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 was sprawled in the bed, wearing his signature red union suit. Jack couldn’t help but smile—the man was delightful. Jack gathered his toiletries and a pair of sleep pants and headed for the shower. When he returned, Cole was sitting up.


Squinting his eyes, the man said, “Any problems on the drive?”


“No, it was long, but no traffic at this hour.”


“Good.” Cole stretched, threw off the covers, and said, “I’ll get out of your hair so you can get some sleep.”


“Well, actually, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about.”


Settling back on the bed, he said, “Okay, I’m listening.”


Chapter 13