out of him. Shane had been up all night pondering that one.
Jules, in her off handed way, had managed to bring it all back. Suddenly, Shane's mind was awash with memories of Alana, as well as thoughts of Jules.
"Alana,” he whispered. It had been five years since she died and five years since his life had changed irrevocably. Jules had said something about not looking back. Shane had tried his best to do the same. Alana was gone; there was no bringing her back. Besides, he was a different person now anyway.
Of course, it didn't mean the thought of her didn't haunt him. Alana had been Shane's first love. He still remembered how his heart used to leap each time he saw that head of wild, red curls coming his way. At the start of their brief marriage, he'd never been happier. Alana had inspired him in ways no other woman had.
Until a few days ago.
But marriage had changed both of them, and not for the better. It wasn't long before Shane realized Alana was no longer the same woman with whom he'd fallen in love. That knowledge had hurt him more than anything.
Nevertheless, she didn't deserve to die, and certainly not in such a horrific way. The visions of that ungodly scene still tormented Shane in his nightmares.
He had done his level best to try and forget Alana, or at least relegate her to the back of his mind. But then Jules had to go and bring up the topic of marriage!
He contemplated leaving the Baker farmhouse and his opinionated landlady. But he couldn't. He remembered how he had felt when he'd succeeded in making Jules smile, and he realized he didn't want to go anywhere.
As much as she frustrated him, he found her bewitching. He enjoyed the flirting. Besides, he reasoned, I won't act on it. There's no harm in sticking around to watch some sparks fly, is there?
As long as he could trust himself to keep things uncomplicated, there was nothing wrong with some innocent flirtation. And considering the way Jules obsessed over Kevin, he didn't imagine it would go further anyway.
He couldn't let it go further, not with Jules, not with anyone. Not after Alana. Their marriage troubles, followed by her death, had bruised him to the core. Shane had vowed he'd never get so involved again. It had been easy so far. He'd thrown himself into his career, advanced at an astounding speed. There'd been no time for women.
That didn't mean his libido didn't kick into painful overdrive every time he saw Jules.
Now he just needed to forget the look on her face when he bandaged her hand. There had been a certain sweetness there, a chemistry he was finding it nearly impossible to ignore.
"Mind if I come in, Captain?"
Shane looked up to see Kevin at his office door. As much as he wanted to slam the door, he allowed his civility to rein him in. “Door's always open."
Kevin sat down, obviously uneasy but trying to hide it with what Shane assumed to be his customary bravado. “So, did you catch the game last night?"
"No,” Shane smiled. “I haven't had much time to catch games these days. Too busy getting settled into the new job and all."
"Right. And have you settled in at Jules’ place?” Kevin had obviously meant it to sound like any ordinary question, but it had come out sounding more like an accusation. “I didn't know she was running a bed and breakfast."
Shane ignored Kevin's tart tone. “She isn't yet. Anyway, it's not my place to comment."
"So, she's just found an extra bed for my boss, then. Nice.” He shook his head. “Well, anyway, I feel I should explain my situation with her."
"You don't have to explain anything to me. I'm just the boarder. Jules and I are not exactly what you'd call friends."
Kevin arched an eyebrow, making his suspicions crystal clear. “Then she hasn't told you about me? Jules is not the sort of girl to keep quiet when she thinks she's wounded."
Thinks? This time it was Shane's voice bearing a definite edge. “She's not a ‘girl’ at all."
Kevin was oblivious to his tone. “I
Jules, in her off handed way, had managed to bring it all back. Suddenly, Shane's mind was awash with memories of Alana, as well as thoughts of Jules.
"Alana,” he whispered. It had been five years since she died and five years since his life had changed irrevocably. Jules had said something about not looking back. Shane had tried his best to do the same. Alana was gone; there was no bringing her back. Besides, he was a different person now anyway.
Of course, it didn't mean the thought of her didn't haunt him. Alana had been Shane's first love. He still remembered how his heart used to leap each time he saw that head of wild, red curls coming his way. At the start of their brief marriage, he'd never been happier. Alana had inspired him in ways no other woman had.
Until a few days ago.
But marriage had changed both of them, and not for the better. It wasn't long before Shane realized Alana was no longer the same woman with whom he'd fallen in love. That knowledge had hurt him more than anything.
Nevertheless, she didn't deserve to die, and certainly not in such a horrific way. The visions of that ungodly scene still tormented Shane in his nightmares.
He had done his level best to try and forget Alana, or at least relegate her to the back of his mind. But then Jules had to go and bring up the topic of marriage!
He contemplated leaving the Baker farmhouse and his opinionated landlady. But he couldn't. He remembered how he had felt when he'd succeeded in making Jules smile, and he realized he didn't want to go anywhere.
As much as she frustrated him, he found her bewitching. He enjoyed the flirting. Besides, he reasoned, I won't act on it. There's no harm in sticking around to watch some sparks fly, is there?
As long as he could trust himself to keep things uncomplicated, there was nothing wrong with some innocent flirtation. And considering the way Jules obsessed over Kevin, he didn't imagine it would go further anyway.
He couldn't let it go further, not with Jules, not with anyone. Not after Alana. Their marriage troubles, followed by her death, had bruised him to the core. Shane had vowed he'd never get so involved again. It had been easy so far. He'd thrown himself into his career, advanced at an astounding speed. There'd been no time for women.
That didn't mean his libido didn't kick into painful overdrive every time he saw Jules.
Now he just needed to forget the look on her face when he bandaged her hand. There had been a certain sweetness there, a chemistry he was finding it nearly impossible to ignore.
"Mind if I come in, Captain?"
Shane looked up to see Kevin at his office door. As much as he wanted to slam the door, he allowed his civility to rein him in. “Door's always open."
Kevin sat down, obviously uneasy but trying to hide it with what Shane assumed to be his customary bravado. “So, did you catch the game last night?"
"No,” Shane smiled. “I haven't had much time to catch games these days. Too busy getting settled into the new job and all."
"Right. And have you settled in at Jules’ place?” Kevin had obviously meant it to sound like any ordinary question, but it had come out sounding more like an accusation. “I didn't know she was running a bed and breakfast."
Shane ignored Kevin's tart tone. “She isn't yet. Anyway, it's not my place to comment."
"So, she's just found an extra bed for my boss, then. Nice.” He shook his head. “Well, anyway, I feel I should explain my situation with her."
"You don't have to explain anything to me. I'm just the boarder. Jules and I are not exactly what you'd call friends."
Kevin arched an eyebrow, making his suspicions crystal clear. “Then she hasn't told you about me? Jules is not the sort of girl to keep quiet when she thinks she's wounded."
Thinks? This time it was Shane's voice bearing a definite edge. “She's not a ‘girl’ at all."
Kevin was oblivious to his tone. “I
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