The Maverick's Snowbound Christmas. Karen Rose Smith

favorite pair. His navy insulated vest fell open over his green-and-navy flannel shirt. He was so focused on the horse, he was totally unaware that she’d come in.

      She made sure her boots made a scuffling noise as she approached him.

      He looked up as if startled from his concentration.

      “I’m Hadley Strickland,” she said in explanation. “Brooks Smith called me to help you.”

      He looked torn, as if he wanted to stand and approach her, yet he didn’t want to leave the horse. To help him with that dilemma, she went to him.

      He held out his hand to her.

      “I’m Eli Dalton. We met at Kayla’s wedding briefly. In the receiving line.”

      As Hadley shook his hand and gazed into his eyes, her world seemed to spin a little faster. His grip was firm and warm and urged her breaths to come faster. Recognizing the red flags of attraction, she pulled her hand out of his clasp. “There was a lot of chatter and bedlam at the wedding,” she murmured for something to say. “That’s a wedding for you.”

      He gave her an odd look, and she changed the subject. “So what seems to be the problem?” She looked over the horse again from her golden-brown coat to the white blaze, from her forelock to her nose.

      “I’m not sure. Amber is a wild mustang I adopted. I gentled her. I’ve been with her every day. I’ve been around pregnant horses since I was three, and I know what pregnancy and labor is supposed to look like.”

      “What are the signs that make you think something’s wrong?”

      “This is a maiden mare from what I can tell, so I know she can foal a bit early or late. She’s not particularly high-strung, so I don’t think she’s resisting the normal process of delivery. Her udder has been swollen for the last five weeks. I’ve been cleaning her with warm cloths.”

      “And she let you?”

      “She trusts me.”

      Hadley took that in. As she knelt beside Eli, she saw the thickened nipple. They naturally developed a thick waxy material. When the nipple got waxed, that was an indicator that the foal would be born within the next day or so. Even though Hadley didn’t often handle large animals, she knew each mare was unique. All the owner could do would be to evaluate all the signs for an impending foaling.

      “Will she let me examine her?” Hadley asked.

      “If I stay here and talk to her, she will.”

      “All right, let me get my gloves on and we’ll do it.”

      Hadley tried to forget that Eli was there as she checked signs of the rump and tail-head muscles softening. “Any changes in behavior?”

      “She’s been more affectionate lately and separated herself from the other horses.”

      “What about appetite?”

      “She hasn’t eaten today.”

      “I see you laid down straw.”

      “I’ll switch it to shavings a few days after birth. Usually this is a natural process, but something’s bothering me about it.”

      “Nothing specific?”

      “No, but I didn’t want to get in trouble with the snowstorm. It was better to have someone here to help than me not having the expertise to handle anything unusual that comes along.”

      Aha, Hadley thought. Eli was a planner. Rumor had it that he was steady and responsible. His attitude today proved it.

      Hadley continued her examination, then stripped off her gloves and put her stethoscope back in her bag. “All we can do is wait. This could be a couple of hours, maybe more.”

      They both heard the howl of the wind against the side of the barn. “Maybe you should leave. Go back to the boardinghouse while you can still get out.”

      “Brooks is a friend, Mr. Dalton. He asked me to help so I’m here to help. I’m staying.”

      Eli had to be a good six foot four. She was only five foot four. He studied her with probing green eyes from her green jacket to her cowl-necked pullover sweater to her skinny blue jeans and boots. “All right,” he said, “But call me Eli.”

      “And I’m Hadley.”

      He nodded. “It’s good to have backup here, Hadley. Thanks for coming out. Have you eaten lunch?”

      “No. I didn’t think to grab anything to bring along.”

      “I’ll go up to the house and get us something.” He nodded to the horse. “We have to keep up our strength so we can help her.”

      “Amber, did you say?” she asked.

      “Her coat’s that color,” he explained. “And her eyes.”

      A man who noticed the color of a horse’s eyes. Eli Dalton was intriguing her more and more.

      * * *

      As Eli trudged through four inches of snow to the farmhouse, he knew he shouldn’t feel hot. It was just the stress of worrying about Amber. It wasn’t his blood running faster every time he looked at Hadley Strickland.

      Although he’d more than noticed her when they’d crossed paths in the past, he’d never gone out of his way to chat her up. There was good reason for that. He knew her type all too well. She was educated and career-minded just as Elaine had been. His thoughts wanted to take him back twelve years, but he resisted as he always did. He had no intention of ever getting involved with a woman like that again. Since then, “serious” hadn’t been on his mind.

      He knocked the snow from his boots before he went into the house. Once inside, it didn’t take him long. His mom always had the refrigerator stocked. After all, hungry ranch hands needed fuel. He scooped together sandwiches with thick bread and lots of meat and cheese, then slipped them into ziplock bags and put those into a grocery bag. He grabbed packets of mayonnaise and mustard from the refrigerator shelf. His mom kept plenty in there to put in lunch boxes for when they were out for the day fixing fence or other repairs. Next, he brewed coffee. When it was ready, he poured it into a large thermos, grabbed a tin of cookies, a few foam cups and paper dishes, then pushed everything into another grocery bag. Picking up both bags and the thermos, he headed out again.

      In the barn once more, Eli spotted Hadley standing at Amber’s stall. The mare was back on her feet.

      “She’s not ready,” Hadley said. “I think she’s trying to help herself.”

      “You mean let gravity help her,” Eli amended.

      Hadley looked at him then, her gaze locking to his.

      He felt a jolt of elemental attraction that he attempted to dismiss.

      “I told you I don’t have a lot of experience with horses,” she reminded him.

      With difficulty, he transferred his focus to Amber again rather than Hadley and gave her an out if she wanted it. “I hate to tie you up here if it’s not necessary.”

      “But you’re still worried.”

      Apparently she could read him. He didn’t like that. Over the past dozen years, he’d dated...but never seriously. He tried not to let women read him. Still, he answered her truthfully. “I am worried. Not only about Amber. The snow’s getting deeper, and you might not be able to get out if you don’t go now.”

      She laid her hand on his forearm. “I think taking care of a horse in labor is more important than my getting back to town.”

      The sincerity in her voice rocked him almost as much as the feel of her hand on his arm.

      They stood awkwardly for a few moments because they both knew what Hadley staying would entail. They’d be cooped up here together, almost perfect strangers who knew nothing about each other. She pulled