The Ranger's Chance (Army Ranger Romance Book 1) Read online

  He nodded, the smile on his lips widening. “Uh, sure.”

  Oi. She was in trouble. So. Much. Trouble. Even with as little time as she’d spent with him, she was pretty sure he wasn’t a threat to her safety, though she was a little concerned about the danger he might pose to her heart.

  What a silly thought. She’d just met the guy, and it was just a walk down the beach. Besides, she was leaving in a few days, and even if she wasn’t, the last guy she’d dated was enough to keep her cautious. After being fed so many lies, she’d learned her lesson—hopefully.

  Chapter 2

  Not only did Mia like Noah’s smile, but she absolutely loved his laugh. It was deep like his voice, and she got the impression it was a rare thing to hear him laugh.

  “So, Noah Wolandry, what is it that you do? I’m guessing bodyguard or Atlas or something like that,” she mused as they began walking.

  There was that scrumptious laugh again. “So I’m either a bodyguard or a Greek god that holds up the world?”

  She shrugged. “I’m mainly basing my assumptions on looks. There’s always the possibility I could be wrong.”

  “Right, well, you could say I’m a bodyguard.”

  Score one for her. Could she make it two? “You’re ex-military, aren’t you?” With his shaggy, tousled hair, there was no way he was still in if he had been previously.

  He narrowed his eyes. “What makes you say that?”

  She stopped and cocked an eyebrow. “Really?”

  He stopped, tipped his head back, and laughed again. Oh, this one was the best yet. She’d have to brush up her stand-up routine if this kept up.

  He nodded. “Yeah, Army Ranger.”

  “I knew it,” she said, resuming their stroll. “I have a lot of family who have served in all branches. Thank you for your service to our country.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck, and with the way he was acting, she’d bet his cheeks were turning pink. “Uh, sure.”

  Whew, was that heart palpitations she was experiencing? She hadn’t even seen him in full light yet, and he was already having an effect on her. There was something about him that made her heart pant like a dog.

  They walked in silence a moment before he said, “Do you always walk on your tiptoes?”

  Mia looked down and chuckled. “Yeah, I do. I’ve done it since I was a kid. I don’t even think about it anymore. I mean, I don’t do it all the time, just when I’m excited or nervous or…” Her eyes widened, and she rolled her lips in to stop herself from blabbering. He was going to think she was insane.

  “What are you excited about? Or is it nervous? Or…” He shot her a smile.

  What could she say? He was a complete stranger, and she was being crazy? “I guess a little of both. I mean, you did yank me off a stage right before I was soaked with water.”

  “Fair point. Still, I bet your calves are like iron. If someone ever tries to grab you, make sure you throw a kick in a sensitive area. With all that muscle and a solid strike, you’ll drop them.”

  “You’re very focused on safety.”

  He nodded and stuck his hands in the pockets of his shorts. “I’ve seen things that I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to forget. You’re petite, and there are people out there who would take advantage of that. You need to use everything in your arsenal.”

  By the way he said it, the somberness of his tone, she was sure he’d seen things that would make her ill. “Thank you for bringing it to my attention. You’re right. There are bad people out there, and I need to be aware.”

  “It’s not just women, ya know.”

  She tilted her head.

  “Men too. We all need to be aware. This world is dangerous, and there are people out there who use events like this to prey on innocent people. People who’ve never had to think about safety in their life. They aren’t going around, trying to be oblivious. They’ve just never been in a situation where they needed to be on guard.”

  “Do you teach safety classes?”

  He shook his head. “No, but anytime I get the chance to share what I know, I do.”

  She clasped her hands behind her back, twirled in the sand, and began walking backward. “You say you’re a bodyguard, but I think Zeus is missing a family member.”

  His lips curved into a wide smile as he shook his head and looked away. “Not hardly,” he said as he brought his gaze back to hers. The smile was gone, and there was a haunted tone to his voice.

