Horses, a sympathetic ear, or a good night’s sleep. Cole Woodruff, owner of the Lazy W Dude Ranch, supplies whatever his guests need. But when Jack Harmon arrives, Cole’s own desires clamor to be met. Should he risk the ranch to satisfy what might be nothing more than an itch? And even if Jack turns out to be that special man Cole’s yearned for, is it right to move forward when a vulnerable child is involved? Not long ago, Jack was awarded custody of his son Alex after the sudden death of the boy’s mother. Out on the road for all of his son’s life, what does he know about being a dad? Sleepless nights spent worrying have worn Jack to a raw nerve. Visiting the dude ranch with Alex, Jack delights in Cole's friendship. And the way Cole’s warm, wonderful voice is so soothing, it cradles Jack to sleep whenever they’re together. Jack aches to spend every night dreaming in the big cowboy's arms. But can a lullaby last forever? Or will the dream fade when morning comes?

Cowboy Lullaby

Cole reached over and plucked the mug from Jack’s limp hands and leaned across him to set it on the table. But before he could lean back, Jack had latched on to the red long-johns, twisting his fingers into the cloth. Eyes still shut, the man just followed Cole down into the corner of the couch, wormed his way under Cole’s arm, and started snoring.


Well, shit. Now what was he supposed to do? Wake the insomniac so the man could spend the rest of the night pacing? And with Jack clinging like a human tick, there was no way Cole was going to be able to slip away without disturbing him.


Sighing, he moved the pillow from his lap to under his head and snagged the multi-colored afghan from the back of the couch, spreading it over the two of them. Just a few hours. He could give the man that much. Cole knew his own built-in alarm clock would have him awake long before dawn. He’d slip away then, even if it meant waking Jack.


Chapter 5