Page 3 of The Blaze Between Us

I watch as she bends to pick up her grocery bags, the movement accentuating her perfect bubbly ass in those hiking shorts. A jolt of desire shoots through me so intensely that I have to shift my stance, grateful that my jeans are loose enough to hide what's becoming an embarrassingly physical response.

This is insane. I'm forty-four years old, not some hormone-driven teenager. I've commanded emergency scenes and maintained calm in literal life-or-death situations.

"Do you need help with those?" I ask, nodding toward the grocery bags.

"That would be great, actually. The ice cream's probably half melted already."

I take two of the heavier bags and follow her inside, trying to keep my eyes fixed at a respectable level rather than on the gentle sway of her hips. The cabin is one of the town’s newer rentals—open floor plan, modern finishes, but with rustic touches that maintain the mountain town charm tourists expect.

"You can set those on the counter," she says, heading for the small kitchen area.

I place the bags down and take a step back, shoving my hands in my pockets.

"How are you liking Cedar Falls so far?" I ask, searching for neutral conversation.

"It's beautiful," she says, beginning to unpack groceries. "I can see why Ellie loves it so much. Though I haven't seen as much of her as I expected to."

There's a slight hint of disappointment in her voice that makes me frown.

"Grant," I say with understanding. "She's been pretty wrapped up in him lately."

"It's fine," Tasha says quickly. "I'm happy for her. He seems like a good guy."

"He is," I confirm. "My best friend and one of my best firefighters. Steady head in a crisis."

She nods, pulling out a pint of ice cream and checking its consistency with a gentle squeeze.

"This one's still salvageable." She glances up at me, and I'm caught off guard by the sudden hesitation in her expression. "Would you... would you like to stay and have some? I bought way too much for just me, and it seems like the least I can do after you came all the way out here."

The invitation completely catches me off guard. The responsible thing would be to politely decline. I should get back home, let her settle in, and maintain appropriate boundaries with my daughter's friend. That's what the Fire Chief of Cedar Falls, a respected community leader, would do.

Instead, I hear myself saying, "I'd like that."

Her face lights up, "Great! I got chocolate fudge brownie and strawberry cheesecake. Do you have a preference?"

"Chocolate," I say, watching as she reaches for bowls in the cabinet.

Her tank top rides up slightly with the movement, revealing a sliver of her lower back’s smooth skin. I force my gaze away.

"Good choice," she says, scooping generous portions for both of us. "Ellie mentioned you have a sweet tooth."

"Did she now?" I lean against the counter, curious about what else my daughter has shared about me. "What other state secrets has my daughter revealed?"

Tasha hands me a bowl, a playful smile on her lips. "That would be breaking the best friend code."

"So, accounting?" I manage. "That's what you studied, right?"

She nods, leading the way to the small dining table by the window.

"Numbers make sense to me. They're predictable, reliable." She sits, and I take the chair across from her, careful to leave appropriate distance between us. "Unlike people."

"I'll drink to that," I say, raising my ice cream bowl in a mock toast. "Though after twenty years in emergency services, I'd say both people and numbers can surprise you."

"Is that why you became a firefighter?" she asks, genuine curiosity in her eyes. "For the unpredictability?"

The question makes me pause, spoon halfway to my mouth. Most people assume it was for the heroics or the adrenaline. Few ask about the why.

"Partly," I admit. "But mostly it was about being useful. Helping people on what might be the worst day of their lives."

---