Rescued by a Ranger Read online

  “Looks like you’re making progress with her,” Ben commented after Eden left the room. “Good for you. I couldn’t help notice at the festival dance that you might be making progress on the dating front, too. Who was the curvy brunette?” He whistled, adding something in Spanish under his breath.

  “Alex. Watch how you talk about her—I’d hate to beat a man with his own crutches.”

  “Touchy.” Ben grinned.

  “Shut up and kick.”

  “Wait...Alex. Alex Hunt. You asked me about her once. She’s lives next to you, right?”

  “Yeah.” For now.

  “Convenient. How does Eden feel about her dad making new friends?”

  “She loves Alex and her little girl. Eden would be all for it if I asked her out.”

  “If?” Ben echoed. “You mean you haven’t yet? Much as I appreciate our friendship, there are better ways to spend your Saturday nights than playing Xbox with me.”

  “You don’t say,” Zane drawled. “I’m trying to move at a respectful speed. She lost her husband in a car accident.”

  “Oh.” Ben sobered immediately. “How long ago was that?”

  “A year, give or take. I didn’t press for details.” On screen, the ref called a delay of game because Zane’s center hadn’t bothered to hike the ball. There were actually a lot of details he and Alex had never discussed. She’d mentioned an obnoxious neighbor in college, but he had no idea what university she’d attended or what she’d studied. When her husband had been alive, had she worked outside the home or been a housewife? What did she and Belle plan to do once their house-sitting assignment for the Comers ended?

  Then again, Alex had entrusted him with some of the most personal details of her life—her childhood in foster homes, her troubled marriage and difficulty having a baby. Those experiences were what had shaped her into a compassionate survivor, a woman who adored her daughter and was willing to help him bridge the gap with his own daughter. Maybe he didn’t know what kind of music she preferred or her favorite color, but he knew what mattered.

  And he knew that after only a couple of weeks, he was half-crazy about her and that his feelings escalated every time he saw her.

  “Yo, you still playing or did you give up?” Ben challenged. “I know I’m tough to beat, but if you’re gonna be in the game, be in the game. Give it your all.”

  Zane pointed a finger at his friend. “You’re right! You’re absolutely right.” Alex was only here temporarily, and every moment he ignored his feelings, kept his distance, was a lost opportunity. He’d spent today second-guessing himself, wondering if it had been a mistake to say he wanted to kiss her. His real regret should be that he hadn’t just done it. He should have kissed her, then let her decide if she was ready to date. His conjecture about what she might be feeling was pointless.

  “What time is your brother picking you up?” Zane asked, trying not to sound impatient. It was time to start seizing opportunities.

  * * *

  BELLE HAD BEEN ASLEEP FOR about an hour when she woke from her nightmare. Alex was in the master bedroom, hemming a pair of her daughter’s pants when she heard a muffled cry.

  She flipped on the hall light as she hurried toward the girl’s room. “Are you okay, punkin?”

  Her daughter was upright, huddled into the corner with a teddy bear. She’d started to cry. “Had a bad dream.”

  “About what?” Alex sat on the edge of the bed and held her arms open. Belle snuggled against her, warm from sleep.

  “I’m scared.”

  Alex stroked her hair. “Of what?”

  “I want Daddy.”

  The soft pitiful statement clawed at Alex’s heart. She’d never discouraged Belle from talking about Christopher, but she herself rarely brought him up in conversation. It had been a long time since Belle had mentioned him directly, which Alex had chosen to see as a sign of healing. Now she worried that her daughter had simply been repressing her pain. I should be mentioning him more, encouraging her to talk about her memories.

  “I’m sure your Daddy would have wanted to be here with you. He loved you very much.”

  “I don’t like that he went to heaven,” Belle complained.

  “I don’t either, honey. But sometimes things happen that we just can’t understand.” She’d never understood Chris’s reckless impulses—he’d been an intelligent man, so why the hell couldn’t he work through the logical consequences of his actions? Being rich hadn’t made him immortal.

