Extraits

Ranger clears his throat and mumbles, “Because you’re so fuckin’ beautiful.”

Wait, what?

When I scoot closer to him and feel his hardness pressed against me, I understand his comment.

“Oh,” I say softly. “Ohhhhh.”

He’s hard.

And he thinks I’m beautiful.

Even after I just cried on him, and opened up to him.

And did I mention that he’s hard?

bite my bottom lip, then lift my head up and look at him once more. “Ranger?”

“Yes,” he says, licking his bottom lip. “What do you need from me?”

“Why haven’t you kissed me again?” I ask, feeling bold.

“I was waiting,” he murmurs, eyes darkening.

“For what?” I whisper, feeling a little dazed.

“For the right moment.”

My gaze lingers on his mouth, the tension between us heightening. Unconsciously, I lean closer to him, and then he does the same. As our lips touch, it’s like a starting gun is fired, because suddenly, we’re all over each other.

Ranger:

I lick my lips, ignoring her ridiculous comment, wanting nothing more than to taste her lips. Yes, it’s probably the worst timing in the history of the world, or is it? Who knows what could happen in there today? Well, nothing to her, because I’m going to protect her with everything I have, but what if something happens to me? What if this is the only chance I have?

Fuck it.

I place my hands on her hips. Her eyes widen, but she doesn’t say anything, so I continue. I lift her in the air, so her face is level with mine, and her arms come around my shoulders, so naturally, like they’re meant to be there. Then, I kiss her. Softly at first, testing my boundaries with her. I don’t know what she’s thinking. I don’t even know if she likes me, but I fuckin’ like her, so too bad. She tastes like strawberries, her mouth so soft and perfect that I hope she never stops kissing me. When she wraps her legs around my waist, holding on to me completely, I’m in heaven. I let my hands roam over the curve of her ass, groaning as the kiss deepens, becomes hungrier and more desperate.

Kissing her is the best decision I’ve ever made.

Ranger:

Getting tired of her shit, I undo her seat belt, lift her up in my arms, and lift her into my lap.

“Ranger? What are you doing?” she asks in a soft voice. She must have a killer headache, because she seems so disoriented, nothing like the feisty cop I met at the café. She doesn’t even try to move from my hold, something I’m sure she’d have done if she were feeling normal. I sit back down, with her cradled in my lap, rubbing her back gently. She presses her cold, clammy face against my black T-shirt, so I start to give her a gentle head massage, hoping it helps with the tension. It must work, because she relaxes against me, her body going limp. Soon after, she falls asleep on me, her soft snores making me grin. Just who is this woman in my arms? Not just her job—who is she, other than a cop? If all of that was peeled back, to the very essence of her, that’s what I crave to know. I, too, close my eyes and try to sleep. I don’t think we’ll get much rest after this flight, so I should take advantage of it.

I pretend I don’t enjoy the feeling of having her in my arms.

I pretend I don’t like it, and I sure as hell ignore the way it makes me feel.

I close my eyes and wonder how the hell this happened. I have no logical answer for it. We were meant to be enemies, yet we fit together like the pieces of a puzzle. I don’t really know him, yet I know him so well. So many contradictions. The only thing I know is that right here, with him, is a place I don’t want to leave or lose.