Years of conditioning, first out of necessity in his childhood and later out of habit in the military, had Daniel awake early. It surprised him he’d slept as well as he had.

He would never forget the feel of Avery Lanier pressed against him, answering his kisses with her own. If not for her backing away, and then only because little Cole had been coming down the stairs, he would have lowered them both to the floor. Instead, hours later, he’d had to settle for self-relief in the shower. God knows he’d had to succumb to that kind of method in the past. But not when the woman who had him hard and aching was within reach. And had earlier in the evening been as willing as he could hope for.

She wasn’t anything at all like the usual woman he took to bed. For one thing she was a mother. He didn’t do mothers. Ever.

Too often from where he’d slept on the pull-out sofa he’d watched his mother stagger into their crappy apartment, trailed by any number of strange men following her into bed.

Besides, he’d had time enough to think while Avery, Cole and he had been in the barn. Even with the distraction of Cole telling him the name of every horse, he’d been able to take a mental step-back and examine the situation.

He’d been hired by Hank Patterson, a man he only met yesterday. Yet Hank trusted Daniel to protect Avery and Cole. He wouldn’t let them down. Any of them. Especially when he recalled Avery’s insistence that Cole’s well-being came before her own.

With that in mind, he got out of bed, dressed, arranged his things in such a way he’d know if anyone touched anything, and left the room. Both Avery and Cole’s bedroom doors were still closed. Not surprising since it was shy of six in the morning.

Only, when he entered the kitchen, he found Avery, placing a wicker basket on the island counter.

“Good morning,” she said, jumping a little when she caught sight of him.

“Where the hell have you been?”

“Outside.” She frowned as she picked up the basket, with about a half dozen eggs he saw now, and carried them over to the sink. “I had to feed the animals.”

“It’s not even light outside.”

“Daniel, I’ve lived here my whole life. I know how to move around.”

“So does anyone who might want to hurt you.”

That stopped her. She leaned straight-armed on the counter, lowered her head and took several deep breaths, as if straining for control. “I appreciate more than I can say what you’re doing. I know we all need to be extra careful and keep a closer watch on everything around us.” With a deeper breath, she swung around. In her gaze he recognized the light of battle, a willingness to confront an enemy, the courage every soldier had to find within himself.

The same kind of fiery passion he’d tasted in her kisses.

“But I’ll be damned if I hide in my own damned house.”

“I don’t expect you to hide.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “But I do need to know your schedule.”

She leaned back against the counter, apparently losing the steam that had fired her confrontation. In fact, the barest light of humor sparkled in her eyes. “Daniel, I’m a ranch owner and a mother. My schedule, such as it is, is flexible at best and chaotic at worst. Animals or children get sick. Young, foolish hands call to say they’re too hungover to work.” She reached behind her and drew out a small baby monitor from her pocket. “Which is why I did the early morning feedings.”

“Does this happen often?”

“Randy’s young.” She turned and drew down two cups of coffee, then glanced back over her shoulder with a questioning lift of her brow. He nodded. “I’m sure you’ve had your share of mornings when you wished for a little more time in bed.”

He knew she meant mornings after a night of drinking. Not that he’d done much of that. He limited his alcohol intake, to the point where his unit often razzed him about it. Even if his childhood hadn’t soured him on the thought of being out of control, too often he’d seen smart men make dumbass decisions while drunk. As for mornings after sex, well the women he usually fucked didn’t care one way or the other if he stayed around afterward.

“What about your other hand?”

“Carl is two months shy of turning seventy. I will not ask him to get out of bed this early. It’s not as if Randy does this kind of thing very often.” She smiled a little. “But rumor has it there’s a new waitress at Blue Moose Tavern and Randy’s got a little crush on her.”

“A new waitress?” She nodded, her lips going flat. Daniel might not have any training as a bodyguard, but he had an internal alarm that had held him in good stead during battles and recon. It hummed along his spine now. “How long has she been working there?”

“I don’t know. You’d have to ask Randy.” She sipped her coffee, kept the mug shielding part of her face. “I know you’re here for my and Cole’s protection.” She blew out a breath, met his gaze only for it to then slide to the right. “You probably wish you were free to go into town in the evenings. That is, I know living on a ranch out in the country isn’t what you’re used to.”

