Read Online Hot Seduction by LISA CHILDS - Free Book Online Page B

Stehouwer living with her. When Serena had dropped out of nursing school, she’d come home to help her mom care for the octogenarians.
    Unfortunately she hadn’t been able to help her mother, though, when she’d found her on the landing of the back stairwell. The heart attack had killed her instantly.
    She blinked away the tears stinging her eyes and focused on the conversation. “I have more boarders now.” Thanks to Cody. “So I’m calling to make an appointment to discuss some financing with you.”
    â€œOh, oh,” Gordon said with apparent disappointment. “I’m sorry I misunderstood.”
    â€œI’m sorry too,” she said—sorry that she’d been so oblivious when he’d given her his card. She’d been so focused on her grocery list and coupons that she hadn’t talked to him very long. They’d just exchanged a few quick pleasantries and he’d given her his card.
    â€œSo dating’s not out of the question?” Gordon asked hopefully.
    He was her type—she reminded herself.
    â€œNo,” she said. “It’s not...”
    But she made a bank appointment, not a date, for the following week. She told herself that it was just because she didn’t want to date anyone right now.
    Not because she was interested in Cody.

7
    â€œN EVER FIGURED YOU for the bubble bath kind,” Ethan Sommerly needled him, his lips curving into a wide grin within his bushy black beard.
    How the hell did he stand all that hair on his face in this heat? But maybe it only felt hot to Cody because he kept thinking about Serena, in his bed, about kissing her...
    â€œWhat?” Cody asked.
    Superintendent Zimmer had just wrapped up another Hotshots meeting at the firehouse. All twenty members of the team had been present in the third-floor conference room. They milled around now, drinking coffee and snacking on cookies and brownies.
    The brownies were probably the best thing about the meeting. They had no news about the arsonist and no leads. Fortunately the arsonist hadn’t set any more fires, though. So Braden had said that the next time they were called up to help out with the fires out west, they would go to relieve the crews currently working them.
    Cody waited, but he didn’t feel that usual surge of excitement at the idea of traveling again, of exploring a new place and conquering another blaze. Maybe he’d hit his head harder than he’d thought.
    Usually he enjoyed these meetings. He loved getting together with the entire team and laughing and joking. But while everyone else had migrated toward those snack tables at the back, he had moved to the windows with a view of the village of Northern Lakes. It was a cute little tourist town with quaint-looking shops and restaurants.
    â€œOwen said you took a tumble in the tub,” Ethan said, gesturing at Cody’s head. “Guess those bubble baths can be dangerous.”
    The bandage was gone, but he had another couple of days before the stitches would be removed.
    â€œI was taking a shower,” he said, “not a bath.”
    â€œNever figured you were so clumsy,” Trent Miles chimed in as he walked up behind them. He wasn’t as big and burly as Sommerly, but the guy was every bit as tough. The fires he fought during the off-season were even more dangerous than the wildfires—because he fought them in the most violent area of Detroit. Cody had always thought he was fearless until he said, “You got me scared, Mallehan.”
    Cody snorted. “How’s that?”
    â€œNot sure I want to be running a saw with you,” Miles replied. “What if you slip again?”
    He knew these guys wouldn’t believe that someone else had caused his fall. Unless he gave them a reason...
    â€œI won’t be distracted on the line,” he assured his team members, assuming his usual arrogant attitude.
    â€œYou were distracted in the