Page 70 of When We Burn

“I’ll send the info along. This one’s been burning for a few hours before anyone saw, Chief.”

I frown over at him. How could something burn that long without anyone seeing the smoke?

“Where the hell is it?” Bridger asks, obviously as confused as I am.

“It’s a seasonal cabin on the other side of Lion Mountain,” is the response.

“Fuck. I’ll be there ASAP.”

Bridger cuts off the call and blows out a breath.

“I have Birdie,” I assure him. “Don’t worry about her. I’ve got it.”

He quickly glances my way before looking back at the road. “I have to bathe her, put her clothes out for school tomorrow, get her lunch made?—”

“I’ve got it,” I say again, my voice perfectly calm. “I can manage all those things, Bridge. Don’t worry about us.”

He takes my hand again and kisses it, harder, holding on tighter. “Thank you.”

“Of course.”

As soon as he parks, I run across to my house and gather clothes for tomorrow, a few toiletries, and make sure that Pickles has food and her box is scooped. I stop to give her some extra love and kisses.

“I’m sorry, baby, I have to go help Bridger and Birdie tonight. You keep an eye out here, okay?”

She blinks at me, obviously put out for being interrupted from her evening nap, and then less than fifteen minutes after getting here, I’m back out the door, rushing across the street.

I don’t bother to knock and just walk in and see Bridger striding down the hallway, buttoning up the shirt of his uniform, and I have to take a split second to admire everything that’s going on right there.

He’s tall and broad-shouldered, with those colorful sleeve tattoos. I’m losing sight of the light smattering of dark hair on that chest as he buttons the shirt, and then when he opens his pants to tuck it in, I almost faint.

“Keep looking at me like that, sweetheart, and I’ll be late. Too late.”

“Like what?” I can’t meet his eyes. I’m just watching his impressive hands as they tuck in that shirt and then fasten his pants.

The man’s hips are something to write home about. Iknow that there’s a V under those clothes, and I have to lick my lips.

“For fuck’s sake, Dani. You’re killing me here.”

Now my eyes climb to his, and I see the lust reflected back at me.

“Sorry. Not really sorry.”

He barks out a laugh and shakes his head. “Birdie’s in bed. She was too tired for the shower, so she’ll get one tomorrow night. She’ll probably sleep all the way through.”

He steps to me and wraps his arm around the small of my back while tipping my face up to his with the other hand, and I wish he didn’t have to go.

“Call me if you need me,” he says softly before covering my mouth. The kiss is over way too quickly, and then he’s out the door.

“Be careful,” I whisper to no one.

Suddenly, the door opens again, and he pokes his head in. “Sleep inmybed. Not on Birdie’s floor. Understood?”

I bite my lip and nod.

“Use your words.”

I shiver every time he says that.

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