Page 16 of Burn for You

“Teagan isn’t used to this. He never has competition when it comes to winning the affection of a lady. You’d be hard pressed to find a woman in Romeo who hasn’t gone starry-eyed by his charms.”

Marlee glanced at me as she ran her hand over Conway’s chest.

“Should we make him jealous?”

A spike of something hot and prickly stabbed me in the heart. Conway was a good-looking guy with shoulder-length brown hair, tattoo sleeves, and a muscular build from helping out at his uncle’s ranch—cutting firewood and hauling hay bales. While the rest of us relied on the gym to keep us in shape for our jobs, Conway simply threw himself into physical labor and it showed. He was built like a bear, and the ladies loved him for it, even though he rarely bothered to date.

If anyone was going to steal my girl today, it would be him.

I shouldered between Marlee and Conway, placing a protective—and somewhat possessive—hand at the base of her spine. I removed the helmet from her head and shoved it in Conway's chest.

“Are you hungry?” I asked Marlee.

“Not really,” she replied. “Conway and I—”

“Let’s get you something to eat anyway. Conway can fend for himself."

She laughed softly. Her shoulder bumped against mine as we walked.

“Well?” she asked.

I glanced down at her.

“Well what?”

Marlee hooked a finger into my belt with a tug.

“Is it true you go commando?”

I caught her wrist, dipping my head to brush my lips against her ear.

“You can’t expect me to spill all my secrets on the first date. Besides, I didn’t expect you to get so cozy with the guys right away. When we first met, you looked like you wanted my head on a stick. You certainly weren’t this friendly to me.”

“Haven’t you ever heard of reconnaissance?” Marlee countered lightly.

We reached the buffet table and she selected a strawberry from a fruit platter, popping it in her mouth.

“Oh, so you’re playing nice to dig up dirt on me, is that it?” I replied.

She nodded.

“That’s not fair,” I said. “I can’t dig up any dirt on you.”

Marlee shrugged and patted my chest as she skirted around me, reaching for a paper plate.

“That’s too bad. I guess you’ll just have to put on your big boy boots and deal with it.”

I chuckled and shook my head. Seeing Marlee cut loose like this felt…good. It felt incredible actually. And it made me crave her even more, to uncover the real Marlee so carefully guarded behind the barrier of her professional life.

As the sun began to set, Lieutenant Hardy fired up the projector—an old bed sheet, spread across the back of the firehouse. Davies made shadow puppets with his hands for the kids until the movie started to roll.

I retrieved a spare blanket from the firehouse and spread it out on the lawn. Marlee and I got comfortable, our plates piled with snacks. Marlee unhooked her sandals and wiggled her bare toes, stretching out her legs as she made herself comfortable.

The strap of her sundress slipped off. I stared at her bare shoulder for a beat too long. Then I hooked a finger in her strapand slid it back into place, dragging my knuckles over her skin, still warm after a day in the sun.

Marlee turned to meet my gaze. I trailed my knuckles higher, tracing the curve of her neck, her jawline. I skimmed my thumb along her lower lip, faintly pink from her lip gloss—a welcome change from the aggressive matte red lipstick she usually wore.

As the movie started, I propped my hand on the blanket by her hip. She inched loser, tucked into my side.

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