Guardian Ranger (Shadow Agents 2)

The generator hadn’t been turned on, but that would have been a dead giveaway to someone else’s presence in the cabin. Since he wasn’t trying to hide his presence, Jasper flipped on that generator. The lights flashed, and he saw Veronica rubbing her arms.

He picked up a blanket from the back of the old couch. “Here.” His voice was gruff. He’d been too abrupt with her in the truck. But her questions had been like a knife, cutting into old wounds.

No one wants you, not even your own mother.

The other kids at his school hadn’t wasted much time in making his life hell.

Then when he’d grown older, he’d discovered there were other kinds of hells, especially on the battlefield.

Her fingers curled around the blanket. “Th-thank you.”

He ran a hand through his damp hair. The cabin seemed to shake around them with the force of the rattling thunder. “We aren’t getting back to the main house tonight.”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to try and drive through this.”

He didn’t want to push her right into one of her nightmares. He reached for his phone, called the sheriff. “It’s Jasper.” The sheriff immediately started asking questions, all about Veronica. Back off, man. Yeah, it was pretty obvious the guy was sweet on Veronica.

Jasper glanced over at her.

So am I. A complication he sure hadn’t counted on when he’d signed up for the mission.

“We’re staying at the cabin on the north end of the property. No, no,” Jasper said, when the sheriff tried to interrupt, “we aren’t coming back tonight. We’ll check in tomorrow, once the storm has blown past us.” He ended the call over the sheriff’s objections.

Jasper stared at Veronica a moment, then asked, “Is he always like that?”

She looked over her shoulder at him. Her wet hair was a dark mass around her neck. “Like what?”

“He doesn’t want you out of his sight.”

I understand how that feels.

Veronica shrugged. “He’s protective of everyone in Whiskey Ridge.”

What? Of all two hundred folks scattered around?

Jasper began to stalk toward her. His fingers were itching to touch the softness of her skin. No, he just wanted to touch her. “It’s different,” he said. “I can see it in his eyes.” And it made him...jealous. He knew the bitter taste—he’d felt it before. Too often.

Jealous of the kids with real homes, real families.

“He wants you,” Jasper said flatly.

Her lashes lifted and she met his gaze.

“The question is...” Don’t touch her, not yet. The rain pounded down outside, tapping hard against the old tin roof. “Do you want him?” If she did, he’d back off. Because he wasn’t going to—

“Are you really that blind?” she asked him with a shake of her head and a faint smile. “Can’t you tell that you’re the one I want?”

She was the one he was desperate to have.

They were alone. Sheltered from the storm. No interruptions. No danger.

Just...

Them.

His fingers rose, traced the soft curve of her cheek. Slid down, down, and then he was cupping her chin, tilting her head back. He tasted the lingering raindrops on her lips.

Just the touch of her lips against his sent a powerful wave of desire pulsing through his body. The kiss started gentle. She deserved gentle. She was delicate and warm and everything he wanted.