Page 3 of Ranger's Secret

His voice has just enough bite to make my blood simmer.

I step back instinctively, my shoulder brushing the outside of the cabin. "Maybe if the lock wasn't prehistoric. You're in charge around here, right? Shouldn't stuff like this be fixed on your watch?"

He doesn't move. Doesn't even blink.

"I think I get it now," he says, eyes scanning mine like he's reading fine print. "You didn't come here for the program. You came here for me."

My jaw drops. "You’re delusional."

"I just can't figure out why you ran away from me," he adds, voice colder now. "You scared of a kiss? Or scared of what would've happened after?"

"I'm not scared of you or what happened. I just won't do that to my best friend."

His eyes narrow. "So you're scared of Maya?"

I scoff, turning back to the lock. "I'm loyal to Maya. There's a difference."

"Right," he drawls behind me. "That's why you're shaking like a leaf. Why your skin's covered in goosebumps." His knuckles brush down my arm in one slow stroke, and I yank away from him.

I shove the key back in, hard enough to rattle the knob. "You think I came here for you? I didn't even know you'd be here. Maya said you worked in Idaho."

"Sure," he teases, clearly enjoying himself. "Coincidence is cute."

"You're such an ass," I snap, jamming the key again with enough force to probably break the lock altogether.

Still nothing.

"Gonna wrestle that all night, or are you finally gonna admit you need me?" he asks, leaning in so close his voice rumbles against my neck.

"I'd rather eat moss,” I mutter, coiling into myself and trying to shrink away from the way he makes my skin prickle.

He takes the key from my hand like I'm a child with a toy, and with one calm flick of his wrist, the door clicks open.

"Wow," I bite out. "What a man."

"Any time, kitten."

My stomach flips at the sound of it.Kitten.Maya used to call me that back in college, said I looked soft and sweet with my messy curls and big eyes, but I'd hiss and claw the second someone pushed me.

It was sweet when she said it.

When Jagger says it? It's not sweet. It's not kind. He's playing with me, like I'm his favorite toy.

I don't even dignify it with a response. I shoulder past him, stomp inside, and slam the door in his face.

Let him find someone else to play with. I've got a promotion to win, and I'm not about to let some brooding forest jackass with a god complex derail my career.

2

JAGGER

She thinks I didn't notice.

The way her breath caught when she looked up and saw me at the trailhead this morning. The way she blinked too fast, gripped her bag like it could shield her from me. The flush that crept up her neck when I said her name.

I've spent years memorizing her face. She thinks I don't know what it looks like when she's trying not to want something.

I knew the minute I saw her.

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