Ranger Ben (A Steamy Standalone Instalove Romance)

“Hello, Ben,” she coos, making a duck face as she saunters closer to me, but I ignore her, going around the other side of the truck to help Stacey down.

“Who’s your little friend?” she calls out, cocking a brow and frowning when I introduce Stacey, briefly explaining what’s happened as far as her being separated from her vehicle overnight and being assessed medically at the Ranger’s station.

“I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t have blown away if she was sitting in it,” the deputy says, eyeing Stacey up and down in a way I don’t like.

“Stacey’s also a family friend. So this is very personal to me,” I growl, grinding my jaw as I strain to keep the topic on the business at hand.

Barbie shrugs and examines the back of her nails, pretending to stifle a yawn.

“Whatever,” she sighs absently.

“And where were you when the storm hit?” Stacey spits. “I bet you weren’t out in it in your car!”

I put a hand on her arm, reminding her silently to let me do the talking.

Something told me these two might not get along.

I don’t get along with Deputy Barbie either, in fact, I usually try to avoid her like the plague.

She gives Stacey a quizzed look. “I was in the next county, actually. The state football team was having a private function I needed to provide security for,” she drawls, a misty look coming into her eyes.

“Shame you weren’t there too, Ben. We could’ve had a good time. Nothing like safety in numbers during a storm, eh?” she asks, cocking her brow again, letting her eyes settle on my crotch.

Shuddering with revulsion, I stick to business and producing the key to the rental, I tell her we’re here to collect Stacey’s belongings and paperwork from the car so we can arrange the insurance claim.

Deputy Barbie shrugs again, looking bored once she knows I’m not interested in her. Like the dozen other times she’s tried to do her thing with me, I just ignore her and get on with my job.

“Stacey Gorman?” I hear her call out from behind us as we get closer to the wreck.

Stacey turns to face the Deputy, hands on her hips.

“What of it?” she hisses, and I almost chuckle at how proud I am of my girl right now.

“Her father’s on his way up, be here tomorrow most likely. Probably to take her home I imagine,” Barbie drones in my direction, ignoring Stacey but making my stomach tighten.

“Didn’t know Rangers were supposed to house minors of the opposite sex overnight either, Ranger Ben,” she adds, teasing me in her threatening way.

“I’m an adult.” Stacey almost shouts, looking furious by the time her eyes meet mine again.

“Still,” she echoes as we both turn back to the wrecked car. “Not a good look, Ben.”

I stop myself from replying. “Just ignore her, Stacey. We’ll get what we need then we’ll call the rental company,” I tell us both.

“And what about dad?” she asks, making me stop in my tracks, both of us sharing the same thought without saying a word.

“I guess we’ll have to deal with that as it comes up,” is all I can tell her, not even knowing myself how or when I’m gonna have it out with my oldest friend but knowing I’m not gonna pretend when it comes to Stacey and me either.

I have to use all my strength to force the door of the car even once its unlocked.

Every panel and window is wrecked, and I know there’d be no way anyone would have survived if they’d been inside.

I think Stacey feels that too once I pry open the wreckage, and once I feel it’s safe enough, I invite her to crawl in and get what she needs. But she shakes her head, her face going pale.

“I only thought...” I try, but crawl in myself, cursing my stupid mouth for talking before thinking.

I only thought she wouldn’t want other people touching her things is what I meant.

But I’m not other people. Not anymore.

I’m her Ben and she’s my Stacey. We both need to get used to that, I guess.

I rummage a bit, and the glovebox yields her hire contract paperwork, while a shoulder bag on the roof, now the floor is all I find there.

“My suitcases in the trunk,” she volunteers from outside and I shimmy back, handing her everything I have so far.

“The other trunk,” she reminds me, shrugging and pointing to what used to be the hood of a car in my day, even though its crumpled to hell it pops open easily enough.

“That’s everything,” Stacey murmurs quietly, and I hear Deputy Barbie groan when I hook my arm around Stacey, pulling her close to me for comfort.

“You weren’t in there okay. I found you remember?” I remind us both before kissing her head and lifting her suitcases as we head back to my truck.