Page 17 of Deception and New Direction (Ranger Shield Security #3)

RUTHIE

In my defense, Jack drove me up a wall anytime he was near me. It was like he enjoyed getting on my nerves. My annoyance fueled his happiness—and he annoyed me a lot. Well , there was only so much a person could take before they snapped.

I snapped.

Now, here we were in the kitchen, staring each other down. Jack was all up in my space, and I had just drenched him with dirty, soapy water. It had been two weeks since Jack’s mystery date, and he’d been acting so weird. He also loved to tease me and annoy me as though he had nothing better to do.

Again, in my defense, there was only so much a person could take before they snapped, and I snapped.

I really was a nice person. I just couldn’t stand overbearing men. The ones who thought they knew best. The ones who thought women should just be pretty things people looked at and should just go along with everything they said.

Because that wasn’t me.

It all started early in the day Saturday .

The weather was crummy, so Jack decided to go to some home improvement stores to get paint, some new hardware, and a few other things he needed to renovate his house.

I tagged along because I loved going to those stores.

We had lunch out since it was easier, and then we came back to his house.

Despite multiple protests from Jack , I helped him carry in some of the bags from the car.

I would never admit it to him, but clearly, I had overdone it a bit with all the walking.

I knew this because when we came home, I took some pain pills, sat down on the couch for a bit with Dash , and promptly fell asleep.

The problem was I had a dream—a very detailed dream of Jack …

naked…on top of me. So , I woke up half frustrated that it wasn’t real and half frustrated that I’d had those thoughts about Jack at all.

The clock said it was already six in the evening, so I got up and made dinner.

We had cheeseburger macaroni and cheese, and thankfully, we didn’t talk much during dinner because Archer had called to talk to him about a new case.

I finished my meal and had been in the middle of hand-washing a few dishes when Jack walked in.

“Sorry about that. How was your nap earlier, by the way?”

I knew he was just making casual conversation, but it immediately brought me back to my dream.

The dream with Jack’s delicious body over top of mine— Stop !

Don’t go there . I didn’t want him to see my face likely turning red, so I angled my body away from him and began to focus on washing those dishes like my life depended on it.

“Fine,” I replied quickly, perhaps too quickly judging by his reaction.

“I know enough girl code from having a sister to know that word can have a double meaning. Is everything okay?”

I decided to change the topic. “ Yes , all good. Did you like dinner?”

“Yes, though, Ruthie , we can get food delivered next time so you don’t always have to cook.”

“We already ate out for lunch, Jack , and you wouldn’t even let me pay,” I reminded him because it bothered me that he chose the brief moment I went to the bathroom to pay the bill.

“Ruthie, before you moved in here, I ate out most meals. I’m not exactly a gourmet chef like you.”

“I know you’re not. Ellie warned me,” I said, intentionally trying to be cheeky, but that only caused him to grin even more and flash that sexy smile my way.

“Which is why I’m telling you I don’t mind eating out for more than one meal a day.”

“Not everyone has a body like yours and can afford to eat out all the time, Jack . If I eat too much fast food, it goes straight to my backside.”

“I happen to think your body looks great and definitely think you should eat out more if it’s going to make your backside look even better,” he said with a lascivious smile.

Why did I even bring that up? Quick , change the subject.

“I feel weird just staying here and not helping,” I tried to explain to him. “ I’m good at cooking. My mom taught me when I was young, and I kept learning after she died because my dad and brother were terrible at it. It was just easier if I made all the meals.”

He didn’t say anything to that, but he made a face that looked agitated. I turned back to dry off the casserole dish in my hand and move on to the last item in the sink.

Not that we were having companionable conversation to begin with, but it all went downhill when Jack brought up Ellie and Wade’s wedding.

“Will you go with me to their wedding?” he asked, and I was confused.

“Of course I’m going. Your sister already asked me to be her maid of honor. Aren’t you Wade’s best man?”

“Yes, but I meant I want you to go with me.”

“I won’t be in a cast anymore by then, Jack . I don’t need you to drive me.”

“Damnit, Ruthie . I mean I want you to be my date,” he said, his face full of exasperation.

He wanted me to be his date ?

