Hunter (Stud Ranch 2)

She started sliding in the mud as the fucking cow started forward again. But Isobel kept her feet dug in and just kept pulling.

Then the chains she was holding suddenly gave all at once and before she knew what was happening, Isobel was on her ass in the mud and a baby calf was on the ground beside her, afterbirth landing all over both of them.

Isobel started laughing in euphoria. She wanted to hug the little calf. She’d done it. She’d actually done it!

The mother cow turned around and immediately started licking the little calf. It was lifting its little head and nosing back at its mom.

Isobel was still grinning as she shook her head and then undid the chains around the calf’s front hoofs. She crawled and checked underneath. It was a girl. She laughed then sat back on her haunches. But only for a second before scrambling to her feet and reaching back inside the cow to make sure all the afterbirth was cleaned out. It was.

She stepped back, grinning at the mama and baby cow. She’d done it. Her first ever solo calving.

It was only then that she heard the laughing.

She swung around and saw Hunter doubled over, laughing so hard he was actually slapping his knee.

Her mouth dropped open. And then closed, her teeth clenching. She leaned over and grabbed the calving chains and puller, then stalked back toward the gate.

Hunter was still laughing, actually wheezing from laughing so hard as she opened th

e gate and slammed it behind her.

“I saw a spigot and hose on the back side of the barn,” he managed to get out, wiping his eyes with amusement. “Better hose down along with the tools. You’re a bit too ripe to get back in my truck like that.”

She glared at him. In all likelihood, she had a warrant out on her for attempted murder in one state.

Why not make it two?

She yanked the long muck-covered gloves off her arms and threw them at his feet before grabbing the equipment she’d used and going in search of the spigot he’d mentioned.

She finally found it after walking around almost the whole barn. Because of course Hunter couldn’t have been more specific, the bastard. She turned the spigot on and sprayed water at the chains before turning it toward her own boots.

She’d been so caught up in the moment with the calving, she hadn’t really been paying attention to just how gross she’d been getting. But now that she had a chance to look down at herself, she almost gagged. She was covered in—

She jerked her head away. Nope. Better not to think about what she was covered in. She just turned the hose on herself.

“God!” she yipped, dancing away from the freezing spray for a second before closing her eyes, bracing, and aiming it back at her chest.

She didn’t care if she had to ride home drenched, she didn’t think she could stand herself smelling like the insides of a cow.

She dared a glance down at herself after spraying for several minutes. Ugh, the water was barely making a dent in all the shit covering her. Because she had no doubt there was plenty of actual manure mixed in there. The water was just turning it all into a brown slurry coating her previously light blue work shirt.

She gagged and threw the hose down, then ripped the shirt off over her head. Nope. Nope. Nope. She was not wearing the poop shirt for another second.

She stripped out of her boots and pants just as quickly. Her boots were dirty even on the inside. When she’d tripped and been dragged by the cow that one time, the mud and manure had caked up inside the top and run down her calves.

Ugh, God, could this get more disgusting? She put her thumb in the tip of the hose to make it spray high power at her disgusting clothes. Her poor boots. The supple leather would never be the same after this.

“Here, you can change into—”

She shrieked and covered her chest as Hunter came around the side of the barn. He paused, just staring at her while she stood there in nothing but her bra and panties, both of which were soaked through.

“It’s not a wet T-shirt contest,” she yelled at him. “Stop ogling me!”

His eyes jerked up to her, a lazy smile crossing his face. “If you say so, sweetheart.” He tossed her a dark bundle of clothes. “You can change into this. But those boots go in the back of the truck.” He hiked a thumb over his shoulder. “Now hurry it up, I wanna make it home before the first inning’s over.”

It would be justifiable homicide in this case. Surely any jury would agree.

“Get out of here,” she cried when he continued just standing there looking at her.