Page 9 of Found By the Surly Ranger

"Oh. Um. Maybe. Thank you."

We continue walking back, and I realize that Jace isn't afraid of anything. Even when I mentioned that Brad has mafia connections, he didn't flinch. The man just has no stress at all. No worries about outside forces. The only time he's looked worried is when he figured I was cold and hungry.

I squeeze his strong hand. "Hey… Can I make you a fancy dinner tonight?"

Walking across the wild patch of meadow that serves as his backyard, he smiles down at me. "But you're my guest. Aren't I supposed to cook for you?"

"I've been too busy to cook for months. Plus, you have that massive kitchen."

"Not so massive."

"Please." I roll my eyes as we step inside and kick off our shoes. "Your kitchen is practically the size of my entire apartment."

He scowls. "You're a tiny girl, but that doesn't sound big enough to me."

I shrug. "I didn't make a lot as a waitress before I went to Brad with my idea. The weekly salary he gave me so I could focus on this project was based more on what I had been making as a waitress than what the work was actually worth, I think."

Looking down, I'm surprised at the look in Jace's eyes as he stares angrily at the floor. "If I ever find that guy, I'm going to have some very loud and not-very-polite words for him." His face softens as his gaze lifts to meet mine. "But I will never be angry around you, beautiful. You don't ever have to worry about that."

I swear, every time I smile, his eyes light up. "We're always supposed to trust the forest ranger, right?"

He chuckles and shakes his head as we walk into the kitchen. "That's right. You think I'm a ranger."

"Hey, you said yourself that you patrol the trails all the time. That you're looking out for people, and looking out for the forest. That makes you a ranger in my books."

"Does it count if it's only a volunteer position?"

I lift my chin, nodding seriously. "I say yes. And as the temporary queen of this kitchen, you're about to tell me what food I have access to. Then I'm kicking you out."

I expect Jace to smirk as usual. Instead, he drops to one knee, taking my hand and kissing the back of it reverently. "Of course, my queen."

My hands and heart flutter as he gets back up, showing me where everything is and what meat is already defrosted. "There you go. I'll go to try and clear up the guest room in the meantime."

I can't help but be curious: I want to know everything there is to know about this breathtaking, sexy man."Wait. May I see what this famous mess is?"

He shrugs. "Sure."

He takes me to the guest room and opens the door, and I blink in surprise. I was expecting boxes of knickknacks, or piles of out of season clothing. Instead, the bed, desk, and part of the floor are all covered with paperwork in tidy stacks. Notes. Maps. And… "Are those pictures of birds?"

He slouches against the door frame, nodding wryly. "Yeah. My friend Barrett and his new… special friend…have an idea to fix the Old Hemlock Valley tourism issue. So I've gone into full on research mode."

Turning to face him, I poke the center of his chest with my index finger. "See? You are a ranger. You adore this town, and you're protecting it. Kind of like…a police officer of the forest."

Jace tries to pull his face into a scowl, but fails dismally. His eyes are twinkling. "You're a very strange woman."

I turn to leave, and then stop. "Honestly? Don't put away your research. It was really comfortable on the couch, and I'd feel terrible about messing up your workflow."

A thick eyebrow lifts. "You want to tell me what to do in the rest of my house? It'll cost you."

Oh my god, does this man even know what he does to my heart rate? Oddly, it gives me a sudden rush of bravery. I step closer, slowly placing my hands in the center of his chest. Then I slide them up to his shoulders as my chin lifts, catching his lips with mine. It's a soft, delicate kiss, yet it sends tingles all the way through me.

Pulling away, he smiles. "If that's how you pay a man, I'm going to start charging for every sip of water and breath of air you take here."

"I'll think about it." Turning away, I toss my head and flick my hair behind me, eliciting that low, raspy chuckle that I think I'm already becoming addicted to.

Even though my focus should be on straightening out my present situation, I can't help but think about the future. Is there any chance that I could end up staying here with Jace? Any chance that he'd want an artsy, curvy, silly nobody like me?

Any chance that, coming out of this giant mess, my life could take a turn for the better instead of the worse just for once?

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