Page 17 of Infatuation

She took another sip and shifted her weight. Dammit. He couldn’t decide if he wanted her to leave or stay. Either one would be bad and good.

“Do you want to come with Deke and me?”

He wanted to. He really wanted to. The idea that Chief was sniffing around her didn’t sit well with him. The man had a reputation with women. He might be older than most of the other SEALs, but he tended to have more women, if rumors were correct. But even at his age, he didn’t seem to be settling down. The last woman Kade had seen him with was younger than Shannon.

Still, Kade knew it wouldn’t be a good idea to tag along. He could handle her in small doses, but he neededa break every now and then. And there was a good chance that he might beat the hell out of Chief if he got too handsy.

“Naw. I thought I would hang around the house today.”

She frowned. "Your leg’s not bothering you, is it?”

“Did Mal tell you I hurt it?”

“No. You were favoring it last night.”

He nodded. "It’s stiff from the drive. I thought I would take a hot bath, then put it up with some ice.”

“Well, if you change your mind, we are leaving at eleven hundred.”

He smiled. "Yes ma’am.”

She patted him on his leg, and his eyes almost crossed. Just that simple touch had his body heating, his cock jumping. Damn, if the woman wasn’t going to have him dead from lack of blood to his brain.

“There are some fresh pastries in the kitchen, and Mal is brewing some coffee.”

She left, and he dropped his head back on the pillow. The scent of her was still in the room, and he probably would never smell that spicy perfume again without getting aroused. He knew she was still hoping for something, and dammit, he wanted to give it to her. But he couldn’t trust himself. Not with his issues, or with her.

With a grimace, he sat up and stood. He hobbled, ignoring the pain shooting through his leg and the cock stand she had left him with.

“Do you want to tell me what’s going on between you and Kade?” Deke asked.

Shannon choked on the sip of water she had just taken. She coughed a few times before gaining control.

“Sorry. I’m sometimes a little too blunt for my own good.”

She shook her head and patted her lips with her napkin.

“No, really, I grew up with a lot of men in the house. One of them is Mal, who is not much different than you.”

She took another sip of water and wiped away a couple of tears.

“Are you going to answer the question?” he asked just as bluntly as before.

She couldn’t help but smile. From her experience, military men were always much more tenacious than other men. "Why do you ask?”

He rolled his eyes and took a bite of his sandwich. "He didn’t look too happy when we left, and well, I feel like I’m poaching on his goods. We have a good working relationship, and I don’t want this to get in the way.”

She raised one eyebrow. "Poaching on his goods? I’m not sure I like that phrase.”

“Beg your pardon, but I didn’t ask.”

She threw her head back and laughed. From the moment they had left her house, she had been delighted by Deke. If she wasn’t in love with the surly idiot she’d left behind, she definitely would be interested in him.

“That’s a pretty sound,” he said, his gaze resting on her lips.

“Why thank you.”

“So, quit screwing around and trying to avoid the question.”

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