THE PROTECTOR MOUNTAIN MAN (Alaskan Wildlife Rangers #4)

Chapter ONE

DomINIC

When Ian practically begged me to take this ranger gig a few weeks ago, I didn’t believe a single word out of his mouth. He kept grinning, telling me I’d be surprised by how many crazies I’d have to deal with out here in the wilderness. Well, fuck me, because this view right here takes the cake.

I trudged through the heavy snow toward the bank of the Knik River, pulling the collar of my jacket tighter against the biting wind.

A few yards out, standing right in the middle of the freezing, rushing water, was a blonde girl.

She was wearing these ridiculous bright pink rain boots over a pair of massive, oversized rubber waders—the kind salmon fishermen wear.

What the hell is a young girl doing in the middle of the river?

I stopped at the edge, my boots sinking into the slushy mud.

I swear to God, I really hope I don’t have to go in there after her.

My balls are already freezing off in this weather, and my contract explicitly said I’d be saving wildlife, not babysitting city girls.

Women belong in a lot of places… preferably on top of me, or beneath me, but not here…

I crossed my arms over my chest, clearing my throat loudly so she’d hear me over the rushing water, but nothing happened. She didn’t even flinch. I waited for a beat, growing impatient, before finally barking across the water, “Hello?!”

The girl snapped her head up. Her cheeks were flushed a bright, rosy pink from the biting cold, making her look incredibly sexy.

“Hi!” she called back.

And then, as if my presence didn’t affect her in the slightest, she went right back to staring at the water, scooping it up with a tiny plastic vial.

I stood there, a strange, uncomfortable irritation blooming in my chest. I wasn’t exactly used to people ignoring me, let alone a woman. Usually, when a guy my size walks up, people pay attention.

I cleared my throat again, louder this time. The blonde glanced up, gave me a dismissive little wave, and shouted, “Bye!” before plunging her eyes right back into the river.

Now my blood was starting to boil. I hadn’t planned on ending this conversation yet. I cleared my throat a third time, my jaw clenching.

This time, she hauled her head up with an annoyed huff, glaring at me across the rushing current. “Can I help you with something? Because I’m sorry, but I’m fresh out of throat pastilles.”

Inside my head, I was fucking losing it. Can I help you?! Who the hell does she think she is? I’m the wildlife ranger around here, I’ve got an actual badge on my chest to prove it.

“Do you mind telling me what exactly you’re doing out there?” I demanded, crossing my arms.

“I’m scooping water. Can’t you see?” she yelled back, totally unfazed.

My jaw tightened so hard I thought my teeth might crack. “Yeah, I’ve got eyes. I can see that. But why are you scooping it?”

“I didn’t know scooping water was a federal offense,” she shot back, a sarcastic bite to her voice. “If you bring me a spreadsheet, I’ll gladly log it in. Tuesday, 12 PM: Summer Beaton was scooping water.”

Great, I thought to myself, running a frustrated hand through my beard. Fucking perfect. I caught myself an absolute lunatic. I could have had a nice, easy day cruising around on my ATV, but no… instead, I have to drag a psycho chick out of the freezing river.

This was my goddamn territory, and she was going to learn who she was talking to.

“If you’re going to be this uncooperative, you do realize I can take you down to the station, right?” I threatened, stepping closer to the water’s edge.

She snapped her head up, a sharp, challenging laugh escaping her lips.

“If you’re honestly willing to risk making a complete idiot out of yourself down at your so-called station just because a girl was scooping water into tiny glass vials…

then by all means, go right ahead! What are you going to do, handcuff me, sir? ”

I blinked, caught off guard. I wasn’t exactly expecting her to call my bluff like that.

“I’m not going to handcuff you,” I muttered, trying to regain my footing, “but I am ordering you to get the hell out of the water. I’m the boss out here. I’m Dominic Irwin, Knik River wildlife ranger and right now, it’s too dangerous for you to be standing in the middle of this river.”

She tilted her head, a teasing, dangerous glint in her eyes. “And what happens if I don’t get out? Are you coming in here to get me?”

My stomach did a weird, sudden flip. Imagining myself wading in there, grabbing her by that ridiculous salmon suit, and hoisting her body against mine… Fuck.

“It’s… highly possible,” I grunted, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Oh, wow,” she scoffed, completely unimpressed. “Then it’s highly possible I’m about to faint from terror. Now, do you actually want something, or are you just here to hold up my work?”