Page 83 of Theirs to Take

“Where will Ruby be staying?” she asked. If the new hottie standing on her doorstep said that Ruby would be staying with him, she was going to need a whole gallon of ice cream to drown her sorrows.

“Actually, that was one of the things that I didn’t get around to telling you. Ruby has agreed to leave town with Luke until this thing blows over,” he said. Millie just bet that Ruby jumpedat the chance to spend some one-on-one time with the hot guy from work.

“How do I know that Luke didn’t abduct my friend?” she said.

“Ruby promised that she’d call you in the morning so that you would know that she’s safe,” Ranger assured. “For now, if you notice anything out of the ordinary, just bang on the door.” He nodded over to Ruby’s place, and she nodded.

“Will do,” she promised.

Millie woke the next morning to someone banging on her front door again and she moaned and rolled over, pulling her pillow over her head. She pulled off her covers, got out of bed, and stomped off to the front door to see who was trying to bang it down. She pulled it open to find Ranger standing there again.

“What the hell?” she hissed. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”

“You really have a shitty morning disposition,” he growled. “Ruby’s been trying to call you all morning because it’s after nine and you haven’t answered your phone. How about you answer the phone, and I won’t have to come over here?” he asked.

“I turn my phone off while I’m sleeping,” Millie spat. She was a light sleeper, and every notification would wake her up, and the one thing Millie loved most was sleep. “What can I do for you, Ranger?” she said, looking the big guy over. She loved the way that he always seemed a bit flustered around her, but she knew that she wasn’t his type. He was probably like that with all women, her included.

“I’ve come to ask if you have any coffee,” he said.

“Ruby doesn’t have any?” Millie asked.

“Ruby doesn’t have much of anything over at her place. I’m guessing that she was going to need to make a grocery trip soon but didn’t get around to it before she took off with Luke.”

“Come in,” she said, “are you ever going to tell me what’s going on with her? I mean, I think I have a right to know since you said that I’m in danger and all.”

“I can’t tell you too much, Millie,” Ranger insisted. “It’s for your own safety.”

She found the coffee and handed it to him. “Just return it when you’re done with it. Maybe keep some for tomorrow. Better yet, I have to run to the grocery store to pick up a few things. I’d be happy to grab you what you need if you want to make me a list.”

“No,” he almost shouted at her. “You can’t go into town and go shopping. I don’t think that you’re taking any of this seriously, Millie. You are in danger and if you go to the grocery store, you’ll be out in public where anyone can get to you.”

“Well, my need for groceries isn’t going to go away on its own,” she said.

“I’ll come with you then,” he insisted. “I have off today, and I can take you to the grocery store and pick up a few things for Ruby’s place since I’ll be staying there for a while, to keep an eye on you.”

“While I like the idea of you keeping our eyes on me, Ranger, it’s just not necessary,” Millie insisted.

“We’ll have to agree to disagree on that, honey. I’m going to take you to the grocery store. Be ready to go in about an hour. Thanks for the coffee,” Ranger said. He walked out of her apartment not waiting for her to give him an answer. Honestly, she wasn’t about to fight with him about spending time with him. She liked the idea of having some extra time with the big guy.

Millie showered and got dressed in a pair of ripped-up jeans and a t-shirt, grabbing her favorite sweater to pull over it to keep her warm. She loved this time of year when the weather was turning cooler, and she could wear her cozy sweaters and drink hot cocoa. She pulled her hair back and was ready to go just minutes before Ranger banged on the front door. That man was a force. Every time he knocked on her front door, it sounded like he was going to bang it down.

She pulled the front door open and found him standing there with his fist in the air, ready to bang on her door again. “Don’t,” she shouted pointing her finger at him. “You need to stop beating my door down every time you come over here.”

“Sorry,” he breathed, “I guess I’m just on high alert with everything that’s happened to Luke and Ruby. I promised to keep an eye on you and you’re not exactly making that easy.”

“How exactly am I not making it easy for you, Ranger?” Millie asked. “I’ve opened my door every time you’ve banged on it and even gave you coffee. And I’ve done all that in good faith since I still haven’t spoken to Ruby, since I’ve missed her calls. How do I know that she’s all right? How does any of that make me difficult?”

“You could let me just stay with you,” Ranger said. “That way, I wouldn’t have to worry about you over here.”

“You’ve been worried about me?” she asked. “You know that I can take care of myself, right?”

“Ruby said that you’re in cyber security, Millie. That doesn’t mean that you can take care of yourself—well unless you hack your attacker to death.” He laughed at his own joke, and she crossed her arms over her chest and stared him down.

“Not funny,” she grumbled. He looked her over and sobered.

“What do you want from me here, Millie?” he asked.

“I don’t know you, Ranger. Why would I let you stay in my apartment with me just because you said that I’m in danger?”

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