Page 8 of Avery's Hero

Which might not be a problem if I die from this kiss.

With a rough intake of breath, he breaks away so fast my eyes fly open. Our chests are like pistons in a runaway race car. His dark green eyes are as wild as mine feel.

“Shit,” he growls as he shoves his hand in his hair. “I was out of line.”

I shake myself free of his grasp. Inside, I’m an earthquake. I’m so rattled that I can’t speak. My throat is spasming as reality sets in—This can never happen again.

All those months ago, I’d been terrified to go ona blind date. It felt so reckless. But thanks to an insistent gal pal, I somehow wound up the next night at the Seafarer Grill.

It was supposed to be easy. We had things in common. Firefighting. Running. An affinity for living near the ocean.

I talked myself into taking a chance on meeting Brock. It was just one measly date. And I wasn’t ready for anything more. So, I’d go and break my dateless spell just to make Melissa happy.

Dating was easy for her, but one too many bad guys had crossed my path.

Just one date. It was my mantra the whole day. One date wasn’t getting involved. We’d just have an appetizer and a drink. Or so I reasoned with myself the whole drive to meet him.

Only nothing about that night was measly. Just like nothing about Brock is measly if the feel of that ridge against his thigh means something.

I’m completely certain that nothing about him is forgettable.

Brock is one of those men that makes gravity buckle…

I fell hard for his hungry gaze—right into his arms.

It was just a moment of weakness. At least, that’s how I rationalized my way back to sanity.

That night when our chat turned intimate and he backed me up against the railing on the restaurant patio, he kissed every last brain cell out of my head.

What I didn’t expect was to have a full blown panic attack in the bathroom mere seconds later.

The memory of that awful, terrified feeling is seared into my heart. A girl is never the same after something like that. Especially me.

My mind snaps back to reality, the memory vanishing in a poof. My eyes try to refocus as I follow his pacing. Hisrunning shoes squawk on the tile at every turn. “Fuck, Ellis, I won’t let it happen again. I mean it.”

“G-good,” I stutter as I straighten my shirt and look anywhere but at his eyes.

He slams his hands on his desk and drops his head muttering about his lack of control. When he raises his eyes to me, they’re like two glinting emeralds. Hard and full of resolve. “We won’t have any reason to work alone together. I’ll make sure someone else is around at all times.”

“Fine. Sure. Whatever,” I rasp out as my throat gets tighter and tighter.

I need to get away from here. My heart is way beyond its speed limit. My hands are clammy. The world looks funny—wavy and narrow, like I’m looking through water in the bottom of a glass.

No.No!This is not happening again.

Barely able to speak, I plead, “Where’s the ladies’ room?”

“Turn left. Third door on the left.”

I jerk open the office door and sprint out, not sure how I’m on my feet and moving when my lungs won’t allow in even a tiny sip of air.

Thank god there’s no one in the bathroom. I hurl myself onto the floor of one of the stalls, praying that no one finds out that I’m out of control. No one can know that I’m a ticking time bomb.

My career will be done.

All because of him.

I’m still gasping when the door of the bathroom slaps the wall. “Avery?”

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