He rolled over in the queen size bed, the sheets falling to l around his waist as he checked the clock beside the table.

It was already almost three in the morning he needed to get moving for the day.

He sat up, pushing a hand through his disheveled dark hair.

The brunette in the bed behind him stirred. He heard the sheets rustling as she sat up too.

"What're you doing?" She asked, her voice thick with sleep.

"I gotta get heading back to the ranch."

She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his chest. Pressing her naked body against his muscular back.
His hand fell to her bare thigh, his thumb rubbing a circle.

"Can you stay a little longer?" She asked her chin on his shoulder.

Rex turned his head, claiming her lips with his for just a minute.

"I can't, not today."

She faked a pout as he stood, then fell back to the mattress in his spot.

"When can I see you again?" She asked.

He pulled his underwear, jeans up, and then grabbed his shirt from the floor.

"Soon. I hope. I kind of have a lot going on at the ranch right now, but it will die down soon."

"If you'd call before I could make dinner."

He buttoned his shirt and tucked it into his jeans before tightening his belt and picking his hat up off the end of the cedar chest.

"I usually eat with the men."

"I know, I just thought it would be nice to do something else for a change...besides sex."

"The sex isn't nice?" He teased.

He walked to the bed bending down to take her lips in a deep kiss. She reclined against the pillow, and he followed her, his right hand sliding up her thigh to between her legs.

When she pulled away for a choked gasp, he grinned down at her. Then, he pulled his hand away.

"You're an ass," she teased.

"I'll try and call next time," He agreed.

He sat down on the end of the bed and pulled on his boots. When he looked back at her, she had fallen asleep.

He let himself out of her apartment. Walking down the sidewalk to his pick up and climbing inside.

Even though it was early morning and the sky was still dark, he could tell another rainstorm was coming soon. The rain storms made the pastures Muddy. The cows couldn't be held up in the barn much longer.

His mind wandered back to Nicole, the woman in the bed he had just left.

He supposed they were friends, they spoke when they saw each other. They were friendly when they ended up at the same events, but he knew very little about her.

They'd been sleeping together off and on for about two years. She never asked for more. She dated occasionally, and he would back off out of respect. Anytime they both were single, it was nice to have someone to spend time with.

The question was, did he want more? He never planned to marry or have kids. He didn't know what she wanted in her future.

He could start with a nice dinner, one where he wasn't focusing on just getting her clothes off would be a start.

He pulled into the ranch and parked near the bunk house. Walking inside and hoping for a cup of coffee before he had to start the day.

When he stepped inside Flora was already in the kitchen, the coffee was brewing, and a sweet smell hung in the air.
Flora moved back and forth, filling lunch bags for the day.

"Morning," He said softly, hanging his hat up.

"Oh, good morning."

She didn't turn towards him as she kept working.

"Can I get a cup of coffee?"

She glanced at him, then bragged a coffee cup and filled it with black coffee, and handed it to him.

"Do you think you could feed the calf in the barn today? I'm going to be busy."

"Yeah, I can do that."

"There's a stray dog running around...mangey thing... maybe just give it some scraps if you see it."

"Okay."

She turned back to the lunches she was packing, and he glanced in to where the other men were all still snoring.

"Tomorrow is Saturday, we work until about 12 then have the afternoon and evening off usually. Mr. Wilder insists."

She gave a small nod and didn't reply.

"I'm sorry...about...yesterday, I'll pay you back every penny." She said softly.

He took a drink of coffee, and he couldn't imagine how embarrassing yesterday had been for her.
A complete stranger purchasing her from her father like a pound of beef.

"You don't need to be sorry."

"I know you don't have that kind of money," she said softly.

"How do you know that?" He asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to offend you."

"Your mother was an Indian, right?"

"...part...her mother was Navajo."

"Surely you could go to the reservation, find some relatives to help you get back on your feet."

"My mother left my father when I was two, her father and her brother told her she'd made her choice to be with a white man and she must honor it. They turned her out. After she died, my father borrowed money from nearly everyone on the reservation... They won't have me."

"Your dad really burnt a lot of bridges for you, didn't he?"

She gave another timid nod but no verbal reply.

"This place is a good place to land when you can't go anywhere else, but it's not place for a lady."

"Ruby is here," she pointed out.

"Ruby is here because Mr. Wilder can't function without her. She has a purpose, you don't. You can't waste your life making lunches for weathered cowboys."

"You don't want me here," she said softly.

"I don't want you wasting a life I paid to save."

A rustling drew his attention to the other cowboys slowly pulling themselves from their beds.

Flora glanced at the cowboys and then started gathering coffee cups and filling them.
Rex fell silent, drinking his own coffee.

One by one, the cowboys filtered to the kitchen, each one getting a cup of coffee and some kind of toaster pastry she had made.
Most were kind but respectful as Rex watched them with close eyes.

Colby was the last one to read the kitchen, and he gave Flora a wide smile that she didn't return.

"You are quite the site in the morning," He said, taking his coffee.

"Um, thanks."

"I'd really like to see more of you," He said.

She glanced nervously at Rex he wasn't sure if she wanted rescued or was afraid he would object.

"I'll be around for a little while at least," she said softly.

"I mean...I'd like to see...all of you," Colby said, reaching out to brush her long hair over one shoulder.

She flinched away at his touch, backing into the sink, her blue eyes going quickly to Rex. This time, there was no mistaking what she wanted.

"Colby, let's keep our fucking hands to ourselves," Rex warned in a booming voice.

"Hey I wasn't trying to hurt her."

"I know exactly what you're trying to do dipshit. It's called consent, try it some time now back the fuck off."

Colby rolled his eyes and walked away for now it was enough but Rex wondered just how long he could keep Colby away and how long her timidly dealing his offers would work.

"Listen to me. Any of the men try shit that you don't like don't be afraid to say something. Use your voice." He said.

She gave a small nod, her eyes following Colby as he walked around talking to the other men.

Regardless of how long she stated here, she was under Rex's  roof. She was depending on him to keep her safe, and it was a job he didn't take lightly.

"When you get a free moment today, move my shit, would you?" He asked, standing to pull on his hat.

The other cowboys slowly filtered from the bunkhouse.

"What? Where?" She asked.

From the barn, in here, any empty bunk will do, I don't care."

He adjusted his belt buckle, and her eyes fell to it before she winced and backed away from him.

"Yes, sir."

"I'll see you later."

He exited the bunkhouse, seeing Lloyd halfway to the barn and walking towards him.

"I'm moving into the bunkhouse," He said quickly.

"I bet you are, you old dog."

"Keep an eye on Colby, will you? I don't trust him."

"Did he do something? I'll put him out right now."

"No, nothing yet, but just keep an eye on him."

"Will do."

He glanced one more time at Colby before opening the stall door and letting his own horse out.

This is why she had to go. He couldn't watch every man every day to make sure they kept their distance sooner or later someone was going to get hurt.