Page 16 of Mountain Man Grinch
He sits. Pulls me against him again, closer this time, wrapping the blanket tightly around us both.
Heat. Breath. His heartbeat under my cheek. Everything inside me melts and combusts all at once.
“You’re freezing again,” he mutters.
“I’m fine,” I lie, snuggling closer.
“You’re not,” he growls softly. “Let me take care of you.”
“But if I let you…” My voice trembles. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to leave when I should.”
His grip tightens—barely, but enough to feel it.
“I don’t do shoulds, Princess.”
“Mateo’s going to hate you.”
“He already does.”
I laugh, shaky and breathless.
He leans closer, eyes on my mouth.
“Youshouldbe scared of me,” he murmurs. “I don’t know how to do gentle.”
“Gentle’s overrated,” I breathe, resting my fingers lightly against his hand.
He inhales sharply, like the touch burns him.
Everything spirals.
The air thickens. Desire pulses through me, self-control hanging by a thread. His cerulean eyes swirl with a newfound tenderness, his smoke and leather smell, his hard, muscular body. It’s all too much.
He pulls back an inch, says, “I can’t protect you … and touch you.”
“You already are.”
“But I’m too old for you. Too haunted by my past.”
“And I’m too young, too chaotic. Twenty-three and mired in trouble.” The corners of my mouth turn down.
“Nothing I can’t get you through,” he says like a pledge I want to believe.
I cock my head to the side, smile lopsided as I ask, “So, how old are you, anyway?”
“Thirty-five.”
“Perfect.”
Fire dances behind his eyes along with something else—wariness. “Why perfect? You got daddy issues or something?”
“No, I’ve got young, immature guy issues. More interested in playing video games in their mom’s basement than growing a pair.”
“Bad economy, tough times. Can’t blame ‘em for having trouble getting on their feet.”
“But you didn’t have trouble,” I counter.
“Not everyone’s cut out to be a Ranger, Princess.”