  Now she definitely needed to see him in full light. If his looks were anything like his personality, he was drop-dead gorgeous. “I’m a little hungry. You wouldn’t want to maybe grab a bite with me, would you? Totally not a date, if you’re wondering. I’ve got money. I’ll just have to run by my car because I ran out of cash earlier.”

  He stopped walking. “How about I make it my treat since I made such a Neanderthal move and snatched you off that stage?”

  She chewed her bottom lip. “How about a loan? You walk me to my car after, and I pay you back?”

  Noah stuck his hand out. “Deal.”

  “Deal.” As her hand slid into his, tingles spread through her palm and up her arm, and butterflies tap-danced in her stomach. It was a struggle not to wiggle a little from the way her body was responding. She almost muttered, “Chill,” to herself.

  “Care if we make it somewhere away from all this noise?”

  She shrugged. “Sure.”

  They continued talking as they walked away from the water, toward the boardwalk, and away from the strip. When they could no longer hear any thumping, they stopped in a little café.

  The second Noah Wolandry stepped into the light, Mia’s knees went weak. Tousled brown hair, piercing blue eyes, and a jaw that definitely belonged in the Zeus family. Without a doubt, he was the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen in her life. In the back of her mind, she could even hear her granny saying impolite things about his physique.

  Mia swallowed hard and pulled her gaze away. “So, um, are you hungry too?”

  “I could use something to eat.”

  She’d only planned to stay in Miami a few days before heading north up the coast. Now, she wished she hadn’t been so set on making such staunch plans. But that was silly. She’d just met this man. Changing plans for a stranger was ridiculous, even if her granny was telling her the hot guy with the chiseled everything was worth sticking around for.

  * * *

  Noah knew the moment they stepped into the shop that he had a problem on his hands. No, that wasn’t true. It was long before that. One little touch from Mia Milan had lit him up like a Christmas tree. When was the last time that had happened? Had it ever happened? If it had, it wasn’t memorable, and he was certain Mia’s was a handshake he’d never forget.

  And beautiful? Up close, she was stunning. Olive skin, dark hair that ended just below her shoulders, light brown eyes, and a flat-out dazzling smile. She took beautiful and dialed it up several notches, especially in a curve-hugging swimsuit.

  They ordered their food at the counter and got their drinks before taking their plastic number and finding an open table away from the rest of the few patrons in the restaurant.

  “Thank you for dinner,” Mia said.

  “You can’t thank me. You’re paying me back, remember? This is a short-term loan.” He smiled. And it had given him an excuse to be in her company longer.

  She caught her bottom lip in her teeth as she smiled. Oh, geez, his plane was about to catch fire and head straight into a mountain. “Still, thank you for not making me walk to my car first. I may have fainted like a damsel if you had.”

  He chuckled as he held her gaze. “That hungry, huh?”

  “Practically starving,” she said with a chuckle.

  “I see. So, you never did answer my question. Why were you in a swimsuit contest?” And why hadn’t she brought clothing to change into? At this point, he was willing to go shopping to get her clothes just so he could keep his focus on the task at hand—her involvement w
ith Tom Harrison.

  She gave him a one-shoulder shrug. “I was dared.”

  That wasn’t the answer he was expecting. “Dared? You put your life in danger for a dare?” His voice rose an octave.

  “While I agree it wasn’t my smartest move, I don’t see how I put my life in danger, especially since you rescued me.” She leveled those sultry brown eyes at him, and his mouth went dry.

  Task at hand, soldier, marched in his mind. “You have no idea the kind of predators who attend those things. You really could have gotten hurt.”

  “Maybe, but I didn’t. I added stepping outside my comfort zone to my list.”

  He knitted his eyebrows together. “What list?”

  “My grandma and I were really close. We’d always talked about going on a road trip together and trying new things, like being spontaneous. While I was growing up, we made this list of things we’d do on our trip. She died a few months ago.” She dropped her gaze to the table, and Noah’s heart went out to her. He knew what it was like to lose someone you loved.

