Chapter One

L edger was used to being dirty. Crawling on his belly through the mud—and worse—the jungles of South America had taught him to endure the grit of filth. He'd spent an entire month being rained on too. He could still feel the hideous chill of wet socks on his sore feet.

Being coated in sticky sweat and the straw that he and his buddies just baled that afternoon was a new sensation for him. He itched all over and couldn't wait to jump in a cold shower. But first, he had been summoned to a meeting in the big, beautiful Gracey home.

He couldn't walk into the place covered in this much dirt.

A big hand came down on Ledger's shoulder. He tensed at the hard grip, his own hand twitching toward the unknown man's wrist, prepared to rip him off his feet.

He glanced around at the owner of that hand. Hunter gave him a nod of greeting.

Damn, he was too edgy these days. After months and months of living in solitude, it was taking him longer than he thought to remember how to be around his fellow Navy SEALs.

"You may want to spray off with the air hose before you walk in the house. Ivy just did the floors this morning."

"I hear she can be a hard-ass if she doesn't like you. I don't want to get on her bad side." His jab at Hunter's girlfriend hit its mark, but instead of scowling, his friend grinned.

"Yeah, she's a real ball-buster."

"And I bet you love having yours busted."

Hunter's mouth quirked. "I don't kiss and tell. Hurry up and spray off that straw so we can get this meeting over with."

He turned and loped across the expansive yard between the house and garage.

More meetings. What could this one entail? It seemed like his buddy Colton was holding one daily. A group of former SEALs preferred the rigid protocol they'd left behind, but the past two meetings hadn't given any of them new information about the attacks taking place on the Gracey Ranch. Ledger understood the urgency, but he was getting sick of the rules.

When he entered the garage, he scanned the dim space until he spotted the air compressor against one wall. When he dragged the hose outside and blasted the air over his chest and arms, bits of straw swirled to the ground. He did the same with his jeans and boots. Lastly, he pulled off his cowboy hat and let the air wash over his face and hair.

Feeling much more like a welcomed guest and less like a dog with fleas, Ledger replaced the hose and closed the garage door before returning to the log-sided house.

As soon as he entered, he caught the scent of floor cleaner and something spicy with an undertone of vanilla.

He strolled into the dining room. "Somebody baking a pie?"

All three of his friends looked up at him. Colton, Hunter and Carver, aka Wolfman, were already seated at the heavy wood table. Colton and Wolfman were streaked with dirt, and Hunter's hair was plastered against his head. All four of them had been hard at work since dawn, but they had two wagons stacked with bales to show for their efforts.

Colton waved a hand at the center of the table where a candle burned in a jar. "Meadow's been trying to make the place homier."

Ledger pulled out a heavy chair, the wood legs scraping on the floor causing him to inwardly cringe. It wasn't just loud noises that spiked his adrenaline—it was any noise.

He needed to work harder on coexisting with the living. In the real world. He didn't notice the other guys having freak-outs when they heard a bang.

As he settled at the table, he drew in a breath of the vanilla spice-scented air, appreciating the efforts that his buddy's woman went to make the place a home. After what the Gracey family had endured, they deserved some peace and comfort.

Colton began the meeting by leaning forward to fiddle with the computer tablet propped in the center of the table. By now they all knew that tablet meant they were holding a video call, and the head of WEST Protection security was joining them, which likely meant new developments.

His gaze swung to Wolfman, eyeing the healing cuts and fading bruises from six guys jumping him. Ledger was damn glad that he hadn't lost another friend. Too many losses shadowed all their pasts.

A man's image popped onto the screen, and Ledger angled his seat to see him better.

Colton took charge of the meeting. "Hi, Ross. Thanks for joining us."

"I don't have much time, but I wanted to touch base with you guys." He tugged on the brim of the white Stetson Ledger had never seen him without.

Wolfman sat forward, arms folded on the table. "You found information on the bastard responsible?"

