Page 15 of Summer with a Ranger

I batted him away before I could catch something, like feelings.

Already did that.

I ignored my annoying voices, too.

“We’re working. We don’t have time for things like this.” I lifted my pace.

Hudson matched me step for step. “You’re hell bent on this investigation, huh?” The back of his hand brushed mine and I repressed the shiver that raced through my body and along my arms, turning into Caffeine Beach, the coffee shop I spotted earlier.

“I’m hell bent on getting this done, going home and starting real work,” I snapped back. “Not going to apologise, because this is a bullshit assignment, much like the last.”

“Aw, Archer wouldn’t do that to us. He needs this information.” Hudson caught my hand this time, linking our fingers together. His were thicker and speared my fingers apart. I hated that I liked the feeling that he was bigger than me. Could actually take everything I threw at him.

Not appropriate on the job.

Besides, I knew a few things about his precious Archer that he clearly didn’t.

Like that the man wasn’t invested in the unit and was closing up shop, handing the unit over to the next most capable man, and heading north. Real far north, like Montana. Borderlands area. About as far as a person could get without actually needing a passport.

But I didn't say any of that because a large part of me knew I would need it for a rainy day sometime. Maybe soon.

I yanked my hand free. “You don’t call having no arrest at the end of the assignment progress?” I walked straight up to the counter. “Giant long black please, four shots, no sugar. Thanks.” The waitress looked at me doubtfully, but wrote down my order without any more questions, thankfully.

“Well we are on this one, so why don’t you start behaving less like a cop and more like the girl I’m supposed to have just married?” Hudson whispered in my ear, flicking his tongue along the curve in a way that liquefied and overheated all of my internal functions.

I shivered lightly against him, and made to push him back but the smart ass expected the move and caught my wrists, twirling me expertly in his arms. The moment my mouth opened to protest, he covered it with his in a seriously pornographic kiss that would have ended in bed had we been in an enclosed space. Instead, my red face flamed along with probably anyone else in the shop who couldn't possibly avoid the PDA he put on.

“Aren’t you overdoing it?” I whispered, looking coyly up at him through my lashes, fluttering them and stepping on his toes to let him know he crossed a line.

The big boof didn’t buy into my play. His expression grew serious, and it stalled me, the way he looked at me, all intense and complicated.

Life needs to be simple. In and out. Hi and bye.

I couldn’t do complicated any more, not now or ever. Never again.

I couldn’t.

The corners of Hudon’s lips turned up in the sort of sexy smile that left me leaning into him whether my brain screamed at me to retain my independence, or not.

“Aw, come on, Skye. I just found you. Don’t ruin my day.” His fingers knotted around my hand as his mouth lowered over mine, leaving just enough space for a single breath before he kissed me again.

A dare to defy him in public.

Spoilers: I didn’t.

His tongue dragged over mine, his pace slow, but dominating, a reminder of the way he fucked me by the beach in Mexico. A moan caught in my throat before I remembered where we were.

When he pulled back, he wore a satisfied smirk and a gold band sat on my left ring finger.

Asshole.

CHAPTER SIX

HUDSON

Skye bamboozled me at every turn. Back on the beach she could have been an ice queen, for fuck’s sake. In Texas, I got to see the hardass side that appealed to Archer enough that he hired her.

Here in South Carolina? She ran hot as Hades, but sure as hell it wasn’t at me.

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