Kendra sent Quinn down the hall to the bathroom her boys used when they’d lived at home. He chose to make the trip naked while carrying his bundle of clothes under his arm.

She leaned in the doorway and shamelessly watched his progress. What a great butt. “There’s a package of disposable razors in the cabinet under the sink,” she called after him.

“Thanks.” He turned and walked backwards as he kept talking. “I need to get kiss-worthy again.” Clearly he didn’t give a damn that he was giving her a full-frontal show.

“Sounds good to me.” Everything about him sounded good to her. His nonchalance about being naked was catching. They were alone in the house, so why not stand in her bedroom doorway wearing nothing?

“Are you sure we can’t shower together?” He grinned at her. “Saves water.”

“No, it won’t because we’ll fool around in there. This will save time and water.”

“Assuming you go jump in the shower instead of standing there ogling me.”

“I’m just making sure you know where you’re going, which you clearly don’t. You just passed up the bathroom.”

“Because I’m ogling you.”

“Okay, okay. Meet you in the living room in ten minutes.” She turned and dashed into the master bath. Yikes. Her hair was sticking out in all directions but she sure looked happy.

She took the fastest shower in history, singing Girls Just Want to Have Fun at the top of her lungs. Dressing in record time, she quickly damp-dried her hair and made it into the living room in nine minutes, flat.

Quinn was waiting for her, his hair still wet and a tiny piece of toilet paper stuck to his jaw where he’d shaved too quickly and nicked himself. He’d put on the denim jacket he’d left hanging on the coat tree but left it unbuttoned. He held his hat in one hand.

His smile was a mile wide when she walked in. “Damn, lady. How do you do that?”

“What?”

“Look wholesome and sexy at the same time.”

“I do?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He gestured toward her. “Jacket, blouse, jeans, boots, no makeup. You’re even wearing a baseball cap, for crying out loud. Can’t get more wholesome than that. And I’m developing a woody.”

“Because of what we’ve been doing.”

“Nope. You’ve affected me like this from day one. It’s worse, now, or better, whichever way I choose to look at it. But I’ve wanted you from the get-go.”

Her body tightened. “Same here.”

“So even though my face is as smooth as a baby’s butt, I’m not going to kiss you. That was my plan, but I can’t take a chance I’ll get carried away.”

“That we’ll get carried away. I’m in the same fix as you, buddy. That trip to Tahiti sounds really good right now.”

“We’d freak out our kids.”

“I know. We’re not doing it, but it’s fun to think about.” She took a deep breath. “Ready?”

“Ready if you are.” He walked over and opened the front door. “After you.”

She stepped out on the porch. A breeze cooled her cheeks as she checked out the activity down by the barn. Zane’s truck was there and the barn door was open. Then Zane came out and gazed up at the house.

She waved and he lifted his arm as if to wave back. Then he paused and lowered his arm.

Quinn’s hand gripped her shoulder. “He just saw me come up behind you,” he murmured. “He’s waiting for us. Let’s go.”

This moment had been easier in her head. Zane nudged back his hat and stood in front of the open barn door, feet braced apart, thumbs hooked in his belt loops. Ian used to take that stance when he had something weighty to think about.

She didn’t want to cause Zane, or any of her sons, anxiety. She didn’t want to be a problem they had to work out. By accepting Quinn into her life—into her bed, to be more specific—she might have done that.

Cody’s voice drifted from inside the barn. Zane turned and said something back before facing the house again. Then Cody came out and took a position next to Zane, copying his stance.

She was too nervous to smile at that, but it was cute, all the same. High noon. Except they weren’t gunning for her. They loved her and she loved them. Change was hard.

When she and Quinn were about ten yards away, she called out good morning and smiled. Zane and Cody responded in kind but neither of them returned her smile. Ah, my sweet boys. It will be okay.

Eventually she was close enough to pause and say something. “This may be a little awkward for both of you.”

Zane nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”

“But Faith talked to me about it last night,” Cody said, “and I’m okay with it. I shouldn’t speak for Zane.”

“I’m—” Zane stopped to clear his throat. “I’m okay with it, too. It’s just…different.”

“I understand. But I want you to know this doesn’t change anything.”

“Sure it does, Mom.” Zane regarded her steadily. “You’ve never had a guy in your life before. This is a change. There’s no getting around that.” He glanced at Quinn. “Nothing against you, but—”

“What your mother means is that I don’t plan to disrupt anything. I have my ranch in Spokane and running that takes up the bulk of my time. Kendra and I will see each other when we can, but it’s not like I’ll be hanging out here on a regular basis.”

