I clicked off the recording immediately, my cheeks burning hotter than the bonfire. That definitely wouldn’t be going in the final edit, but I couldn’t bring myself to delete it either.
Some fires, I was learning, were worth the risk of getting burned.
#FireSafetyAndFlirtation #BonfireBanter #SmoreThanFriends #HeatingUp
18
#COMEHOME
MADDOX
The bonfire was winding down,families with small kids heading home first, leaving the adults to nurse their spiked ciders and debate whether Chief Kincaid and Alex Marian were going to murder each other or make out behind the equipment shed.
My money was on the latter, based on the heated looks they’d been exchanging all evening.
I watched Adrian pack up his gear, noting the easy way he moved now compared to his first day in Legacy. Less stilted, more natural. He’d stopped checking his appearance in his phone screen every five minutes but somehow managed to look more gorgeous than ever. The fire had left his cheeks flushed and his eyes bright, and when he caught me staring, his grin was huge.
“Good content tonight,” he said, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “Though I’m pretty sure the real story was whatever was happening between those two.” He jerked his head toward where Kincaid and Alex were still engaged in what looked like the world’s most sexually charged argument about… fire code violations?
“Legacy’s worst-kept secret,” I agreed, grabbing my thermos and the bag of leftover s’mores supplies Maya had insisted I bring home. “They’ve been circling each other like wolves for months.”
Adrian fell into step beside me as we headed toward the parking area. The snow had picked up, fat flakes drifting down to catch in his hair and on his shoulders. Without thinking, I reached over to brush them away, my fingers lingering longer than necessary against the soft wool of his coat.
“So,” I said, my voice coming out rougher than intended. “About that toothbrush…”
His eyebrows shot up. “Did you actually?—”
“No.” I hesitated. When his face fell, I quickly added, “Come home with me, Hayes. I mean, if you want. No pressure. Just…” I shrugged, trying for casual and probably failing. “I didn’t pack a toothbrush because I wanted to invite you to my place. Maya’s spending the night with Rosie again.”
The smile that spread across his face was worth every moment of terror at putting myself out there. “You know you can’t just leave if we’re at your place.”
Yeah. I’m very much aware.
“Shut up and get in the truck,” I muttered, fighting a grin of my own.
The ride back to town from the SERA campus went by quickly. Adrian asked a lot of questions about the Slingshot Emergency Rescue Academy and the people who worked there.
When I’d gotten held up at the Hernandezes’ photo shoot, Adrian had snagged a ride to the bonfire with one of the SERA instructors, and I could barely get a word in while he gushed about how nice the guy was.
“Foster Blake’s dating someone,” I warned. “Just so you know. A doctor. He was there, too. Blond guy, attractive. Was probably looking at Foster like the man invented cheese.”
I could feel the heat of Adrian’s stare on the side of my face. “Damn. And here I was hoping Foster could rail me later tonight.”
I glanced over at him in time to catch him rolling his eyes, but he was also grinning at me. “Why are you smiling?” I grumbled. “I was trying to be polite by letting you know he’s not available.”
“How’s it possible for you to deny you’re interested in me but also be possessive of me? It boggles my fucking mind. But even more mind-boggling is the fact that… I’m kinda here for it.”
My stomach tightened. “I’m interested in you,” I admitted gruffly.
His laughter rang out in the truck’s dim cab. “No shit, Maddie. Fuck. Sometimes I wonder if this would all be easier on you if I got you drunk first so you could stop overthinking. But that’s a little fucking creepy.”
When I pulled into the parking spot behind the store and turned to him, the laughter was still in his eyes, and his cheeks were still dusky from the time outside. “Don’t need to get drunk to want you.”
His smile softened. “Good to know. Maybe I’m the one who needs a little liquid courage. Gotta admit, I’m kind of expecting you’re going to boot me out in a couple of hours.”
Rather than giving him a promise I might not be able to keep, I hopped out of the truck and came around to take his hand. “C’mon, Hayes. I have all the liquid courage you need upstairs.”
“That sounded dirty,” he murmured, leaning in to bump my shoulder as we approached the back stairs. “But maybe I’m just keyed up enough to think everything sounds dirty right now.”
