我猜你在第一天就爱上了这个女子，否则你不会傻到这个境界的~~~

我猜你在第一天就爱上了这个女子，否则你不会傻到这个境界的~~~

He wasn“t eloquent around women - never had been - but usually he could
stammer out something better than， “Good day， Ma“am. I brought you
cows， among other things.“

Yes， she was pleasant to look at； he wasn“t blind. Yes， he was lonely
and they had briefly shared as much romance and intimacy as an old
slave“s bed， moonlight， and a placenta could offer. Just because she
was willing to listen to his Sam stories and give him a shoulder to cry
on didn“t mean she felt anything more than gratitude and friendship
toward him， just as he felt toward her. She had her bed and baby - and
husband - and he had his barn and pictures of Melly， and never the twain
would， or should， meet.

“Those are not my cows， Mr. Mulder，“ Dana told him， carrying a basket of
fresh eggs as she emerged from the chicken coop. “I thought you were
going to Savannah. Have you returned or have you been wandering the
swamps， lost， since Tuesday morning?“

“I did go to Savannah. Then， as I was returning to continue my search
for Samuel， I found these cows near the river. Do you know who owns
them?“ he asked， one hand on each of the rope halters he had fashioned.
When she nodded “no，“ he announced， “Then， until the cows say otherwise，
they are yours. I thought they would be good: for the baby.“

“I do not know that she likes cows， Mr. Mulder.“

“For milk，“ he added， as though she might really think he had brought
them to be pets. “For Emily.“

She crossed her arms over her breasts， and he cleared his throat，
finding something else to look at. That was an underhanded trick: her
being a woman on purpose just to distract him.

“Thank you， but that cow does not have any milk， Mr. Mulder. She will
not until she has a calf. And your other new friend-“ She gestured to
the big creature contentedly chewing on his sleeve， “Is a bull.“

“I know that，“ Mulder said defensively， jerking his wet sleeve away.
“They do seem fond of each other， though. In time， a calf ?and milk -
should be forthcoming.“

“I apologize for my ignorance， but I come from a family of sea
merchants. Please tell me， Mr. Mulder: how does one tell if cows are
fond of each other?“

His first impulse was to respond saucily， “Ma“am， I can“t say in polite
company，“ but he restrained himself. Instead， he bit the left side of
his tongue between his teeth， knowing there was a “why buy the cow when
you can get the milk for free“ pun in this and afraid it would slip out
if he wasn“t careful.

“All right. You can put them inside your posts，“ Dana decided， leaning
on one he had already set. He“d found various repair projects to keep
himself occupied as she recovered， and rebuilding the corral had seemed
like a fine， time-consuming idea. Unfortunately， he“d only gotten as

far as setting the fence posts； it still lacked any actual enclosure.
“Just explain to them where the rails should go. I am sure they will
understand. From what I have observed， cows are bright， obedient
creatures.“

“You are a very difficult woman， Ma“am. Do you know that?“ he said. “I
did bring you cows. And coffee beans.“

“Did you really think I desperately needed cattle， or did you just need
an excuse to come back to check on me? I promise my daughter and I can
breathe without your supervision for a few days.“

“I noticed the cows wandering， realized I was near your place， and I
thought you could use them. And you can“t have cows without a corral.
And I do not like going off and leaving my fence half-done，“ he said，
using a tone that he“d always thought sounded like he meant business.

“I thought that was the case，“ Dana answered， somehow managing not to
collapse into a puddle of pliant womanhood.

“Are you telling me you want me to go? I will finish my corral and then
go，“ Mulder said firmly， crossing his arms in imitation of her posture
and hoping he didn“t look like a child threatening a tantrum.

“I did not invite you to stay in the first place and I am not telling
you to leave now. You just come and go like the tides. I could stand
on the shore and yell all I liked， but the ocean would still ebb and
flow as it pleases. I might as well save my breath.“

“It doesn“t seem like you save your breath，“ he mumbled just low enough
for her not to hear.

She surveyed him a moment， then shifted her basket of eggs to her other
arm. “I am glad you returned， Mr. Mulder，“ she said more warmly， her
Irish accent lilting prettily. “I was not certain you would. Where is
your horse?“

“Shadow“s tied near the first river crossing.“

“With the coffee beans in your saddle bags?“ she asked.

“And some white sugar I just happened across，“ he added tantalizingly.

She considered another moment before she said， “Tie the cows up， then
come inside and eat before you go back to get your saddlebags. And your
horse.“

“You would have preferred I brought the coffee first and gone back for
the cows?“ he said， teasing her.

“I would， but I suppose I will take you as you come.“

He grinned at her， wiped the cow snot off the back of his hand， and
followed her inside the house.