Page 34 of Flame it Up

“Everyone else will head to a hotel near the airport,” she said. “We all stay for one night, then like I said, everyone flies home.”

Pyrus nodded, then brought his hands to his knees. He gazed up at her thoughtfully.

“Will you work with any of the same people?” he inquired.

Mazie was having trouble not getting lost in his eyes, so she looked away briefly, adjusting her bun. “I might,” she said, contemplating. “But usually, I won’t see any of them again. They’re young, so they've got a lot ahead of them that they may want to do. I don’t blame them, really.”

Mazie placed the shovel aside, then flipped her head forward. She gathered up her hair and tried to get all of the loose strands, then flipped back to standing up. As she tied the hair ribbon, Pyrus stood, looking at her like she was a precious piece of gold.

She utterly lost her train of thought.

She held her arms over her head and finished tying the bun. Pyrus was smiling and not saying anything as she finished up, then she brought her hands to her hips.

“Hi,” she said playfully.

He smirked at her. “Sorry,” he said breathlessly. “You’re so stunning, Mazie. I can’t keep my eyes off you.”

Mazie had never felt so sexy in her entire life. And she was wearing a simple T-shirt and jeans, just like him, with no makeup and nothing even close to glamorous hugging her curvy frame. She was wearing a sports bra as well, which held her bosom together comfortably. She likely smelled of body odor and had sweat streaming down all her crevices.

But no set of lingerie or seductive slit in a dress could have made her feel the way she did standing in that rhino pen. “Pyrus,” she said, looking away, “you’re making me blush.”

“Am I?” he whispered.

Mazie cleared her throat as it had dried up, then forced herself to move out of the pen. If she had stayed any longer, her own animal would have emerged.

“We should work on some enrichment toys,” she said. “For the animals.”

Pyrus nodded, then trailed behind her. She felt his eyes on her ass, wishing it was his hands or mouth instead.

They sat on a bench along with other members, making toys that would stimulate the mind of the creatures. It usually tried to entice foraging and socializing between animals who had experienced trauma.

Pyrus and Mazie sat with Emilia for a bit of toy making. He socialized easily with her, which only made Mazie even more ravenous for the handsome shifter who had suddenly emerged in her life.

She wished deep down that she could be more confident about what she wanted. It had always been hard for her, especially within relationships, to say that she needed or wanted something from a partner who was too aloof to notice.

Around lunchtime, Emilia left to get them some sandwiches. When they were alone, Mazie felt her heart pick up the pace.

“I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable back there,” Pyrus blurted out, a slight huff of smoke sneaking out of his nostrils. “I am not used to being so struck by someone.”

Mazie tried to focus on the toys they were making. It was pointless as her thighs were on fire, and her focus was blurred. “I didn’t mind it,” she whispered faintly.

Pyrus simply grinned, fiddling with the string of food they were creating for the baby rhino.

“In between getting a new assignment,” Pyrus said. “You just stay around the hotel, I guess?”

Mazie nodded, wishing and praying he would just ask her already. “Yes, but it doesn’t take long to get one,” she remarked. “I usually just chill and research until something interesting pops up.”

Silence took over once again. Pyrus placed the string down and looked at her directly, his mouth opening and closing multiple times before the words finally shot out like an arrow into the sky.

“Would you like to spend those few days with me?” he spewed. “I know it's kind of fast, but I would love to get to know you better.”

Mazie’s eyes had been averted, and when he spoke, it was like a violinist lightly stroking the strings to start a quiet, soft arrangement.

She nodded enthusiastically. There was no point in turning back. She wanted him so badly that she could barely stand it.

“I would love to, Pyrus.”

THIRTEEN

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