Page 33 of If You Loved Me

Ranger

I worked really hard to keep my anger under control after going away. The day I was sentenced to ten years I made a promise to myself that I would never allow my emotions to get the better of me. Time was a valuable currency and I didn’t want to give any more of it away. I had my sister to look out for and the ranch.

But the moment I heard that asshole’s hand make contact with Sarah, I lost all sense of control. I was wild for the woman and the thought of some other man touching her set my blood on fire. But seeing a drunken piece of shit do it without her consent was next level.

The cold night air made my sinuses burn as I heaved in another lungful of breath. Sarah’s hand was small in mine as I led her to my truck, the distant hum of the music from the bar was the only sound around us.

“Are you okay?” Her voice was soft, like she wasworried if she spoke too loud it might break the fragile thread of sanity I had left.

“No.” I yanked my hat off and raked a shaking hand through my hair. “I’m not okay.”

She spun around, leaning her back against the tailgate before she took the edges of my flannel in her small hands. I wrapped my own around hers.

“Talk to me, Ranger. What’s going on?”

That rage was so damn consuming, I thought I might burst into flames from it.

Breathe, I told myself.Just fucking breathe.

My throat was thick as I struggled to get out the words, “That asshole deserves a lot worse for putting his hands on you, Sarah. He shouldn’t be able to walk out of that fucking bar after what he did.”

Understanding flashed across her face as she let go of my shirt and slid her hands around my waist. “You’re right. He’s not a good guy. But I’m okay, Ranger. I promise I’m okay.” She kissed the center of my chest with a gentleness that cleaved my heart in two. “I’m okay,” she said again as her cheek rested over my heart.

Sliding my arms around her, I held her tight against me. Letting the warmth of her small body seep into all the hardened parts of my heart.

It was so easy with her…so easy to let my guard down.

Tilting my chin downward, I whispered against her hair, “I…I didn’t want to scare you, Sarah. But there’s one thing you need to know about me. I willneverallow another man to put his hands on you ever again. I should have put you infront of me when we were walking. I should have made sure nothing like that could have happened to begin with.”

I could just make out the chocolate hue of her eyes as she looked up at me, a ghost of a smile on her perfect lips. “Ranger, as hard as you might try you won’t be able to protect me from everything in this world. I hate that you’re even having the thought that you could have prevented that asshole from doing what he did. You can’t be responsible for everyone’s actions. Only your own.” That ghost of a smile turned into a real one. “But I’m thankful you came to my defense.”

Her gratitude churned something inside of me that I’d rarely felt before. For so long it had only been Callie Rose, Miles, and me. Three kids with broken families coming together to survive. But looking at Sarah’s beautiful face made me feel like I might have the chance to do more than survive. I couldlive.

The idea of that terrified me because if I was already starting to feel this way about her, what the hell would it be like if I lost her? I’d been through a lot in my life, but losing this with her was something that terrified me more than time being stolen away.

Having her this close felt too good to let fear win. So I stomped out that thought, burying it deep in the back of my mind.

“Tell me what happened.” I felt the muscles of her face move against my chest.

I didn’t have to ask to know what she meant.

“You didn’t watch the trial?”

Her fingers moved in slow circles against my chest. The feeling was a balm to the heat of my anger—squelching it like a breath to a flame.

“The entire town was talking about it. But…I don’t know. I’d always had this feeling that what they were saying wasn’t the whole story. Two of my best friends were made out to be people they weren’t just because others decided to talk negatively about them. I didn’t want to fall for the picture LeRoy’s lawyers were likely painting you out to be. I…wanted to form my own opinion.”

Shock and bewilderment hummed through my body. Sarah was full of surprises and it seemed that with every new thing I learned about her, I found myself more in awe of the woman she was. And more than that, she wanted to give me the opportunity to tell my side of the story completely unbridled.

“I have to say, I think you’re the only one in this town who even considered thinking about my side.”

“Will you tell me?” Her big eyes were a glassy reflection of the moon hanging above us and I realized at that moment I would tell her anything she wanted to know.

“It’s a long story. Are you sure you’re up for it tonight?”

“Mmhmm.” She nodded, the curls she’d made in her long brown hair bounced with the movement of her head. My palm ached to wrap those strands around my hand and pull her head back so I could claim her lips. I stretched my fingers, letting them splay wide so I wouldn’t give in to the temptation.

I unlatched the tailgate of my truck and pulled it downgently. Sarah let out a breathy sigh when I gripped her hips and lifted her onto the tailgate. I wondered if that was the same sigh she might make as I buried myself between her legs.

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