Fan the Flames Read Free Page A

“I’m still deciding.”
    â€œNo, I’ve decided for you.” Rory flicked her fingers in a “gimme” gesture. There was a beep indicating someone had just come through the front door of her shop, and the last of her patience disappeared. “If you can’t appreciate an accurate, dependable, untraceable Kel-Tec SUB 2000 because it’s not comfy enough, then you don’t deserve it. Hand it over.”
    Reluctantly, he relinquished the rifle. “I do want it. How much?”
    â€œNope. Too late.” She pulled down on the trigger guard and swung the barrel assembly up and over the receiver, marveling at the ingenuity it took to completely redesign a rifle so it could fold in half. As she gently placed it into its case, she couldn’t refrain from stroking her fingers over the gun’s practical shape. It wasn’t the most attractive of rifles, but it did its job. She’d take functional over pretty any day.
    Zup watched the gun disappear. Although it was hard to tell under his bushy beard, she was pretty sure he was pouting. “Ro-ry…”
    â€œWhat are you whining about now, Zup?” a low voice asked.
    It took all her willpower not to look. If she glanced at Ian Walsh in all his dark, muscle-bound glory, she’d start stammering and blushing. Every time he walked into her store, his melty brown eyes focused on her, black hair mussed by his fireman’s helmet or a motorcycle ride, those full, beautiful lips curving into a friendly smile, she marveled that this incredible person was in her life. They were just friends, of course, but she told herself that it was enough—more than she could expect, really. With his model-perfect features and body, he looked as if he should be attending photo shoots, not leaning on the wall behind the counter, chatting with plain, weird Rory Sorenson.
    Plain, weird Rory Sorenson, who right now couldn’t even look at him.
    After that first breath-stealing moment when she first saw him, she could usually turn on casual-and-friendly mode, but not after the dream she’d had the night before—a dream that had featured her, Ian, his bike, and not many clothes. Her cheeks flamed at the memory. Keeping her gaze focused downward, she latched the case with more care than was required.
    â€œRory won’t let me buy the Kel-Tec rifle I want.”
    Ian’s amused snort almost brought her gaze to him, but she resisted. “Maybe if you are a good boy and save all your paper route money, Rory will let you buy your toy.”
    â€œFuck off, Walsh,” Zup snarled, stomping into the front section of the shop. After a few seconds, the beep sounded again, indicating he’d left.
    She wasn’t about to open the concealed compartment where she kept her not-quite-legal inventory to put away the rifle with Ian watching. Once the shop was empty, she’d come back to stow the gun. But that meant that now, with the case latched, there was no avoiding looking at him. When Rory glanced up at Ian and saw he was grinning, showing off his single dimple, she mentally swore and clung to her impassive expression.
    â€œWhat’d he do?” Ian asked, boosting himself onto a counter.
    Memories of her dream flooded her mind. The back room was too small, too…intimate, for the two of them to be alone.
    â€œLet’s go,” she said, flapping her hands to shoo him off his perch. “I need to be up front.”
    Ian didn’t more. “Why? If someone comes in, the sensor will beep.”
    â€œMove.” She scowled, irritated that she didn’t have a good reason—or at least not one she could tell him.
    â€œFine.” Hopping off the counter, he gestured for her to precede him. “And you never answered my question.”
    â€œWhich one?” Although she would’ve preferred taking up the rear, it wasn’t worth the argument. Instead, she just moved quickly, giving a silent