“Why don’t you take the day off?” he suggested. “You deserve it. I’ll have Dare or one of the other hands fill in for you.”
Libby shook her head. “No way. I already missed breakfast. I can’t just sit in my room.” She took her mug and rose from the leather sofa. “I’ll see you later.” She took off before Sam could try to persuade her. Sitting around all day wouldn’t make her feel any better.
She worked through the morning and had the afternoon to herself. With nothing to do until it was time to help with supper, she wandered outside.
The first time she had seen the tiny, miniature goats, she had completely fallen in love. Some snowy white with black legs, some brown and white, others black and white, they were funny and sweet and were beginning to recognize her because she sometimes sneaked them treats.
Libby headed in that direction. Shoving open the gate, she went into the pen and sat down on the grass beneath the tree to watch them leap and play and butt their heads in mock battles. It was a sunny, beautiful Colorado day as she leaned against the tree trunk and let the sun warm her.
The little goats came up to nuzzle her hand, and she smiled in pleasure. She would only close her eyes for a moment, she told herself. Just a few seconds to feel the sun on her face and the goats’ silky coats beneath her hands.
She smiled as she drifted to sleep.
* * * *
Sam had been looking for Libby all over. Finding no sign of her, he was beginning to worry. He had no idea which rock Stoddard and Nolan had crawled back under or whether they might return to the ranch. Vince seemed to be obsessed with Libby. Sam didn’t trust the man not to cause more trouble.
He spotted Big John and headed in his direction. “I’m looking for Libby. Haveyou seen her?”
The big man nodded. “I will show youwhere she is.”
Sam followed John’s long strides toward the pen that held the pygmy goats. Libby sat on the ground at the base of a tree, her legs out in front of her, a tiny goat curled up on each side of her, another in her lap. Her golden hair streamed over her shoulders, her eyes were closed, and there was a soft smile on her face. All of them were asleep.
For a moment, Sam thought he must have fallen down the rabbit hole and stumbled across Alice in Wonderland. He looked at this woman he had reluctantly accepted into his life, and his heart simply turned over.
Big John grunted low in his throat. “I wonder if she knows yet that she is home.”
Sam glanced over at hisfriend. “What?”
“This woman, she does not belong in the city.”
His chest clamped down. “What are you talking about? Libby lives in Manhattan. In a few weeks, she’ll go back and we’ll probably neversee her again.”
Big John cast him a glance that was far too perceptive, then just turned and walked away.
What the hell? But when Sam looked back at Libby, emotion tightened his throat.You can’t have her,his mind warned.She’s a city girl. She could neverbe happy here.
But for the first time since Libby’s arrival, Samwasn’t so sure.
One thing he knew—he was setting himself up for heartache if he didn’t get his feelings in check.
Instead of waking her, Sam left her sleeping with the tiny goats and headed back to the house.
Chapter Thirteen
“Why don’t you go to bed,” Libby said to Clara when supper was over. Clara’s rooms off the kitchen were comprised of a living area with TV, bedroom and bath. She enjoyed crocheting and reading in the evenings and usually headed off as soon as supper was over.
“I’ll make sure everything is put away before I go upstairs,”Libby finished.
Clara yawned.“Are you sure?”
“Of course. I’ll see you in the morning.”
Clara shuffled off down the hall, and Libby finished putting away the last of the supper dishes. After sleeping so late that morning, then napping in the afternoon, she wasn’t ready for bed. She went out on the deck to look at the stars through her telescope for a while, secretly hoping Samwould join her.
He’d been distant all day, saying very little, working with the hands longer than usual, then heading for his study as soon as supper was over. She wondered if he was avoiding her. Maybe he regretted what had happened in his tent, or maybe he hadn’t enjoyed it as much as she had.
Her eyes burned. She had warned Sam she wasn’t that good at sex. When he never came out of the house, she finally gave up, went inside andup to her room.
