Page 82 of Burn

And then I see him, because when he’s near, my body knows it.

His eyes are on mine as he leans into the wall with his shoulder. The other firefighters standing next to him look over their shoulder at me too.

A heat of embarrassment heats my skin. Why are they staring at me?

Because you’re wearing a bright red dress with a slit up the side and they’re firefighters. They like red.

I bite my lip when I see what he’s wearing. Christ Almighty, he’s wearing turnout gear. Black and yellow gear with a hat and gloves and oh. My. God. My panties are drenched.

I wonder if he keeps this gear at his apartment. I might need to come over later to try this out.

Motioning me forward with his hand, I willingly go, and the other firefighters near him walk away, like he has command over them just by a flick of his stare.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, standing before him.

His penetrating stare drags down my body. “Some lady fell in a fountain. Some bystanders thought she was drowning.” He nods around the lobby. “Do you manage this hotel too?”

“Oh, uh, no. I’m here for a dinner with Shaw Investments.”

He seems disinterested but smiles, adjusting the strap of whatever that tank thing on his back is.

I mimic the movement of his eyes made over me and look over him in his gear. I’m not disappointed. I’m insanely turned on. My stare moves from his black coat to his hands and what he’s holding. Memories of the spa return and I’m envisioning him spanking my ass with whatever that is.

As if he can read my thoughts, the fucker strokes the crowbar thing in his hand. “Like what you see?”

“I can’t resist a man in a uniform,” I tell him, licking my lips, shifting my weight to one foot to make the curve in my hips more apparent.

“I can’t resist a beautiful woman in a red dress.” His stare darts to my lips and I know he’s thinking the same thing.

I motion him forward with one finger. He willingly leans in closer, licking that bottom lip I bit yesterday as he was coming inside of me on a massage table. “I’ll let you in on a little secret. My panties are red too.”

“Let me see,” he demands, voice rough with need, his stare never wavering.

What the fuck is with this guy that I can’t resist him?

In a moment of weakness, I ask, “Do you have to go right away?”

No, Mila. Bad. Idea.

Oh, but look at him. This is a very good idea.

Caleb glances over his shoulder to the firefighters behind him, and they laugh, shaking their heads like they know what he’s about to do. Lifting his head, he nods down the hall. “I should, you know, check the building. See if there are any signs of smoke just to be on the safe side.”

I start walking. “I’ll show you around. I think I saw something down the hall.”

We’re in the men’s bathroom moments later and Caleb locks the door behind him. It’s a surprisingly clean bathroom too. I’m impressed. The Grand Hyatt knows how to roll.

I can’t think of what to say to him so I sit on the counter and spread my legs the best I can in this dress. Like hey, want some?

Not classy.

With his eyes on me, he makes his way over to me, unzipping his jacket and untucking his navy blue shirt from his pants. Working on the Velcro of the pants, he gets it undone, then the zipper, but doesn’t unfasten the pants he’s wearing underneath them.

Christ, he wears a lot of layers.

He goes to remove the helmet on his head with the number L10 on the front of it and below that “RYAN” in red letters.

I stop him. “No,” I say, smiling as I adjust myself and my dress on the counter. “Leave it on.”

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