Ryan Sullivan was one of his best friends in the entire world but the sight of the guy giving Yael Brooks one of his infamous piratical grins as she stood there looking like a lost schoolgirl nervously clutching her bag to her chest made Shane want to deck the guy.

He drew in a deep breath and placed the weapon on the bench and waved her over. Yael eyed Hugo, the dog, nervously. Cowboy was doing some basic handling work with the Belgian Malinois today in case Ford Cadell—Hugo’s usual handler—was ever incapacitated. She headed cautiously down the slope to the range. She was dressed in her usual jeans, boots, graphic t-shirt and old leather jacket.

She wasn’t wearing makeup but her lips looked shiny, probably with lip balm to protect from the frosty morning air. He’d tasted those lips…

Shane looked away and took time reloading his weapons, placing the SIG in a thigh holster and the Glock on his hip. Then he swept up the spent bullet casings. Was Yael here because of that kiss? In retrospect it had been a terrible idea, but she had kissed him back.

Was she interested in more?

He looked up. She didn’t strike him as the sort of woman to chase a guy, especially not into a compound full of alpha males who ate ammunition and explosives for breakfast.

“Come for that firearms lesson?” he asked when she got near enough to talk to without raising his voice.

As she came closer, he saw her glance anxiously at the weapons. He picked up his carbine, checking the safety before he slung it over his shoulder. Confirming his overall impression that she hated guns her brown eyes went huge and she quickly shook her head. “Not in this lifetime.”

She seemed to grow paler. She really didn’t like guns. Had she gone through some kind of trauma? He wanted to ask but sensed pushing too hard too soon would have her retreating behind those walls she liked to hide behind.

Snipers weren’t the only ones who learned the art of patience.

“What can I do for you?” He tried to sound professional and nonchalant rather than intrigued and eager.

“I realized after you left last night that you forgot to give me Myrtle’s keys.”

Duh.

“I can’t believe I forgot to hand those over last night.” And it was entirely possible he’d purposely held onto them as an excuse to see her again. Building trust took time and Yael seemed reluctant to warm up to him—not a problem he usually faced.

She raised a skeptical eyebrow that said as clearly as words she didn’t believe him.

“Although, that kiss did kind of blow my mind even if it was all for show.” He gave her a smile. The deflection worked because her cheeks flooded with pink.