Page 4 of Fired Up (Alphas Forever 2)

As soon as he says the words, my throat sours. All I can do is nod. I busy myself with getting plates out and then opening up the containers of takeout. Thankfully, it’s a good distraction. As soon as I see the food he’s ordered, my stomach growls in approval. Everything looks—and smells—so good.

When I open the last container, I can’t help but look up and smile at Anthony.

“How did you know that I love Kung Pao chicken?” I ask.

He shrugs. “Lucky guess? Or maybe it’s a sign.”

“A sign?”

He looks slightly embarrassed. Which I have to admit is pretty endearing for a big guy like him. “Never mind. I don’t know why I said that.”

“Well, it all looks fantastic. Here, take a plate.”

We help ourselves to the food, then each take a seat on a kitchen barstool. The small talk that we make while we eat comes pretty naturally, now that we don’t have our guards up so much. I learn that until really recently he was a firefighter; he tells me about his shoulder injury and forced retirement. I feel bad for him. His situation really sucks.

He doesn’t seem to want to talk about it at length, though. He changes the subject, asking me about my job. So I tell him about my work at the firm, and about how badly I want to impress my boss. It’s not the kind of stuff I would normally divulge to someone I just met, but I feel comfortable talking to him. I feel safe. You how you just click with some people? That’s the way it is with him.

The funny thing is, though, we’re actually opposites in almost every way. He doesn’t care at all about technology; as for me, that’s the focus of my career. And he’s all about physical fitness, while even the thoughtof going on a jog makes me cringe. When we talk about movies, I learn that he’s into the kind full of adrenaline…I, on the other hand, could watch romcoms endlessly and never get sick of them.

I almost make a joke about how opposites attract, but I bite my tongue.

It’s hard not to feel drawn to him, though. I mean, he’s got those ripped firefighter arms…those piercing eyes…that five o’clock shadow. Problem is, there are so many reasons why it would be a bad idea to get involved with him. The biggest reason being that I don’t have the time, considering how focused I am on work. All I could handle right now is a short fling, maybe even only a one-time thing. And I’m not about to have a one-night stand with the guy who lives directly above me.

I mean, talk about awkward, right?

After we finish eating, I thank him for the food and show him to the door. I don’t want him lingering around my apartment any longer than he has to. The longer he stays, the harder it’s going to get to resist these feelings of desire.

“I’m glad we talked,” I tell him, opening my apartment door. “I’m sorry, too, about last night.”

“We both acted kind of rashly,” he says, a subtle smile on his face.

Then he looks at me in this way that makes me blush. I can tell that he wants to kiss me. And, I mean, of course part of me wants him to kiss me. But we can’t. No good can come from it.

“I’ll see you around,” I say.

“Right,” he says, looking disappointed. “See you around.”

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