“I’m looking forward to some peace and quiet,” he said, then shrugged his shoulders. “Besides, I’ve never been one to hang out in bars and go home with any willing waitress for a night of sex.”

Carefully, he set his mug down on the counter and walked toward her. “I told myself that being with you is a bad idea. For both of us. I’m not a family man and you’ve got family written all over you.” His hands cupped her warm cheeks, lifting her face to his gaze as his thumb traced the outline of her lips. “But the truth is Avery, you’re the only woman I think about having sex with.”

He lowered his mouth to hers, not as explosively as he had yesterday, but still demanding, unrelenting. She gripped his forearms, her little moan nearly stripping him of control. Moving closer, he nudged her ass against the counter. He could feel her pebbled nipples against his chest. His knee forced her legs apart and he wedged his hard and aching dick where he wished to God he could sink all the way inside of her.

He jerked his mouth away, pressed his forehead to hers. “I swore I wasn’t going to do this again.” He lifted his head, and stared into her eyes. The motion also had his dick twitching and for a pounding heartbeat he feared he’d lose his shit in his pants. “What is it about you that has me wanting to get my hands on you at every chance?”

Like a finger snap, she changed. Her body went rigid, all color bleached out of her cheeks, her eyes went blank.

“It’s you. You’re a strong, healthy man. It can’t be me.”

Shocked by her words, and the flat delivery of them, he was unable to prevent her from slipping out of his hold. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“You’re right.” She shifted, her back to his as she made a show of turning on the tap and placing the eggs in a strainer. “To take this any further would be a bad idea.”

Daniel had faced many dangerous situations. He’d lived through a turbulent, often violent childhood. He’d survived more battles than he cared to recall. Hell, he’d gotten shot and fucked up his hip rescuing the men in his unit from the enemy sniper’s continued shooting. None of which gave him a clue for how to handle the woman who’d turned her back to him.

Ending this latest episode and putting distance between them was for the best. He knew it. Hadn’t he warned her that he was wrong for her?

No one was more surprised than he that it didn’t stop him from wishing it could be different.

Avery mentally berated herself six ways to Sunday. For a second time she’d all but thrown herself at Daniel. She should have known – did know – that it wasn’t her he wanted. She was just handy. It was the only explanation that made sense.

She’d suffered enough humiliation by being told she was a disappointment as a lover. She wasn’t about to set herself up for more.

She busied herself preparing Cole’s lunch and then gathered what she’d need to make breakfast – acutely aware of Daniel’s presence in the kitchen. He sat silent at the island counter, drinking coffee while he read on a tablet. Her nerves strained by the silence, she finally faced him.

“I’m going upstairs to wake up Cole and get him ready for the day,” she said.

At what barely passed for a nod of agreement, she sailed out the kitchen. She fought the desire to stomp her feet on the stair treads, though she wanted to use any means available to release the pressure building inside her. Outside Cole’s bedroom, she glanced back down the stairs, fully expecting to find Daniel watching her. The rise of letdown at seeing empty space didn’t make sense. Hadn’t she wanted to get away from him? Wasn’t she determined to keep her distance and avoid any disappointing moments?

Opening Cole’s door, she felt her equilibrium return with the sight of her son, safe in his bed, his skinny arms wrapped tight around the raggedy stuffed horse Carl and Esther had given him for his first birthday. It struck her then that her days of having him be a small boy were dwindling. Soon, so much sooner than she could imagine, he’d want and expect privacy. He would have activities that didn’t include her. Whether for college, a job or a family of his own, he’d someday leave this house.

Maybe she should consider selling the ranch. Not only would it protect her son right now, but it would provide greater financial stability for whatever he wanted in the future. Her lips trembled with a smile. She would have the resources, and time, to give him the puppy he so desperately wanted.

She crossed the room, expertly and absently navigating around the cars and action figures on the floor. Proving he still slept as soundly as he had as a baby, it took several shakes of his shoulder before he stirred. With some more prodding, along with appeals for him to wake, he finally blinked open his eyes. Only to close them again.

“Rise and shine,” she prodded, dragging the covers away.

“No.”

