One Summer

“Maybe they will,” Bryan said between her teeth as she headed for the second sheep. “But I’ll have done what should be done.”

“Idealist,” he said again.

With her hands on her hips, she whirled around. “Cynic.”

“As long as we understand each other.” Shade straightened. “I’ll give you a hand.”

The others weren’t as easily duped as the first. It took Shade several exhausting minutes to catch number two, with Bryan running herd. Twice he lost his concentration and his quarry because her sudden husky laughter distracted him.

“Two down and one to go,” he announced as he set the sheep free in pasture.

“But this one looks stubborn.” From opposite sides of the road, the rescuers and the rescuee studied each other. “Shifty eyes,” Bryan murmured. “I think he’s the leader.”

“She.”

“Whatever. Look, just be nonchalant. You walk around that side, I’ll walk around this side. When we have her in the middle, wham!”

Shade sent her a cautious look. “Wham?”

“Just follow my lead.” Tucking her thumbs in her back pockets, she strolled across the road, whistling.

“Bryan, you’re trying to outthink a sheep.”

She sent him a bland look over her shoulder. “Maybe between the two of us we can manage to.”

He wasn’t at all sure she was joking. His first urge was to simply get back in the van and wait until she’d finished making a fool of herself. Then again, they’d already wasted enough time. Shade circled around to the left as Bryan moved to the right. The sheep eyed them both, swiveling her head from side to side.

“Now!” Bryan shouted, and dived.

Without giving himself the chance to consider the absurdity, Shade lunged from the other side. The sheep danced delicately away. Momentum carrying them both, Shade and Bryan collided, then rolled together onto the soft shoulder of the road. Shade felt the rush of air as they slammed into each other, and the soft give of her body as they tumbled together.

With the breath knocked out of her, Bryan lay on her back, half under Shade. His body was very hard and very male. She might not have had her wind, but Bryan had her wit. She knew if they stayed like this, things were going to get complicated. Drawing in air, she stared up into his face just above her.