He blinked up at me, surprise written across his features. Then his head tilted. "Why would you do that? I mean, it's nice, but you don't have to."
I took a half step closer, then bent at the waist and put my hands on my knees so we were eye level. "You don't need to tell me what I have to do and what I don't have to do. I know that. What I'm doing is offering." I held his gaze, letting him see the sincerity there. "I want to help take care of you, if you'll let me."
"Okay, but only if you're sure," he replied, his voice small, uncertain. "I can text you my sizes if that helps."
He patted around on the bed as if looking for his phone.
"But first I have to find my cell phone. It's around here somewhere."
I grinned, spotting the device tucked under the edge of his pillow. Taking a chance, I leaned in to him, reaching for it. He froze, eyes going wide as he waited to see what I was going to do.
Our faces were closer than they'd ever been before, breaths intertwining in a way that made the air feel charged. I could see the flecks of gold in his eyes, could smell the faint scent of sleep and stress clinging to him.
I plucked the phone out and then slid it between us. "Found it," I said.
My voice was rougher than I intended, and with the way his pupils expanded, I could see the effect I had on him. The knowledge sent heat coursing through my veins.
"Thank you," he whispered as he took it from my hand.
The edge of his finger trailed across mine, and I nearly combusted. How could one barely there touch set me on fire?
I told him my number so he could punch it in, and then he shot me a text with his sizes. I heard the chirp of my phone in my back pocket, but I didn't dare pull the device out. I trusted him. Besides, no one else ever reached out to me. It was just the guys on the ranch, and there was nothing they could have said that mattered more than this moment.
"I'm gonna head back downstairs now," I told him, forcing myself to straighten up and put distance between us. "Atticus and Sean are awake, and they told me to let you know breakfast is ready. When you come down, it'll be there for you."
He groaned as his stomach rumbled, pressing his hands against it. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. The faint scent of bacon had reached his room from where I'd left the door open.
"Breakfast sounds delicious," he said, almost reverently. "Even better than that, some coffee is gonna be amazing. I've become addicted to the stuff. It's how I function daily." He giggled and shook his head at himself, the sound light and self-deprecating.
I smiled at the sweet gesture as I stood to my full height. "Well, I don't want to keep you. I'll see you down there."
With a brief wave, I pivoted on my heel and walked away.
It was hard. I wanted to stay. Wanted to help him. Not in a sexual way or anything, more so to ensure he didn't have to work any harder than necessary.
I wanted Tanner to rest. Wanted him to give himself grace that he obviously had not been doing.
The boy needed a keeper, and I was pretty damn sure I was the man for the job.
Downstairs, more of the guys had shown up. They were chattering about the day's tasks, voices overlapping in easy camaraderie.
I ignored them as I went straight to the coffeepot.
Tanner had been around enough for me to know how he preferred his coffee—with about as much sugar and milk as one could have before it was no longer actually coffee. Truly, it was astounding. But I'd memorized it, filing it away with all the other little details I'd noticed about him.
Once I had the drink just right, I looked at the food piled up on the counter. A lot of it had already been picked through, and I was worried that if Tanner took much longer, there wouldn't be anything for him. While I was capable of whipping up something for him myself, or even asking Harlan to make more, I didn't want to make him wait. I wanted him to come down and not have to worry about a single thing.
"What are you doing, Simon?" Beau said as he moved beside me while I was grabbing a couple of strips of bacon and making a plate.
"Tanner's upstairs. He'll be down in a minute so I’m fixing him something.”
Beau hummed, easing his head onto my shoulder as he looked at the plate. His closeness was something it had taken a while to get used to. He was affectionate, touchy. Jackson didn't mind because he knew Beau was completely his.
Besides, all of it was friendly. I'd never met someone who was that way and it not be romantic.
I sighed as Beau continued to stay on my shoulder while I piled the plate. With him still there, it wasn't as easy.
"Do you need help with something, Beau?”
