He gazed over at the bunkhouse and remembered the conversation he'd overheard Steven having a few days ago with those two ranch hands. Colten had heard the accusations that Steven was gay. The man hadn't confirmed nor denied anything. Colten had waited, listened, and held his breath to see if Steven would say if he was or wasn't. But he never did. Colten had almost come out of the kitchen when he'd heard the underlying threat toward Steven. There had been no mistaking the venom in Leonardo's tone.

The muscles in his belly had knotted, hard and aching. Everything protective and male in Colten had risen up and flooded him with an overwhelming need to stop those two ranch hands from hurting Steven.

But to Colten's amazement and amusement, Steven had handled Leonardo. Steven had been afraid he'd be fired. Little did the human know that Colten had smiled inwardly with pride.

Without looking, Colten could feel Steven watching him from over by the catch lot. It was Saturday and the guys were standing where the cattle would be offloaded, tagged, and inventoried. They had a long day ahead of them from what Rowdy had explained to Colten. But Steven's pale-blue gaze continued to drift over to him.

Knowing the human was watching him made Colten's groin tighten to the point of pain, and a fire began to spread to his belly. His attraction toward Steven went beyond anything Colten had ever experienced. His body was hard and hurting and he knew he had to have the man.

"Ready for a full day of work?" Rowdy asked.

Colten smirked. "I'm used to doing more work before five a.m. than most do in a day. I'm no stranger to hard work."

Rowdy nodded. "Keep forgetting you and the others have a military background. I guess I'm already starting to see you guys as ranchers." There was admiration in the man's smile.

Once again Colten felt Steven's eyes on him. The human's gaze was filled with curiosity and contemplation. It was as if Steven was trying to figure out their connection. Colten studied Steven's features as he walked off the porch and headed toward the human, Rowdy at his side. A flicker of shyness and something else entered Steven's eyes before he lowered them, robbing Colten of their blue depths.

"You men ready for the day?" Rowdy asked the waiting hands as he approached. There were murmured replies but Colten heard none of them. He was concentrating solely on Steven.

"Morning." Colten pitched his voice low, a husky invitation to hot sex and wild times.

Steven glanced at his feet before his cool blue gaze drifted over Colten. He wanted to crush the man to him and run his fingers through Steven's silky hair, to bury his face in the strands and inhale deeply.

"Morning," Steven replied. Colten caught the edge of something in Steven's voice that he couldn't quite understand. Inner conflict. Agitation. Denial of what the man felt. Colten couldn't be certain. He fought the urge to pull Steven close and taste those soft-looking lips. His bear growled in approval, as if he was panting for a taste as well.

Colten was relentless once set on a path, and he had Steven in his sights. The human could struggle with his emotions. That was okay. Colten could deal with that. But there was no way in hell Steven was going to run from him.

"What time are the stock trailers supposed to be here?" Steven asked.

The human already knew the answer. But Colten could tell that Steven was trying to fill the awkward silence. The guy shuffled his feet and jammed his hands into his front pockets as he gazed at the end of the winding driveway.

No one had told Colten that it would be like this, a wild craving that crawled over his skin, heated his blood, and created a hunger so deep, so elemental he could hardly bear being close to Steven without wanting to touch the man.

"Should be soon," Colten answered. As if it had been spoken into existence, the first trailer came into sight and then turned into the driveway. The pickup pulled a long, twenty-four-foot trailer behind it as it moved slowly toward them. There would be more throughout the day. Rowdy had spread the deliveries out so the hands wouldn't be overwhelmed.

Colten winked at Steven. "Ask and I shall deliver to you."

Steven rolled his eyes and gave a soft chuckle. The sound played along Colten's body like the touch of caressing fingers. "Although the timing was perfect, I hardly doubt you have power like that. It's impossible."

"Impossibility is my specialty." Colten didn't try to hide the challenge in his voice. The moment Colten had laid eyes on Steven, he knew the human was born for him. Steven might not know it, but that didn't matter. His emotions had never been this riotous. He could taste cinnamon and apple cider in the back of his throat and Colten was now aching.

As if detecting Colten's inner turbulence, Steven cleared his throat and looked away. He tipped his Stetson back and gazed over at the trailer as it backed into place, the sound of squeaking brakes loud in the quietness of the early morning.

"Some things are impossible for a reason." Steven's voice was pitched so low that Colten had to strain to hear it. But the sound played over his skin, seeped into his pores, stroked his body until every cell was alive with hunger, edgy and needful.

Steven began to walk away, but Colten grabbed the man's upper arm and stopped him from joining the others. As soon as he touched Steven, a bolt of electricity shot through Colten's blood. Every nerve ending tingled. "You're with me today."

