Page 35 of Falling for Red
I nod, and the warmth in his eyes is making me melt. “I want you to bring me a copy of the department calendar too,” I add, because I really want to see what Jake’s photo looks like.
“Anything for you.” He squeezes my hand. “I don’t want to leave,” he whispers, pulling me in again, tighter. “I miss you already.”
I smile against his chest. “Red, you have some work to do.”
“Red?”
I smirk. “If you’re going to call me Sparky, then I’m calling you Red.”
“Because I’m a firefighter?”
“Because that’s what I’m going to call you,” I say playfully.
He chuckles, then cups my face, his thumbs brushing softly over my cheekbones. “Bye.” Another lingering kiss, then he steps back.
I watch as he opens the door and leaves, stifling the urge to call him for another kiss. Instead, I close the door, leaning against it for a second to relish in the day. My body still tingles from his touch. My face hurts from smiling.
I grab a bag of popcorn and toss it in the microwave, but my thoughts drift.
I’m falling for Red.Jake the firefighter. Captain America. The guy who kisses me like I’ve never been kissed. Who wants to explore my body for hours without needing to take more. Who holds me like he doesn’t want to let go.
The microwave beeps, shaking me from my thoughts. Popcorn in hand, I snuggle into the couch, queuing up the dating show, but my mind isn’t on it.
Who even cares who ends up together on this stupid show? I’m too focused on if I’m ready to end up with Jake Schmidt.
22
“What’s that skip in your step about?” my fire chief, Bill, asks from the new aluminum fireboat—courtesy of donations and the successful calendar fundraiser.
“I met a girl!” I yell, walking down the creaky wood pier, smiling at the old man as I approach in my department T-shirt, khakis, and steel-toed boots.
“Oh yeah?” he asks skeptically as I hop into the boat, nodding as I do.
“Sup, March?” I ask, fist bumping our newest and youngest firefighter, Olivia, who is also on firework duty.
She gives me a nod as Bill taps his fingers on his lips, looking deep in thought. “This girl is special?” he asks after a few moments.
“Very.”
“Tell her she can watch the fireworks from the boat as long as she can get here in the next fifteen minutes.”
My heart pounds with excitement. “Yeah?”
“Get calling.”
I pull out my phone and immediately dial Claire.Please pick up.
“You miss me already?” she teases, answering.
“Yes, and if you are not sick of me yet … want to watch the fireworks from the lake?” I ask, speaking fast because we are on a time crunch.
“I thought you were working,” she says, her pitch rising.
“I am, but my chief offered … you have to be here in less than fifteen minutes.”
“Um.”
There’s a beat of silence. “I know,” I exhale, thinking she’s going to reject this idea. “You can say no.”
