Suspended by Taryn Elliott Page B

to comment, then don’t have sex in my
house. Especially loud sex I can hear over my headphones.”
    Shane’s grip tightened on his dress shirt. He hadn’t been
able to put it on after she’d worn it. Just a few minutes against her skin, and
it smelled like her. Apples and sex. Two things that shouldn’t go together, but
as usual the dichotomy was what made him sit up and pay attention.
    He knew the difference between losing himself in sex and
losing himself in a woman. Twice in the same day was more than scratching an
itch. Twice with the same woman who left him wrecked and lashing out at her,
that was the capper.
    He balled up his shirt.
    “Shane, this doesn’t have to be a cluster fuck. Just let me
help you guys get to New York. It’s the least I can do.”
    Shane looked up at his friend. Kain was one of the few
people he actually had to look up at. Even with all the gargantuan guys he’d
worked with on construction sites over the years, no one was quite as
holy-fuck-huge as Kain. “I think you’ve done enough.”
    Kain’s eyes flattened.
    Shane held up a hand. “No, not like that. I appreciate you
taking over our employees and making sure the jobs get done. I just can’t let
you bail me out of this too.”
    Kain dipped his hands into his pockets. “It’s just money.”
    “It’s just your money.”
    “And I decide how I want to use it.”
    Shane held out his hand. “I know it, but this I need to do
alone.” It was more than time for him to stand on his own. Avery Furniture had
started with a backup. He didn’t want Larry’s name and influence involved, but
he hadn’t taken the plunge without the safety net of Justice Construction. He
needed to know he could do this by himself.
    The training wheels had to go into the garage sometime.
    Kain grasped his forearm, and Shane did the same before
breaking the contact.
    “You know I’ll do anything you need,” Kain said.
    “Good, because I need you to babysit Kendall.”
    Kain’s brow rose. “I’m pretty sure she’s a grown-up. The
gymnastics upstairs certainly settled that discussion.”
    Shane scratched along the few days’ growth of beard at his
neck. “I’d rather not talk about that.”
    “I got it. You’re interested in her. I didn’t really need a
sound track as proof.”
    The moment Kendall had come into that room, there had been
nothing on his mind but her. Kain might be a charming son of a bitch, but he
was loyal beyond definition. As young as his best friend was, there was an
old-world shadow that rode behind him. Honor was important, and he’d never
poach.
    “I don’t know what‘s going on with Kendall. I have to focus
on the future, not getting her naked. And that’s why I need a few days away
from her.”
    He didn’t trust himself not to get wrapped up in her. The
minute he got near her, there was a hunger that precluded all sense. Attraction
he understood, but not this gnawing hunger to strip back all her defenses and
take everything he could from her.
    The numbness he’d felt since Larry had his heart attack two
weeks before and through the hospital visits and finally his death—all that
faded the moment he got his hands on her. The fact that it came back, double
time, made her more addiction than cure.
    He needed to know he could walk away.
    For himself and for her.
    “I’ll wine and dine her. Keep her occupied.”
    Shane’s spine straightened. “As long as it’s occupied, not
romanced.”
    Kain grinned. “I can’t help it if I’m more charming than
you.” His smile faded. “That wasn’t always the case.”
    It felt like that part of him was behind Plexiglas. He could
see it but didn’t know how to reach it. He wasn’t sure he’d ever be that person
again. He was pretty sure his laughter had gone into the ground with his
father.
    “Just take care of her.”
    It took all his willpower to walk to the door. Kendall was
right; he was a fucking asshole. And she didn’t need him in her life right now.
Even if