Charlie broke away from the kiss, sitting back on Shane’s lap. She met his gaze and chuckled. His pupils were dilated, and a slightly dazed look covered his face. At that moment, he looked more like a head-injury victim than she ever had. True, she was tired and still had a bit of a headache, but there was nothing going on she needed to be concerned about. There was no blurred vision, no further vomiting, no slurred speech, and she wasn’t dizzy. Besides, Shane’s kisses went a long way to helping dull the thumping in her temples. It was a shame that she couldn’t take it further. She pushed upward, levering herself off his lap, and walked into her bathroom. It was technically the second of their two days off, and she doubted the chief expected either one of them back on duty in the morning, but she also didn’t intend to spend the day lazing about in bed, despite the fact that was probably exactly what Shane had in mind.

Charlie frowned. Lying around in bed all day would be exactly what he wanted her to do, and not the good kind, either. She wasn’t sure she liked this new version of Shane. Yeah, she’d gone ahead and fallen in love with the big oaf, and she was pretty sure he was going the same way. Not that he’d said the words, but the way he’d kissed her after she’d told him the night before. . . She reached a hand up to touch her lips, still tingling from their latest make-out session only a few minutes before. After she’d told him she was falling in love with him, Shane had been powerful, almost out of control, but it hadn’t scared her. He’d taken over the kiss entirely, taking control of her body, and she’d loved every minute of it. But just now, telling her not to work? That part could go to hell.

She turned on the water, running her hand under to wait for the hot to kick in. Charlie liked her showers so hot they steamed up the room. After a long shift, especially when you were covered in sweat, or worse, there was nothing better.

As the water heated, her thoughts drifted back to Shane. The suggestion that she take time off work, or even that she scale back—that pissed her off. Sure, he’d always had her back. Any of the guys at the house did, that was just how they were. But he’d also been supportive, stood by her decisions, and he would never in a million years be anything but professional.

Charlie rolled her eyes at the thought. What they’d just done on her couch wasn’t exactly professional. None of what they’d been up to the past few weeks had been. But then, she’d thought it would work out. Shane’s reaction was one of the reasons why she’d avoided getting involved with anyone at work in the first place. Sometimes, patients were complete pains in the ass. Occasionally, she got hurt at work. Shit happened. Any first responder would say the same. The idea that she should pull back, stop doing her job, because of it . . . not going to happen.

But then she hadn’t been at work. Not really. She huffed out a breath, picking up the body wash and soaping up the washcloth. She’d been off shift and sound asleep when a text came in that Shane had been injured. And what had she done? Not called the house, dispatch, or even Chief Stone. No, she’d thrown on whatever clothes she could lay her hands on in five seconds, bolted out the door, and walked into a trap set by someone who had her firmly in his sights. That much was clear now. The guy was deliberately coming after her.

Charlie dropped the cloth and put both hands on the shower wall, leaning her head forward and letting the water run over her, washing away the threat of tears. She’d be damned if she let Shane see she was still upset. After all, he’d been right. Even if this was just part of the job, when word had come in that he’d been hurt—and actually on the job, unlike her—she’d dropped everything to run to his side. A purely emotional reaction, and he’d been injured in a fire. No one’s fault. How could she expect him to not do exactly the same when she had some motherfucking asshole practically stalking her?

A shiver ran through her, despite the heat of the water. This was more than an annoying patient—someone was trying to take her out, and she’d walked right into his trap. Taking a few precautions was the smart thing to do. Charlie lifted her head and scrubbed at her eyes. Now she just had to find Shane and make sure everything was right between them. Then she was going straight to find Scott Wilder and work out what the next step was.

“Now that’s the kind of view I could get used to.” Charlie smiled. Shane. She turned. He stood in her bathroom, completely naked, sling gone, and a very prominent erection, his cock nearly brushing his belly button. He grinned as her eyes widened as they traced over him. “Can I join you?”

Charlie swallowed, body warming while he looked at her. The lust in his eyes never failed to arouse her, and now was no exception. “Shouldn’t you be resting? Trying to feel better?”

“I can think of something that will make me feel a lot better.” He stepped into the shower, crowding the small space. “I hear sex is a natural pain reliever.”

“Are you in pain?” she asked. “You shouldn’t be out of your sling. I don’t want that injury to get wor—”

Shane cut her off with a kiss. “I know my body, Charlie. My arm will be okay out of the sling for a few minutes.” He turned her around so her back was against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and explored her with his hands. Even soaked from the shower, Charlie felt herself growing wet.

