The Ranger's Passionate Love Read Online Free Page B

hair.
     
    "We can't just leave it here, Rich. It's dead. Someday it's gonna fall, and when it does it might hurt someone on the trail" said Jason.
     
    The man spat, a thick wad of dark spit hitting the ground.
     
    "Do you know how unlikely that is?" asked the older man. "You're making a ton of work for us over nothing."
     
    "It's not for nothing, it's for ..." just then, Jason saw her and cut off his words, smiling.
     
    Kyara came forward, the older man turning to see what had caught Jason's attention. Up close, Jason's eyes caught the color of his jacket and held it, shading them a rich emerald. He looked even better than he had when they'd met before.
     
    I wonder what he'd look like in morning light? Kyara wondered.
     
    "You came," said Jason, surprise and delight filling his voice. "When you weren't there at 6:30, I figured you weren't coming out tonight."
     
    Kyara shrugged. "I wasn't sure either, I guess. But I thought I'd see what it was all about."
     
    Jason nodded, still smiling. He turned to the other man.
     
    "Officer Marsh, this is Kyara Bell. She owns the place that used to be Mrs. Tylden's."
     
    The older man nodded brusquely, not holding out his hand.
     
    "I know who she is," was all he said. "And it don't look like she's ready to help, even if she had come on time."
     
    Jason blinked and looked at her again, this time taking in the many, tiny cuts and bug bites on her bare arms.
     
    "Oh, wow, Kyara. I' so sorry, I forgot to warn you. Everyone else got the reminder on the first day, but we deal with a lot of underbrush. You kinda need long sleeves for this," said Jason.
     
    "Oh, well, I was just coming out to see what it was all about anyway. I'm sure it's fine. I can head back, maybe try some other time." Kyara tried to play it off.
     
    Am I blushing? Can he tell? Oh, God, I knew this was a mistake.
     
    Jason shook his head.
     
    "Don't be silly. I'm not doing much other than trying to figure out how to take care of this thing." He slapped the old, dead tree he'd been leaning against. "You can borrow mine and go work with the girls."
     
    Without giving her time to think, Jason had his jacket unzipped and settled around her shoulders. Underneath he wore a simple t-shirt. It clung to his body, emphasizing his well-muscled chest and solid, narrow midsection.
     
    Wow. Does he have actual abs? Kyara tried not to stare.
     
    "No, I really am fine, I can just..." Kyara tried to protest.
     
    "Please?" Jason cut her off, looking deep into her eyes.
     
    This jacket kind of smells like him. I didn't know a man could smell so nice.
     
    Kyara swallowed and nodded once.
     
    "Great," said Jason. "Let me go introduce you to the girls and get you started. Rich, I'll be back in a second."
     
    Kyara tried to smile and resist the urge to stay near him. After all, it's not like the 'girls' seemed that friendly. Still, you came out to make friends, not to stare at some guy you don't have time for anyway. In the end, she just nodded. The older man, Officer 'Rich' Marsh, just stared at her as she followed Jason back to the tangle of branches.
     
    Kyara prepared to push back through the underbrush, but she felt Jason's hand, large and warm, catch her shoulder.
     
    "If you don't mind," he said, "Can I give you some tips on how to move through here?"
     
    He's ... really strong.
     
    "No, not at all," said Kyara. "I mean, I don't mind. I guess it's pretty obvious that I'm really a city girl."
     
    Jason favored her with another one of those secret smiles, then moved up, placing his hands high on her waist. Blood rushed downward at his touch, and Kyara jumped a little.
     
    "Sorry," said Jason. "It's just easier this way. Now look, if you twist sideways as you enter, you can sort of ease between the branches. When one starts to catch on you, you can pivot, like this, and move past it. Make sense so far?"
     
    Kyara was having a little trouble concentrating. It had been a long time since a man manipulated her