"We did. You guys were right—Eli Feldman's a big investor. He owns a ton of property in the state of Montana. My team dug around and found the name of the company that purchased the loan from the guy we just put behind bars."

Everyone focused on the man on the screen.

Ross continued. "There's a hell of a lot of land being bought up around the Gracey Ranch."

Ledger, like the others, listened hard.

"He's managed to keep a lot of the purchases under wraps. Some of the deals look sketchy."

"You think Feldman is coercing people into giving up their land? Threatening them?" Wolfman was the angriest of all of them, with good reason too. Not only had he been attacked and chained up in a garage, but his woman had been dumped in the middle of nowhere. Then her business and home were torched.

Ross nodded. "I think that's exactly his strategy. He's also working with an architect and city planner."

They all perked up. "What kind of plan is being drawn up?" Ledger rarely spoke during these meetings, and everyone glanced at him with various looks of surprise.

"The big kind," Ross answered. "We're trying to get our hands on the plans. We're close, but it's going to take a few more days. I'll be in touch when I get something substantial."

"We appreciate the intel, Ross." Colton sat back in his seat.

"Watch your backs, guys. This guy has connections."

Hunter grunted. "We know. The bad kind."

"Four SEALs are on it now. Nothing is getting through us." Wolfman had been rallying their band of brothers for a long time. Ledger was glad to be back with them.

After the meeting ended, the guys scraped back their chairs. Inwardly, Ledger gritted his teeth at the noise.

As the guys filed out, Colton dropped his gaze to Ledger's fingers curled around the armrests of his chair.

He forced himself to meet his friend's stare calmly. He didn't like people seeing too much. Especially his brothers.

"Why don't you go down to Badlands? Have a drink. You earned it."

A drink he could do with. A noisy bar wasn't to his liking, but Colton was right—he could use a break.

With a nod, he pushed away from the table and walked the short distance to what could only be called a she-shed.

The late Mrs. Gracey had used the she-shed as her personal art studio. When he came to the ranch, Ledger claimed it as his private quarters, and it served as a place where he could get away from everyone. But each time he walked through the door, he groaned.

The space was filled with paintings of florals, landscapes and fields at sunset. Mrs. Gracey also had plaster busts and sculptures of animals littering every surface.

Among such feminine décor, he felt like a bull in a china shop. One quick move and he'd wipe everything off the walls and surfaces. For days, he'd been giving a wide berth to a certain teacup collection.

The small bathroom was adequate. Someone had rigged a camp shower, which pumped water from a barrel that caught rainwater. It wasn't remotely warm, but after baling straw, Ledger needed to cool off.

After a quick shower, he threw on clean jeans, a T-shirt and boots. When he settled his cowboy hat on his head, his muscles relaxed.

He'd grown up on a ranch in the south. Although he traded in his cowboy hat for a military helmet, he never forgot how it felt to wear a good cowboy hat. Those days after he left his SEAL team were filled with darkness and confusion, but returning to his roots helped. The first thing he did was buy boots and a hat.

More than eager for that drink, Ledger borrowed a ranch truck and drove to the Badlands saloon. The fields reminded him of his hometown, as did the small town of Eden.

When he walked into the bar, the dim lighting and loud country music welcomed him. He sent a glance toward the rear and his usual booth where he could sit with his back to the wall.

Damn. The booth was taken…by a woman. He couldn't very well strongarm or threaten his way into the booth, so he took another tactic.

He sauntered over to the bar. The twenty-something guy slinging drinks looked up at him. "What can I get ya?"

Ledger twitched his head toward the back of the bar. "The woman sitting alone in the booth. What's she drinking?"

"Lager."

"I'll take two."

The bartender poured two drinks and pushed them across the bar. Ledger tossed down some bills and carried the frosty glasses to the booth.

As soon as he stepped up to the table, the woman looked up at him. He saw the groan on her lips, but she was polite enough to swallow it with her sip of lager.

"I brought you another round." He set the drink in front of her.

