Guardian Ranger (Shadow Agents 2)

He was. In every sense of the word.

“I’ve moved on, Gunner. It tore me apart, but...I. Moved. On.” Her chin was up. Her shoulders back. “I let his ghost go. Maybe it’s time you learned to do the same.” Then her phone rang, vibrating in her pocket. She turned away, yanking it from her pocket. “Logan?” A brief pause, then, “Yes, we had to seek shelter in a shack on the south ridge.”

Gunner ran a rough hand over his face. That had been too close for him. Far too close. Another few seconds, and he wouldn’t have been able to pull away from her.

Another few seconds, and he wouldn’t have cared about the secrets that hid in his heart or the guilt that ate him late at night.

Another few seconds, and he’d have taken her.

But he’d held strong. He could keep his control. He’d protect her, always watch out for her, just as he’d sworn to do.

Anything else wasn’t possible. Even if he had to keep being the bastard who held Sydney at arm’s length.

Sometimes you can’t have the one thing that you want most.

Because you knew, deep down, that you didn’t deserve that one thing.

* * *

SUNLIGHT STREAMED THROUGH the blinds, faint streaks of light that shot across the bed, and slid over Jasper’s body.

And the body of the soft woman in his arms.

He didn’t move when he first woke, too content to keep holding Veronica. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d just held someone. Maybe because there wasn’t a memory.

She was different.

And he was lying to her.

Hell.

The truth would come out, sooner or later. The truth would always come out. When he brought down her brother and the EOD agents took Cale away, what would he say to Veronica then?

Sorry about Cale. Sorry about lying to you. But, hey, maybe we can still hook up? The sex was incredible.

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It was more than just the sex. More than just pleasure that he’d lose if he lost her.

She’s more than I thought. She’d slipped under his guard. Strange, when he should have been the one guarding her.

“Why do you look sad?”

His body tensed. He hadn’t even realized that she’d been awake. But his gaze rose to her face and he found her stare on him, seeing into him as few others had done.

“I’m worried about you.” That was true, even if there was more involved. Worried about her safety, worried about losing her.

“Why? You’re here to keep me safe, right? The big, bad ranger.”

She made him smile. He bent and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “You’re right—that’s why I’m here.” His smile faded. To keep you safe and to bring down your brother. Jasper cleared his throat. “We should head back to the main house. See if Wyatt has any more information for us.”

She nodded and slowly pulled away from him. She sat up on the side of the bed, giving him a perfect view of her back and its elegant curve. “I don’t regret anything that happened,” she told him, and looked over her shoulder. “Just in case you were curious.”

He rose slowly. The sheets bunched around his waist. “Remember that.” His knuckles slid down her spine. Her skin was so smooth. She sucked in a little gasp when he pressed a kiss to the base of her back.

Never another like her.

He lifted his head. Rolled away to his side of the bed, then stood. “We’ll head back to the house, check in with Wyatt, then start searching the rest of the property.” Though he was curious about the progress that Sydney and Gunner might have made. They probably had been caught in the storm, too. But the team would be back in action soon.