Ryder laughed, the sound rich and genuine. “Dad does have a particular way of welcoming newcomers.” His eyes flicked to mine. “How are you settling in, Connor?”
The sound of my name on his lips sent an electric current down my spine that pooled in my groin despite my best efforts. I swallowed hard, trying to remember how normal conversation worked.
“Fine,” I managed. “The work’s good. Keeps me busy.”
“That’s the idea,” he replied, a hint of mischief in his smile. “Though all work and no play...” He left the sentence hanging, loaded with suggestion.
Heat crept up my neck again. I was reading too much into his words, surely. This was just how he talked to everyone. He was friendly, slightly flirtatious, but ultimately meaningless.
“Ryder!” Pete’s sharp voice cut through our conversation. He stood by their truck, arms crossed, watching us with narrowed eyes.
“Duty calls,” Ryder sighed, rolling his eyes slightly as all that confidence and flirtation left his voice. “See you back at the ranch, Connor. Bye, Evelyn.”
As he walked away, I couldn’t help but watch the confident sway of his hips, the way his shirt pulled tight across his shoulders. I swore I could even make out the outline of a jockstrap under those jeans. God help me, I was in trouble.
“He’s a handful, that one,” Evelyn murmured beside me, following my gaze. “He’s handsome, and he knows it. They’re the most dangerous kind.”
“You can say that again,” I said without a second thought. Then I froze, my heart suddenly beating a hundred times faster. “I mean… the cocky thing… you know…”
Evelyn nodded, a knowing smile on her face. “You know,” she continued. “The boys I work for are getting married this summer.”
Two men getting married? In Hell Creek, Montana? Had the world changed so much in the seven years I was in prison? I knew same-sex marriages were legal, but I wasn’t really convinced anyone would actually act on it, especially not a couple of ranch owners.
“Oh?” I was all I could manage as a response.
“Yep,” she nodded. “One of them, Cole, has spent his whole damn life trying to hide from who he really is. But now that he’s finally given in… well, I’ve never seen him so happy.” She reached up, patting me on the shoulder. “Not all of us out here are bigots, Connor.” Then she sighed, shaking her head. “But we still have to go to church with a few of them, don’t we?”
I nodded, still unnerved that she’d spotted me so easily. “Yes, ma’am.”
She seemed to notice my reluctance and pulled her hand away. “Well, hopefully we’ll be seeing more of each other.”
With that and a soft smile, Evelyn moved on to chat with other churchgoers, leaving me standing there feeling exposed. I shoved my hands into my pockets and made my way to the truck, keeping my eyes on the ground. The last thing I needed was for someone else to catch me staring at Ryder too.
The ride back to the ranch was quiet. Sam dozed off against the window while Greg stared out at the passing landscape. Joey and Kyle whispered about some women they’d spotted in church. I kept my thoughts to myself, trying to focus on anything but Ryder McGrath.
When we returned to the ranch, Pete announced we had the rest of the day to ourselves. Some of the guys headed to the bunkhouse to rest, but I needed to clear my head. I wandered toward the fence line, finding a quiet spot where I could be alone with my thoughts.
The mountains in the distance were beautiful, their peaks still capped with snow despite the warming spring temperatures. I sat on a fallen log, taking in the view and the freedom it represented. Seven years behind bars had given me a new appreciation for open spaces.
“Quite a view, isn’t it?”
I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of Ryder’s voice. I hadn’t heard him approach, too lost in my own thoughts. He stood a few feet away, hands in his pockets, that same cocky smile playing on his lips.
“Sorry,” he said, not sounding sorry at all. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”
“It’s fine,” I muttered, my heart racing. I should have gotten up and walked away. That would have been the smart thing to do. But my body refused to move.
Ryder closed the distance between us, sitting down on the log beside me. Not too close, but close enough that I could smell his cologne. It was something expensive and woody that made my skin tingle.
“You’re not much of a talker, are you?” he asked, tilting his head to study me.
I shrugged. “Not much to say.”
“I doubt that.” His green eyes sparkled with mischief. “I bet you’ve got plenty of stories locked up in that head of yours.”
The double meaning wasn’t lost on me. “None worth telling.”
“So mysterious,” Ryder laughed, the sound warming something inside me that had been cold for too long. “I like that.”
