Romancing the Ranger Read online

  She liked him.

  That’s why her palms were sweating, and her heart raced as she pulled into the lot and saw his park service truck. She knew she liked him, and thought he liked her, too. But something about her set him off. She just couldn’t figure out what it was.

  She was about to find out.

  Slamming the door of the car, she cautiously approached Wade. He was working on the frame of the building and the sound of his hammer pounding a nail rang out in the forest.

  Reese sucked in her breath. He was so hot. How did she ever get the interest of a guy like that?

  And how could she get it back?

  “Hi.” She wore jean shorts, a white tank top, and the new pair of hiking boots that had been in the boxes she’d received yesterday. Her long hair hung loose and curled around her shoulders.

  Hey, a girl’s gotta use what she has. She’d tucked a ponytail holder in her pocket in case she needed it later.

  Wade gave her a quick glance, then continued to hammer, the scowl never leaving his face. “Where’s Bagel? His leg isn’t messed up, is it?”

  This was why she liked him. His first question was about her dog and if he was okay. “He’s fine. Miss Abigail asked if he could keep her company today. I’m sure she’ll spoil him all day with cuddles and sneak him bits of food. Like that dog needs any more food.”

  Her lighthearted joke fell flat as he continued his task. “Why don’t you grab some gloves and hold that board up over there. We missed a day of work yesterday, so we need to make up for it today.”

  Resigned, she pulled out her gloves and crossed to the board he’d gestured to.

  They worked through the morning, their silence broken only with bits of instruction from Wade. Her concentration was off and so far she’d nailed a board upside down and given him the wrong measurements twice.

  She kept waiting for him to tell her why he was so mad at her. Or at least give her a hint. She was so used to Brock explaining in exact detail what she did to upset him that she couldn’t figure out how to deal with Wade. Should she try to confront him and risk him getting angrier or just keep waiting for him to throw her a crumb of explanation?

  She didn’t know the answer, but she knew the silent treatment was killing her.

  Finally, she couldn’t take his scowl anymore. Either he liked her or he didn’t. Tired of tip-toeing around his anger, she needed to know what was going on.

  What had she done to cause such a shift in his mood?

  She dropped her gloves on top of the cooler. “Let’s take a break. I’m going to walk up to the waterfall. Would you like to come with me?”

  He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, sure. It wouldn’t hurt to stretch my legs a bit.”

  They walked up the trail and stood at the railing, soaking up the peace that she knew the water brought to both of them.

  She tried to touch his hand, but he pulled it away. “All right, enough already. Would you just tell me what’s wrong?”

  He stared out at the waterfall.

  Glancing around, she wished for a place to sit and talk. “It would be so great if there were a bench up here. Maybe I could donate one so people could sit up here and look at the falls.”

  Wade turned to her, his face a mask of anger and pain. “You want to know what’s wrong, Reese? That right there. You see a problem, and you just want to fix it by throwing money at it. Like money and buying things can fix everything.”

  She blinked, shocked at his vehement attack. “What are you talking about? I don’t know where you got this idea that I throw money around.”

  He arched an eyebrow at her. “So says the girl who got twenty packages in the mail from a shopping spree and is wearing new clothes and a pair of two-hundred-dollar hiking boots.”

  This is what he was so upset about? The packages in the mail?

  “I got five packages in the mail yesterday, and if you had stuck around long enough to talk, you would have seen that two of them were from my dad’s secretary, Lena. I asked her to go by my apartment and send me some clothes. She’s like a second mother to me and wanted to help. So, I am not wearing a new outfit, you just haven’t seen it before. I hate to shop, and I just keep my things nice so that I don’t have to.”

  She sighed. “I bought a couple of books on the craft of writing from a used bookstore, and I ordered a lightweight raincoat.” She looked down at her feet. “As for these boots, I bought them because of you. You told me that you liked to hike, so I googled about hiking and everything I read said that the most important thing to have was a good pair of boots. I wanted to surprise you and suggest a hike and knew I would already be out of my element—and didn’t want to add getting blisters to the mix.”

