"You got yourself a keeper," Clayton said to Harland. "Good looking and handy in the kitchen."

"Even so," Harland's mother said. "I think I'll stick around a while and help out with Markey."

The way the woman was staring at Dresden's son was a bit eerie. It was as if she had already claimed Markey as hers. There was something close to pride in her blue-green eyes as she glanced at Markey.

"Huh." Harland scratched his chin. "I'll let you decide, Dresden. Do you want to bartend or cook?"

Clayton's hand shot into the air. "I vote you cook. Although I like Pheasant Run Cafe, I'm tired of eating out every night."

Dresden snuck a glance at Harland's mom, waiting for her to protest. But she didn't say a word as she took a seat and made herself a plate of food.

"I'll think about it," he said. Dresden didn't want to work in a bar. He'd take the job if he had to. Money was money. But he'd much rather stick around the house where he could spend as much time with his son as possible.

Working for Stork, Dresden hadn't had that much time with his son after work. He hated letting Charlene-Stork's neighbor-watch Markey. Dresden was overprotective of the toddler and Charlene was a bit outrageous in his opinion. But he hadn't had a choice at the time.

Now Harland was giving him one.

"Hey, Jed," Harland said, and now Dresden knew the grey-eyed man's name. "From what Dresden tells me, Stork's business is going to be up for sale."

Dresden shot Harland a worried look, but Harland shrugged. "If Stork hadn't done what he did, I wouldn't jump on another man's misfortune."

"What did he do?" Jed asked, his eyes flickering to Dresden.

Dresden had completely forgotten he had been slugged in the eye. It was probably black and blue now. He curled his fingers around his napkin, fighting the urge to run and hide his shame.

"We'll talk about that later," Harland said as he rested his arm on the back of Dresden's chair. He wasn't sure why, but Dresden felt like Harland had just staked his claim. What really baffled Dresden was the fact that no one had said a word about Harland bringing strangers home last night. They were all acting as if this was something normal. No one had asked him about his eye or why he and his son were now staying here.

Furthermore, no one batted an eye at the way Harland was leaning close to Dresden. They didn't seem to care that their friend was hitting on a guy. Not even Harland's mother protested.

"I want to get in on that," the largest man at the table said.

"I don't know, Bryson," Harland said. "Jed here knows how to work on cars. You don't know a tailpipe from a steering wheel."

Bryson snorted. "Neither do you."

Dresden liked the good-natured bantering between the men. He could tell they were comfortable around each other. That only made him realize that-except for Markey-he had no one in this world.

Harland slouched in his chair, talking with the men at the table. It didn't slip Dresden's notice that Harland's arm went from the back of his chair to resting on Dresden's thigh. The man seemed so at ease while Dresden sat there with his heart beating a thousand times a second. He hadn't expected to like feeling Harland so close.

Dresden hadn't expected any of this.

The conversation lulled and the men started clearing the table. When Harland left the room, Dresden followed, pulling the man to a stop. "I don't get you."

"What's there to get?"

Dresden waved his hand around. "All of this. You come in like a knight in shining armor and rescue me and my son. You give us a place to stay without wanting anything in return. And now you're offering me a job. I feel like I'm going to wake up any minute to find that this has all been a dream."

"It's not a dream." Harland cupped Dresden's cheek with one hand. The warmth of the man's hand made Dresden feel strange. His insides tightened and it felt as if a thousand butterflies were flapping inside his belly. His throat grew dry and Dresden had a sudden desire to kiss the man.

"I've never met anyone this nice."

Dresden couldn't move when Harland leaned into him, their lips touching. The kiss was soft, sweet, and left Dresden hungry for more. He whimpered as he tried to take the kiss deeper, but Harland pulled back.

"I just want you and Markey to be safe." Harland's callused thumb brushed over Dresden's cheek. "That's all."

But Dresden desired more. He gazed into Harland's rich blue eyes, feeling as if he were drowning in the man. He'd had his fair share of dating and sex, but there was something different about Harland. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. When the man was near, Dresden felt whole.

"I'm going to head into town for a bit," Harland said as his hand fell away. "Let me know which job you want when I get back."

Dresden glanced over his shoulder. "I want the cooking job, but I didn't want to offend your mother."

Booming laughter filled the room. Harland's smile was infectious. Dresden grinned.

"My ma won't care if you want to cook. It will give her more time with the cub."

"Really?"

Harland nodded.

Dresden stuck out his hand. "Then I'd like to be your new cook."

"Hell yeah!" Clayton shouted from somewhere upstairs.

Dresden chuckled, feeling as if his future was starting to look a bit brighter.

It had been a week since Dresden and Markey had come to stay at the ranch. The kid had everyone wrapped around his little finger and Dresden was starting to wrap around Harland's heart.

"Ready to learn how to ride?" Harland asked Markey as the two walked out the back door and headed for the stable.

"Do you think he can do it?" Dresden asked, hot on Harland's heels. "He's so little and those horses are so big."

Harland chuckled. "I'm not going to give him his own horse. He can ride with me while you ride next to me."

Dresden stopped walking as he gazed from Harland to the stable. There was no doubt that the city boy had never ridden a horse a day in his life. Harland liked the idea that he was about to show Dresden-and Markey-the simpler things in life, like horseback riding.

"Scared?" Harland teased. Over the past week, he'd gotten to know Dresden better. The man was fun to be around, laughed a lot, and had a witty sense of humor.

"Hardly," Dresden replied, even though Harland could see the nervous jerks in the guy's hands. "What would you give me if I ride like a pro?"

