Page 21 of Faking It with the Firefighter

I pulledup the driveway at Abigail’s and looked up at the house. Home sweet home. At least for the rest of the week. In the passenger seat, my duffel bag sat like a slug, like it didn’t want to move from its place because going inside the house meant this was really happening.

Sure, my brother was marrying my ex-girlfriend. That didn’t bother me as much as people probably thought; they were better for each other, anyway. I’d grown up making sure Donny had everything he needed, and this was no different. It feltgoodto be that guy, to take care of everyone around me. I liked going out of my way to help people. So no, it wasn’t weird to be doing a favor for my brother and his wife-to-be.

What felt weird was playing house with Abigail Stone.

Weird. But not bad.

Knowing Donny and Blair, there would be a thousand metaphorical fires to put out over the course of their wedding weekend. Calm, they were not. I’d have to step up, and I’d do itbecause that’s the role that was required of me. But Abigail wouldn’t need that from me. She wouldn’t need anything from me, other than for me to keep my mouth shut about her night in jail.

It was refreshing to be around her and not feel like I’d be called into action at any moment. Being with Abigail felt like I could take a heavy weight off my shoulders and just…be.

I still hadn’t figured out what I was going to tell Gabe, and I could feel the sticky strands of my web of lies starting to cling to me.

I could tell him the truth, that Abigail was doing me a favor, and it was all fake. Whichwasthe truth. Wasn’t it? If I nursed an attraction for my best friend’s little sister, that was nobody’s business but my own.

I grabbed the duffel, feeling its weight as I tugged the handle. More resistance. Donny and Blair would be arriving soon, and then the four of us would be living together in Abigail’s house. My duffel resisted again. Maybe I shouldn’t have dragged Abigail into this. It was already spiraling into something so much more than a date to my brother’s wedding.

Now we were going to be sharing a bed.

Shit. It was too late to call it off, and besides, Donny needed me.

Finally, I lifted my duffel off the seat, got out of the car, and started my approach. I knocked on Abigail’s door.

“Who is it?” she called from behind it.

“It’s your get-out-of-jail-free card,” I teased.

“Sorry, try again.”

“Your, uh, boyfriend?” I tried, tripping over the word. She probably hated the sound of it, and I… I didn’t know how I felt.

“I’ll open for ‘eternally indebted supplicant,’” she replied from behind the door. I could almost hear the raised eyebrow and glittering, attitude-filled look she was giving me.

“Eternally indebted?” I repeated, my lips twitching. “That escalated quickly.”

She opened the door, her big brown eyes and bright, playful smile greeting me after a long day. I could get used to that sight, I thought, then mentally smacked myself.

Fake. Gabe’s kid sister. Completely off-limits.

She breathed out a sigh. “I just like the sound of you owing me one now.”

“Mmhmm,” I murmured, thinking maybe I should have gloated less about the whole favor exchange. Then again, I didn’t mind the coy light in her eyes, or the way her ponytail swung back and forth as she danced out of the way to let me in. She wore loose jeans low on her hips and a tight white tee, and I was once again reminded of just how much she’d grown up. All curves and hollows and sweet-scented hair.

Hisssssssht!

A venomous hiss flung at me from the other side of the room. I flinched. What the hell was that?

Abigail made a sharp turn, and her ponytail whipped across the back of her head. “Winston,” she said in a gentle scolding tone. “C’mere, kitty.”

Kitty? I glanced up ahead and watched as a full-grown black and white cat prowled into the room, his eyes on me like I was his prey. She scooped him up in her arms and lightly scratched the side of his face, and he seemed to melt at her touch. “Winston, meet Rex. Rex, this is Winston. He’s going to be staying with us for a while.”

“When did you get a cat?” I asked.

“He’s a new addition to the household, and he’s the best kitty in the world.” She pecked him with a kiss, hearts dancing in her eyes. I gave Winston another look. Upon closer inspection, he was pretty cute. I reached up to pat his head, and he let out a long groan as if to say,Don’t even think about it, pal!

I backed off.

Abigail set him back down and he turned with his tail straight in the air like he was purposely flashing his butt at me, and he walked away.

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