Page 66 of Stuck with my Brother's Firefighter Besties

Her breath hitched, and for a moment, I thought she might close the gap between us. But instead, she tilted her head and grinned.

“You’re trouble, Colt.”

I chuckled, leaning back and taking a sip of wine. “You have no idea.”

CHAPTERTWENTY

Lila

I shouldn’t have saidyes to the motorcycle ride.

I shouldn’t have let Colt convince me to climb onto that beast of a machine, my arms wrapped around his solid frame as we sped down winding back roads.

But as the cool night air whipped around me and the rumble of the bike echoed in my chest, I realized something.

I didn’t regret it. Not one bit.

Now, as we pulled up to his house, the adrenaline was still buzzing under my skin.

His place wasn’t at all what I had expected. Tucked at the end of a gravel driveway, it was a cozy cabin-style home, complete with a wraparound porch and soft golden light spilling through the windows.

“Wow, nice place.”

Colt smirked, reaching out a hand to help me up. “Come on inside. You’re gonna love this.”

I hesitated, glancing back at the bike and then toward the quiet road we’d come from. “Are you sure?”

My breath caught. I didn’t know how things were going to be once we left the cabin.

I had no idea what the guys’ expectations were going to be.

But Ididknow I wanted to have fun.

“Okay,” I said softly.

His smile widened, slow and confident, as he led me up the steps and into the house.

Inside, his place was surprisingly homey. A big leather couch faced a stone fireplace, and shelves lined with books and records filled one wall.

The scent of cedar and something faintly smoky hung in the air, and the whole space felt… warm.

“Make yourself at home,” Colt said, disappearing into the kitchen.

I wandered over to the shelves, running my fingers along the spines of books and thumbing through a stack of vinyl records. It was a side of him I hadn’t expected.

“You’re full of surprises, you know that?” I said as he came back, carrying two glasses of whiskey.

He handed me one, his grin just as mischievous as ever. “Yeah? What kind of surprises?”

I took a sip, the warmth spreading through me immediately. “The kind that makes me think there’s more to you than the reckless, flirty guy everyone sees.”

Colt leaned against the arm of the couch, his gaze fixed on me. “Maybe there is. Or maybe I just keep people guessing.”

“Guessing, huh?” I set my glass down and crossed my arms, pretending to scrutinize him. “What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?”

He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he closed the distance between us, stopping just a breath away. “Asking you out.”

I laughed, but the sound came out softer than I intended. “You’re so full of it, Colt.”

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