“Best friends since grade school.” Mandy slid her hand to his elbow. Danny squeezed off another shot to keep her interested. His bullet hit the base of the target. For a woman who worked so hard, her fingers were soft. Strong, though, too. And that was Mandy, an intriguing combination of soft and strong. “My father left us. Jed’s daddy reluctantly let me tag along. I’m not sure why. He had very strict guidelines about women’s roles, but for some reason, he didn’t apply them to me. Maybe because he felt sorry for me, or maybe it was because I was just a kid. I was a scrawny tomboy until I hit sixteen.”

Enough about Jed and his daddy. Danny took another shot, sending a bullet into the middle of the target.

“Oh, look.” The pitch in Mandy’s voice rose to girly excited, which was funny considering they were at possibly the most masculine place on earth this side of a strip bar. “You hit it, dead center.”

Satisfied that he could shoot where he aimed, Danny lowered the weapon. “You’re a good teacher.” He unloaded the gun and placed the safety gear on the table. A quick scan of the range and parking lot assured him they were alone. He turned to face Mandy. Empty and quiet, the range was peaceful. He lifted the glasses from her face.

“You already knew how to shoot.” She tossed her earplugs into her bag.

“Haven’t touched a gun in more than a year, though.” Despite all his time in the military, Danny wasn’t a firearm enthusiast. But he appreciated a gun’s ability to keep a person alive.

Mandy shifted her weight to move away from him. Danny stopped her with a hand on her hip. He leaned down to get another whiff of her hair. Her blue eyes went dark and wide. Danny brushed his lips against hers. She stiffened for a split second, then sighed against his mouth, as if she didn’t have the energy to fight their attraction anymore. Her eyes closed as he tasted. Just a sip.

He slid his hand around to the small of her back and eased her closer. Her hips nestled into his. A perfect fit. But Danny held back, remembering her skittishness in the kitchen. He kept his kisses light and strictly outside the mouth.

Until she pressed against him. Her lips parted, but it was the feminine moan that challenged his control.

Mandy wanted him.

Danny angled his mouth to take more. He deepened the kiss. Her mouth was hot and sweeter than her cinnamon bread. A groan worked its way out of his chest. Raw and powerful, it echoed what was going on in the rest of his body. Need. Fire. Everywhere.

Mandy tilted her head away. She blinked up at him, her eyes showing equal amounts of desire and confusion. Yeah. That about summed it up.