Leigh Bale - Falling for the Forest Ranger

But what had happened to Jonah’s father?

Tanner couldn’t help wondering. According to Jonah, the man had died. Tanner reminded himself that it wasn’t his business.

He didn’t like being so curt. But being friendly would only lead to him looking at that scrap of paper she’d given him. Then he’d be tempted to call her. And he wouldn’t. Couldn’t.

Checking his rearview mirror, he saw that she was still standing there, holding her purse and Jonah’s hand, watching Tanner pull out of the parking lot. As he turned the corner and drove away, he forced himself not to look back again.

When he reached the first stoplight, he blew out a harsh breath, his pulse settling back to a normal beat.

He still remembered the color of her eyes. Electric blue, with a subtle midnight ring around each iris. Yeah, he’d noticed, in spite of her little boy’s constant chatter and his desire not to like either of them. But noticing that a woman was attractive didn’t mean he had to act on it.

As he navigated through traffic and headed toward his lonely apartment on the south side of town, he tossed the crumpled piece of paper she’d given him on the floor. He’d throw it away when he got home. Holding it served as a reminder of how lonely he was.

That couldn’t be helped. Better to be lonely than to lose someone else he loved. First his parents, then his grandparents, then his fiancée. He’d been alone most of his life. He liked his solitude and doing what he wanted.

Sometimes.

Tanner shook his head, trying to clear the painful memories surging through his mind. Cheryl telling him she loved him. Hugging him tight. Smiling so sweetly. And then, when she’d broken off their engagement, her sneer of contempt. She’d claimed she’d never loved him or his line of work. Not really. She’d only tolerated all their trips into the mountains. All the fishing excursions and hikes. Waiting until someone better came along.

That someone had been Tanner’s best childhood friend.

Ex-best friend now. The hurt of Cheryl’s betrayal sank deep into Tanner’s heart, like a barbed fishhook. And every time he thought about them, it ripped his heart anew.

Tanner flipped on the turning signal and heaved a giant sigh. It was better to remain a bachelor and throw himself into his work instead. Much more rewarding and something he had control over. Being alone suited him just fine. Then he’d have no one to insist he do things her way. No one to destroy his relationship with his best friend.

No one to love.

Bah! He didn’t need love to feel complete or to lead a full, happy life. He’d finally begun to make peace with his past. He’d focused on building his career, which had paid off. He’d recently been promoted as the Fisheries and Wildlife staff officer over the Steelhead National Forest. It kept him plenty busy. In fact, his career was his life.

No, Tanner didn’t have the time or the desire to complicate his solitary existence with another superficial romance. Especially with someone like Zoë. The widow came packing baggage. A cute, precocious little troublemaker named Jonah.

As Tanner pulled into his driveway and killed the motor, he realized he had everything he needed. A good education, a comfortable place to live, a challenging career and a few coworkers to hang out with once in a while.

Stepping out of the truck, he glanced back at the wad of paper lying on top of the floor mat. Against his better judgment, he reached inside, picked it up...and tucked it inside his pants pocket.

Chapter Two

No, it couldn’t be. It just couldn’t.

Tanner Bohlman stared across the conference room in the Steelhead National Forest supervisor’s office, unable to believe his eyes. Striding through the door wearing a violet-colored skirt and matching jacket was the woman from the parking lot.

The very same.

It’d been a week since her son had creamed his new truck with a shopping cart. Even with her now wearing makeup and a business suit, he couldn’t mistake the apologetic mother who’d offered to pay for repairs to his truck. Zoë was her name. As much as he’d tried, he couldn’t seem to forget it.

Instead of flat and tired-looking, as it’d been that day in the parking lot, her short blond hair had been given a sassy style, spiked slightly in the back with gel. Her pretty mouth shimmered with pink lipstick, her blue eyes accented with a subtle hint of mascara, liner and shadow. Her pale skin showed a healthy glow, her high cheekbones dusted with a hint of blush.

Gary Drummond, the watershed specialist sitting next to Tanner, whistled low beneath his breath. “That’s the new marine biologist? I think I’m gonna like her.”

“Yeah, me, too,” agreed Ron Parker, one of Tanner’s fishery biologists.

Both men were married, but you didn’t have to be single to appreciate an attractive woman. Tanner admitted silently to himself they were both right. What a looker!

As she shook the forest supervisor’s hand and smiled, Tanner remembered the color of her eyes. A vivid shade of blue.

Tanner tried to imagine this feminine woman dressed in hip waders, toddling out into the middle of a stream to take water samples. How could she be the new marine biologist? Where did she think the fish lived? In a high-rise office building?

Not likely.

Right now, Tanner was afraid to breathe too deeply for fear of soiling her pristine business suit. All the other marine biologists he’d ever met before wore blue jeans, tennis shoes or boots, a plain shirt they didn’t care about getting dirty and not a hint of makeup, much less a carefully styled hairdo. Of course, he’d never worked with a female marine biologist before.

Until today.

A series of business meetings that morning might account for her professional attire. But why would the National Marine Fisheries Service send this little scrap of lace to the wilds of Idaho to work? Tanner wondered if she even knew how to swim, much less how to help solve their fishery problems. He wasn’t about to play nursemaid to a marine biologist who might be afraid of rumpling her silk blouse.

“Hey, everyone. This is Zoë Lawton.” Chuck Daniels, the forest supervisor and Tanner’s boss, smiled expectantly as he made the introductions.

“Hi, there,” Gary called with a wave of his hand.

“Glad to meet you.” Ron grinned like a fool.

Tanner just nodded, biting his tongue to keep from speaking. He didn’t trust his voice right now. Instead, he mechanically stood and held out his hand, highly conscious of her soft, manicured fingers as they tightened around his...and the moment she met his gaze and recognized him, too.

“Oh!” she said.

Just Oh! Nothing more.

“Do you two know each other?” Chuck asked, glancing between them.

Tanner spoke up fast. “No, we don’t.”

Zoë. Even her name sounded exotic. And too fragile to be traipsing around the untamed Idaho river systems. Her name suited her. Sweet and feminine. But those weren’t the traits she’d need once he took her up on the mountain to view the various creeks and streams connecting to Bingham River. Tanner wasn’t certain, but he figured if a bear attacked her, she could use one of her spiked heels as a weapon. That was just about the only useful, practical aspect he could spot in her outfit.

“But we’ve met before.” Zoë withdrew her hand and gave him an uncertain smile. “I’m sorry again for what happened. I haven’t heard from you, so I guess you haven’t changed your mind about letting me pay for the damage.”

“That’s right.” He turned and moved around the room, taking a seat on the opposite side of the wide oak table.

She smelled even better than she looked. Like bottled springtime.

As the Fisheries and Wildlife staff officer, Tanner had been assigned the task of giving this woman a tour of Bingham River and its tributaries. Which would take all summer long. He had to cooperate with her in any way he could.