Page 12 of Cabins Cows Critics
“I don’t know any, personally. Just don’t see the need to go cuddle them.”
“Do you like any animals?” I ask, though I’m pretty sure I already know the answer. Maybe his girlfriend dragged him on this Christmas vacation. Guy would probably rather be at a five-star hotel than sleeping in a wooden log cabin.
“Never had any as a kid, but cats aren’t bad. Not a huge fan of dogs, though.”
His girlfriend chuckles beside him, and I pull the truck over beside the cuddle cove.
“I’ll just pop her inside, then I’ll walk you to your cabin, it’s just up from here.”
“Can I have a look at her?” Hayden asks.
“Sure, she’s medicated so she won’t bolt or anything if you want to open the door on that side.”
I climb out of the truck and stroll slowly around to the other side as Hayden opens the passenger door inch by inch, his jaw tight like he’s bracing for something scary. She’s not a snake that’s going to jump up and bite him.
Finally, with the door all the way open, he kneels down beside Kiki, head tilted a little to one side like he’s trying to figure out some kind of math problem.
“I thought cows would smell more,” he finally says, and I laugh, and Kiki startles, lifting her head, which has a domino effect on Hayden, sending him stumbling back until his ass lands on my boots.
“Sorry,” I say, reaching down and grabbing him by his waist to help him up. My hands wrap around his sides so perfectly, and I quickly let him go and step back before I have a more physical reaction and completely embarrass myself with yet another straight man.
One of the biggest downsides of discovering my sexuality so late is that I have terrible gaydar, so terrible, I think it’s probably a made-up thing that doesn’t actually exist.
“Umm, Kiki had a good bath before her operation and hasn’t been out in the paddock since, so she’s smelling a little sweeter than normal. But most cows don’t really smell bad anyway. At least I don’t think they do.”
“I’m in your way, sorry,” he says, stepping back and hitting his side on the door, spinning around, and walking over to the railing. Good one, Connor, way to freak out the guests.
“Where are the rest of them?” Wendy asks, leaning over the rail of the cuddle cove’s open area.
“In the different barns, mostly. They’re normally out in the paddock by now, but it took me a little longer to get back from town today.”
Hayden runs the back of his neck with one hand and turns toward me.
“Yeah, about that road rage…I, um…sorry.”
“You city folk are always in a rush, but you’ll learn to slow down. Trust me, by the time you leave this place, you’ll be strolling along at a snail’s pace just like the locals.”
“Hayden doesn’t do anything at a snail’s pace. Except for writing his book. How long have you been at that thing?”
“I’ve been busy with work.”
“I guess you can’t rush greatness,” she says, and he gives her a small smile like he doesn’t quite believe her words.
Kiki makes a low moo, and I turn my attention back to her. Getting her into the truck was easy; lifting her out is a little more awkward. I get my arms under her, but I have to be careful not to put any pressure on her incision site.
“Sorry, girl, come on, we’ve got this,” I say as I maneuver her out. “Can one of you get to the gate?”
“Sure,” Hayden says, unlatching the side gate to the open area and holding it for me to pass with Kiki.
“Latch it again when it closes, they are little escape artists this lot,” I say as I pass, and I get a lungful of his delicious caramel scent.
“She doesn’t look like she’ll be trying to get out anytime soon.”
“It’s not her I’m worried about,” I say as I push my foot down on the release of the lower door into the rear barn. The door opens, and mini Highlands, baby goats, and a few calves stammer into the open area. “Watch your step, here they come.”
Wendy claps with delight, calling them over to the edge where she’s knelt down to peer through the rails of the fence. “Hayden, aren’t they adorable?”
“Totally,” he says, and as I step past a few stragglers with Kiki, I glance back, and he’s got his back up against a post, standing on his toes like that will help keep his distance from them.
