The Ranger's Rules

by Lily Harlem

  “What?” Rhett looked down at her. “He tried to…”

  She nodded.

  Suddenly she found herself released from his arms.

  “You lowlife bastard, I’m gonna fucking kill you.” Rhett lunged at Ike, swinging a low abdominal punch as he did so.

  Ike hit the dirt with a solid thud.

  Rhett threw himself on top of Ike, raining down punches.

  “Shit, no…” Dan grabbed Rhett’s arm.

  Malo was quick to follow. Between them they pulled Rhett away from Ike.

  “Get the hell off me,” Rhett shouted.

  “There are correct procedures,” Dan said, breathing heavily as he held Rhett’s arm.

  “Yeah. The courts will deal with him.” Malo staggered with the effort of holding Rhett back.

  “I want to—” Rhett was breathing heavily, like a bull in a ring, and his body was primed to lunge again.

  “I know you do, Rhett. We all feel the same way,” Dan said. “But if you get locked up for murder you will not be much good to the reserve or to Casey.”

  Casey stepped up to Rhett and rested her hand on his arm.

  Her touch seemed to have a calming effect and he pulled in a deep breath then blew it out slowly. Some of the tension left his body. “I’m sorry, I saw red there.”

  Malo stepped back.

  “Understandable.” Dan released him then, and when it was clear Rhett wasn’t about to spring forward again, he slapped him on the shoulder. “Now get home, that’s enough excitement for one night. And you need something on your cheek, it’s bleeding like a stuck pig.”

  Rhett felt the swollen side of his face. “Is it?”

  “Yes, you do look like you’ve been in the wars.” Casey stroked her hand over his. “Come on. Let’s go.”

  * * *

  Rhett navigated through the darkness, his headlights showing the way. It all felt alien to Casey. She had no idea where she was or if she’d been in this direction before.

  He held her hand, when he could, though the bumpy roads demanded two hands on the steering wheel most of the time.

  “I’m worried about Buddy,” she said. “I locked him in the pantry so they wouldn’t find him.”

  “He’s okay.”

  “He is?”

  He glanced across at her. “Yeah, when Dan radioed me and said he’d had a garbled message from you about men in the lodge, I raced straight there. Of course I hunted about, found Buddy but not you.”

  “So how did you find me?”

  “Tracks. Their big wagon is heavy and has distinct tracks. I could see them using my full beam, plus they’d left a nice calling card right outside the lodge by parking there.”

  “Thank goodness you did.”

  “Then I spotted the fire. They really weren’t the sharpest knives in the drawer.”

  “I agree, but I’m glad they lit it.”

  “Are you really okay?” His voice had softened.

  “Yeah. I mean they didn’t exactly handle me gently, but no broken bones, no blood.”

  “I would never have forgiven myself if something had happened to you.”

  “It’s not your fault. None of this is.”

  “I should have been there.” He shook his head. “I should never have left you.”

  “You weren’t to know. You did what you thought was best.”

  “But it wasn’t good enough. It will never happen again. And I’ll get you a gun, you’ve more than proven you can shoot, and another radio for emergencies so we’re not relying on a damn signal and batteries.”

  “Okay.” She didn’t argue. They all seemed like good ideas. Though she was only staying for another week and a half, so would it be worth the trouble?

  She pulled Rhett’s jacket tighter around herself, and marveled at how she hated the thought of leaving Africa, despite the horrors of the evening.

  It really had gotten under her skin.

  Or was it her ranger who’d changed her world?

  Chapter Sixteen

  They arrived back at the lodge close to midnight. Once parked up and Rhett had secured the gate with a new padlock, he poured them both red wine.

  “It’s a fancy one,” he said, passing her a glass. “I was saving it to have with a nice meal.” He frowned at the cabinet. “But as I can’t find my whiskey, we’ll have some now.”

  “Ah, yes, Ike took your whiskey.”

