Page 73 of Fierce Protector

Her smile spread under the plastic mask. “Thank you for coming to my rescue. My knight in cowboy boots.”

His throat tightened around a knot of emotion. “What else was I supposed to do? Let the woman I love go it alone? That’s not how I operate, baby.”

Leaning in, he brushed his lips gently over her brow. She issued a soft sigh and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they glowed with love.

“We’ve got more conversations in our future.”

He nodded. “Plenty of them. Like when it’s the best time to buy Ledger Jr. a dirt bike.”

She laughed, shaking her head. “Not that conversation. And it might not be a boy.”

They fell quiet, the silence broken only by the low beeping of her heartbeat on the monitor.

After a bit, she said, “I hope Jeff is all right. He breathed the same air I did. He probably needs oxygen too.”

“His wife will make sure he gets what he needs. What really shocked me was seeing those tractor headlights through the smoke.”

Her eyes flared wider with excitement. “Mr. Gracey was our real savior. Without him, we wouldn’t have gotten out of there, let alone saved the animals.”

Ledger dropped his forehead to her hand resting on the bed. “I can’t believe you took off to pull a calf, Demi.”

She shifted her hand to curl her fingertips around his jaw. “It’s my job. I had to help. I thought I had more time, but then the wind shifted.”

At the thought of what could have happened, he inwardly shuddered but kept his body from reacting the same way. He was only willing to show her so much weakness.

“Mr. Gracey deserves some notoriety. Praise too. After his heart bypass surgery, he still isn’t strong. That took courage to come after you.”

“How did he find me?”

“I guess he overheard Meadow when she called to tell me you were in danger.”

She nodded, humbled by the heroic act. “Whatever he’s done in the past, I’d say that act redeemed him. Wouldn’t you?”

“I do. We’ll share the story with Meadow and Ivy tomorrow. There’s a lot I need to talk to the guys about too.”

She searched his face. “Like what?”

He compressed his lips. She’d been through too much for one night. Telling her that someone had set that fire that almost took her life—and their baby’s—would cause her more unneeded stress.

She sighed. “I can see you don’t want to tell me. But as my significant other, it’s important for you to know that you need to tell me something when I ask you.”

The effect of his groan was totally cancelled out by his grin. “You’re already pulling that card? I see how this relationship is going to work.”

Cupping his jaw, she drew him down. He pressed a kiss over her mask where her mouth would be, and she giggled.

After a moment, she sobered. “No, really. What aren’t you telling me about that fire?”

Seeing that he wasn’t getting out of this easy, he selected his words carefully. “We know everything going on at the Gracey and the neighboring ranches is interconnected. An investor has plans to build a big resort on all their combined land. Tonight I got more evidence of that.”

She started to speak, but he cut across her.

“You deserve to know, and I’ll tell you—tomorrow. You’ve had enough excitement for one day. And while I know you’re a strong, independent woman with a career and a home and the ability to do it all…will you just let me take care of you, Demi? For one night?”

Her answer was the best he could ask for. She looped her arms around his neck and pulled him down into her embrace.

* * * * *

Demi had never been part of a SEAL team, but she imagined that this was how many decisions were made.

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