Page 87 of Shane

But when his head rotated back around to her, that sexy smile and those deep blue eyes were her undoing. Shane rested his forehead on hers and kissed the tip of her nose. She melted in the delicious, coffee-scented breath in her face. “Soon, Everlee. Very soon. I am going to make you mine, and you’ll never doubt my intentions again. But right now we have company and—”

“Are you leaving?” she demanded to know. By then, her fingernails were stuck in his back like cat claws. “I mean me? Are you leaving me? Is that what this is all about?” She never could keep her mouth shut.

His brows slammed together and those adorable wrinkles she loved lined his tanned forehead. His hair flopped down into his eyes. He looked playful as sin, but upset. “Why would you say that?” he asked as his fingers eased out from under her shirt. “How could you even think I’d leave you?”

“Because this is the first time you’ve touched me like you want me,” she bit out, still mad at him for inviting Tuesday over to her apartment. Hers. Not his. Not theirs. Not yet. Maybe never.

Those damned tears welled up again, making her blink.

Shane’s eyes turned stormy. With his elbows dug into the thick Turkish rug beneath them, he bracketed her head between his big, warm palms. His thumbs smoothed over her cheeks, which had to be bright red if the heat coming off them meant anything. His long fingers laced into her short, spikey hair, which, for a split second, Everlee wished was as long and blonde as Tuesday’s.

Without warning, he slammed his mouth over hers and French-kissed the temper out of her. Like a cleansing tidal wave. A tsunami. Her foolish indignation was swept away in the hurricane called Shane Hayes. He suckled and nipped, he bit her top lip, then the bottom one as he stormed over every last one of her childish, petulant defenses until—

Everlee melted like gooey caramel into the rug. Shane took possession of her lips and her tongue and every last one of her uppity, self-righteous senses. And she was drowning. Claimed and owned and so damned breathless for every atom of oxygen he exhaled. For his scent. His taste. For every single part of this man. This was what she’d been craving.

Somewhere off in the distance, the doorbell rang a third time. Someone pounded on her door as it tolled its final beat, and Everlee found herself upright, standing dizzily on her feet. Shane’s hands were on her waist, and his lips were warm and moist on her forehead.

“Then I must be doing something wrong, babe, because I’m not going anywhere,” he murmured. “Not without you. We should answer the door, though, and after our friends leave, you and me are going to talk. All night if we have too, got it? Because I love you, Ev, and you should know that by now. I thought you did.”

“I did, err, I d-do,” she stuttered. “And I love you, too, and I do know that. Most of the time.” She knew she was smiling like a loon, but Shane had finally squashed her nagging doubts. At the same time, he’d staunched the bleeding, sucking hole in her soul that had come with losing her entire family the way she had. With her fingers on his bare chest, her nose against his bare skin, and her ass in his big, warm hands, she finally understood that maybe—just maybe—she didn’t have to try harder than everyone else anymore. She didn’t have to be like Tuesday at all. He loved her just like she was, and she was a silly, spoiled brat for ever thinking otherwise.

“You need a shirt, big guy,” she told him breathily, still cocooned in his love where she wanted to stay.

He winked, let her go, and shucked the clean t-shirt hanging off the back of the rocker over his head. “No, babe, all I need is you. We good now?” he asked, his brow spiked like a beast, daring her to act up again, but that gentle glow back in his eyes once more.

“Yes,” she breathed, running a finger over her ear and into her hair. “We’re good, Shane. And you are so damned hot. I really like you like this.”

That brought back his grin. “You mean undressed? Later, babe. For sure. But let’s get rid of our visitors first, okay?” That was the most perfect thing he could’ve said.

“Yes, please,” breathed out of Everlee. Her shoulders lifted. She smiled at how compliant one kiss from Shane could make her. How did he do that?

Chapter Thirty-Two

Shane could’ve cried at the sweet innocence pouring off Everlee. She’d had such a tough life, and she’d come so far from the insecure teenager she’d been. There was no reason on Earth she should be jealous of Tuesday. But look at the stars in her eyes now. Made a man proud, at some deep, dark, caveman level knowing he’d put them there and that her moods and happiness revolved around him. That he and he alone had the power to make her smile. Not that he’d tamed her. Oh, hell no. There was no taming Everlee Yeager. But loving her? That would be the challenge and highlight of the rest of his life.

With one final kiss on her forehead and one more sigh from her lips, he told their three dogs, “Places.” They eagerly dashed across her open floor plan and whirled around to stand on their appointed mats beneath the bay windows. Those three dogs would stand there until he released them to join the conversation. Until then, Shane latched onto Everlee and headed for the door.

“What took you so long?” Heston grouched when the door opened. “We’ve been standing out here for hours.”

“I wish,” Shane grumbled back.

Tuesday giggled. “Shush. They’ve been getting busy. Can’t you tell?”

A salacious grin cracked Heston’s face. “Well, good! It’s about time. Looking beautiful, Ev!” He opened his arms like he expected a hug.

Obviously, he didn’t know Everlee. She shoved him away into Tuesday’s side. “Knock it off, creep. I don’t hug strangers, and man, you are one strange dude.”

Heston tipped his head back and laughed. “Dude? Me? Honey, you have no idea.”

Shane stepped to her side and put an arm around her shoulders. “Glad you guys could make it. Come on in,” he said, gesturing Heston and Tuesday into the open living room area as he closed the door.

Everlee took a seat beside Tuesday on the couch, while Shane took the one rocker and Heston took the other. A quietly uttered whimper escaped one of the dogs. No doubt Blade. Shane didn’t blame the hefty guy. He was the most spoiled.

Shane looked over his shoulder and gave those handsome dogs the quiet command to, “Come.” Mayhem ruled for a few minutes while the rambunctious threesome raced to greet, smother, and slobber on their guests. But when Shane said, “Off,” they promptly obeyed and each chose someone to settle down beside. Surprisingly, Blade dropped to his belly with a grunt at Tuesday’s feet. Everlee just winked at him and let him be.

Tuesday bounced on the couch, her fingers tapping her knees restlessly. “Did you hear?”

Today she’d dressed in black jeans that hugged her long legs, stylishly distressed, brown leather ankle boots, and a fuzzy, soft pink sweater top. Her sleek hair hung in perfect blonde ringlets down her back. Pink blush brushed her cheeks and her green eyes were lightly shadowed, then highlighted under the brows to make them seem bigger. Shane’s gaze strayed from Tuesday to Everlee. Look at her, sitting there with no make-up whatsoever. One glance at her made his heart sing. She looked like a mischievous pixie with stars in her eyes.