“I don’t believe it.”

A little over an hour later, Sally stood munching on some fresh hay while all four of her babies either nursed or bounced around playing. It seemed unreal that a little goat who’d given birth three times and then had undergone a C-section to bring the last kid into the world could possibly act like nothing unusual had happened.

She’d been shocked when Kate had performed the surgery in the barn with only local anesthetic, but had been assured that these procedures were routine with goats. Robert had kept Sally calm as she’d lain on her right side.

Kate had worked efficiently and had kept the incision as small as possible. Brooke had winced when Kate had reached through the opening and then pulled the big kid out. Just as Robert had thought, it was a buck.

Catching Robert’s half-smile, she folded her arms. “Don’t act so smug, Superman. How was I supposed to know that goats bounce back like that? I was scared to death.”

He put an arm around her. “I’m sorry. I’m really not making fun of you. You’re just so cute about it.”

The warm twinkle in his eyes made it impossible for Brooke to be mad at him. “You know something?”

“Hmm?”

“Both our dates have been interrupted, but those half dates have added up to the strangest, best date I’ve had in years,” Brooke said.

Robert caught Kate’s smile as she finished putting away her surgical equipment and blushed as he grinned at Brooke’s remark. “Is that so?”

Brooke slid an arm around his waist. “Yeah. I mean, I got to dress up, had an exciting car ride, ate a delicious meal, and helped birth adorable baby goats. What other woman can say all that about a date?”

Kate patted Robert’s chest as she walked by. “Robbie’s one in a million. He’s quiet at first, but just wait until you really get to know him.”

Robert frowned. “That only sounds like half a ringing endorsement.”

A loud snore erupted from Kate’s husband, Ric, who sat in a corner of the goat pen. He’d insisted on coming with Kate since it was so late. His head rested against the wall, his mouth hanging open.

The sound drew the attention of one of the kids and it wandered over to him. It stumbled onto his lap and let out a loud, high-pitched bleat. Ric jerked awake and blinked his blue eyes in confusion while the others cracked up.

He glowered at them for a moment before picking up the kid and settling it against his broad chest. “Everything okay, then?”

Brooke snorted. “Yeah. No thanks to you, Buzz Saw.”

Still holding the kid, Ric got to his feet. “That’s Sexy Pants to you, and I figured that I’d leave things up to the experts.” He handed the goat to Brooke. “There you go. Ready to go, babe?”

“All set,” Kate said, giving Brooke and Robert a hug in turn. “Let me know if there’s any problem, but they should all be fine.”

“Thanks, Kate,” Robert said. “I really appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome. Good night, guys.”

Ric yawned and gave them a wave before taking Kate’s vet bag from her. He smiled down at Kate, lacing his fingers with hers as they walked out of the barn.

Brooke wanted those kinds of easy, loving moments with someone. Shifting her eyes to Robert, she saw him smile while he watched Kate and Ric leave. His expression was slightly wistful and she wondered if he was thinking the same thing.

The kid struggled in her arms and she put it down. “Go back to your mama, Spring.”

“Spring?”

Brooke felt a little shy and bit her bottom lip, giving a little nod.

Taking off his glasses, Robert cleaned them with the bottom of his shirt. “You named them already, didn’t you?”

“Just that one,” she said.

“Uh huh. Sure.”

Grinning self-consciously, Brooke thought that while Robert was still handsome without them, there was something intensely sexy about his glasses. To distract him, she said, “Put your glasses back on and kiss me.”

His eyes widened as he looked at the glasses and then back at her. “What?”

Brooke took them from him and closed the distance between them. Slowly, she reached up and slid them on, settling them over his ears. “There. That’s better.” Molten heat entered his eyes right before she said, “Kiss me.”

One of his large hands came up to cup her face while the other one flattened against her back. Without hesitation, Robert pulled her to him and claimed her mouth. Brooke’s heartbeat skittered out of control as her breasts flattened against his hard chest. His aggressive behavior was unexpected and utterly exciting.

Her breath quickened as his mouth slanted over hers, plundering deep when she opened for him. Encircling his waist with her arms, she ran her hands up his back, enjoying the rock-hard muscles under her palms. She grew warm as he twined his tongue with hers. In the back of her mind, she wondered again at the contrast between the sometimes bashful man and the skillful seducer.

There was nothing shy about the way he skimmed a hand down her back and squeezed her ass. Suddenly he stiffened and his mouth froze on hers as he pulled his hand back.

“What’s wrong?” she asked against his lips.

