Only Her (A K2 Team Novel)(9)

“Yeah, we’re going running.” They raced out of the room, then back in to see if he was coming. “Right behind you.” They took off again. At the edge of the yard, he clipped on their leashes, the signal that they could cross the boundary.

The early December morning was chilly, but nothing like Vermont, where he’d grown up and his parents still lived, at this time of year. It was also nothing like the winter nights in Afghanistan. Those were a ballbuster. Sometimes he missed Vermont’s winter snow, especially at Christmas, but since his time in the military, he’d become cynical where holidays were concerned.

His parents wanted him to come home for Christmas. He wasn’t sure they meant it. For the love of the son they’d never expected to have and didn’t understand, they politely sent him invitations to each of their college events, and for the love of them, he politely declined. He knew they’d been relieved he hadn’t made an appearance, and he’d been just as relieved to not have been stared at with distaste by his parents’ friends and colleagues, the son who’d disappointed the professors by not following them into academia.

If just one person asked how it felt to kill a human being, he feared he’d go ballistic. That question had been pointedly directed at him the last time he’d attended one of his parents’ socials. He had walked out the door without answering because his answer would have been, “Would you have rather seen me or one of my teammates killed?”

Don’t go there, Dog. Focusing on the sound of his feet slapping on the pavement and that of his dogs’ panting breaths, he fell back on his sniper training and let his mind go blank. Nothing else mattered but who was lined up in his sights, or at that moment, putting one foot in front of the other.

Damn, he was fucked up.

Pretty Girl whined, and Cody glanced down at her to see her chocolate-brown eyes were trained on him. Stupid dog was entirely too sensitive to his moods. He looked away from her inquisitive eyes, stumbling at seeing the woman running ahead of him, one whose sexy bottom he recognized. Catch up with her or turn around and pretend he’d not seen her? He slowed, trying to decide what to do. His saner self said to turn around. Kissing her had been too good for his peace of mind. If he got near her, he’d want to do it again.

Pretty Girl took the decision out of his hands by giving a bark of welcome, then Sally echoed her, giving his own deeper bark. Riley turned, jogging backward, and her gaze settled on his dogs as she smiled at them. Damn, he wished she’d smile at him like that. Or, maybe he didn’t wish that.

She ran in place, waiting for him to catch up, and when she finally met his eyes, her cheeks flushed and her smile seemed uncertain. Her gaze slid away as she returned her attention to the dogs. Was she embarrassed that she’d kissed him? When she knelt, he let the lines out on the leashes, giving the dogs permission to go to her.

“Hello, sweet things,” she said, scratching under their chins, laughing when both tried to lick her face. “You said this one’s name is Sally? You do realize he’s a boy, right?”

“I noticed. All my dogs are named after Eric Clapton songs. He doesn’t sing about men. Doesn’t seem to bother Sally, though.” He stepped closer, even though he should stay as far away from her as possible. “Behave, you two.” The dogs plopped their butts on the ground, peering up at him with their soulful brown eyes, as if he were denying them their fun.

“It’s okay. I’m used to being slurped by dogs.” She stood, and her eyes focused on the vicinity of his neck. “Listen, about last night, I—”

“Forgotten.” An outright lie. It would be a long time, if ever, that he’d forget how soft her lips were, how sweet she tasted. His gaze lowered to her mouth when she chewed on her bottom lip. Damn but he wanted her. But he was not for her. Until he got his head on straight, he wasn’t for anyone.

Riley was mortified. He’d already forgotten she had kissed him? Or more like, her kiss had been so out of line that the last thing he wanted to do was remember. His bristled dark cheeks, along with that intense focus he trained on her, made her insides feel like pudding. He probably hated pudding. Gah, just being near him made her silly.

From the haunted look in his eyes, though, he was probably a man she should avoid if she were smart. But there was something about him that tugged at the places inside her too long ignored. What to do about that?

She shook one leg, then the other. “Well, I guess I’ll finish my run. Wanna come?” His gaze slid over her, and his eyes darkened. Smoldering. There was no other word for the way he looked at her, and when she thought about what she’d said and his reaction, her cheeks felt like they were on fire.