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Ready toargue.
"Where the hell are we and who do you think you are, stealing me away like you did?" she growled, anger brewing in her beautiful eyes as she lifted hervisor.
He'd missed her fire. The spark he'd masterfully tamed for three short hours months before. Only tonight, he didn't have a roulette wheel and consent form giving him the right to master her. Here... tonight... they were in uncharted territory, playing with no carefully crafted rules to their game and they both knewit.
He spoke softly, recognizing the growing fear on her face in the dim lighting. "I haven't stolen you. At least not in the way you're worriedabout."
"So why?" Despite his leather jacket, she shivered visibly. From fear or the chill of the night, he wasn'tsure.
Ryder stepped closer, pulling her torso flush against his chest as he enveloped her in his arms, sharing his own body heat with her until she stilled. Her eyes sought answers he didn't have. He replied with the only truth he could come up with in the heatedmoment.
"I need to protect you, Khloe. The thought of someone out there wanting to hurt you... fuck..." He was unprepared for his own emotions bubbling up as he squeezed her tighter as if to prevent her from disappearing like a mirage. She really was in his arms again, and it felt damnperfect.
The shouts of the nearby campers reminded him they had a potential audience. This was neither the time nor the place for their little reuniondiscussion.
He released her, stepping back to give her directions before he got further swept up in the growing tension. "Leave your helmet on again. We don't need anyone recognizing you and posting something on social media sites. It's gonna be hard enough protecting you in public. We don't need to be looking over our shoulder outhere."
"Where is here, anyway? Why not take me back to my place in Malibu, or even a hotel closer totown?"
He held his fingers up to her lips to stem the spew of questions. "Shhh. I'll try to answer all of your questions when we get settled. For now, stay put, gotit?"
He enlisted his best Dom voice, hoping to channel the power he'd held over her the last time they'd been together. From the widening of her eyes and slight 'o' of her mouth, he'd say itworked.
He didn't stay and gloat. Instead, he lowered her visor again before securing his helmet to the seat and headed down the long brick sidewalk to the entrance of the hotel. The rustic luxury of the expansive lobby welcomed him home. Despite the heat during the day, it got cool in the evenings so he wasn't surprised to see the roaring fire in the two-story high stone fireplace. A couple snuggled on the leather couch, looking like the newlyweds they probablywere.
He hadn't even approached the front desk when he heard his name shouted from across the room. He turned in time to see an attractive woman in her fifties rushing towardshim.
"Ryder! Is it reallyyou?"
She pulled him into a hug as soon as she reached him. He chuckled. "Hello, AuntGinny."
"Would it kill you to drop a line every once in a while? You know, they make this thing called a telephone. Hell, even an email or text woulddo."
They pulled out of their embrace. His aunt was several inches shorter than he was. Small webs of wrinkles crinkled around her eyes as she smiled up at him reminding him they'd both aged since they'd seen each other last. He could see she was assessing him for changes aswell.
"Yeah, well my job isn't exactly conducive to staying intouch."
His family didn't know exactly what he did for a living, but they knew enough to know he couldn't talk aboutit.
His aunt smiled good-naturedly. "A likely excuse. You probably work in an office in L.A. and don't want to bother with family." He knew she was teasing him. His father's sister was listed as his next of kin with the agency. She'd been the one who'd got the phone call each time he'd been injured in the line ofduty.
"So don't get me wrong. I'm thrilled to see you, but to what do I owe thishonor?"
"I was hoping you had an open cabin I could borrow for a few days, maybe weeks. I'm not really sure." He paused, "I know I should have probably called aheadbut..."
His aunt cut him off. "You're welcome here any time. No need to call ahead. This is yourhome."
His heart constricted at her words. The emotions pressing in were unexpected. He finally choked out, "I hardly expect you to keep a cabin empty on the off-chance I'll comeby."
A sad smile played at her lips. "Ah, honey, I don't keep a cabin empty. I keepyourcabinempty."
"But..."
"Come. I'll get the key." Ginny smiledwryly.
He followed her to the small front desk where a teenager sat behind the counter looking bored out of hismind.
"Go ahead and take your break early, Mikey. I'll take care of thiscustomer."
