Page 14 of When We Burn

“I should be,” he replies grimly. Just when I think he’s going to leave, he pulls me to him and hugs me tightly, and my whole body is on high alert. Bridger gives thebesthugs. I hope he can’t feel my nipples harden through my shirt. Again. “This was really shitty timing.”

I grin against his chest and shrug a shoulder as I pull back. “Oh, are you under the assumption that I’d put out on the first stargazing night?” I smirk. “No way, Chief.”

He blanches at that and cups my chin in his hand. “Did you just call meChief?”

“Yeah. I did.”

“No.” He shakes his head.

“No? I can’t call you chief?”

“Fuck no, Dani. My guys call me that. Not you.”

I laugh and then shrug again. I shrug a lot when I’m nervous. “Okay, fine. So, what’s going on here, anyway?”

“I don’t know.” His face is sober as he brushes the backs of his knuckles down my face, and holy moly, my nipples take notice, puckering up again, and Bridger’s eyes drop down. “But it’s not nothing.”

“That’s…not helpful.”

He grins, then pulls away.

“No nightmares tonight.” It’s not a request, it’s an order, so I nod once.

“No, sir.”

His eyes narrow on me. “You’ve gotten sassy, Dani.”

“I’m working on it. That’s the goal.”

With a grin, he presses his lips to my forehead. “Good night.”

He turns to leave, and I feel chilly without himpressed against me.He wanted to kiss me.Just the thought still has chills running down my spine. How did we get here so fast?

“Good night, Bridger.”

The door closes behind him, and I glance around his house. It’s bigger than mine, and it’s definitely been maintained better. His kitchen is open to the living room, separated by an island. The sectional couch looks cozy, and I’ll be perfectly comfortable sleeping there until Bridger gets home.

But, suddenly, I hear a cry coming from down a hallway, so I jog down and open the door and find Birdie sitting up in bed, crying.

“Birdie, it’s Dani. I’m here with you, baby girl.”

“Where’s Daddy?”

“I’m sorry, he had to go to work, but I said that I’d come hang out with you while you sleep. Did you have a bad dream?”

She hiccups and knuckles the tears in her eyes as she nods her sweet little head.

“I’m sorry, love. Don’t worry, everything’s okay. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

She sighs and then holds her arms out to me, and I sit on the side of her bed and fold her to me, breathing her in. She smells like bubble gum—probably her baby shampoo—and sweetness, and I love having her in my arms.

“It’s okay, sweetie. Do you need to use the bathroom before you go back to sleep?”

“Yeah.” Her voice is so small, and she scurries out ofthe bed and pads to the bathroom in the hallway. A few seconds later, she rushes back and jumps into her twin-sized bed, pulls her blankets up to her chin, and sighs.

“Better?”

“Better.”

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