Harland quickly slammed the lid on the dirty thoughts that entered his mind. If he didn't, they wouldn't get anywhere near the stable with that loaded question.

He winked at Dresden. "A spanking."

The words slipped out before he could catch them. It seemed those naughty thoughts were determined to surface.

Markey's jaw dropped as his green eyes rounded, filling with tears. "No hurt my daddy."

Harland instantly regretted what he'd said. He picked the cub up and patted him on his back. "I was only kidding, buddy. I would never hurt your pa."

Markey didn't look convinced. His eyes flickered between Harland and Dresden before Dresden reached out and grabbed Markey from Harland. "He's was only joking," he said as he soothed a hand over his son's head. "You like it here?"

"Yes," Markey answered before laying his head on Dresden's shoulder and sliding his small arms around Dresden's neck.

"I'm sorry," Harland said. He felt like cow dung for upsetting the cub. "I didn't think before I spoke."

"He'll be fine. It's just that..." Dresden glanced toward the ground as he placed his arms tightly over Markey's back. "He's only two and he's seen things a child shouldn't see."

"Like?"

Dresden shook his head. "I'd rather not talk about it now, not with Markey here."

Harland nodded. He still felt lower than dirt.

Clayton came out the back door, smiling when he spotted them. "Aw, look at the loving family. You make me so jealous, Harland."

Harland made sure Markey couldn't see him before he flipped the man off. "Go play in traffic."

"I'd rather play with my buddy." Clayton scooped Markey from Dresden's arm, tossing the cub in the air as Markey squealed. Harland chuckled.

"Not so high!" Dresden's hands shot out as if he could catch the kid from a few feet away.

"You ready for that ride?" Harland asked and then smiled when Dresden blushed. He wasn't the only one with a dirty mind.

"I want to come," Clayton said as he grabbed Markey from the air. "Or is this a family thing?"

"You can come," Dresden said a little too quickly before hurrying toward the stable.

"Shy?" Clayton asked as he tucked Markey under his arm.

"Seems to be." Harland grabbed the toddler. Markey didn't seem ticked off at him any longer. He smiled at Harland before Harland put the cub on his shoulders and then raced toward the stable, listening to Markey shout for him to go faster.

"You be careful with him!" his mom shouted from the back porch. "One scratch on my grandson and I'll tan your hide."

Harland came to a screeching halt, glaring at his mother. He still hadn't told Dresden that they might be mates, and here his ma was shouting it to the world. She shrugged before taking a seat in one of the chairs.

"You better tell Dresden before she does," Clayton said.

Harland pulled Markey from his shoulders and set the boy down. "Watch him while I ready some horses."

"Gladly." Clayton chased Markey around the stable while Harland walked Daisy Mae from her stall. Dresden would have no problem riding her.

Bryson walked in, eyeing all of them before resting his arm on the stall close to Harland. "Riding?"

Harland rolled his eyes. "Why don't you go get Jed and everyone can come along?"

Bryson nodded before he hurried from the stable. Harland wasn't serious. He was just being sarcastic.

Great.

Dresden mock punched Harland on his arm. "It won't be so bad with everyone riding along."

The guy didn't want to be alone with Harland. He got that. Harland would give Dresden the time he needed to become more relaxed around him. It only helped him to get to know the man better before they jumped into the sack together.

But damn, he had wanted this to be their little outing, not the whole damn ranch's. Dresden leaned up on his toes and kissed Harland's cheek. "We'll have plenty of time to take a ride by ourselves."

With that promise, Harland grinned and readied the horses.

Chapter Five.

Dresden walked up the stairs, tired from helping Ma cook all day. Yes, she insisted he call her that. Markey was already fast asleep downstairs, cradled between Ma and Bryson. She had insisted he go upstairs and get some rest and she would bring the baby up later.

No matter how much Dresden had protested over the past two weeks that Markey was no longer a baby, she continued to refer to him as such. Either that or she called Markey a cub. Dresden had finally given up. Some things just weren't worth the battle.

As Dresden passed Harland's bedroom door, he noticed that it wasn't closed all the way. He hadn't meant to look, but a flash of skin caught his attention. Dresden stopped in his tracks when he realized Harland was buck naked, appearing fresh from the shower.

He averted his eyes, but they betrayed him and strayed right back to the mountains of muscles that were revealed to him.

Dresden really should keep moving.

He should.

But his feet wouldn't budge. He was mesmerized by what he was looking at. Harland's backside was well sculpted, the man's ass flaring nicely. He had never seen so many well-honed muscles in his life. It was as if an artist had carved Harland into a masterpiece.

And then the man turned.

Their eyes locked.

Dresden forgot how to breathe as he stared into intense blue eyes. His body instantly came to life, his skin buzzing, his cock thickening. He was staring at pure perfection through the crack of the door.

Harland lifted his hand and crooked his finger. The salacious expression on his face had Dresden's heart hammering in his chest. Had he fallen asleep downstairs? Was this some dream, a fantasy, a hallucination brought on by weeks of pent-up sexual frustration?

Being around Harland was like being consumed. Most days Dresden found it hard to breathe. A brush of the hand, a simple kiss, a soft smile had been given to him time and again by this handsome cowboy. Yet, Harland had never taken it any further.

Although Dresden was dying for the guy to touch him.

"Come in here," Harland said as he continued to stand in the middle of the room. Dresden felt like he was walking through quicksand. His feet were heavy and didn't want to work properly as he took one step, and then another.

Soon he was walking through the doorway.