”
“What are you going to name him?”
“Well, his mama’s name is Dee-Light and
his dad is Ace of Diamonds. What do you think a good name would be? I think he
takes after his Dad with his white face and the stockings.”
“You mean I can name him?” Marisol’s
eyes widened even more. It was one marvel after another.
“Sure, I bet you can come up with
something to do this little boy justice.”
Marisol leaned against the stall door
and Craig knew she was lost.
“There’s a pot of coffee brewing in the
tack room, if you’re interested,” Quinn offered him. “I need to wash up.” She
wiped her hands down her denim-clad thighs.
Craig followed the motion of her hands,
admiring the shape of her legs in those faded, close-fitting jeans. Suddenly,
his throat was chalk dry, and that all too familiar rush hit him square in the
belly.
“Coffee sounds great, if it’s okay for
Marisol to stay here.”
Quinn chuckled and threw a glance back
at the girl. “I don’t think we’d be able to tear her away. Doc would be glad
for a new ear to fill with his knowledge.”
Craig followed her to the end of the
barn where the wranglers and other ranch help hung out. It was rustic and bare
bones, but comfortable none-the-less. Saddles lined the walls and bridles hung
in another corner. An old sofa took up one wall. It looked ancient and of
questionable condition, but when Quinn handed him a cup of coffee, she dropped
into it as if it were the softest surface in the world.
“Have a seat,” she said and patted the
cushion next to her. “I promise it’s not too dusty. Most of the time the guys
keep their feet off it.”
Craig smiled. He liked this relaxed Quinn.
She had lowered her guard and he planned on taking advantage.
“I was putting those numbers together.
For the ranch. If you’re really serious. If not, I understand. Marisol may have
put you on the spot.”
“No, I thought about it and it makes
sense. More sense than fixing my grandparents place. That would be my dream
come true, but I have to be sensible. At the moment I don’t have the cash. This
is much better. Until I can get myself established.”
“It’s a small place.” Craig warned her.
He didn’t want her accepting it unless she knew exactly what she was getting
into.
“About half the size of the Shady H?”
“About. A hundred-fifty acres. Long
Knife Creek is enormous compared to it.”
“I’m
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