  “Another reason for me to hate him.” He sat next to her on the sofa and rested his hand on her leg. “As if I didn’t have enough reasons already.”

  She’d had a shower as soon as they’d arrived back, wanting to wash all traces of the poachers from her skin. She’d then rubbed in strawberry-scented body cream and pulled on soft white cotton pajamas.

  “The clamps came off then,” he said, settling back on the cushions and taking a sip of wine.

  “Yes… sorry, I know you had plans.”

  “Don’t be sorry.” He kissed her cheek. “But I’m glad the collar stayed on.”

  She touched it. “Yes… it made me feel safer, like I was connected to you somehow.” She paused. “It reminded me of what we’d talked about, that I’m yours. I knew you’d come for me, to get what belongs to you.”

  “I’d go to the end of the world for any woman wearing my collar.” He spoke with such solemnness she didn’t hesitate to believe him.

  “Am I just any woman?” She sipped her wine, not sure if she wanted the answer to her question. She wanted desperately to be more than a passing fling to him.

  “You know damn well you’re not just any woman and that I’d go to the end of the world for you, wearing my collar or not.” He took her wine and set it along with his on the table. “You’re the only person I’ve wanted in my bed and in my life since I’ve been alone out here, and as you know, that’s a long time.”

  “Rhett,” she pressed her palm to his stubbled cheek, just below the cut that had now been cleaned up, “this is all so fast, but…”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Go on.”

  “But I feel the same. I haven’t wanted a relationship, haven’t met anyone who I could imagine spending time with, until now. You, you’re different in so many ways.”

  He kissed her softly. “I’m glad you picked me to be the one to come into your life.”

  “I’m not sure I did, but something in the stars put us together.” She touched the tip of her tongue to his and closed her eyes.

  “I want to make love to you,” he whispered.

  “Then do it… Sir.”

  She felt him smile against her mouth. “I don’t want to use a condom. I’m clean, I promise.”

  “Then don’t use one.”

  “Contraception?” he asked with a concerned frown.

  “I’ve got that covered.”

  “Thank God.”

  She allowed him to press her down onto the sofa so he was lying over her.

  “Are you sure you’re not too tired?” he asked, pushing her hair from her face.

  “How could I be too tired for you, Rhett?”

  “Right answer.” He nipped her bottom lip gently, then grinned down at her. “But you’re not going to have to do much other than lie back and enjoy.”

  “I like the sound of that.”

  He sat back, wrapping his fingers beneath the waistband of her pajama bottoms. “These virginal-looking things need to go.” He tugged them down, exposing her mound.

  “Have you got a problem with virginal?” She lifted her hips and helped him discard the pants.

  He slung them to the floor. “Not when I’m taking a virginity.”

  She laughed. “Have you deflowered many virgins, Rhett Dawson?”

  “Maybe not in the conventional way.” He half shrugged.

  “What does that mean?”

  He bit on his bottom lip even though a smile tugged at his mouth.

  “Tell me?” Curiosity was eating her up.

  “You ever been spanked before?” He ran his fingertips through
her pubic hair, tickling and tweaking it as he went.

  “You know I have, by you.”

  “No, before that.”

  She shook her head.

  “So that was a first for you.” He paused. “Widen your legs.”

  She did as he’d asked, revealing her pussy to him. “I guess it was my first spanking, yes.”

  “And being denied orgasm, anyone ever done that to you before?” He slipped his fingers through her damp pussy lips.

  “They wouldn’t have dared… Mmm…” He’d entered her with two fingers. “Yes.”

  “They wouldn’t have dared,” he repeated. “That’s interesting.”

  “It is?”

  “Yeah.” He began to slowly pump in and out of her. “Shows me that you’ve got a bit of bite when you’re in a relationship. That you like control.”

  “Doesn’t everyone?”

  “Yes, of course. But by wearing my collar, you’ve surrendered yours to me.”