Her gaze flicked from the glass to his hand, traveled up his arm and across the expanse of his chest. He was used to women gawking, and this one didn't disappoint with her quick intake of breath and the delicate flush across her cheekbones.

"Um…thank you."

"I'll cut to the chase. I like this booth. It's the best seat in the house, and I like to drink alone."

She shrugged as if to say she didn't give a damn.

He liked her already.

"After the day I had, I'm not getting up."

He studied her. Brown hair the color of rich honey, skin tanned from the sun and golden-brown eyes. She wore a simple sundress and her toned arms were bare. She gave off girl-next-door vibes but her words were don't-fuck-with-me.

He could respect that.

He set his beer on the table. "What do you say we share the booth?"

Her gaze flickered over him. "I thought you wanted to be alone."

"You can be alone and still be surrounded by a ton of people."

Something moved in the depths of her eyes. Finally, she waved a hand for him to take the seat across from her.

* * * * *

Demi tried to keep her attention riveted on her drink, but her eyes had a mind of their own.

His muscular shoulders took over half the booth. Veins snaked up his forearms, and whenever he brought his drink to his lips, she was rewarded with a rippling display of strong tendons.

He also got her drink right. And if she had to share her booth, at least he was nice to look at.

Okay, hot .

She hadn't been lying about the day she had. As the only veterinarian in Eden and the surrounding area, she was on call all the time. The first call of the morning, she took while it was still dark, and the only time she'd stopped all day was when she slid into this booth.

What he said about being alone while surrounded by people…she got it. In fact, it was her creed and her reason for coming to Badlands. While everyone knew who she was and how she earned her living, there was an unspoken rule to leave her alone.

He brought his drink to his lips and took a deep gulp. The action drew her gaze to the angled lines of his jaw, stubbled with dark hair.

He was quiet and respectful. Not hitting on her. Long minutes had passed without him trying to make any cringey small talk about their surroundings, or pointing out the girls attempting to ride the mechanical bull who kept falling dramatically on the thick gym mats on the floor.

When Demi slipped her stare back to his face, she found his gaze on her.

Steady.

She'd seen plenty of weirdos here in Badlands and ran across even more of them in her line of work. This guy didn't seem crazy. He just seemed like a regular guy trying to relax after a long day, the same as her.

"My name's Ledger."

His voice brushed over her senses, deep and low. Oddly, she didn't have to strain to hear him over the loud chatter in the bar.

"I'm Demi."

His gaze lingered on her lips.

People always looked at her lips. Her bottom one was almost too plump. Growing up, kids bullied her about it.

She tucked it between her teeth.

Ledger didn't probe her for more information about herself. She didn't ask anything about him either. Her entire day was spent listening to pet owners and ranchers overshare about their lives. What began as a short checkup in the office turned into drawn-out conversations about their arthritis or gout.

She loved her job—she really did. Loved the animals under her care, and their owners too. But getting a break had become her biggest struggle.

That made dating difficult too. She didn't have the bandwidth for getting to know a guy. She didn't want to learn about their job or family. Even if she liked a guy, making plans for dates was difficult when she'd get called out to tend to a lame horse or a colicky goat. After years of canceling plans, she gave up.

Ledger sipped his lager. She finished hers first and cradled the one he brought her.

It wasn't a new trick to buy a woman the same beverage she was already drinking, but she did like that he had done so only to get the seat—not into her pants.

She studied him from beneath lowered lashes. His body had her guessing at what he did for a living. Since he didn't look like a gym rat, she could only guess that hard work had layered his physique in muscle and sinew. Between his broad chest and thick shoulders, she couldn't figure out where to let her gaze settle.

He was slightly older too. Not grandpa old. But seasoned. The dark hair on his jaw sported an odd strand of silver here and there that only added to his allure. And that mouth…

Oh god, the things she could do with that mouth.

Like ride it.

With her clit.

Okay, maybe it had been a while since she had a man in her bed. Her battery-operated boyfriend had long ago stopped exciting her. Now pleasuring herself was a routine, a quick release before she crashed for a few hours of sleep.