He seemed fine, and she was relieved, but she still needed to say it. “I was going to find you. I wanted to apologize.”

“Shh.” He whispered in her ear. “I’m fine. You’re fine. You don’t need to apologize.”

“You were right, though,” she said. “I do need to take some precautions.”

Shane pressed his lips to the point where her neck met her shoulder. “That’s true,” he murmured. “But you know I won’t let anything happen to you, right?” He reached between her legs, slipping his fingers inside her. Charlie gasped, and wetness ran down her thigh. “No one is going to take you away from me.” Her head relaxed back against his shoulder as he continued to move between her legs until she moaned.

Shane shifted her forward, hissing in pain as he stretched his arm out. “Shane,” she said.

“I’m fine.” The determination in his voice kept her from saying that she knew otherwise. He reached down, wordlessly spreading her legs with his hands. His cock slipped inside her, and Charlie arched against him, gasping at the sudden fullness. She spread her legs wider as he pushed up into her, this position making his cock hit a whole new set of nerves.

Shane’s hand worked her clit from the front and his cock worked her from the back. Caught between the two, Charlie was caught in a storm of sensation, suddenly riding the line of an orgasm. She groaned, grinding her ass back into Shane. “Come for me, Baby,” Shane said, lips against her ear. “Come.” He pressed down on her clit and thrust one more time, deep. This orgasm came from deep inside, slithering up through her stomach and spreading, making her shake and gasp. Wetness gushed out of her and spread down her legs to be washed away by the shower.

Charlie’s fingers clawed against the shower walls trying to grab on to something, and Shane watched as her climax shook her like an earthquake. She went limp, sagging back against him, knowing he would be there to catch her. He started to slip out of her, and she groaned in protest. “You didn’t come.”

“No condom,” he said as he pulled out, still entirely erect.

She turned around to face him, leaning against the wall. “I think that’s a problem that can be fixed.”

Her fingers circled his cock, and he closed his eyes, a look of bliss on his face. She poured out just a little soap and smoothed it around to cover her palm before stroking. Shane closed his eyes, gritting his teeth, clearly trying to hold his orgasm back. Charlie grinned. She never said no to a challenge.

He rested his arms against the shower wall on either side of her. His breath was short as her hand moved up and down his shaft, faster and faster, and he pressed his forehead against hers. Charlie reached down between his legs with her other hand, massaging his balls and making him groan.

Without any warning, his orgasm burst through him with unexpected force. Shane’s head dropped back and he closed his eyes, a low groan escaping him. She smiled when he opened his eyes, the look on her face saying I told you so.

“You’re very good at that.”

“I know,” she said, still grinning.

Shane moved, then winced and swayed a little. Damn. “Okay,” he said, “maybe you were right.”

Charlie pursed her lips, making a face. “Push it a little too far?”

“Maybe.”

She sighed, turning off the shower. “Time for a nap.”

“Only if you’ll sleep with me,” he said. “Naked.”

Charlie rolled her eyes as she walked out of the shower. But she didn’t say no.

* * *

Shane wrapped her up in his arms, his warmth seeping into her skin. His comments earlier still rankled her, even though he was right. The idea that she’d have to make any changes to her life because of some psycho irritated the hell out of her. But, she also wasn’t an idiot. She’d make a few changes: stick together with her partner on calls, make sure one of the guys walked her to her car after shift.

She smiled. Maybe she should suggest that she and Shane make their temporary sleepover a little more permanent, at least until the guy was caught. Lying there in his arms, she felt safe, protected.

Charlie turned, resting her head on Shane’s shoulder. He responded by dropping a kiss on her head, his good arm tightening around her. She could deny it all she wanted, but knowing he was there to keep her safe made her feel better. If he couldn’t at any time, then she was sure one of the other guys at 81 would sit with her.

That house was a family, more so than many others she’d worked at over the years. They had each other’s backs and would do anything for each other. She’d always envied it, but now, with Shane’s arms around her, perhaps she didn’t have to anymore. Maybe she’d always been a part, she just hadn’t realized. She’d talk to HQ and ask about making her stay at 81 “temporary-permanent.”

