Page 28 of Ranger's Secret

She grins and gives me a conspiratorial wink. "The account is yours."

I have to bite my lip to keep from squealing like a teenager. "Thank you. Thank you so much. You won't regret this."

"I know I won't. Your passion for this work comes through in everything you do. That's not something you can fake."

She's right about that. My passion for this work is real. It's just tangled up with my passion for a certain park ranger.

After she walks away, I stand there for a moment, letting the reality sink in. I won. I actually won the biggest account of my career. This promotion is mine, and with it, everything I've been working toward for years.

I should be thinking about calling my boss, about strategy sessions and implementation timelines and all the practical details that come with landing a major client.

Instead, all I can think about is finding Jagger and sharing this moment with him.

I spot him heading toward the equipment storage area. I practically sprint across the clearing, weaving between other volunteers who are packing up their gear.

He's alone when I find him, organizing climbing ropes and checking inventory. The sight of him in his element, competent and focused, makes my heart skip.

"Guess who won the account?" I call out.

He turns, and when he sees the grin on my face, his whole expression lights up. I don't think about it, I just launch myself at him, jumping into his arms with enough force to make him stagger backward.

"You did it," he says, spinning me around once before setting me down. "Fuck, kitten, I'm so proud of you."

"I can't believe it. Ms. Chen said my passion came through, that it's exactly what they were looking for."

"Of course it did. You were incredible." His hands frame my face, thumbs brushing across my cheekbones. "You're incredible."

"We should celebrate," I say, pressing a kiss to his lips.

"How do you want to celebrate?"

"I love everything we've done," I tell him, feeling heat creep up my neck. "But that first night we had sex... when I pretended I didn't want it... there was something about that."

His eyes darken immediately. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

I nod, suddenly shy but also electric with anticipation. "Is that weird?"

"Not weird at all." His voice drops to that commanding tone that makes my knees weak. "I have an idea."

That night,I turn the key to my cabin with shaking hands. I'm wearing the only skirt I packed, a simple black thing that hits just above my knees, because Jagger specifically requested it.

I push open the door and step inside, looking around the familiar space. Everything looks normal, exactly as I left it this morning.

Until…

Arms wrap around me from behind, and suddenly I'm pressed against the wall beside the door. I gasp, my heart hammering as I register the dark fabric covering his face.

Jagger is wearing a ski mask. Just like we discussed.

"Don't scream," he growls against my ear, his voice deliberately roughened. "Don't fight me."

This is what I asked for, what we planned, but the reality of it sends adrenaline flooding through my system. The primal part of my brain that doesn't know this is a game kicks in, and I do exactly what we agreed I would do.

I run.

I twist out of his grip and bolt for the door, my heart racing as I hear him swear behind me. I make it outside and down the trail that leads away from the main camp, toward the more secluded part of the forest.

This is insane. This is reckless.

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