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She jogged over to meet Shane.
“You do know that kid is half in love with you, right?”
She shrugged. “I’m prettier than the truckers he’s used to.”
His gold-green eyes flattened. “Mmm.”
She shook her head. “You get grouchy about the weirdest stuff.”
He took her bag. “You can’t be that oblivious.”
“What? A seventeen-year-old kid who works in a rest stop got a little fumbly because I gave him my big smile. Big deal.”
“Your big smile?”
“Yeah, the one I gave you the other night when I had my hand around your—”
“Kendall.”
His dark, uncompromising tone made her want to tease him all the more. She took the candy bag, and he grabbed it back. “Hey!” she said.
He reached in and tossed her the bag of Skittles.
“Something in there you don’t want me to see?”
He turned her toward the door. She grinned at the kid who was still watching them and waved.
“Christ, you’re a menace.”
She looked over her shoulder. “You love it.” His lips twitched. She ripped open a corner of her bag and popped a few candies in her mouth. His moods were beginning to make more sense. She was pretty sure he wasn’t quite as grouchy as he pretended to be. But she liked his growl face, so she didn’t mind so much. It was much better than the fake friendly she got at the inn. Oh, there were genuinely sweet people who came in, but for the most part, it was all about the good old boys who wanted to stink up her shed with fish.
Shane and Kendall walked through the parking lot. He slowed his stride to hers, and instead of climbing into the driver’s side like he usually did, he followed her to the passenger side. He opened the back door and stowed their food, then opened her door. Surprised, she froze.
“What?”
“You don’t usually open my door for me.”
“Yeah, well, I should.”
She grabbed the Oh, Jesus handle and hauled herself up. His wide hands curved around her hips as he gave her a boost. She bounced on the seat and met him face-to-face. He had such an interesting face. Almost pretty. But the beard softened his jawline in some ways and hardened it in others. She smoothed her thumb through the dent in his chin and placed a quick kiss on his lips. She reached for her seat belt, but instead of closing her door, he stepped up on the running board, held on to the roof of the truck, and sealed his lips over hers.
The cool bite of the soda he’d drunk mixed with his taste. Then the glide of his tongue dissolved the rest of her thoughts. Gentle was a useless commodity between them. His hand slid along her ribs to grip her waist. His thumb traced the line of her underwire. A teasing touch that should have been nothing more than a little pleasure. Instead, it made her even more aware of how close he was to her nipple. His mouth was an invasion, and her defenses were nonexistent when it came to this man.
The wide, flat pad of his thumb was relentless.
Again.
He was going to drive her insane, and then she had to sit next to him for another hour?
She slid her hands up between them and turned her cheek to break the kiss. “Shane.”
He nipped her ear, then buried his nose in the curls that escaped her braid. “Buckle up, babe.” He stepped down and waited for her to get situated. She pushed her hair back.
When he continued to stare, she widened her eyes. “What?”
He grabbed the seat belt and slid it across her chest, making sure his forearm brushed her breast and the side of his hand grazed her left. She slammed her back into her seat as he clicked the tab into the buckle. “I can do it myself, you know.”
“Just being helpful.” He grinned and shut the door.
