Page 7 of Wild Hearts

“What?”

“Check on Shane every once in a while. Make sure she’s good. That will be you having my back here stateside.”

“Always, brother. I’ll even make her spend every single holiday with us.”

He lets out a full belly laugh. “I can imagine you dragging her ass to your mom’s. She would kick and scream the entire way.”

I shrug. “I can handle it.”

“Sure you can. I think you’d have better luck with a terrorist.”

Right as the Crock-Pot beeps, Shane walks into the kitchen.

No, she glides.

“That smells amazing,” she moans, making my pants get tighter.

Down, boy. That’s his sister,I remind my second brain.

He doesn’t listen, of course.

“Glad you approve,” Striker teases as he grabs the plates.

Shane slides onto the stool next to me at the island. Turning to me, she offers me a small smile, tucking her damp hair behind her ear.

Is she shy? Damn, she’s beautiful. I wonder how her skin feels.My mind races with thoughts of her as I take her in.

She looks back at me and raises her brow.

I clear my throat, pointing at her earrings. “Sorry, I like your gauges. I was trying to decide what they were made of.”

“Moonstone, I think. Or something like that.” She fingers the small plug in her ear.

“It looks like something my sister would wear.”

She cringes, making me wonder what I said wrong.

“She has good taste.” Her voice is noticeably cooler.

“And dinner is served.” Striker gives me a pointed look while sliding the platter of roast with carrots and potatoes onto the countertop.

It’s obvious he’s caught on to my attraction to his sister. I can’t do anything about it though. He’s my best friend. My brother. She’s his sister, which means off-limits. But damn if I didn’t wish things were different.

After the plates are handed out, we both wait for Shane to take what she wants before filling our own plates.

“So how did you get here? There wasn’t a rental car in the drive,” she asks, popping a carrot into her mouth.

“Jake picked us up at the airport. Grant was on a supply run in Denver and let us ride with him.”

“And how is the deputy sheriff?”

“You would know better than me.” He raises a brow.

My chest grows tight at the thought of Shane being with Jake.

Are they a thing?

Shane shrugs. “Just because I live here doesn’t mean I know how he or anyone else are doing.” She takes a drink of her brother’s beer. “Although I heard an interesting rumor that the Sheriff is thinking about retiring in the next couple of years, which means Jake will most likely take over.”

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