Page 43 of Burn

AFTER MY MORNING department heads meeting, Izzy finds me in my office on my laptop replying to e-mails.

Izzy’s one of our massage therapists in the spa, and I love her and her tiny heart to pieces. I don’t mean tiny heart as in she’s a bitch, I mean she’s actually just a tiny person. She’s one of those people where you’re sure everyone in their family is miniature. I met her mother once though, and she’s normal height, so I’m not sure what went on with little Izzy Bizzy.

At barely five foot one, you wouldn’t believe she’s dating a six-foot-five hockey player in Vancouver, but she is. Crazy, right? Scarlet and I give her shit about it all the time.

Izzy’s dating Zane Hackett—or Gigantor as we call him, but never ever to her face—who plays for the Vancouver Canucks. They met at this hotel actually, and he couldn’t forget her hands. It’s the oddest combination if you ask me. I can’t imagine how awkward their sex life is.

When they’re in the missionary position, is her face at his nipples? The logistics of it baffles me. I bet she doesn’t have to bend over to give him head. She can probably do it standing up which I’m kind of jealous of.

“Hey, Izzy Bizzy,” I say, typing an e-mail to the department heads about Shade’s arrival tomorrow and warning them that under no circumstances is he allowed a key to the pool after hours. Been there. Done that. We had to drain the fucking thing after he left because somehow, he and his delinquent brothers glued jewels to the tiles in the shape of a big lifelike vagina. Crazy talented if you ask me but imagine standing on the diving board in the deep end, and your view is a jeweled vagina and it’s like your diving into it.

While I can see the appeal for men, I personally think vaginas are ugly so it had to be removed . . . and before my dad found out about it because guess who gave Shade the key to the pool at two in the morning?

Me. Just wait. Shade is one convincing guy. You’ll see.

“Morning,” she grumbles and sits across from me, adjusting her yellow cardigan around her boney little shoulders.

My apprehensive eyes lift to hers. She’s upset. I try to recall anything I would have forgotten today and can’t think of anything. Surprisingly, the spa is one of the better departments and usually never runs into problems. Izzy and Christine work well together.

After sweeping her jet-black pixie-length hair from her eyes, she crosses her tiny arms over her chest and taps her foot. “So I ran into Scarlet this morning, and she told me she took you out the other night. I thought we agreed you weren’t going to do that anymore?”

Unfortunately, Izzy cannot only drop a grown-ass man to his knees with her wickedly talented baby hands, but she also knows me. The reminder of my lack of judgment the other night has my thoughts drifting to Caleb. Actually, every time I move today I keep thinking of him. It was like a good workout the other night and a reminder my sex life with Judah was seriously lacking if the firefighter was able to put my body in this condition after just one night.

Screw the vibrating tongue ring. Caleb didn’t need any of that. His cock was like a magical being with special orgasm inducing powers.

And she’s waiting for an answer. One I don’t want to give her because she’s right. I think at some point last year I agreed to something of that nature. Let’s be real, I wasn’t serious. No one ever is when they say they’re not going to drink and party anymore. Things change in a matter of hours.

And goddamn Scarlet for telling on me. She knows I’m scared of Izzy.

I should explain myself because she and her partially shaved head is waiting for an answer. I reach out and run my hand of the shaved part because I like the way the hair feels when it’s starting to grow back. It’s all soft and prickly. “You remember that one guy I was living with, right?”

“Ju—”

Leaning forward, I press my fingertips to her miniature lips. “Shh shh, don’t say his name. It’ll upset me. Anyway, we broke up the other night. I caught him fucking the neighbor, so I went to the bar with Scarlet.” I lay blame on Scarlet, as if this is all her fault and as far as I’m concerned, it totally is. “Well, she convinced me to sit on this firefighter’s lap and it went from there. I was too drunk so he fed me and then I had to repay him the favor.”

“Mila, this guy better not be like the whole Judah thing.”

Given my track record with men, she has a right to ask. “He’snota drummer.”

Her eyebrow arches but she drops her hands from her hips, so I think she might let me off the hook. “Is he in a band at all?”

“Not that I’m aware of. He’s a firefighter. At least he said he was.”

“He’s probably lying.”

“Maybe.”

I hope he wasn’t.

“I have a client,” she mumbles, glancing down at her phone.

She’s distracted. I think I’m off the hook.

“Do you have any openings today?” I roll my neck, the stiffness evident.

Shrugging, she clicks a few buttons on her phone. “I have one opening in an hour, why?”

“I couldreallyuse a massage today.”