  She closed her eyes and concentrated on what he was doing. How the heck did he know exactly where her G-spot was? He got it every time. And did he really think she could have a conversation while he was doing that?

  “Ah baby, I’m going to sink so deep in here,” he murmured. “I’m so hard for you already.”

  After a few blissful minutes of enjoying his touch, Casey squirmed. She wanted more than just his fingers.

  “One more thing,” he said, withdrawing and stroking down the small patch of skin between her pussy and her anus.

  “What?” She stilled and opened her eyes.

  He was staring straight at her. “Has anyone ever taken you here?” He pressed his fingertip over her darkest hole.

  “No.” Her belly clenched. She’d never even considered anal sex.

  “I will,” he said, rubbing a circle over the tight pucker of flesh. “I’ll take your anal virginity, Casey.”

  She gulped. “You will?”

  “Yes, and you’ll adore every moment of it.” He sat back and unbuckled his belt. “But not tonight, another time, when we can draw out the experience, savor it.”

  She watched him release his cock with her heart racing. Would she really let him shove that big thing into her most private place? Would it even fit? Surely it would hurt like hell.

  He jostled the last of his clothes away then leaned over her, beautifully naked. “We’ll come together with me inside you,” he said quietly, “so tell me when you’re near.”

  “I will.” She adored his confidence. He knew damn well he’d get her to orgasm. With him there was no question of not climaxing. Rhett took her to ecstasy every time.

  She spread her legs, inviting him in.

  He ducked his head and kissed the collar, then lower still, over her breast.

  “Rhett?” she moaned as his cock went further from her pussy instead of into it.

  “Shh… I’m going to taste you. I’ve been dreaming of it.”

  She groaned and pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes. Oral sex, now that was definitely something she’d missed in her life.

  He pushed her legs further apart and settled between them. His breath warmed her abdomen. “Relax,” he murmured. “Relax and enjoy but don’t come, remember that’s for when I’m inside you.”

  She answered with a groan. How the heck was she supposed to control her climax if he was as good with his tongue as he was with his fingers and cock?

  He kissed her pubic hair and caressed her inner thigh.

  Her skin was so sensitive, her pussy hot and wet.

  He flicked the tip of his tongue over her clit.

  She pressed her hands harder onto her eyes and curled her toes. The sensation of a clever tongue on her clit was one of her most favorite things. “Rhett.”

  He flicked it again, then set up a teasing rotation.

  She moaned and gripped the cushions, pressed down onto him.

  He upped the pressure and added his fingers, easing into her and giving her something to clamp her internal muscles around.

  She groaned. Her stomach tensed and the need to come began to build.

  On and on he worked her, expertly taking her to the point she was ready to orgasm but then retreating and holding the climax just out of reach.

  She began to wonder if he’d deny her an orgasm again, but realized this was his way of helping her to do as he’d instructed. She wasn’t to come until he was inside her.

  And it seemed he was in no rush to do that.

  “Oh, Rhett… please.” She pushed her fingers into his hair, absorbing the movement of his head as he worked on her.

  She bent her knees, clamping them around his wide shoulders. She wasn’t sure if she could hold off this time. Her climax was too insistent. “I need you… oh… now, in me…”

  Suddenly he reared up. His erection angled at her. “I know, it’s here.” He captured her mouth in a hot kiss, spreading her flavor onto her lips, and slid his cock into her.

  She gasped as he stretched her, and clung to his shoulders. The glorious emotion of feeling possessed, pleasured, and adored filled her the way his cock was. Her eyes misted with the strength of her feelings, both physical and emotional.

  He looked down at her. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing, nothing at all. It’s perfect.” She was breathing hard and bucking to meet his slow but deep thrusts.

  “Don’t cry.”

  “I’m not. I just don’t want this to end.”

  “It won’t if we don’t want it to.” He touched the collar then cupped her chin.

  “Are you sure?”

