melancholy. He forced a smile. “I might be too young to hear this.”
“You’re definitely too young for details. Let’s just say that I’m sorry for the damage, I hate it that people will be displaced, but I’m anxious to get home to my loving wife.” Ethan winked, replaced his helmet, and sauntered away.
Harris grumbled to himself. It’d be nice to have a loving woman waiting for him...whoa. He stopped in his tracks, his gaze unseeing. A woman waiting? The same women, every day? That sounded a lot like...marriage. Was he ready for that? He knew he wanted Clair, definitely more than he’d ever wanted any other woman. And it wasn’t just sexual.
Hell, he’d given up sex with other women, but not once had he considered giving up jogging with her. He felt more alive when he was around her.
As he worked, removing the burned remains of an old lawn chair, tearing down the precariously hanging door on one unit, Harris considered all the different things he felt for Clair. He wanted to be with her, damn near all the time. He never tired of her company. Clair seemed to read his moods, sitting quietly with him when that was what he wanted, or teasing him when he felt like clowning around. Her company never felt intrusive. Being with her just felt...good.
He knew her moods, too. But maybe that was because Clair didn’t play games like most women did. If he said something that pissed her off, she told him so. Other than the sexual teasing of late, which he knew they both enjoyed, she was open and honest.
For sure, she didn’t like his attention veering to the mystery woman. Harris didn’t really like it either. Not anymore. Who needed a woman who left secretive notes and naked pictures rather than confronting him face-to-face? He’d much rather concentrate on Clair and all the new ways she bedeviled his libido and his dreams.
His mind made up, Harris decided that he’d thank Dane and Alec for their help, pay them what he owed them, and pull them off the case. Tomorrow.
Because tonight, he wanted Clair.
He shook off his distraction and got to work. The sooner they had the site cleared, the sooner his shift would end. And the sooner he could see Clair.
* * *
CLAIR HEARD about the fire on the news and she was so worried, she couldn’t stop pacing. Loving a firefighter had never been easy, but now, as Harris had claimed, things were different. She didn’t have to hide her feelings behind friendly camaraderie.
The second she saw Harris’s car pull up, she grabbed her keys and dashed out the door. She didn’t think about her shoes, or Harris’s reaction, she only thought about reaching him, making sure he’d escaped once again without harm.
Harris was already inside the building, but only just opening his apartment door when Clair arrived. She stopped when she saw him, catching her breath, absorbing the sight of him. He looked...wonderful. Exhausted and red-eyed, but still strong and tall, still the man she adored with all her heart.
Seeing him now, with the evidence of his work weighing heavy on his shoulders, Clair didn’t know what to say. Emotion closed her throat, love burned her eyes. She twisted her fingers together. “Harris.”
He’d just shoved his door open and he turned to her with a smile. “Hey. I was going to change and come over in a few minutes.”
Clair swallowed hard, fighting the urge to leap on him. “Change into what?” Dunce. What did it matter?
He turned his nose against his shoulder, sniffed, and made a face. “Something that doesn’t still reek of smoke. I showered at the station, but the damn smell clings to my hair and my—”
Clair gave up. She couldn’t stand it, couldn’t wait a second more, couldn’t patiently stand there while he went through cordial chitchat. Launching herself at Harris, she grabbed his neck, kissed his mouth, his chin, his throat, then rested her cheek on his chest and squeezed him tight.
Slowly, Harris brought his arms around her.
“You’re definitely too young for details. Let’s just say that I’m sorry for the damage, I hate it that people will be displaced, but I’m anxious to get home to my loving wife.” Ethan winked, replaced his helmet, and sauntered away.
Harris grumbled to himself. It’d be nice to have a loving woman waiting for him...whoa. He stopped in his tracks, his gaze unseeing. A woman waiting? The same women, every day? That sounded a lot like...marriage. Was he ready for that? He knew he wanted Clair, definitely more than he’d ever wanted any other woman. And it wasn’t just sexual.
Hell, he’d given up sex with other women, but not once had he considered giving up jogging with her. He felt more alive when he was around her.
As he worked, removing the burned remains of an old lawn chair, tearing down the precariously hanging door on one unit, Harris considered all the different things he felt for Clair. He wanted to be with her, damn near all the time. He never tired of her company. Clair seemed to read his moods, sitting quietly with him when that was what he wanted, or teasing him when he felt like clowning around. Her company never felt intrusive. Being with her just felt...good.
He knew her moods, too. But maybe that was because Clair didn’t play games like most women did. If he said something that pissed her off, she told him so. Other than the sexual teasing of late, which he knew they both enjoyed, she was open and honest.
For sure, she didn’t like his attention veering to the mystery woman. Harris didn’t really like it either. Not anymore. Who needed a woman who left secretive notes and naked pictures rather than confronting him face-to-face? He’d much rather concentrate on Clair and all the new ways she bedeviled his libido and his dreams.
His mind made up, Harris decided that he’d thank Dane and Alec for their help, pay them what he owed them, and pull them off the case. Tomorrow.
Because tonight, he wanted Clair.
He shook off his distraction and got to work. The sooner they had the site cleared, the sooner his shift would end. And the sooner he could see Clair.
* * *
CLAIR HEARD about the fire on the news and she was so worried, she couldn’t stop pacing. Loving a firefighter had never been easy, but now, as Harris had claimed, things were different. She didn’t have to hide her feelings behind friendly camaraderie.
The second she saw Harris’s car pull up, she grabbed her keys and dashed out the door. She didn’t think about her shoes, or Harris’s reaction, she only thought about reaching him, making sure he’d escaped once again without harm.
Harris was already inside the building, but only just opening his apartment door when Clair arrived. She stopped when she saw him, catching her breath, absorbing the sight of him. He looked...wonderful. Exhausted and red-eyed, but still strong and tall, still the man she adored with all her heart.
Seeing him now, with the evidence of his work weighing heavy on his shoulders, Clair didn’t know what to say. Emotion closed her throat, love burned her eyes. She twisted her fingers together. “Harris.”
He’d just shoved his door open and he turned to her with a smile. “Hey. I was going to change and come over in a few minutes.”
Clair swallowed hard, fighting the urge to leap on him. “Change into what?” Dunce. What did it matter?
He turned his nose against his shoulder, sniffed, and made a face. “Something that doesn’t still reek of smoke. I showered at the station, but the damn smell clings to my hair and my—”
Clair gave up. She couldn’t stand it, couldn’t wait a second more, couldn’t patiently stand there while he went through cordial chitchat. Launching herself at Harris, she grabbed his neck, kissed his mouth, his chin, his throat, then rested her cheek on his chest and squeezed him tight.
Slowly, Harris brought his arms around her.
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