"You're not from around here."

At her question, he locked eyes with her. "Nope."

That answer made him even more attractive.

He was safe dick.

She could have a one-night stand with this guy and never see him again. What could be more perfect?

With a swift decision that was pretty out of character for her, Demi pushed her beer away and scooted out of the booth.

His gaze tracked her. God, those eyes were full of mystery and shadows. Both things she could enjoy without wanting to know more. Having sex with a hunky mystery man from out of town was fantasy fodder that could keep her going long after their night ended.

"You finished for the night?" Ledger's voice sent prickles over her skin, which was already burning with desire.

"Come with me."

He cocked a brow. Then his hot mouth quirked at one corner, creating a carved bracket that sent her body into overdrive.

Pushing away his beer too, he slipped out of the booth in a graceful maneuver that a man of his size shouldn't be able to pull off. He towered over her.

And he smelled good.

He made no question about what she had in mind for him. "You sure?"

"Yes."

He was staring at her mouth again.

Quickly, she whirled around and headed straight for the exit.

If they got to her place fast enough, and he wasn't too fast in bed, and barring no emergency calls tonight, she could still get six hours of sleep.

At the door, she moved to shove it open, but his big hand landed on the wood in front of her, nudging it wide enough for both of them to exit.

"My car's this way—" Her words ended on a gasp as Ledger caught her by the hand and yanked her into him.

She moaned at the feel of his big, hard body crushed against hers.

With another quirk of his lips, he backed her against the building and kissed her. Without apology. Without stopping.

Oh god, the man could kiss . The feel of his hard lips moving over hers and the way he sliced his tongue across her bottom lip—once, twice—before she parted them had her quivering.

She reached up and locked her hands on his beefy shoulders, moaning as his tongue slithered across hers.

He tasted like lager and minty toothpaste. He smelled like soap and man.

Her core burned with lust as she kissed him in return. The world faded, and all her cares went with it. Long minutes passed with only the throb of country music and the chirp of crickets.

She tore from the kiss, and they stared at each other. She was panting for air. His chest gave a single heave.

"Where can we go?" His rugged voice gritted over her senses.

"My place. It's not far. No strings."

There it was again—the crooked smile that wasn't committing to a full-on grin.

Demi had seen men like him before—his control was welded to him like steel. He just might be more uptight than she was.

Did she care? No. She was about to have the hottest man she'd ever seen in her bed.

Between her thighs.

Moving inside her.

She led him to her vehicle, and they slid in. In some unspoken agreement, they turned to each other. He hooked his hand around her nape, yanking her in at the same moment she hurled herself at him.

Their mouths clashed in a wild tangle of nibbles and bites and tongues. His fingers threaded into her hair, holding her captive. But Demi wasn't going anywhere. Once she made up her mind about something, she didn't back out.

She wanted Ledger.

Tingles of desire sucked her down in a spiral. Her insides pulsed.

They broke away and she drove the few miles to her small ranch house on the outskirts of town, close enough that she could run to the veterinary office and out on home calls but far enough off the beaten path that not even a Girl Scout came knocking.

The minute she unlocked the front door, she gripped Ledger by the shirt and yanked him in.

He locked his arms around her, and she rubbed against his full length. And she meant full length. His muscles weren't the only things that were rock hard. His erection rode up the front of his jeans, thick and long.

She'd picked the right night to go to Badlands for a drink.

Her insides clutched with want. Her panties flooded.

Still locked in a frantic kiss, they made it to her bed. When he slid his hands under her sundress, over her bare thighs, she trembled with need. His callused fingers were so rough against her sensitive, desperate skin.

Sucking in a sharp breath, she let her head fall back. Their gazes linked for a brief second. In that heartbeat, she felt a connection.

The last thing she needed.

She twisted her gaze to his chest and spread her hands across his chiseled pecs. He ran his hands up her legs to her waist, then her breasts, taking her dress up too.

