Chapter 4

Tank couldn’t take his eyes off Collin and Teddy, as if staring at them would make them get the idea that he was fuming inside. He knew he had no right to be, so he grabbed a chicken wing out of the nearby basket to give his hands something to do. He ate without thinking about it.

“If you stare any harder, you’re going to bore a hole in the other wall,” Alan said from next to him.

Tank growled and reached for another wing, but found an empty basket. He didn’t say anything because that would only give Alan’s comment weight, and that was the last thing he wanted.

“Come on. I can tell you like the guy,” Alan said. “You watch him all the time.”

“So he don’t screw anything up,” Tank argued.

“Right, and dancing with Teddy is going to hurt anything?” Alan teased. “You wore your best clothes because Collin was going to be here and you wanted to impress him.”

Sometimes Alan saw way too damned much. “You said I needed to thank the guys.”

“You could have done that in a shirt and jeans, not your ‘look at me, I’m a peacock’ clothes and a hat and boots that put everyone else’s to shame. I’ve known you too long.” Alan nudged his shoulder. “If you’re interested in Collin, then you best stake your claim, or else Teddy is going to have him lassoed and branded as his own. And you know you don’t steal from another cowboy.”

Tank hadn’t taken his eyes off the pair. “It don’t matter.”

“That’s bullshit, and you know it.” Alan jabbed him again. “Now get your sorry ass off that seat and go over there and cut in.” Alan stood himself and took George by the hand, then dragged him to the floor.

The truth was that Tank wanted what the two of them had, but he didn’t think it was in the cards for him. It never had been. He was convinced that he was one of those guys who was meant to be alone. It was safer for him—and, well, everyone else, as far as Tank was concerned. Still, his insides churned. Damn it all, he had seen a hell of a lot when he was in the Army, and he was damned well not going to chicken out over some guy.

Tank pushed himself up and strode over to Teddy. “I’d like a dance, if you don’t mind.” He met Teddy’s gaze, and the kid paled a little before stepping back. “Is that okay?” he asked Collin before taking him in his arms and guiding him across the dance floor.

“You didn’t have to scare Teddy half to death,” Collin said. “And you didn’t have to make a huge production about asking me to dance. I would have.”

“I didn’t. I just cut in. It’s a thing here,” he explained as he twirled Collin in his arms. The man moved like a dream, and Tank had to remind himself that couldn’t get too carried away.

“I see,” Collin said with an adorably wicked smile as the song came to an end. Most people applauded, but Tank held Collin still, waiting for the next number to begin. “So if that cute cowboy over there were to ask me to dance, you’d step back and let him cut in?”

Tank growled, and Collin chuckled.

“I didn’t think so. You enjoyed intimidating Teddy with all this, didn’t you?” The mirth in his eyes was priceless. Tank picked up the pace as the next song began, moving more quickly to the up-tempo beat. “Where did you learn to dance?”

“My mama,” Tank answered. “She told me that every young man needed to know how to dance if he was ever going to be able to get first pick of a wife. She died without ever knowing that I would never have a wife. But she felt strongly about such things, so she taught me how to dance. She and Daddy came here every Saturday night to eat and dance, and when I was a teenager, I came along. Where did you learn?” Tank realized that he was talking a lot more than he normally did, but it wasn’t every day that he danced with someone, and Mama had told him that talking to your dance partner was polite.

“My mother arranged for me to have classes in the gentlemanly arts, as she put it. I was taught how to dance, eat properly, address all levels of nobility, bow appropriately, and how to behave in any situation. This was all drilled into me before the age of ten, when I was sent to school at Harrow. Somehow it didn’t cover working as a ranch hand or dancing in a cowboy bar.” Collin moved gracefully and effortlessly until the song ended.

Collin seemed unsure if he wanted to continue, but Tank tugged him closer when the music slowed. “Is something wrong?”

“In my world, if you dance with someone for three consecutive songs, that’s the equivalent of a proposal of marriage.” Collin met his gaze with a hard seriousness, and Tank faltered and nearly stepped on Collin’s toes. “God, I really got you there, didn’t I?”

