“That’s a very passive move,” I say, impressed despite myself. “He likes you.”
She moves a bit closer, still wary. “You’re not tricking me, are you? Luring me in so you can take my arm off?”
Brutus doesn’t move. His head lowers further, and he makes that soft sound again.
Very slowly, very carefully, June reaches out and touches the top of his head. I’m tense, ready to move in a split second if needed.
Nothing happens.
She strokes his massive skull, and Brutus just stands there, accepting it. If a bull could purr, I swear he would be.
“Holy shit,” I breathe.
“Well, I’ll be damned.” We both turn to see Farmer Crawford approaching, his eyes wide with disbelief. “That’s a first,” he says, stopping a few feet away. “That bull doesn’t let anyone touch him but me. Tries to kill most folks who get within arm’s reach.”
“She bottle-fed him when he was a calf,” I explain. “Guess he remembers.”
“Must be.” Crawford shakes his head, still looking stunned. “Thirty years of working with animals, and I’ve never seen anything like it.”
I grin at June. “Well, he has a new favorite person. And honestly? I can’t blame him. She is pretty amazing.”
June shoots me a look, half embarrassed, half pleased, before turning back to Farmer Crawford. “I helped take care of him when he was just a few weeks old. We bonded, I guess.”
“It seems so.”
Brutus suddenly pulls his head back, and June quickly steps away from the fence. The bull’s attention swings toward me, and all that gentleness vanishes in an instant.
His nostrils flare, hooves stamp. He snorts so aggressively that spittle flies from his mouth, and his eyes lock on to me with unmistakable murder.
“Sure hope this fence is going to hold,” June says nervously. “Because he has definite murder in his eyes for you.”
I move toward her instinctively, wrapping my arms around her from behind and pulling her against my chest. She fits perfectly, her back against my front, and I rest my chin on top of her head.
Brutus goes absolutely still.
“Damn,” I say, watching him. “He’s giving me the worst stink eye I’ve ever seen. And I’ve been kicked by a bronco, so that’s saying something.”
“I think he wants you dead.” June holds on to my arms where they’re wrapped around her waist. “Maybe reconsider riding him?”
“Nah. Where’s the fun in that?”
“The fun is in not being gored to death.”
I laugh, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, and Brutus snorts so hard his whole body shakes, nostrils flaring wide, hooves striking the ground like he’s trying to dig his way through the earth. His head tosses, horns catching the fading light.
“Maybe he doesn’t like me touching you,” I muse, kissing her head again just to see what happens.
Another furious snort. Brutus takes a step toward the fence.
June elbows me. “Stop antagonizing the murder bull!”
“What? I’m just giving you affection.”
“You’re going to get us both killed!”
Farmer Crawford is laughing so hard he’s bent over, slapping his knee. “Oh, that’s rich. Never thought I’d see the day Brutus got jealous over a woman.”
“Jealous?” June raises an eyebrow at the bull.