  “As sure as I know I need to come… are you nearly there?” He rotated his hips, supplying her clit with delicious stimulation.

  “Yes. Yes… Oh, do that more.”

  “Sir.”

  “More, Sir… please, Sir.”

  He gave it and the extra movement and density sparked her orgasm. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she gave into the power of it. “I’m there.”

  “Ah. Yeah.” He erupted with her, filling her with his seed.

  On and on her pleasure held her captive. She dragged her nails down his back and dug her heels into his buttocks. He carried on fucking her, taking them both through the cycle of pleasure.

  Eventually he slowed and lifted his head. He stared down at her.

  “No one has ever made me come so hard,” she said, rubbing over the skin she’d just dragged her nails down.

  He trembled a little. “You’re a delight to get orgasms out of.”

  “That’s what’s different,” she said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You’re interested in my pleasure, making it so good for me.”

  “Some men you’ve been with haven’t been interested in your pleasure?” He sounded surprised.

  “I wouldn’t go that far, but what I mean is, you make it a priority.”

  “It is.” He frowned. “The top priority.”

  “That’s my point.” She smiled and kissed him. “You’re dominant, and confident, and you don’t know how damn hot you are, and that, Rhett, is why I could very easy fall in love with you.”

  “You could?”

  “Yes.” She’d felt shy as she’d said it. They hadn’t exactly known each other long. But something told her Rhett was the one she’d been waiting for all this time. The lonely nights had been building up to this, to finding a man who excited and thrilled her—a man who would, as he’d said, go to the ends of the earth for her.

  “That’s good to hear,” he said, “because I’m already crazy in love with you.”

  Her heart swelled with emotion. “You are?”

  “Yeah.” He swallowed and narrowed his eyes. “I knew it the moment that bastard put a gun to your head. I’d have sold my soul to swap places and have him pointing it at my head and not yours. I’ve been in some scrapes over the years, but never have I been so damn terrified.” He shook his head. “If I’d lost you my life would have been over, Casey. I couldn’t hav
e picked myself up from that.”

  Such pain crossed his eyes that her own filled with tears again. “But it’s okay. I’m okay.” She stroked her hand over his hair. “We’re together.”

  “But for how long?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Your assignment is for two weeks. We’re going to have to face you getting on a plane and leaving Africa soon.”

  “Do you want me to stay?”

  “You know damn well I do.” He kissed her.

  “Then I’m sure,” she whispered onto his lips. “I can come to some arrangement with Wild World to work remotely.”

  “This remotely?” He lifted up and stared down at her. Hope filled his voice.

  “There’s Wi-Fi at the main lodge. I can email my work from there a couple of times a month.”

  He rubbed his body over hers, catching her clit again. “Mmm, good plan.”

  She gasped. “Though I’m not great at thinking logically when you’re inside me.”

  “I think you are.” He withdrew and pushed back in, his cock once again hardening. “That’s a doable solution.”

  She clung to him, knowing he’d wring another orgasm out of her. Rhett had her pleasure under his control and she was more than content with the arrangement.

  “Come again,” he whispered. “I can’t get enough of you.”

  “Oh, yes… more.” Casey knew in that moment this was where she wanted to make her life. Africa had stolen her heart on her first visit to the continent, and now Rhett had given her everything she needed—love, passion, and the wonderful sensation of having found her soul mate.

  “I love you, too…” she whispered into his ear. “Sir.”

  Epilogue

  Rhett set aside his whiskey and watched Casey as she studied herself in the hotel room mirror. For six blissful months she’d been his and he could hardly believe his good fortune to have found such a wonderful, talented woman to share his life and bed with.

  She’d recently won another, very prestigious wildlife photography award and they’d traveled to London together so she could accept it. He’d enjoyed his trip away with her, and meeting her parents, but he’d been equally glad to return to Africa. Though they did have something extra for the mantelpiece now, a beautiful silver trophy with Casey Summers, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 engraved on it.