Tank relaxed. “You did.”

“And you seem to have staked your claim now. All the others in the room are watching us… or probably you.”

Tank shook his head. “They’re watching you. Everyone already knows me.” He swayed to the music, and Collin rested his head on Tank’s upper chest.

“That’s okay, then.”

Tank nearly stumbled. “You don’t mind being the center of attention?” He had always hated it.

“Why do you think I had all those lessons? I’m a viscount, and eventually I’ll be the earl. I’ve been the center of attention since I was a child. George and I were both raised the same way. As the son of a duke, he garnered even more attention than I did, and that meant that he had to be even more perfect or the talk would swirl everywhere, and that was never tolerated.”

Tank understood plenty about talk. He’d been the object of a lot of it over the years. “People talk about me.”

Collin glanced around with a scowl. “Why? Because you’re a grumpy old bear living alone on a ranch?” Damn, that wicked smile was back. “A man has the right to live his life the way he wants to.” That was a sentiment that Tank hadn’t expected.

“Is that why you’re here?” He turned Collin halfway, his arms around his waist as they sashayed in a circle with the other dancers.

“In part. My father wants me to live the life that he wants, and I’m fighting him on it.” The music came to an end, and Collin shook his head slightly. Then he stepped back and gave Tank a little bow. “You, sir, are a fine dancer, and I’d waltz around the floor with you anytime.” Then he returned to the table, sat next to George and Alan, and took a gulp of his beer.

Tank stood alone on the floor, wondering what the hell had just happened.

Alan motioned him over, and when he approached the table, Alan handed him a beer. “I think you both need something to drink.”

Tank downed the contents of the glass and leaned forward to glance at Collin, who looked back at him with a smile. Okay, so maybe things weren’t as bad as Tank had thought. His racing heart calmed a little, and he ordered another beer, determined to drink this one more slowly.

An hour or so later, he was ready to go home. “Maybe I should go back to the house and check on the pups,” Tank proposed. He had done his duty to the guys who helped him. He’d fed and watered all of them, and they were now on to carousing and carrying on.

Alan and George nodded and finished their beers. “Collin, are you ready to go?” Alan asked.

Collin grinned. “I was thinking I’d see if I could go find Teddy. Maybe he’s still interested in a dance or two.” Wicked—the man was that through and through. Then Collin got up and came over to Tank. “Maybe you’d take me for another spin before we go home, cowboy?” Collin held out his hand. Tank took it and led Collin to the dance floor.

The music was hopping, and so did they. Collin kept up beautifully, and a few other couples turned to watch. Tank paid them no mind. He had Collin in his arms, and the way that man looked at him made Tank want things he knew he shouldn’t. No matter how many times he danced with him or looked into Collin’s eyes, Tank knew he was only here for a few weeks. And besides, Tank could let himself have a little fun, but he was destined to be alone. It was just the way of the world and his lot in life. Experience had taught him that, and there was no changing it.

The music came to an end, and once more Collin gave a little bow. Then he guided Tank off the dance floor to where Alan and George were getting ready to leave. Tank thanked the men for their help and paid his bill before heading out. Alan drove, and Tank settled in the back next to Collin, who yawned and leaned against him. Before Tank realized what had happened, Collin slipped his hand around Tank’s waist and fell asleep.

“How can anyone be out that fast?” Tank whispered.

“Travel, hard work, and dancing will take a lot out of a fellow,” George said, yawning himself.

Alan pulled to a stop at an intersection and looked back, shaking his head. “He was in the RAF for a few years, and those boys learn to sleep when they can.”

“He flew planes?” Tank asked.

“Yes,” George said. “Collin was danged good, from what I hear. But he had some vision issues, and they clipped his wings. After that, he went to work on the family estate, and things have been tough since then. He and the earl don’t get along much. Not that anyone does with that man. Collin’s father is barely tolerated, but he stays just over the line so that cutting him will cause talk and raise questions, so folks put up with the bastard, and he goes on being a pain in the bum.”