She remembered, resentfully, how hard it had been to get him into bed last night. He kept insisting he wanted to talk to Daniel.

“C’mon, Cole. I don’t have time for this this morning.” He promptly rolled over, his back to her. “Okay, you leave me no choice.” Using both hands, she slipped them under his pajama top and tickled his ribs.

“Mommy, stop,” he demanded, but his giggles overrode the protest. Trying to evade her, he made the mistake of rolling onto his back.

“Oh, I’ve got you now my pretty,” she cackled in her best imitation of the Wicked Witch. His legs kicked, his hands pushed at hers, as he tried to escape. They both laughed the entire time.

“Looks like we have need of a rescue mission.”

Startled, Avery glanced back to find Daniel standing in the doorway, hands on his hips.

“Help me, Daniel.” Cole scrambled out from under her suddenly lax fingers to push her onto her back.

“Don’t you dare,” Avery said. Daniel took measured steps toward her, a gleam in his eyes that she damn sure didn’t trust. “I mean it.”

“I’m sure you do.” He loomed over her. “But a man has to know he has a buddy who’ll stand up for him.” Before she could draw a breath, he covered her body with his, his fingers nimble as they ticked her. She laughed, Cole joining her. While he didn’t, Daniel’s lips did curve into a relaxed grin.

“Give up, Mommy,” Cole said from where he’d climbed onto Daniel’s back.

“Okay.” She panted out a breath. “I give up.”

Cole shouted approval and slid off, dancing around the room, his tiny fists pumping in the air. “I gotta pee,” he said and ran out of the room.

That’s when Avery realized her legs were spread and Daniel was pressed against the very center of her. She should have been embarrassed, should have shoved him aside. Only a part of her heart broke free of her caution with the way he’d joined in her and Cole’s foolishness.

His hands were still on her ribs, mere inches from cupping her breasts. Just as her hands could easily sink into the softness of his hair and pull him down for a kiss. She lifted her hips slightly and savored the heat and strength of his arousal.

“I’m hungry,” Cole announced as he returned to the room.

“I think we all are,” Daniel growled. He hesitated for a second longer before he eased away and sat on the bed. Avery noted he winced a little as he shifted before aiming a look at Cole. “Soldier, your quarters are a mess.”

Avery started to protest, especially when she saw Cole’s bottom lip begin to quiver. Before she could offer a defense, Daniel stood and walked over to kneel in front of her son.

“A man keeps his quarters clean so he always knows where everything is in case he needs it in a hurry.” He squeezed her son’s shoulder. “Plus if you show your mom that you can take care of your things, maybe she’ll think about getting you that puppy.” He shot a look over at Avery, winked. “I’ll be downstairs.”

She didn’t have time to puzzle over his behavior, didn’t have time to chastise herself for responding to the unrelenting desire she felt for this man. She supervised Cole dressing as she made his bed, and then stood by stunned while he picked up a small collection of his action figures and put them in the basket she kept in a corner of the room. Following him downstairs she found Daniel sitting at the island counter, exactly where she’d earlier left him.

“Do you have games?” Cole asked as he scrambled onto a stool.

“Not the kid kind.” Daniel swiped his finger over the screen and then punched in a few keystrokes. “What do you like?”

“Oh, you don’t,” Avery began, only to stop when two pairs of male eyes looked up from the screen at her. No way could she deny either of them. “One game.” She aimed a fingertip. “And you only play until breakfast is ready.”

She listened to them – the pros and cons they each voiced as they considered the choices, then the way they goaded each other while playing. It struck her again at how easily Cole had accepted Daniel’s sudden appearance. Was it because he’d been missing a male presence in his life? What would it do to him once Daniel left?

And as hard as it was to admit, she knew both questions applied to her as well.

Daniel grinned as Cole bounced on his lap and made car engine noises. The kid found a way to make a game out of everything. Games reminded Daniel of his tickling match with Avery. Every curve he’d touched, and all the ones he ached to explore, had been within reach. Even afterward, when he’d escaped downstairs and then gotten a kick out of playing the game with Cole, he’d been aware of her every move.

Now he watched as she came to an abrupt stop on the porch.

“Mommy,” Cole called, sticking his head out of the window. “Daniel said I can drive.”

