Page 7 of Protected By the Ranger

“Listen to me. Focus on my voice,” a commanding tone cuts through the fog. I am not scared of that voice, I tell myself but fear overwhelms me.

“Let me go!” I cry out. The grip around my wrist is gentle, but the confusion invokes deep and gnawing fear. “Please, let me go,” my voice trembles.

“Ariel, it’s Gideon. You’re safe with me,” his voice sounds muffled to my ears.

I keep struggling, panic blinding me. My fists pound weakly against his chest, driven by a desperate need to escape. My injured leg jerks, sending a sharp pain through me like a white-hot poker. I scream, the sound raw and primal.

Instantly, Gideon pins my hands above my head, his body pressing down to stop my movements. “Look into my eyes, Ariel. You’re hurting yourself. Remember where you are. Remember who I am,” he commands, his voice strict but concerned.

His eyes lock onto mine, holding me captive. I continue to writhe for a moment, but his words cut through my panic.

“Gideon?” I whisper, my voice trembling, as if trying to remember a forgotten name.

“Yes, it’s me,” he responds, his grip firm but gentle.

I blink, tears streaming down my face. I feel his strength, his all-consuming presence, and it pulls me back to safety.

I clutch his shirt, its rough fabric grounding me. Panic surges back as I gasp, “I need to leave.” I try to push him away but he pins me securely to the bed.

“Look at me, Ariel,” Gideon commands, gripping my chin firmly to force our eyes to meet. “You’re not going anywhere.”

I protest, my voice rising, “You don’t understand. I’m in danger. He could have followed me here. I’m putting your life in danger too.”

The fierce determination in his eyes is undeniable, “Nothing will make me let you go. I’ll protect you with my life.”

“You can’t make me stay here against my will!” I snap, my voice a mix of defiance and worry.

Gideon chuckles softly, a low, rumbling sound that sends a shiver down my spine. “Oh, so you are not willing to stay? Not even when I do this?”

He presses his thumb against my mouth, tracing it along my lower lip. The touch is electrifying and my breath catches in my throat. I’m suddenly acutely aware of how close he is. I part my lips, and his eyes drop to my mouth.

His stormy blue eyes darken with desire, and his gaze make my words falter. “Or this?” His hand moves lower, exploring the soft curve of my neck with the back of his fingers, making me shiver. He gently traces the line of my collarbone before sliding down to my waist. His calloused hand grips me hard and I gasp.

Gideon lowers his head, whispers “Or this?” before pressing a hot, lingering kiss on my cheek. The contact is electrifying, a heady mix of pleasure and anticipation. I try to hold it back but a soft hiss escapes and seems to echo in the quiet room.

When he traces his lips against my jaw, the fear in my body slowly dissolves and my resolve to leave wavers. I clutch at his shirt, fighting the urge to pull him closer. “You’re not playing fair,” I manage to say, out of breath.

“No,” he agrees, his words a sinful whisper. “I’m playing dirty, and with a prize this tempting, I can only play dirty.” His words send a thrill through me, and need rises within me despite my better judgment. His touch lights my skin on fire.

Gideon licks the sensitive spot under my earlobe, driving his point home. A flood of emotion and desire rushes through me and I pull him closer. He presses his hard body against me in a way that makes my pulse quicken.

“Gideon,” I begin, trying to maintain some semblance of control and sanity. “I really don’t think I should stay here.”

He smiles against my skin. A wicked, knowing smile. “I guess I’ll have to keep you from thinking then.” Before I can respond, his lips capture mine in a searing, possessive kiss.

The kiss consumes me, a slow burn that builds and builds, leaving me breathless. His mouth moves against mine with a controlled intensity, teasing and coaxing a response from me that I can’t refute. I feel the terror in my body melt away, replaced by a fiery need that ignites every nerve.

Our lips move together in a dance as old as time, our bodies fused together in need. His hands slide down my body, exploring with a deliberate slowness that drives me insane. He touches me as if he’s mapping every inch of me, learning what makes me gasp, what makes me shiver. His tongue licks my lower lip and the tingly feeling makes me gasp. He takes the opportunity to deepen the kiss, his tongue exploring mine with hunger.

The feel of his rough hands on my skin consumes me. I try to resist—to cling to the remnants of my caution and sanity—but it’s a losing battle. I surrender to him, my resistance crumbling as desire takes over.

His lips leave mine to trail down my neck. I tilt my head back, giving him better access. He nips at my skin, his stubble a delicious friction. His lips close around the sensitive spot on my neck and he sucks on it, hard. I gasp from the pain mixing with pleasure, a heady combination.

He licks the mark he left on me. Out of breath, he vows, “You have to stop me Ariel, because I won’t be able to, not when you feel this heavenly.”

His words ignite something deep within me, a primal need to be taken by him. I pull him up and kiss him with blinding fervor. I whimper, my hands threading in his hair as I urge him on. I don’t want him to stop—ever. He responds with a low growl, giving me goosebumps and making my pulse race.

Gideon moves his hand to the hem of my shirt, his fingers burning me as he explores the sensitive skin beneath. When he reaches my breast, I hold my breath, but he merely caresses around the curve of it, not touching it directly.

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