Page 28 of Need Me
“Oh. Yeah. Goodidea.”
She put some in the scooper and brought it over to where Robert now stood by the stall next to Precious. A big black mule stretched his head out to her, his lips workingcomically.
“Does he do that all the time?” she asked with achuckle.
Robert pushed his glasses back into place. “Whenever he really wants something, he acts silly likethat.”
Brooke fed Cletus the same way she had Precious, smiling at the greedy way he took the treat from her. “He acts like he’s neverfed.”
Robert said, “I know, but they get plenty to eat. He’s just a glutton. Want to see thegoats?”
Brooke gave Cletus a few pats and nodded. “I like goats. I’ve petted thembefore.”
Robert went over to the goat pen and opened the door. “Holyshit.”
“What? What is it?” Brooke come around Robert and saw that one of the goats was stretched out in the straw. “Oh, no. Whathappened?”
Robert cursed softly, and his face grew worried. “Nothing yet, but it’s about to. Sally’s inlabor.”
Brooke gasped. “She’s going to have a babytonight?”
Robert knelt by Sally, who raised her head and gave a short baa. “Hi, honey.” He smoothed a hand over her swollen abdomen. “Time to become a mommy,huh?”
Despite her pain, Sally nudged Robert’s hand before she laid flat again. Sam stood a short distance away and let out a worried bleat. Going to him, Robert guided Sam outside and shut the pendoor.
Brooke asked, “Will he hurther?”
Robert knelt beside Sally again. “Normally, Sam is sweet as pie to Sally, but I’m not going to take the chance that he’ll get aggressive with her or however many kids shehas.”
Approaching the pretty white goat, Brooke reached down to pet her belly. “How many will shehave?”
“Goats can have up to five kids in a litter, but I don’t think Sally is going to have more than two,” Robert replied as he examined Sally’s hindquarters. “I think she’s been in labor a while. She might deliver within the next hour orso.”
“Really?” Growing excited, Brooke moved over to Robert. “Can I stay to watch? I’ve never seen an animal give birthbefore.”
Robert’s mouth curved upward. “Never?”
“Never. I’m not really the outdoorsy type,” shesaid.
His smile turned a little devious. “I’ll have to see what I can do to changethat.”
“You think so, hmm?” Leaning closer to him, she stared seductively into his eyes. “So, can Istay?”
* * *
As he heldBrooke on his lap, Robert thought once again how unpredictable animals could be. He sat with his back against a wall, his legs crisscrossed. Brooke rested in his lap and snuggled against his chest, fastasleep.
Sally was taking her time bearing her young, but Robert didn’t mind because holding Brooke felt so nice. Although desire hummed under the surface, he was content to enjoy her scent and admire her beauty. They’d started out sitting beside each other, talking about whatever came tomind.
Their conversation had been punctuated here and there with easy silences. It was during one of those silences when Brooke had rested her head on Robert’s shoulder and almost dropped off. He’d coaxed her over onto his lap to be more comfortable, urging her to take a nap. It hadn’t taken her long to nodoff.
Checking his watch, he saw that it was almost midnight and he was torn over whether to wake Brooke or not. He wasn’t surprised that she’d been sleepy since she’d been up so long the day before. She’d told him that she’d gotten home around five that morning and had gone straight tobed.
However, he knew that she was probably still tired from her sleep pattern being interrupted. He didn’t regret his middle-of-the-night donut delivery, but he was a little on the sleepy side himself. Deciding to wait a little longer, he yawned and leaned his head back against the wall, closing his grittyeyes.
Sometime later, loud rustling sounds and a long goat bleat had him on the alert. Sally was getting to her feet, her back hunched and her tail curled up over her back. As she turned around, Robert saw a tiny nose emerging fromSally.
“Brooke.” He shook her gently. “Wake up, honey. Sally’s having herbabies.”
