Read Online The Firefighter's Appeal (Harlequin Superromance) by Elizabeth Otto - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Elizabeth Otto
Ads: Link
face took on a boyish quality that made it seem he was teasing her. “Hmm, I’m getting the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ vibe.”
“Does it matter? Look, Garrett, I’m here in a professional capacity, not a personal one.”
“I’d say the other night was a bit personal.” Two lazy strides brought him in front of her. Lily stiffened, though her insides had turned to mush. His eyes fell to her lips. “Talk to me, Lily.”
“There’s...nothing to talk about. The other night was...interesting, but I don’t want more. Frankly, I’m surprised that you’re acting as if you do.” Garrett’s eyebrows shot up. He leaned in just slightly, and the timbre of his voice made her skin prickle.
“Trust me, Lily, if I wanted more, you’d know it already.” He leaned back with a smug smile. “I’m just curious about why you bolted. That’s all.”
She drew away from him, heat flushing from her chin to scalp. He was as arrogant as he was charming.
“I don’t get involved with firemen.” It was a simple, uncomplicated answer, and he’d have to take it at face value, because she wasn’t going any deeper. To his credit, it wasn’t as if she’d asked him for his résumé and work references before they’d gotten their make-out session on. It wasn’t his fault she kept having flashbacks of her sister’s death—it was hers. She owned it, claimed it, and that was good enough.
“Ah,” he said, as if it made perfect sense. “You got burned once, I take it?”
Her eyes narrowed. “What?”
He flipped one palm up. “I was just thinking your aversion to firemen could be because you’ve been burned by one. If so, I hope it wasn’t a member of DFD.” His impetuousness was almost amusing; Garrett didn’t seem to even realize he was being rude. No way was she responding to that, because nothing good was likely to come out of her mouth.
When she didn’t say anything, Garrett had the grace to look uncomfortable—for a second. “It’s just that I know a few of my guys have their priorities mixed up is all, so...”
“Understood,” she said, grateful she’d managed to stay polite when her head was churning with so many snarky replies. Lily recalled how Garrett had made the flirty face with women at the bar before she’d approached him. It was no secret that some of the firemen thought highly of their prowess—Garrett probably included.
He put his hands in his front pockets and spun on one heel, then walked to the doorway. Lily’s chest loosened a little. Garrett paused and ran a hand down the ancient trim in the doorway, his back muscles moving effortlessly beneath the thin layer of white cotton.
“Brad is going to be laid up for a while. Is working with me going to be a problem for you?” The challenge in his eyes when he turned to face her was clear; the smug tone of his voice was infuriating. She cleared her throat.
“Of course not.”
He tilted his head, observing her quietly for a moment. The intensity of his stare was unsettling and delicious. “Walk with me.”
She followed him out front, drawn by the incredible movement of his muscles beneath his clothes and his scent until they were at the packed dance floor. Garrett reached for her hand and grasped it lightly. Before she could pull away, he began maneuvering them through the crowd. They stopped at the empty stage.
“This dance floor needs to double in size. We want to put in another bar so patrons don’t have to wait. Another set of restrooms, a second waitress station and a larger seating area.”
“What about the property? Do your lines extend enough to allow the expansion?”
Garrett nodded for her to follow him and took her hand again as they walked back through the crowd.
“The property lines are another conversation,” he replied as they rounded the bar. “But first, let me show you what else we want done.”
He pointed things out, chatted about expansion, showed her what needed to be changed, enlarged and updated.
“Does it matter? Look, Garrett, I’m here in a professional capacity, not a personal one.”
“I’d say the other night was a bit personal.” Two lazy strides brought him in front of her. Lily stiffened, though her insides had turned to mush. His eyes fell to her lips. “Talk to me, Lily.”
“There’s...nothing to talk about. The other night was...interesting, but I don’t want more. Frankly, I’m surprised that you’re acting as if you do.” Garrett’s eyebrows shot up. He leaned in just slightly, and the timbre of his voice made her skin prickle.
“Trust me, Lily, if I wanted more, you’d know it already.” He leaned back with a smug smile. “I’m just curious about why you bolted. That’s all.”
She drew away from him, heat flushing from her chin to scalp. He was as arrogant as he was charming.
“I don’t get involved with firemen.” It was a simple, uncomplicated answer, and he’d have to take it at face value, because she wasn’t going any deeper. To his credit, it wasn’t as if she’d asked him for his résumé and work references before they’d gotten their make-out session on. It wasn’t his fault she kept having flashbacks of her sister’s death—it was hers. She owned it, claimed it, and that was good enough.
“Ah,” he said, as if it made perfect sense. “You got burned once, I take it?”
Her eyes narrowed. “What?”
He flipped one palm up. “I was just thinking your aversion to firemen could be because you’ve been burned by one. If so, I hope it wasn’t a member of DFD.” His impetuousness was almost amusing; Garrett didn’t seem to even realize he was being rude. No way was she responding to that, because nothing good was likely to come out of her mouth.
When she didn’t say anything, Garrett had the grace to look uncomfortable—for a second. “It’s just that I know a few of my guys have their priorities mixed up is all, so...”
“Understood,” she said, grateful she’d managed to stay polite when her head was churning with so many snarky replies. Lily recalled how Garrett had made the flirty face with women at the bar before she’d approached him. It was no secret that some of the firemen thought highly of their prowess—Garrett probably included.
He put his hands in his front pockets and spun on one heel, then walked to the doorway. Lily’s chest loosened a little. Garrett paused and ran a hand down the ancient trim in the doorway, his back muscles moving effortlessly beneath the thin layer of white cotton.
“Brad is going to be laid up for a while. Is working with me going to be a problem for you?” The challenge in his eyes when he turned to face her was clear; the smug tone of his voice was infuriating. She cleared her throat.
“Of course not.”
He tilted his head, observing her quietly for a moment. The intensity of his stare was unsettling and delicious. “Walk with me.”
She followed him out front, drawn by the incredible movement of his muscles beneath his clothes and his scent until they were at the packed dance floor. Garrett reached for her hand and grasped it lightly. Before she could pull away, he began maneuvering them through the crowd. They stopped at the empty stage.
“This dance floor needs to double in size. We want to put in another bar so patrons don’t have to wait. Another set of restrooms, a second waitress station and a larger seating area.”
“What about the property? Do your lines extend enough to allow the expansion?”
Garrett nodded for her to follow him and took her hand again as they walked back through the crowd.
“The property lines are another conversation,” he replied as they rounded the bar. “But first, let me show you what else we want done.”
He pointed things out, chatted about expansion, showed her what needed to be changed, enlarged and updated.
Similar Books
