Luke was seated on his front porch with one of his twins in his lap. Aaron wished he could tell the girls apart. They looked just alike. Whichever one it was, she wiggled down out of her daddy’s lap and took several hesitant steps toward the stairs when Natalie hopped out of the truck. She applauded her aunt’s appearance and lifted her arms upwards.

Natalie scooped up the little girl while Aaron let the dogs out of the back of the truck.

“You giving Daddy a hard time, Savana Jane?” Natalie kissed her niece’s cheeks. Savana cuddled into her, babbling excitedly.

“How do you know which is which?” Aaron hoped that wasn’t a rude question.

Natalie’s answering smile erased his concern. “Savana has a pudgier belly and is a little shorter than Dakota. And they had them on oxygen for a couple of weeks. The way they laid them with the tubes shaped their ears differently. Savana’s go to the right.” She traced the shell of Savana’s ear. The little girl shivered before she began pulling on Natalie’s right ear. “And Dakota’s go to the left.”

Luke ambled down the stairs. He shot Aaron a warning glare before crossing his arms over his chest. What the fuck? Studying Luke, Aaron racked his brain trying to determine who or what had put his dick in a knot. They’d always been good friends.

“Somebody piss in your Wheaties, man?”

Natalie glared at her big brother. “No. That’s his attempt at an intimidating, don’t mess with my little sister look. Ignore him. He’s being stupid.”

At that moment, Indie exited the front door carrying Dakota. Bailey and Bella, their Beagles, skirted by her and bounded down the steps to greet Lulu and Buster.

Indie’s glance made a quick trip from Natalie to Luke to Aaron. “Oh, dear God, Luke Camden. Back the truck up, honey. Natalie doesn’t need you to protect her anymore, and I have no patience for you being pissy tonight. I pulled an engine, replaced a transmission, put on two new belts, and changed oil on four cars today. I’m tired.”

Anymore. So, at one point Nat did need Luke to keep her safe. Interesting. Aaron tempered his humor over Luke’s sudden change in attitude toward him. Luke clearly had intel he needed.

“You want me to give you a free shot at my face or something? Let you play big brother or are we going to be okay? I’d never hurt her. Surely you know that.”

“I am standing right here.” Natalie sneered. “He isn’t going to hurt me,” she informed her brother. “I will be fine. I always am. Would both of you stop trying to protect me? I can take care of myself.”

Taken aback, Aaron started to apologize but Luke huffed, “No, I will not stop trying to protect you. I’m your big brother. It’s my job.”

“No, it isn’t. Get over yourself, Luke. Who I date is my choice.”

Ignoring his sister, Luke turned back to Aaron and menaced, “You just make sure I never need to take you up on that offer.”

Aaron debated pointing out how many ways he knew how to kill a man, or how often he worked out. “Guess if I had a little sister, I’d be just as overprotective.”

“Well, you don’t so you have no idea what it’s like.”

“Nope, I don’t. She wanted to come out here and let the dogs play. I can always take her back to my place.” The threat was implicit. If they were on the ranch, Luke got some say and had his eyes on them. They did not have to remain on the ranch that evening.

“It’s fine. You’re welcome here anytime. I just…it just… I don’t want to think about it. Do not make her cry. Ever. You hear me?”

“I know you won’t believe this, but even thinking about someone making her cry makes me want to beat a guy seven ways straight just for an appetizer, so I get it. I care about her. I have no intention of ever making her cry.”

“Good.”

Indie rolled her eyes. “Come on, Nat. Come help me change the girls’ diapers before the boys break out the rulers.”

“Can you both not be doing this…” Natalie gestured between Aaron and her brother, “…when I get back?”

“You got it,” Aaron immediately agreed. Luke offered nothing but a noncommittal grunt. “Any particular reason you’re acting like I’m the son of Satan all of a sudden?” He leapt as soon as the front door closed behind Natalie.

“Natalie isn’t like other women.”

