Scrubbing his hands over his face, Aaron blinked away the exhaustion from his eyes. He told himself he could grab an hour of sleep, shower, then go to the drug store, then be at work on time.

The dogs had other plans. Buster was all over him when he walked into his apartment. Lulu was sulking. She circled him giving him reproachful looks with her huge chocolate-brown eyes. “Sorry, guys. It was for a good cause, I swear.”

Glancing around the relatively empty room, he tried not to note the threadbare blanket on his bed. The warmth of Natalie’s body as he’d held her all night long and the sunny ranch were absent here. The constant chill he’d brought home from Iraq always compounded here.

Aaron followed the dogs out into the yard to let them run and take care of a few things. Old Man Rasmussen stalked down from his front porch a hundred yards away looking angrier than usual.

Aaron racked his brain. Rent wasn’t due until the first. His portion of the last water bill was on the low side. Dogs never really got into any trouble. He’d been eating at the bar so he wasn’t using his hot plate too often.

Lulu bound back toward Aaron. She barked at his approaching landlord, not something she did unless she sensed Aaron was in distress. Aaron patted her side. “It’s okay, girl. I’m all right.”

She turned to face Rasmussen and bared her teeth. She’d never liked the old man. Aaron assumed it was because he ran a steady temperature between grumpy and pissed-the-fuck-off. Aaron agreed with his dog’s assessment. He loathed the guy. There just weren’t any other rooms available to rent in Pleasant Glen.

“When I agreed to rent you my room I didn’t know you’d be coming in at all hours and taking up with the likes of them Camdens.”

Dear God, Aaron needed sleep before he even attempted to dismantle that level of insanity. “When you rented me my room you never said there was some kind of curfew. Where I am and what time I come back isn’t really any of your business.”

“Eliza Olsen was flapping her gums all over town about you dating one of them Camden girls.”

Of course she was. “Clearly, should’ve added who I date not being any of your business either.”

“Nothing but trouble the whole lot of ’em. Thinkin’ they up and run this town.”

“Way I hear it if Camden Ranch wasn’t here none of the Glen would be. So, I guess they do run this town, don’t they?”

Since his arrival in the Glen, Aaron had never heard so much as a cross word spoken about the Camdens. Everyone adored Ev and Jessie. They willingly helped anyone who needed it. Jessie Camden would cook for half the town if the power went out for too long. They were at church every Sunday. Since his landlord hated everyone, Aaron didn’t think too much of it. Some men lived to complain. It was the air they breathed and the nourishment they sought. Nothing Aaron could do about it.

“Which one of them girls you taken up with? Spoiled brats the both of them.”

Decking the old man crossed his mind. Knocking his remaining teeth down his throat would be extremely satisfying. He reminded himself of the lacking real estate market. “Mind your tongue, Rasmussen. Somebody needs to teach you some manners.”

The old man spat far too close to Aaron’s boots. Beating up an old geezer would not make Natalie’s dad like you more. He clung to that, steadying his breaths, and digging his fingertips into his palms.

“One of ’em married that foreigner a while back. You dating the other one, then?”

“Well, I’m sure as hell not dating a married woman so that’s a safe bet, don’t you think?”

“Smart mouth army brat. Didn’t they beat any of that disrespect outta you in boot camp? Back in my day…”

Aaron rolled his eyes. “Why do you care who I’m dating?” Unable to listen to stories of some Vet’s glory days, he cut him off.

“That other one’s the one who caused all the trouble.”

The hair on the back of Aaron’s neck stood. His jaw twitched. The vengeance he carried constantly in his gut twisted like a caged animal ready to strike. “When did she cause trouble, Rasmussen? What the hell are you talking about?”

“Low down thing to do to a good man.”

Control was always key when you had an inadvertent informant. They could never know they were being turned into a source. Nonchalance was always the way to go. Easing his stance and his jaw. Aaron knelt down to pet Lulu. She was still snarling at Rasmussen.

From his vantage point, Aaron proceeded with caution. When a man was below you whether in height or because they’d lowered themselves for whatever reason, it usually put the taller male at ease. Perceived control was a heady sensation for someone like Rasmussen and an extremely dangerous drug to buy into.

“You telling me Natalie did something to someone she shouldn’t have? I heard she could take on rattlers. I’ve never seen her do anything to anyone else though.”

