Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 119935 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 600(@200wpm)___ 480(@250wpm)___ 400(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 119935 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 600(@200wpm)___ 480(@250wpm)___ 400(@300wpm)
She sat there wondering if that was his cue to scoot her along, and get her out of his home? The conversation had definitely turned serious in the last minute or two. She didn’t want to leave just yet, but she also didn’t want to be a nuisance.
“I haven’t baked in so long, I can only hope so.” She smiled, hoping a change of topic would put him at ease. “Usually, I just get some fruits and vegetables from the market every now and again, but get the bulk of my food from Gus’s, and eat off it for a few days. Great diet, I know.” She snickered. “But it saves me a lot of money.” He went quiet for a while, and she got the hint then. “Well, I’ll be on my way.”
Getting to her feet, she gasped when he grabbed her wrist. His grip softened as he looked into her eyes.
“Do you realize there’s a bad storm coming?”
“Yeah, but it’s not supposed to hit until like ten or eleven tonight. It’s not even noon yet.” She glanced at her fitness watch. “I should be fine.” She placed her purse over her shoulder.
“Yeah, well, these things can be unpredictable, and you wouldn’t be the first person to accidentally enter Denali Park, which can be treacherous if you don’t know where you’re going. It isn’t passable with just an ordinary car, either.”
“I’ve got GPS and a map. Seriously, I will be fine.”
“Okay. Be careful drivin’ back. You know what? Do you want me to drive you myself? I can get around in a storm just fine with my Silverado.”
He seemed rather protective, and she appreciated it. In fact, that seemed in his nature. First, the generous tip, saving her from her mugger, and now offering to be an escort out of the area. Sexiness on top of sexiness. Chivalry wasn’t dead, after all.
“I refuse to have you help me with anything else. Seriously, it’s cool. Thank you, but I’ll be okay.”
“Fine. Before you go, let me give you my card. If you don’t mind, can you call me when you get home? I want to make sure you get there safely.” She watched him rustle through some papers in a desk drawer that looked like an antique. He picked up a business card and handed it to her.
Ranger Jackson Currant
Denali National Park
(907) 521-5555
“So, Jack is short for Jackson?”
“Yeah. Nobody has called me Jackson but my mother, though.”
“Park Ranger… Martha said you were a professional hunter and tracker, too.” She twirled the card around between her fingers.
“I am.”
“What do you hunt and track?”
“Animals. And people.”
“People?” She couldn’t hide her surprise if she’d wanted to. “So, you’re like a private investigator?” Oh, this has gotten more than interesting!
“Not really.”
“Well then, how can you track people?”
“The same way you brought yourself to my house unannounced. With a basket of all things, as if you’re Little Red Riding Hood.”
He abruptly grabbed her arm and walked her to the door, seeming eager for her to get the hell out of his house. They paused at the door, giving each other the once over. She burst out laughing.
He grinned at her and shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
“What’s so funny?”
“You! You are something else. You know what? You were kinda rude just now, but funny all the same. You need to practice a little tenderness when you speak.”
“The only thing I like tender is my meat. You ask too many questions, especially for someone who didn’t want to answer all of mine.”
Her face heated. Her hypocrisy was showing.
“You’ve made a fair enough point.” She chuckled.
“I know. That’s okay, though. Curiosity is good.”
“You’re all right, you know that? I enjoyed talkin’ to you, Jack. Maybe one day we can have coffee? Not at Gus’s. Somewhere else.” She rubbed her arm, shocked that she’d asked this man out, in a covert way. It wasn’t her usual style, but a lot of unusual stuff had been going down lately.
“Yeah, I’d like that, but I think dinner would be better. This time, I’ll serve you.”
Well, I’ll be damned.
He drew closer to her—so close it looked like he was going to kiss her. Her heart started to race, then she nearly jumped out of her skin when he reached around her and unlocked the door. The cool air punched her dead in the face, and she instinctively lowered her head. She turned to say goodbye, but Jack grabbed her hand and walked her to her car. Moments later, she was settled inside of it, the heat on full blast. She rolled down the window a few inches.
“Again, it was nice talking to you, Jack.”
“Yeah,” he said almost bashfully. She found his tone cute.
“I am truly thankful for your intervention the other night, and I’m glad I came here. I really am.”