  “Is Mister Zane going to be my new daddy?”

  “What? No! I... He’s just our friend.”

  “Oh.” Belle rubbed her nose. “If he was my new daddy, Eden could be my sister. And I’d finally have a dog.”

  Alex drew a deep breath. “Belle, you know we’re not staying here forever, right? We’re not moving in with Mr. Zane. He’s just going to be our neighbor for a little while.”

  “Will he still be our neighbor on my birthday?” That was only a couple of weeks away now.

  “Yes.”

  “Can he come to my party?”

  “Absolutely.”

  “Can he get me a dog?”

  “Only a stuffed one. We’re not ready for a pet.”

  “I am.”

  Alex chuckled. “I think it’s time for you to go back to bed now. Okay?”

  Belle nodded, scooting down beneath the covers. “Leave the hall light on, please.”

  “Deal.”

  “Mommy?”

  “What, punkin?”

  “Don’t go to heaven.”

  Alex caught her breath, not sure how to respond. The temptation was to make promises no person could absolutely keep. Why was being a parent so hard? “I love you. I will always, always love you.”

  “Love you, too, Mommy.”

  The bittersweet pang in her midsection stayed long after Belle’s breathing evened out and she slept once again. Nobody is taking her from me. Ever.

  The night before, Alex had fallen asleep to satisfying fantasies of discrediting the Hargroves. Writing in her notebook each night before bed, imagining being free of them once and for all, was soothing. It was a shame she hadn’t thought to chronicle names and dates when she and Chris were still married, when she was trying to keep the peace as much as possible, but better late than never. She took the notebook out of the otherwise-emptied nightstand drawer, but the pen she’d last used wasn’t there. She dumped her purse on the bedspread and was sorting through the contents when she thought she heard a voice.

  Wondering if Belle might need her again, she paused, listening intently—then jumped about a foot when something struck her window.

  “Alex.”

  Was she going crazy, or was that Zane? She quickly turned off the bedroom light so she wouldn’t be visible, then crept to the window to peek. Seeing that it really was Zane, she opened her window.

  “Oh good.” He sounded as if he was smiling, although there wasn’t enough light to make out his actual expression. “You’re awake.”

  She waited for some kind of explanation as to why he was throwing pebbles at her window—something she’d seen in countless movies but had never experienced in real life—but he didn’t offer an immediate reason for why he’d scared her out of her skin and risked waking Belle. If he’d needed to talk, why hadn’t he just called?

  “Have you been drinking?” she accused. It seemed slightly less insulting than have you lost your mind?

  “Yes, ma’am. The hard stuff, too. Diet soda with caffeine.”

  Okay. So he actually had lost his mind. “What are you doing here, Zane?”

  “Brought your cake plate.” He held up the domed dish.

  She could tell him to return it during daylight hours, but why? He was already here, and, truthfully, she was glad to see him. Especially when he was endearingly playful, not glowering while he lectured civilians on the importance of the law. It was ironic that current circumstances placed them on opposite sides of the matter when she had always admired
the very qualities Zane epitomized. How many times had she fought with Chris over his disrespect of the rules?

  “Be right down,” she called. It wasn’t until she was unlocking the front door that she realized she’d already scrubbed off her makeup for the day and that she’d removed her bra an hour ago. She was wearing a polka-dotted, short-sleeved baby-doll pajama top over a pair of matching dotted capris. Maybe if she didn’t turn on the foyer light, her braless state wouldn’t be noticeable. “Evening.”

  “Nice jammies.” The way he drank in the sight of her transformed teasing words into a heady compliment. He handed over the plate. “It’s a beautiful night. Want to step out and look at the stars with me?” The innocuous offer didn’t quite match the man making it. Wearing a white T-shirt, jeans and a wicked smile, he looked like the kind of guy a girl’s mother would warn her about.

  But I didn’t have a mother. She set the plate in the foyer and stepped outside. “Only for a minute, though. Belle’s having a restless night.”

  Overhead, stars crowded the sky, sparkling in timeless majesty. A breeze rippled over her and she shivered.

