ŷ������

He looked her up and down, his gaze hot. She knew she was a mess. So was he. And it didn’t matter at all. He looked rugged and capable and competent and she wanted to grab him by his amazing biceps, pull him in, and kiss him.

“I heard you had to climb in a window to get someone’s cat,�� he said, one corner of his mouth tipping up as if he was amused and impressed at the same time.

She spread her arms. “I do what I have to do. And I didn’t just get a cat.��

“N��?��

Bennett overheard them talking. He chuckled. “Leave it to Naomi to walk out of a single cat rescue with four additional animals.��

Donovan was clearly surprised. “Were there other cats sheltering up there?��

“A mama raccoon and three babies,�� Bennett told him. “And Naomi barely blinked.��

Naomi shook her head. “Oh, I blinked. And backed up. And almost panicked.��

“Almost?�� Donovan mouth curved more fully. “Did you guys have a live trap on the boat?��

“We just put her in the cat carrier,�� Naomi said.

“How did you get it in there?��

“Queen Bad Ass here just picked the thing up and shoved it in there.��

Donovan suddenly frowned. “Wait. You just picked it up?��

“Well, I threw a towel over it first.��

“But then you just picked it up?�� He seemed concerned suddenly.

“I didn’t have a choice. The cat carrier wouldn’t fit through the window.��

Suddenly Donovan grabbed her hands and started turning them over and running his hand up and down her arms from her
fingertips to her shoulders.

“Donovan, what are you doing?��

“It didn’t bite or scratch you, did it? They can carry rabies and canine distemper. They can be really nasty when they are cornered.��

“Stop it.�� She tugged her hands from his grip. “It was too confused and hungry to be
aggressive. It all happened really fast for both of us.�� She held up her hands with her palms out. “Michael already checked me out. No scratches or bites. I was wearing gloves and used the towel. I’m fine.��

Donovan just stood staring at her for a long moment. Then he said, “Come with me.��

She tipped her head. “Where?��

“I need more lemonade.��

She narrowed her eyes. She didn’t really want to be yelled at. She was fine. In retrospect, she could have possibly done something different with the raccoons, but she honestly didn’t know what. She supposed she could’ve waited for Donovan and sent him back over to the house. But the animals had needed to be rescued. They’d been trapped and hungry. There had been 𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘦𝘴. She’d done what she needed to do in the moment. She shook her head. “I’m good.��

“Just come with me.��

His jaw was tight and she could tell he was upset. Well, too bad. They were all taking some risks out here. She wasn’t special. She didn’t need to be treated with kid gloves or left in the boat when important things needed done.

“The stand with the lemonade is right there.�� She pointed to the tent about thirty feet away.
“I’ll wait here for you.��

Bennett had turned away to talk to someone else and Donovan leaned in close to her ear.
“Come with me or I’ll throw you over my shoulder and carry you over there and that will 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 get everybody talking.��

Her breath caught in her chest and her eyes widened. “You wouldn’t.��

“Fucking dare me.��

She had never heard Donovan talk like that. Certainly not to her. But she wasn’t sure she had heard him talk that way to anyone. Yes, he definitely got intense at times, but he never got angry.

Studying his face, she realized he wasn’t exactly angry, though. He was…wound up. Still, she decided not to see if he was kidding about the over-the-shoulder thing.

“F���Ա�.��

They walked together to the tent where huge vats of iced tea and lemonade and ice water were set up on long folding tables. But they didn’t stop in front of the tables.

Donovan grabbed her wrist and tugged her around to the opposite side of the tent. Out of view of the Landrys and her brother.
He turned to face her.

“Look, Donovan, you can’t be mad. I did what I had to do and I’m not sorry. I was as safe as I could be and you, of anyone, should know that sometimes we have to take some risks to get this stuff done.��

He stepped forward, took her face in his hands, and covered her mouth with his.

She sank into the kiss immediately. She wasn’t an idiot. He was worked up and there was a lot of adrenaline pumping for both of them, but Donovan was kissing her. She was going to pour all of her mixed-up emotions into this too and enjoy it for a few seconds.

He finally lifted his head. “I’m not mad.�� His voice was husky as he looked into her eyes.

“You’re not?��

“I was…worried. I guess feeling protective. But I’m also—�� He broke off, shaking his head as if he couldn’t figure out what words to use.

“You’re also what?��

“I just 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 so fucking much.��

That took a second to sink in, but when it did, Naomi laughed. She understood exactly what he was feeling. “I worry about you and like you so fucking much too.��

“And I really just need space to do this.�� He sealed his mouth over hers again.


𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐛 𝐢𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰!