Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
The birth of a foal always stirred Jo’s blood, but with Quinn leaning over the stall door in rapt attention, the event seemed more emotional than usual.
No doubt she was still affected by their encounter in her bedroom.
The picture of Quinn standing there in his briefs would stay with her a long time.
She’d never realized bankers could look like that.
About her only experience with bankers was Mr. Doobie at First National in Ugly Bug.
She’d never seen him in his briefs, but she could imagine it wouldn’t be pretty.
Quinn, on the other hand, had made her tremble and quicken with desire. If she hadn’t had Clarise on her mind...
“Get ready. I think we’re close,” Fred said.
“We’re ready,” Jo said. She and Benny stood behind the mare’s rump, available to help deliver the foal, if necessary.
Fred stood by her head, stroking her neck and talking to her in the gentle way he had with all animals.
Some people were intimidated by Fred’s size, his bushy gray beard and his gruff manner.
Jo had known him since she was a kid, and when she’d inherited the ranch from Aunt Josephine she’d been thrilled when Fred had offered to stay on.
Unfortunately, his arthritis made riding painful for him, which left certain ranch chores strictly to Jo and Benny.
That was how she’d ended up accepting help and advice from Dick, who’d even loaned her a couple of his men during roundup.
But there had been strings attached. Actually more like steel cables attached.
She’d felt shackled by Dick for way too long.
Having Quinn step in tonight and torque Dick around had soothed her soul.
A couple of times in the past half hour she’d glanced up and caught him watching her. She wondered if he could soothe other parts of her, too.
The thought filled her with trepidation, because of how Dick had made her feel about herself sexually.
Dick’s method of intimidation was to subtly belittle a woman until she began to doubt her worth.
She’d divorced him before he could do a thorough job on her, but she still felt insecure about a few things. Like whether she was any good in bed.
Clarise snorted and shifted her hindquarters.
“Here it comes!” Benny said.
“Yep.” Jo’s heart pounded with excitement as the mucus-covered nose and forelegs of the foal poked out between Clarise’s haunches. “Good girl, Clarise. Keep pushing.”
The mare groaned and sank to her knees as more of the shimmery foal emerged.
Fred groaned, too, as he knelt beside her. “You and me both, Clarise. After this I’m having a shot of whiskey.”
Jo watched anxiously as the process seemed to stall. She clutched Benny’s arm. “Do you think she needs us to pull?”
“I think she’s doin’ fine. Just fine.” Benny’s eyes shone.
Jo loved Benny like the little brother she never had, even though he was a few years older than she was. His mental slowness made him seem forever young, but when it came to ranch duties, Benny knew his stuff.
Sure enough, Clarise gave another mighty heave, and the foal slipped out.
Benny leaned forward to clean its nose so it could breathe. “It’s a colt,” he announced proudly.
“Wow,” Quinn murmured.
“Wow is right.” Jo couldn’t take her gaze away from the new baby.
“What do you do about the glop it came in?” Quinn asked.
“Watch,” Jo said. “Do your thing, Clarise.”
The mare turned and began to lick her baby clean.
“Ugh,” Quinn said. “I’ll never eat oysters Rockefeller again.”
Jo laughed. “Yeah, I know. If human mothers had to do this, I’d probably opt out of having kids.”
Benny gazed at her with worship in his gray eyes. “You’d make a real good mommy, Jo.”
“Thanks, Benny.” She gave him a smile.
“So when are you gonna be one?”
Fred snorted as he got slowly to his feet. “Benny, you ask too many questions.”
Benny looked troubled. “I don’t mean to. But it’d be fun to have some little kids around.”
“Yeah, it would.” Jo stretched her stiff muscles. Too many hours on a plane and not enough sleep had taken their toll. “But a mother needs a daddy.”
Benny grinned and jerked a thumb at Quinn. “How about the movie star? I’ll bet he’d do it.”