  “Cold?” Zane stepped behind her, not quite embracing her but sharing the heat of his body. It was tempting to lean back into his chest and melt against him. “Do you know many of the constellations?”

  “Nope. On a good day, I can find the Big Dipper. Beyond that...”

  “Over there is the Flying Fish.” When he raised his hand to point, he brushed her bare arm, causing another slight tremor. Would he attribute it to the night chill, or did he know better? “And you see those two stars?” He drew a straight line in the air. “Canis Minor. Better known as the little dog.”

  She gave him a disbelieving look. “Are you just making this up as you go along?”

  “Of course not. I was a Scout until the seventh grade.”

  “But that’s not a dog! It’s barely enough stars to qualify as a constellation.”

  “You have to use your imagination. It’s probably easier for me because my imagination’s been getting a lot of exercise lately.” He traced his hand up her arm, slowly and deliberately this time. When he got to her shoulder, he gently turned her to face him. He placed his finger on her lower lip. “I’ve been imagining this. A lot.”

  He bent his head to hers, his mouth replacing his finger. Her nerves thrummed, her skin tingled. His tongue slid between her lips, and he kissed her with excruciating tenderness, tasting her thoroughly but slowly, as if he wanted to do this all night. Need unfurled inside her. It had been a very long time since she’d been truly aroused, and she almost gasped at the piercing sweetness of returning desire.

  But then Zane pulled away. Smiling, he ran his thumb over the curve of her lip one last time. “Sweet dreams, Alex.”

  As he sauntered toward his house, she could hear him whistling lightly. Sweet dreams? There was no chance in hell she could sleep after that.

  * * *

  ALTHOUGH ALEX WAS UP WITH the sun and the birds, she forced herself to wait until a respectable hour before she called Tess. “Do you have lunch plans today?” she asked the other woman. “Because I desperately need a second opinion.”

  They settled on a fast-food place that had an indoor playground for Belle and met at noon.

  As Belle entertained herself by repeatedly going down a giant spiral slide, Tess sat on the other side of the lime-green booth snickering.

  “You find my anxiety funny?” Alex asked.

  “It’s amusing that you wanted to have lunch, but you haven’t eaten two bites of your salad. I don’t really understand the anxiety. Zane’s a great guy and, from what you said, a great kisser. Count your blessings, woman.”

  That was easy for Tess to say, when she knew so little about Alex’s troubles.

  Alex swirled her straw around in her drink. “You don’t think it’s weird that he showed up at my house in the middle of the night, kissed me once, then left?” If he’d been as turned on as she’d been, shouldn’t it have been far more difficult for him to go?

  “I think it’s romantic. Classy, like a single red rose. The question you should be asking is, when’s it going to happen again? Are you going to call him today? Arrange an accidental-on-purpose neighbor meeting, like both of you walking to your mailboxes at the same time?”

  “It’s Sunday. There is no mail. Also, I’m not a stalker.”

  “You’re missing my point. I suppose you could do nothing—wait and see if he shows up again, but that seems a bit passive. I’m not a fan of passive. I’m more of a doer.”

  Alex grinned. “No kidding. I—”

  “Heather!”

  Oh, God, no. Her head whipped around—an involuntary reflex even as she realized she should be slouching farther down in the booth and trying to hide, though it was too late for that. Shock and dread choked her.

  A tall blonde with patrician features and an angry scowl was stalking toward her but veered left long before she got close to their table. “Heather, how many times have I told you to stop pushing your brother!”

  Not me. Alex’s hands trembled, and nausea roiled through her stomach. She wasn’t talking to me.

  “Alex?” Tess was staring at her as if she’d grown another head.

  “Sorry. That woman startled me when she yelled. Here I was lost in thought about Zane, then boom.” The explosion reference was entirely too appropriate. She had a sick feeling that at any moment, her life could blow up in her face. What if she’d been here today with Zane? She didn’t think he’d be as easily fooled by her lame explanation as Tess. Although Alex should be glad her friend seemed to buy her excuse, she was too ashamed. She hated lying to someone who’d been so kind to her.

