In a Badger Way (Honey Badger Chronicles #2) - Shelly Laurenston Page 0,77

back into the front, dragging her ridiculously oversized bag with her.

“Here—oooooh!” She cringed as her stupid bag sideswiped his head. “Oh, gosh, Shen. I’m so sorry.”

“Why do you hate me?” he asked, rubbing his temple.

“I don’t hate you!” she laughed. “It was an accident. Let me see your head.”

“It’s fine,” he grumbled, reaching for the door. “Let’s just go inside.”

Shen got out of the car. He waited until Stevie had lugged her bag from the vehicle before engaging the locks and alarm, and then together they returned to the house. He put in the passcode to shut off the home’s alarm. He secured the door, put on the alarm for the windows and doors but not for the inside of the house, so they could move around freely without accidentally bringing in the local cops.

Yawning and stretching, he tossed his jacket onto the nearest chair. Then he removed his holstered weapon, checked to make sure the safety was still on, and put it on the coffee table.

“You want some ice cream?” he asked. “I think the delivery guys brought flavors other than crunchy mango bamboo.”

Not hearing a response, Shen looked over his shoulder, but Stevie wasn’t behind him.

“Stevie?” he called out.

Thinking she’d already gone to bed—but wanting to check so he wouldn’t worry—he started toward the stairs but stopped when something scrambled up his back.

Shen froze. “Stevie?”

He heard a purr and that’s when she stretched herself over his shoulder; her legs resting against his back, her arms and torso free-hanging against his chest.

“What are you doing?”

“Throwing myself at you.”

“Is that what this is?”

“I’ve found that for a woman to throw herself at a man, all she really has to do is get naked.”

And that she was. Naked. Not a stitch on. Not even socks.

Sadly, Shen couldn’t even argue with her logic. Naked was usually the best way to get a man’s attention unless he had a specific kink.

“Stevie—” he began, but she’d started using her hands to knead a spot way too close to his groin and Shen jerked. A random, abrupt movement that sent Stevie head over ass off his back and onto the floor.

Before he could even reach to help her up, she was back on her feet.

“Sorry,” he muttered. “You startled me.”

* * *

Stevie pushed her hair off her face and shook off the embarrassment of falling flat on her ass in front of the guy she was so into. She’d admit that Shen was taking a lot more work than she was used to. Of course, most of the guys she’d been with were scientists who were more acquainted with their hand than a woman who was hot for them. Shen, however, was probably used to way hotter girls coming on to him. Rap artists and supermodels. The kind of girls Stevie didn’t have a chance against except in a battle of intelligence.

But Stevie wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. She knew what she wanted and she knew Shen liked her. So she’d give it one more shot.

“Look,” she began, reaching back with one hand to brush something off her rear, “I like you.” She brushed her butt again. “A lot. And if you’re interested—what is on my ass?” she screeched, trying to look over her shoulder to see what was touching her.

Shen took hold of her upper arm and held her in place as he leaned over and removed whatever she’d picked up when she’d hit the floor.

He held it up for her. “Bamboo leaf.”

“Oh.”

“They’re kind of all over the floor because of my eating. The cleaning staff will take care of it. But if you’d feel better, we can start cleaning tonight. Get all this stuff off the floor and—”

That was it. She didn’t want to hear anything else about cleaning the floor, and she was tired of the mocking smirk on his face. She was going to take one more shot at this.

Stevie grabbed Shen’s black T-shirt, twisted her hand in it, and yanked him down so that when she went up on her toes, she could reach his mouth.

She kissed him, hard, using her tongue to part his lips.

Now, if this didn’t work, if he still showed no interest, then fine. She’d move on and forget about . . . forget about . . . something. What had she been thinking about? Because she really couldn’t remember now that Shen was kissing her back.

Any doubts she’d had about his level of interest were washed away. Especially when he buried his