Page 15 of Cabins Cows Critics
“What about really old cats?”
“I guess they’re okay,” I reply, not really seeing the comparison.
“Well then, you should come sit beside Miss Moo; she’s young but lazy.”
“She’s a little bigger than I was thinking for my first petting session,” I say as he opens the gate to her section, and I see thelarge cow with a cream-colored coat lying on a bed of hay. There are sections of her fur slightly darker, sort of like a leopard’s spots, and she’s unlike any cow I’ve ever seen.
“She’s small compared to her mom.”
“Umm, I’m not sure,” I say hesitantly, stepping inside.
“Here, come sit,” he says, taking my hand and guiding me to the straw floor beside him. Heat rushes from his grasp up my arm and settles in my chest. My heart racing, from the excitement of his touch, or the fear of the cow, I can’t tell, but I swallow the nervous lump in my throat and cross my legs beside him. “She’s super gentle, see?” he continues as he brings my hand up, shifting his grip to rest my palm on the side of her neck, his large warm fingers lace overtop of mine, and guide my hand in gentle strokes down her side.
“She’s so soft,” I say, my voice a whisper.
“As soft as your cat?” he asks, and I make the mistake of looking at him. When I checked him out at the cafe, I thought he was an Adonis; now I’m sure this guy is some kind of god. His jaw is wide and chiseled, and his bright blue eyes glisten like ocean pools, or some swirling aqua galaxy.
“What?” I ask, completely forgetting what he even asked me.
“You said cats were okay, so I just assumed,” he says as his gaze moves to my mouth, and I fucking have no control over my body apparently, because my tongue comes out and swipes over my lips like they’re preparing for something that will never come.
“Oh, umm. No, my mom had a cat when I was little. I don’t have any pets.”
Miss Moo turns her head toward me, mooing, and I startle, ripping my hand free from under his and raising both arms in the air. She then rests her head in my lap, and I’m held there under the weight of her huge head, looking from her to Connorand back, my heart racing as my brain struggles to decide what to do next.
“What is she doing? What do I do?” I ask, and Connor holds his waist, laughing.
“She likes you, you fool. She just wants a hug. You can put your hands down.”
“Oh…umm, okay,” I say slowly, bringing my arms down and resting my hands against her fur. I stroke slowly down the back of her neck with one hand, and she nuzzles into my waist.
“Well, you’re stuck for at least twenty minutes now,” Connor says, climbing to his feet.
“Really?”
“I mean, you could shove her away, but look at that pretty face, do you really want to make her move?”
I look down at the, dare I say it, beautiful cow in my lap, and my pulse begins to slow with each stroke of her fur, and the gentle hum of her breath vibrating through me. I’m actually pretty comfortable, and she’s warm, taking the chill out of the air I felt earlier.
“No. I’m good,” I reply, and he tips his cowboy hat my way. When he lifts his head, his blue eyes are sparkling again, and he’s smiling wide as he heads back into the barn section, probably checking on his patient.
Wen is busy trying to brush a mini Highland, their fur far longer than Miss Moo’s, but I bet it’s not as soft. The more I stroke her fur, the calmer I feel. Like she’s somehow draining the nervous energy from me. They say that animals are good in therapy, for the way they can help lift a person’s mood, and right now, I’d believe it, because I haven’t felt this settled in years.
“Are you coming back out for a cuddle, too, Connor?” Wendy calls.
“Sorry, luv, I’ve got a bit of work to do here,” he calls back, and Wendy shrugs and climbs out of the enclosure instead of using the gate.
“I’m going to go for a walk. You want to come?” she asks.
“I’m good here,” I reply, and she heads off.
I close my eyes, petting Miss Moo and listening to the sounds of the ranch behind her soft snores.
“Well, you look relaxed,” Connor says, and I startle and find him bending down to sit.
“Yeah, umm, it’s actually really relaxing just being here with her. Is it like that with all of them?”
“The larger calmer cows, yes, but the smaller calves and mini Highlands and llamas and goats are all full of energy, better suited to playing with children than relaxing with adults.”