  His face softened. “You googled hiking? For me?” The corners of his mouth tipped up in the slightest grin. “You realize hiking is basically just walking. Except you do it outdoors. How can you mess that up?”

  Shrugging her shoulders, she offered him a small smile. She might be close to breaking through and getting to the root of his anger.

  She touched his hand, and this time he let it stay on top of his. “Wade, I work hard at my job, and it pays me well. I like to save, and I have money put aside because I am a cheapskate at heart and don’t have enough of a social life to spend a lot of money on. If I go anywhere, it’s always been with my dad or a guy like my dad who paid for everything and whose ego stood in the way of me spending any money. When I do buy things, though, I like to buy quality things that will last. Like these hiking boots.”

  He blew out his breath and stared across the water, not looking at her. “Listen, I’m sorry I flew off the handle. All those packages and the expensive gift you gave my grandmother just reminded me of Tawnya.”

  “The woman you were engaged to before?”

  “Yeah, the one who acted like she loved me, then used me for my solid bank account and good credit score. I don’t talk about it much, because I’m ashamed that I let myself get roped in and taken advantage of so bad, but Tawnya left me with a mountain of debt and a bruised ego. She hated that my job paid so little and that I couldn’t buy her more expensive things.”

  What a witch. She’d wondered why Wade was so close-lipped about his ex.

  He narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m well aware of the men you’re used to being around, Reese. And I’m not like them. And I never will be. I can’t take you to fancy clubs and expensive restaurants or buy you nice gifts.”

  What was he talking about?

  Where had he come up with these ideas? Did he think she was like Tawnya—the money-grubbing ex he just described? Her anger flared, but she took a deep breath, trying to stay calm and understand the place of hurt that he was coming from.

  “I never asked you to. I don’t care about fancy restaurants. I adore our picnic lunches where we sit outside, and you sneak your crusts to my dog. You cannot do that in a nice restaurant. And I loved that you took me fishing. That you shared a part of yourself with me. You taught me something new.”

  She looked up at him with a wicked grin. “And I don’t just mean that thing you do with your tongue.”

  He laughed and pulled her into a hug.

  She breathed deep as she relaxed into his arms. This felt so good. He felt so good. “Can we just go back to being friends again? To having fun and fooling around with each other?”

  He tipped her chin up to look at him. “Yeah, I would like that. But by fooling around, do you mean joking and flirting, or do you mean getting naked at my cottage later tonight?”

  Her grin widened. She slid her hand down and in an uncharacteristic move, grabbed his butt.

  A nervous giggle escaped her as she peered up at him and simply said, “Yes, that’s exactly what I mean.”

  Chapter Eight

  Reese knocked on the door of Wade’s cottage, her pulse already quickening at the thought of being with him again.

  Sitting through dinner tonight had been torture. She swore the man made eatin
g pork chops look sexy.

  His hand had brushed hers several times as they passed the food, and she’d squeaked a little as his foot rubbed against her bare leg in a tantalizing game of footsie.

  He opened the door, and she wanted to jump him.

  His hair was wet from a recent shower, and he was barefoot, wearing only a pair of faded jeans.

  And, oh dear Lord, the top button was undone, as if the little silver snap were an invitation.

  An invitation that she planned to RSVP to right now.

  She held up a bottle of wine and two mugs that she’d snuck from the kitchen. “I don’t know that Bob’s Liquor down on Fourth has the most exquisite wine choices, but I did the best I could.”

  He looked her up and down and made a low growling sound in his throat. Pulling her to him, he laid a kiss on her, then whispered, “You are so damn beautiful.”

  Forget the wine. Forget everything except how quickly she could get out of her clothes. This man made her weak in the knees, and she wanted him. Now.

