Need You for Keeps (Heroes of St. Helena, #1)(33)

Hell, she felt like everything that was right in his seriously screwed-up world.

“Christ, you feel good,” he moaned into her mouth.

“I was going for amazing,” she said, and without warning she slid down his body, every good part she owned scraping down his chest until she was seated fully against him, with a fistful of his hair.

“Getting closer.”

“How about now?” She did this insane little roll of her hips that set him on fire. With a triumphant smile, she did it again, teasing and sweet and so damn refreshing he opened his mouth wider, taking the kiss even deeper. Taking them deeper.

“Jonah,” she moaned, then let loose a sexy-like mewling sound and ground herself against him. Back and forth, creating a friction that had him making some sounds of his own because A) they were back to first names, B) she was about to go off and they weren’t even naked, and C) he wasn’t far behind her.

Which would be embarrassing as hell. Not to mention he still wasn’t sure what she had on beneath that top, and there was no way this would be over before he had her naked. And under him.

With a new goal in mind, one which included her shouting his name, he teased at the hem of her shirt, exploring every speck of soft skin as he headed north, only to stop short when he was about to cross into heaven.

Mew.

“What was that?” Shay whispered, her hands a scant inch from where they needed to be. His were so close he might just cry, because he knew what that sound was, and knew what was going to go down in about two seconds—and it wasn’t his f*cking pants.

Mew.

“Kitty Fantastic,” Shay whispered at the two blue eyes blinking up at her from the inside of Jonah’s ball cap.

Yeah, Kitty Fucking Fantastic, the feline who’d already cost him his dinner and his good sense, was now using his cap for a bed and about to issue the biggest cock block in the history of bro-land.

Mew.



Two days later, Shay sat on the bed in her pajamas, contemplating her second bag of minidoughnuts. She needed it. She’d barely spoken to Jonah since the mew heard around the world. In fact, after they checked over Kitty Fantastic and decided the vet could wait a day, Jonah had loaded them up and driven them home, walking them to the door and wishing her a dutiful good night.

She’d texted him to say thanks for the help. It wasn’t a long text, but enough to let him know how special he’d made her feel, how good it was, even for just one night, to have someone to lean on. And in the moment, Shay had felt as though he were leaning on her too—for what she wasn’t sure, but she was honored he’d chosen her. Then, he’d texted her back, “Anytime.”

That was it, just “Anytime.”

It wasn’t bad as far as texts went, but it wasn’t great either. A one-worded text. Seven little letters that left no room for anything more. The last time she’d heard that word, from him, it had been thrown over his shoulder while leaving her locked in a kennel.

All Shay could come up with was that he’d changed his mind.

And that was okay. It sucked, and kind of made her belly grumble whenever she thought about it, but “Anytime” wasn’t the end of the world. She’d lived through worse. At least that’s what she’d convinced herself of, until yesterday when she’d received a call. Not from Jonah, of course, but from Ms. Abernathy.

Jonah had delivered on his word. Something that Shay hadn’t had a lot of experience with. Not only had he stuck an official note in her mailbox as promised, he’d taken the time to call Ms. Abernathy and reassure the older woman that no one would be taking Yodel from her. Then, as if that wasn’t enough, he issued a statement on the front page of the St. Helena Sentinel that St. Paws Rescue was not, nor were they connected with any puppy mills.

Shay didn’t know what to do with that kind of gesture, wasn’t used to it, and, even worse, didn’t know what it meant. He hadn’t stopped by or even texted to point to the awesome thing he’d done.

Sure, it was the perfect excuse for her to drop by his place, to say thanks in person, maybe bribe him with more beer and get an invitation inside, but then she’d never know if he wanted her to come in.

Shay popped the doughnut in her mouth and sank back against the headboard, that annoying grumble emanating from her stomach. On the outside, Shay liked to think she appeared tough, carefree, capable of handling anything life threw her way. Inside, though, she was a big scaredy-cat.

She looked at her bedroom, the lack of dogs, and felt her throat tighten, because she was also a big crybaby.

Shay had come home from work early, walked her dogs, fed the kittens, cleaned the litter box, changed her sheets, and when she couldn’t stall any longer, she had to accept her reality for what it was. Yodel was gone. He was off living a happy-doggie life with his new family.

Logically, Shay knew Yodel was where he was supposed to be. All of the animals who had come through her life were. It didn’t mean that it didn’t break her heart, though.

Mew, Kitty Fantastic said from the carrier on the end of the bed.

“Are you ready to come out yet?” she asked the two blue slits peering out at her.

Kitty gave a long and defiant stretch, then turned around, giving Shay his back. His answer was clear with every swish of his tail.

He’d spent all day with Dr. Huntington, getting a full examination and round of shots. After treating his bruised paw and getting rid of every foxtail and burr matted in the poor thing’s coat, Kitty was declared a healthy ball of bad attitude. They were sent home with antibiotics and strict instructions to remain separated from his litter for the time being.