“No shit.”

Luke rolled his eyes. “I don’t mean like that.”

Now, they were getting somewhere. Aaron edged closer. Luke stepped back into the slight shadow cast by the porch. Interesting. There was clearly something Luke Camden knew he should keep hidden. He was struggling. “Then how did you mean it, man? I’m crazy about her. Have been since I drove into town. Seems to me you were all about us dating the first time around.”

“Yeah, I was. I still am I guess. This is different. I can tell. She’s acting different about you this time.”

“Different how?”

“Damn near ’bout rode her horse into a fence post this morning.”

Years of practice controlling his facial expressions all went to hell. He managed to keep from pumping his fist in the air but a broad grin formed on his face. Running his hand over his chin he hoped her brother didn’t notice his delight. “Meaning what?”

“Like you don’t know.”

“Nat’s the only cowgirl I’ve ever dated. Not sure what it means when they ride horses into posts or whatever. Guess I should ask if Sundance is okay?”

“Horse is fine. Natalie’s mooning over you like a schoolgirl with her first crush. It’s weird. She doesn’t do shit like this.”

“She’s a grown woman, Luke. I’m sure as hell not her first crush and I won’t be her last. Why are you up in arms over us? Why are you so protective of her? You didn’t go after Dec when he and Holly got together.”

“Holly’s different.”

“And we’re back to different how? Just tell me why you’re so angry.” Tell me why you blame yourself for what happened to her? Guilt was laced in every word Luke Camden spoke, in every expression that tensed in his features, in every slight movement he made. Aaron could read him like a book.

“I don’t want to see her get her heart broken.”

“I have no intention of breaking her heart, but that isn’t what you’re really worried about.”

Irritation flashed in Luke’s eyes. “She know what you used to do in the army?”

“She has some idea.”

“There might be things that she don’t want you poking your nose in with all of your intelligence gathering know-how and whatnot.”

Considering his words carefully, Aaron nodded. “I have no plans to do anything that might make her uncomfortable. There anything you want to tell me? You look like a man who needs to get something off his chest.”

That wasn’t actually true. He looked like a man who needed a good night’s sleep, a shot of whiskey, or to get laid, maybe all three.

Lifting his cowboy hat, Luke ran his hands through his hair. He worked his jaw. The weight of consideration settled in the air around them. He stared into Aaron’s eyes seeking permission perhaps, or more likely a confidant. He’d seen similar expressions on hundreds of men who needed to rid themselves of the burdens of knowledge they didn’t want to possess. Luke needed someone to help him keep Natalie safe.

Aaron’s pulse timed the seconds it took for him to speak. “I want to keep her safe just as much as you do.” He forced his tone to a reassuring, measured tenor. Stepping back, he let Luke feel the relief of more space between them.

If he needed a partner, Aaron was his man. The confidence he’d thought long gone returned to his musculature. He barely recognized it. In Iraq, he’d blown everything to hell. He could never repair the damage he’d caused. Somehow keeping Natalie safe, nurturing her, worshipping her, it all felt like a balm to his internal wounds. This was all the do-over he would get. At that moment he wondered if it was the only one he’d needed for so long.

“Nat’s never really dated anyone. She has no experience at all as far as I know. Men scare her. When she was a little girl…”

Natalie and Indie burst through the front door and Luke’s mouth sealed shut. Dammit all to hell.

“There’s a puddle under Lulu she’s been standing there with the Frisbee drooling for so long. What were you two talking about?” Natalie asked.

“Your brother was just making a few more threats. It’s all good. Sorry, girl.” Aaron immediately took the Frisbee from Lulu and tossed it out into the nearby pasture. The dogs took off after it.

Knowing Luke, he probably was driving home his threats. Her brothers were all idiots.

When Holly and Dec drove up in her truck, she knew this was going to be a disaster. Why in God’s name had she brought him back to the ranch? This was not how dating couples acted. If she’d ever actually dated someone significantly, she would have known that.

