After the Storm (KGI #8)(70)

There was brief admiration in Rusty’s eyes as she glanced Sean’s way. But it was quickly wiped away by a look of indifference as she listened to the interchange between the two men.

“I’ll go,” Rusty said. “I made sure no one followed me here, just in case you worry that I ran straight here after the guy showed up. I waited a couple of hours. He showed up as soon as the store opened and I played it cool and didn’t leave until later in the morning.”

“I don’t want you back there,” Donovan said seriously. “I don’t want you in this ass**le’s presence again. Go back to Mom and Dad’s for now. I’ll talk with Dad later today and let him know what’s going on.”

“I’m going to run too,” Sean said. “I just wanted you to know what I came up with so you could be on your guard. It’s going to be important to keep Eve and her siblings under tight wraps and make sure they aren’t out in public.”

Donovan nodded. “Thanks, Sean. And thanks, Rusty. I’ll talk to you both later.”

Rusty walked out of Donovan’s house, Sean on her heels. She’d parked next to Sean’s patrol car, and she paused in front of them both, turning to confront Sean.

He pulled up short when she turned to face him and took a step back as she stared him down.

“What’s your problem with me, Sean? Why do you still see me as a stupid kid with more brass than brains?”

He blinked in surprise, and then his eyes narrowed. “I don’t have a problem with you, Rusty. I just don’t want you in any danger.”

She rolled her eyes. “You still treat me like I’m some clueless kid. I’m not an idiot. I can handle myself. I didn’t confront the guy when he came in. I played it cool and then I came right over to tell Donovan what happened.”

Sean growled in frustration. “I do not see you as a kid.”

Before she could react, before she could even think about what he was doing, he yanked her roughly into his arms. She landed against his chest at the same time his mouth crashed over hers.

It wasn’t a gentle kiss. It was filled with a myriad of things she could feel. Frustration. Anger. Desire. Lust. Need.

At first she tensed, caught completely unaware by the fact that Sean Cameron—a man who’d never made secret his dislike for her—was kissing her. And not just kissing her, but completely ravaging her mouth.

Whoa, but the man could kiss.

She melted into his arms, opening her mouth as he deepened the kiss. His tongue lapped hungrily over her lips and then slipped into her mouth, delving deep as they tasted each other.

Holy shit! Sean Cameron was kissing her! The mind boggled. She was completely and utterly incapable of thought. Of any response. All she could do was sag there in his arms, supported by his strong hold as he laid one hell of a kiss on her.

And then just as quickly as he’d lost control, he yanked away, swearing vividly as he put her at arm’s length.

“Goddamn it,” he bit out. “That should not have happened. I’m sorry, Rusty. I should not have done that. I had no right. It won’t happen again.”

Before she could collect her scattered thoughts, he stalked to his patrol car, slapping that Stetson she found so sexy on his head, got in and slammed the door before roaring out of Donovan’s drive. She stood there numbly, watching as he disappeared down the road toward the gate.

He’d kissed her.

She raised a trembling hand to her swollen lips, still feeling the imprint of his mouth on hers.

He’d kissed her. It was a thought that kept going round and round in her mind. Sean Cameron had kissed her.

Why?

And why the hell had she let him?

CHAPTER 22

DONOVAN surveyed the occupants of his kitchen with deep satisfaction. Travis had wanted to get out of bed, already going stir-crazy at having spent so much time lying down. Even Cammie had been eager to get up, and so he’d set her up at his dining room table with the IV pole next to her so she could sit and eat with everyone else.

Eve sat between them, her face alight with joy and relief. Donovan took it all in, loving the way they looked in his house. His family. They were his. He’d already made that decision and there was no going back for him. He just hoped like hell that Eve would be on board.

He knew she was attracted to him, that she reciprocated at least some of his feelings. He also knew that things had happened at a whirlwind pace that he hoped hadn’t overwhelmed Eve. He’d been honest in that he would take it slow, but he’d been equally honest in that slow to someone else and slow to him were vastly different things.

He was exhibiting extreme patience because what his instincts screamed for him to do from the very first moment he’d laid eyes on Eve was to claim her. To take her to his bed, possess her, mark her as his, and never let her go.

Soon, though. Very soon. Tonight, if he had his way. He wanted to make love to her. To cement their growing relationship, such as it was. He wanted her to know how he felt about her, and words would only carry him so far. He wanted to show her.

“Okay, food’s ready,” he declared, carrying a stack of hot pancakes to the table.

He set it in the middle and forked up pancakes for both Travis and Cammie and then placed three on Eve’s plate. When her eyes widened and she automatically shook her head, denying that she could eat so much, he ignored her and issued a stern directive.