She shivered as his tongue swept over hers, rough and yet so gentle and caring. He was a fascinating mix of intensity and patience. He was fierce and demanding and yet he always demonstrated such loving tenderness with her.

He loved her.

She reminded herself of that fact. He’d given her the words. Very pissed off words but all the more meaningful for the frustrated way he’d expressed the emotions he felt toward her. It seemed to make him crazy that he couldn’t make everything perfect, that there were so many obstacles confronting them, and yet he refused to let anything deter him.

“This is better than a romance novel,” P.J. said with a wistful sigh.

“You read that stuff?” Cole demanded.

Shea pulled away from Nathan but he still held her close, tucked into his side as they faced Steele’s team.

“Why the hell do you ask the question like that?” P.J. said, annoyance evident in her tone and expression.

“You just didn’t seem the type,” Cole mumbled.

She flipped him the bird, and Shea had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. P.J. was easily half Cole’s size but she also looked like she had the confidence to take on the much larger man. She might even kick his ass. The idea intrigued Shea greatly.

“I’m tempted to shove one of my romance novels up your ass,” P.J. said sharply. “But I love my books too much to desecrate them like that. I’ll settle for my boot.”

Cole held up his hands in surrender. “I won’t say another word. Romance novels are great. I love romance novels. I think everyone should read them.”

Dolphin snickered behind Cole, and Cole whirled to glare at him. P.J. smirked and sauntered back to the couch, where she flopped down.

“So what do we do now?” Shea asked anxiously. “Are we leaving? Do we know anything more than we did before?”

“For today we’re going to stay put,” Donovan said. “I’m going to ring Resnick’s bell again. Sam’s trying to reach him now. I know that bastard probably knows more than he’s letting on. There isn’t much that goes on that he doesn’t at least have the resources to find out about. He’s got his fingers in so many dark holes and crannies that half the world is probably afraid of ever pissing him off. He could probably bury any number of world leaders and military brass.”

“You think he can help us?” Shea asked.

“Do I think he can? Yeah, I do. The question isn’t can he. The question is will he. We were polite before. Now we aren’t going to be so nice. We’ve done Resnick plenty of favors. It’s time for him to pay up.”

“Can we trust him?”

Donovan looked surprised by her question, but then his lips turned up into a half smile. “As much as we can anyone who has dirt on everyone who has ever worked for Uncle Sam either officially or unofficially.”

She nodded. “If you trust him, then so will I.”

Nathan kissed the side of her head. “I know you’re worried, baby. But you don’t have to be anymore. Rio will find Grace. Resnick will give us information on who or what headed the experiments on you and your sister and then we’ll go after them.”

“You make it sound so simple,” she said wistfully. “I want it to be that easy, but God, nothing in my life has ever been easy. I’m afraid to believe it could be now. I feel like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop and something horrible is going to happen.”

“We want you to feel safe, Shea,” Donovan said softly. “And not just because you’re someone who needs help. You’re family now. We look out for our own.”

She blinked in surprise and then turned her gaze up to Nathan in bewilderment. He merely smiled down at her and then kissed the tip of her nose.

“Everyone has accepted the inevitable except you. You’re it for me. They know it. I know it. It’s time you start believing it too. I’m not going to let anyone or anything change that. You’re mine. I’m yours. It’s as simple or as hard as we make it.”

Her knees wobbled as a ridiculous giddy sensation stole over her. The room was closing in on her and she desperately wanted to be in the sun for a few moments. Breathe in fresh air. Process everything that had been said over the last few hours. It all seemed so unreal and yet it was real. Very, very real.

“Let’s get you to the house,” Nathan said. “It’s been a long night and an even longer morning. You have to be on overload by now.”

“Let me holler at Sam, and Swanny, Joe and I will go with you,” Donovan said.

NATHAN and Shea followed slowly behind Joe and Donovan as they walked into the lakefront cabin where Donovan still lived. Swanny came in behind, and he and Joe tossed their bags down on the couch.

Donovan turned to Nathan. “You guys can take the back bedroom. Swanny can bunk with either me or Joe.”

Nathan gently squeezed Shea’s neck and massaged. “If you want to grab a shower and change, I’ll show you the bathroom.”

A shower sounded next to heaven. As did clean clothes. Her stomach growled, and she realized it had been hours since they’d eaten.

Joe glanced sharply at Shea and frowned. Then he looked over at Donovan. “What have we got to eat around here? Shea’s starving.”

Her stomach tightened and she stared open-mouthed at Nathan’s brother. She snapped her lips closed and looked away. Damn it. He’d heard her thoughts.

How are you doing that in my head?

Her gaze snapped up and she took a wary step back.

I’m not going to hurt you, damn it. Is this how you talk to Nathan?

Slowly she nodded and then caught herself.

Yes. Nathan and I can communicate this way.

Can you talk to just anyone?

No. It’s…I have no control over it. It just happens.

Joe frowned again. Then why me?

I don’t know. Maybe because you and Nathan are twins and so closely linked. I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry if it made you angry. I wasn’t trying to pry.

With a sigh, Joe walked over and took Shea’s elbow. Nathan’s eyebrows shot up and then came together as he stared in confusion at his brother.

“Can I have a word with Shea?”

Nathan’s frown deepened. “What the hell is going on?”

“I just need a minute. We’ll step outside.”

Nathan was going to protest, but Shea put her hand on his arm.

It’s okay, Nathan.

