She paced around the family room of his end-unit town house. The strip of houses sat up on a hill with a view of the Chesapeake Bay. He’d picked it because he could get to the Corcoran Team office in Annapolis quickly but didn’t live right on top of the place like some of the other members. He needed a break now and then.
Seeing her there filled him with a strange sense of calm. She’d been there before, but always with other people. For group get-togethers. That had been on purpose, but now it was just the two of them. He tried not to think about the big bed upstairs, waiting.
She turned around and faced him while she rubbed her palms up and down her arms. “I get that you’re disappointed in me.”
Not that. Not even close. “Wrong word.”
He actually viewed her secret work as brave and important. He just wished she didn’t do it. The idea of her in danger, of some idiot who thought lying about being a SEAL was a good idea tracking her down and taking his revenge, almost doubled Shane over.
“I’m worried about you being involved in something that could get you hurt.” He’d already blown it by saying he cared. He tried to write that off as the usual concern someone would have for his best friend’s sister. Nothing more.
He knew better.
She waved a hand and shook her head. Neither seemed all that believable. “I’m fine.”
“Yeah, you look fine.” She’d paled until her skin looked white. And the way she hugged her body, wrapping her arms tight around her middle, said she’d reached her end. It was the only reason Shane hadn’t launched into his mental list of a thousand questions.
“Admittedly, I’m a bit shaky.” She sat down hard on the armrest of his couch. The room stayed mostly in shadows. The light over the stove in the kitchen behind her cast her in its glow.
“Getting attacked will do that.”
Her leg swung back and forth as she stared at her hands. “And I fear you plan on lecturing me all night.”
“We got the time, so why not?” He aimed for a lighter tone, but he felt anything but and the words came out harsher than intended.
She glanced up, pinning him with an intense stare. “I can think of better ways to pass the time.”
He backed away until his heel hit the step leading up to the foyer and his front door. When he realized she had him running and jumping, he stopped. This was his house and he was in control. Had to be, and that meant maintaining his hands-off policy. “Don’t do that.”
“What?”
The smile. She knew. He’d bet money she knew. “Tempt me.”
She shrugged. “Didn’t know I could.”
No way he believed that. She’d caught him staring at her more than once. The way she looked. “Do you own a mirror?”
“Do you?”
He went out of his way to never mention any casual dates with other women when she was around. With his past and his record with women—with his family’s experience with marriage—she needed to stay in the hands-off category, but he didn’t want to hurt her. No matter how he fought it, the attraction zapping between them went both ways.
“We need some ground rules.” Seemed logical to him even though he had no idea what those rules would be except clothes on, no touching.
“Right.” She sighed and got up. Walked around to the bottom of the stairs and stared up. “Are we staying here tonight?”
She made it sound as if they were sharing a bed, and that was not happening. He’d sleep on the floor and stay awake. He’d be sensible.
All good thoughts, but they scrambled in his mind as he walked toward her. One second he stood in safety by the door. The next he waited one step below her with only inches separating them. Not a smart move, but his mind and body seemed to think otherwise.
“You’re going to get some rest and then we’re going to talk about your side job in the morning.” She was going to hate this piece. “We need to fill Connor in and let him look into Jeff.”
“Why only me?”
Sometimes she said something and lost him. Left him far behind her, coughing up dirt and trying to put the pieces together. “What?”
“Shouldn’t we both rest?” She laid a hand on his shoulder.
He concentrated on the danger and ignored how good the simple touch felt. It burned him through the cotton of his shirt and had him squirming. “I’m assuming you’re experiencing adrenaline burn off.”
“Are you talking about that sensation of having balls bouncing around my stomach?”
Not really. “Sure.”
“I did, but now I feel as if I could sleep for a month.” Her fingers moved into his hair.