Montana couldn’t sleep. She finally got out of bed around five, after staring at the ceiling for hours. She took a shower, got dressed, then quietly padded through the house with her boots in her hand. Outside, she sat down on the deck steps and tugged her boots on. The sun was just coming up and she wanted to be riding before others were stirring.
She needed space. Time to think and be totally alone.
Time to pray. She closed her eyes and let the calm of the early morning seep in around her. The air had the scent of fresh hay. She inhaled and asked God to guide her because she needed him desperately.
She needed help getting her life figured out. She needed some peace in her heart and in her head, and she wasn’t getting it. Even the rodeo win hadn’t helped. The satisfaction that she’d hoped to find with the win wasn’t coming. Yes, she’d been excited—she’d shown that when she threw her arms around Luke—but peace? Nope, there had only been more confusion.
She’d thought when she talked to Lacy about starting her quest by hitting the rodeo trail that she’d feel some kind of satisfaction, but she didn’t. All she felt was a heavy heart. All her life she’d wanted to be a cowgirl, and now here was her shot. Why couldn’t she be happy?
Across the pasture she could see the shadow of where the festival trailers and booths were set up. But other than the soft bark of a dog in the distance, all was quiet. It was different from the way it had been last night, or would be later that day. One thing was certain, the first night of the rodeo had been a big success.
She was walking toward the arena when she heard Samantha let out a lonesome hee-haw, as if the little donkey had heard her approaching and was begging for some company. Instead of going to the arena where Murdock’s stall was, she walked across the gravel to the barn. The smell of fresh hay filled the air as she entered. Immediately, Samantha hee-hawed again.
“Hold your horses,” Montana said, striding toward the back of the stalls. The low lights illuminated the area well and Montana had no trouble seeing that the little donkey had been busy. The wooden bar they’d used to secure the gate better had been worked halfway out of its slot. Batting her big brown eyes at Montana, Samantha curled her plump lips back and gave a grin.
Montana was tickled at the sight. “Are you proud of yourself?” she asked through her chuckles. “If I’d have been out here a little later, you would have been free, and then where would we be?”
“From what I hear, she’d have let all the livestock out and enjoyed it,” Luke said from behind her.
Montana whirled around. “What are you doing here?”
He shrugged. “I couldn’t sleep. And I’ve been a little bit worried about Samantha getting loose and causing problems. So I decided to head over here and make sure things were secure.”
Montana stuffed her hands in her pockets. “This donkey must really be good to have y’all so worried.”
“I had visions of driving up and seeing my livestock running free while everyone was asleep.”
Montana grimaced. “That wouldn’t be good.” She was so glad to see him. It was all she could do not to go over and hug him...but that wasn’t what she needed to do. She didn’t want to get involved. You are involved.
She knew she was on the verge of falling hard for the cowboy if she didn’t watch herself extremely carefully. That meant not throwing herself at him.
Instead, she glanced down at the donkey who still had her head stuck through the bars of the gate. She batted her eyes and curled her lips back, exposing her big-toothed grin again. “Is this donkey human or what? She smiles like she knows what I’m thinking.”
Luke chuckled and moved to stand beside her. “Maybe she does. A donkey is a very perceptive animal.”
Luke stood close to her, his arm almost touching hers. It was like torture. Why did he have to stand right there? Didn’t he know she was having trouble controlling herself? Probably not.
“I’m going to say that she was probably thinking you have a lot on your mind,” he said quietly as he reached out and rubbed Samantha’s nose. The little burro closed her eyes and breathed heavily—like a sigh.
Montana was almost jealous.
“How would she know this?” she asked, realizing what he’d said.
“She could tell, because you came to the barn so early. She would also think you’re thinking about all the things you’re going to have to do to get ready to hit the road for qualifying.”
So the man had her figured out. “Think you’re pretty smart, don’t you?” she asked, sliding a look his way.
“Me? Nah, I’m just saying what Samantha is thinking. But if I was the one who was perceptive, I’d say you had a certain cowboy on your mind, too. And you were probably beating yourself up about kissing him last night.”