  He stretched his hand across the table and covered hers. “I understand. I’m sorry.”

  She lifted her head, and he could see unshed tears in her eyes. “Maybe I should stick to the original list.”

  “Yeah, I don’t think she’d want you doing dangerous things.”

  “It didn’t seem all that dangerous until this stranger yanked me out of the club and gave me a lecture.” She smiled.

  He pulled his hand back. “Okay, I may have come across a little strong.”

  One eyebrow lifted. “A little?”

  Noah laughed. “Okay, a lot. But it’s only because…I don’t want you to get hurt. I mean, I don’t want anyone to get hurt.”

  “I can see why you’re a bodyguard.” She grinned.

  Before he could reply, a waitress dropped off their food and picked up their number. He’d ordered a club sandwich, and she’d gotten soup and a chili-loaded potato. In his mind, it was too hot in Miami to be eating chili on anything.

  “How can you eat that?” Noah asked.

  “What?”

  “Chili. It’s like a sauna here.”

  She giggled, and his heart skipped a beat. This woman was a lethal combination of looks and brains. Her lips curved up. “What can I say? I love chili on my potato.”

  He cleared his throat. “So, tell me more about this list of yours.”

  “My grandma and I were going to drive from Miami, up the Florida coast, all the way to Washington, D.C., to the Smithsonian. Along the way, we had little things we were going to do. Like, in St. Augustine, I’m going to go to the alligator farm. In South Carolina, I’m going to walk the Cooper River Bridge. Things like that.”

  “And your job is okay with you taking that much time?” He watched for tells that would maybe give him a clue, and peace of mind, that she didn’t, in fact, know who Harrison was. While he waited for her to answer, he took a bite of his sandwich.

  “Actually, I’m a freelance computer specialist. I go into a company, find out where they’re having security issues, and fix them.”

  He washed down the bite with his water. “I can’t say I expected that. I’ve never met anyone who does that. Is that why you’re in Miami?”

  “I’m sorry. I can’t discuss it. I have a confidentiality agreement with all my clients. I’m not allowed to discuss any of them or the work I’ve performed.”

  Well, she wasn’t lying about that. “Is that typical?”

  She shook her head. “No, but it’s why I’m the best.”

  He knitted his eyebrows together as he took another bite.

  Mia continued. “See, a computer programmer has a signature, or they typically do. It’s like a calling card. If a hacker figures out who is doing the security, they work on it until they break it, and then every company is at risk. The way I do things is to keep everything under wraps. No one knows which companies I work for, and I don’t leave a signature. So, I’ve got double protection.”

  “That’s really smart.” Ryder must be better than Noah thought if she was this confident in her abilities.

  “You didn’t expect me to be smart?”

  Noah smiled as he shook his head. He’d put his foot in his mouth so many times that he’d wished he’d worn better-tasting shoes. “I didn’t mean it like that, and you know it.”

  She chuckled. “I know, but you’re cute when you blush.”

  He rubbed his chin with his hand, feeling the burn creep from his cheeks to his ears. “That’s totally not fair.”

  “I thought you said I needed to use everything in my arsenal.” She grinned.

  “I never said to use being cute as a weapon.”

  She caught her bottom lip between her teeth as her smiled widened. “You think I’m cute?”

  He chuckled. “I think we both know that.” He shouldn’t be flirting with her, but it was so effortless. It wasn’t as though anything would come of it. Even if he wasn’t on assignment, there were things about him that would run someone like her off. His current profession being one of them.

  “So, you know why I’m here. Why are you here?” she asked. “Did you just head to Miami in a valiant attempt to rescue people all week long?”

  Noah shook his head. “No, I was here on business. It wrapped up early, so my boss told me to take a vacation.”

  He didn’t like lying, but Pam had given him specific orders to keep his cover. When they’d first started the Guardian Group, they’d both decided Pam was in charge. What she said was law, and he’d follow, even if he disagreed with her. They both knew two people fighting for control would destroy what they were trying to do.

