Destined (The Rangers of Ridge County #1)

Chapter Twenty-Two

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

EMMETT

I walked Millie to her door and waited until she was locked inside before making my way back to my truck.

The desire to kiss her almost had me turning around, but I forced my steps onward.

It wasn’t until I was seated behind the wheel and on my way home that I lost myself in the fantasy of her.

The heated look of her gaze. The feel of her skin under my thumb. Her sinful curves and soulful laugh.

She deserved better than me, but it didn’t mean I hadn’t been tempted to claim her lips earlier when she’d offered them so willingly.

Fuck . My dick hardened at the thought, leaving me to wonder if this was what we were destined for—hard-ons and heartbreak.

The look on her face when I pulled away had gutted me. But I’d been afraid because if I’d kissed her in that moment, I wasn’t sure it would have stopped there.

After a couple drinks, I worried she might not be thinking clearly, and I never wanted her to regret trusting me.

One thing was for certain, though, Millie Rushing had me twisted and tied up in knots.

I hadn’t quite realized the extent of my rapidly growing feelings for her until tonight.

Hell . I told her things I’d never even spoken aloud, and I didn’t know what to make of that.

I had fallen asleep in my office chair every single night over the course of the past two weeks.

Mike finally identified our Jane Doe using dental records, and I couldn’t rest knowing the killer was still at large.

Her name was Molly Maxwell, and she had been from Rapid City, South Dakota.

Notifying her family was the hardest part. The only thing I could offer them now was closure—by catching the sick son of a bitch who did this to her.

This week I pulled every cold case file in Ridge County from the last ten years. I still didn’t believe this was our killer’s first violent crime, but I wasn’t making any headway.

Toxicology detected Thumper in her system. Making this the second case in my jurisdiction—the other being Roxy Sanders. According to Mike, the most recent data confirmed the drug rapidly metabolized within the body. Leading him to estimate that Molly had taken it within the hour leading up to her death.

Her family told me she had been traveling alone and was passing through the area on her way to a weekend ski trip with friends at Spruce Heights. They were adamant she didn’t have a history of drug use nor did she know anyone in the area. Evidently, this had been her first trip to Montana.

My stomach growled, demanding sustenance. I glanced at my watch and saw it was two in the afternoon. Where had the day gone?

Maybe I could convince Greer to whip something up for me. Pulling my phone from my pocket, I considered texting Millie instead. Despite wanting to spend more time with her, I hadn’t gotten the chance. Rory gave me her number, and I messaged her after our date but nothing more since .

I was a fucking asshole. Scrubbing a hand down my face, I decided to reach out. After lunch.

Emmett:

I need food.

Greer:

Hello to you, too, asshole.

Emmett:

I’m starving over here while you’re worrying about the logistics of my greeting.

Fine.

Hello, Abigail Greer Ranger.

Now. About lunch?

Normally, this type of back and forth with Greer wouldn’t bother me, but I was exhausted and could feel my composure slipping.

Greer:

Millie actually brought over a bucket of fried chicken from the grill.

She said you’re welcome to our leftovers.

I was out of my chair and headed for the door by the time her second message came through.

Just the idea of seeing Millie improved my mood.

“I’m headed to Sips,” I announced to Dorothy. “Call me on my cell if you need me.”

“You got it, boss,” she replied with a salute as I passed by her desk.

I made it to Sips in a fraction of the time it normally took and was trying hard not to overanalyze that fact. Stopping to catch my breath, I paused before opening the door—needing the extra moment to compose myself.

Gripping the handle, I took another deep breath and pulled. It must have been a slower day because there were only a handful of patrons scattered around the shop.

Some tossed greetings my way. I typically acknowledged everyone in passing, but today I only had eyes for the woman at the table in the back corner.

My sisters were there, too. All seemingly focused on what I suspected to be the lunch Millie brought.

Rory smiled and waved as I approached the table. Greer smirked, but Millie’s back was to me. Just the sight of her sent my heart racing.

I placed my hands on the back of her chair and leaned in. Turning to the side, she threw me a wicked grin.

“Last leg left,” she announced. But before I could respond, she brought said chicken leg up to her pouty lips then took a huge bite out of it.

She wanted to play?

I was game.

As she lowered the last remnants of her lunch back to her plate, I grabbed her wrist, brought that same chicken leg she was still holding to my mouth, and snatched a bite of my own.

Fucking delicious.