“That’s different.” Though for a second he wondered if it really was. He fought for what he believed in. She claimed to be doing the same thing.
Cam shook his head. “You’re headed for a tough fall.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’ll figure it out.” Cam started down the porch steps. “Have a good night.”
Shane stood there, watching the taillights disappear down the long drive. He wanted his mind to go blank and to have a moment without thinking or feeling. But the door creaked open behind him. He smelled the scent of her shampoo the second before she stepped out onto the porch.
“Did Cam leave?” She held on to the edge of the door as she peeked out.
Not ready for a civilized conversation, Shane tried to shut this one down. “I’ll send him the list of contacts.”
“I guess I should go write it, then.”
He did that to her. Shut her down. Sucked the life and energy out of her voice. Acted like a jerk.
“Makena.” He looked at her, drinking in the sight of her postshower. Dressed but still breaking his concentration. “You know I’m impressed with the work you’re doing at the website, right? I’m just worried about your safety.”
“I could tell from the way you were yelling and gritting your teeth together.”
She had him there. “I could have handled this better. Not...you’re not irresponsible. You’re the exact opposite, actually.”
Her head tilted to the side and her hair fell over her shoulder. “I’ve wasted a lot of time in my life doing stuff just because, being unfocused. Being a failure.”
He didn’t even know how to respond to that. That’s not how he viewed her at all. “You’re only twenty-six.”
“I need to do this.”
He knew all about need. He’d been driven to join the army for financial reasons and because he wanted a place of his own. “Maybe this isn’t a risk worth taking.”
“I have enough of those in my life.”
She meant him. He got it. “I don’t want to fight with you.”
“What do you want?”
She couldn’t ask that kind of question. It would open doors and send them down the wrong path. Being thrown together in close quarters would be hard enough without adding a new level of sexual tension into the mix.
“I don’t know.” The first time he’d ever lied to her. Right there.
“When you figure it out, let me know.” Without another word, she turned and walked into the house.
It took every ounce of his willpower and strength not to follow her.
Chapter Seven
Frustration still ran through Makena the next morning, making her movements jerky and her head pound with a ceaseless headache. It had been a restless night. She’d taken the bed and Shane had switched off between the chair next to her and disappearing into the living room. Each time he left the room, she let out a breath of relief. Not because she wanted him gone but because having him so close and not touching him made her nuts.
“We sure he’s home?” Shane stared at the green house on the quiet tree-lined Annapolis street.
“The house always looks like this.”
“Empty?”
Makena couldn’t exactly argue with Shane’s point. The small house consisted of two floors. Had sort of a cozy dollhouse feel to it. Not what she’d expected the first time she met Tyler Cowls, retired navy guy and the owner of the Wall of Dishonor website. The bottom floor had a family room at the front and kitchen at the back, with a small room in between that Tyler used as a bedroom.
Upstairs housed the website office. An open space filled with files, computers and boxes. The neighbors would never know what happened inside from looking at the cute space with the white curtains.
“He’s a secretive guy.” They watched from across the street and down a few houses. Shane had insisted they approach with caution after she’d called Tyler’s unlisted number and hadn’t gotten an answer, something that never happened with Tyler. He was on call all the time.
Shane raised a small lens and looked through it. “I wonder if Jeff Horvath knows where Tyler lives.”
She wondered how Shane would like to swallow that lens. “I’ve already admitted I messed up with Horvath.”
Shane dropped the glass and stared at her. “I know. That wasn’t a shot.”
Yeah, right. “Are you sure?”
Standing there made her twitchy. She wanted to argue with Shane and get him to open up about last night, to admit the kiss had meant something to him. But that line of conversation only led to heartache, and she needed clear focus now.
Talking to Tyler might help. Clearing this up and finding out if he’d been threatened could give them a lead to follow.