Page 38 of Ranger’s Protection

"Recognition. Knowing when you've found something worth keeping. Worth fighting for. Worth throwing all the tactical planning out the window because some things are more important than strategy."

She's quiet for a long moment. Then: "So what does this mean? For us?"

"It means we try. We see where this goes. When the situation with the Vipers is resolved and you're safe, we figure out what we want long-term. Dating. Relationship. Whatever this becomes."

"What if it becomes nothing? What if this feeling goes away when the crisis is over?"

"Then we deal with that when it happens. But I don't think it will." I tilt her chin up so she's looking at me. "I think this is real, Delilah. As real as anything I've ever felt."

"Me too," she whispers.

We lie there for a while longer, wrapped around each other, and I let myself imagine what it could be like. Delilah staying at the clubhouse. Becoming part of the family the way the other old ladies have. Me coming home to her every night instead of to an empty room. Building something permanent with someone who sees me clearly and wants me anyway.

It's a good image.

A really fucking good image, but a knock on the door interrupts the moment.

"Ranger? You in there?" Diesel's voice, loud enough to be heard clearly through the door.

Delilah tenses against me, her face going bright red. "Oh god. He knows you're in here. Everyone knows."

"Everyone knew last night, baby. This isn't news."

Another knock, more insistent. "Phoenix and Judge want to see you both. Conference in Phoenix's office in twenty minutes."

I sigh and call back: "Copy. We'll be there."

"You really are in there," Diesel says, and I can hear the smirk in his voice even through the door. "Thought this was the guest room where we put the witness."

"Stop smirking, Diesel. One day the same thing will happen to you, and I'm going to enjoy watching you lose your mind over some woman."

There's a pause. "Love's not unknown to me, brother. Just... complicated. Story for another time."

That catches me off guard. Diesel's always been the most closed-off about personal shit, even more than me. The idea that there's a story there, some woman who got under his skin, is unexpected.

"Maybe you should go for it," I tell him. "Whatever it is. Life's too short for complicated when you could have simple."

"Simple." He laughs, but it's not a happy sound. "Yeah. Maybe. See you both in twenty."

His footsteps retreat down the hallway.

Delilah sits up, pulling the sheet with her. "We need to get dressed. Face everyone. Oh god, I don't know if I can do this."

"Yes, you can. You faced the Vipers. You survived being chased by them. You can handle breakfast with some bikers who are going to tease us mercilessly but ultimately don't care who's sleeping with who as long as everyone's happy."

"Are you happy?" she asks.

"Yeah, Delilah. I'm happy. Happier than I've been in a long time." I pull her back down for one more kiss. "Now get dressed so we can go face the music."

Twenty minutes later

We’re walking down the hallway toward Phoenix's office. Delilah's wearing jeans and a t-shirt she borrowed from Eden, and her hair is pulled back into a messy ponytail. She looks beautiful and nervous.

Diesel is leaning against the wall outside Phoenix's office, and yes, he's fucking smirking.

"Stop smirking," I tell him again as we approach.

"Can't help it, brother. You look... satisfied."