Cowboy Lullaby

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Cole walked toward the back of the house, giving himself a stern lecture about Jack. My God, he’d actually scented the man like a buck in rut. This had to stop right away—it was just too dangerous. Even if he weren’t a guest, Jack wasn’t in any shape to deal with being pursued. In fact, the man looked like something was scaring the hell out of him, and he was fighting not to cut and run.

And what about the boy, Alex? That kid had enough grief to handle without a total stranger trying to steal his dad’s attention. No, Alex’s needs had to come first. Cole couldn’t live with himself if his own selfish desires added to a child’s suffering.

When he entered the kitchen, his brother was already there loading a couple coolers with jugs of iced tea and some bottled water. Lee grinned and said, “So, how long do you think it will take for you and Jack to get together?”

Cole’s stomach lurched. Was his attraction that obvious? What if Jack had noticed? Or the other guests? Fear made his voice harsh. “You know the rule about fraternizing with the guests. It applies to me just like everybody else.”

At the hard tone of voice, a look of surprise flashed across Lee’s face. “Maybe. But I haven’t noticed you ‘fraternizing’ with anybody at all in a long, long time.”

Watching Lee scoop ice over the beverages, Cole tried to remember the last time he’d even had a date. Coming up empty, he had to admit, Lee was right. Running the ranch and working his tail off chasing every detail to make it a success had consumed his life for years.

But even if he had the time, where was he supposed to meet men? No question the ranch hands were off limits. He’d dodged one trumped-up s****l harassment lawsuit when they’d first started out. All because Cole had tried to be kind to a young man with emotional problems. From then on, he’d kept relations with his employees strictly business.

Looking for companionship in the small town a few miles north wasn’t a workable option either. Everybody knew everybody else’s business there, and Cole wasn’t comfortable sharing his intimate relations with a whole town. His last resort was to drive a couple hours further to the city, but just how would he find someone who wanted more than a one-night stand? A bar pick-up? Not likely. So he’d put his love life on hold until the ranch was doing well enough that Lee’s tuition was a sure thing. Trying to lighten the mood, he said, “Well, you know me—never satisfied.”

“I know you could be more than satisfied with someone like Jack. And I know just how much you like fixing things. That boy, Alex, sure looks like he could use some fixing. You’d be good for both of them.”

“You trying to marry me off now?” Cole kept his tone joking.

Lee frowned as he dumped another scoop of ice into one of the coolers. “No, I’m trying to see you open up to the possibilities in front of you. You’re a great, caring guy who shouldn’t be alone. And I’ve never seen you react to a man the way you lit up when you looked at Jack.”

Cole had to put a stop to Lee’s fantasy—it came dangerously close to his own. “Keep in mind, if I get caught seducing a guest, that news will spread faster than dust in a March wind. The Internet reviews will say the Lazy W Dude Ranch is not a place to bring children. And then we’re dead. You don’t go to college. We break our backs trying to scrape a living out of a few head of cattle.” He shook his head hard and fast. “No, it’s too big a risk.”

“But—”

“No. I’ll have Mickey concentrate on Jack and Alex today, and I’ll work with the others. That’s just the way it has to be.”

Jaw set, he added a stack of plastic cups to the iced tea cooler, picked it up, and headed for the corral. His little brother was too much of a mother hen at times, worrying about Cole’s happiness. Cole could find his own happiness without help. And it wasn’t going to include Jack Harmon or Alex. He ruthlessly smothered the wave of regret the thought unleashed. No choice. His duty was to Lee and to the ranch. Period.

At the corral, the Kendall family was already waiting. Their twin girls Katy and Kathy were perched on top of the fence, watching Mickey bring out the horses. Cole greeted the family and chatted about which horses might suit. His mind, however, was wandering, and he couldn’t stop himself from casting frequent glances at Jack and Alex when they arrived. Jealousy flared as he watched Mickey sharing laughter and smiles with them as they thrilled to their first time on a horse.

Damn, he had to get his mind on business. He forced his attention back to the twins. Good thing they were already horse-savvy. For all the attention he’d been paying, he might have set those little girls on the meanest piece of horseflesh known to man.

He’d just have to keep his distance from Jack and from that vulnerable child. That would solve the whole problem.