Free KissedByASEAL by Cat Johnson

She’s handled herself well. She’s a good shot.”
    “Yeah?” Rick sounded shocked.
    Darci planted her hands on her hips and drew in a breath big enough Chris knew they were in for quite a rant.
    Time for Chris to intervene. “Darci.”
    “Hm?” She barely glanced at Chris when he said her name.
    “One final gun range tip—you should go right now and wash your face and hands real good. Taking a shower would be even better. Throw those clothes you got on right in the laundry too. You can’t see it but there’s gun powder and other nasty shit all over you.” When she didn’t make a move, he added. “Some guys swear it makes them break out real bad if they don’t wash it right off. You being so fair-skinned and all . . .”
    That did it. She pursed her lips together and finally exhaled, he hoped letting all her annoyance with her brother out with that one breath. “Okay. But don’t leave yet. I need to ask you some things.”
    “I’m not about to go anywhere.”
    When she looked convinced he spoke the truth, she turned for her bedroom. She disappeared inside and closed the door behind her.
    “I’m about to throw some burgers on the grill. Wanna stay for lunch?” Rick asked.
    The truth was Chris was starving, but he hadn’t been able to bring himself to ask Darci if she wanted to grab something to eat. It had seemed too much like asking her out on a date, and he wasn’t going to confuse things anymore than they already were.
    “Sounds good. I’m so hungry I’m farting dust.”
    Rick laughed. “Another classic Chris-ism. One day I’m going to write all the shit you say down in a book.”
    “Go ahead. You can probably sell it for about half of what the paper it’s written on is worth.” Chris moved to the kitchen sink and followed his own advice by washing his hands. He splashed water on his face too, scrubbing off any unseen residue from the range.
    “So how’d she really do?” Rick asked.
    Grabbing a paper towel off the roll hanging beneath the cabinet to dry off with, Chris glanced at Rick, busy taking out two more meat patties from the package on the island.  
    “She did good, Rick. I don’t know why you wouldn’t take her with you when she asked.” Chris finished drying his face and wadded up the used paper towel.
    “I know my sister. She wouldn’t have taken it seriously.”
    “All I know is, she took it plenty seriously while she was with me.” Chris tossed the wad of paper into the trashcan.
    Rick leveled a glare at Chris. “Because you’re not her brother.”
    Chris couldn’t argue the point. Rick was correct. There were no sibling-like feelings happening between him and Darci. Far from it.
    “I’ve got cheese and onions to go on these. Oh, man. I think we have a pound of bacon in the meat drawer in the fridge. Should I fry up some?”
    As Rick glanced up, his eyes bright with excitement over the prospect of a bacon cheeseburger, Chris tried not to picture Darci sudsy beneath the hot spray of water in the shower.
    Friends shouldn’t picture friends’ sisters naked. Christ, he was one shitty friend and teammate. But what Rick didn’t know, couldn’t hurt him. Chris pushed all naughty thoughts of Darci out of his mind.
    “Sounds good. Let me help you.”
    “Grab me that bacon and one of those beers out of the fridge and that’ll be help enough. Get a beer for yourself too.”
    That was the last thing Chris needed, alcohol-induced imaginings about Darci. Those always seemed to be more X-rated than his sober thoughts. He reached in and found the bacon. He tossed the package onto the counter and went back for a bottle of water for himself along with the beer for Rick.
    “Thanks, but I’m good with this for now.” Chris set the beer on the island for Rick and cracked open the lid of his water.
      “All right. Suit yourself.” Rick reached into the cabinet below the island and emerged with a frying pan. “I’m gonna throw these on the grill outside then start the