Tank nodded. He hadn’t pegged Collin as a military man, but then he was a pilot, so that was different. “I know he’s good with horses.”

“Collin is amazing with them. But his first love is flying. It always was,” George said softly.

Tank hummed to himself. He thought that a guy like Collin would have had everything in life he could have wanted. His family had money and were well known. They had a title. But it seemed that he and Collin did have something in common. “I don’t know what to say.”

George turned in the passenger seat. “Just because I’m a duke and Collin is a viscount doesn’t mean that we haven’t had our share of disappointments just like everyone else. His life may not mirror yours, but it doesn’t mean that he’s had it easy. Just a different brand of hard road, and there’s plenty of potholes ahead.” George turned back around, and Tank held Collin to him for the rest of the drive back to the ranch.

A little while later, Collin sat up and rubbed his eyes. “Where are we? Is this the ranch?” He peered out the window.

“No. Alan got a call from Chip that some of the fence might be down. Alan is taking a look. He’ll be back in a few minutes.” Tank was so tempted to lean down and guide Collin’s lips to his. They were alone in the car at the moment, and Collin’s scent filled the confined space. It had been a very long time since he had been with anyone, and the desire that welled from deep inside was almost more than he could control, but Tank had to. There was no other choice. “Did you get a good rest?” He cracked the door open to let in some fresh air and hopefully cool some of the want that raged through him.

“You didn’t help them?” Collin asked.

“Alan said he and George had it, and you were asleep.” The front door opened and Alan got behind the wheel once again. “Is everything okay?”

“There was a small break, but we got it repaired, so nothing is going to get out in the night. I’ll have one of the men come by in the morning to make a permanent repair.” George got in as well, and Tank closed his door before they slipped off into the night back toward home.

Collin sat up and leaned back in the seat. Tank missed his warmth and closeness, but he didn’t say anything about it. The few minutes he’d had Collin next to him had been special, but he didn’t want to seem desperate. Once Alan turned in the drive and parked the car, Tank got out to a cry from the pups inside the house. The barking echoed out through the open windows.

“Sheba, that’s enough,” he called. As soon as he opened the door, all three of them raced outside around his legs, tails wagging. Collin lifted one of the puppies, giving it attention, while Tank got the others inside. He waved as George and Alan pulled out, and then closed the door before setting out to get the troops a little snack.

“I had a nice evening,” Collin said as they watched the dogs eat. It was strange how neither of them seemed to want to part, and yet they didn’t know what to say to each other. Tank found himself glancing at Collin, who seemed to do the same, and yet no words would come. He wasn’t sure what to do and figured the best thing was to just go to bed.

The dogs finished eating, and Tank took all of them outside to do their business. When he returned, Collin seemed to have gone to bed, and Tank took the dogs with him to his room. After cleaning up, he climbed into a bed that seemed much bigger than it had before, and the house lonelier than he had ever realized. Tired and with a busy day ahead, he quickly fell asleep.

Something was off, but Tank couldn’t quite figure out what. The house was quiet, with no unusual sounds. He sat up and checked the dogs but found their bed empty, which was unusual. He pushed back the covers and pulled on a pair of sweats. Then he quietly went through the house. A lone figure sat in front of the picture window in the living room, the dogs clustered around him. Collin petted all of them slowly and in turn. There was something about a man who cared for his dogs.

“Is something wrong?” Tank asked. “It’s after three and you should be exhausted after all the work today.”

“I know, but it’s well past ten at home, and my body thinks I should be awake,” Collin said. “I didn’t mean to get you up. I just couldn’t sleep.” He turned in the chair, and the dogs huffed and whined until he settled and began petting them once more. Sheba jumped down, and Tank sat on the sofa and let her jump into his lap. “You should go back to bed. I know you have work you need to do in the morning, and I can help.”

