Page 24 of Instant Heat
Her smile was even brighter than the sun filtering in through the curtains."You sound surprised."
"Pleasantly so. Especially since I woke up to a cold bed last time." I reached forward and wrapped a strand of her hair around me finger."What time do you have to be at work?"
"About that." The slightest blush stole her cheeks."I'm not going in today." When the only response I gave her was a raised eyebrow, she added,"I thought what I'd told you was too much, so my brain conjured up the best way to make a quick exit."
With a chuckle, I shook me head."I'm going to have to keep me eye on you." Not being able to resist, I dropped a quick kiss to her lips before I slipped from the bed. I felt her eyes on me when I reached into the cupboard to grab a t-shirt.
"Come on," I said as I tossed her the shirt."We need to put back all the calories you burned." Rae picked up the material but made no move to put it on."Something wrong?"
She ran her fingers over the badge printed on the cotton before casting a confused gaze me way."You're the new lieutenant at Sixty-Three." It wasn't a question, rather a statement. One she didn't seem very happy about too.
"What? Do you have something against firefighters?"
Rae shook her head before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear."I don't, but I think things just got a little more complicated."
"Complicated?"
Her gaze stayed on me as the words fell from her lips."Thatcher Brooks is my brother."
It would have been more believable if she'd told me that the sun had fallen from the sky. There was no way me sinfully sweet Rae was related to thatfeishí.
I walked back to the bed."So, your brother and I don't see eye to eye. It will make for some awkward moments. It doesn't make me less interested in you." It occurred to me then that this could be a deal breaker for her. After all, family should always be most important.
"He really doesn't like you. If he knew you were the guy I'm seeing, he'd lose it." Rae reached for me hand and pulled me down next to her."Good thing I know how to handle Thatch." The smile on her lips did funny things to me heart."All I ask, let me be the one to tell him."
I looked down at our connected hands before I lifted her fingers to press a kiss to them."I'm not the kiss-and-tell type." Before all rational thoughts drowned in her beauty, I pushed to me feet."Now come on." I tugged on her arm."You need food."
"Aaah, and here I was thinking a girl could survive on sex and kisses alone." Rae playfully batted her lashes at me.
"Woman, if that were the case, I'd have you chained to the bed."
She rolled her eyes in a very dramatic fashion and mumbled,"Promises, promises."
I pounced so fast, she didn't even see me coming. Gripping her wrists in me hands, I held them above her head."I didn't quite catch what you said." She tried to wiggle her hips, but I had her in a vice grip.
"I said—" Just as she began to speak, I lowered me head and rubbed me whiskers against her neck. I knew from all ourcrazy monkey sex—as Rae had so eloquently put it—it was a tender spot for her."Wait, no!" she squealed.
Her attempt to break free only spurred me on. It didn't take long until her laughter echoed through the room. It also didn't take long for me to realize how much I loved the sound of it.
"Stop," she begged right before another bout of laughter overtook her."Please!"
Taking pity on her, I lifted me head. The carefree look on her face hit me right in the center of me chest. Okay, maybe a little to the left."You ready to have breakfast now?"
"Yes!"
With a chuckle, I pushed off the bed and waited for her to slip me shirt over her head. She almost drowned in it, but somehow still managed to look sexy as hell. We were in the kitchen a few moments later, working side by side like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Rae prepared the toast while I scrambled some eggs and mashed a few avocados.
"Tell me about your family?" she asked quietly.
When the avocado reached the perfect consistency—smooth and creamy—I placed the bowl on the counter next to the toaster. I couldn't resist pressing me lips to her forehead before I walked back to the stove to check on the eggs. I pulled the pan off the heat and turned to face her. Crossing me arms in front of me, I started,"Well, we're an odd bunch. Me da used to be a firefighter and me ma is a sheep farmer."
Rae's eyes went big with amazement."A sheep farmer?"
"Aye, she inherited the farm from herdaideó.I've never seen a woman work as hard as she does." Warmth seeped into me heart just thinking about me family. The decision to move away from them was one of the hardest I'd made, not that it'd been mine to make.
"Any siblings?" There was a small smile playing on her lips while she plied the toast with creamy avocado.