“Whoa, buddy.” Daniel held the boy in place. He couldn’t take much more of his innocent squirming. He had a difficult enough time knowing he’d be alone with Avery once Cole got on the school bus. Being hard while around her was beginning to feel like a never-ending reality.

“I’m sorry,” he said after she’d climbed into the truck. “I should have asked you first.”

“It’s fine.” She smiled at her son, but Daniel saw a flicker of loss in her eyes. “My daddy used to do the same with me.”

He put the truck into gear and they arrived at the same time as the bus. Avery opened her door, waved at the driver, and motioned for Cole to scoot over. “Have a good day, baby.” She cupped his cheeks, kissed him and secured his backpack over his shoulders. “I love you.”

“Bye, Mom.” Cole ran to the bus. On the bottom step, he turned. “Bye, Daniel.”

After the bus pulled away, they drove back to the ranch. Avery immediately led the way to the barn. When they let the horses out to the corral, she showed Daniel how to muck out the stalls. He was on his second one, with Avery working on her fifth, when he realized there was a trickle of water coming from the trough.

“Something wrong?” Avery asked as she came into the stall. She hunkered down beside him, her shoulder rubbing against his.

“Not sure.” He ran a fingertip along the bottom edge, only to stop with a curse.

“What?” Avery grabbed the hand he jerked away from the trough. Blood welled up and dripped over the tip of his finger. “How did this happen?”

“There’s a hole someone punched into the trough. The edges are ragged.”

“We need to get this cleaned, otherwise we risk an infection.”

Her hands weren’t smooth but they were gentle as she cradled his. Then, to his surprise, she tugged her shirt free of her jeans and used the hem to press to his finger, staunching the blood flow.

“I’ll be fine,” he said, stunned by how hard it was to speak. “They pumped me with so many antibiotics while I was in the hospital I’ll probably never get sick again.”

She looked up at him, her eyes soft with sympathy. “Was it hard being injured?”

He couldn’t remember anyone ever showing as much compassion and concern for him as Avery did for what amounted to little more than a scratch. He cleared his throat, thought about moving and putting distance between them. One little shift of his legs had him changing his mind. There was less risk of scraping off a layer of skin on his throbbing dick if he stayed still.

“The hardest part was waking up to learn I’d shattered my hip. Even before the doctor told me, I knew my military career was over.”

“You enjoyed it? The military?”

Although she no longer pressed on the wound, she hadn’t let go of his hand. “It gave me a stability I’d never known as a kid in Philadelphia.”

“You told Cole you didn’t know your dad?”

“How could I when my mother didn’t know who it was.”

“Oh, Daniel.” Her hand rose to cup his cheek and he saw the sparkle of tears in her eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s just the way it was. She wasn’t like you, like the way you are with Cole.” Having long accepted there was no point in looking back, he nodded toward the trough. “I think someone must have used a screwdriver to poke through the bottom seam. I don’t know much about horses, but I’m guessing it wouldn’t be good for them to have the hay get wet.”

“No. They could get thrush in their hooves if it went unnoticed.” She glanced down at his hand. “You’re going to want to know who could get in here and do this.”

“I think we should start with the kid you have helping out around here.”

“Randy,” she said, still keeping her head lowered. “You think he could have done this last night before he left and that’s why he called in sick.”

“I’m here to consider all the possibilities. He was the last one working in here last night.” He shifted his hand so now it was his cradling hers. He squeezed once. “You’ll feel better if I clear him.”

“I hate this.” She stood suddenly. “You’re talking about people I know, people I care about.”

Standing slower, he wrapped his hands around her arms, intending to hold her at a distance. Contrary to what he expected, she wilted against his chest. What else could he do but lower his hands to cup her ass and bring her closer?

“And once you find out who’s doing this, you’ll leave.”

She stepped back, and swiped at the tears she hadn’t let fall. For a barely there moment he thought she might ask him to stay beyond the protection need. Which made no sense. They’d known one another barely twenty-four hours. How could either of them want something more than this intense, but temporary physical attraction?

“That’ll be Carl.” He heard it now, the silence that was obvious that a truck engine had been turned off. “You’ll want to talk to him.” She lifted her chin to stare at him. “Just don’t ask me to stand and watch as you question him.”