I laughed.“I think your ego will survive.At least I said yes.”
“That you did.”He put the car into park and leaned toward me, reaching across the headrest to cradle the back of my head in his hand.“I’ll consider that a beginning.”He ghosted a kiss across my lips.
My hand was on the door handle, but I didn’t open it.Not yet.If I were truthful with myself, I’d admit I liked being touched by Ryland.I was just scared that if I allowed myself to care, I’d get hurt.Again.
Ryland straightened up, a faint smile on his lips as he looked at me with something indefinable shining in the depths of his eyes.“Go.Before I change my mind and spirit you away to a castle somewhere and I never have to let you go.”
I blinked, the sound of his voice breaking into my absurd daydreams.Pulling on the door handle I scrambled out of the vehicle, digging in my purse for the key to the front door.I could feel Ryland’s eyes on me as I unlocked it and pushed it open to the sound of dozens of dogs demanding my attention.
I pivoted for one last look.Ryland was standing beside the car, staring at me with the hungry look of a wild animal before it pounced.My heart raced, even as I turned and hurriedly shut the door as if that flimsy barrier could somehow keep me safe.
Chapter Eleven
Ryland
“So, any news?Did Sam and Noah manage to trace my guys back to the ones behind the poaching ring?”
While I talked to William, I kept one eye on the shelter in the hopes of catching a glimpse of Kimberly at work.I had secretly hoped she’d invite me in to help her out, but that probably broke some rule.Insurance and all that crap.
I’d always cringed at the term soulmate.In the high-powered circles my family ran in, most marriages were deals brokered by people who wanted to cement a social or financial advantage.
Then Kimberly crashed into my life.
Soulmate.Life partner.My other half.Yeah, all those goofy terms my stepsister liked to throw around described it to a T.
Hell, I was blowing off a major case right in the middle just because I couldn’t bear to let her think I’d romanced her just so she’d cover for me.I intended to wine and dine her and do whatever else it took to get her to see me as boyfriend material.Or more, but I’d settle for boyfriend for now.No point in pushing my luck.
“Not so far.Got Sam and Noah on a direct flight to Thailand so they beat your guys there.They were at the gate when your suspects’ plane landed, but when the smoke cleared at customs and immigration, they were gone.To be honest, we’re not sure they were on the plane when it took off so stay sharp.They could still be on the ground at your end.”
“Crap.They must have someone on the inside.I wonder if they know they’ve been made?”
“I don’t see how, unless they have a plant somewhere in our system and you know that’s not possible.We’re all totally committed to the cause.”
“True.”I tried to nail down that niggling feeling I had that something just didn’t line up.“It’s not like I got on the plane and followed them.I’m pretty sure they never set eyes on me this whole time.They’d have absolutely no reason to suspect they hadn’t gotten away clean.”
“Jacques is seeing what he can dig up on the dark web.If there’s anything to be found, he’d turn it up.”A faint hint of concern tinged William’s voice.“So, how’s your emergency coming along?Things going okay for you?”
I felt a twinge of guilt.I’d used the all-encompassing personal emergency clause to ditch my responsibility, and the guys had responded like the troopers they were, covering for me.William knew I was pursuing a woman, but he didn’t pry.“Yeah.You find out anything about the bear?”
“Right.Talked to the doc, and he said she’d be fine.They had to tranquilize her to get the arrow out, but it hadn’t damaged anything major so she should be fine.He’s going to swing back that way in a few weeks to make sure.Doc said she had a cub too, so good thing you found her and sent help.The cub’s not old enough to forage on its own yet.”
“Great news.Thanks for checking on it.”Now I had something positive to tell Kimberly when I picked her up.
“How’s the arm?”William was all business now.
“It’ll be fine.I picked up some butterfly strips to close it up.”
“You need me to send someone up to look at it?Joker from Riptide MC owes us a favor or two.I could ask him to run up there.He might like a change of scenery.”
From Georgia to the Canadian West Coast would be quite a change of scenery but I had no doubt Joker would show up if he thought I needed him.“Nah, appreciate the offer but I’ll be fine.It’s starting to heal already.”Joker was a great guy, but I didn’t want anyone interfering with my pursuit of Kimberly.
“Well, good luck with your emergency.I’ll keep you posted if there’s any developments on this end.”
“Yeah.Thanks.”I hesitated.“I really mean it, William.Thanks for covering for me on such short notice.”
“Don’t sweat it.”Now that he’d been reassured the emergency was under control, the humor showed in William’s voice.“You owe me one now, and you know I always collect on my debts.”
I laughed.The last time William had called in a debt I’d found myself chaperoning a car full of school kids on a camping trip in the Cariboo.Turned out to be an eye-opening experience for me.I’d discovered I had a knack for dealing with hard-to-handle teenagers -- not something I’d given any thought to, being single.Since then, I’d volunteered for several more of the back-to-basics trips.“So long as you remember I can be a bad influence on youngsters.”
