Page 26 of Burn

Oh damn. All right, I can do this. I stare at the fry with the thick chocolate ice cream on the end and then back to Caleb.

Leaning in, I attempt to be somewhat sexy about sucking the ice cream off the fry.

And you know what? By his rapt attention to my lips, it works. His eyes dart to my lips, a smirk present. It’s not predatory or anything. It’s amusement. Again. Apparently I’m entertaining to him.

I keep doing it like it’s some kind of game to me, because it is.

When I don’t eat the fry and only suck the ice cream off, he throws the fry at me and laughs lightly taking his own and dips it in the chocolate and eats it.

Reaching in his basket for his burger, his intense eyes are on his food when he leans forward and says, “You know, I can think of better things for you to suck on than french fries.”

I snort. Cute. “We’ll have to see about that.” I pick my burger up and take a lady-like bite. Quickly I realize it’s too fucking good to eat politely. This is a burger you have to eat and enjoy and let everything slide down your chin and fingers.

Never would I have thought bacon, onions, and apples would have tasted so good. I eat half of it within a minute.

Taking a paper towel next to me and knowing I probably need four of them, I wipe my mouth and chin off after setting my burger down. “So . . . you’re a firefighter?”

He nods, chewing slowly. He’s nearly finished with his.

“Here in Seattle?”

Another nod. Jesus. He’s hard to have a conversation with. But then again, he’s got a mouth full of food, and I do appreciate is manners and not talking with his mouth full.

“I bet you see a lot of crazy shit in this city.”

This time he laughs once and straightens his posture. Finishing his burger with one last bite, he then reaches for a paper towel and covers his mouth as he says, “Yeah, we see all kinds of shit.” Finishing chewing, he goes on to tell me, “We rescued a drunk guy this morning with his car suspended thirty some feet in the telephone lines.”

I’m impressed he’s telling me about his job and the fact that someone’s car made it that high. “We’re they filmingDukes of Hazard? That’s not possible, is it?”

His eyebrows raise. “You’d be surprised how easily that can happen.”

Crossing my legs, I become engrossed in the conversation with him, despite not being able to hear him over the music. “How does it? I need a visual here.”

“Well—” He leans in so I can hear him better and I want to cover my mouth so he can’t smell my onion breath. Instead, I smile because he’s just so fucking pretty I can’t help it. “He says he misjudged the nonexistent corner and jumped the curb. His front tire caught the wire and that’s really all it takes.”

With his elbows on the table, he looks down between us, and I take another french fry.

Immediately his rapt attention returns to my lips. “What’d you think of your burger?” he asks, smirking as he brings the bottle of water to his mouth.

“Amazing, as you said it would be.” Dipping the fry in the ice cream, this time I suck it off again just so I can see his jaw tighten and his grip on the water bottle in his hand change.

And it does, just as I hoped it would.

There’s a kid beside us, he’s been talking the entire time, and frankly, he’s annoying as shit.

Knowing Caleb was just in a bar fight now more than two hours ago, how do you think he’s going to react when said kid bumps him from behind for like the third time?

Not well.

Caleb turns to look at him, no doubt slinging a deadly glare his way, but I can’t tell from where I’m sitting. “Jesus Christ, shut the fuck up!” he yells, gaining the attention of everyone in the loft area.

The kid, the talkative one licking ketchup from his shirt, stares wide-eyed at Caleb and mumbles, “Okay.”

I don’t know whether to run away from this guy or hump his leg again.

Exhaling a long breath, Caleb turns back around and screws the cap back on the water bottle with his thumb.

I don’t say a word until he smiles with the ability to send sparks coursing through my blood stream and makes me immobilized all at the same time. I won’t be able to run away from him.

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