  She scanned the one-room cottage and set the wine and cups down on the coffee table. The well-kept room was decorated in a cabin style with dark woods and bear decor.

  A hint of moisture from Wade’s shower and the scent of his aftershave filled the air. The room was dimly lit from the light above the sink in the small kitchenette and the canoe-shaped lamp on his bedside table.

  A queen-sized bed sat in one corner of the room, and she took Wade’s hand and tugged him toward it.

  “Don’t you want some wine?” he asked. “I probably have some real wineglasses around here.”

  She narrowed her eyes, going for a sexy and smoldering look. “All I want right now is you—in this bed.”

  Giving him a gentle push, he toppled to the bed, and she climbed on top of him, straddling his jean-clad legs.

  She wanted control. She wanted to make decisions and her own choices.

  Right now her choice was Wade, and she meant to control this night. To seize the power and hold him spellbound as she had her way with him.

  Then she’d allow him to have his way with her.

  He chuckled softly. “You’re kinda bossy in bed.”

  “That’s right. Tonight I’m the boss. And you have to do what I say and let me do whatever I want to you.” She narrowed her eyes. “Is that okay with you?”

  The look in his eyes went from surprised to naughty, and he grinned. “Uh, yeah. I mean, yes, totally.”

  Pulling off her T-shirt, she was thankful Lena had included fresh bra and panty sets in the clothes she’d sent. By the way Wade was eyeing the lacy black bra she wore, she assumed he was glad, too.

  He reached up, running the backs of his fingers across the tops of her breasts, and sent a shiver of pleasure down her back. His eyes were molten, filled with liquid heat as he slowly perused her body.

  “First rule is no touching until I say.” Taking his hands, she drew them over his head and linked them together. “Except by me. I get to touch all I want.”

  His face wore a huge grin, and he looked like he’d just won the booty-call lottery. “Touch whatever you want, babe. Hell, touch things twice.”

  He was into it, and she had the insane urge to put on a show for him. She slowly stripped off her bra and tossed it to the floor.

  Running her hands along his muscled chest, she teased and tickled and loved the soft growl that sounded from the back of his throat.

  The man had amazing muscles.

  He sucked in his breath as she traced the waistband of his jeans, stopping to slowly unzip the zipper.

  Oh. My. Ranger Wade wasn’t wearing any underwear.

  She slid down his legs, pulling his jeans free and leaving him naked on the bed.

  His gaze never left her as she stood and unfastened her shorts. She skimmed the fabric down her legs and stepped free of them.

  Wearing only a pair of black lace thong panties, she resumed her spot, deliberately rubbing against him as she straddled his hips.

  She shook out her hair, knowing that the movement jiggled her breasts as well. Wade’s eyes widened, and his slow swallow gave her all the confidence she needed as she leaned forward, the tips of her nipples brushing his chest.

  Nibbling and tasting, she feasted on his neck, drawing assurance from the way his hips bucked under her. She ran her hands along his muscled arms as he gripped the dowels of the headboard.

  She sat up, arching her back, and let him look at her.

  His sudden hitch of breath told her he liked the show, and she reveled in the feeling of being in command of the situation. “Would you like to touch me now?”

  He nodded, his gaze locked on hers. “Yes.” His voice was deep, full of want.

  Wade reached up and filled his hands with her breasts. A thrill of desire raced through her, and her insides tightened with need.

  His hand slid up her neck, cupped her head, and pulled her down on top of him. His lips found hers, and he kissed her with a fiery passion.

  Riding his hips, she moved in rhythm with their kisses, drawing moans of desire from him. Every part of her ached to touch more of him, to feel him tighter against her.

  Finally allowed to touch her, his hands raced over her body—caressing, fondling.

  With a growl of need, he rose up, grabbing her waist, and flipped her over. A quick movement of his hand stripped her panties down her legs, then he was on top of her, his weight a welcome pressure.

