me?”
“I’m part of the search party looking for Morley. I was tracking something and I heard you running. Thought you were the ghos—er, hope I didn’t scare you.”
Jade laughed, heart still pounding, but she was damned if she’d let him see that. “Scare me? You? ” She looked him up and down, pretending contempt but taking in his rumpled uniform and the way the muscles in his forearms flexed as he unchambered her weapon and gave it back to her. “Oh good. At least you’re not stupid enough to disarm the little woman. That always drives me nuts in horror movies.”
Alec grinned, and Jade was caught for a second by his dark good looks under the faint light of a distant street lamp. His face was angular, olive-toned, not a looker at first glance, until you were caught in the reflection of simmering chocolate eyes. “Honey, you have weapons a man should be wary of even without the gun. You got a permit to carry that, right?”
“Yeah, sure,” Jade lied.
Alec scratched the back of his neck, looking as if he didn’t quite believe her and knew that he was not batting a thousand with Jade but wasn’t sure he cared. Instead, he had the air of man who simply appreciated. Huh. He was a piece of work, but no way was she letting him under her skin.
“Just don’t shoot any county deputies and we’ll forget it. I actually feel better knowing you got that little cannon. You really should move closer to town,” he suggested, putting a protective hand on her arm, his callused fingertips making her want to shiver from a weird intensity sparking from his touch.
Jade shook him off to get down and pick up the scattered debris from her bag. Alec also knelt to help her patiently. He didn’t even blush when he handed her a Kotex box. Being in the Rangers had sure changed him.
“I like it up here. It’s my land and no spooky bullshit is going to drive me away, you hear?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Alec smiled before asking wistfully, “Do you like living alone? I don’t.”
She shrugged, letting him walk her home. “Yeah, it’s fine. Not like I’m dying to pick up after some man.”
“Some men pick up after themselves, Jade.” Alec frowned. “And how come you’re on foot? The jeep went again?”
“Yeah. I’ll go out and fix it in the morning.” Jade was pretty handy now, caring for her beloved jeep. She took pride in the fact that only rarely did she have to take it to the shop.
“If you got some tools, I can tow it to your house for you and give you a hand.”
“I can take care of it myself.” She pressed her lips together, uncomfortable with the idea she’d owe him or anyone else any favors.
“Never hurts to let a friend help you.”
“You just want to get in my pants!” she scoffed.
Alec blinked, but again he didn’t blush. Well, damn. His confidence was getting on her nerves. Did nothing shake him? She knew he wanted her. He’d always wanted her, from the time he was fifteen.
“Sure I do. Who wouldn’t? You’re a beautiful woman, Jade, but I’d rather be your friend first,” Alec retorted, somewhat primly.
Jade gave a bitter sound, pulling out the fixings for a cigarette as they walked. The woods that had seemed so menacing minutes before now gave her a familiar sense of sanctuary. She lived up here so she could feel alone. So she wouldn’t ever lean too hard on someone and fall on her ass when they let her down. “I don’t fuck my friends.”
“Exactly.” He smiled, white teeth gleaming in his tanned face. “I was thinking more about making love, myself.”
She nearly dropped her cigarette but settled for raising a dark brow. “Guys don’t think that way.”
“This guy does. And that’s a stereotype, anyway.”
“Yeah, whatever.” Jade lit up and saw him eying her cigarette with distaste. “Gonna tell me smoking’s bad for my health, good boy?”
“I’m a good boy?” Alec looked amused, attractive crow’s feet crinkling beside his dark eyes. “And I
“I’m part of the search party looking for Morley. I was tracking something and I heard you running. Thought you were the ghos—er, hope I didn’t scare you.”
Jade laughed, heart still pounding, but she was damned if she’d let him see that. “Scare me? You? ” She looked him up and down, pretending contempt but taking in his rumpled uniform and the way the muscles in his forearms flexed as he unchambered her weapon and gave it back to her. “Oh good. At least you’re not stupid enough to disarm the little woman. That always drives me nuts in horror movies.”
Alec grinned, and Jade was caught for a second by his dark good looks under the faint light of a distant street lamp. His face was angular, olive-toned, not a looker at first glance, until you were caught in the reflection of simmering chocolate eyes. “Honey, you have weapons a man should be wary of even without the gun. You got a permit to carry that, right?”
“Yeah, sure,” Jade lied.
Alec scratched the back of his neck, looking as if he didn’t quite believe her and knew that he was not batting a thousand with Jade but wasn’t sure he cared. Instead, he had the air of man who simply appreciated. Huh. He was a piece of work, but no way was she letting him under her skin.
“Just don’t shoot any county deputies and we’ll forget it. I actually feel better knowing you got that little cannon. You really should move closer to town,” he suggested, putting a protective hand on her arm, his callused fingertips making her want to shiver from a weird intensity sparking from his touch.
Jade shook him off to get down and pick up the scattered debris from her bag. Alec also knelt to help her patiently. He didn’t even blush when he handed her a Kotex box. Being in the Rangers had sure changed him.
“I like it up here. It’s my land and no spooky bullshit is going to drive me away, you hear?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Alec smiled before asking wistfully, “Do you like living alone? I don’t.”
She shrugged, letting him walk her home. “Yeah, it’s fine. Not like I’m dying to pick up after some man.”
“Some men pick up after themselves, Jade.” Alec frowned. “And how come you’re on foot? The jeep went again?”
“Yeah. I’ll go out and fix it in the morning.” Jade was pretty handy now, caring for her beloved jeep. She took pride in the fact that only rarely did she have to take it to the shop.
“If you got some tools, I can tow it to your house for you and give you a hand.”
“I can take care of it myself.” She pressed her lips together, uncomfortable with the idea she’d owe him or anyone else any favors.
“Never hurts to let a friend help you.”
“You just want to get in my pants!” she scoffed.
Alec blinked, but again he didn’t blush. Well, damn. His confidence was getting on her nerves. Did nothing shake him? She knew he wanted her. He’d always wanted her, from the time he was fifteen.
“Sure I do. Who wouldn’t? You’re a beautiful woman, Jade, but I’d rather be your friend first,” Alec retorted, somewhat primly.
Jade gave a bitter sound, pulling out the fixings for a cigarette as they walked. The woods that had seemed so menacing minutes before now gave her a familiar sense of sanctuary. She lived up here so she could feel alone. So she wouldn’t ever lean too hard on someone and fall on her ass when they let her down. “I don’t fuck my friends.”
“Exactly.” He smiled, white teeth gleaming in his tanned face. “I was thinking more about making love, myself.”
She nearly dropped her cigarette but settled for raising a dark brow. “Guys don’t think that way.”
“This guy does. And that’s a stereotype, anyway.”
“Yeah, whatever.” Jade lit up and saw him eying her cigarette with distaste. “Gonna tell me smoking’s bad for my health, good boy?”
“I’m a good boy?” Alec looked amused, attractive crow’s feet crinkling beside his dark eyes. “And I
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