Page 40 of Heat Exchange
He grinned. “Definitely.”
She took a second to make sure she had everything, including her keys and her phone. “I guess I’ll see you around, then.”
“I just realized I don’t even know how you got here. Did you walk? You can’t walk home alone.” Before she could respond to that, he lifted a hand. “Don’t yell at me. I know youcanwalk home alone. But just because you’re capable of doing it doesn’t mean I won’t worry about you, so I’ll walk you home. I’ll even put on pants.”
“And they say chivalry is dead.” When she got to the door, she shoved her feet into her sneakers. “I appreciate the gesture, but I drove. I can get home okay.”
“Text me when you get inside.”
He pulled her in for one last kiss and she almost surrendered to the urge to stay. She could be naked again and back in his bed in about thirty seconds. But she forced herself to take a step back when the kiss ended.
“Good night, Aidan.”
“‘Night. Don’t forget to text me.”
She wasn’t surprised when he watched her get into the car from his window, and it wasn’t until she was on the road and about to turn that she saw the curtain drop back into place. It was sweet, she thought, and as soon as she was in Ashley’s house and had locked the door behind her, she pulled out her phone.
I’m home.
The response came almost instantly, as if he’d timed it and was waiting for the text.
Iwish you were still here.Good night.
Me,too.Good night.
She probably shouldn’t have admitted that, but she was still feeling that post-orgasm glow. After making sure Ashley had locked the back door before she went up to bed, Lydia crept up the stairs and into her bedroom, wincing when she stepped on a floorboard that squeaked. She’d have to remember that one for next time she had to sneak in to avoid questions from her older sister.
Somehow she got the feeling there would definitely be a next time.
Chapter Ten
ATTENTHENEXTMORNING, Aidan leaned against the counter in the kitchen area, drinking coffee and trying to stay out of everybody’s way. He was in his dress uniform that thankfully he always kept clean, pressed and ready to go since he’d been too busy last night to worry about creases in his pants or the shine on his shoes.
The memory of why he’d been late made him grin again and, dammit, he needed to stop doing that. Walking around all day with a goofy look on his face would attract attention and then questions, and he was determined not to dig his hole any deeper.
And that was why he was hiding in the kitchen. There were too many guys in the station who could pick up on his new and improved mood, and Aidan hoped like hell that Scott and Danny showed up soon. Gullotti and Porter were already there, hanging out down in the bays. The five of them were going to represent the firehouse at a promotion ceremony and, since they’d all ride together, they were meeting here. Since E-59 and L-37’s second crews were doing the day tour, there were too many people and they were tripping over each other downstairs.
When Scotty walked in, also in his dress uniform and carrying a bag from the market down the street, Aidan straightened his expression out and lifted a hand in greeting. “Good morning.”
When his friend did a little bit of a double take, he wondered how he’d managed to screw that up. All he’d said was two words. “Good morning?”
“It’s a general greeting often used by two people the first time they see each other on any given day if it’s before noon.”
“Usually you say ‘hey.’” Scotty set the shopping bag on the counter and pulled out two smaller bags of green grapes.
“I got up early today, so I’ve already had enough coffee to muster two words instead of one.” He drained the last of his coffee as if to prove his point.
“No, you’re definitely in a good mood today.” Scott stared at him for a few seconds before opening the fridge and put the grapes in the fruit drawer. “Did you finally tell your old man to pound sand?”
“Uh...” Aidan had no idea what to say to that, since he couldn’t explain the reason for his good mood but also didn’t want to say he’d booted his old man out of his life because that lie would easily come around and bite him in the ass.
Another guy walked into the kitchen and saw the open fridge. “Hey, are those grapes?”
“Those aremygrapes,” Scotty said.
“Sharing is caring, Kincaid.”
Worrying about his grapes served as a good distraction for Scott, though, and Aidan took the opportunity to wash out his coffee mug without answering the question about his dad. He was just finishing up when Walsh walked in, looking a little tense.
