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“Hey, I’m serious,” he exclaimed, though grinning as he spoke.
“The whole thing is such a drama,” she muttered with a sigh. “I don’t know what to think about Bethany, except I don’t trust her for a second.”
“At least now you know what’s goin’ on.”
“Partly.”
“Hold up for a second,” he ordered, lowering his voice and slowing Stetson. “We’re almost at the forest. When we go in, put Bethany and what your father said out of your mind. Take a deep breath and look around—listen to the sounds—smell the air. It’s a special place.”
“Noah…I owe you so much. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t taken care of me the other night. Though it’s strange. It feels like ages ago.”
As she turned to look at him, he longed to bring her into his arms and promise to keep her safe.
His heart suddenly leapt.
Like a bolt from the blue, it hit him.
For the first time in his life, he was falling in love.
CHAPTER THIRTY
As they moved into the trees, Ellie felt as if she’d been transported to another world.
Noah had been right.
It was a special place.
Shafts of light pierced the tree tops and landed like spotlights on the forest floor. A mix of appealing subtle aromas wafted around her, and the singing birds offered a unique symphony.
“This is amazing,” she whispered, afraid if she spoke it would disturb the serenity. “I feel better already. Can we bring a picnic here?”
“You bet, but there are a few critters around. Nothin’ you have to worry about, at least, not as far as I know.”
“If we kept going, where would we end up? Are there more fields on the other side?”
“It’s quiet here, but if you went in a straight line for about ten-fifteen minutes, you’d hit the main road. Off to the east there’s a small pond, and it’s real handy there in the summer. Like my own pool, then to the west there’s another field and a stone wall separatin’ the neighborin’ property.”
“Yet in here, it’s like the middle of nowhere…ooh…did you feel that?” she asked abruptly as a cold breeze rustled the trees and swirled around her.
“I sure did. There’s some weather comin’ in, but it won’t be here for a while,” he replied, lifting his phone from his pocket. “Yep, the forecast says wind and rain startin’ in about two hours, and the temps will drop into the forties.”
“But it’s so nice right now. That’s hard to believe.”
“The weather around here changes fast, especially this time of year. We’ll walk a little further then head back so I can get things ready.”
“What do you have to do?”
“Pull out the horse blankets, fill the hay nets, get the moms and babies in from the fields.”
“Will it take long?”
“It always seems to take longer than I think it will,” he said with a grin.
“Please let me help, and if you want, I can make us some pasta for dinner.”
“Yeah, I definitely want, and then,” he continued, softening his voice, “I’ll light a fire in my bedroom.”
As his green eyes stared into hers, she felt a warm shiver through her body. She couldn’t wait to be naked and wrapped up in his arms.
