Free Ranger's Wild Woman by Tina Leonard Page B

she’d expected that. She was, too.
    “And my observation as a card dealer. I learned to read people. It’s not too hard to read that you’re bored. And I don’t have a sign on me that says, ‘Looking for fun? Hang out here for a while.”’
    He sighed. “Okay. You’re right. It was a bad idea. I shouldn’t have tried to force a romantic issue.”
    She watched him carefully. “You agree with me? Really?”
    “This time, yes.”
    “I mean, I don’t even know you,” she pointed out.
    “Well, you knew me well enough to kiss me before.”
    “You said peck. We pecked.”
    “Pecking is between friends.”
    “Can be. Yes.” She nodded emphatically. “Very sisterly, even.”
    “Gotcha.” He sat on the sofa at the opposite end and crossed his legs up on the table. “So, you ready for me to warm up Hawk’s truck?”
    She blinked. He’d probably spent ten minutes lighting all these candles. “You want to leave? Do you feel up to it?”
    “Sure. If you do.”
    The dinner smelled good, and the cabin was warm and pretty. But she really didn’t think staying here with Ranger was in her best interest. He looked long and lean in his jeans, reclining on the sofa, and she had been lying anyway about not wanting to kiss him. Jumping his bones would be a sport of choice, but she’d sworn off being a boredom chaser, so now she had to stick to her guns. “I’m ready if you are.”
    He closed his eyes. “I have a slight headache,” he murmured.
    “I can drive, if you don’t feel well.” She leaned forward to peer at him.
    A second later, a snore escaped him. Her eyes widened. Dinner in the oven, candles ablaze with romanticism, and he was so bored he’d fallen asleep. This was not a good sign. “Ranger,” she whispered. “Ranger! Don’t go to sleep on me!”
    He didn’t move, except for a totally relaxed snore.
    “Great.” Actually, he had every reason to be exhausted. He’d been very sick, and he hadn’t slept comfortably in a few days. “So much for me being your good medicine,” she muttered. “More like a sleeping pill.”
    Still, that left her free to munch on Hawk’s dinner. Alone. She grabbed one of the wineglasses from the table, crept into the kitchen and fixed herself a plate full of food. It was a shame that Ranger was missing this wonderful dinner, but maybe it was better if he got his rest.
    “Mmm,” she said, starting into the casserole. The wine was tasty and velvety, and she sat in the kitchen at the bar, enjoying every bite of her meal. Even the chair was just right, metal, but with a leather seat. She had a perfect view of the outdoors. Dark sky illuminated with diamond lights—there was very little she could think of that would be more romantic than this.
    She washed her dishes, holding back a yawn. After she dried them, she went to check on Ranger. He was sleeping comfortably. Obviously, they weren’t going anywhere tonight. She might as well rest, too.
    Heading back down the small hall, she went into the master bedroom. “Pretty big bed for one person,” she murmured, “but I’m sure it’ll be just right.”
    And it was, soft and warm with a heavy comforter. And lonely.
    “I need a dog,” she told herself. “Maybe a cat.”
    But not Ranger. Definitely not that bad boy. The last thing she would ever be was his latest toy. He was looking for diversion, and she didn’t want to play.
    “It’s raining,” he said suddenly, interrupting her thoughts. She sat straight up in the bed, holding the sheet to her even though she had worn her shirt to bed.
    “Raining?”
    “Yep. Guess that means we can’t try out the hammock on the balcony.”
    “I wasn’t going to, anyway!”
    “Are you afraid of storms?” he asked.
    She couldn’t see him in the darkness, just his silhouette and it made her nervous. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been alone with a man in her sleeping space. “Absolutely not!”
    “Good. I didn’t want to have to hold you if you got