The Ranger's Rodeo Rebel

He seemed disappointed. “That’s just a flashlight.”

Her smile returned. He set Big Daddy on the table, eyeing the smorgasbord of self-defense with a self-satisfied expression.

“What do you think of this?” He held up a key chain in the shape of a cat. “Isn’t it cute?”

“Yeah.” She studied it. “What does it do? Unfold into a ninja star or something?”

He shook his head. “You hold it like this.” He placed the cat in his hand, the points of the ears sliding in between his fingers so that they stuck out from between his knuckles. “Instant shish kebab.”

“Nice.”

Clearly, it was one of his favorites, at least judging by his small chuckle. “Which one do you like?” he asked.

She followed his gaze, studying the things he’d brought. She should be pleased he hadn’t brought her a gun, although she wouldn’t be surprised if that weren’t in her future, too.

Carolina fingered the big can. “How badly does the pepper spray sting?”

“It’s nasty. He’ll be blind for hours.”

She jerked her hand back. “Blind?”

He dismissed her concerns with a wave. “Unable to open his eyes,” he added quickly, “but that’s only if you point it at his face. Which you should, but if you don’t, it burns the skin, too.”

“I see.”

“What smells so good?” he asked with a sniff of the air and a mercurial change of subject.

She smiled. “Coffee. Freshly made. Would you like a cup? It’s hazelnut flavor.”

“Got any food?”

Food? “I, uh. Well, yeah. I have eggs and bacon.”

“Perfect. I’ll whip us something up while you look things over.”

“Wait.” What? “You don’t have to cook.”

“I don’t mind. I’m used to fending for myself, remember. You should really pick up and handle the items I brought over. Get a feel for them.”

And that was how she found herself staring after him in surprise as he opened up her fridge. She huffed in resignation.

While Chance cooked breakfast, Carolina touched each self-defense mechanism. She sighed quietly. Maybe it was his kitchen. He was the one that should have been living in the apartment. But as she picked up each of the items, she remembered how Colt’s sister had told her about the time her fiancé had made her breakfast while her son was really sick. They hadn’t been together back then. It’d just been a kind gesture. Carolina remembered thinking she’d never find a man to do something so nice. Despite women’s so-called liberation, the men she’d been dating reverted right back to the Stone Age. Women did the cooking, cleaning and laundry. And yet here she was, watching the most gorgeous male she’d ever seen flip eggs in a pan like some kind of master chef.

She wanted to kiss him.

Not because she hoped to start something, but because she was so very thankful for his concern. She might have been annoyed and humiliated yesterday to learn her boss wanted him to be her bodyguard, but she’d thank Colt later when she saw him. The worry and fear that James would come back were gone. And now she would have some form of protection. All in all, things were looking up—thanks to Chance.

“So, what did you decide?” he asked, setting down a plate of heavenly smelling eggs and bacon in front of her. “Which one do you want?”

“Well, it’s a toss-up between Hello Kitty the weapon and the pepper spray.”

“Take both.”

She didn’t know why she felt self-conscious as she touched the cat-shaped weapon, but she did. She set it down, unable to resist digging into her breakfast. But as she lifted her fork, she suddenly took great care not to get any on her lips because for some reason she felt terribly exposed.

“I can’t afford both, I’m sure,” she said, making sure she didn’t chew with her mouth open or something.

“You don’t have to pay for them. They’re gifts. From me.”

“I can’t accept them.”

He was busy gobbling down his own breakfast. “Sure you can,” he said between swallows. “I get all this stuff at cost. Part of my new job. I’ll be outfitting my clients with these types of weapons.”

She lifted the bacon to her lips, spotted him watching her again, and her cheeks heated up. Why was he staring at her? She took a bite and then set the bacon down, even though she just about groaned at how good it tasted. Golly, the man could heat up a room with the look in his eyes.

“Still,” she said. “I don’t want to take advantage. Even at cost, I doubt I could afford any of it.”

He didn’t say anything, and when she finally got the nerve to look up at him, she noticed the most bizarre expression on his face.

“What?” she asked.

He rubbed his chin. “Ah. Yeah. Like I said. I’ll take care of it. You can pay me back slowly if you want.”

“Chance—”

“No arguments,” he interrupted. “This is your safety we’re talking about. You need to be prepared.”

She couldn’t argue that point, so she continued eating her breakfast, feeling his gaze upon her all over again. Man, she wished he’d stop watching her.

“Thank you,” she said once she finished.

“You’re welcome,” he said, shooting up suddenly with his plate in hand.

“I’ll wash that.”

“No. That’s okay. I’ve got it. Here. Give me yours.”

She handed him the empty plate. He hurried to the sink and, sure enough, washed her dishes for her. As she sat in her chair, she stared at the weapons and wondered why she’d never been able to find a man like Chance. Just her luck he was leaving for the Middle East in a short while. And that he was her boss’s brother. And that he knew about James and so probably had a low opinion of her life choices. So if that was a spark of attraction in his eyes, she knew he’d never act on it.

“Thanks,” she said, standing.

He grabbed a rag and dried his hands, but when he met her gaze, he seemed to freeze.

“I mean it, Chance. You’ve really taken a load off my mind. I’d been thinking about getting some pepper spray. Now I don’t have to worry. And if I get in a bind, I have Ninja Kitty to poke James’s eyes out with.”

He didn’t say anything, but then seemed to nudge himself back to life, tossing the towel he held to the counter. “Protecting people is my job.”

Something about the way he said the words made her tilt her head. He seemed upset, as if he were disappointed in something...maybe her?