Page 25 of Summer with a Ranger

I frowned, still playing with her hair. Soft curls twirled around my finger and I gave an experiment tug, drawing her closer. “Why would I run?”

“Because I’m toxic to everything I touch.” She frowned back at me. “You saw me with Marco. I haven’t apologised. But you saved my life and I’m...”

“In shock,” I supplied, keeping my voice low and tucking her body into mine. “Right now, all I want is my girl safe. If that means not talking, then I’ll wait until you want to.” If she wanted to talk. There was no guarantee and no way I’d push her before she was ready.

Archer gave me that tip back in his office, and it was a damn fine one.

“Why are you so nice,” she asked desperately, reaching up to trace her fingers along my jaw.

The light caress was the sweetest thing I’d ever experienced. It didn’t take long before she arched up, offering me her mouth as consolation for the words that weren't coming out. I took that second prize and ran with it.

Pink bear rug be damned, I rolled her onto her back, stretching my body along hers and kissed her until she softened beneath me. My mind was full of conflict, the need to say something–anything–about what happened on the boat killing me but the moment I opened my mouth she shut it for me.

“Not now. Not yet,” she whispered. “Just...forgot. Everything.”

“Not you,” I whispered, cupping her jaw and sliding my tongue into her mouth.

Her legs curled around my hips, her heels urging me to rub against her, but that need from before to have skin on skin contact drew me back. I shucked my shirt onto the floor, trailing my fingers along the terry toweling robe she threw on seconds after entering the apartment, barely letting go of my hand to rip the dress off and throwing it into a corner of the room.

“I want you closer,” I murmured, staring down at her.

My girl was hurting and I'd give her anything she wanted, but right now I also needed to know I wasn’t pushing her past limits she’d regret in the morning.

Like fucking the man who killed her ex. Her smarmy ex, a crook, and all the things that went along with that downward spiral, but her ex all the same.

“Inside me,” she begged softly. “Please, Hudson. Just...for now. I need to.”

My heart ached at the pain lacing her words, and what she wasn’t saying.

This thing wouldn’t be permanent. I got that from the desperation in her eyes. But I wanted her so damn bad that temporary would do.

For now.

I’d work on a future version of us after I cleaned the fear and tension and pain from her face, the shadows that lingered behind her eyes.

Before she crumpled on me, I worked my fingers through the knot on her towel, pulled her robe open and dipped my head to lick her breasts. Sucked on them. Marked her in ways that wouldn’t easily fade.

She let me.

There’s hope.

Her finger curled through my hair, tugging my head up.

“You want me to stop, princess?” I rolled her nipple between my thumb and forefinger until she moaned, and slid lower, kissing along her stomach. “Tell me to stop, Skye.” Before I fall head over fucking heels for you.

Too late.

I watched her face as I licked her gushing hot slit, loving the way her hips rolled up with every touch. Her head flung back, and she knotted her hands in my hair, riding my face. My cock strained in my jeans, but now had to be about calming her, not satisfying a need that was never going to pass whether she let me fuck her now or any other time.

She was my girl. My one. My California and Texan hearts slammed together in my chest as her thighs clamped around my head. She came hard on my tongue, gushing hot cream on my lips. I cleaned her slowly, letting her come down and raised my head to find her fingers out of my hair and tangled in my own.

I raised them over her head gently, catching both with one hand. Hers were so much smaller, so fragile though I knew she’d hate to hear it.

“Is this okay?” I hesitated before crossing her wrists and pressing down to hold her in place while I worked on my belt.

“It is with you.” I swore her eyes glowed as she gazed up at me, her lips parted.

“Fuck,” I muttered, leaning down to kiss her hard and pinned her in place. “You tell me it’s too much and I’ll–”

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