“As I said. You’re all batshit.” She turned away again and the sound of rubber over asphalt was the only noise in the cab.

Maybe they were all batshit but the operator mindset was one of invincibility—that bad things wouldn’t happen to them. That’s why they practiced all the damn time, which made being outwitted by some sadistic computer jockey all the more infuriating.

They neared her place and he took a right instead of a left and then pulled a U-turn and sat at the side of road with the lights killed watching the guard in his cubicle and observing the light traffic on the main road.

They sat in silence. The only sound was that of the engine cooling and the occasional car passing by. The townhouse complex was gated but Shane knew the security wasn’t foolproof. He could definitely break in if he wanted.

“Do you carry a firearm?”

Yael hunched into her jacket. “I don’t like guns.”

He turned in the seat. “Guns are simply tools.”

“Yeah.” She raised her hand as if to ward off his argument. “So are chainsaws and I don’t carry one of those around either.”

He watched her. She appeared genuinely agitated by the idea of a firearm. He wanted to get close to her, to get her on side, so arguing about this likely wasn’t the wisest course of action. He started the engine and, now that he was satisfied no one was following them, headed to the guard post. Once Yael flashed her ID, they were through.

Minimal security, although it was better than nothing. Sort of.

He drove around the curve in the road and pulled up in her empty driveway. “I could teach you some self-defense moves.”

Her head shot up. Her eyes went wide.

“Not tonight.” From her startled expression she definitely thought it was a come-on and he felt a little stab of disappointment that the idea freaked her out so much. It was obvious they shared some level of attraction and he wasn’t completely hideous and had good southern manners his grandmother had ingrained in him from the day he was born. “I’m off this weekend. I can teach you some basic moves if you want. The weak points on any man.”

She raised an unimpressed brow.

“Not only the groin area—the eyes, the throat, the knees.”

She pulled her purse up off the floor and hugged it to her chest. “I’m good. My boss offered to train me.”

Shane had heard of Alex Parker. Knew he had a good rep. Rumor was he’d once worked covert ops for the CIA.

“Doesn’t hurt to practice. Give me your phone.”

She drew back with a reluctant laugh. “What?”

He held out his hand. “Go on. Give me your cell.”

With a sigh she unlocked the screen and handed it over.