“Ew.”
“Exactly.” Stifling a yawn, he crawls into bed and watches me change. By the time I get back from brushing my teeth and washing my face, he’s snoring soundly.
Sliding carefully beneath the bedding, I leave the bedside lamp on so I can self-indulgently take him in.
Despite his beard, which he’s grown out a bit since the wedding, there’s almost boyish innocence to his face while he sleeps. There are no worry lines on his forehead, no tension in his jaw, and no shadows of doubt in his eyes. He looks completely—and deservedly—at peace with the demons he’s battled for so much of his life.
Some of those demons never should have been his to take on, and others, I suspect, he summoned himself in his attempt to figure out his place in this world. Not just on this ranch or in this town, but in this life without the family he needed to support him.
From what he’s mentioned about his aunt, it’s clear they were close. But I suspect that—although Dean hasn’t said as much—she’s passed on, much like the previous owner of the ranch. Alana told me Hank was like a father to Dean, so it’s no wonder he’s struggled. Everyone he’s loved has left.
He’s not bad at relationships—he’s just afraid to get close to someone else, only to end up losing them, too.
But here we are.
He’s let me in despite that fear. And call me inspired by the incident at work, but I’m not going home until he knows I’m here to stay…
And I’m going to fight for him, too.
* * *
DEAN
She looks like an angel when she sleeps.Myangel. And I’m not sure what the hell I did to deserve her.
I’m so damn tempted to wake her and ask what she could possibly see in a guy like me. But she’s only been asleep for a few hours, and given the day she had yesterday, she needs her rest more than I need my ego stroked.
So I close the bedroom door quietly behind me, grab my keys and thermos from the counter, and head outside to my truck.
There’s no missing her car parked in the driveway, but the chances of anyone coming all the way over to this side of the ranch once I get to work are slim. That’s part of the reason I didn’t question her request to stay.
That and Ireallylike waking up with her in my bed.
I just hope she’s thought through her plan to show up at the main house later this morning, or our sleepover days are going to be over.
Ben’s and Cooper’s trucks are already parked out front when I arrive at the main house a few minutes later for coffee and the morning treat Charlotte has undoubtedly left for us.
“Morning, boys.” I greet the ranch hands when I find them shoveling chunks of giant muffins into their mouths in the kitchen.
“Morning,” Ben mutters. “Coffee’s strong today.”
“Just the way I like it.” Especially on limited sleep.
“Kaden’s already down by pasture near his new house. One of the contractors got here early and noticed some of the fence was down.”
“Shit. Do we know if any of the cattle got out?”
“Not yet. He said he’d call if he saw anything obvious.”
“Let’s hope he doesn’t. I don’t feel like chasing down temperamental animals today.” And I don’t need anyone wandering near my cabin.
“Me neither,” Cooper grumbles as he snatches up another muffin. “I closed down Pony Up last night. Pretty sure half my blood is still beer.”
“Seriously, man?” Coffee carafe in hand, I give him a once-over before I fill my thermos. He looks fine, but I can’t have him driving or handling any of the equipment if he’s drunk. “Why the hell would you do that knowing you had to work this morning?”
“Madelyn has some friends in town this weekend. They wouldn’t let me leave.”
I bet. “You know I can’t let you work like this.”
