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“That’s not true.” His fingers tightened on her waist. “But you are Holt’s sister.”
She’d known his name would come up. She could almost see the moment when Shane remembered his best friend and began the emotional push away from her. “Don’t use him as the excuse.”
“Fine.” Shane put a hand against the door right by her head. Wrapped her in his warmth without touching her. “You’re the commitment type and I’m a failure at that. What’s the plan? We have sex a few times and then go back to acting like nothing ever happened?”
His words touched something deep inside her. She could hear the pain he hid underneath the sensible sentiment. He wasn’t a man who failed at anything, but he viewed his private life as a war zone. His father failed at everything and ran through marriages. For some reason, Shane lumped himself in with the man who’d spent a lifetime ignoring him.
She put her hand against his chest and felt the thudding of his heartbeat. “Why do you think you’re a failure at commitment?”
“I’m still paying off my divorce lawyer.”
“Shane, no.” When he started to pull away, she grabbed on to his forearms and held him still. He could have thrown off her hold, but he didn’t. He stayed, and she took that as a good sign that he was at least willing to listen. “You guys were all wrong for each other. That needed to end.”
Makena knew she walked a fine line. Patty had never wanted to be a military wife and resented every minute. Shane acted true to who he was, and this pulled them apart, to the extent that were ever really together. Makena wasn’t convinced. She’d never seen a spark and he’d never talked about having a wife as anything more than a convenience...until it became very inconvenient.
“I made her promises about leaving the army and didn’t.” He exhaled. “I messed up.”
She refused to let him take all the blame. Not after the whispers she’d heard from Holt about how difficult Patty could be. “You both did.”
Shane shook his head. “How did we get on this topic?”
Because his marriage colored everything and talking about it was inevitable. The question was whether they could pivot and talk about them without him bolting. “You seem to think I need a ring.”
His thumb traced over her lips. “I’m trying to be responsible here.”
Wrong answer. “Maybe I don’t want you to be.”
“Makena.” He said her name like a plea.
“I am a grown woman.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in tighter against her. “This isn’t about my brother or your ex or even your dad. This is about us. What we feel for each other.”
His hands rubbed up and down her back. “If we start down this road—”
“Kiss me.” Enough talking. They could talk this to death and never get anywhere. She was done with that.
His chest moved in harsh breaths now. “I won’t stop.”
“I don’t want you to.”
That was all it took. His mouth covered hers in a blinding kiss. The type that whipped around and shattered all control. She held on through the smack of heat while need pummeled her.
Her fingers slipped into his hair as she wrapped her body around his. The blood drained from her head, and a wave of dizziness hit her. With an arm around her waist, he lifted her off the floor. She didn’t fight the need to get closer, to burrow in deeper. She wrapped her legs around his thighs and held on.
He lifted his head. “Bedroom.”
She couldn’t say anything, so she nodded. Anything to hold on to the feeling and keep him from breaking away. She feared his brain would kick in and he’d go on the defensive. Shove her away. But none of that happened. He carried her through the small house, pushing the bedroom door open with his shoulder and carrying her inside.
Desire took off in a wild frenzy inside her. She held on because she never wanted to let go.
The room spun and her back hit the mattress. When she opened her eyes, he loomed above her, balancing on his elbow. She ran a fingertip over his eyebrow and across his cheek. Down to his mouth, then over that sexy scruff on his chin. “I love this.”
He treated her to a husky chuckle. “That almost guarantees I won’t shave it off.”
The sound of his voice skimmed over her like a caress. The way he looked, who he was...she loved it all. “Good.”
“Be sure.”
She could feel his erection against her thigh and sensed the control it took for him to hold back and wait. But there was no need. She wanted this, wanted him. Had for what felt like forever. “I am.”
He nodded and started to get up.