  “Nice boss.” Mia smiled.

  “Yeah, she is.”

  Her eyebrows went up. “She? I don’t know why, but I didn’t expect a woman to run a bodyguard service.”

  “She’s tough, but she’s fair. I certainly wouldn’t go toe-to-toe with her,” he said.

  Mia tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “I have to say, you are an excellent example of never judge a book by its cover. You’re nothing like I would have expected at all.”

  He narrowed his eyes. “Oh yeah? What would you have expected?”

  Her cheeks turned rosy. She’d blushed while on the beach, but now that she was in a lighted restaurant, he got the full effect, and it only added to her attractiveness. “I don’t know really. Just…you’re so big and tall and a little intimidating, if I’m honest. Not that I’ve felt intimidated, but if I saw you across a room, I’d definitely want to keep my distance if I was thinking about doing anything I wasn’t supposed to.”

  His gaze dropped to the table. “Yeah, I don’t know how to shed that part of myself. Not that I’d really want to, because it comes in handy.”

  She covered his hand with hers. “Don’t be sad. You’re the good candy.”

  Noah lifted his gaze to hers. “What?”

  “Crunchy on the outside with a sweet center.” She smiled.

  The tips of his ears burned yet again. He hadn’t felt so comfortable or connected with anyone in a long time. It made him hope she was innocent. It also made him want the night to continue.

  Ryder did want him to stick to her and get him access to her laptop, right? Noah was doing his job. He couldn’t help it if he liked being around her.

  Whoa. He mentally berated himself. If she was working for Harrison and knew who the man was, she was an accessory to human trafficking. As cute as she was, he needed to back up until he knew more about Mia Milan.

  Chapter 3

  After they’d finished eating, they decided to take the long way to her car, which meant he got the pleasure of spending more time with her. He had said he’d walk her to her car. It wasn’t like he could back out. That wouldn’t have been right.

  “Noah, thank you for dinner,” Mia said as he strolled next to her on the sidewalk.

  He shoved his hand in his pockets. “I should say that to you. I haven’t laughed this hard in a lon
g time.”

  “I do have a little motivation to make you laugh.” She shot him a side-glance.

  “What?”

  “We have established that you’re cute when you blush.”

  He pulled his hand out of his pocket and scrubbed his face with it. It did nothing to lessen the warmth spreading across his face and down his neck. What was his problem? He opened and shut his mouth a few times.

  “And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how the cat got the bodyguard’s tongue.”

  Noah threw his head back and laughed. “I’ve never been this tongue-tied in my life.”

  She stopped and did an exaggerated bow. “Thank you. I’m here all night.” She straightened, and that amazing smile greeted him.

  It was the craziest thing, but in that moment, he could picture seeing that smile before he went to sleep and first thing when he woke up. A thought he’d never had before with anyone. An insane thought he shouldn’t be having because he’d just met her, and she didn’t know him. One good peek inside…and she’d be gone.

  A few stores down, a street musician began playing a soft song. Before Noah could think it through, he took her hand and pulled her close so they could dance. Instantly, he knew he’d made a huge mistake. He liked the feel of her body against his. Warm and soft, and she fit perfectly.

  “What are you doing?” she asked as he began moving to the music.

  “I’m dancing with the prettiest woman in Miami.”

  Her cheeks turned the color of Washington apples. “Not fair.”

  Totally fair and completely worth it. He didn’t think she could be more beautiful. “I can’t help it. You’re gorgeous.”

  She shook her head, but her smile grew. “I’m thinking maybe being in that contest wasn’t a mistake anymore.” She looked up at him through a fringe of lashes, and his pulse raced like he’d thrown down a bucket of energy shots.

  “I’m thinking you might be right.” What? That was not what he meant to say, but his mouth and his heart were conspiring against his brain, and logic had flown out the window. But he couldn’t deny the pull she had. How could it be so strong so fast? There was a tug of war going on inside him, and it was making his head hurt.