The kitchen was dark but Shane could see perfectly well using the lights from the stove and microwave. The stairwell was in deep shadow and he couldn’t hear anyone moving around upstairs. He checked the back deck and there were no footprints in the frost.

But how did he know for sure Yael was actually safely asleep upstairs?

The only way was either to call her and wake her—which would be embarrassing if she decided to ignore it and here he was, hanging out in her house… Instead, he used the skills that the American taxpayer had invested millions to hone to creep upstairs without making a single sound. He saw her easily enough in the glow of her alarm clock. Her computer lay beside her on the duvet and she was fast asleep.

He took a moment to watch her when her guard was down. There was a softness to her features, an innocence in the way her braid fell over her shoulder and her lips parted softly in sleep.

It made him both regret walking away from her earlier and give himself a big pat on the back. As much as he wished he was currently mapping her naked body with his tongue, he sensed that much of her wariness of him, of others in general, stemmed from a core lack of faith in her fellow humans. And getting her into the sack for a sweaty round of sex wouldn’t build half as much trust as him backing away—as he was doing now, before heading downstairs to stretch out on her couch.

He placed his SIG on the floor beside him and dragged a blanket off the back of the sofa. Now he hoped Evi1Geni-us made a move on this place. He’d take the fucker down without blinking.

Yael Brooks had proven herself more than capable when it came to computers. Shane was convinced she was the key to tracking down this jackass. He could protect her back in the meantime.

And maybe he was lying to himself a little bit about why he wanted to stay close to her. He could admit to himself now, after reassuring himself she was on their side and then sharing another kiss that had seared the very edges of his being, that his interest might not be strictly one hundred percent professional. And, as long as it didn’t get in the way of him tracking down this killer, what did it matter? They were both consenting adults. It was their business.

He lay there staring at the play of moonlight over the ceiling. He hoped he hadn’t completely blown his chances with her because getting to know Yael Brooks better was becoming an increasingly enticing prospect.