10. Chapter Nine
Ryker Mitchell was playing with her heart, and she was letting him.
This man had ignored her, avoided her, made it clear he wasn’t interested, then made a three-sixty with no warning and suddenly couldn’t keep his hands off her.
Her heart wasn’t coming out of this in one piece. He would crush her but kissing him felt too good to make him stop. Instead, she gave herself over to him completely as the kiss deepened, and the hard jut of his hips bruised the insides of her thighs. His palm met her lower back and slid her forward, so her ass was on the edge of the counter and her center pressed into his pelvis and the hot, growing bulge under his jeans.
He”d seen the text message on her phone, and he’d been pissed on her behalf. His anger and protectiveness had been so genuine. It shouldn’t be a turn-on when a man’s body language suggests he’s ready to kill for you, but holy hell, she’d never been more turned on in her life. She wanted to show him just how much.
Gripping his forearms, she wrapped her legs completely around him, moaning as he tipped her back and kissed her neck. Her body moved with no thought from her as she ground herself against his erection. Breathtaking sparks of pleasure overrode what little common sense she had left. If they didn’t stop, she was going to let him have her right here on the counter in the middle of the store… where a customer could come in at any moment.
Oh my God, they had to stop. “Ryker—”
But he was already pulling away, brow furrowed as he looked over her shoulder toward the back of the store. Prickles raced down the back of her neck. Had someone come in the rear entrance? Had she forgotten to lock it?
“Stay here.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Do you smell that?”
He walked away before she could answer. Slipping off the counter, she gave her shaky legs a moment to recover before following him. His scent was the only thing she noticed until she reached her desk and the slight aroma of something burning became dominant.
Her heart sank. Not again.
Despite his warning to stay put, she hurried down the hall after him. The smell became thicker as she reached the utility room. A sudden loud crack split the air. The lights went out.
“What just happened?”
“I turned off the main breaker. Something is going on with the electrical system in this building.”
The adrenaline rush of their kiss completely dissolved. “What does that mean?”
“It’s not safe to have the power on until the electrician gets here. I’m worried this place is going to go up in flames. I’m sorry, Olive, but the building isn’t safe.”
She hugged herself. “So, my apartment also isn’t safe.”
The hard press of his lips confirmed what she already knew.
“I’m going to make a few calls.” Ryker took out his phone and walked through the store and out the front door.
Damn it.
This building was a ticking timebomb and she wouldn’t blame Cara if she washed her hands of it and moved the boutique somewhere else. Thankfully, the automotive dealer had waited for her yesterday so she could pick up the van, and generously let her keep it through the weekend to try it out. It could be the backup plan housing she desperately needed at this point.
Cara had Olive close the store and said she’d arranged for an electrician to come. The fire department came to make a sweep of the building. And an hour later, the electrician diagnosed the problem, confirmed it was a doozy, and said he couldn’t get to it until maybe Friday—which left her homeless for three days.
Her upper lip curled at the idea of packing her things in the van and making it her home for the next few days. Those days were supposed to be behind her.
A notification popped up on her phone that the campsite she’d reserved at the state park was confirmed. Grabbing a flashlight, she went into the storage room where her camping gear was stored in large plastic totes. Popping the tops, she dug around for some essentials, all remnants of when living in a vehicle had been her only shelter.
Arms filled with a sleeping bag, wool blankets, a lantern, and a box of cooking gear, she shuffled back out front and dumped everything on her desk.
“What’s this?”
Ryker strode over. Her heart fluttered as he approached the way it always did.
“I’m getting ready to pack up the van. What a great time to test it out, right?”
“Don’t do that. My uncle Rowan said you can stay at the lodge as long as you’d like. You’ll be so much more comfortable there.”
She’d never seen Rowan Mitchell’s massive log cabin mansion but heard it was breathtaking. He built it so members of the Estes Park shifters pack would never be without a home. Anyone from the pack who needed shelter found it there.
“Please thank him for me, but I’ve got it covered.”
“Do you even know how to operate the mods in that van?”
“I have a manual for the water and heat modifications, and the dealer said it drives fine.”
“People will say anything to make a sale. This guy could have given you a line of bullshit if he thinks you don’t know what problems to look for.”
She went back to the storage room to collect another box of gadgets.
