Read Online Fan The Flames (Man Of The Month Book 3) by Michele Dunaway - Free Book Online

see someone enjoying the kitchen. I’m glad you’re here.”
    Spoons came his way instead of a reply.
    “So you’re really in agreement with my parents? Now that we’re alone, it’s okay. You can back out. You don’t have to take me to this ball.” She faced him. “Unless you want to.”
    “Yes, I do. Why not? Have you dressed up in a while? I haven’t. I could use a night on the town and it sounds like you can too.”
    “True. My nights are mainly spent watching kid shows and playing with Colleen. Some adult company might make a nice change.”
    “Even if it’s mine?”
    She gave him a shy smile. “You’re a gorgeous man. I’ll be the envy of every woman there, Mr. July.” She snickered at that.
    “Ha-ha. Funny.” She’d called him gorgeous. “You try being exposed to the world.”
    She made a face. “No, thanks. But I will fend them all off for you. Promise.”
    “Good. And I promise we’ll have fun.” Something hovered in the air, something intangible, like hope or promise. She stood far too close—her perky button nose upturned toward his, her tempting lips reachable in one quick swoop. Far too much too soon. He reached forward and brushed a bubble from her cheek. Her mouth parted. “Soap,” he said.
    “Thanks.”
    She wouldn’t thank him if she knew how much he wanted to kiss her. He checked his desire. “Hey, just so you know, I only have a half bath over there. Normally I’ve been using the hall bath upstairs and I keep my clothes in the spare bedroom, but I can use the firehouse from here out.”
    Those fire-colored strands framed her face as she shook her head and his fingers itched to touch. Was it as soft and silky as it looked? “No, it’s fine. Come get a shower. No need to disrupt your routine. We’re your guests.”
    Even warm reassurance could make him go mad with want. “You aren’t guests,” he said, for he could never see her that way. “I want you to consider this your home. That’s why I’m telling you it’ll be around six thirty a.m. You can say no. I won’t be put out.”
    Not for her. For her he’d walk miles, but the flickering in her eyes revealed she wasn’t ready to believe him. And why should she? He’d kept her at a distance simply to protect his own sanity. “Okay. I’ll probably sleep right through your shower time and if I don’t, eventually I’ll get used to it and I will. I want to coexist peacefully.”
    “I also do laundry here. And my mail will come through the slot.”
    “Now you’re really pushing it,” she said, grinning to indicate she was joking. She touched his arm, ran her fingers for a moment over the woven fabric. Then she removed her hand quickly, as if she’d received a static shock like he had. “Seriously, we’ll work it out. It’s a process. I doubt we’ll figure out all the ins and outs of this relationship in one conversation. God knows Todd and I couldn’t.”
    Todd, who would always be a mutual loss. “He loved you very much.”
    “I know. He was a good man. He cared for you as well.” Silence fell, both lost for a moment to his and her respective thoughts. Her chin jutted forward. “Let’s not dwell on the past. Not tonight. I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time for that later.”
    “Okay.” He wanted to make her happy. He’d never had that particular urge toward a woman before, unless it was regarding sex. But with Scarlett, all aspects of her happiness came first. He wanted to see her have fun. Smile. Enjoy life again, and not just because he’d made a promise.
    “So how do you make a bulletin board anyway?”
    “Framing materials and some cork.”
    She motioned to the center of the room. “You’ve done a beautiful job on this place. I can’t even imagine what it looked like before.”
    This was a safe topic. “A mess. I went room by room and gutted it. It’s been doable because of the historic tax credits.”
    “Ah. Well, it’s gorgeous.”
    “Glad you like it.”
    “I love