Burning for the Fireman Read Free

called an
unfeeling bastard by more than one woman.
    I jogged around the truck and opened her door and she held
her hand out for me to help her down. I bypassed her hand and circled her
waist, lifting her to the ground easily.
    Once she had both feet on the pavement, I should have
released her. But her blue gaze caught mine and I had the sudden urge to kiss
her. Her fingers dug into my forearms and her lips parted.
    Smiling, I grabbed her hand and tugged her into the
restaurant. At least she wasn’t completely immune to me.
    I was greeted by name by a young server and shown to the
back corner where there were several booths sectioned off with tall greenery,
artistically separated from the rest of the large room. We would have plenty of
privacy without us being alone.
    I had a feeling that some of our conversation shouldn’t be
overheard because I had questions for the woman still holding my hand.
    After we were settled and had ordered the wine and main
course, I found myself staring. The brighter light of the hanging lamps
overhead lit up her big blue eyes. There were gold-colored highlights in her
hair and I itched to get my fingers in it. She was gorgeous.
    “What is it?” she finally asked, nervously running her
fingers up and down the stem of her wine glass. I usually wasn’t so obvious but
she’d caught me off guard. Again.
    “Sorry, I couldn’t help the staring. You’re a very beautiful
woman.”
    Rolling her eyes, she took a healthy sip from her glass. Not
a reaction I was accustomed to having but I liked that she did the unexpected.
    “Why did you invite me out tonight, Ryker?” she asked.
    “I’ll make a deal with you—answer a question for me and then
I’ll answer yours.”
    “All right, that’s fair enough.”
    Her answer surprised me. She might be small but she wasn’t
frightened easily. I imagined some of my lady friends would have burst into
tears when I made my demand in the truck, or they would have been pissed but
Allie just took it in stride. I had a feeling her soft, curvy outside hid a
backbone of steel.
    The server came with our breadbasket and salads, halting our
conversation.
    Once we were alone again I asked, “Why don’t you like sex,
Allie?”
    She sighed and set back down her fork. “Would you mind
answering my question first?”
    I couldn’t see why it made a difference but I could go with
it. “All right. I asked you out because, regardless if you believe me or not,
you are beautiful. But after your dash into that building and your
matter-of-fact statement that you don’t like sex I couldn’t help being
curious.”
    “So you asked me out because I’m strange enough to make you
curious?” she asked, her brow wrinkling in obvious confusion. Her expression
was kinda cute.
    “Not exactly. For the first time, I’ve found myself wanting
to get to know someone instead of just having a night of mutual pleasure.” It
was as honest as I could be.
    “How can you be sure the pleasure is mutual?” she fired back
at me.
    “Believe me, babe, I know. It’s always mutual,” I uttered,
lowering my voice to make sure we weren’t overheard. She’d attempted a direct
hit at my manhood but I wasn’t offended.
    I watched as her cheeks went pink and her lips parted as she
licked them. My slacks tightened and I shifted slightly.
    “Your turn,” I prodded gently.
    Damn, there was something between us that was gaining in
intensity every second she was near. It was really powerful and we were only on
the salads. I took a sip of wine and stared at her over the rim of my glass.
    “I’m not sure why you’re so curious about it but I just
don’t.”
    “There must be a reason,” I urged. Her dislike of sex could
be caused by any number of things and I wanted to know why she felt that way.
Even if I didn’t want to look too closely at why I wanted to know so
badly.
    “I guess, if I’m being truthful,” she began, “I just find it
disappointing.”
    “Disappointing how?” I