“Lying to get her daddy’s attention if you ask me. ’Course they took her word. Women always screaming about men being men. They teach ’em to do that shit when they’re girls. Low down thing to take a man’s land if you ask me.”

Holy fuck. “Whose land did they take?”

“I don’t want you hanging out with the likes of a lying bitch like that. You just make certain I don’t see her over here.”

Aaron rose to his full height, towering over the old man. “You just make certain I never hear you calling her names ever again, you got that, old man?”

“You remember whose name is on the deed to this house, Weber?”

“You remember who knows you’re running a still out on the back forty, Rasmussen? Seems to me I heard something about you claiming me as a dependent to the IRS. I’m sure the sheriff will be in Saddleback’s for lunch today. Maybe I should mention a few of those things to him.”

“You keep your mouth shut.”

“You do the same.”

Flying back up the stairs, with the dogs hot on his heels, Aaron had his phone to his ear a split second after he slammed the door.

“T, wake the fuck up.”

“Give me a minute. I’m off today.”

“Want me to call Griff?”

“No. Just give me a sec. You sound like you got intel.”

“Maybe.”

“All right, I have coffee. Go.”

“Natalie must’ve told her parents what happened to her. They took land away from someone as a direct result from what I can tell. Not sure if it was their land or some other land, but something went down. From what I know, Camden Ranch has never changed hands since it was purchased by her great-great-great granddaddy or something. They have acquired other ranches though. There was a big thing back when Austin won the PBR buckle. He used some of the money he won to buy more land. There has to be public record of all of this somewhere.”

“There will be, and you know I’m your man.”

Aaron heard T typing on a keyboard.

“All right, so we’re looking for any kind of land grant changes in Lincoln County from the very late nineties to the early 2000’s, right?”

“I’m not certain it’s in Lincoln County. I heard her brothers talking a few months ago about some kind of wheatgrass property they have in Oklahoma for doing something with calves. Could be there.”

“Bet it’s backlotting.”

“What’s backlotting?”

“Basically fattening them up. That’s interesting.”

“What’s interesting?”

“That they run a massive cow-calf operation and have enough money and land to run a backlot as well.”

“In non-cowboy terms please.”

“Get your girl to explain ranching to you, A. Bet she’d love it.”

“You grew up on a ranch.”

“Yeah, but right now I’m in the mood to dig into intel and not in the mood to shoot the bull about ranching. See what I did there?” T chuckled. “Somebody hurt my girl and I plan to help you mount their sac on your rearview as a warning to others.”

“She’s my girl,” Aaron growled. His own fury shocked him.

Another chuckle sounded in his ear. “I know, just wanted to make sure you knew that. And I wanted to hear you say it. Now, let me work. I’ll call you when I find something.”

“You better.”

Skipping the nap, Aaron showered, gave the dogs extra treats as an apology, and straightened up his humble abode. “Can’t promise I’ll be back until tomorrow morning. Trust me, when I tell you this is worth it. I’ll be fine. You be good.” Aaron assured Lulu who was still had her ears pinned back and barked whenever she neared the front door.

Ten minutes later, he pulled his truck into the parking lot of the CVS. For some reason the locals still referred to the drugstore as Wilton’s. It had been a CVS for years. Some people just couldn’t let go of the past, he supposed.

Making quick work of throwing shaving cream, toothpaste, deodorant, and some new Frisbees for the dogs, in his basket he glanced around and headed for what he’d come in to purchase. Buying condoms and lube in a small town reminded Aaron of training up new troops. Everyone watched your every move from the recruits to your superiors and no one let you forget a single misstep.

This was his first condom acquisition in the Glen, but it had been the same way in Gentry when he was seventeen. His foster parents had gotten no fewer than five phone calls about his purchase before he’d even made it back to the farm. The last thing he needed was some busybody calling Ev Camden to let him know that Aaron was purchasing lube for his daughter. That would go over about as well as a lead zeppelin.

Feigning interest in a copy of Farm and Ranch magazine, he noted the position of everyone in the store. Pharmacist was busy. Girl at the checkout was gossiping with a cattle rancher buying liniment. Teenage girl who couldn’t have been old enough to drive was meticulously studying a nail polish display. Few other customers were scattered throughout but they all seemed interested in their own purchases.

