Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 101466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
I recognized a few of the crew from the days when I dropped off food. Lori was there, and we talked for a while. She was horrified to hear what happened with Chris, but she assured me he was more of a work friend to Cal and she wasn’t overly fond of him.
“Too full of himself at times,” she confessed. “I tried to like him since he worked with Cal, but…” She trailed off. “He often shows up uninvited. He hasn’t been around since that weekend. I hear he’s seeing someone in the next town over.”
I grimaced. “Good luck to her.”
“Cal will be here soon,” she told me. “And I hope you come back for more karaoke. You were so great!”
“Maybe next week.”
We hugged, and she slipped away to see if Cal had arrived yet. I spoke with the “old biddies,” as Jesse teasingly called them. They were sweet and welcoming, a couple offering their grandsons’ phone numbers, while the others plied me with cookies.
I finally got away, only to run into four of the firefighters. One was the probie I had met whom Jesse was helping. Alan was sweet and earnest, standing a little too close for my comfort.
I felt him before I saw him. The crew returned from their incident, walking in together. I had seen Jesse in his T-shirt and pants before, but never in full gear. In a group, he stood out. He was a walking poster boy for the fire department. Mark was beside him, a good-looking man, but he paled next to Jesse. At least to me. And then Jesse dropped to his knee, greeting some kids and giving them his full attention.
Alan touched my elbow. “So, you work with computers? That’s cool.”
“Um, yes.”
A few more crew, including one of the female firefighters, joined us, and I enjoyed talking to her. She was strong and fit, wearing her gear proudly. We discovered a shared love of outdoor decorations and chatted about that for a few moments until she was called elsewhere. I was just wondering how to slip away, knowing Jesse was back, safe, and busy. He hadn’t even spared me a glance, so I knew he was still upset. And I didn’t want to make him uncomfortable.
“I have to get going.” I smiled at the small group of men around me. “Thanks for keeping me company and answering all my questions.”
Alan frowned. “Can I walk you to your car?”
“Oh, that wouldn’t be a good idea,” I muttered, remembering the last time someone had walked me to my car.
“I don’t mind,” he insisted.
“But I do,” a voice behind me spoke.
I didn’t have to look to see who it was. I knew that gruff, displeased tone anywhere.
Thorne.
I turned, meeting his gaze. I expected it to be removed, cool. The way it was during our first few encounters.
I didn’t expect the intensity emanating from his eyes. The fire.
Alan frowned. “Sorry?”
“I’ll walk Casey to her car if she needs to be walked. But she’s here to see me,” Thorne stated firmly, not taking his eyes off me. He had a smear of dirt across his cheek, and his hair was wild, making him look gruff and sexier than ever.
But what was he doing?
Alan looked between us, then grinned. “Oh, my bad. Nice to see you again, Casey. Feel free to bring more cookies anytime.” He winked.
Thorne growled.
Like an animal. I swore he bared his teeth. Alan and the other two firemen turned and hurried away. They muttered something to one another, but I couldn’t make out what it was.
I crossed my arms, glaring at Thorne.
“What is wrong with you?”
“Nothing,” he replied, an edge to his voice. “Simply speaking the truth. I invited you here.”
“Well, since I wasn’t sure I was still welcome under your invitation, I invited myself. I hadn’t expected you to even speak to me.” I lifted my chin. “In fact, I’m not sure I want to speak to you.”
He leaned forward, his voice low and rough. “Then you shouldn’t have worn that dress.”
My eyes widened. He continued to speak.
“You have no idea how hard I’m trying to hold myself back.”
“H-hold back?” I sputtered.
His voice dropped even more. “I want to throw you over my shoulder and take you to some quiet corner. Kiss you until you are breathless and peel that dress off you.”
I was shocked. “I thought you were mad at me.”
“I was mad at myself. And it took you walking in here looking like a siren from the sixties for me to realize why.”
“Why?” I asked, almost whimpering.
“Because as soon as I saw you, I didn’t care that I was being watched. I wanted to yank you into my arms and kiss you in front of everyone. Let them know we’re together.”
I blinked.
“I don’t care that it’s only for now. I don’t care what happens in six months or a year. Right now, we’re together. We’re exclusive. And I want to be able to show it.”