“Excuse me?”
“You told me to tell you what I need and what I need more than anything right now is coffee.” I smiled, wanting to forget the last twenty minutes and start the day again.
“That I can do. You get dressed, and I’ll go make you one,” Cole instructed with another kiss on the forehead before vanishing out the door leaving me to find some clothes.
Ten minutes later, my to-go cup in hand, we strode toward the barn.
“You know the last time we were in here …”
“Get that thought right out of your mind, Mr. Flanigan. I’m here to feed a sweet little cow not to roll around in the hay with some farmer,” I told him.
“Oh, come on. You didn’t complain last time,” Cole countered, nudging me with his shoulder.
“You weren’t the one who ended up with a rash on their ass,” I reminded him.
“Fine. You ruin all my fun.” He pouted before smacking my ass.
“Oh, poor Cole. If you think I should feel sorry for you, you’re very much mistaken. If I remember correctly, you had more than enough fun last night,” I reminded him, still surprised I wasn’t walking funny.
“Oh, I remember. Trust me.” He winked as he led me into the barn toward one of the stalls at the back.
Curled in the corner asleep was the most adorable cow I’d ever seen. She was jet black with long lashes. And she was all skinny legs and bones.
“Oh my god,” I gushed quietly, not wanting to wake her.
Cole explained to me what needed to happen. She was a poddy calf, her mother had died due to complications with the birth. Now she had to be hand raised so we didn’t lose her too. Cole showed me how to make up the milk and fit the teet to the bottle to feed her. Eventually, she’d be big enough to fend for herself and she’d be able to join the herd, but for now, she needed our help. My help.
“Think you’ll be okay?”
“I got it,” I promised him knowing there was no way I was going to let this beautiful creature down.
Cole stepped back and I opened the gate and made my way into the stall. At first, she shied away from me, but slowly, curiosity got the better of her and she edged closer, and before long she was sucking the teet greedily.
“You good?” Cole asked from his position, leaning against the gate, looking like every girl’s cowboy fantasy.
“We’re good,” I assured him, turning back to focus on the task at hand.
“I’ll leave you to it. Call if you need anything,” Cole reminded me before heading out of the barn leaving me to do farmer things on my own.
Chapter eighteen
Cole
Icouldn’t believe what I was seeing.
I’d spent all afternoon out sweating my balls off and just stopped at the house to get changed and see Grace before heading into town when I couldn’t find her. After a quick shower to wash off the dust, dirt, and sweat, I changed into a pair of jogging shorts and a T-shirt before heading out to the barn.
I found her all right.
She was sitting on a stool, reading a book to the calf.
For a moment I stood back and listened to her read. It wasn’t what I was expecting. In fact, it was the absolute opposite of what I was expecting. She might as well have been reading porn.
I cleared my throat as I approached, not wanting to startle her.
“Oh, shit, Cole. You scared me,” Grace admonished as she jumped up from her stool, knocking it over.
“Interesting choice of reading material,” I offered with a smirk.
