Page 48 of Ranger Devotion

Tate was shocked still for half a breath, and then he softened, his arms cradling her close. Tension eased from her muscles. The fabric of his shirt was soft under her cheek, and he smelled like laundry soap and something distinctively him. She breathed deep, letting the steady beat of his heart soothe her.

And slowly, beneath her ear, that heartbeat gentled. His breath stretched out long. The coiled readiness he’d carried all night loosened by degrees until his chin came to rest on her hair and he simply held on. She wasn’t the only one being comforted. Somehow that made it sweeter.

She lifted her face to his. Tate searched her expression. She smiled, lifted onto her toes, and brushed a kiss across his mouth. He inhaled sharply. She felt it. His longing. And it cracked the last of her resistance. She wanted this. Wanted to start fresh with this brave man who’d done everything in his power to keep them all safe. He’d called her a straight-A rebel. Well, she was. Brave enough to take risks, strong enough to withstand the troubles that came her way.

Perfectly designed.

And when the tally was done, Tate was a risk worth taking. He’d proven it.

“What do you say, after all of this is over, you and I go out on a date?” Annie’s fingers played with the soft hair at the nape of his neck. “But let’s plan something quiet. Unadventurous.”

He gave a low laugh, his expression soft and adoring. “I’ll take you to my favorite Italian place. Red and white tablecloths, candles, and homemade breadsticks. The lasagna is amazing, but it’s the tiramisu that’ll make you believe you’re eating dinner on the Amalfi coast.” His lips curved up into a charming smile. “Very quiet. Some would even call it boring.”

“Sounds like the perfect place to get to know each other better.” Annie met his gaze and held it. “I’ve gotten a good look at the man you’ve become, Tate, and I want to know more. Because I think I’m falling in love with you.” She rose on her toes, her lips a hair’s breadth away from his, and teased, “But I’ll need a few tiramisus to be sure.”

“You’ve got a deal.”

His lips met hers, and Annie’s heart tumbled over and over again. When they broke the kiss, they were both breathless. Tate gathered her close, and she sank back into his embrace, resting her head on his chest. They stood like that longer than they should have. She didn’t want to move, didn’t want to ruin the moment, but the danger was far from over.

Annie made herself step back. The pictures on the table drew her attention again. She focused on Marcus. “I swear, something about him is familiar.” She racked her brain, but still couldn’t figure out what was bothering her. “Ugh. So annoying. It’s right there at the edge of my mind, but I can’t quite grab it.”

Tate ran a hand up her back. “It’ll come to you⁠—”

The lights went out.

TWENTY-THREE

Every muscle in Tate’s body stiffened. He kept one hand on Annie while pulling his weapon with the other. His grip was compromised by the bandage covering his stitches, but it wouldn’t prevent him from protecting everyone in the lodge.

A ping came from Annie’s phone. She reached for it and opened an app. “The generator is out. System failure. That shouldn’t have happened.” She unholstered her weapon. “The weather let up, and now he’s making his move.”

But what move? They weren’t sure who they were dealing with, or even how many perpetrators there were. The number of unknown elements ratcheted Tate’s nerves tight. He reined them in. Emotions would only be a distraction. He gave his eyes another moment to adjust. Then with one hand holding Annie’s, the other gripping his weapon, he moved into the lobby.

The fireplace glowed, casting the lobby in a low orange light. Evan was up, body tense, staring out the windows into the yard. Brooke’s quiet murmur came from the air mattresses as she assured their fellow classmates that everything was okay.

Evan turned, his expression taut. “I don’t see anything. Could the storm have taken out the generators?”

“Maybe,” Annie whispered. “But I doubt it. The weather conditions have improved, and the generators are housed in their own building, clear of any trees.”

“He’s luring us outside.” Tate felt it in his bones. “Trying to separate some of us.”

Annie went still. “Dwayne. He’s on his way here and likely got the same alert I did.” She pulled the radio from her belt and called for him.

Nothing came back.

“Dwayne, come in.”

He still didn’t answer. Her eyes wide, she looked up at Tate. “Something’s wrong. Dwayne always responds. The generator shed is between the main lodge and staff quarters. If he got the alert like I did, he would’ve stopped to check it out.”

“Dwayne isn’t a target,” Evan whispered harshly.

“No, but the killer could use him to ensure one of us comes looking for him. We’ve been radioing periodically all night.”

She was right. Tate ran through his options. They narrowed to one. He couldn’t leave a civilian out there with a killer. “I’ll go.” He headed for the row of coats hanging by the door.

“Not by yourself you won’t.” Annie beat him to the hooks, found her jacket, and yanked it down.

He admired her bravery, but putting Annie in harm’s way was a non-starter. “Someone needs to stay here and guard the group.”