Page 38 of Protecting What's Mine

We find a rhythm, and together we make love in the heat of the night. She’s definitely not somebody I’m willing to give up any time soon.

Chapter 18

Tory

Everything about Ranger’s touch is perfect. I never thought I’d be the type of woman to fall recklessly head over heels for a man like Ranger… but I have.

Isohave.

The words are on the tip of my tongue, but people don’t really fall in love this quickly, do they? Of course not.

It’s the heat of the moment causing my brain to short circuit. I smile, holding Ranger closer.

He grunts and groans close to my ear as he pushes his dick in and out of me, causing my body to feel lighter and lighter as he does. I’m so close to my orgasm I can almost feel it.

I squeeze my eyes shut, open my mouth, and my toes begin to curl. “Ah, Ranger.”

“Come all over me,” he demands, and it’s like my body knows to obey him, because I do.

At that exact moment.

Like Ranger’s got the blueprint to my body.

I think maybe he does.

My legs squeeze tighter around him as my orgasm crashes all through me, making me see stars behind my closed eyelids. He follows right after me, chasing his own orgasm. He pulls out in just the nick of time, and shoots his load all over my tummy. It’s sort of sexy how he looks as he comes. Like he’s nearly out of control.

I don’t know what it is about this man that turns me on, but seriously, it’s like everything he does. We lay together after he cleans me up, and he pulls me closer to him.

Sometime later we make it to the bed, and go for another round, and I find myself falling even harder.

Every day, my feelings for Ranger grow stronger. It’s not just his presence or the way he looks at me like I’m something rare and precious—it’s the way he makes me feel safe. The way he listens to me, really listens, and makes me laugh when I don’t even realize I need it.

We head to the little diner again today, the one we visited the other day. It feels like a small slice of normalcy in the midst of everything else, and I like the idea of sharing pancakes with Ranger again, just the two of us.

The sun is bright as we walk along the boardwalk, the salty breeze tugging at my hair. Ranger keeps pace beside me, his hand brushing against mine occasionally. Every time it happens, my heart skips a little.

When we step inside the diner, the familiar jingling bell above the door greets us, and Linda waves from behind the counter. I smile, feeling a sense of ease settle over me.

But then I see them.

The same group of guys from the other day, sitting at a booth near the back. They’re loud and obnoxious, just like before, and as soon as we walk in, their attention snaps to me.

My stomach twists uncomfortably, and I instinctively move closer to Ranger. He notices immediately, his eyes narrowing as he follows my gaze.

“It’s them,” I whisper, my voice barely audible.

Ranger’s jaw tightens, and his posture shifts, becoming more rigid, more alert. “Don’t worry,” he says softly, his voice low and steady. “I’ve got you.”

We sit at a booth near the front, far from where the guys are, but I can feel their eyes on me. It’s like a weight pressing against my back, making it hard to relax.

“They’re staring,” I say, keeping my gaze fixed on the menu in front of me.

Ranger doesn’t even look over at them. “Let them stare,” he replies calmly, his tone laced with something that sends a shiver down my spine.

Linda comes over to take our order, and I manage to smile and thank her, but my appetite is gone. Ranger notices, of course—he notices everything—and his hand brushes against mine under the table, a silent reminder that he’s here.

We eat quickly, and when we leave, I’m relieved to step back into the open air. The breeze feels cooler now, refreshing against my skin.