One of Steven's brows rose higher than the other. He glanced at Colten's hand and Colten reluctantly released the man.

"I thought I was heading this up?" Steven said.

A tic started in Colten's jaw. Instinct had made him grab Steven. Colten hadn't wanted the man to leave his side, but Steven was right. Colten was stopping the cowboy from doing his job. The other hands looked their way with curious expressions.

"You are," Colten replied. Steven gave him one last look before heading over to the others. Colten's eyes dropped to Steven's backside, appreciating how the man's jeans cupped his ass so nicely. Visions of what he wanted to do Steven's body flooded Colten's mind. His canines threatened to elongate as the ache continued to pulse between his legs.

Rowdy ambled toward him. "I know it's not my place, but you are projecting so loudly that even I'm getting a hard-on."

A wicked smile spread across Colten's face as his eyes trailed after Steven. "I'm staking my claim," he replied gruffly.

"I get it," Rowdy said. "But don't forget that Steven has to work with these guys. I'm not trying to interfere between the two of you. All I'm asking is that you tone it down a notch while the other humans are around. You saw how Leonardo and Nate reacted to the thought of a gay man being interested in Steven. Do you want to cause any more trouble for the guy?"

The thought of anyone laying a hand on his possible mate had Colten seeing red. If anyone hurt Steven, Colten would tear that person limb from limb. And as much as it galled him, Colten knew that Rowdy was right. Although Colten wanted to toss caution to the wind, Steven wasn't ready to. He wasn't going to force the human to endure any type of ridicule. Steven needed to come to terms with the fact that they were meant to be together, but Colten wasn't going to push anything.

Rowdy shouted over his shoulder at the others. "Your boss needs to learn the ropes. Show Mr. Tselner-"

"Colten," he corrected the foreman.

Rowdy nodded. "Show Colten the life of a cowboy."

The men whooped, pride apparent in their loud, boisterous tones. They loved their way of life and seemed only too happy to include Colten in it. They were all smiles and talking at once. Colten grinned at the gaiety of their mood. If anyone was going to teach him, he would prefer men who loved what they did.

Rowdy slapped Colten on his shoulder as a grin broke across his face and passion for ranching sparkled in his eyes. "You're in good hands, boss man."

Colten joined the others just as the gate of the trailer swung open. The hands seemed to work with an ease that came from years of experience. They were like a well-oiled machine as the cattle left the trailer and the men worked to tag and inventory each one.

One of the ranch hands, Tommy, stood close to Colten and explained things to him as the morning wore on. Colten was a quick study. By the time the first trailer was empty, he was pretty confident in what he was doing. Colten glanced up to see Steven watching him. He started to wink and then stopped, remembering Rowdy's warning.

If he couldn't tease, tempt, and persuade Steven in front of these men, then Colten was going to have to find a way to get the guy alone. Even though the cool air was filled with dust, the smell of cattle, and the odor of sweat, he could still detect Steven's unique scent. It was driving Colten mad to be this close but be denied the man. Just one kiss. That was all he wanted right now. To feel the cowboy's body crushed to him as Colten tasted Steven.

"All right," Rowdy said as the trailer door was closed and latched back into place. "I want you men to get this herd looked over before the next one arrives. Steven"-Rowdy turned and looked at the guy-"I want you to take Colten and saddle some horses. Once these cows pass inspection, they'll need to be turned out into the pasture so they can graze."

Colten nodded his appreciation toward Rowdy. The foreman apparently still felt Colten's raging need and knew that Colten needed time alone with Steven. Rowdy smirked as Steven led Colten toward the stables. The human didn't say a word as they walked but Colten felt the rising tension.

They entered the stables and everything was well lit. The horses were in the stalls and appeared to be asleep. Did horses sleep? Colten wasn't sure, but they were relaxed. He knew Rowdy would keep the other men busy, keep them away from Colten and Steven.

When Steven entered the tack room, Colten followed and closed the door behind him. The room was long and narrow, saddles hung on one side of the wall while ropes and bridles, and bits and other things hung on the other. There were saddle blankets stacked neatly on a wooden bench that ran the length of one wall.

Before Steven could turn, Colten moved up behind him, placing his hands on Steven's waist. Once again, he felt the lightning storm inside of him from a single touch of the human's body. He wanted to lay the blankets down, create a comfortable bed, and show Steven just how much the man affected him.

Just a kiss, he reminded himself. If Steven truly was straight, the man was going to need a hell of a lot of coaxing before he was anywhere near ready to lie with Colten.

"What are you doing?" Steven tried to twist free but Colten held the man firmly in place. He didn't answer Steven. Colten wasn't going to use words. He was going to show the man his intentions. With featherlight gentleness, Colten grazed his lips over the back of Steven's neck. The man stiffened and tried to pull away again.