He turned down the aisle he needed and grabbed two boxes of condoms without notice from anyone. Half of the mission was accomplished.

Stalking farther down the aisle, his eyes goggled. Determined to do anything in his power to make Natalie’s first time a good one instead of a miserable experience, he reached for a bottle of KY, but instead encountered dozens of bottles of lube, all offering different sensations for the users. Warming, cooling, a mix of the two, massage cream, intense, some kind of moisturizing bead, something that said it offered changing sensations throughout the session, natural, organic. Passion, love, sensuality. Did these people actually think you could bottle that? What happened to plain old lube. “What the hell?” he huffed under his breath. Finally spotting a simple bottle with clear liquid, he leaned down to make the acquisition.

His ass collided with someone else’s. Jerking upright he spun into none other than Austin Camden. Shit.

Both men glared at one another. Aaron noted a pregnancy test in Austin’s hands. Austin was eyeing the condoms in the basket and the lube in Aaron’s palm.

“Want to just pretend we never saw each other in here?” Aaron extended an olive branch.

“Don’t hurt my little sister. You got that?”

“I got it.”

“You break her heart I’ll break your spine. Nat’s different.”

“So I’ve been told.” Weary of constantly being threatened, Aaron popped the crick out of his neck. “You ever take time to remember that Nat and I have been friends for a long time. She could’ve gone after any guy she wanted. Could’ve been one that doesn’t give a damn about her.”

An audible huff of breath filled the air between them. “Yeah, all right, I know. This is just weird for us. For as long as I can remember, we’ve been the one to look out for her. Not easy to hand over the reins. I worry about her.”

“Why don’t you worry about Summer. Looks like she might need a little extra looking after.” He pointed to the pregnancy test. “I’ve got Nat. I swear to you. I’ll keep her safe.”

Austin nodded. “Yeah, Summer’s so sick she couldn’t come to town to get this. I keep trying to tell her I know she’s pregnant. I can always tell. She wants proof.”

“Sometimes seeing it with your own two eyes means something.”

“I s’pose. We lost one a few months back. She’s scared.”

Aaron knew Summer wasn’t the only one who was scared, but Austin Camden would never admit his own trepidation. “I’m sorry, man. Really. That’s rough.”

“It was that. The whole damn town’ll know as soon as I buy this thing, too.”

“Yeah, I’m in the same boat.” He did it without thinking. Commiserating with your opponent almost always softened them up. It was engrained in Aaron.

“Nat won’t care. She never lets the town chatter get to her.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“The first person who calls up to the house to give Summer unneeded pregnancy advice will piss her off good, though. And that’ll happen ’fore I get back to the house.”

Aaron chuckled. “My foster dad used to say if people in small farming towns would use their tractors as much as they use their telephones we could feed the world.”

“Ain’t that God’s honest truth. I’m half tempted to drop a twenty on the counter, tuck this, and run. If this one don’t work out and everyone knows…”

“There are cameras but I can tell you the one by the door isn’t actually on. You want to slip out with that, I’ll make it happen.”

“Ain’t that illegal? Me ending up down at the courthouse over a pregnancy test ain’t gonna make my wife any happier.”

“You’re paying for it. You’re just not waiting on a receipt, so to speak.”

“You really think I could get out of here without anyone knowing?”

“Stick to the walls on this side of the store. Keep it down by your left side so the camera in the back doesn’t catch it. Give me the cash. I’ll leave it on the counter when I check out. If you go up there, you’re made. Camdens are fairly recognizable in this town.”

Austin grunted. “Don’t I know that, too. Hey, how do you know which cameras are working?”

Red light isn’t on. Camera isn’t moving. Back wiring is disconnected. Aaron shook off the information his mind processed constantly. He couldn’t turn it off. “Security cameras are something I have a little experience with. Extra set of eyes in the field kept me alive more than once.”

“I forgot you were in the Army.” Austin slapped the twenty in Aaron’s palm. “Thanks for this. I’ll still kill you if you hurt my little sister but I owe you.”

“I’ll take that.”

Aaron’s phone vibrated in his pocket. Out of habit he waited until Austin disappeared, rather discreetly for a famous bull rider, out the sliding doors.

The text from T-Byrd read: There have been twelve land acquisitions by the Camdens in the last fifty years. I’m looking into each acquisition starting with the ones that occurred after Natalie’s birth.

