The Firefighter's Appeal (Harlequin Superromance) Read Free Page A

Narrow blue eyes, framed by eyelashes so dark they made the blue brilliant. They were the kind of eyes that would glow seductively in a black-and-white photo, grab you by the ovaries and never let go. Square jaw, round chin...lips full enough to be soft, with a firm outline that promised they could also bruise.
    Lily took the towel with a shaking hand. He was definitely as good-looking as she’d suspected. Her heart pumped. Smiling was probably a good idea. Lily gave a little grin—at least she hoped that was what it looked like because her cheeks were tight and hot.
    “Thanks,” she managed to say, wiping the liquid off her back. Unsure what to say next, Lily dropped her gaze to the bingo board lying on the bar. Talking would probably be good, too. “Four corners—you won...” When was the last time her face had been this hot? Her scalp tingled; her gut tightened. Bingo talk was good, right, when her brain was otherwise at a loss?
    The bartender chuckled softly, a deep sound that was somehow soothing. “Yeah.” He nodded to the board. “What do you think we should win?” We? His blue eyes were twinkling, and the way he leaned one elbow on the bar, his chest turned toward her, made it clear that he was flirting.
    Lily propped her right arm on the bar. “Well, considering I had to wear this getup, a trip somewhere warm and exotic would be nice.” She let out a tiny relieved breath. This talking thing wasn’t so hard.
    He set both forearms on the bar and gave her a quirky, self-confident smile that threatened to set her panties on fire. “Considering I was born and raised in Hawaii, I can’t argue with that.” He winked and backed off, leaving her mouth dry and her chest breathless. Before she could think of an appropriate response, he cocked his head.
    “Beer?” His mouth opened to let the word out...closed again—the tip of his tongue peeking out to wet the lower lip. Lily’s heart rate jacked up. He leaned closer. The stubble over his jaw and down the sexy column of his throat made her itch to touch it. She swallowed hard, realized he’d spoken.
    “No. No, I don’t drink.” She leaned back an extra inch from the bar. “Water, please.” He was already reaching under the bar and then produced a cold water bottle, cracked the top and set the bottle in front of her. Lily hesitated before taking it, pretty sure she was going to have to dump it over her head to cool herself down. Irritated by how flustered she was, Lily took a drink. The water was shocking to her parched throat. The bartender took a swig from a beer bottle and set it down, then extended a hand. Lily hesitated before shaking it.
    “Garrett.”
    “Lily.”
    He gave a brief nod and turned to fill a glass for a waiting patron. A man in a fire department T-shirt slipped behind the bar, looked at Lily and put a finger to his lips as if to silence her. He opened a small refrigerator behind Garrett and took out two beers. Garrett spun around just as the man pulled the beers to his chest like a football and scurried out, dancing through the crowd.
    Garrett cupped his hands around his mouth. “That calls for revenge, Mikey!” He turned back to her, his grin scrunching the outside corners of his eyes. His smile wrenched the breath out of her like a cold wind. The tension in her body let go. He was really too good-looking to be out in public.
    A waft of perfume rippled by Lily as two blondes with pink-painted smiles shimmied up to the bar, eyes zoned in on Garrett. He gave them a nod, waved another bartender over to assist them as he leaned against the bar in front of Lily again. A flood of warmth pooled in her chest and spread down her arms. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a man’s full attention on her and it was terrifying...and kind of wonderful.
    She leaned against the bar. “So why did you hit me in the head?”
    His eyebrows raised and his smug expression deepened. “Did I? I’m sorry.”
    Her eyes fell to the thick,