Page 34 of Crossing Every Line

“You got me.”

Kendall looked up at him, that half grin making him want to return the smile. It would be so easy to slide his arm across her shoulders and drag her in. To stamp himself on her skin. Instead he looked back at his friend.

“I’ll let you know what happens when we make it to New York.”

“You’re welcome to come out during the holidays, Kain. My mother would love to meet you.”

Kain glanced at him, then back to Kendall. “I might do that.”

Would he still be there? Or would Kendall just like to see Kain? Shane swallowed down the acid burning up his throat.

Kain kissed the top of her head. “Aloha, `ânela. Be safe.”

“Still not going to tell me what`ânelameans?”

Kain grinned. “Shane might bust my lip.”

Kendall turned to him, then back to Kain. “Nah.”

Oh, he would. He’d pulverize his face if Kain didn’t stop touching her.

“Now I have to go hijack the GPS. Shane doesn’t know it yet, but we are going to be taking the scenic route.”

His fingers loosened, and his chest tightened when she wrapped her fingers around his pinkie. That was not on his agenda, but her huge grin killed any reason to deny her. “Yosemite?”

“Oh, yes. I want to see the mountains and all the colors. I’m assuming you have color changes in California?”

Shane started to reply, but Kain interrupted him. “Yes. It’s gorgeous out there this time of year.”

There were places he could show her. And if it stayed as mild as it was today, he knew just where to take her. “We’ll take a few detours.”

She snagged her bag out of his hand. “I’m going to go look at my California travel book.” She bounded forward and dragged Kain down for a kiss on the cheek. “Make sure you come visit me.” She laid her hand on Shane’s arm, squeezing lightly. “I’ll let you two talk for a few minutes.”

Shane fingered the end of her messy braid. “Thanks.”

He watched her hoist herself up into the truck.

“You’re a dead man.”

He turned back to Kain. “I’m afraid you’re right.”

Kain’s eyebrows rose. “You have funny way of showing it.”

“Why the hell do you think I took off?”

“Yeah, I had a feeling. I have a soft spot for her, but it’s not what you think, so you can stop orchestrating my death.”

Shane’s lips twitched. “Caught that, did you?”

“Subtlety has never been your strong suit.”

Shane pinched the bridge of his nose. “No, I guess it hasn’t.”

“Just enjoy her and yourself. We have plenty of time to be grown-ups, brother.”

But what happened at the end of the trip? Would they have to sell the bed-and-breakfast, or could she buy him out? When they needed to go their separate ways, would he want to let her go?

He had nothing but Avery Furniture to offer, and that was fledgling at best. He needed the money from the sale of the property to give his dream a shot at reality.

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