Let me know if I can help. Aaron responded before heading toward the checkout.

Willing the color in her cheeks to fade from florescent red to something slightly less enflamed, Natalie stared at herself in the mirror. She turned side to side deciding how exactly to go about taking this selfie.

Aaron’s T-shirt swayed back and forth against her thighs. She shivered.

Good girl. The voices of the two men who’d spoken those words blended in her mind. She gagged. Nope. Nope. Nope. That did not happen. She banished the memory once again. The night before had been far too close to perfect to let two stupid words ruin it.

The scars on his abs crossed her mind. She picked up her phone determined to send him a sexy picture but touched the phone app instead of the camera. The Sevens had made a big deal about putting all of their numbers in her phone. It had been funny and sweet. They’d all told her to call if Aaron ever got out of hand.

Touching T-Byrd’s name she stared at his number trying to come up with a nonchalant way to ask about Aaron’s scars. “You can’t nonchalantly ask about him being shot,” she scolded herself. She didn’t know why it was so important that she understand exactly what had happened to him. She wanted to help him. She wanted to heal him. She just didn’t know how to go about it.

T probably wouldn’t tell her anyway and she shouldn’t ask. She closed the phone app. There were certainly things she didn’t want him to know. Maybe the gunshots were like what happened to her. They should just be left in the past. That was the worst part about scars both visible and invisible. They were always in your present and they would always be in your future.

Shaking off that truth, she attempted a sexy come-get-me grin and snapped a picture in the mirror. It looked more like a mugshot than a sext. Brushing her hair over her left shoulder, she turned to the side and tried again. It was a little better. Adding cherry Chapstick to her lips, she rubbed them together. Sliding the T-shirt down so it revealed more of her breasts, she tried once more. Bingo.

Ridiculously pleased with herself, her grin expanded ear to ear. She snapped another picture with a genuine smile. It was even better than the last. Maybe she could do this girlfriend thing. She wasn’t completely inept. Last night she’d proven to herself that she wouldn’t remain trapped in her past. She was going to move on. The distance the years provided hadn’t worked but doing this with Aaron would. She was determined.

Deciding to send the picture without accompanying text, she gulped in a breath and hit the blue send arrow.

“Oh my God. Come back,” she ordered the picture. The swoosh sound of it flying off into cyberspace made her whimper. What would he think? What would he say? Would he remember that he’d asked her to send him a picture or did he just say that? What if someone else saw it? Oh, my God.

She stared at her phone willing the picture to come back or some kind of response. Each second felt like an hour. Why hadn’t he responded?

She dropped her phone to the tile floor when it buzzed. “Shit.” Scooping it up she prayed it wasn’t broken and there was a response.

You are so fucking beautiful, baby. My God, I don’t deserve this. Thank you. <3

She stared at the heart emoji at the end of the text. Relief catapulted through her. She sank down to the cool tile floor and leaned up against the tub. The feel of the chilly tile seeped through her panties. The parts that burned with need when she was with him grew uncomfortable. She needed him.

You really liked it? She responded. Okay, so she needed a little more reassurance. She’d never sent a sexy photo to anyone.

He sent back a gif of a cartoon dog drooling copiously with his eyes bugged out. The sound of her laughter echoed off the tile. She wished he were there to laugh with her.

Another text came in. Next time, warn a guy though. I almost dropped my phone in a pitcher of beer.

Her body shook against the tub from her continued laugher. Next time?

If you won’t send me more pics I’ll have to come see the real thing. I can’t go too long without a hit of my girl.

His girl. She liked that way more than she probably should, more than was probably safe. Right then, she didn’t care about her heart getting broken. Being his girl was worth a little risk.

Come see me, baby. I miss you.

She sighed. This was far too good. She pinched her thigh to make certain it wasn’t a dream.

I thought you were picking me up later?

Can’t wait that long. I want you.

Pure bliss fizzed in her stomach and danced under her skin. Hopping up off of the floor, she raced to her closet. I’ll be there as soon as I get dressed.

You getting dressed is a damned shame. Shouldn’t cover something that gorgeous.

She rolled her eyes. He was laying it on thick. Not that she minded. Are you saying you want me to come to the bar without pants?

I don’t share, honey. I’ll just have to get you out of your pants later.