Page 40 of Fierce Protector

“Oh god!”

“Fuck! Demi, are you okay?” He shot out a hand and covered her lower abdomen with his big palm.

“Of course I’m okay! I barely drifted backward. It’s the truck that’s not okay!” She put the vehicle in park, and they both climbed out to assess the damage.

First, Ledger bent to examine her SUV. He rubbed a scuff with the big pad of his thumb. “That can be buffed out. It’s only a scuff.”

“And the truck?”

“Nothing could hurt this old thing.” He laughed as he pointed at the steel bumper that had about thirteen other dents from previous mishaps on the ranch.

Suddenly, he looked at her. Hard.

“You sure you’re okay? Maybe we should go to the hospital.” He reached for her.

She stepped away. “I’m fine.” Her first day back after a week off and she’d already had an accident and lost her mind over Ledger several times. How was she ever going to survive an entire day with him hovering around her…within grabbing distance?

Chapter Eight

Ledger had traveled the world, experienced a lot. He’d seen the moon in every country he was ever dropped into for secret ops. Some moons were big and bright, illuminating the entire sky. Some no more than a dim crescent peeking out from behind a building they were about to invade. The moon in the mountains of California seemed close enough to reach out and touch.

But the moon on the Gracey was more beautiful than any he’d seen.

It hung low in the sky. Even though it cast a silver glow that verged on eerie over the land, he appreciated the way the light teased the tips of the tall grass. He and Demi were set up on the crest of a hill, and their shadows stretched along the ground behind them. Their breath created plumes of fog on the crisp air.

“You sure you’re not cold?” He pitched his voice low enough that it wouldn’t carry to the animals they were hoping to spot.

She lowered the binoculars from her eyes and glanced at him. “I told you twice that I’m warm enough.”

Though he knew she was annoyed by him hovering over her for the past week, then all day today on her rounds, he noted how her voice had taken on a softer tone. Less edged with true irritation.

He was growing on her.

He’d like to grab her hips and yank her across his lap so she could feel him grow.

A dark need spiraled through him. That small kiss at the car had almost turned carnal. When she moved his hand toward her breast, he believed that getting her into bed was as good as done.

Then she must have realized what she was doing and pushed him away.

She let out a low sigh that didn’t hold the same frustration he felt. She turned her head to look at him. “I think we should move.”

Half a dozen ways to move paraded through his head.

She smacked him in the shoulder. “Focus.”

He grinned.

She slapped him again. “I mean it. We aren’t going to see any wolves here tonight. It’s too quiet out here.”

“What’s your plan?”

His plan ended with her knees thrown over his shoulders and a very satisfied smile on her pretty face.

She batted him again. “Whatever is going through your head, stop it!”

“How do you know I’m not thinking about darting a wolf?”

“Because I know you.”

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