PreHeat (Fire & Ice) Read Free Page B

same jolt it did every night when he called me.
    “Tired. About to go to bed,” I told him as I booted up my laptop and settled under the covers.
    “I’m picturing you in a tight halter top and some Daisy Dukes. How close am I?”
    I laughed. He couldn’t be more wrong. “Sorry. Baggy tee shirt and men’s flannel boxers from Target.”
    “Nope. I’m not going to let you ruin my fantasy, and because you tried, your top just got even skimpier. You should quit while you’re ahead.”
    “Pervert.”
    “You can’t even imagine.”
    I clicked on my site, my new favorite ritual. “Ooh! I got four comments on the shrimp gumbo,” I told him excitedly. He had set me up so that new posts would go up automatically a couple times a week.
    “Yeah, I saw that. You also got 116 views after it went up. Good job.”
    I felt myself glow under the compliment. “Thanks. What are you doing?”
    “Channel surfing. Before that I made a grilled cheese. I’ve been trying to take it easy tonight, I went to the driving range with Dad and I think I strained my shoulder.”
    “What did your dad say about it?”
    “I didn’t tell him. He was already wiping the floor with me.”
    “That’s so stupid. He’s a doctor. That’s the first thing I would have done.” Boys . Suddenly, another thought hit me. “Do you want to cancel tomorrow?”
    “What? No, of course not.” I felt a rush of relief that he wasn’t looking to break our plans. We were going to stand on the bridge and watch the bats fly out right before dark. It was kind of a touristy thing, but it was still super cool to see. I didn’t like it quite so much when the same bats were practically dive bombing me in the back yard, however.
    He let out a loud yawn. I forgot he had to get up early for work.
    “I’ll let you get to sleep. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
    “Sweet dreams.” Oh yeah, I’d be having some of those. I hung up my phone and leaned back onto my pillows. Talking with Carter had been the highlight of my nights for the last six days. We hadn't been able to see each other at all since our schedules were completely at odds and I actually missed him. Our nightly conversations had been great. I'd been able to get to know him without the pressure I usually felt during the early stages of a new relationship. I'd found myself enjoying his sense of humor and his intelligent insights on everything from why he drove an American truck to his thoughts on organic gardening. I liked him
    Last night our conversation had gotten a bit racy and we'd been right on the cusp of having phone sex when he switched the topic to my website. Just Add Heat was doing okay for a site only two weeks old, but it didn't have much of a following and I was still disappointed that I wasn't an overnight sensation. Carter had suggested doing more video demonstrations instead of photographic ones, and what he said made sense, but I barely had the time to take care of the things I was doing now, and adding another item on my to-do list didn't seem like a wise idea, but I was going to give it some serious thought.
    I looked at my bedside clock—it was tomorrow! Only a few more hours and I'd be able to see him in person. I turned off my lamp and closed my eyes with a huge smile on my face. I wasn't going to worry about a thing; not my over-scheduled life, my shrinking bank balance, and definitely not any doubts I still harbored about going out with Carter.
     
    ***
     
    I was nervous as Carter's truck pulled into the lot of the restaurant. It was an establishment long known for its wonderful sunset views over the lake, and really, it was a beautiful thing to see. I guess it could be romantic, but I had never been there on a date before, I'd only come for drinks on the deck a handful of times since it was a bit of a distance from my house. It was already packed with people, though, so maybe Carter had chosen this place to make me feel more comfortable. If that was his intention, it wasn't