Page 24 of The Cowgirl's Chosen Love
“There might’ve been a little bit of kissing involved,” Lisa admitted. “He’s a good kisser.”
Tamara pushed herself upright until she could lay her hand on Lisa’s and give it squeeze. “I’m glad you’ve got someone to have some fun with, but take care of yourself, okay? You’ve done so much for everyone over the past years, including me. But it’s more than that. When you’re done here, I want you to spread your wings and experience everything you’ve put off.”
“Spending time with Josiah doesn’t mean I’m giving up on my dreams,” Lisa assured her. “He’s fun and…he’s right— He pointed out I don’t know exactly what my dreams are. That’s what I need to spend time on over the next few weeks. Figuring that out.”
Tamara nodded, but it was obvious she’d reached the end of her rope. She’d grown pale, and Lisa helped her back to the bedroom to lie down for a rest.
Lisa got things planned for supper, loaded the machine with the never-ending laundry a family produced, and put on some soup for lunch.
Then she broke out the new notebook her sisters had given her and went playing online. She hit Pinterest and Instagram, and surfed from one site to the next, writing down all sorts of ideas that intrigued her and caught her attention. Places, and menu items, and unusual jobs. Some of which were impossible, because she wasn’t about to go become a marine biologist no matter how intrigued she was by the picture of sunfish against crystal blue water and pristine white sand.
Time and again she caught herself, though, staring off into space, daydreaming as she remembered the sensation of Josiah’s strong fingers stroking her skin. Thinking of his kisses and the heat they had stirred deep in her core.
She wanted to see the Grand Canyon. She wanted to visit Paris. She wanted to go to New York just once, and the idea of taking a trail ride into a desert intrigued her.
But all those adventures were fuzzy on the details. They were located somewhere in the future, far enough away they were hard to focus on. Not like the vivid memory of Josiah’s touch. His taste. His laughter and the deep-seated heat she’d seen in his eyes.
She wanted to finish the tour of his house and explore his bedroom. Oh, yeah, she wanted that a whole lot.
Lisa abandoned her research and decided the best thing was to face one of her issues straight on. She dressed warmly and headed out onto the ranch, hoping to find her brother-in-law.
The last thing she expected to find in the barn was Josiah in a pen, jacket off and sleeves pushed up, helping a horse in labour.
All of Caleb’s brothers were crowded into the space. Luke Stone held the mare’s head steady as Walker assisted Josiah. Dustin stood next to Caleb, the youngest and the oldest Stone boys trying to stay out of the way while obviously unwilling to completely abandon the other men to their jobs.
None of them saw her, which gave her plenty of opportunity to ogle the vision of perfection revealed in front of her. Josiah’s shoulders and back bulged with muscles as he moved, guiding a set of perfectly formed little feet out of the mare. “There we go. Things should go quickly now,” Josiah assured them.
He’d barely finished speaking when the mare must have sensed a change, completing the job of delivery in an orderly fashion. A moment later, a black-and-white foal lay in Josiah’s arms, wet and gangly, head moving shakily.
“Damn. Never ceases to amaze me.” Caleb stepped forward with a cloth.
Josiah took it from him to rub the little creature down. Lisa drifted forward, staring in admiration at man and beast. “Pretty little thing. Nice job, Josiah.”
He glanced up at her, surprise in his eyes and a slow rush of red rising to his cheeks. “Thanks.”
She peeled her gaze off his body, forcing herself to remember that they weren’t alone.
“Everything okay in the house?” Caleb asked.
“Tamara’s resting,” she assured him.
He glanced at her with concern, stepping closer. “Did you need something?”
Beyond them, things were getting straightened out with the mare and foal. Josiah had wiped himself clean and was doing up his shirt again. It wasn’t the private setting that she’d hoped for.
She motioned a few feet away where it would be a little quieter. “I wanted to talk to you for a minute.”
Caleb stepped aside with her. “What’s up?”
She wasn’t going to beat around the bush like she had with her sister. “I just wanted to let you know…”
Josiah was making his way toward them. Beelining, in fact, as if it was vitally important that he reach her side before she said something, only his lips were turned up in amusement. “Lisa. Didn’t expect to see you today.”
Caleb glanced over his shoulder, frowning for a moment. “Everything okay with the foal?”
“Everything’s fine. Luke’s got it under control. I figured I should be here for this.”
Caleb grew more confused. “Here for what?”
