Page 5 of Avery's Hero

The smooth porcelain contour of her cheeks begins to turn pink again.

Leaning forward, I hold her gaze. “You don’t have to be shy about being brilliant. You’re exactly what this department needs. With you and the other new team members that I’m recruiting, we’ll make the Lynn’s Cove Fire Departmentthe best it can be. We’ll be here to take care of this community.”

She winces and glances away, her lashes fluttering to her cheeks. “That’s all great. I just didn’t expect to be working for you.”

“It is what it is.”

Even though I sound convincing in my words, I still can’t believe Avery Ellis is sitting in my office on day one of her new job. Working for me!

Holy Hell, talk about cruel tricks of the universe.

I glance out the window. Fuck me ten ways to Sunday. She really is as pretty as I remember. Even if she’s hiding all those dangerous curves under a plain navy blue T-shirt and bulky cargo pants.

But I know.

Her tits are perfect when they press against me. Her waist is gently curved and fits my palm perfectly. Her skin is soft as a cloud and smells like a dream.

I’m so in trouble here.

When something is in my sights that I want, I don’t stop until I get it. Regardless of the carnage to follow.

There’s an edge to her voice when she asks, “Are you really going to be able to do this, or are you going to fire me over what happened?”

Part of me does want to fire her. But only because now that I’ve seen her again, I know for certain that I want to claim her as mine.

Under my heated observation, she starts to tense, she swallows hard as her eyes shine. “I really need this job. I left my other one, moved out of my apartment. I even have all of my belongings in my truck. You say this is fine, but your expression looks like you just inherited a tickingtime bomb.”

“Pretty much,” I agree and quickly follow with, “The job, that is. Not you. Taking over for Pendergrass blindsided me. He was here working one day and done the next. Fucking strokes, I hate them. At least, he’s making headway toward a partial recovery.” I scrub my hand through my hair. “Sorry, but you’ll realize I curse a lot.”

“Forgiven. I’m used to it,” Her voice is quiet as she glances at her twisting hands, then takes a big breath. After straightening her spine, she says, “So, about that night…”

My throat tightens. It’s one of my most unpleasant memories ever, but I’ve accepted it for what it is. Rejection. “We don’t have to talk about this.”

“It would make me feel better.”

I push up from my chair and head back to the dorm fridge for another water. She catches the one I toss to her. “I’m not sure this will makemefeel better.”

“But maybe if you understood why I left?—”

When she doesn’t finish, I do. “You left because you weren’t interested in me.”

Color rises higher on her cheeks, she blows out a breath that stirs her hair. “No. That’s not why. You’re wrong.”

The bottle in my hand makes a crunching sound when I squeeze the fuck out of it. For three-hundred-sixty-nine days, I’ve wanted to hear this woman say that. But right now, it’s the last fucking thing I want to hear from her pretty lips.

Her eyes, those luminous, ocean blue beauties, sear into me.

When she starts to speak, I hold up a finger and shake my head. Avery Ellis will make me crazy. I know this with complete certainty. Repairing this thing that happened is a VERY bad idea. The more she wants to stay away from me, the better. “Let’s just leave it at that.”

She rises quickly and moves behind her chair, putting some space between us. It’s a good thing. There’s enough electric charge in this room to cause an explosion.

Her lips press flat before she goes on. “I guess it is better anyway, since we can’t go out again, given that you're my boss.”

Silence drops between us like a falling ax. The air conditioner gurgles and hums. Sweat trickles out of my hair, down my temples. Not because I ran eight miles. Being in the same room with the first woman I wanted in years—the one who split on a date—is like sitting on burning coals.

Snapping like an alligator, I agree. “Yep. You’re right.”

I will not think about that kiss. I will. Not. Fucking. Think. About. That. Kiss.

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