Page 25 of Her Delta Force Protector

“Everly said he had to bring her something for it to work,” Harper said. “Give him the frog and see what he does.”

Kade dropped the frog in front of Duke. “Take Everly her frog.”

Duke snatched up the frog, put his nose to the ground, and zigzagged across the yard in the same pattern as Everly had taken.

They all followed Duke, who led them around the building Everly had disappeared behind, then down a slope to a pond. The branches of a beautiful weeping willow touched the ground at the edge of the pond. Duke ran through the branches.

“Duke! You found me!” Everly yelled.

Harper parted the limbs and peeked in.

Everly held her frog in the air, showing off Duke’s success. “He did it, Miss Harper.”

“He sure did.” She grinned at Kade. “Are you impressed with my dog now?”

“I’m halfway there. He still has to find you.”

“So little faith.”

The side of his body was pressed against hers, and she resisted the urge to lean into his touch, but she breathed in his citrusy scent. Did he have to smell so good?

Before she did something like lick his neck in front of his family, she dropped to her knees. “Who’s a good boy? Duke is! Duke’s a good boy.” Duke took a flying leap, landed on the ground in front of her, and rolled over on his back for a tummy rub.

“Your turn, Miss Harper. Give something of yours to my uncle to give Duke!” Everly scooted over and tugged on Kade’s leg. “You hold Duke, and I can help Miss Harper.”

“The boss has spoken,” Harper said, grinning up at Kade.

“Guess we better get on it then.” He reached a hand down to help her up.

As she got to her feet, her hand still in Kade’s, Duke pushed on the back of her knees, knocking her against Kade. With her breasts pressed to his chest, she lifted her gaze to his.

One side of his mouth quirked. “Hey.”

How could one word sound like there was an entire message in those three letters? Was he also feeling this crackling in the air between them?

Chapter Twelve

“Hey, back,” Harper said, her voice soft and her eyes dreamy.

Kade’s gaze fell to her mouth. One kiss wasn’t enough, he decided, but they had an audience. The woman was messing with his head, and he didn’t understand why that was happening now. He’d gone out for beers with her, had movie nights with her, just the two of them, and he’d never thought of her as more than his best friend. She was his calm in the middle of a storm. He wasn’t feeling so calm around her anymore.

Everly took Harper’s hand. “We can have a pickle while we’re in the house.”

“Good idea,” Harper said, glancing over her shoulder and giving Kade a smile.

Something fluttered in his chest, something he’d never felt in his entire life. Both his brothers caught him admiring her ass as she walked away with Everly and had smirks on their faces. He scowled at them. Even Skylar looked amused. “Don’t you people have things to do?”

“Not really,” Tristan said.

Parker shook his head. “Nope.”

“Me either.” Skylar laughed. “Isn’t family wonderful?”

“I used to think so, but I’m revising my opinion.” He snapped his fingers, getting Duke’s attention. “Let’s go, boy.” He walked away to their laughter, glad his back was to them so they couldn’t see his smile. Family actually was pretty wonderful.

He and Duke walked into the house as Harper and Everly came out, both eating a pickle. Harper handed him the T-shirt she’d been wearing when they’d left the hotel this morning. That brought him up short. She’d only been at his family’s home for a day, yet it felt like she belonged here, with him and these people he’d die for. Every one of them liked her. How could they not? She was...he searched his brain for the right word.Special.As his best friend, she always had been, but thisspecialwas something new.

He had a lot to think about, but he had to see if Duke could find the woman who was growing ever more fascinating before it got dark. After giving her a few minutes to hide, he dropped Harper’s shirt. “Harper needs this.” Duke barked, grabbed the shirt up in his mouth, and took off. As he followed Harper’s dog, he met up with his brothers, Skylar, and Everly.

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