Page 34 of Light My Fire Three Times
And damn if I don’t feel that same buzz I got the first time I saw her. She’s got this mix of fire and uncertainty, and it pulls me in.
The coffee’s done. She slides the cup across the counter, but I don’t take it right away. I’m not ready to leave just yet.
“So, uh,” I say, keeping my eyes locked on her, “you sticking around town for a while? If you have this truck and will.”
She eyes me, the corner of her mouth lifting, holding back a smile. “Yeah, looks like I’m here for a while. Got a lot of plans for this truck. Gotta make it work. My last job… urgh, it didn’t exactly end well.”
“Oh, really.” I can’t help but lean in a little closer. “Well, Coyote Glen is lucky to have you, that’s for sure.”
She looks up at me, and for a split second, I swear I catch that tiny flicker of interest. The kind that makes my chest tighten.
“Maybe,” she says, the tease in her words there, though she tries to mask it. “I guess I’m going to have to get used to the small-town life, huh?”
I flash her a grin, leaning in just a little closer. “Oh, you’ll get used to it. The pace, the quiet… and the occasional chaos.”
I give her a playful look, letting the words hang in the air between us.
She raises an eyebrow, that look of curiosity still lingering in her eyes. “Chaos? Sounds like something I can handle.”
I can’t help but laugh. She’s got that kind of energy that feels contagious. “Trust me, in Coyote Glen, it’s less ‘handling’ and more surviving. You’ll see what I mean soon enough.”
She shakes her head, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I hope so.”
I take a slow sip of my coffee, savoring the taste. Though I can’t deny it’s the woman standing in front of me that’s got my full attention.
“Coyote Glen’s a bit like a slow burn,” I say, setting my cup down and leaning in to make her attention snap back to me. “It gets under your skin, and before you know it, you’ll be talking about it like it’s home.”
She eyes me, clearly intrigued, though she’s doing a damn good job of playing it cool. “Is that how you ended up here? Just one of those slow burns?”
“Maybe,” I say with a shrug. “Or maybe I just know when I find something worth sticking around for.”
I give her a grin that’s maybe a little more confident than I should feel, but hell, it’s working. I can feel the tension in theair shift, just enough to let me know she’s picking up what I’m putting down.
Her expression falters, and there’s a brief, almost imperceptible pause before she opens her mouth to respond.
“You know,” she starts, quieter now, “I’ve had my share of… unexpected turns in life. But maybe, just maybe, this town can be that turn I didn’t expect.”
I lean closer, grinning. “Well, if that’s the case, you’re definitely going to need a tour guide.”
Her brow furrows for a second, as if she’s trying to figure me out, but then she softens again. And I know she’s hooked. She might be trying to play it coy, but I can see through it.
“You want to be my tour guide?”
My heart’s pounding, but I’m not about to back down now. I’ve got a good feeling about this.
“Well,” I say, taking a step back and folding my arms, “since you’re all about surviving the chaos of small-town life, I think you deserve a little fun, too.” I pause for a moment, letting the words sink in. “How about dinner tonight? You, me, and a spot where the only chaos will be figuring out whether you want dessert.”
For a second, she stands there, blinking at me, all confused.
Then, to my absolute shock, she surprises the hell out of me by smiling. A real, genuine smile. “You know what? Sure. Why not? I could use a little more chaos.”
I feel my chest tighten, in the best possible way.
“Seriously?” I ask, not quite believing it, but a part of me already knows she’s about to make my night.
She nods, almost teasing. “Yeah, seriously. But fair warning, I’m not an easy date.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “Oh, I’m counting on it.”
