"I have no clue," Bryson said. "I just wanted to stop and stretch my legs."

That wasn't entirely true. Bryson could ride for hours. He just wasn't sure if Milo could.

"It doesn't look like anyone lives here." Milo dismounted, grunting when he climbed off. He pressed his hands into the small of his back and then walked a few feet away from Bryson, shaking his legs out.

Bryson had made the right call. Milo appeared to need a break. He got off the bike and walked around the small house, peering inside one of the windows. He was right. No one lived here. The interior was empty except for a few pieces of dusty furniture.

Milo took a seat on the front steps, stretching his legs out in front of him as he rested his elbows on the steps behind him. "This view is gorgeous."

Bryson came around front and gazed off into the distance. He had an unobstructed view of Bear County. The town was nestled in the deep valley of the mountains all around.

It was a picturesque view that would make a perfect postcard. He could even see the Triple-B from up here.

Since moving to this town, Bryson had felt a kinship to the place. His bear loved the wide-open space and the clean, fresh air. Back home, where he'd grown up, it was more like a small suburb, houses close together. His hometown was what one might call a mix between country and city. His bear had had plenty of room to run, but not like this place offered.

Bryson took a seat next to Milo, mimicking the man as he stretched his legs out.

"This is as far from the beaten path as you can get," Milo said. The man sighed contently as he played with the keys in his hand.

Bryson spotted an angel sitting on a moon dangling from Milo's keys. "What's this?" he asked as he touched the charm.

Milo's eyes became wistful. "My mother gave it to me right before she passed away. It's the only thing I have left of hers. After her funeral, my father gathered all of her things and had them taken away. It's something I hold very dear to my heart, and I would die if I ever lost it."

Bryson had never heard such heartfelt words coming from anyone before in his life. It only endeared Milo to him even more.

Gaining courage and confidence, Bryson reached over and laced their fingers together. Milo flinched in surprise and then his eyes jetted away, a blush creeping over his face.

Bryson caressed his thumb back and forth over Milo's hand as he studied the scenery, physically aware of the man sitting next to him. Holding Milo's hand sent a warm sensation up his arm and over his chest. He didn't look at Milo. Bryson wanted this to be as natural as breathing.

And it was.

He couldn't believe how right it felt to touch the redhead. They sat there for the longest time, silently enjoying each other's company. Bryson couldn't even hear the traffic from the main road. It was peaceful.

"What made you move to Bear County?" Bryson asked.

Milo stiffened slightly, and Bryson caught the tension that filled the air. Milo was hiding something.

He leaned over and pressed a kiss to Milo's cheek. "Have I told you how good you smell?"

Milo chuckled. "That's the weirdest compliment I've ever gotten."

Bryson touched Milo's jaw, slid his finger underneath the man's ear and to his nape. He pulled Milo carefully forward until Milo's lips were just a breath away from his. "It's true."

The anxiety that swam like a raging river inside of him settled into a softly flowing stream. Being with Milo was easy, comfortable.

Milo ducked his head and Bryson did as well, sliding his mouth fully over Milo's. He closed his eyes at the softness, the overwhelming scent that invaded his lungs. His heart fluttered and turned over like someone had released a jar full of butterflies in his chest.

Milo's fingers tightened in Bryson's before the man moved just a bit closer, opening for Bryson's explorations. Bryson's tongue slid sensuously over Milo's top lip and then the bottom before he gently slipped between them to open Milo to his advances.

It was the sweetest kiss Bryson had ever had, and he began to ache for more.

Milo grinned into the kiss and then pushed Bryson away. He laughed as he jumped up and took off across the overgrown field. Bryson growled in sweet pleasure as he gave chase. He caught Milo in no time flat, tossing the man over his shoulder in a fireman's carry before taking Milo to the bike.

Bryson still wondered what secret Milo was holding close, but he kept his curiosity in check, unwilling to let anything spoil their day together.

Getting to know Milo seemed more of a promise now. Bryson wasn't so nervous anymore. He'd broken the ice with that wonderful kiss and now he felt as if he could take on the world.

He didn't want the day to end.

Chapter Four.