My confusion must have been written all over my face because he stared at me and smiled.

“You’re adorable.”

“You take that back!” I demanded as I set the final dish over to the side to dry.

His small smile grew bigger, and that just pissed me off even more that he was enjoying this.

“Gah! You’re impossible,” I huffed.

“I am. But I balance it out by being ridiculously handsome,” he said with a cocky smirk.

“You’re not that handsome,” I replied, hoping my poker face was good enough to hide that lie.

He was definitely handsome.

That was the problem. Men who were good-looking were all trouble. Mal was good-looking, but he was a super creep. My dad, at least in his younger years, had been attractive, and he was an asshole.

Sure, Archer and the other guys from the security firm were nice men, and they were also easy on the eyes, but not like Jack .

His sex appeal was on a whole other level. One that I was not equipped to deal with. I knew from the first moment I laid eyes on him he would be trouble. He’d lure me in with his ruggedly tempting looks, seduce me, and then drop me like a hot pocket.

“You know what I think?” he asked, but it was a rhetorical question since he didn’t give me any time to answer.

“ I think you feel the same attraction to me as I do to you, and it scares you. You want to explore this just as much as me, but you are terrified you might enjoy it and then it will all crumble. You’ve convinced yourself this will all go to hell before you’ve ever even given it a chance. ”

He walked closer into my space.

“Your dad made you believe that having people help you made you weak. He’s convinced you that if you rely on someone, whether physical, emotional, or mental support, that you are draining them and being a leech.

Neither of those things are true, Ruthie .

Friends help each other out. Partners help each other out.

Not out of any sense of obligation, but because we want to. ”

I knew that was the truth because I was always willing to do those things for my friends. I just didn’t like it when they returned the favor.

“Your comment the other day about owing Cat a favor because she did something nice for you... That’s not how it works Ruthie .

Friends can do nice things for each other and not expect something in return.

You’re letting your dad win if you feel the need to repay every nice thing someone does for you. ”

“I’m not letting my dad win anything. He doesn’t control me!”

“Then why won’t you let your friends do nice things for you? Why won’t you go with me to the wedding? Why won’t you say yes when I ask you out to dinner? Why don’t you want to give in to the sexual tension that you and I both know is there?”

I huffed and rolled my eyes. “ You’re awfully full of yourself.”

It was a deflection, and he knew it. I didn’t know why I couldn’t bring myself to just enjoy what he was offering. I may not admit it, but he was right— I wanted those things. All of them.

“I’d rather you be full of me,” he teased back.

Frustrated—both sexually and at Jack in general— I dropped my hands in dramatic frustration, aiming for the front ledge of the sink.

Only , my hands slipped and dropped into the water, sending a huge splash of dirty, soapy water onto my shirt, as well as straight into Jack’s face and all over the front of him.

Now even more frustrated, and feeling slightly guilty, I turned around and grabbed the kitchen towel and moved to wipe off his face with it.

“Son of a nutcracker. I’m sorry,” I huffed out my apology.

“Are you though?” he asked as I patted his face.

It upset me that he would think I did this on purpose. “ I didn’t mean to do it, jerk face.”

He grabbed ahold of my wrist and held it there, inches from my face. He stared at me, and I stared right back. Glancing down, I noticed the top of his shirt was soaked through, which caused an already tight shirt to cling even more to his muscles.

My thoughts immediately circled back to my dream. His body on top of mine, kissing me all over, making me feel amazing. God , what I wouldn’t give to have him do those things to me right now.

“Ruthie.”

His use of my name had me looking back up at his eyes, only to see intense heat in them. My breathing picked up and became nearly as fast as my heart.

I don’t know which one of us moved first, but before I knew it, we were attacking each other.

That was a lie— I definitely attacked him first.

I could only take so much, and I’d had enough. I wanted Jack , and I decided I would give in to the temptation and just enjoy him. Even if only for a short while.

I shot forward and kissed him. My lips plundered his while he grabbed my head and tilted it so he could get a better angle, and his tongue dove into my mouth.

I may have started this, but Jack quickly took over, and I let him because he was doing a remarkable job. The way his hands sifted through the hair at the back of my neck while he took over my mouth as though he was starved for me.