“Well,” Mason managed, annoyed at the shake in his voice. Stronger, he said, “Let’s get your horses settled, and then I’ll show you guys to the suites above the dining hall where you’ll be staying.”
“Hold up.” Nick held up a hand.
“At least one of us should be in the house,” Levi said while Colt grimaced behind him.
“Yes,” Nick agreed. “I want them to stay in the main house with you.”
Mason shook his head. All three of them?Colt? In the house with him? Nope, no way.
“My youngest sister is living with me right now. There’s only one guest room.”
“One of them should stay in the house with you, Mason.” Nick popped his hands on his hips. The action pushed his jacket back to reveal the butt of his service weapon. “Someone needs to be with you at all times.”
“I really don’t think that’s necessary,” Mason argued.
It was bad enough having anyone here at all, let alone the Stonebraker brothers. He didn’t need to be babysat twenty-four seven, and most definitely not by Colt Stonebraker.
“Mason.” Nick huffed, aggravation clear in his voice when he continued. “You are not safe. I don’t want you alone. That’s nonnegotiable. Colt, you stay up at the house with Mason.”
“Why Colt?”
“Why me?” Colt growled at the same time.
“Jesus.” Nick took his hat off and rubbed at the back of his neck. “What’s the history here with you two?”
“History?” Levi looked between Wes and Colt for enlightenment, his brows furrowed. “What kind of history? Things were great here. You two were best friends. Right?”
Mason didnotwant to get into their past. It had taken a long time to forgive himself of the guilt from his inaction that day and to get over the pain of Colt’s complete dismissal of him.
Colt sighed and looked to the emerald fields beyond the barns.
Wes made atsksound with his tongue and said, “It’s good, Lee. Colt, you stay at the main house. Me and Levi will stay at the dining hall.”
Colt spun a wicked glare at Wes, who coolly ignored him but didn’t say anything.
“You can put your horses up there.” Mason gestured to the small red barn on the opposite side of the courtyard and frowned at the unbidden memory of being pressed up against the stall door, Colt’s mouth on his . . . He cleared his throat. “We got three stalls ready, each with turnout paddocks and a gate to the five-acre pasture behind.”
“Can I have my old room?” Levi asked, his bright blue eyes alight.
“For sure,” Mason said, unable to hold back a grin. “It’s not the same as you remember it though. I’ve done some remodeling.”
Like breaking the large apartment upstairs in the dining hall into separate suites for seasonal kitchen staff and extra guests. Their live-in chef had his own cabin.
Levi rubbed his hands together, smiling ear to ear. “Excellent.”
A surprised laugh burst from Mason’s chest because Levi had always made him laugh. He shook his head. “Okay, let’s get your horses settled first.”
As much as Colt tried, he couldn’t stop himself from stealing a quick glance at Mason. He wore a navy-and-ivory plaid shirt with pearl snap buttons, untucked, and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His jeans were dusty, boots well-worn with scuffed toes, and a cream-colored cowboy hat. He was shorter than Colt now but not by much, an inch maybe, and had filled out. He was still lean, but where he once was scrawny, he now sported well-defined muscles and broader shoulders. His hair was a darker blond than Colt remembered, and the ends that curled over the collar of his shirt were sun streaked. Stubble covered his square jaw, and his green-hazel eyes were aimed directly at Colt.
His heart stopped for a split second, and then he spun around, lips pursed, hands fisted, and stalked back to the trailer like a pouty teenager who didn’t get his way. He did not want to look at Mason. He did not want to see the gorgeous man he’d grown up to be. He did not want to be anywhere near Mason-fucking-Hayes and his kind-fucking-eyes and his too-fucking-sexy body. But Colt was a professional, here to do a job, and the sooner they could find whoever was threatening Mason’s life, the sooner he could get off this ranch and far away from all its painful memories and unwise temptation.
He glared at Wes, who’d come up beside him to unload his own horse.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Wes said quietly as he lifted the latch at the back of the trailer and dropped the gate down so it became a ramp. “This will be good for you.”
Colt snorted.Right. Like a bullet to the head.
He should be the one sleeping at the dining hall or a guest cabin, or hell, he’d be happy sleeping in one of the hay sheds out on the pastures. Anywhere was better than in the same damn house as Mason.
