He’d never seen Karl wear anything that fit so closely, hugging every line of his frame and emphasizing the strength Leon already knew was there. The jeans were faded and functional, but they gripped those powerful thighs in a way that made Leon’s mouth a little dry, hinting at the force and control coiled just beneath the surface. And his hair—someone had clearly gone to war with the tangles. It gleamed, subtle and glossy, with just a whisper of something sweet in the air as Leon drew closer.
He didn’t even try to fight the smirk that curled his lips.
“Well,” he said, easing down beside him, “someone’s been raiding a fashion magazine.”
Karl looked over at him, faintly wary. “Just clean, normal clothes.”
“Clean, yes. Normal?” Leon’s gaze drifted down Karl’s chest, slow and appreciative. “Absolutely not.”
Karl huffed a laugh, but didn’t look away. “You gonna keep staring at me until supper?”
“Maybe,” Leon said, his intended flirtation coming out as honest and intimate. But Karl didn’t flinch from it. His mouth twitched like he was biting back a smile.
It made something tighten in Leon’s chest, just a little. He stretched his legs in front of him, glancing down toward the house. The windows blazed gold with the reflection of evening light, Tristan was attempting to herd his goats off the porch, and Christian had a sack of feed over his shoulder as he headed to the ATV.
“It’s very rustic,” he said finally.
Karl laughed. “That’s one word for it.”
“No coffee shops. No clubs. No room service.”
“But it’s quiet,” Karl said, and there was something in his voice—a peace Leon hadn’t heard there before.
He glanced sideways and studied the lines of Karl’s face. Softer now, less guarded. Still marked by years of discipline and grief, sure, but looser around the eyes. Like something had been let go. Leon remembered the moment Karl had spoken of that old, old accident. Maybe that had been the turning point. Or maybe it was just being home.
“It’s not the worst view I’ve ever had,” Leon said, continuing his study of Karl’s face.
Karl turned to look at him, eyebrows raised.
Leon didn’t elaborate. Just gave him a small, sly smile, and watched the understanding bloom slow and sure in Karl’s eyes.
Then, as the air between them was starting to turn electric, Jesse’s voice rang out from behind them.
“Figured I’d find you here.”
Leon suppressed a sigh, and Karl shifted beside him, adjusting his posture with the stiff care of someone whose leg was still bothering him more than he wanted to admit. Jesse dropped downbeside Karl a second later and offered Leon a nod that Leon returned, casual but respectful.
“Heard you met my mom,” Jesse said, something strange in his voice. Nerves, Leon thought. “She okay?”
“She was bossy,” Leon said, instantly and honestly.
Jesse groaned. “Not enough I gotta put up with one of those already?”
“At least Matt won’t have a problem getting along with his mother-in-law,” Karl said. “They can swap tips.”
Leon watched Jesse carefully. There was curiosity and hope in his face, but something else, too. He looked almost as if he might crumple if Karl’s answer wasn’t the one he needed.
Karl must’ve seen that too. “She’s very like you,” he added.
Jesse blinked, surprised. “Yeah?”
“One of life’s warriors, refusing to let anything beat her,” Karl said. “And as kind as the day’s long, but hiding it so well no one would ever guess.”
Leon couldn’t stop himself. “You got that right.”
“Wait—she didn’t like you?” Jesse asked.
Leon suspected Jesse was struggling with the news about his mom, because from all he’d seen of him so far, he’d have expected a smartass comment rather than that confused-sounding question.
