Page 4 of Rescued By the Ranger

I’m…broken.

As I’ve come to find out, no woman wants a project. Even if I’m trying hard to put myself back together again. They see the cracks and ignore what I’ve been through as to how they got there.

Maybe she could be different?No, they’re all the same.

“Don’t care, buttercup. There’s a motel down the mountain. Get going. This is my dojo for the next week.”

She turns and her hand sits softly on the doorhandle.

I wait and wait.

And wait.

We don’t have all day, chicka.

When she turns back, I expect there to be tears, but there’s not. Her eyes are daggers and they narrow in on me.

Her hands go to those lusciously full hips, pulling her down puffy jacket in and showing me her hourglass figure. “No. I’mnotleaving. The snow’s coming down hard now. It’s too dangerous to drive. If you don’t want company, fine. We’ll stayin the north, or south, or east, or west wing of this monstrosity, but I have every right to be here, too!”

My lips rise to a smirk when I see her hand shake when she runs it through her long red tresses, shaking out the snowflakes.

“What about this is funny?” she spits back.

“Is that the first time you’ve stood up to someone?”

Her mouth drops open. “As soon as the snow lets up and the roads are better, we’ll leave, Mr. Hawking. Do we have a deal?”

That formality reminds me of days gone by.

I could do with a little company. It wouldn’t kill me to be nice.

At least I hope so.

“My name is Rhodes.”

3

LEESA

I can’t believeI stood up to him! I… Leesa Emery Anderson… stood up to a man who is probably twice my weight and towers over me by six inches and I’m not short.

Inside, he doesn’t carry our bags. He doesn’t hold the door. He doesn’t look back after getting inside.

And that’s probably for the best.

I head to the left and he heads to the right. I try not to ogle everything in the place, but this house —mansion— has an organic modern feeling that makes me feel warm and comforted. The walls are a creamy white— everywhere. It’s like the snow came inside. But there are also buttery beiges, the soft golden of the aspen trees when they turn, and touches of greens that mimic the forest outside.

I shuffle past a gourmet kitchen that I can’t wait to get into and cook up some meals. I’m sure Shane had the fridge packed and I can imagine there are chocolate chips and ingredients to make my famous chocolate chip cookies. Jazzy loves cookies and we can finally make them together instead of me making them at midnight after getting home late.

After I get Jazzy settled in the cutest kids’ room on this floor, bright colors and shapes everywhere, and she’s equally as excited about the collection of Barbiesandthe Polly Pockets, my phone buzzes and I pull it from my pocket. I start down the hall to look at the bedrooms on this side, not looking at the screen before answering. And then remembering my lawyer saying to always look so I don’t answer calls from my ex, Cary. That protection order is only good if I adhere to it.

“Hello?” I open a door— the room’s too moody. Charcoal walls and grey furnishings. I don’t choose it.

“Leez!” Caia, my sister, practically screams into the phone. “What were you thinking?”

I yank the phone away before drawing back slowly. “Caia, calm down. What’s going on?”

“You’re going to miss our Christmas?”

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