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Mac leaned slightly to look along her stance. “Now your shoulder.”

He guided it into place. Jodie tried very hard not to notice that she was bracketed between his hands.

He has to touch you to fix your stance.

Of course he did. That was all. Except his mouth was very close to her ear again, and every time he spoke she felt the warmth of his breath against her skin.

Maybe he was aware of her, too, and that was why his voice had gone lower. Maybe⁠—

Or maybe you’re just horny and making shit up.

That seemed considerably more likely.

“Breathe,” Mac murmured, his voice lower with just a touch of gravel to it.

Jodie sucked in a breath, glad she had a clean pair of panties in her gym bag because she was gonna need them after this.

“Not like you’re about to dive underwater.”

Uh, my panties feel like they’re already underwater.

She laughed despite herself. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. Just slow it down.”

She breathed again, this time slow and deliberate. Mac’s hand left her shoulder, but the one at her hip stayed in place.

Jodie’s heart gave a hard thump.

He doesn’t need to keep touching me there, does he?

Did he? Maybe he did. She had no idea anymore.

“You’ve got it,” Mac said. “Hold that, and remember how your body feels.”

Oh, believe me, I will for the rest of my life.

Then his hand disappeared as he stepped away from her. Disappointment hit so quickly Jodie nearly laughed at herself.

There. Happy now? He was helping you and now he’s done. That’s it.

Of course it was. Mac had corrected her stance and moved away the second he was finished because that was what a normal person did when helping a friend on the range. Then he settled her hearing protection over her ears himself while she stood absolutely still. Jodie loaded the rifle and waited until he had his own back on.

Jodie settled her cheek against the stock and forced the rest of the world out of her head.

Target.

Breath.

Trigger.

She squeezed.

The shot landed just left of the center.

Better. Overcompensating, but better.

She adjusted and fired again. That one hit. By the fourth shot, the group had tightened enough to finally look like she knew what she was doing. Relief loosened the knot in her chest.