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Although Corht with an athletic build, Cormac carried more muscle, but if push ca his own And right now it felt very much like push would co the air into her lungs This was not good If she didn’t act quickly things were going to get out of hand
She grabbed a hold of Shane’s sleeve, and gave it a tug “Co”
But Shane didn’t see Core
Bad
Corht be the only fair Sheenan, but he and Trey were the fa at Coraze glowed fire The
“That’s fine,” she added, trying a different tactic “If you’re no longer interested in dinner, Cormac can just take me home He offered—”
“I asked you to dinner I want to have dinner with you,” Shane retorted, cutting her short
“Then have dinner with o sit down or I’” Her lips compressed She was serious, too She wasn’t about to be pushed around by either of them
Shane’s dark head inclined, and he took her handin his, fingers interlacing “Let’s eat” And without a backwards glance, he led her away from Cormac and back to their table
Shane could feel Jet’s pulse as he walked her back to the table It was fast She was upset He felt a pang of reet her on his side
He held her chair for her and then scooted the chair forward as she sat down She murmured thanks but he could see from her pallor and the set of her full lips that she was far from happy He wished he could blame Cormac, but her frosty tone back there in the restaurant corridor had been directed at him
“I’ain
“That was really uncoh, shoulders squared, her wide, blue eyes unblinking, expression full of censure
School teacher censure
He would have sht noasn’t the tis and he didn’t like it He wasn’t sure how to make amends, but he wanted to Not because he needed her support but because he liked her She wasn’t just a pretty young thing, but a really nice person A good person And she deserved to be treated well
And he really didn’t want to s hi look, as if she weren’t just a teacher, but a Sunday school teacher, and Shane couldn’t re him know in no uncertain terms that he was in trouble And this was serious
God only knew he’d experienced his share of angry teachers Even as a boy, he’d knohat not to do, but that was too easy Why do what he was supposed to do? Why not do what he wanted to do? Why not do the thing that interested him?
He struggled to think of a suitable topic, hoping a change of subject would ss over “How is the wine? Good?”
She wasn’t done scolding his back there”
He’d apologize to her, but not for the interaction with Cor waves for Shane ever since Corhter, Daisy He’d even gone so far as to contact Shane’s agent and publisher “Sheenan was attacking me”
She just looked at him, not the least bit sympathetic “So?”
“I wasn’t going to just stand there—”
“Why not? You’re a man, not a child I’m sure you’ve dealt with criticism before”
Shane no longer felt like laughing “Ouch”
She shrugged i to him, if he were here”
“But he’s not”
“That’s right So I’ moment “Is it true? What he said? That your new book is about McKenna’s family?”
“It’s about the crilas ranch, yes”
For a split second she looked surprised…no, disappointed, and then her expression went blank
He wished he hadn’t seen the disappointment
He wanted her to sain, which surprised hiive a rat’s ass about what anyone thought, ht of him
He shifted unco hi rooh, and so I went to check on you Make sure you were alright”
There was a flicker in her blue eyes but her guard reht”
“So I’”
She cracked a smile “I’ve a mean left hook”
“Who taught you that?”
“My brothers Just in case” Her smile widened “It’s proven useful more than once”
“I can iine” Shane smiled at her “And I am sorry for what happened back there I shouldn’t have put you in the middle”
She nodded, but her s out next year already has a lass a las…crime…?”
Worry shadowed her eyes The strange tightness in his chest was back He didn’t knohat she was doing to him, but he couldn’t re “Yes”