She let her hand slide off his arm as he nodded. His gaze followed as Joe led her out the back door and onto the wooden deck that overlooked the lake. She closed her eyes as sunshine washed over her and she inhaled deeply. A breeze lifted her hair and tickled her nose. It was so very beautiful here.

He stopped at the railing, where they stood sideways to the lake. For a moment he simply stared off in the distance and then he leaned against the wood with his hip and glanced down at her.

“Look, it’s apparent we got off on the wrong foot, or maybe no foot at all.”

“We only just met,” she murmured.

“And yet you look at me like I’m an ax murderer and you apologize like you think I’m going to take your head off.”

“I’m not sure what you want here,” she said slowly, drawing out the words.

He blew out his breath. “This connection between us, I mean it’s special, right? You said you couldn’t speak to just anyone like that. But you could with Nathan and now with me.”

She nodded.

“My brother came back from Afghanistan a different man than he left. But you know what? The important thing is that he came home at all. The odds were against him. Swanny’s told me more about what happened than Nathan has, and if you hadn’t been there, with him I mean, they both would have died.”

“He wouldn’t have died,” she said quietly. “He wouldn’t have given up. I don’t care what he said.”

“Maybe I agree with you there, but knowing the hell he went through and the fact that you took it for him…I don’t have the words to express my gratitude. I know everyone’s thanked you. They’re grateful. But Shea, he’s not just my brother. He’s my twin. He’s my best friend. You didn’t just give him back his life or give him back to his family. You gave me back a part of myself. And now there’s this connection between us like what you share with Nathan. In a weird way it feels right. Maybe…Maybe one day I’ll be able to repay the favor you did the Kelly family. I don’t profess to know a whole lot about this telepathy thing, but if you ever need me or need help, I hope you’ll call for me as you did with Nathan.”

She smiled at the sincerity in his tense expression. His dark eyes, so much like Nathan’s, were fastened intently on her.

“I’m glad it doesn’t freak you out. Not everyone takes it well, this stranger popping into their head.”

He shrugged. “It’s actually kind of cool. I think it’s neat that you and Nathan can communicate while you’re apart.”

“Thank you. For saying all of that.”

He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the cheek. “No, Shea, thank you. I feel like I’m getting my brother back and I owe that to you.”

As he pulled away, he glanced back toward the house. “Now let’s get back inside before Nathan paces a hole in the floor. I’ll talk Van into pulling out the grill, and we can do burgers and hot dogs.”

She blinked as she tried to wrap her head around doing something so normal. Granted they weren’t moving out until the next day while Nathan’s brothers took the time to do more investigating, but somehow she’d imagined being huddled in some closed-off room, hiding under a bed or something.

An afternoon of freedom sounded next to heaven.

She followed Joe back inside to find Nathan waiting, his brow furrowed as he observed them walking up. Shea slid her arms around Nathan’s waist and laid her head against his chest.

He instantly relaxed and rubbed his hand up and down her spine.

“How about doing some burgers, Van?” Joe called. “We’re starving.”

Donovan came out of the kitchen and gave Joe a look of exasperation. “Is there anything wrong with your arms?”

“I cook a mean burger,” Swanny spoke up.

Everyone turned to the other man in surprise. He so rarely spoke that he tended to blend in.

“My grill is your grill,” Donovan said with a grin. “I never turn down a meal I don’t have to cook.”

“I can help you make the patties,” Shea offered.

Swanny smiled. “I’d like that. Thanks.”

She was positively gleeful over the simple idea of an afternoon barbeque. It was just so normal and mundane. She actually loved to cook, loved spending time in the kitchen, but she hadn’t done so in a long time. She ate on the go mostly, just like she lived her life. Always on the run.

“I’ll take some burger out and do a quick thaw on it,” Donovan said. “I should have everything else, but if not, we’ll send Joe up to the grocery store.”

“Love how I got volunteered for that,” Joe said dryly.

Donovan’s cell rang and he instantly picked it up. “Hey, Ma,” he said in greeting. He grinned. “Yeah, he’s here. Back safe and sound. Did you doubt us? I told you we were going to drag him home one way or another.”

Shea glanced at Nathan to get his reaction and found him smiling, his eyes soft with love. Her heart squeezed a little.

Donovan listened a moment and then glanced quickly in Nathan’s direction. “Uh, yeah, that’s true, but I’m not going to speculate on anything, Ma. You need to hear that from Nathan.”

“Uh-oh,” Joe said in a low voice. “Busted.”

“Lunch? Well, we’re doing burgers or about to. Um, hang on, okay? Let me ask.”

He put the phone over his chest and whispered in Nathan’s direction. “Ma wants to come over. To eat with us.” He glanced apologetically at Shea. “But you know she just wants to meet Shea, whom she’s already heard about. Are you up for this? I can always tell her no.”

Shea glanced up at Nathan, suddenly nervous and unsure.

Baby, stop.

Nathan’s gentle words spilled through her mind, filling her with warmth and love.

We don’t have to do this now.

No, it’s okay. I mean I don’t mind as long as you don’t. It’s kind of a big step to introduce a girl to your mom, you know.

Then he smiled at her, and the depth of emotion in his eyes blew her away. If there was any doubt before, it was gone in an instant. His gaze was so tender, so full of love, that she felt near to bursting.

She’s going to love you. Just like I do.

She hugged him tighter and buried her face in his chest.

Donovan cleared his throat. “Um, if you two are finished, Ma is still on the phone.”

Heat stained her cheeks as Shea looked up, but she saw teasing in Donovan’s eyes. She relaxed and leaned into Nathan again.