that as well. My father is the one who haunts me—the one who’s dictating most of it—but I don’t want to put Shepherd at risk. “I don’t want you to have to do it, though,” I say.
“We’re going to hire someone? Killian, this type of stuff has been my job for years. I can handle it. You’d just stay here with Dav—”
“No,” I growl as I narrow my eyes at him. “I’m not going to fucking send you off alone while I just stay here and hope you come back. I’d rather run. Let him do what he wants.”
“And then we’d let him kill more people and spread around weapons that allow others to kill more people?” he asks. His tone is steady, and he doesn’t sound like he’s judging me, but the guilt hits me hard.
“God, I’m such an asshole,” I whisper.
“No, you’re not. It’s easier to care about the person you love than a group of people you don’t know. We don’t even know if it needs to come to this. Dave assures us this federal agent friend of his will come through. Let’s do something to distract us.” He looks around before seeing the checkers board. “What about checkers?”
“Sure,” I say as I grab it and then head into the bedroom.
“Bedroom checkers?” he asks in confusion, but he easily follows me.
“Strip checkers,” I say with a grin. “If you want, that is. I mean, we don’t have to. Don’t feel pressured to. How about I just strip and you don’t have to? That sounds like definitely not as much fun, but I will do anything you want.”
He grins at me before reaching out and squeezing my hand. “I’d love to play strip checkers with you, but what about Dave?”
“Bear will bark when he comes home. He just left, so I can’t imagine he’ll be home that quickly.”
Shepherd’s grin widens. “True. God, you’re going to be so naked,” he says as he follows me into the bedroom where we shut and lock the door, leaving our guard dog on watch outside the room.
I lay out the board on the bed then set up my pieces before turning to him. “Are you positive you want to do this?”
Shepherd narrows his eyes at me.
“What was that look for!”
“I’m trying to see if you’ll pay better attention if I give you the ‘look’ first. I will say this again. I really appreciate your concern and I swear and promise that I will always say if something doesn’t make me comfortable. The thing is, Killy, you’ve never made me uncomfortable, so when I’m with you, I don’t feel concerned or worried because you always know what to say or do. So stop worrying, and for that, you have to take a piece of clothing off.”
“For… being kind and concerned I have to strip?” I ask in disbelief.
The grin he gives me is borderline evil. “You sure do.”
I sigh before pulling my hoodie off and tossing it. “There. Now I get to go first.”
“Nope. Me first,” he says as he plays.
I sniff the air, making Shepherd stare at me.
“Have you finally lost your mind?” he asks.
“I can smell this weird smell… oh that’s right, it’s the smell of a cheater.”
“I bet he smells real damn good,” he says with a cocky grin.
“Maybe a little,” I admit.
He laughs as he plays. Of course he ends up jumping one of my guys almost immediately. “Strip. Strip!”
I pull my shirt off and drop it on the ground as he beams at me. I aim one of my pieces for his and before I can jump it, he pulls out some ridiculous move where he jumps two of mine.
“Oh no. Two more pieces of clothing.”
I sigh as I unbutton my pants and drop them on the ground before taking a sock off and turning back to the board. “Can I at least strip you a little?”
“You’re looking awfully cold there,” Shepherd says before reaching over and flicking my nipple.
I fold my arms across my chest as he beams at me. “Not at all,” I say before finally jumping over one of his pieces. “Take it off, baby! Make it sexy!”
“Okay.” He looks down at himself before reaching for his foot.
“No!”
“Ooh, you ready to see my tootsies?” he purrs.
I go for the good stuff and of course he goes for the feet. “No! What are you doing?”
He gives me a curious look. “You said to make it sexy.”