Page 25 of Dreaming About Forever

Alicia opened the door and stood on the running board to get a better view of what Jordan was doing. He’d slowed his jog to a walk and slowly approached the cow.

She wrapped the coat tighter around her as a gust of wind whipped her ponytail. What was he doing?

Jordan held up his hands and pressed them to the ground. Slowly, he scooted below the bottom row of wire on his stomach. He had to be checking on the cow. She knew nothing about caring for cattle, but Jordan was acting as if something were wrong.

Jordan pushed the ground to get to his feet just as the cow lowered her head and charged.

10

ALICIA

“Jordan!”

Alicia’s feet were pushing toward him before she had time to think. Jordan lowered back to the ground, and he quickly rolled away as the massive cow barreled past him–missing him by inches.

Alicia ducked to slide under the fence, careful to lie low enough that the barbed wire didn’t catch her back. The thin layer of snow wet the front of her outfit, seeping in and shocking her with its cold.

Wow. She had not anticipated rolling around on the ground today, but there was a first time for everything.

On the other side of the fence, she got to her feet and ran toward Jordan. He was back on his feet but barely standing as the cow turned and rushed him again.

“Jordan!” Alicia screamed as she got closer.

The animal grew larger as she got closer, and the implications of her actions hit her square in the face. What was she doing running out here? It wasn’t as if she could save Jordan. She’d just put them both in the angry cow’s crosshairs.

“Alicia, what are you doing?” Jordan shouted back, turning his attention from her to the animal and back.

“Helping?” Oh, no. That sounded like a question instead of an answer.

“Get back on the other side of the fence!” he said, pointing toward the safety she’d just abandoned.

The cow stood between them and the fence and shifted her attention between them.

Jordan waved his arms in the air and took a few steps back, drawing the threat away from Alicia.

The cow charged him again, and Alicia held her breath as Jordan dodged the animal at the last second. Was he limping? Had the cow brushed him on the last charge?

Before the cow had a chance to turn around, Jordan was running toward her.

“What…”

Jordan skidded to a stop beside her and shouted, “Hang on!”

He swept her feet from under her, and she yelped when he pulled her to his hard chest. Holding on as if her life depended on it, she clung to Jordan’s shoulders and closed her eyes.

Jordan stopped and pulled her away from him to lift her over the fence. Making sure she had her balance, he grabbed her shoulders and turned her toward him.

“Alicia.”

She looked up into his dark eyes, and a wave of cold rushed down her face.

“Get in the truck.” His command was direct as he held her gaze.

Movement behind him caught her attention, and she pushed against his chest. “Jordan!”

He turned in time to see the approaching cow and jogged to the side, leading it away from the fence.

She took two steps back, feeling useless as the cow ran after Jordan. Every muscle in her body tensed as he dove out of the way again, flipping his landing into a roll and hopping right back to his feet. He looked like a ninja dodging throwing stars.

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