Milo was walking briskly down the street when he spotted a black BMW parked outside the barbershop. It was the same model his father owned. Had Quinn found him? Had his father tracked him here to Bear County?

His heart was beating in his throat as he hurried to where he'd parked his tan Camry. He was trying so hard to rush that the car seemed a million miles away.

A migraine started in the back of his skull and worked its way around as Milo dug in his pockets for his keys. If it was in fact Quinn, he had to get out of here and fast. His father wouldn't hesitate to strong-arm Milo into going with him.

His legs grew so weak they were like worn-out rubber bands, threatening to send him to his knees when he saw a stranger get into the BMW.

It wasn't Quinn.

Loathing filled him at his sense of fear. Milo hated living like this. He resented his father more than ever for making him look over his shoulder all the time.

"You will do what I say, when I say, and there will be nothing more to this," Quinn shouted, his face ruddy with anger.

"You can't live my life for me!" Milo shouted back. "I'm not marrying Drake. If you like him so much, you marry him."

Quinn's fist slammed into the desk he was standing behind. Acid rose, burning a path through Milo's chest. He'd never seen his father this angry before.

"Defy me on this, Milo, and I'll make your life a living hell," Quinn warned as his green eyes blazed with fury. "You will do exactly what I tell you to do or suffer the consequences."

Milo shuddered at the memory as he scrubbed his hands up and down his arms. Even though it was summer, he felt cold to his bones.

He slowed his pace, trying to rid himself of the pounding behind his eyes. So long ago that Milo sometimes wondered if he'd hallucinated the memories, his father had been a loving and caring man.

But after Milo's mother died, Quinn had turned cold and distant. He dove into his work, building up his portfolio and investments, ignoring his only child.

Milo would have happily lived in a tin hut, poor, if he could have just had the man back that he remembered. He didn't care about the money. Milo wanted the love his father had once shown him.

Immersed in thought, Milo didn't see the man in front of him until he ran into the guy. He grunted, falling on his ass.

"Hey, are you all right?"

When Milo looked up, he recognized the guy from the Laundromat. The stranger reached down and grabbed Milo, helping him to his feet.

"I wasn't paying attention to where I was going," Milo said before he side stepped around the man. "Sorry."

"No harm done." The man gave him a soft smile before he turned and headed down the street.

Milo stood there for a moment and watched the stranger. An odd, foreboding feeling rolled through him. His brow crinkled at the thought before Milo went to his car.

He soon forgot about the stranger when he saw a slip of paper tucked under his wiper. Tugging it free, Milo smiled when he saw that it was from Bryson.

Had a wonderful time with you the other day. Would love to show you the ranch sometime. How about tonight around seven? Clayton said you had the night off.

He did. Milo tucked the note into his pocket before he checked his watch. He had two hours before Bryson would look for him.

He needed to get home and shower.

Milo went home and tidied up before jumping into the shower. He picked out something casual to wear-simple jeans and a polo shirt. He shoved his feet into a pair of comfortable boat shoes before looking himself over.

Grabbing the goop from this dresser, Milo spread a generous amount into his hair, making the strands spike out. He winked at himself before grabbing his keys and driving to the Triple-B ranch.

This was his first time seeing the place, although he'd heard a lot about it at work. The spread was magnificent. Milo's eyes bounced everywhere as he drove down the long, winding driveway.

Quinn's house was twice this size and resembled a mansion, but it didn't look warm and inviting like Bryson's home did.

Even before he drew close, Milo could tell there was a lot of love in this house. So many trucks were parked on the side that it looked like a car lot. There was a large swing set barely noticeable in the backyard. He even spotted a tire hanging from a tree.

Horses grazed in the field, penned in with a white fence. The white Victorian house felt like the sort of home that belonged in Gone with the Wind. There were shutters and a large, wraparound porch, swing included.

Milo parked behind Bryson's blue truck before he got out. The scent of horses and hay filled his lungs as he glanced toward a large stable.

He knew this ranch was used for horse breeding. But he spotted some cattle off in the distance and wondered if they belonged to the Triple-B.

"You made it," Bryson said as he stepped out onto the porch. Milo's breath caught at how marvelous the man looked. Bryson was wearing a pair of cutoff jeans that stopped at the knees and nothing more.

