Need You for Keeps (Heroes of St. Helena, #1)(74)

He ran a finger around the lace edging at the bottom. “I can’t see.”

“Oh.” She shifted her leg, giving him better access. “Well, they match your eyes.”

“Blue?” He took that access and upped the ante by sliding his finger around the back to find that there wasn’t much more than a string back there.

“Lethal,” she whispered.

He was toast. One touch and he could feel the dampness beneath the silk, the need pouring off of her. He ran his thumb up the center, loving it when she released a sexy little purr. So he did it again, and she pressed against his hand as though she’d been fantasizing about him touching her as much as he had her. And he’d fantasized all right.

All. Damn. Day.

“So, what do you think?” she asked.

That even though he hadn’t seen them yet, he’d found his new favorite color.

“Definitely lethal,” he murmured against her mouth.

Everything about her was lethal. Shay was sexy and driven and so damn beautiful it hurt to look at her. But it was this playful side, the one that made him smile and forget about all the drama, that reached out and pulled him in. All the way in.

No one had ever gotten to him like this. The truth was, no one had ever gotten him like she did.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we, the judges, have narrowed down our decision to five outstanding critters,” Estella’s voice boomed down the alley.

“They are about to announce the finalists,” Shay said, pushing him a step back and smoothing down her dress.

It didn’t help. Not one bit. The fabric was bunched and wrinkled, her lips were wet, and her eyes were heated. She looked thoroughly turned on.

She took a step forward, but Jonah didn’t budge. Shay’s breath caught—he could see it in the base of her neck. Pulsing. Her eyes fell to his hands, which were back on her hips.

“You have to let me go,” she whispered.

It was as though he heard the words but his body refused to listen. He told his hands to let go, but they didn’t. In fact, they gripped her hips tighter, pulling her closer because anything else felt wrong.

She must have felt the same because her hands were gripping the front of his pants. With a smile she gave him a quick kiss and said, “I have a charity event to host and you are supposed to be tending to the crowd and handling sheriffy business.”

He wanted to be handling something else entirely but knew she was right. With a reluctant groan, he let go. “Tonight, when I get home, I expect to find you in my bed so we can finish up this issue.”

“Unlawful entry isn’t my thing,” she teased.

“Which is why I am giving you this.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his key ring. Taking the house key off, he placed it in her hand, then brought her fingers to his mouth to kiss them. “And Shay, be waiting in nothing but the panties.”



“Thank you, everyone, for coming out and supporting St. Paws,” Shay said into the mic, but her eyes were squarely on Jonah, who was standing to her side with Kitty Fantastic, looking decidedly fine.

Her mind, however, was still back in that alley, contemplating the key in her pocket. The key to his house. Which he gave her.

Dear God, if she hadn’t been all-in before, she was now.

Shay had never been given a key to someone else’s house before. Even when she’d been in foster care she’d been forced to knock on the front door if it had been locked when she’d gotten home from school. So she couldn’t help but wonder if this key was Jonah’s way of inviting her into his house. Or into his life.

“Because of each and every one of you,” Harper said from beside Shay. She was holding the Coat Crusader chart and it was all the way filled in, even spilling over the top. “We have raised enough money to open St. Paws Rescue and create a fund to spay and neuter over a hundred strays next year.”

A loud applause filled the streets along with barking. Lots of barking.

Shay let that settle—the we and the money—and gave her friend a hug. “As a token of how much this means to us at St. Paws, we’d like to invite all of you to the shelter’s grand opening next Thursday. We will have wine and appetizers, pet friendly of course.”

“And the Cuties with Booties,” Ida hollered from the front row. “Don’t forget to tell them about the cuties.”

“There will also be some of your favorite men and dogs from the Cuties with Booties blog on hand for a meet and greet.”

At that, a slew of hoots went up.

“And now, if you will all get on your feet and give another round of applause for today’s Prance Court, we will crown the winners and ask them to make their final prance down Main Street.” Shay took the mic off the stand and handed it to Judge Pricket, then went to the podium to get the ribbons ready.

“The winner of the very first Prance Princess”—Judge Pricket looked down at the winner sheet—“comes straight from St. Paws rescue herself, and is available for adoption. Ladies and gents, let’s hear it for Socks!”

Shay’s eyes misted over a little at the announcement. She knew she was supposed to be impartial to who won, that it was all done in fun and support of all the animals, but her Socks had won.

She couldn’t believe it. A pair of booties and custom earmuffs and the skittish Maltipoo had become a phoenix, rising above her fears to steal the show. Shay had already received over a dozen inquiries about adoption applications since they’d first announced the finalists twenty minutes ago. She was sure to have another dozen by the end of the event now that Socks was the crowned princess. But best of all, Socks was going to go to a nice family.