Page 5 of Longing for the Ranger (Shadow Mountain Forest Rangers #2)

Izzy

We watch the boys play with Missy for another few minutes before Shawn reminds them why he came today. “Are you two ready to go fishing now?”

They immediately scramble up from where they are rolling on the ground, getting licked by the large yellow dog. Yelling, “Yeah!” at the top of their lungs.

I shake my head at the decibel level of my children, glad we’re not indoors for once.

“Are you guys up for a bit of a hike? I know a great fishing hole where the fish jump right onto your hook, but it’s a bit of a walk to get there.” Shawn asks.

Luke’s eyes are wide as he gasps, “Really?!”

“Absolutely!” Shawn winks at me, causing a flutter in my belly I haven’t felt in years. “What do you say?”

“Yay! Let’s go!” Jake yells.

Shawn holds my gaze, waiting for confirmation the boys can handle a hike. “Just how far is it?” I ask.

“Just about a mile. I’m positive these two tornados can handle it.”

“Okay then. Let me just grab my pack and some drinks and snacks for them.” Going to the tent, I grab my purple daypack.

I toss in a small first aid kit, sunscreen, wet wipes and a small towel before going to the bear box and adding snacks, juice boxes and waters.

Satisfied I have everything to keep the boys from having meltdowns, I zip the pack and shrug into the straps.

When I turn, Shawn is waiting patiently with his own pack and the boy’s fishing poles plus another. “Oh, I can carry those.”

His head shakes before he gives me another wink. “No worries. I got ‘em.”

My lips curl in as I feel my cheeks heat and the flutter in my belly returns. Gha, what is wrong with me? I’m a thirty-four-year-old woman with two kids. My days of getting twitterpated have long since passed.

Besides, this gorgeous man is here for my kids, not to remind my lady bits of what they have been missing for the last few years.

He leads us toward a trail at the edge of the campground, not far from our site. As we amble down the trail, the boys pepper Shawn with question after question. The patience he shows answering them all has my chest swelling.

These two can be a lot, but he doesn’t hesitate to stop and show them things along the trail, never once getting frustrated by the amount of time it's taking us to get to the fishing spot.

After a forty minutes stroll, he steers us off the trail through the trees. A dozen yards later, we are on the bank of the creek. It runs by sedately with large pools flanking a shallow rocky area.

“Alright, time to catch some fish,” Shawn announces, dropping his pack. He efficiently rigs up the boy’s poles in less time than it would have taken me to get one of them done.

Then he gathers the boys at the creek’s edge, upstream from where Missy is happily splashing in the shallows of the water.

I watch in fascination as he puts the pole in Luke’s hand. His much larger one engulfs my son’s as he shows him how to work the pole.

“Hold it like this with your finger on the string here to hold it in place. Flip this bar here, called the bail. Take it behind you like this and then fling it forward like so, letting go of the string.” He instructs Luke holding onto the pole with him until the hook lands out in the water a dozen yards from where they stand.

“Look ’it Mom! He didn’t even get it tangled up or caught in any trees like you did.” The awe in Jake’s voice has me not even minding he’s basically saying I’m a failure.

“I see. That was pretty neat. Think you can do that too?”

“Sure he can. Here you go, bud.” Shawn plucks up the other pole and goes through the same instructions with Jake on how to cast.

My heart sings at the giggles and shouts from the boys as they continue to cast and reel in their lines while I sit nearby on a rock, watching them.

I feel a little guilty for not being the one to help them, but last time was such a disaster, and I don’t want to mess up how well they are doing with Shawn.

I have to admit, it’s awfully nice to sit back and enjoy the outing for once instead of stressing about doing everything right and failing. Having someone to help carry the load is a luxury I had almost forgotten about.

Watching Shawn with the boys has my heart aching for something else that will never be. Their dad will never get to have these experiences with them. But looking on the bright side, at least they are getting to do this.

My mind is spinning with all the competing emotions banging around in me, swinging from one extreme to the next.

A squeal from Jake has me jumping up.

“I got a fish! I got a fish!”

“Good job. Reel it in nice and slow. Don’t let it get away.

” Shawn chuckles as he stands beside him, helping.

He grabs the line when it gets close. Holding up a fish only about four inches long.

“Well, he’s not quite a keeper, but you win for being the first to catch one.

Let’s take a picture real quick, then we’ll put ‘em back in the water to get bigger for next time.”

I whip out my phone to snap a photo of Jake holding up the fish on the line. Then take one with him and Luke. “Okay, now one with you, Shawn.” I gesture from him to the boys.

He kneels down next to Jake. Once I get a photo of the three of them, he gets up and walks to me, taking my phone. “Now let’s get one with you.”

“Oh okay, thank you.” I stand with the boys and we all smile like we haven’t for a long time. It feels good.

He helps Jake get more bait on his line and cast out again. The boys argue about who is going to catch more fish.

“I think your mom is going to catch the most.” Shawn announces, which causes me to frown.

“But I’m not fishing.” I protest.

“Now you are. It’s your turn now. Can’t let them out fish you.”

“Girls can’t fish.” Jake rolls his eyes.

“Especially mom. She’s bad at it.” Luke agrees.

Shawn shakes his head, amusement glinting in his eyes. “Girls can absolutely fish. She just needs some help, like you had.” Those hazel orbs meet mine in a challenge. “Now you can’t back down, gotta prove them wrong. Come on, I’ll help you.”

Sighing, not really wanting to do this, but feel the need to prove to us all that I can if I really wanted to. Besides, I really shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to learn. “Okay.”

Walking over to Shawn, he shows me how to bait the hook. Then, just like he did with the kids, he hands me the pole, showing me where to place my hands.

It’s all I can do to focus on his instructions as his arms wrap around me, showing me what to do. My belly quivers as his hard body brushes up against mine. His woodsy, masculine scent fills my nose, causing my eyes to flutter.

His left hand comes to my hip as we cast the line into the water together, but when it lands successfully, he doesn’t step back.

Instead stands right where he is, body so close to mine I can feel the heat of it through the fabric of our clothes.

The warmth radiating from his hand still on my hip is enough to burn me.

A squeal from Luke breaks the tenuous moment. Shawn steps away to help him with the fish he's caught. I feel the loss of his innocent embrace much more profoundly than is rational.

Shoving the unexpected feelings aside, I join the boys to cheer for Luke’s catch and take photos of him with it. Focusing back on what is important, the boys and not my long dormant libido suddenly making its self known.