  His voice, husky and raw, spoke next to her ear. “I want you, Reese. I want you now.”

  A soft “Yes” was all she could gasp as her legs wrapped around his waist.

  A wanton need consumed her, and everything else fell away. She craved this man with a hunger she’d never felt before.

  He reached for the bedside table, yanking at the drawer in his haste. Fumbling for a foil-wrapped package, he spilled the box then grabbed one from the pile. He ripped the top free and reached down, covering himself with the protection.

  Her breath came in ragged gasps as she lay beneath him, in anticipation of what was to come. She pulled him down, reveling in his weight on top of her.

  His fingers dug into her hair, and his breath was warm on her neck as he filled her. Slow and steady, his hips moved against hers, increasing in tempo.

  He felt so damn good, so right.

  He whispered her name, and she was gone. She lost all control.

  But this time it was okay.

  In fact, it was utterly amazing.

  Chapter Nine

  The next week flew by in a blur.

  Working at the park in the morning, they made great progress on the little building. Too quickly.

  Wade found himself wanting to take extended breaks because he wasn’t ready for the project to end. Wasn’t ready for Reese to leave.

  They laughed and flirted as they worked, finding little ways to touch or brush against each other. She spent the afternoons back at the bed and breakfast working on her book while he tried to get his work done in the park office.

  Tried was the key word.

  Every time he tried to concentrate on a report or work on the schedule, his mind drifted to Reese. And his mind especially liked to drift to naked Reese.

  He struggled to focus, but all he could think about was her in his bed, on the floor, or her slick and sudsy body as he’d soaped her up in the bathtub the night before.

  They took their meals in the evening with Gram, talking over their day and sharing stories with Miss Abigail.

  But after dinner, as the dusk settled in, they were drawn to each other like moths to a flame. And boy did they make a great flame.

  That woman was going to kill him. He could not get enough of her. It was like his body knew she was only going to be around for so long, and he was taking his fill while he could.

  She made him feel good. Too good.

  It wouldn’t last.

  He knew she had to go back to Denver. Had a life somewhere else. But for now, he took what he could
get. A tiny part of his mind wondered if she was using him. He knew she was on the rebound from another relationship, and he was just the Band-Aid for her hurt. But damned if he didn’t enjoy being that Band-Aid.

  “Can you hand me another nail?” Reese asked, drawing him from his musings. She stood on the ladder, and he took a second to admire the view of her rump at eye level. Her hip jutted out just a bit as she held a trim board in place, waiting for a nail.

  He grabbed one and handed it up to her then ran his hand up her leg, stopping just short of her butt. His fingers itched to grab hold and pull her from the ladder, lay her in the grass, rip those little shorts off, and have his way with her.

  “I know exactly what you’re thinking,” she said, as she hammered the nail in then eased down the ladder. Raking her fingers through his hair, she dropped a quick kiss on his lips and gave him a naughty grin. “Hold that thought until tonight. Then I can add a few of my ideas in as well.”

  He chuckled. “I do tend to like your ideas.” Especially the one she’d had the night before when she’d invited him to come over to have a sundae for dessert.

  His jaw had hit the floor when she’d opened her door wearing nothing but half a can of whipped cream and a couple of maraschino cherries.

  “You’re thinking about the whipped cream, aren’t you?” She smiled slyly.

  “That was a pretty good idea.” He leaned in and nuzzled her neck. “What’s your idea for tonight?”

  “I was kind of thinking of going out.”

  “Out? You mean like outside? We could go back down to the lake.”

  She laughed. “Not that the lake isn’t a great idea, but I mean out-out. Your grandmother was telling me about the Summer Festival in town. She said it starts tonight, and they’re doing a chili cook-off and having a street dance.”

  He shrugged. “I could probably be persuaded to eat some chili. But you don’t strike me as a girl that likes country music.”

  “You just might be surprised by a lot of things that I like, Mr. Ranger.”