“I hope that’s okay. You’re so sexy I struggle to keep my hands off you.”

Her mouth wobbled as she fought back a smug smile. “It’s more than okay.” She took his hand and brazenly settled it over her breast. “Why don’t we go in the house and you can touch me all you like.”

* * *

Robert was sure that he’d misheard her. “What?”

Her lovely, delicious lips curved and her eyes shone. “You heard me.”

Her breast just nicely filled his palm and he couldn’t make himself remove it from her tempting flesh. Was she serious or just teasing him? He cleared his throat a little. “You want to…?”

Her voice lowered to a sultry pitch. “Yes, I do.”

His hand gently kneaded her breast as even more blood flowed south. But even though he wanted to take her up on her offer, he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. Although he’d had one-night stands, they always left him feeling hollow and unsatisfied the next morning. Gazing into her eyes, Robert felt that shift in his heart again and knew that he didn’t want just one brief night with Brooke.

“I-I can’t,” he stammered, his face hot with embarrassment.

A disappointed frown formed between her brows. “Why not?”

“I smell like goat and I’m all dirty.” He was grasping at any straw he could find. “I’d prefer that the first time, I mean, assuming there’s a first time, that it was when I didn’t stink. Plus, I have to meet Tyler in about four hours and I don’t want to be in a rush.”

His heartbeat echoed in his ears like a kettle drum as he waited for her response.

After a moment, her smile returned and her pretty nose crinkled. “We do kind of stink, don’t we?”

Relief that she wasn’t angry washed through him and he chuckled. “Yeah, we kind of do.”

Brooke stifled a yawn. “I think I’d better go home, get cleaned up, and go to bed.”

They gave the goat family a few more pats and scratches and then left the goat pen. Robert turned off the lights, closed the big barn door, and put his arm around Brooke’s shoulders.

“You know, if you wanted to, you could get a shower and stay in my spare bedroom. I can find a spare t-shirt for you,” he said.

Brooke’s sidelong look was illuminated by the pole light that stood halfway between the barn and house. “Thanks.”

He laughed and gave her a squeeze. “It’ll be hard, but I promise to behave myself.”

“Always the gentleman.” She gave an exaggerated sigh. “Okay. I’ll stay.”

“Good. Come on. We’ll get you settled in so you can get some rest.”

As he led Brooke inside, Robert thought how funny it was that just knowing she’d be in the same house made him happy. He took her to Kate’s room, let her pick out some clothes, and showed her the bathroom.

“Sketch is probably in the tub. I just use the stand-up shower.” He went over to the tub. Sure enough, Sketch lay curled up at the back of tub. “Hey, sleepyhead.”

Brooke joined him, looking at the skunk, who lifted his head and blinked sleepily at them. “That’s the biggest skunk I’ve ever seen.”

Robert smiled. “Yeah, he’s a big boy. He’s completely harmless, though.”

Sketch yawned, repositioned himself and went back to sleep.

“Okay, well, I’ll leave you to it,” Robert said, closing the door as he left the bathroom.

He got a beer from the fridge and took it to the porch to wait for the shower.

* * *

“Guess what happened then, TJ?” Brooke touched her nose to her best friend, Emily’s eight-month-old son’s nose. “That goat had four babies! Four!”

TJ giggled and waved his chubby arms around excitedly. With his pale blond hair and big hazel eyes, he was the spitting image of Emily. There was not one part of little TJ that reminded her of his daddy, Tyler.

Brooke sat on one of the recliners in the Jeffries’ farmhouse, playing with the baby and visiting with Emily, who was sorting through TJ’s outgrown baby clothes.

“I wish Anna and Chase had decided to find out the babies’ sex,” Emily remarked, folding an onesie.

Brooke said, “I think it’s nice that they’re doing it the old-fashioned way. I might, too, when the time comes.”

Emily laughed. “I couldn’t wait to find out with TJ. The suspense was killing me. Tyler, too.”

Brooke tickled TJ and he giggled again. “Well, that makes sense since neither of you can be trusted around wrapped Christmas presents.”

“That’s not true,” Emily protested.

Brooke stared at her while arching an eyebrow.

Looking chagrined, Emily muttered, “Okay, maybe it’s a little true.”

Brooke settled TJ on her lap. “A little? You want to open other people’s presents if they aren’t fast enough.”

Emily put a stack of clothes in a shopping bag. “I can’t help it. Wrapping paper is supposed to ripped open, not saved.”

