Page 17 of Light My Fire Three Times
“Just getting started,” I say, flashing a grin that’s half charming, half irreverent. I lean on the edge of their table, my eyes landing on the woman beside Ivy.
“And this must be…?” I let the question trail off, my gaze landing on her.
She looks at me with those bright eyes, and I can feel that little electric buzz between us.
It’s not just the way she looks; it’s the way she carries herself. She’s got this quiet confidence that you don’t see often. It draws me in, and I find myself wanting to know more about her.
“I'm Karl,” I say, offering my hand. “Karl Madden. Firefighter, occasional troublemaker. And you are…?”
She smiles, a little hesitant at first, but it’s that smile that tugs at something in me.
“Olivia Quinn,” she says. “Nice to meet you.”
I take her hand, and when she shakes mine, it’s warm and confident. No nonsense. I hold her gaze for a beat longer than I should, trying to figure out if there’s more to this than just the surface.
“Olivia Quinn,” I repeat, letting the name settle on my tongue. “Well, Olivia, welcome to Coyote Glen. You here for a long time, or a good time?”
She raises an eyebrow, a playful glint in her eye. “A couple of weeks. Then I’m back on the road.”
I chuckle, leaning in just slightly. “So, agoodtime then.”
She looks at me with a faint smile, clearly amused but not giving in just yet. I like that. She’s not handing me anything, and I respect that.
“Well, I guess I’ll be the judge of that,” she says, tilting her head just slightly, sizing me up.
Something in the way she says it, confident yet casual, tells me that she’s not easily impressed. And that’s… well, it’s a little refreshing.
“I’m sure you will be,” I reply smoothly. “But, just so you know, I’m a great guide around here. If you need some help finding your way…”
She glances at me, her eyes narrowing just slightly, and I can tell she’s intrigued. “I think I can find my way around fine.”
I grin. “Fair enough. But so that you know, the offer still stands.”
The conversation lingers between us, but I can't stop watching her.
Her lips curve slightly as she talks, her eyes sparkling in the light of the bar, and every time she glances at me, I feel something in my chest I can’t quite name…
We’re a good few hours and six drinks in when Ivy gets a phone call and has to leave to get back to her triplets. I think Olivia was originally planning to go with her, but something has her sticking around.
I hope that something is me. I mean, we’ve been chatting to lots of people, but me, Olivia, and Ivy haven’t been apart. I’m pretty sure that means something.
There must be a magnet between us or something.
I freaking love it. The air in the bar shifts with Ivy’s departure, leaving just the two of us in a space that feels oddly intimate, despite the crowd still swarming around us.
I lean back in my chair, trying to play it cool, but it’s hard when every part of me is pulled toward her. She doesn’t evenknowthe effect she has on me.
She’s no damsel, that’s for sure. But damn, there’s a softness about her that’s hard to ignore.
I give her a small smile, pretending not to be affected by herat all.
“Looks like it’s just you and me now,” I say, a little more seriously.
She raises an eyebrow, her gaze locking on mine. “Is that so?”
The tone in her voice sends a thrill through me, making the space between us feel smaller. I amdrawnto her in a way I haven’t felt in a very long time. Maybe not ever.
I take a sip of my drink, holding her gaze the entire time. “I guess so. But that means we have more time to… get to know each other.”
