Page 10

Kelly

It took me all day to convince Jack, AKA Scott Hunter, that I should join him tonight in the woods. Now, sitting in his Ford Explorer, my tsunami of thoughts rises, ready to smash me into tiny bits.

Hunt? What kind of nickname is that? What was up with calling me babe?

Gram’s voice speaks from inside my head. Admit it, sweetie, you loved it.

Oh fuck, now I’m arguing with my dead grandmother. If you add this to my unhinged mental box, I’m two clicks away from a psychotic break.

Oblivious to my inner crazy chatter, Mr. FBI hands me a silver space blanket and hand warmers. “Who’s watching your daughter?”

“M-Mack is with my brother, a former Ranger. Sh-she’ll be fine.” I dressed for the cold. Other than nerves, I have no reason to shiver like this.

His brows lift, his version of a silent question mark. He wants more intel, but I’m not ready to share my family’s drama. “It’s complicated. She’s safe. That’s what counts. Don’t you think we should go out there and poke around—maybe put up some more cameras?”

When I reach for the door handle, his arm reaches across my waist.

“Don’t.” His bossiness annoys me. Yet, in a way, I find it comforting. How can both things be true?

“You didn’t want my help tonight, did you? This is your idea of placating me.” As I press the hand warmers tighter, their heat seeps into my palms and eases the tightness in my chest.

A breath I didn’t realize I was holding slips free when he hands me his phone. “Here are the feeds from my surveillance cams. No one is out there unless you have other paths you haven’t told me about.”

His response is reasonable enough, but I don’t buy it. Not for one moment. “I was a Marine. Because of my short stature, I had to be more qualified than any of my team. This is what makes me a damn fine border agent.”

“I never said you weren’t.” He studies my face like I’m the one being unreasonable, and maybe I am.

Shit. Since The Incident, I’ve had to second-guess all my actions. The awkward silence stretches on for too long. He’s probably glad I shut up. I imagine he’s contemplating how to handle this crazy woman.

God, I hate stoic men. Perhaps we should discuss the sexual attraction between us.

Nope. Not going there, either.

When the leaves rustle nearby, Hunter grabs his gun. I do likewise. While holding our breaths, a majestic moose strolls near our car.

“Don’t move. If her calves are nearby, she could ram the vehicle.” My heart pounds in my ears for I don’t know how long.

Finally, the cow grunts and hooves the ground, then wanders away.

“That was amazing.” Shaking his head, he stares at the empty outdoors so intently I have to laugh.

“So, Mr. Wildlife, never seen a momma moose before?”

“Not up close and personal.” His smile melts the ice which previously permeated the mood in the car.

Not wanting the lightness to leave, I blurt out the first thing to come into my head. “Soo… a handsome guy like you. Why no girlfriend? Is there something you’d like to share?”

The moon slips under some clouds, turning the vehicle into an intimate cocoon where anything can be said.

His soft chuckle hits the mark between my upper thighs. “There’s been a couple over the years, but it takes a certain type of woman to put up with my career.”

Since he shared, it’s only fair I do the same. “I got married young. We started a family, but Peter lost his job. We had no money and no healthcare, so I enlisted. The second my term was up, he divorced me. Turns out, he found someone to keep him company while I was serving my country.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Reaching across the cupholder, he places his hand on my knee.

Tits hard, liquid pooling between my thighs, I wish I could see his face. “Don’t be. You met him. He’s a jerk. What about you? Ever married?”

His breathing hitches when his hand inches higher. “Nope, never took the plunge. Came close a couple of times, but they smartened up before going down the aisle.”

“Relationships suck.” Squeezing his gloved hand, I spread my legs.

“Agreed.” The seat squeaks. A moment later, his exhaled air warms my face. “The worst.”

His pinky skims across my clit, sending a jolt through me, emboldening me. “We could skip all the drama and go straight to the fun stuff.”

“No texts? No heart emojis?” My breath hitches as his fingers dig into my muscles.

“Exactly. No overanalyzing, no deep discussions about what this means or where it leads.” His speech barely registers before his lips crash into mine.

With his hand tangled in my hair and his tongue teasing me, I know—instantly, irrevocably—I’ve made a mistake. We must have slipped through time because years have passed by the time we part.

“I’d love to start our affair right here, but I’d rather not risk getting caught naked.” His voice breaks through the Milky Way, grounding me.

Back in my galaxy, I fumble for words, my mind still light-years away. “Guess we’ll simply have to let those embers of desire smolder awhile.”

His maddening chuckle only stokes the fire. “Sounds like someone’s been reading too many romance novels.”

“Guilty as charged.”