SHANNON’S TEAM WAS pulled out the day after the pool party, and she was out of town for a week on that case.

Her car was becoming more of an albatross every day. She didn’t have the time to get it fixed.

She’d just have to wait, ask Kyra to take it to the mechanic for her—or consider renting a car. Since she never knew where she’d be from day to day with PAVAD, that didn’t make a lick of sense to her. So, the bus was going to have to be it.

When her downtime finally rolled around, she approached it with more relief than anything.

Mostly, she was going to just get some sleep before she crashed into a thousand pieces.

She spent most of the first morning just cleaning. Her apartment looked neglected. Nothing was out of place, and she’d barely unpacked since moving in the week after she and Ezra had been rescued.

It was just dusty. She gave it a good airing out and made it smell all lemony fresh. And completed her laundry. It was nice to be in shorts and a tank top again, and the warm August sun supported it. She opened all the windows and let the breeze waft in—just as someone rang her doorbell.

Most likely, it was her new landlady. Kyra had mentioned stopping by soon. Especially if Cam was off working somewhere.

Shannon wasn’t stupid—she checked the peephole before swinging it open.

When she saw who was there, she thought about not answering. But that was the coward’s way. Her brothers would be ashamed if she hid in fear.

He looked good—real good in his FCU T-shirt and jeans. “What are you doing here?”

“Hello to you, too.”

He had a box under one arm. With the emblem of the nearest chain auto parts store emblazoned across it. The other hand held a grocery bag. He held it out to her. “I brought dinner. There’s a small grill in my truck I’ll grab in a minute.”

“Ok... Did you mean to hit Mia and Evan? Their new place is four blocks that way.”

“Don’t be difficult. I’m going to fix your damned car. Cam mentioned it still wasn’t fixed. You’re going to feed me dinner in return.”

Shannon peeked inside the bag. Some very expensive steaks, potatoes, salad, and even a bakery cake for two. Red velvet. Her favorite.

She considered it for a moment. Dinner and dessert, plus her car fixed.

All she had to do was open the door and let Ezra Hahn in. The man she’d once christened Attila the Hahn.

My, how the world could change in an instant. “Come in. I have an appointment for the car on Tuesday. Tow truck was even supposed to come get it.”

“Cancel it.” He brushed past her into her townhouse, bringing with him the scent of sunshine and man. “Like what you’ve done with the place. Smells good.”

“Gee, thanks. I’ll...put this in a pan to marinate.” She had to do something. Get away from him long enough to figure out just what she was supposed to do next.

Ezra had a way of screwing her head up without even trying.

She risked a glance over her shoulder at him one more time. Just to see.

He wasn’t looking at her, exactly. His eyes were trained on...her rear as she walked away.

Heat bombarded her immediately, filling every ounce of her up—and pushing all her good sense right out her ears.

Damn it. She was in serious trouble.

——

THE SHORTS were frayed. If he squinted, he could almost see the thin edge of whatever scrap of lace she had under the lucky denim. Ezra’s fingers curled. He wanted to touch that smooth, warm brown skin again. To kiss it again.

Shannon had a heart-shaped ring of freckles right behind her left knee. He’d discovered it as the morning sun had filtered through the hotel room window.

He wanted to see if it was exactly as he’d remembered it.

It, and everything else about her. She turned.

“Put them back in your brain, Hahn. It’s impolite to stare at a woman’s—”

“Ass? I can’t help it. I didn’t realize you had one until I got to see it for myself.”

He smirked when those doe eyes of hers widened and heat hit her cheeks.

“You’re the ass, Hahn. I thought we agreed to forget that night ever happened?”

“I’ve tried. So far, I’m failing. I always did get failing grades—in girls.”

“You give new definition to the term snarkasm, did you know that?”

“Can’t help it. Comes from daily exposure to Cam Lake.” Ezra had made a decision. He wasn’t just there to fix her damned car. He was there because he couldn’t get her out of his head. And he didn’t want to.

He wanted more from this woman.

He wanted her in his head—and he for damned sure wanted her in his bed. He put the car part on the coffee table. And then he stalked the woman around her own living room.

The eyes that had haunted him widened even more, but she didn’t even try to escape. If she’d taken even one step back, he would have slowed down. Stopped.

But part of the fun was stalking Shannon, part of the thrill of the chase.

They both knew that.

Ezra got his hands on her, pulled the bag from her hands, and tossed it to the floor. “Come here.”

“Ezra... What are you doing? I thought we agreed...”

“We did. But haven’t you ever heard that a man can change his mind?” He smiled. He hadn’t missed the way she’d trembled, how her breath had caught. How her hands had reached toward him instead of pushing him away.

He took the opportunity when it presented itself.

He covered her lips with his own.