Page 83 of Five Alarm Love
“Oh.Come in.I don’t want Frost to escape.”
He quickly stepped inside and closed the door behind him.The space between them became charged.Hot.An invisible strand between them stretched tight.The weight of his dark gaze pinned her in place.
Finally, he blew out a breath.“Hey, Lou, if you’re not into this, we can stay in.I’ll grab a frozen pizza from Three Bears.Or we can punt.Your call.”
She thought hard and then gulped.“No, we’re going out.”
Leaning a hip against the doorjamb, he said, “You make it sound like a prison sentence, not an enjoyable activity.”
“I just… need to get over some things.”
“Like privacy stuff?”
“It’s silly, I know.”Unable to stand there beneath his scrutiny, she gently laid the bouquet down on the entry table.A wide orange ribbon wrapped around the stems, protecting hands from sap and keeping the bundle together.The lopsided bow suggested the entire display was homemade.
“No, your privacy concerns are valid.”His warm hand on her upper arm sent shivers through her.“Hey, my phone is here only for emergency fire calls.Nothing else, I promise.”
“What if there’s a really good opportunity to get a clip for your site?”
“Not happening.”
She peered up at him.“Are you working tonight?”
He shook his head.“I swapped shifts.”Then he lifted his hands in a shrug.“But as the fire chief, I’m never not available.”
“Got it.”A door shut below them, the sound muffled and faint.Store closing.A few minutes after seven p.m.She was truly all alone with Tuli in her apartment.A wave of warmth rushed through her.
He laced her fingers in his, and she couldn’t stop staring at their joined hands.
“Lou.”The intensity of his serious expression hit her hard.“Let me cut to the chase.”
Her heart thumped against her ribs.“I was thinking that I might try that.”
“What?”
“Cutting to the chase.Being plain in what I say.”
He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.“Ladies first.”
Her mouth went dry.Finally, she stammered, “I want to try.Us.Together.”
“That’s what we’re doing.Going out.Together.”
“I know.But…” She hesitated, unable to find the words.
“You’re thinking about dating for real and not dancing around in casual-friend world?”
“Exactly.”Her breath left her in a relieved exhale.
Tuli didn’t speak for her, but sometimes he seemed to have an easier time voicing the hard things out loud.
“I, too, want to not dance around with you, Lou!”He tugged her forward and snagged her around the waist until they were pressed together.The warmth from his lean torso flowed into her.Lifting their joined hands, he dropped a tender kiss on her wrist.A whiff of his spicy aftershave triggered goose bumps on her arms.
“Since we’re no longer dancing around, I’d like to kiss you.”His breath, minty and warm, moved tendrils of hair off her forehead.
His smiling expression changed into something serious.More intense.It took her breath away.
Wow.She had never really seen serious Tuli.Not like this.