Brooke laughed as she thought about Anna’s habit of carefully opening presents so that she didn’t rip the wrapping paper she liked. It had driven Emily almost insane at Christmas time.

“I mean, they’re rich. They don’t have to save the paper, for God’s sake,” Emily went on. “Then we had to gather it all up and give it to Chase to take to the recycling center. I still can’t believe he went around town in a Santa suit collecting wrapping paper and corrugated cardboard boxes the day after Christmas.”

“Chase just cares about the environment,” Brooke said. “He’s trying to save the planet for future generations.”

Emily stopped folding clothes. “What’s with you? It usually annoys you as much it does me.”

Brooke grinned. “I’m just in such a good mood after last night that Chase’s eccentric behavior isn’t fazing me.”

“Helping a goat give birth isn’t something I’d have ever thought would make you so happy,” Emily said.

“I wouldn’t have, either, but it was more than that.” Brooke played with TJ’s adorable tiny toes. “Before Sally had her babies, do you know what happened?”

Emily finished with the clothes and stretched out on the couch. “What happened?”

“I slept with Robert. Just slept. On his lap. While he held me.”

The way Emily’s jaw dropped. “No way.”

“Way. I kept nodding off while we were waiting and he never got mad.” Brooke smiled. “I drifted off and the next thing I know, he was picking me up and putting me on his lap. He didn’t try anything. Just held me.” Her mouth turned down. “That would’ve never happened with my ex. Sex was always his first priority. And he had a routine. I mean he could be spontaneous and he was great in bed, but there was just something lacking once I had the stars out of my eyes, you know?”

Emily nodded. “Love. True love. That’s what was missing. I slept with a few other guys besides Ty, but none of them could compare. The sex was good, but not like it is with him. I can’t think straight when he starts kissing me. You get the idea.”

“Yes, I do.” She sent Emily a toothy smile. “So, when is the next little Jeffries going to come along?”

Emily burst out laughing and TJ squealed. “We’re not going to try for at least another year. We want to get TJ potty trained first. I love that little guy more than life, but having two babies in diapers would drive me crazy. I don’t know how Anna and Chase are going to do it.”

“They’ll be just fine. Besides, Anna’s mom is going to stay with them for a while after the babies come,” Brooke said. “She’ll be a big help and she adores Chase.”

Emily sobered. “I wish that Maggie had lived to see TJ.”

Tyler’s mother, Maggie, had passed away almost two years ago and her loving presence was missed every day. Emily’s smile died away. “My mother passed away when I was only ten. TJ doesn’t have a grandmother or grandfather. I find that so sad.”

Brooke hugged TJ. She missed Maggie to. She’d been a second mother to Brooke. “Both of them are here with you and they know all about this little man. I’m glad you guys are going to name your first daughter after Maggie.”

“I think it’s only fitting.” Emily sat up. “And maybe someday you’ll have a little Robert Jr. running around.”

“Slow down, Emily. We haven’t even had a real full date yet,” Brooke cautioned.

Emily shot her a cheeky grin. “True, but you haven’t been this gaga over a guy in a long time.”

Brooke said, “Look, I’m not ruling that out, but I’m not rushing into anything serious, either. I just want to have some fun and see where things go.”

“Good idea.” Emily looked at the bag of clothes. “Don’t let me forget to give these to Chase when the boys get back.”

“I won’t, Miss Forgetful.”

Emily narrowed her eyes. “Just wait until you have a baby. It’s like he sucked all the brain cells out of my mind.” She came over and took TJ from Brooke. “But I wouldn’t trade him for anything.”

Brooke watched TJ reach for Emily’s nose and felt her maternal clock whispering to her. Shut up. A part of her longed for a child, but she wanted the whole package. The right father for her child, and a loving husband. She wanted what Emily and Tyler had so badly she could taste it. She sighed and pushed her fear that it would never happen for her away. Just because everyone around her was having babies didn’t mean she had to get baby fever. She’d thought that she and Jamal had been on the same page with that issue, but he’d proven her wrong.

So, even though Brooke really liked Robert, she was going to take things slow. He seemed like such a great guy, but so had Jamal at first. Appearances could be deceiving and even though Kate had said that the two women who’d walked out on Robert hadn’t deserved him, maybe there was something Kate didn’t know about her best friend. Her mom always said if it was too good to be true, it likely was.

As she went outside to play with Emily and Tyler’s daughter, Hayley, and their Poodle, Cocoa, Brooke shrugged off the niggling doubt and let her previous positivity return.