For one heart-stopping moment, the babe lay motionless.Please, Lord.
Then the little chest heaved, and the foal sneezed, shaking its head as it drew in gulps of air. Willow turned and gave a soft nicker as she began licking the birthing fluids from her baby’s face.
Mandie sagged against Enoch, her head dropping to his good shoulder as she let out a tremulous sigh. “Oh, thank God. I was so afraid...”
He wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her. Had she been thinking about the fact that she’d be giving birth, too, in a few months? Seeing Willow’s pain must surely have raised all kinds of worries. He’d been a thoughtless cad, suggesting she be here for this birthing.
But then she let out a tremulous sigh, her body shifting against him. “That was…incredible.” Her voice wavered with emotion. “I’ve never seen anything so amazing.”
Enoch nodded, his throat tight. No matter how many times he witnessed this miracle, it never failed to move him.
With Mandie pressed warm against his side, her scent surrounding him, the moment seemed to stretch and suspend. He didn’t want to move, didn’t want to risk shattering this fragile connection growing between them. And yet as her movement spiked pain in his burned skin, he knew they would only cause each other heartache. Could either of them endure more?
The foal lifted its head, blinking in the dim light. Those long legs splayed out in all directions as it tried to coordinate them. Willow continued her licking, cleaning her baby, and getting its blood flowing.
“It’s a filly.” Enoch grinned. “A strong one too, by the looks of her.”
Mandie sighed, and some of the tension drained from her body as she leaned into him. “She’s perfect.”
Perfect. The word echoed in his mind as he looked down at Mandie, her face soft with wonder and joy. The urge to pull her closer, to press his lips to hers, nearly overwhelmed him.
And when she lifted her face to look up at him…he could no longer stop himself.
He raised his free hand to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing the silken skin.
Her eyes widened, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, her lips parted slightly, an invitation he couldn’t resist.
Slowly, giving her time to turn away, he lowered his head. When his lips met hers, all rational thought fled.
Her mouth was soft and warm, molding perfectly to his. A small sound escaped her, somewhere between a sigh and a whimper, and it nearly undid him.
He deepened the kiss, his hand sliding into her hair to cradle the back of her head. She tasted of sweetness and hope. The water his parched body had been craving.
Her fingers curled into his shirt, holding him close as she returned the kiss with a tentative passion that set his blood on fire.
A lifetime could have passed and he would have been happy to stay in this place. Nothing existed beyond the feel of Mandie in his arms, the rightness of her body pressed to his.
A snort from the stall broke the spell.
Mandie pulled back, her breath coming in soft pants. Her eyes were wide and dark in the lantern light, her lips kiss-swollen and tempting.
He shouldn’t have done that. Should he?
He’d asked her to marry him. She might be his in truth one day soon.
But he didn’twanta connection with her. Did he? He’d promised himself he wouldn’t let his heart grow attached. He wouldn’t leave himself vulnerable.
So he forced himself to pull back. To put space between them. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…” His back throbbed along with his head.
She ducked her chin and shook her head, turning back to the mare and foal. “It was just the excitement of the moment.”
A lie. And his body hummed with confirmation of that fact.
This woman stirred him like no other ever had. Not even Charlotte. Looking back, he’d been drawn as much to Charlotte’s family as to her. The idea of having parents in his life again. A complete unit, not broken and scattered like his own.
But Mandie.
Everything about this woman drew him. That kiss. Her beauty. Her determination. Her gentleness.