Knowing she was around people who knew what was going on and would be there if she needed them would help. It would also help with Shane’s stress levels. She grinned, looking over at him. His eyes were closed, his face relaxed and satisfied. Making love to him was incredible, but it wasn’t like they could disappear into the equipment room every time he got stressed out. Knowing that she would always be working at the same house as he would be when on shift would make him feel better about her continuing to work.

Charlie was just closing her eyes when her phone buzzed. She reached over, picking it up. Scott’s name flashed on the screen. She ignored the sinking feeling in her stomach and swiped to answer. “Hey, Scott. What’s up?”

At the mention of the name, Shane pushed himself up to sitting, his gaze locked on hers. Scott’s voice was even, but Charlie could detect a slight tightness to it. The pebble of worry in her stomach grew into a boulder. “Charlie, are you home at the moment?”

“Yeah. Scott, what’s going on?”

A pause. Then a breath. Then he finally spoke again. “I need to see you about something. Okay if I come around?”

She frowned. “You can’t tell me over the phone?”

Another breath. “I’d really rather not. See you in ten?”

She hung up and relayed Scott’s message, expecting Shane to be cranky—both from their interrupted time and whatever the hell was so important Scott wouldn’t talk about it on the phone. Instead he stood, pulling on his jeans. Despite the nerves taking great swoops through her belly, she had to laugh at the sight of him hopping around her room, trying to put his pants on one-handed. She walked over, pushing him back onto the bed and threading his leg through the jeans. “Let me help you, before you fall over.” He grinned, the smile turning to a groan as she trailed her hands over his thighs, brushing his length, and she did up the zipper.

“God, Woman. Don’t do that when I have to go.”

She frowned, confused. “Go? You’re not staying to hear what Scott has to say?”

He stood, pulling on his shirt, and added his sling. Damn him. Now he wouldn’t meet her gaze. “There’s something I need to do. You’ll be okay with Scott on his way. Call me if he’s done before I’m back, okay?”

Charlie grabbed his hip, turning him toward her. “Shane? You’re not going off to do anything stupid, are you?”

One side of his mouth tipped up, and he raised his sling-clad arm. “Of course not. Besides, I’d be pretty ineffectual right now.”

She smiled back, but she wasn’t sure she believed him. “Promise?”

Shane leaned down, kissing her and starting the tingle inside her all over again. “I promise,” he said quietly. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Charlie nodded and trailed after him to the door, closing it behind him. After he left, she slid the lock into place but didn’t move. Instead, she slid down the back of the door and sat, her mind racing. She trusted Shane, and he’d promised he wouldn’t do anything stupid, but then where had he disappeared to in such a hurry? That, combined with whatever Scott wanted, had her gut churning.

Fortunately, she didn’t have to wait long before there was a knock on the other side of her apartment door. After checking through the peephole, she opened it to let Scott inside. She hoped that whatever it was, they could get it over with quickly. Maybe he’d even give her a lift to meet Shane, wherever he’d run off to.

Scott walked into her apartment, holding a manila folder under his arm. Charlie really didn’t like the look on his face. His eyebrows were pinched, his hair disheveled, as if he’d run his hand through it one too many times, and his face was covered with a day’s worth of stubble. Normally she’d find that sexy on a guy, but right now it just told her he hadn’t been able to take the time to shave. Or possibly sleep. “Scott? Why are you here?”

He gestured to her couch. “I’d feel better if you were sitting down for this one.”

Okay. She walked over to her couch, resisting the urge to either get the hell out of there or punch him one—both were equally likely, the way his look was making her feel. She sat and Scott dropped into an armchair opposite her, opening the folder and laying out a series of reports and a mug shot in front of her. “We got a match from fingerprints we found on the flashlight and your car. But they don’t match anyone called Herman Langley.”

Charlie scanned the papers in front of her. When she got to the mug shot, her blood ran cold. The face was younger, missing the beard that had covered Langley’s face. But those eyes. There was no mistaking those eyes. They’d haunted her for years in her nightmares. She clutched her arms around her waist, and sweat formed on the back of her neck.

Scott’s gaze was sharp. He hadn’t missed a thing. “So I was right? You know this guy?”

Charlie pushed her hand out to pick up the photo, ignoring the tremble that was bad enough to make the entire photo shake. “Yes, I know who he is.” She forced her eyes away from the photo, but it still burned in her memory. It always would. “His name is Daryl Scranton. He’s a serial killer, and he tried to kill me.”