Page 64 of Shane

“No!” Everlee spat, thumbing her chest in case he forgot who was in charge. “Myjob! If anyone’s going back inside, it’s gonna be—”

Before she could spit out the rest of her threat, Shane whirled her around and got straight in her face. “No way, Agent Yeager. They’re already dead, and you’re compromised. Stay out here. Neither of you ladies need to see what I’m going to do to those asshats in there.”

He thought he could boss her? Just because he was male, bigger, stronger, and wider? Forget that bullshit. Everlee opened her mouth, prepared to dress him down and spit him out when—

Shane’s warm, wet mouth crashed over hers, silencing her out-of-control rant and swallowing every last bit of her angst and her rage and…

Oh, hell, he tasted good. Her fingers tightened over his biceps.Jiminy Christmas,he was solid and she loved the way his muscles flexed under her fingers. His hands were hard and his fingers long and right then digging into her upper arms, reminding her that he truly was all things male. That males were instinctively dominant fighters and winners and protectors of all they held dear. Never mind that he was also holding her again like he’d never let her go. Like he truly, honestly cared about her.

Best friend, nothing. She wanted this friendship to be the kind that came with benefits. Everlee’s eyes rolled back in her head at the delicious power radiating off this intense man. The taste of his bossy mouth was so damned sweet, and this time he was demanding in an entirely different—better—way. He was right, damn it. She didn’t have to be in charge all the time. She could let go like she wanted to. She already trusted him.

Her out-of-control need for vengeance dissipated in the passion that was right then owning her mouth and her lips and… yeah. Her poor battered, tenderized heart. Maybe her soul. Succumbing to the animal magnetism running like a steaming hot current between Shane and her, she huffed through her nose. Her hands moved from his biceps to the strong cords in his neck, then to his stubbled cheeks. Damn, he had one helluva five o’clock shadow going for him. What time was it anyway?

“For once, do as I say,” Shane murmured around their nearly indecent kiss. Then he added, “Please? For me?”

Smart, smart man.

Everlee hadn’t realized he had her off the ground again. Like he could’ve held her all day. Like she weighed next to nothing.If she were a braver, gentler, girly woman, Everlee would’ve told Shane she’d fallen in love with him. She’d never felt the wonderful sensation zinging between them like sparking electricity before. It left her breathless. Maybe a little brainless, and—

Yes,her silly heart whispered.Tell him. You do love him. You know you do.

Instead, Everlee eased out of his arms and let Shane go. He’d been in combat; she hadn’t. He just might have skills she didn’t. Might even know a few things she didn’t. Like what to do with three dead morons. Maybe therewerethings men did better than women. She was willing to explore the possibility. For now. She decided to obey, but only because Shane asked. He wasn’t some guy with a dick bigger than his brain. No, Shane was smart. He put her feelings first, and more than anything, Everlee needed that kind of thoughtful, positive reinforcement.

Pursing her lips, she blew out another deep breath and whispered, “Yes, sir. Yes, for you. Okay. I’ll stay here.”

“This won’t take long,” he assured her, his voice less stern, but so rough and hoarse that wet heat pooled between her thighs again. What was that about? She was hot and bothered just because he’d bossed her? Apparently.

“Come on, let’s find some shade.” That was Ms. Smart and she was holding her hand out for Everlee to take. As if she were the adult in charge, and Everlee was just a civilian, a child. Also as if she might’ve already suggested that more than once and had been trying to get Everlee’s attention.

With her heart pounding, Everlee turned to Ms. Smart. They weren’t besties or BFFs, didn’t even like each other. Ignoring Smart’s silly act of female friendship, Everlee turned her back on Tuesday and walked over to the far side of the barn all by herself. Meanwhile, Shane was busy dragging the first dead guy into the barn.

There were no chairs in sight, not even a dried-up tree stump to sit on, but hey. Beggars couldn’t be choosers.Everlee sank down against the barn’s cool, stone foundation and let her head fall forward to her bent knees. She was free. She was alive, and there really were times in a woman’s life when the sound of her own breathing was all she needed. There was no way this dilapidated barn could keep out the rain, but its stone foundation was solid, and its east side offered a ton of cool shade this late in the day. If shade could be measured in tonnage.Totally useless, random thought, probably caused by all that fading adrenaline. And lack of sleep. And dehydration.

She tempered her snark and aimed to be, well, pleasanter. More pleasant? Aww, who knew? Everlee didn’t. Turning to Ms. Smart, she huffed, but only because the short walk had left her breathless. “So,Tuesday.” She managed to sound civil for a change, and she used the name Shane used. “You and Shane are on a first name basis now, huh?”

“Yes, ma’am, we are. I’m here to help you guys, Agent Yeager. Any way I can. Shane said he’d help prove my innocence. It’s a fair trade, us helping each other.” Her statement ended sounding more like a timid question.

Helping each other sounded like a great idea, and because Everlee was too tired to get spun up over Smart’s apparent loyalty to Shane, she simply nodded. “Please, just Ev. Shane’s right. We’ve been through enough shit to trust each other.”

“That’d be nice,” Tuesday replied without a trace of attitude. “He likes you. I’m glad. But he’s always so polite. I didn’t think he had it in him to do what he just did with you.”

“What? Kiss me?” Everlee ran her tongue over her bottom lip, savoring the delicious taste that lingered. What would it be like to be able to kiss him any time she wanted? To make love with that rugged, handsome body. To put her hands all over him, morning, afternoon, or night time?

Tuesday’s head bobbed. “Yes, and he killed the men who hurt you. He cares for you. A lot. You should’ve heard him swearing before he kicked in the barn door.”

Why did Shane’s caveman act make Everlee grin? Shane kicked in a door to save her?How sweet is that?“What’d he say?” And now she sounded like a junior high teenager bonding with her girlfriend.

“Well, he heard what those guys were saying they’d do to you, then he dropped a lot of F-bombs. You should’ve heard him. He was already a walking, talking, cursing maniac with Sasha. She helped us locate you. But he went ballistic once he knew you were in trouble.”

“I was in trouble.”

“That man looks at you like you’re his whole world. Haven’t you noticed?”

Everlee cleared her throat and shook her head, afraid if she acknowledged how much she cared for Shane, she’d only fall deeper in love with the guy. Which was not smart for agents who worked together. Connor and Izza Maher seemed to make it work, but they’d been married before they’d worked together. Rory and Ember Dennison, Walker and Persia Judge made it work, too. But Everlee had already proved she sucked at the marriage thing. She’d been burned before. Once was enough. Wasn’t it?

“He’s just pumped full of adrenaline right now,” she explained, needing to set Tuesday straight. “It’s simple biology. Intense situations create dramatic feelings of loyalty and duty, and sometimes, those feelings get confused with lust and love, especially between males and females. Especially when one of them gets hurt. Not that I’m hurt. I’m not. But because of what happened inside the barn, and when he saw me, and he knew they’d hurt me, but I was alive, and…”

Jiminy Christmas, I’m rambling.