Page 27 of Wake the Dream

“Because you aren’t exactly the easiest person to deal with. It’s not an insult!” he covered quickly. “It’s a fact.”

“You aren’t an easy person either, I’ll have you know.”

“No, I’m not. I’m following a lead and I’m certain she won’t talk if you’re there. If you want me to get to the bottom of this, then you have to trust me. Wow, déjà vu. I feel like I’ve said this already.”

True, she also knew that they’d had the conversation before. Illaria held her hands up in front of her in a classicwhatevergesture. “Fine, be that way. I’m not going to fight with you.”

“That would be a first,” Kieran muttered. He grabbed his car keys from the desk drawer.

“If you think this woman won’t talk with me there, then you’re right. You have to go alone. Do your job,” she said, just to make perfectly clear he understood her.

She needed to act natural if she wanted to follow him without him knowing. The affected tone had to go.

He knew it, too, because he eyed her up and down as though wondering what had gotten into her. “Okay. Well, I’ll let you know if anything comes of it. Just take it easy until then. And try not to make a mess while I’m gone.”

“Make a mess of what?”

“There’s the attitude I love. Go home, Illaria. I’ll escort you out. To make sure you don’t snoop around my desk when I’m gone.”

She followed him out of the building, where Kieran left her at the front door. The sun blinded her when she walked outside. How much time had she let slip by? Kieran stalked toward his car. She waited until he slid into the front seat before moving. A moment to take off and she’d be able to follow him without him ever seeing her. Keeping her back against the station wall, she held her breath for one second, two, peeking around the corner when she didn’t hear a car engine.

Yup, he was parked in the shade, the last spot in the lot with a towering maple tree keeping it in permanent half-shadow.

But she didn’t—

“I see you.”

The bark came out of nowhere, a mouth right next to her ear. Illaria responded with a push of magic, a small tornado forming in her hands and promptly disintegrating when arms came around her midsection and drew her close. She would have screamed bloody murder if she didn’t recognize the scent. “What the hell! Get your hands off me, Shanahan.”

“I told you to stay at home. You shouldn’t be following me.”

“Yeah, well, I need to know what’s going on and I can’t figure it out from my couch, can I?” she snapped in retort.

Kieran groaned before releasing her. “Why are you so infuriating?”

“I can’t help it. This is who I am.”

“It really shows a lack of trust in me. I take offense. A real offense.”

“Take whatever offense you want. I’m sick of you trying to tell me what to do while alternately trying to get me to open up. Do you know how absolutely, disgustingly ridiculous it is? No wonder your coworkers talk shit about you, Shanahan, because you’re insane!”

His frown intensified before he grinned. “Do you need a sandwich? Maybe a granola bar? Because I keep one around for when I feel particularly testy. Having them tends to keep the beast under control, if you get my meaning.”

She raised her light eyes to his. “I just...I need something useful to do.”

The slight tremble in her words must have done something to him, although what came next was not exactly the reaction she expected. With a deep, inarticulate sound, Kieran, looking like a man pushed to the end of his rope, grabbed Illaria by the chin with one hand and the small of her back with the other. One violent jerk pulled her against him.

“What are you doing?” she said, tensing in response.

His slanted his mouth over hers, briefly. “It’s the only way I can get you to shut up.” His grip tightened on her chin and he planted his mouth atop hers. Firmly. Longer this time.

It wasn’t the kind of kiss she’d expected from him. Who was she kidding? She hadn’texpectedhim to make a move on her in the first place. And she’d been kissed pretty frequently up to this point in time, so she knew this was no sloppy experience. No, this was... Kieran kissed like an expert. With enthusiasm and warmth. Where had the experience come from?

Scratch that. She didn’t really want to know.

The kiss had started slowly enough. Gently enough. It lowered her defenses when his arms tightened around her. He needed to get closer.

A little murmur of frustration did the trick. The scant space between them disappeared when she leaned in toward him, and that’s when the kiss changed. It deepened and became rougher. Harder. More demanding. His tongue parted her lips with purpose. Illaria burned with the sheer heat of him.

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