Playing With Fire Read Free Page A

the question.
    Regardless of what progress had been made in the last two decades, female firefighters still had a difficult time being accepted. The men didn't help matters by refusing to cut them any slack. There were even a few who took perverse pleasure in making certain women's lives miserable. It was no wonder Lindsay had become defensive. The toughest battles she fought were in her own station house, not in the field.
    "How's the studying going?"
    "Fine,” she answered cautiously. “How's it going for you?"
    "Okay, I think. Hard to tell."
    She nodded in agreement. They were both undergoing the arduous testing process for engineer, along with twenty-two other firefighters. Competition for the coveted position was fierce, and Matt knew Lindsay worked twice as hard as the rest of them. A quality he admired in her.
    "Guess I'll see you around then.” He smiled and because he wanted her to look at him, hooked his finger under her chin and lifted her face to his.
    He shouldn't have done it. Need flared inside him, then raged, growing fast and hot as an uncontrolled gasoline fire. Ignoring the warning bells going off in his head, he skimmed his fingers along her jaw line, tickling the delicate skin on her neck. She went still, and her breath caught, but she didn't retreat. Bad move on her part. Matt took further liberties he had no business taking by tucking a single silky curl up inside her ball cap. Then he crossed the line further by tracing the outline of her ear with the pad of his index finger. Through sheer force of will, he managed to resist hauling her into his arms and tasting those Cupid's bow lips.
    "Matt.” She spoke his name on a wisp of air. “Don't."
    "Don't what, Lindsay?” Don't touch you? Don't want you? Don't think about you day and night until I swear I'm going crazy?
    "Don't tease me."
    "Who said I'm teasing?"
    This was lunacy. She was dating his roommate, Joey, and for reasons that defied logic, they weren't sleeping together. At least, Matt didn't think so. Unlike the guys at the station, Lindsay didn't brag about her sex life. And Joey, for all his open friendliness, kept more to himself since his ex-girlfriend Karyn dumped him last winter.
    As rough as the breakup had been for Joey, Matt didn't think a previous relationship gone sour was any reason to pass up a new opportunity. Especially an opportunity like Lindsay. Where else could a man find a beautiful women with the figure of a super model who not only tolerated his reckless lifestyle, she embraced it for herself?
    If Matt were the one dating Lindsay, he'd do everything in his power to lure her into his bed. And once he had her there, he wouldn't let her leave until he'd loved her in every way imaginable, with his hands, his mouth, and the part of him that swelled huge and hard, filling the front of his swim trunks.
    "Come on, Lindsay. What's the hold up?” Melodie's voice echoed across the water. Arms crossed under her ample bosom, she cast an annoyed look their way.
    Matt thought he'd better leave before the annoyed look turned into a suspicious one. Melodie possessed superhuman radar abilities when it came to detecting possible gossip fodder.
    "I need to ... to g-g-go. It's my turn in the dunking tank."
    Reluctantly, he dropped his hand, already missing her warmth. “Have fun."
    "See you tomorrow at work.” She stepped sideways, then past him.
    Matt turned around so he could watch her walk away and let his gaze linger. Viewing her long legs from the back was every bit as enjoyable as from the front. By the time she climbed to the top of the ladder, his entire body was rigid with hunger.
    Joey must be a saint. Matt sure wasn't, not by a long shot. And if Lindsay ever gave the slightest indication she preferred him over Joey, he'd oblige her in a heartbeat.

Chapter 2
    "I saw that old man with the walker dunk you at the fair Friday afternoon."
    "He had a mean fastball.” Lindsay's fingers slid over Matt's when she took the dirty coffee