  She cleared her throat, feigning a sudden interest in their surroundings so she wouldn’t have to look Tess in the eye. “Belle’s birthday is coming up soon. Think she’d like to have a party here?”

  “Nah, you don’t want to have it in a place that’s open to the public, trying to celebrate in the middle of unsupervised hooligans and brothers and sisters pulling hair and pushing each other. What about the dance studio? If you can be flexible about the time, we can schedule something fun when there’s not a class going on. If the birthday girl is open to that idea.”

  “Are you kidding? She’ll be over the moon. Thanks, Tess. I don’t deserve you.” Alex sipped her sweet tea. It tasted like self-loathing.

  * * *

  SO MUCH FOR NOT BEING a stalker. On the pretext of using sidewalk chalk to draw with her daughter in the driveway, Alex had kept one eye on the Winchester house all afternoon. She knew it was Zane’s routine to walk the dog, and she needed to talk to him. Part of her thought it would be easiest to pretend last night had never happened, but denial was just another form of deception. She already had too much of that on her plate.

  She’d almost given up hope on her plan when, finally, Belle shouted, “Hi, Mister Zane!”

  He obligingly brought Dolly over so that Belle could pet her. But he barely spared a glance for child or dog. His gaze was locked on Alex. “Hi.”

  She rose, dusting chalk dust off her jeans. “Belle, can you finish our castle? I want to talk to Mister Zane for a minute.”

  “Uh-oh.” His tone was light, but his eyes were searching, trying to read Alex’s expression. “Sounds like I’m in trouble, Belle.”

  “You have to say you’re sorry and go to time-out,” the girl said sagely. “Those are the rules.”

  Alex walked to the end of the driveway. Zane joined her there, keeping his voice down.

  “Are you angry about last night?” he asked.

  “No.” She couldn’t stop herself from admitting, “That was a hell of a kiss. But...I don’t know what you expect from me. What happens now?”

  “That’s up to you. You’ve been through a lot, and I’m a patient man.”

  Why did he have to be so wonderful? She wanted to cry. “Zane, I like you.” She laughed hollowly. “What’s not to like? You know Belle and I aren’
t staying, though.”

  “The Comers are really good people.” He scowled. “But I am not looking forward to their coming back. We still have months before then. Why don’t we just see what happens? Go out with me. Please.”

  “I...” The yearning to say yes bubbled up inside her. Her past was a series of bumpy roads that had never quite led where she’d expected; who knew what her future held? Didn’t she deserve whatever small bit of happiness she could find? Doesn’t Zane deserve a woman who’s honest with him? “I don’t know.”

  “I realize it would be your first date since Chris died.”

  “Chris?” Her heart raced. How had he known that?

  Zane frowned. “Am I misremembering his name?”

  “N-no, you got it right.” When had she used his name? Perhaps when she’d told Zane about her husband’s accident? She’d obviously slipped somewhere, and it was those tiny mistakes that made spending time with Zane hazardous. “It’s just...disorienting to hear you talk about him.” That, at least, was the unvarnished truth.

  “Anyway, if it helps, don’t look at an evening out as some kind of milestone. It’s just one night, a few hours in the scheme of things. You can give yourself one night. Give yourself a chance to see what it could be like between us.”

  Her throat tightened with emotion. If she didn’t end this conversation quickly, she’d either capitulate or start crying. Possibly both. “I’ll think about it. That’s all I can give you at the moment.”

  “Then I’ll take it.” He brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “For now.”

  Chapter Ten

  “Excuse me? Alex?”

  Alex stood at the front desk of the senior living complex, where she’d been checking in for an appointment with one of the residents. Satisfied client Mrs. Turlow had a friend who lived here and wanted to talk to Alex about restoring a tattered family quilt.

  As soon as Alex turned to face the stranger who’d addressed her, she knew who it was. The elderly woman had Zane’s green eyes and Eden’s smile.