Page 18 of One Heated Summer

Chapter Ten

Harlyn

Dinner—Chili Con Carne with home baked cornbread was ready when Jensen arrived, his eyes sparkling with a secret. "I've got something to show you," he said with a grin, taking hold of my hand and leading me outside.

Curiosity piqued, I followed him to the pickup parked in front of the house. When we reached the back of the truck, I leaned forward to see a tiny calf, nestled comfortably on a bed of hay, with Sheba sitting protectively beside it. My heart melted at the sight.

I reached over to stroke the calf's soft fur as Jensen explained, "I found her trapped in a deep crack. She must havebecome frightened and fallen in during the storm. We need to nurse her back to health."

"She's adorable," I murmured, my fingers brushing against Sheba's head. "What are you going to do with her?"

"I was hoping you might raise her," Jensen replied. "She's a fighter and deserves a chance. I thought caring for her might ease the heartbreak of your losses."

“You’re giving her to me?”

Looking at Jensen, who stood beside me, I felt a surge of warmth and admiration when he nodded. This man, with his rugged exterior but tender heart, had captured my heart. Despite my insistence that I was over men after what had happened with Finn, I’d fallen in love with the handsome cowboy.

We shared a moment of unspoken understanding, knowing our paths were intertwined with the fate of the tiny creature who had her eyes locked on mine. It was in that moment that I knew I’d never be able to leave this place or this man. There were choices to be made, but my heart was already whispering the answer.

Jensen smiled warmly, "Let's get her settled in the barn," he suggested, climbing into the driver's seat.

I joined him in the truck and Jensen guided the pickup the short distance to the barn.

Upon reaching the barn, Jensen parked the truck and hopped out. I joined him, waiting while he lowered the tailgate. He handed me a cooler, saying it contained half a dozen prepared bottles, and lifted the calf into his strong arms. The tiny baby peered up at him with trustful eyes, causing my breath to hitch. I was already in love with the precious new life.

I followed closely, Sheba trotting alongside, watching our every move like a hawk. Inside the barn, the earthy scent of hay greeted us. I flipped on a light and Jensen lay the baby down, selected a cozy corner and we began to prepare a bed. He laid down a thick layer of hay, ensuring it would be soft and warm. I fluffed the hay and placed a blanket atop for added comfort before removing the bottles from the cooler and placing them in a nearby fridge.

"There we go, little one," Jensen murmured as he placed the calf on the prepared bed. She settled in comfortably, her small body sinking into the welcoming hay.

I knelt beside the baby, stroking her fur gently. Jensen dropped down beside me and rubbed Sheba's head as he watched. While petting methodically, I mused that the barn felt like a sanctuary, filled with the promise of nurturing and new beginnings.

“I gave her a feed just before I brought her here. She can’t stand properly but Doc. Henderson said it’s probably because she was weakened by dehydration. He couldn’t find any injuries and x-rays showed all was okay, although he did say she’d probably be bruised from the fall. Just the same, we need to pen her in so she doesn’t get into something she shouldn’t.” Jensen pushed onto his feet and started looking around. Sheba and I moved out of the way when minutes later, he started positioning hay bales until satisfied the calf was secure. Jensen and I stood looking down at the now sleeping calf before sharing a look of satisfaction.

With the calf comfortably settled, I grabbed the empty cooler, turned out the light, and Jensen, Sheba, and I stepped out into the night air which wrapped around us like a warm embrace. We jumped into the truck and crossed to the house.

Once out of the vehicle, Sheba ran on ahead, her tail wagging with contentment. We followed and as soon as we entered the house, she ran to the living room and curled up on the mat in front of the unlit fireplace.

I headed to the kitchen, and Jensen followed, the aroma of chili con carne filling the small room. We worked together dishing up our meal, creating an atmosphere of warmth and companionship that felt as natural as breathing.

Finally, dinner was served, and we settled down at the table. As we savored the rich, hearty meal, our conversation flowed.

While we ate, a thought crossed my mind. "Jensen, do you think we should bottle feed the calf or try to find a nursing mama for her?" I asked, genuinely concerned for the little one that he was trusting me to keep alive.

Jensen was thoughtful as he placed his fork down. "Bottle feeding can work, and it will do for tonight, but a nursing mama would be ideal. It would provide the calf with natural antibodies and warmth. We’ll speak with your men in the morning and see if there’s a mama who has lost or finished with her calf."

Our conversation drifted, but my thoughts kept returning to the little calf in the barn, hoping we could give her the best start in life.

Jensen had been the more dominant when it came to sex in our relationship, but tonight I decided to take things to a whole new level.

After we undressed and I’d run my eyes over Jensen once or twice, I ordered, “Lie on the bed.”

Jensen raised an eyebrow and gave me a lopsided grin but did as I asked.

I crawled onto the bed and slowly began to take control, my confidence growing as I moved with purpose and determination.

I feathered my fingertips down his sides, grinning when the touch caused goosebumps to erupt and he moaned in pleasure. Leaning forward, I captured his lips and as we shared a kiss he ground his hard dick into my hip.

Peeling our lips apart, I cupped his face in my hands and peppered it with kisses. He writhed beneath me, the grinding of his hips becoming more insistent.

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