Page 22 of In Love with a Ranger

“Under the sheets, they do a lot of things, but if we kept it platonic, then we wouldn’t do… things.”

“I don’t want a platonic marriage.”

“I don’t either.”

“I’m not sure I want to marry you.”

“Which is why this was hypothetical.”

“You never said that until just now.”

“I sure did…”

“No, you didn’t. You said you were scared of your mother and…”

“I’m not scared of my mom. I’m not scared of anything.”

“Liar.”

“Watch it,” Gideon growled. “That’s not a word to toss around.”

“Underhanded pitch then?” she quipped in a saccharine voice. “You said that you were afraid of your mother’s Vulcan pinch grip and…”

“I’m not afraid. I have a healthy respect for my mother.”

“We were talking about sleeping arrangements, and you lobbed a grenade.”

“I can agree with ‘grenade,’” he admitted. “It’s better than a warhead.”

“Do you even hear yourself?”

“Of course. I heard myself offer to sleep in the chair, and you seem to be the one that has a problem with it.”

“I do.”

“Why?”

And to his shock, Christina clammed up and looked at him, drawing herself upward and practically puffing her chest to look indignant.

“It’s insulting,” she said bluntly. “There is nothing wrong with me that should drive you to be uncomfortable or push you to put several feet of space between us.”

“Insulting?” he whispered, shocked. “You think I’m insulting you by offering to sleep in the chair? Does that mean you want me to sleep with you?”

“What?” she exclaimed in a high-pitched voice that cracked and warbled. “Noooo? I never said that! Why would you think that?”

Gideon stared at her, completely confused and waiting. Christina would not meet his gaze, and her face was flushed, combined with her wringing her hands before her. If he read her body language correctly, she did want him there, but was nervous too, and he took a step toward her.

She immediately glanced at him, taking a step back.

He sighed, looking at the handle for the Murphy bed. Balancing himself awkwardly, he pulled the bed downward and looked at her. The infernal woman just angled her chin and nose a little higher in the air trying to look nonchalant – and he almost smiled.

“Why don’t you change first and get ready for bed. I’ll change out here. Neither of us comes out of our spaces until the other is ready.”

“Fine,” she said loftily.

“Fine.”

“Good.”

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