Page 4 of Found By the Surly Ranger

I definitely get the sense that Kara doesn't want to talk about what she's running from, so I start the conversation off with some thoughts about recent movies. Once we get chatting, I discover that she's a voracious reader. Luckily, we've both read some of the latest bestselling mysteries, so we dissect who we thought the murderer was at various points, and why. She laughs uproariously at how neither one of us saw the twist coming. Then, suddenly, her eyes drop.

Whatever has upset her, I instantly want to tear it apart with my bare hands. "What is it?"

Her luscious bottom lip quivers. "It's just… Sometimes life really throws you a twist of your own, doesn't it?"

"That it does." My hand covers hers until she looks at me. "Whatever is going on, we're going to figure it out."

"Oh, it's not your problem to figure out," she sputters. "I don't want to get you involved with?—"

My hand squeezes hers gently. "I am the ruler of this house and part of this mountain, and I decree that we are going to figure it out."

Damn, I love the way this beautiful woman laughs.

"Now, I'm afraid my guestroom is a disaster area that would take hours to sort out. So you're taking my bed, and I'll sleep on the?—"

She holds her hand up in front of my face like a traffic cop. "Listen, mister ruler of the house and part of the mountain. You're being incredibly sweet, and I super appreciate it. Now, I'm no engineer, but considering your height, my height, and the size of your couch, I am much better off there. End of discussion."

My mouth opens to protest, and she snaps her fingers in my face just as rudely as I did to her before while giggling. I laugh so hard I surprise myself. Why does being snappy and rude to each other like this feel so terrific? It's that click again. The connection. The way it feels like I've already known her for a very long time.

"Bossy little thing," I growl, standing up. "I'll get her royal highness some blankets." By the time I bring back the softest sheets and a fluffy comforter, Kara has already cleared the dishes and loaded the dishwasher. "You didn't have to do that."

She gives me a positively withering look with her hand on one hip as she gestures broadly at the entire house. "And you didn't have to do this. So there."

I make up the couch for her, and watch curiously as she digs out one of her books and sets it on the coffee table before sliding in between the covers. "In case I can't sleep," she explains.

"Good point. Help yourself to anything you need, and feel free to wake me up if you can't find anything." I click on the small lamp on the end table and switch off the overhead lights. "Warm enough?"

"Toasty as fresh toast." Her wide smile releases a flood of raw emotion I didn't know I was capable of. I would do anything to scoop her into my arms and take her to my own bed right now. Not just to get her naked, although I can't stop thinking about that, but just to be near her. To hold her. To make sure that nothing would ever make her feel unsafe again. That's definitely going to take more than a few hours and one dinner.

"Thank you for everything, Jace," she says softly, her eyes luminous in the dim light. "You've taken me on one of my worst days ever and brought me to a wonderfully cozy oasis. I appreciate it."

My heart swells with warmth again. "You're very welcome. Good night."

Once I'm settled in bed, I can't help thinking about how much better it would be if she was here forever. How much better my life would be if I could keep her here permanently.

Plenty of people have told me that I need a woman in my life, and I've always shrugged them off. I've never needed a woman.

But apparently I've always needed Kara.

3

KARA

Holy crap. I haven't slept so well in weeks. Maybe ever.

The rain slowly lulled me to sleep with a calm tapping on the roof. I did wake up wide-eyed and shaking in the middle of the night, the stress of the past week flooding back. But once I heard Jace snoring from the other room, it only took a few minutes for me to settle down, and I'd fallen back asleep before I knew it.

The light filtering through the trees outside definitely signals that it's morning. I jump up, brush my hair, and put on coffee as silently as possible. It feels weird not to have a phone to check the time. Or the weather. It makes me feel…untethered.

Jace, on the other hand, makes me feel completely grounded. What would it feel like to have an anchor like that around all the time?

Safe. Definitely safe. Even though he's clearly a gruff, loner type. I'm picking up that he's trying to be friendly with me, though. That's sweet, to make the effort.

If I told any of my friends that I'd slept at a stranger's house they would think I'm nuts. And yet, although I don't claim to be able to read people or anything, Jace's eyes are so…open. He's clearly a no nonsense, straight shooter – except when he's joking around with me, which is ridiculous and endearing.

I'm just putting the finishing touches on the scrambled eggs as Jace walks stiffly out of the bedroom, running a hand absently through his thick, dark hair.

In the morning light, his eyes are a deep forest green. My eyes accidentally drop to the front of his navy pajama pants, and…oh boy… I'm going to have to pretend that massive moving shadow is a trick of the light. Otherwise, I might never be able to concentrate again.

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