As she strode through the snow, she took in the beauty of the land. Sunlight gleamed across the frozen lake. Snow-packed mountains rose up to kiss the sky. Ice crunched under her feet to remind her that there was beauty in nature. It was something she hadn’t stopped to think about inyears.
When she entered the barn, the sweet scent of hay mingled with the pungent smell of horse manure. She wrinkled her nose. Okay, maybe she’d overly romanticized working on a ranch. But eventually she’d get used to the smell,right?
Cody popped out of a stall near the end of the barn. She hurriedtowardhim.
“Hey, hon,”hesaid.
“I just got some really good news,”shesaid.
“What?”
“Drake’sdead.”
“You’re kidding,” he said before swooping down tohugher.
She quickly explained what had happened. When she finished, Cody shookhishead.
“I’m glad it’s over,”hesaid.
“I feel like a ten ton weight has been lifted off myshoulders.”
“I can imagine,”hesaid.
“I told my momaboutyou.”
“What?” His eyeswentwide.
“Yeah. It about gave her a heart attack, but Itoldher.”
“What did you say?” heasked.
“I told her you’re the sweetest, most caring man I’veevermet…”
He blushed and gave her an awe-shuckssmile.
“… and I decided to come out and help you. If I’m going to consider a rancher’s life, I want to testitout.”
“Really?” His facelitup.
“Really. But I have to ask you something first,”shesaid.
“What?”
“Do you ever get used to thesmell?”
He laughed and hooked an arm around hershoulders.
“Wait until you smell it in the summer,”hesaid.
She laughed and followed him into the nextstall.
“You just watch for now,” he said. “There’s an art to keeping the muck off yourboots.”
“Show me the way, ohwiseone.”
He grabbed a pitchfork and proceeded to scoop old hay and other unidentifiable matter into a pile. As he worked, she watched the strong muscles in his arms ripple with power. She hadn’t been out of his bed more than a few hours and she already wanted to jump alloverhim.
As he moved through his list of chores, she did her best to keep up. A few hours later, the muscles in her arms burned and her stomach audibly rumbled inprotest.