“Saw your truck headed this way. Hol insisted we come see the babies and the dogs,” Dec explained to Aaron before he and Holly worked their way through the swarm of dogs that had come to greet them.

“Nice to see you,” Aaron sighed.

Holly and Dec were followed by Natalie’s parents. Jessie’s Suburban pulled up to the side of Luke’s house. A moment later her parents were upon them.

“Saw you two drive in. Thought we’d come out here and check on everything,” Ev explained. Natalie cringed as her father overtly studied the stars inked on Aaron’s arm. “You ain’t one of them pain junkies are you, son?”

“Pain junkies, sir?” That smirk she wished didn’t affect her quite so profoundly formed on Aaron’s features. Her heart sped its approval.

“Daddy, stop it,” she demanded.

“No, now, before you go off dating my little girl I got a right to ask. You don’t get all them tattoos because you’ve taken a likin’ to pain, makes you feel woozy and whatnot.”

“Everett Camden where in God’s name do you come up with this stuff?” Jessie huffed.

“I seen a documentary on people with lots of tattoos. Made me wonder.”

“Dad!” Natalie tried again.

Holly sank her teeth into her upper lip but couldn’t seem to stop the taunt. “You know, Dad, pain and pleasure come from very similar receptors in the human brain.”

“Don’t you start with all of your psychology. I don’t want to think about it.”

“Uh,” Aaron cleared his throat. “I promise I don’t have a thing for pain, sir. Just like ink.”

“You ain’t getting any more are ya? You have enough don’t you think?”

“Daddy, please stop. I like his tattoos.” Natalie’s attempt at a rescue only served to enflame her cheeks.

“Maybe I should get Nat’s name somewhere.” Aaron winked at her.

“Ah geez. Jessie do you have my Rolaids?”

“I’m sorry I asked to come here.” Natalie spoke through her teeth. “I didn’t know my whole family would show up or that my dad would break out his tattoo lectures.”

Aaron folded her into his embrace and spoke directly into her ear. “No worries. They just love you. Want to make sure I’m going to treat you right and apparently they want to be assured that I’m not a masochist.”

“They’re being nosy. You haven’t done anything to me at all,” she lamented.

He made that noise again, the hungry grunt he’d made the night before. “You sound a little disappointed by that, babe.” His hands eased up and down her back. He pulled her closer. For one perfect moment the ranch, her brother and sister, her parents, the entire world disappeared. She existed in a sanctuary of steady strength. “I grabbed your ass, remember?”

“I remember.” Her own giggle surprised her.

His ability to make her laugh no matter how badly she’d screwed something up made no sense. It had taken her a month to leave the ranch after the night she’d run away from him. She was terrified to see him and have to relive her embarrassment. As the universe would have it, as soon as she stepped foot on Main Street, he was standing there. Instead of making her feel more ashamed, he’d apologized and then immediately told her a story about Buster making off with Old Man Rasmussen’s underwear and taking them to Mrs. Larson, the widow who lived across the street. She’d been in the middle of hosting Bible study in her living room for the Ladies’ Aid Society. Aaron and Natalie had laughed until all of the tension and embarrassment she’d carried with her for weeks had disappeared. He’d smiled at her. The forgiveness she’d been offered was more than she could ever have asked for.

“Let the dogs play for a little while and Dec and Luke attempt to scare me off. Then we could go back to my place or down to your house.”

What happens when we get to my house? Searching for courage somewhere in the recesses of her body she came up short. Stubbornness, however, she always had at her ready disposal. She forced a nod. She was going to do this, no matter how awkward and scary the first time was sure to be. Maybe he just wanted to kiss her. She was definitely interested in that.

Aaron nuzzled her hair and worked his mouth directly beside her ear. “We’re not having sex tonight.”

“How do you always know what I’m thinking?” The words leapt from her lips.

“You went stiff as a board but kept hugging me. Knowing what people are thinking used to be my job.”