Her heart was thumping like a rabbit running for its life. In a way that’s how Montana felt, too. Looking at Luke, she saw how easily she could forgo her dreams and settle for a life right here with him. Be content like Lacy was with her home and family. She could love Luke.
“You have a high opinion of yourself, don’t you?” she teased, but it wasn’t easy to do.
He leaned against the gate so that he was looking at her. “You know me and Samantha are right about everything about you.”
She laughed. “And just how are y’all so sure?”
“For starters, it is five in the morning. That’s awful early for you to be out. I’d say that spells sleeplessness.”
“What about the kiss?”
“Ahh, the kiss,” he drawled, giving her a slow, toe-curling smile. “That was actually wishful thinking on my part.” He lifted a hand to touch a strand of hair that was hanging over her shoulder. He slowly wound it around his finger, staring at it before lifting his beautiful brown eyes to hers. “I’ve been thinking about that kiss ever since it happened. I tried to distract myself from it all night, during the rest of the rodeo, but it didn’t help. You—and that kiss—were on my mind the whole time. And then I couldn’t sleep. I guess a tiny part of me was hoping you hadn’t just kissed me because of the win.”
She was toast!
Done. Stick a fork in her.
The sigh came out, despite all efforts to keep her head.
The guy was just plain irresistible. She took a step toward him. He opened his arms, and the next thing she knew, his arms were around her and they were kissing. The feel of his lips was firm yet tender as he kissed her. Pulling away slightly, he searched her stunned and confused eyes before lowering his lips to hers again. It was as if she’d been waiting all of her life for this moment. For the feel of this man’s lips to connect with hers, for his heart to connect with hers.
He broke the kiss and laid his forehead against hers. Everything faded away in that instant. Her head was quiet. Her heart was calm.
Montana could have stayed like that forever.
“I can’t get you off of my mind, Montana. I’m sorry.” He sighed. “I know I’ve been trying to keep this simple. But it’s complicated.”
“Boy, don’t I know it,” she said, nodding her head against his. His arms tightened around her and at some point hers had wrapped around his neck.
He looked about as serious as a man in a face-off with a rattlesnake. “Montana, I came here to ask you to go to dinner with me. It’s time for you to go out with me. Yes, I know it will cause rumors—but with that kiss last night getting full coverage by one and all, everyone knows there’s a little something going on between the two of us.”
“Yes, I think you’re right.”
“I know I am. You can just—wait, you said yes, I was right? Does that mean you’re saying yes to dinner?”
Her lip twitched with a smile she couldn’t contain. It was adorable. He was flustered. “I meant yes on both counts. Dinner would be wonderful. And long overdue.”
“Did you hear that, Samantha? You’re my witness,” Luke said, looking at the little burro. She laid her bulbous nose against Luke’s hip and snorted.
Montana and Luke laughed, and as if knowing she’d done something good, Samantha snorted again, pulled her head from between the rails and let out a long hee-haw.
“Tell me about it, Samantha. We should have come to you a long time ago so you could set us straight.” Luke gave Montana a nod and tugged her close again. “Yup. We might all be getting on the same page, finally.”
Samantha pranced around her stall, her tail lifted out and her head held high. She looked as if she was about to bust out in dance as she batted her eyes at them.
“That is one funny donkey.” Montana chuckled.
Luke looked down at her and cocked a brow. “That is one smart little gal, is what she is.”
“I wonder.” Montana sighed, leaning her head against Luke’s shoulder. “What her advice would be on something else I have going on in my life?”
“I don’t know, darlin’, but you hang with me and I promise you we’ll get whatever’s bothering you all figured out.” He kissed her forehead and rubbed her shoulder. “I promise, I’ll help you, and so will God.”
Montana breathed in slowly. There was a mixture of excitement and comfort in his arms. Of anticipation for the step they were taking. And worry of what it could bring.
Worry and joy, too, but for now, there was comfort and peace.
And the gentle touch of a very special man’s hand.