Page 52 of Fire Fight
“You’ve been there the whole time?”
“Yes…”
“Aspen, you’ve been gone for like four hours, and you didn’t text me to check in. I’ve been worried sick.”
Her expression smoothed, and she tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, clearly uncomfortable. “I’m sorry. I was going through old news articles and lost track of time.”
“I’m not begrudging you your job, but proof of life would’ve been nice.”
“I’m sorry,” she said again. “I’m used to working alone, but I’ll be better next time.”
My breath left me in a huff, and without thinking twice, Iclosed the distance between us and pulled her into my arms, needing to feel her vitality against my skin.
I had no fucking idea what was happening with me, but whatever it was, I knew I wouldn’t be okay if something happened to her.
Shockingly, she melted into me, her arms coming around my waist and fisting my tee. There was something so easy about it, something so…perfectabout the way we fit together. Though she was over a foot shorter than me, I loved the way her head tucked under my chin, making it easy to rest there, to completely mold ourselves together.
Though she remained pressed against me, she tilted her head back to look up at me. All I would have to do was bend slightly to capture that gorgeous mouth with mine.
“What’re we doing, Crew?” she whispered.
“I have no idea,” I answered honestly. “All I know is I want to keep you safe.”
“I can take care of myself,” she reminded me.
“I know, but you shouldn’t have to. Not all the time, anyway.”
A shiver passed through her, almost like she’d been waiting a long time to have someone say that to her, and with it finally breathed into existence, she could shake off some of the weight she’d been carrying.
I’d carry it all for her if she let me.
Aspen’s movements seemed reluctant as she peeled herself away from me. We both knew that sort of physical contact was a bad idea, and I was glad she’d been the one to break it.
I wasn’t sure I could’ve ever let go, and I immediately mourned her loss. Mourned the warmth of her against me, the feeling of having someone—but especiallythissomeone—wrapped in my arms again. My palms itched with the desire to haul her back in. It’d been a long damn time since I allowed myself any sort of intimacy, and I found myself ready to break all my rules for Aspen McKay.
There was a spark here, and I wanted to hold a piece of kindling to it and watch it ignite into an inferno.
“I didn’t stop at the store. By the time I left the library, well…I didn’t want to chance being out after dark,” she admitted, avoiding my gaze.
“That’s okay,” I assured her, tucking a finger under her chin to tilt her face up for inspection. As expected, her cheeks were stained red. “And you don’t have to be embarrassed. In fact, I appreciate your vigilance. I would’ve been even more mad had you risked it when you didn’t feel safe.”
“I never used to be afraid of the dark.”
“And you’re not now,” I said. “You’re rightly afraid of what lurks within the darkness because someone used it as a tool to hurt you.”
She gave me a thin smile. “That’s a good way to look at it.”
I winked. “I’m full of good ideas.”
Aspen huffed out a laugh, then kicked off her boots and followed me into the kitchen.
When she rounded the corner, she gasped.
“You can cook?” she asked, and I chuckled at the incredulity in her tone.
“Of course I can. I feed myself just fine, thank you very much.And,” I added as I led her to the dining table, where steaks, potatoes, and a tossed salad sat ready and waiting, “we take turns cooking at the firehouse when we’re on shift.”
Aspen took the chair I pulled out for her, a bemused expression on her face as she looked up at me. “And captains aren’t exempt?”