“That’s why I’m testing it out.”
Ryker sighed. “Why not move it behind the building so you’re not camping out on the side of the street?”
“Oh, I’m not. I’m staying at the state park. Site 115.”
He glanced at the phone again. “I have to go, but I’ll meet you there. What time are you checking in?”
A warm tingle went down her spine. “What?”
“What do you mean, what?”
“Why would you meet me there?”
Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her closer. Shadows danced across the beautiful angles of his face. “You’re not going alone. Besides, someone needs to help you figure out that death trap you insist on staying in.”
Her first instinct was to protest, but maybe they were beyond that point. With everything happening between them, maybe it was okay to let him in. Her future was uncertain… but she could enjoy Ryker right now and not worry about tomorrow. Maybe she could let him in a little more without risking revealing her past. Her mind instantly rejected the thought. She always anticipated her next move, always had a backup plan, and never put herself in a position with someone where her past might come up. This time, with him, she was going to trust herself and go with it.
“I’m checking in at three.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
His phone chimed. Sweeping his thumb over the back of her hand, he tucked hair behind her ear, smiled, and left.
Olive thought Ryker calling the van a ‘death trap’ had been a little harsh until she drove it. The entire vehicle rattled and shook like it was about to fall off the frame. The brakes squealed, the driver’s side window didn’t roll down, and a strange smell was coming from the back.
Backing it into her camping spot made her feel accomplished and lightened her mood, but as she turned in the driver’s seat to look in the rear of the van, her mood shifted.
I don’t want to sleep in here.
It’s not permanent. Not yet.
It’s just for a few days. Get it together.
A sudden knock on the window made her yelp. Ryker stood there patiently; one eyebrow arched as if he’d been trying to get her attention for a while. Again.
She grabbed the informational binder and opened the door but he didn’t back up, leaving her little space to get out of the van without touching him. Her body nearly slid down his as she jumped out. A white shirt clung to his chest, an unbuttoned red and black flannel over the top. He was still in his dark khaki forest service uniform pants and black boots. If she had to guess, he’d merely taken off his uniform top and replaced it with the flannel, which suggested he didn’t go home after work before coming here.
He”d come straight to her.
Holding up the binder, she squeezed around him. “Time to figure everything out.”
With a skeptical twist of his lips, Ryker took the binder, riffled through a few pages, and then tossed it aside.
“Don’t you need that?”
He moved to the back of the van and opened the doors. “There’s nothing in there that I can’t figure out on my own.”
“Your ego is astounding.” She grinned.
“I work on instinct. It’s a man thing. You wouldn’t understand.”
She rolled her eyes.
True to his ego, it didn’t take long for him to find a leak in the water tank, bad wiring in the generator that made it die every ten minutes, a soft spot on the floor from water damage, and three mice nests inside a storage compartment that appeared to have been recently occupied. Olive stayed outside while he inspected things, and though she could have been making the bed and putting things away, she couldn’t bring herself to go in.
Twilight pushed its way through the trees by the time Ryker was done patching things up. He jumped out of the van, wiping his hands on a paper towel.
“I did what I could. The water tank is patched, but don’t run the faucet too long. I fixed the generator enough to keep it running if you need it for heat tonight, but I can’t guarantee it won’t die again. Do you remember how to start it if it does?”
She nodded.
“Do you have enough blankets just in case?”
“Yes, Dad, I’ll be fine.”
He’d shed his flannel at some point and his arms bulged beneath the short sleeves of his t-shirt. She straightened and wiped her hands on her jeans after stacking the last piece of wood, watching him approach with a hitch in her chest.
His gaze dropped to her lips, reminding her of the kiss and heating her blood. And then something hit her.
“Are you staying the night?”
The bed in the van wasn’t big enough for two, and there wasn’t enough room to sleep on the floor. He’d have to curl up in one of the front seats, and considering how long his legs were, that would be torturously uncomfortable.
“I’ll sleep in my Jeep,” he said quickly as if reading her mind.
“You do not have to do that, Ryker. Your body will hurt like hell in the morning.”
He shrugged. “I’ll be fine.”
She winked. “Want to make a bet?”
His face lit with a breathtaking smile. “Only if you let me win.”
“Never going to happen,” she teased. “Quit worrying about your ego and help me make a fire.”