The Ranger's Passionate Love Read Online Free Page A
Author: Nicole Jordan
of time, Kyara found herself in t-shirt and jeans walking out behind the general store. It was still light out, but the evening had settled into its usual pattern of hums, buzzes, and the whisper of leaves.
For the first month she’d been here, she’d lain awake at night. The insect-filled night was both too loud and not nearly loud enough. Now, though, Kyara could almost sleep without straining for the sound of cars, buildings, and people all around her.
I might actually be getting used to being here.
The path was as obvious as Crystal had promised. Not only was it a clear break in the trees, but someone had pounded a hand-painted sign in at the head.
“Old Mill Road. 18.2 Miles to Bradford.”
The tall grass leading up to the trailhead was neatly mowed, creating an easy walkway. Kyara followed it, straining for the sound of voices or the crack of branches. If there was anything, though, it was far away.
Studying the space around her cautiously, Kyara started walking, taking the time to look over the trail. From what little she knew, it looked good to her. She could see the places where the trees had been trimmed back and carefully treated with some sort of mixture over the exposed insides of the branches. It was almost picture-perfect against the background of rolling hills and the trickling of the river.
If they're trying to rope in the tourists, this would hook me, Kyara reflected.
The evening remained oppressively hot and muggy, though. Insects began to find her, too. At first there were just a few, but soon she couldn’t take a step without having to swat at them. By the time her foot disappeared into a hole full of mud, Kyara's mood had soured.
This was a really stupid idea Kyara berated herself. I don’t have the right clothes for this, or bug spray, or anything. I’m going to get eaten alive by mosquitoes big enough to ride before I find them, if they’re even out here!
Just when she was ready to turn back, Kyara caught the welcome sound of voices and a revving motor. The trail looped around a hill before she finally saw people.
Three women were grouped in back of an old, red pickup truck. It was filled with a pile of branches. They matched the mass of interwoven, spiky branches blocking the trail ahead. There was kind of a place the path continued between them, but you had to be looking for it. Mostly, it just looked like a mass of spikes and leaves.
Of the three women, two short, brunette women, one skinny, one heavy, were holding back some of those branches while a tall, statuesque blond sawed away at the base of one bush with a hack saw. All three straightened up when she came into view.
"Um, hey. I'm looking for Jason?" said Kyara uncertainly.
The pudgy brunette paused for a moment, then gestured through the brambles. The skinny one smirked a little and gave a quick nod, also in the direction of the tiny path. The blond just stared at her, hands on hips.
Wow. What's her problem? Kyara wondered as she made her way tentatively towards the break in the brambles. She went to push her way through, all three women still watching her. The branches were just as rough as they looked. Almost immediately, Kyara's arms became a mass of tiny, cross-crossed scratches.
Great, because the bug bites weren't bad enough.
Picking her way forward, trying to preserve her abused skin as much as possible, Kyara worked her way forward. Coming out the other side, she finally saw Jason.
He was lounging against a huge, lightning-struck tree, talking to another guy. Jason was wearing a rich green jacket and rough, thick khakis, the loops on them actually hung with the tools they were intended for. The other man was heavier, wearing a bark brown jacket and jeans. The gray at his temples marked him as older. He was shaking his head at Jason like a disappointed teacher.
Kyara stopped, listening and picking bits of leaves out of her
For the first month she’d been here, she’d lain awake at night. The insect-filled night was both too loud and not nearly loud enough. Now, though, Kyara could almost sleep without straining for the sound of cars, buildings, and people all around her.
I might actually be getting used to being here.
The path was as obvious as Crystal had promised. Not only was it a clear break in the trees, but someone had pounded a hand-painted sign in at the head.
“Old Mill Road. 18.2 Miles to Bradford.”
The tall grass leading up to the trailhead was neatly mowed, creating an easy walkway. Kyara followed it, straining for the sound of voices or the crack of branches. If there was anything, though, it was far away.
Studying the space around her cautiously, Kyara started walking, taking the time to look over the trail. From what little she knew, it looked good to her. She could see the places where the trees had been trimmed back and carefully treated with some sort of mixture over the exposed insides of the branches. It was almost picture-perfect against the background of rolling hills and the trickling of the river.
If they're trying to rope in the tourists, this would hook me, Kyara reflected.
The evening remained oppressively hot and muggy, though. Insects began to find her, too. At first there were just a few, but soon she couldn’t take a step without having to swat at them. By the time her foot disappeared into a hole full of mud, Kyara's mood had soured.
This was a really stupid idea Kyara berated herself. I don’t have the right clothes for this, or bug spray, or anything. I’m going to get eaten alive by mosquitoes big enough to ride before I find them, if they’re even out here!
Just when she was ready to turn back, Kyara caught the welcome sound of voices and a revving motor. The trail looped around a hill before she finally saw people.
Three women were grouped in back of an old, red pickup truck. It was filled with a pile of branches. They matched the mass of interwoven, spiky branches blocking the trail ahead. There was kind of a place the path continued between them, but you had to be looking for it. Mostly, it just looked like a mass of spikes and leaves.
Of the three women, two short, brunette women, one skinny, one heavy, were holding back some of those branches while a tall, statuesque blond sawed away at the base of one bush with a hack saw. All three straightened up when she came into view.
"Um, hey. I'm looking for Jason?" said Kyara uncertainly.
The pudgy brunette paused for a moment, then gestured through the brambles. The skinny one smirked a little and gave a quick nod, also in the direction of the tiny path. The blond just stared at her, hands on hips.
Wow. What's her problem? Kyara wondered as she made her way tentatively towards the break in the brambles. She went to push her way through, all three women still watching her. The branches were just as rough as they looked. Almost immediately, Kyara's arms became a mass of tiny, cross-crossed scratches.
Great, because the bug bites weren't bad enough.
Picking her way forward, trying to preserve her abused skin as much as possible, Kyara worked her way forward. Coming out the other side, she finally saw Jason.
He was lounging against a huge, lightning-struck tree, talking to another guy. Jason was wearing a rich green jacket and rough, thick khakis, the loops on them actually hung with the tools they were intended for. The other man was heavier, wearing a bark brown jacket and jeans. The gray at his temples marked him as older. He was shaking his head at Jason like a disappointed teacher.
Kyara stopped, listening and picking bits of leaves out of her
Readers choose
Matthew Wayne Selznick
Cathy Yardley
Doris Davidson
John Creasey
Elizabeth Boyle
K.A. Merikan
Nicole Krauss
Charlotte Stein
C. J. Hill
Seraphina Donavan