“I’m awake now, and I have to get up in about an hour anyway.” Besides, in the light of the full moon that shone through the window, Collin looked like some ethereal god he’d had to read about in high school. Collin wore just a pair of shorts, and his light skin seemed to glow. He was slim but not skinny, and contrary to what Tank originally thought, Collin hadn’t been some spoiled rich kid who spent his life taking it easy. There was work built up in those long, lean muscles. His hair caught the light like morning over a mown field of straw. “I can get us something to drink.”

“It isn’t necessary. I was hoping to try to rest again,” Collin said. The two puppies curled together on his lap. “These guys are so cute.”

“Chip rescued them, the way he does most living creatures. He has a whole passel of them at the ranch. Last year he had an eagle for a while. He found it injured back near the creek, and it couldn’t fly. Got the vet to tranquilize it and splint the wing, and Chip nursed it back to health and set it free a month later. Now there’s a nest back there, and maybe we’ll get eaglets this year. That boy takes care of everything that crosses his path.”

“Is he going to be a vet?”

“I sure hope so. The critters all trust him, and he seems to know what they need,” Tank explained as his eyes began to grow heavy. He’d probably had more beer than he intended, and the residual was making him sleepy. “I think I’m going to try to go back to bed.” Tank moved, and Sheba jumped down. Collin lifted the sleepy pups and set them down. They followed their mother down the hall, and Tank went to his room, then turned to where Collin stood outside his door. He met his gaze, and Collin slowly approached.

Tank stood stock-still as Collin came up to him. Collin took his hand and led him into the bedroom and to the bed. Tank thought about asking what they were going to do, but he didn’t want to sound stupid. This was a man who understood the ways of the wide world. Tank knew his ranch, and that was his world. Collin climbed under the covers, and Tank slid off the sweatpants and got in too. “Just rest, okay?” Collin whispered, and when Tank lay against the pillow, Collin curled into his side, a hand sliding over his belly but going no farther. “Just relax and close your eyes. You feel like you’re about to jump out of your skin.”

Tank swallowed hard. “I don’t want to mess anything up.”

Collin patted his belly and shifted closer. “Just close your eyes and go to sleep. We can talk about anything more in the morning.”

“But…,” Tank said, his blood pumping a mile a minute.

“Hey,” Collin whispered, using that same tone he had with the horse a day earlier. “There’s nothing to worry about. I don’t think you’re ready for anything more than just a little quiet time.” He yawned. “Relax and don’t worry about anything.”

“But you’re in my bed.” This was the most confusing thing Tank could remember. He hadn’t had anyone in his bed in years, and that had most definitely been for sex, though Tank had thought it would mean more than that. He had been mistaken then, and now the rules seemed to have shifted once more.

Collin chuckled. “I can go back to my own bed if that’s what you’d prefer.”

He held Tank a little closer, and Tank figured what the hell. He could go with the flow. He didn’t have to control everything all the time. He closed his eyes, breathed in Collin’s scent, and tried to do as Collin said and let go of his issues, at least for now.

Collin rested his head on Tank’s shoulder and seemed to settle on the bed. Tank tried not to stare up at the ceiling in wonder and confusion. He closed his eyes, breathed deeply, and let the day’s work catch up with him.

Tank startled awake as light streamed into his room. He blinked and checked the time. It was after seven, and Collin was asleep right next to him. He didn’t want to move, but he had intended to get up two hours ago. There were chores to do and plenty of work to oversee, yet all that fell to the side with Collin next to him.

“Is it work time?” Collin asked with a yawn.

“I suppose it is.” He left the covers in place. “There’s a lot to get done.”

“Then why aren’t you moving?”

Tank was just about to say that he didn’t want to when Sheba began barking, racing out the door with the puppies behind her, all three raising one hell of a ruckus. Tank pushed back the covers and got out of the bed, feeling Collin’s eyes on him. He pulled on a pair of sweats and a T-shirt before heading to the door. He peered out the window at a truck he wasn’t familiar with and wondered who could be here. “Calm down, beasts,” he told the dogs, and opened the door.