Colten drew Steven closer until his denim-covered erection pressed firmly into Steven's ass. He kissed the man along his nape, his fingers massaging Steven's hips. The guy was a few inches shorter than Colten, but still of average height.

"Get. Off. Of. Me." The words were growled low and the threat was there. Steven jerked forward and then spun, his eyes alive with fury. It was like a living and breathing entity was in the man's eyes, ready to strike if Colten didn't back down. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

Colten turned and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. "Flirting."

"That was more than flirting, Mr. Tselner." Steven's movements were jerky as he yanked a saddle from the peg that'd been holding it in place. "That was invading my space and I would appreciate if you didn't do that again."

Colten had a feeling that the only reason Steven was trying to be rational and restrained was because of Colten's status over the guy. If they'd been two regular Joes, Steven would more than likely have tried to put Colten on his ass. The guy seemed to vibrate with anger as he stacked what they would need close to the door.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to get the horses ready." Steven glanced at the pile he'd constructed. "Can you take those out to the stalls?"

Colten grinned at Steven's controlled but commanding tone. He wasn't used to having a civvy order him to do anything, let alone someone Colten could take with one hand tied behind his back. But he found the request humorous because he knew Steven was fighting to regain his sense of masculinity. This guy was going to be a harder nut to crack than Colten had originally thought. Like most men, Steven seemed to associate anything intimate with his virility, his manhood. And Colten had just threatened that.

And he was going to keep pushing Steven. He was going to take the man out of his comfort zone and push him headlong into what they both wanted, needed.

Steven might be fighting Colten on this, but little did the human know that Colten could smell the guy's arousal like honey on the air. Whether Steven admitted it or not, he was interested. Scared, but interested.

Colten eased past Steven, their bodies rubbing together in the most intimate of ways. Steven jerked back as if he'd been touched by lava. Colten gave a light, low chuckle as he opened the door and grabbed a saddle.

"Get ready for your personal space to be invaded, trampled on, and taken in the most sensual ways possible," Colten said low, but loud enough for Steven to hear before he left the room.

Chapter Four.

Steven remained in the tack room a little longer as he forced air into his body and slowed his breathing. He could still feel Colten's lips on his neck. He closed his eyes but all he could think about were Colten's hands touching him, the man's fingers circling his hips, the erection that had pressed into his backside.

He ached for Colten to return, to pull Steven into his arms. But a love affair was something Steven couldn't handle right now. His ability had gotten worse since being hauled to the lab two years ago and Steven feared the sanctuary he'd found around Colten would eventually diminish and he'd be left like a raw open wound, Colten's thoughts driving into his mind like a knife.

It was a risk Steven wasn't willing to take. He barely functioned on most days. The constant chatter all around him was growing louder, more insistent, and he knew soon it would tear his mind apart, leaving it splintered and beyond repair.

If that happened, would Colten be caught in the crossfire? Would his mind melt as surely as Steven's would? He knew there was a strong reaction between them, a growing bond. Steven couldn't risk Colten. He had to make Colten think that he wasn't interested, that the idea of being with another man disgusted him.

But in reality, Steven yearned for the closeness, the soft touches and caress of lips that set his body on fire.

"Daydreaming?"

Colten's deep voice cut through Steven's thoughts, bringing him back to his surroundings. It frightened Steven how strong his need was to be near Colten, to be touched by the man, to hear the sound of his voice. It was strange how bereft he'd felt when Colten had left the tack room.

"I'm coming." He gathered some of the gear and walked out of the room. Colten hadn't moved, forcing their bodies to touch as Steven moved past the man. A low, rumbling growl left Colten's chest, his eyes dark as Steven scooted past.

Colten grabbed the other saddle and they worked silently to ready the horses. "Do you know how to ride?" Steven asked. He hadn't seen Colten on a horse since he'd been here and since the guy was new at ranching, Steven wondered about his riding skills.

The man didn't answer him. Instead, Colten swung up into his saddle as if he'd been born to ride.

"I'm impressed." Steven mounted and led his horse back over to where the other men were still working. Clouds started to move in, blocking out the warmth of the sun. The wind picked up slightly, reminding everyone that fall was in full swing as the colorful branches swayed in the breeze.

Steven hadn't worked ranches his entire life. As a matter of fact, until a few years ago, he hadn't known anything about them. But it was moments like this that he truly enjoyed his new profession. Sitting in the saddle, readying for a ride, the cool wind on his cheeks and rustling the hair that fell to just above his jawline. He could smell the sweet scent of the prairie and he loved it-he was addicted to this way of life.

