Page 30 of A Ranger for Christmas
“Who’s to say?” Of course, she knew. It was the constant feeling that if she didn’t keep working and pushing, that she’d somehow be left behind. The feeling had stalked her since the night her father had moved out of the house. Reinforced when her mother died. Sleep was an unaffordable luxury.
A shake of his head told her he didn’t believe the evasion, but he was too polite to call her out on it. “I can brew us a pot of coffee.”
“What time is it?”
“Just after four.”
As much as a cup of coffee tempted, if she drank it now, hope of any sleep would vanish. And she needed to rest and give her body time to mend. “Thanks, but I better not. Still a little early, even for me.”
She’d refused him but remained rooted in the same spot, not willing to return to her bed alone or act on a rising temptation to move closer to him.
He pushed away from the doorjamb, but instead of taking a step back, he moved toward her two steps. One single step would have put him within an arm’s reach of her. He flexed and unflexed the fingers of his right hand before he stilled them, as if recognizing the nervous gesture. “There’s no rush tomorrow. We can leave whenever you’re ready.”
“I’ll be ready early. I’m not much good at sitting around. And I want to remember the accident and the key to the code.”
“You will. Just takes a bit of time.”
“You sound sure.”
“I am.”
“Are you always this confident?”
“For the most part.” A twinkle in his eyes softened the arrogance of his tone.
“Good to know.”
“What did you dream about?”
A frown furrowed her brow. “I remember hearing the scrape of metal and feeling a hard jolt when the other driver hit me.”
A scowl darkened his face.
She thought for a moment. Until now, she could not say it. “I tried to speed up to get out of his way, but he gave chase. When he pulled beside me, he swerved into me.”
The twinkle vanished, replaced by a dangerous fire. “We’ll find him.”
“Like a needle in a haystack.”
“Finding people is what I do.” No doubt lingered under the words. “I found you. Twice.”
She edged a little closer, afraid if she didn’t take the next step that he would leave. He’d met her more than halfway, but the rest was up to her. Dark gray eyes studied the way she moistened her lips, the drape of a stray lock of hair, and her pulse beating in her neck.
She wanted to kiss him. Wanted to taste his lips again. Feel his hands on her body again. Her gaze lowered to her hands and the shorn nails that had been digging in dirt just a week ago.
A jolt of electricity drew her closer. With Lucas, the kissing wouldn’t be polite. It would be primal, hot, and as dangerous as a rattler, as it had been in Mexico.
She wanted to taste dangerous again, knowing that it couldn’t last and that one day, life would pull them apart and in separate directions.
Moistening her lips, she looked into his darkening gaze. Inches separated them, but still he didn’t move. He wanted her to come to him. Really living was exciting and terrifying.
She took another half step and could feel the heat of his body. Inches to go. She stared up at granite features made all the sharper by the light cutting in from the hallway. He looked at her as if no other person in the world existed.
Could a kiss be any riskier than what she’d survived? The answer came easily. With Lucas, loving would indeed be a hazard.
She laid a hand on his chest and felt the drumming of his heart. He might look as still as a mountain, but underneath, his energy stirred like a volcano.
He put a hand on her shoulder, using his thumb to trace the bone along her shoulder. Her nerves danced and her senses sharpened. “I never forgot how smooth your skin felt.”