When he whipped it over her head, leaving her in her bra and panties, her nipples hardened into tight buds.

"Fuck, you're sexy." He dipped his head and latched on to her earlobe, gently grinding it between his teeth before moving down her throat to the tops of her breasts. With a skilled hand, he popped her bra clasp and ripped the garment off her.

"It's so unfair that you're still dressed."

He flashed a grin and one-handedly peeled the black cotton off his torso.

Her tongue dried out. Oh god. He was hotter than she even imagined. He had six-pack abs that chiseled down to a muscled ring around his hips that held up his jeans.

As she let her gaze roam over him in appreciation, and he did the same to her, her pussy gave a hard squeeze of want that set her in motion.

She ran her hands over his chest to the waist of his jeans. Determined to reach the impressive cock she wanted so badly inside her, she worked at his fly.

When she unzipped it and reached for his stiff length, his eyes hooded in a sexy-as-sin way.

He lifted her and tossed her on the bed. She laughed at the unexpected playfulness of the moment but sobered when he followed her down. The press of his body against hers sent flames blasting through her system. She raked her fingers down his spine and locked them on his carved ass, jerking his erection against her.

They shared a groan. Unable to slow down, he ripped off his clothes, and she wiggled her panties down her hips.

He came up holding a condom and a smile. "Spread those pretty thighs. I already see how wet you are for me."

She shivered. Did guys actually talk like this outside of porn? Apparently. Her pussy squeezed again, and she felt juices wet her folds.

Watching Ledger slide a condom over his thick cock made her even wetter. She let her thighs part, and he let out a growl.

"Your pussy is as hot as the rest of you."

Her insides clutched. Hard.

"Hurry! I want you inside me!" She sat up and threw her arms around his neck, hauling him down on top of her. Her skin tingled at the stroke of his flesh on hers. Then he poised his flared cock head at the V of her thighs and she forgot her own name.

He pushed inside her in one slick thrust. "Fuck!"

"Yes!" she echoed his sentiment.

She dug her nails into his ass. He churned his hips, dragging his hard cock through her gripping walls.

He kissed her. He nibbled her throat. Sucked her nipples. And fucked her to a swift and hard orgasm it caught her completely by surprise.

Crying out, she rode the waves of bliss pounding through her body. His body stiffened, and he gave a hard jerk. Then his own release claimed him.

Mouth finding hers, he kissed her long and deep. Their bodies continued pumping together in rhythm until a final shudder ran through him.

When he pulled out of her, she felt more wetness trickle against her thigh.

That didn't feel right.

He rolled off her. "Fuck."

His drawled curse didn't begin to reflect the scope of the situation.

"Don't panic, Demi. The condom broke."

She wasn't the panicking type. She let her clients panic, not her.

They climbed off the bed and stared at each other from opposite sides.

"Want me to take you to the pharmacy for Plan B? You think a store's open at this time of night?"

She had to remain calm, but her nerves were pinging. "I'll go to the next town. It's open twenty-four hours."

"I'll drive you." He reached for his clothes.

"No. I've got it. Thanks. Just get dressed and I'll drive you to your vehicle."

He went into the bathroom. When he emerged, he was dressed. She already had her shoes on and her purse in hand.

His dark gaze held hers. "At least let me pay for the pill."

She nodded and thanked him. They rode in silence to Badlands. The bar was still open, the parking lot just as packed.

How quickly the tone of the evening had changed, from fun to concern in the blink of an eye.

Before Ledger climbed out of her car, he twisted in his seat. He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut across him.

"It's all right, Ledger. Really."

He snapped his mouth shut and nodded. He started to climb out and then turned back to her and planted a kiss right on her lips. "Drive safe, Demi. Get out your phone and take down my number."

The last thing she wanted. "You drive safe too."

Before he could insist on sharing his number, she drove off, glancing at him in the rearview mirror. He stood in the dim lights of the parking lot.

Ledger was not safe dick after all.