"You can start leading them out," Rowdy called to him as Tommy opened the gate. The cattle began to move and Colten rode to the other side of the herd, as if he knew what he was doing. They led them to the open pasture, moving the cattle to the far west corner of the property. It was a forty-minute ride on horseback and Steven breathed in the country air as he rode.

"I've never been out this far," Colten admitted. "It's beautiful out here, peaceful."

Steven hadn't been this far out either. He'd been working on getting the bunkhouse ready. He'd heard Rowdy talk of the hands moving into their quarters soon. There was electricity and running water, and other than the east side of the building needing completion, it was ready for occupancy.

Steven hadn't planned on moving into the bunkhouse. There were too many men, too many chances of one of them accidently bumping into him and sending him into a world of pain. He didn't need the constant static of their thoughts either. He lived with Heath and his cousin worked nights. It was the perfect setup for Steven.

"Heath tells me you moved here a month ago," Colten said. He moved his horse closer as they rode the pasture. "What made you come to Bear County?"

Fear. Isolation. A need to make sense of my chaotic situation. But Steven could say none of that. He had to keep those thoughts to himself. He didn't trust anyone, not even his cousin. Lander Corporation would pay top dollar to get him back, and greed was one hell of a motivator to betray someone. "I needed a change of pace," Steven replied, giving Colten a half-truth.

Steven had hidden out in Oklahoma for a while, but he knew he couldn't get comfortable and stay in one place for too long. Although he was about as far from the East Coast as he could be right now, it didn't seem far enough. Being halfway around the world wouldn't make him feel safe.

He couldn't get involved with Colten because he didn't need the complication, but also because he wasn't going to stay for very long. He had to keep moving. Once the bunkhouse was complete, Steven planned on leaving. He wasn't sure where he would go, but further west seemed like a pretty good plan.

"Old life get a little stale?" Colten inquired.

"You could say that." Steven didn't want to outright lie to the guy, but protecting his freedom was his only priority right now. He'd lie to the Pope in order to keep himself out of those sterile and cold labs. Vague answers were his best option. A change of subject wouldn't hurt either. "Why did you move here?"

The cattle seemed to settle in and began to graze. Steven knew they needed to head back. There were more deliveries scheduled for today and Rowdy would need them. But he liked being out here alone with Colten, even if he'd deemed the man off-limits.

"The sheriff used to belong to our unit. We did him a favor and he talked us into settling down here." Steven could detect a slight note of admiration in Colten's voice when he spoke of the men in his unit. "Some of us purchased businesses, and T-Rex came up with the idea for the ranch. But Executive Bodyguards is our breadwinner and trumps all other ventures."

Steven frowned. "Executive Bodyguards?"

Both men turned their horses and started to head back the way they'd come. The day was still young. Steven estimated the time to be around one in the afternoon.

"We decided to use our military training to start up our own business," Colten said. "We hire ourselves out to do bodyguard work or go on missions to extract people from hostile situations. We've even tracked down wanted criminals that the law is desperate to recapture but can't find."

Steven stiffened in his saddle. "You're bounty hunters?"

"I never thought of it that way, but I guess so." Colten shrugged. "It's just one aspect of the business and one we don't use often. It's too time consuming."

Steven fell silent as he mulled over what Colten had just told him. He wondered what would happen if Lander Corporation hired Executive Bodyguards to track him down. Would the men on the Big Bear Ranch turn him over to the very people he was running from? Would Colten? The possibility of the corporation turning to an outside source for help was slim, but Steven knew he couldn't take that chance.

He was going to have to leave or risk Colten betraying him. And that thought hurt more than he cared to admit.

Colten noticed how Steven was intently rubbing his temples by day's end. The man was a bit paler and he had tension lines forming around his pale-blue eyes. The work had been hard and Colten was exhausted himself, but there was something more going on with Steven.

He wanted to comfort the man. Colten wanted to pull Steven into his arms and take away any pain the man was experiencing. But he knew the human wouldn't welcome any touch Colten had to offer.

The day was drawing close to an end and the sun was setting. Some of the men had already left, but Steven had stayed behind to get the horses settled back into their stalls. Colten moved from the archway that led into the stables and walked toward him until Steven glanced up.

"I'll be finished in a minute," Steven said as he grabbed a brush and began to stroke it over the horse Colten had ridden that day. His hands moved gently over the shiny coat and the horse stood there as if thoroughly enjoying the pampering. Colten's groin tightened at the thought of having Steven's hands on his body, stroking him just as gently.

Without a word, Colten grabbed the saddles that were sitting close to the stalls, carried them into the tack room, and placed them back on the wall. He was a bit surprised when Steven walked in behind him, carrying the rest of the gear. After what had happened earlier, Colten wouldn't have believed that Steven would ever allow himself to be trapped in a room with Colten again.