Page 28 of Trouble Me
Chapter 9
Rescue Me
Son of a bitch. Whatthe hell was he doing? First, he’d skirted the line of flirting with her at every turn. And now he kissed her? He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Fuck, he was asking for trouble. He’d crossed a line.
The kiss was really nothing more than a brush of lips together. But now that he’d had that small sample? Shane wanted to taste all of her. Before, his desire for her was based on his imagination. She couldn’t possibly taste as sweet as she looked, but damned if she wasn’t sweeter.
It was something he couldn’t let happen again. Getting involved with Emma could crush his career and land him in hot water legally. Now that he was getting his footing back after Marlene’s untimely and avoidable death, he would be seriously fucked if he didn’t handle this right. He may as well hand the company over to Colin on a silver platter.
The taillights of Emma’s SUV faded out of sight as she turned the slight curve onto the main road, her tires crunching over the gravel on the road. Through the trees, it was hard to make out the vehicle, so he turned to head to his Range Rover. He debated getting some work done when he got home, but jet lag started to settle into his bones.
Once the truck was warmed up and ready to go, Shane headed down the long, winding drive that led to the main road. As he rounded the last curve, his stomach rolled when he saw the night was lit up by the flashing lights of Emma’s vehicle.
With his heart pounding, he parked behind her and jumped out, walking up to the driver’s side window. She rolled it down, her pink lips drawn into a deep frown and irritation lighting up her eyes. Muscles he didn’t realized were tensed up, released.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.” A frown line appeared between her brows. “I don’t know what happened. It just stalled and wouldn’t start again.”
“What does it do when you try to start it?” She turned the key and the truck made a hideous groaning sound but never turned over. “Could be the starter,” he said. “Need a ride home?”
“I already called Aidan to take me home.”
He raised a brow. “Who’s Aidan?” And why did he care? Jealousy wasn’t a remote possibility.
Somewhere in the back of his head, a little voice whispered, “Liar.”
“My cousin.”
“I could take you home. No need to get him out.”
“He’s a cop and working tonight anyway.”
Shane chose to ignore the relief that flooded his body. “Well, come sit in my truck. It’s cold out here.” She rolled up the window and cut the lights.
He opened the passenger door of his vehicle for her and when they were both settled into the warm interior, he turned to her. “Is there anyone you don’t know in this town?”
She laughed. The laughter died when she pulled her cell phone out of her purse and looked at the screen. The blue light of the interior cast her face in partial shadow, but a frown marred her lips and caused thatVbetween her brows to make another appearance. “Everything okay?” he asked.
“Yeah,” she said on a sigh. “Just some persistent people trying to make a deal where there isn’t one.” She swiped at the screen and tapped a couple of times before looking back at him, picking up the thread of conversation. “I do know a lot of people, but no. I don’t know everyone.”
“From where I’m sitting, it seems as if you’re related to everyone in town.”
She smiled at him and burrowed down in the heated seat. “Aidan will be here in a couple of minutes to get my keys and will take care of getting a tow arranged.”
“Pays to know people in high places.”
