Page 26 of Five Alarm Kiss

Laurel sucked in a sharp breath at the contact, drawing his gaze to hers. Heat sparked in his eyes, before disappearing so quickly, she wasn’t sure if she’d imagined it or not.

“Are you trying to cut off your circulation?”

All she could do was shake her head. She didn’t trust herself to speak with the deft movement of his fingers wreaking havoc on her senses.

“Damn.” Jake pushed up her jacket. “Hold this,” he instructed. When she did, he pulled her shirt out from underneath the strap to make more room, then slipped his fingers in between the harness and the bare skin of her stomach.

Arousal zinged through her.

What in bells is wrong with me? He’s barely touching me!

What would happen if he really touched her? Like, intentionally caressed the skin of her stomach… and lower. Her breathing turned shallow at the thought, and her entire body quivered.

Jake’s hands stilled. “Are you okay?”

No, I’m getting turned on by you undoing this stupid belt.

How the heck would she react if he was loosening his own belt?

Locking her knees at the sudden wave of dizziness, Laurel gave a choppy nod, knowing she probably looked like a crazed hyena—or Skye if you got between her and Britt’s chocolate torte—so basically the same expression.

Jake studied her for another few seconds, before going back to working on the belt.

Not his belt! Not his belt!

Coleslaw, trashcans, public bathrooms…

Distracting herself with things she thought were gross actually paid off, allowing her to stand still long enough for him to finally succeed in loosening the cinch around her middle.

“There ya go,” he said, sliding his hand back and forth between the strap and her stomach, checking to make sure it was loose enough.

Goodness, was there anything this man did that wouldn’t make her melt?

When he slid his hand across her stomach once more, she grabbed his wrist, forcing him to stop. “It’s good,” she assured him, extricating his hand. “All better.” She tugged her shirt and jacket back down and wrapped her arms protectively around her waist. “Thanks.”

He grinned. “No problem. Now, back to that number.”

“I don’t think your girlfriend would appreciate you asking for it,” she forced out.

There. I said it.

“She probably wouldn’t,” he agreed.

Wow.He’d just admitted he had a girlfriend, but was still trying to ask her out?

“If I had one.”

“What?”

He tilted his head and studied her. “Why do you think I have a girlfriend?”

Fudge. Now what do I say?

“Laurel?”

“Um...” Nervously, she glanced behind them.

“Wait. Do you mean the blonde?” When she remained silent, Jake started laughing. “That’s my sister, Jessa.”

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