Page 22 of Texas Daze (Texas Montgomery Mavericks)

“How can you be so calm? Now I’m itching to dosomething.”

She laughed. “Just like a man, and a doctor. Sit on your hands. No, wait. I’ve got a better idea.” She took both his hands. “I’ll hold them. Willthatwork?”

He squeezed her fingers, but the caress squeezed her heart at the same time. “That’ll workgreat.”

She had no idea who she was tonight. She was never this chatty with a guy, at least not until they’d been on a few dates. But Eli felt right. She hated that her hands were work-roughened. He could notice, could be put off by that. Crap. Now that she thought about it, his hands were softer and less callusedthanhers.

He probably dated townies, girls with soft hands and long flowing hair. Sure she had long, auburn hair, but most of the time it was slicked back out of the way. Even that dress she wore tonight gave the wrong impression of who she really was. Oh, she loved the sparkle in his eyes when he first saw her. The smile that’d lit up his face when she twirled for him. And then, then when he stroked his fingers along the flesh of her back, she almost melted. Her kneessurehad.

However, tonight’s dress wasn’t her. Neither were the three-inch heels. She was a jeans, shirt and boots kind of gal, all of it usually dirty at the end oftheday.

Eli stroked his thumb back and forth across her knuckles. Holy Hannah. She almost swayed with lust. The way he kissed and touched her set off bombs that shot electrical voltage from her brain to her toes, with lots of energy rushing directly to every female cell. She wasn’t looking for anything, or anyone, long-term, although if she were, she might not mind a daily dose of how he made hertingle.

Too bad he was only here for ashorttime.

But on second thought, maybe it wasn’t too bad that he was a short timer. She wasn’t looking for long term, and a couple of months of serious tingles would be fun. Possibly a little more than tingles for a couple of months would befuntoo.

While she’d been daydreaming, or would that be early-in-the-morning dreaming, Princess and her new baby had found their footing and stood. A foal’s wobbly legs never failed to charm her, and tonight was nodifferent.

“Want to meet her?” she asked. Now that the foal was here, she could see the ranch had another female on theirhands.

“I do.” His voice held a tinge of surprise, as though he couldn’t believe hewantedto.

Regretfully, she dropped one of his hands and they eased toward the pair. The foal was grey, as she’d expected. She had a darker patch of grey down her nose. Eli inched his hand toward the foal. His first stroke was slow, only lightly touching the newborn. He looked at Marti with a broadsmile.

“Incredible.”

“Iknow.”

“Have you picked out a name for thislittleone?”

“I haven’t,” Marti said. “Got asuggestion?”

“Duchess.”

“Oh. I like that. She’ll be Duchess ofBoone.”

The smile she’d thought was wide stretched further and his eyes lit up. “You don’t have todothat.”

“I want to. It’ll make me always remember tonight.” Like she could everforget.

He put an arm around her and hugged. “Thank you. I’mtouched.”

She startled and snapped her fingers. “Shoot. I forgot about Callie.” When he frowned, she added, “The barn cat. She was having kittens and I totallyforgot.”

He looked around. “Whereisshe?”

“Office, if she follows her normal pattern.” They walked out of the stall toward the open office door. “This is her third, and last, set. She’s got an appointment with Georgie Grayson. Our veterinarian,” she explained when he lookedconfused.

“I didn’t see her when I changed clothesearlier.”

“Ah, but did you climb underthedesk?”

He chuckled. “Can’t say thatIdid.”

She lifted the chair away from the desk and climbed under. “Hey there, momma.” She pulled a wooden box lined with soft towels from under the desk. Inside, Callie rested with six kittens nursing away. “Good job, Callie.” She stoked the cat. “Looks like some fine mousers you’ve gotthere.”

“Do all barnshavecats?”

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