“That’s what Faith said, too.” Cody frowned. “And I don’t get it. Seems like if you enjoy being with someone you’d want to be around them a lot.”

“Exactly.” Zane adjusted the fit of his hat. “This whole deal makes no sense to me, either.”

She wasn’t surprised. “Quinn and I are coming at our relationship from a different place than we would have if we’d met when we were younger. He’s built his life in Spokane and I’ve built mine in Eagles Nest, so—”

“You can’t ever be together?” Cody gazed at them in confusion. “How is that a good thing?”

“It’s our compromise.” She didn’t expect him to understand. “Bottom line, I’m never leaving Wild Creek Ranch.”

“Good.” He heaved a sigh. “That’s good.”

“Like Quinn said, we’ll see each other when we can.”

“How often?” Cody still looked confused on that point.

She glanced at Quinn. “We haven’t talked about that. But it’s a long trip, so—”

“Maybe every couple of months,” Quinn said. “We have to see how things go.”

“Every couple of months? Won’t you miss each other?”

Zane gave his brother a warning glance. “That’s not our business. Or our problem.”

“I know, but if it turns out they really miss each other and she decides to spend a lot of time in Spokane, then that’s our problem.”

“I promise that won’t happen.”

“I promise, too,” Quinn said. “I won’t take her away from here. I’ll make the trip down.”

She blinked. “You will?”

“Yes.”

“But that doesn’t seem fair.”

“Let him do that, Mom,” Cody said. “He’s got that cool motorcycle. I’m sure he enjoys riding it. Besides, Roxanne’s here, so he’s got another reason to come to town. You’d only have him up there, so logically he should—”

Jim’s truck pulled in next to Zane’s and Zane lowered his voice. “Does Jim know about this?”

“I’m sure Deidre filled him in,” Kendra said.

Cody leaned toward her. “But he couldn’t know that Quinn spent—”

“He doesn’t need to know that,” Zane said. Then he raised his voice. “Hi, Jim! Think it’ll rain?”

“Weather report says not ‘till tonight.” Jim ambled toward them. “Howdy, Quinn. Deidre told me you took part in the Ouija board shenanigans last night. She was impressed.”

Quinn laughed. “It was interesting.”

“You stuffed birdseed bags and messed with the Ouija board?” Cody’s eyebrows almost disappeared under his hat.

“Sure, why not?”

“You wouldn’t catch me sitting down at that board. I don’t want anybody poking around in my subconscious.” He glanced at Zane. “Did you ever fool with that thing?”

“Not me.” A shrill whinny issued from the depths of the barn. “That would be Winston. Unless we want him to organize a revolt, we’d better finish up in there.”

“Quinn and I will take the new barn,” Kendra said.

Zane met her gaze and nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” Then he turned his attention to Jim. “I’ve sorted the tack and put aside everything that needs repairing before the trail ride Saturday.”

“Excellent. I’ll get right on it this morning.”

The trail ride. How had she managed to forget that she was scheduled to go out with Zane tomorrow, not to mention making the lunches for the group of six who’d reserved a spot?

Zane glanced at her. “Are you still available for Saturday or do you want Cody to go?”

“Of course I’m available.” She wanted to say something more to Zane and Cody, but with Jim there she couldn’t close out the conversation the way she would have liked. “Guess we’d better get a move on. See you all later.”

Quinn walked beside her as they headed for the second barn. “I forgot that you do trail rides every weekend.”

“You have no reason to remember. It’s a little scary that I forgot, though.”

“You did? I couldn’t tell from your reaction.”

“I hope Zane couldn’t tell, either. I think he was testing me by offering to put Cody in my spot.”

“No reason to. It’s not like I expect you to spend the day with me. I need to track down a fuel tank for my bike.”

“Any more leads?”

“Maybe. I have a couple of phone messages I haven’t listened to yet.”

“Gee, I wonder why.”

“It’s a mystery named Kendra McGavin. But even assuming I score a fuel tank today, I won’t be leaving until tomorrow at the earliest. Is anything going on tonight?”

“Like what?”

“Family gatherings, bachelorette parties, sleepovers with your Whine and Cheese—”

“Nothing’s going on.”

“Then you and I could have the evening to ourselves?”

The heat that she’d kept on low during the conversation with her sons ramped up several degrees. “As far as I know. What do you have in mind?”

His chuckle was soft and intimate.

“That’s not an answer.”

“Yes, it is.” He glanced at her. “I’ll leave you to fill in the blanks.”