His chest and arms ripple with muscles, and Milo gazed over the dips and curves that traversed Bryson's taut skin. He had the body of a warrior. There wasn't an inch of spare flesh on him. Every part bulged with muscles, and his skin was a study in fascinating contours.

"Let me show you around." Bryson came off the porch wearing a pair of flip-flops on his large feet. Oddly enough, Bryson looked good in plain shorts and flip-flops.

Milo had never paid attention to feet before, but found himself gazing down at Bryson's toes.

They were...sexy.

They toured the outside first, Bryson showing him the backyard where there were plenty of toys scattered about. Past the swing set, there were fenced-in corrals that housed more horses and a large forest behind that.

Milo had never ridden a horse before and hoped that one day Bryson would show him how.

Next he was led to the stables. The building was large and had at least a dozen and a half stalls. All were empty except for the one that seemed to be set apart from the rest.

Inside was a large black stallion. The beast stood so tall that Milo felt like a dwarf. The floors were strewn with hay and there was a room in the back, behind the lone stallion.

"Who is he?" Milo asked, pointing to the horse. The horse turned and looked at him, as if he knew Milo was talking about him.

"That's Braveheart," Bryson replied. "He's one of our prized stud horses."

"Why isn't he out grazing with the other horses?"

Bryson chuckled. "Because he's ornery as hell and if we let him out with the mares, all hell would break lose. They'd be knocked up in no time."

Milo frowned. "But isn't that the goal? I mean, you do run a stud ranch."

Bryson walked him to the back of the stable and Milo spotted a small office. Bryson held the door for Milo to walk through. "Braveheart's sperm is extremely valuable. He's only used for top-notch breeding."

A chuckle slipped from between Milo's lips. "So you say who he...mounts."

"Our studs are dedicated to producing thoroughbreds."

"Race horses?" Milo asked.

"Great money in that," Bryson admitted. "But we've also invested a lot of our own dough into the business. Some customers, but not a lot, bring their horses here and leave them to insure pregnancy. But we also use artificial insemination, ship semen, and have the sperm's DNA tested for parentage verification so the buyer has documentation that they are getting what they paid for."

Milo shook his head. "I never knew so much went into this business. I just thought you let nature take its course and got paid because the horse was a good one."

Bryson leaned against the desk and folded his arms in front of him. Milo stole glances at the man's impressive physique. "I'm what you would call a stud master. I'm responsible for putting together desired matings and arranging the shipment of the semen. Harland handles the books. Jed is responsible for purchasing top-notch stud horses and Clayton handles permits, requests, and the DNA testing."

"It sounds like a well-oiled machine around here."

Milo sucked in his lower lip, chewing on it when Bryson reached out and pulled him close. He situated Milo between his large thighs and stroked his hands down Milo's back.

"Speaking of desired mating," Bryson whispered huskily into Milo's ear. Milo emitted a shaky laugh that was soon swallowed by Bryson's lips. The man's soft lips were in contrast to his hard body. Milo placed his hands on Bryson's bare chest, running his fingers over the hard pecs.

A shudder rolled through him as Bryson pulled Milo impossibly closer. They melded together and Milo wished he was bare chested as well. He would love to know what it felt like to be skin to skin with Bryson.

As he'd done a few days ago, Milo pulled back. He had to. He couldn't risk getting involved with anyone, yet he couldn't stop himself from wanting to be around the cowboy.

Bryson tucked a finger under Milo's chin, lifting his head until they were staring at one another. "What is it?" Concern bled into the man's voice.

"Can we just enjoy today?" Milo asked, almost an entreaty, expelled on a long breath. He ached to be closer to Bryson. Milo would give anything to know what it was like to sleep with the man.

But he was terrified his father would find out and make Bryson pay for being with Milo. He wouldn't put it past Quinn to stoop that low in his need to punish Milo.

Bryson nodded. "We can do whatever you want," he said in an understanding, if not gentle tone. "There's no pressure, no rush."

Bryson's sweet words only endeared the man to Milo.

"Thank you," Milo said wistfully. He was ready to throw caution to the wind and give Bryson what he knew the man wanted.

But Milo held back.