The day had dragged long, sun burning them both raw as they fed the cattle, patched fences, and pressed new seeds into the dry soil. By the time dusk fell, the ranch was quiet, only the crickets carrying their song. Cade leaned back against the worn table inside the barn, hat tipped back, chest still rising heavy from the work.

Rylan came to him slow, the smell of smoke and saddle leather clinging to him, the kind of scent Cade had long since learned to crave. Dust still clung to his shirt, but his hands were gentle as they slipped around Cade’s waist, drawing him in close until Cade was caged between his legs.

“You oughta rest,” Cade murmured, though his voice softened as Rylan nuzzled against his cheek, brushing away the grit of the day with the warmth of his lips.

“Rest feels better like this,” Rylan said low, pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth, soft as the breeze rolling through the barn doors. His touch was unhurried, reverent even, like he wasn’t trying to take, only to remind Cade he was there, steady and sure after the ache of hard labor.

Cade let his forehead fall against Rylan’s shoulder, breathing in that familiar mix of smoke, leather, and dust, the kind of scent that made the long hours worth it. And in that quiet, with nothing but the night settling around them, he let himself melt into Rylan’s arms, a rare peace blooming where exhaustion had been.