Page 311 of Screwged for Christmas

Aspen’s lips curled up in a slow grin. “I was going to say you forgot about me.”

Ha. Not likely. “How do you mean?”

“The B&B, the countdown to your leaving Dixen. Your next big job…” He raised his hands and wiggled his fingers. “I have two hands and I’m told I’m pretty good at fixing things.”

She couldn’t be so lucky and unlucky all at once. Her Ivy Effect must be out of whack. Every time she got good news, something else in her life was bound to break. It happened like clockwork. So what was up? “Really? Are you offering to help? What about the firehouse?”

“I’ll still be on call, and they can radio me in if an emergency arises. We’re only ten minutes out, five with a siren.”

She considered his offer. The only thing keeping her from dancing around the room was she knew herself. Any extra time with Aspen would be disastrous for her no-men policy. Hadn’t she just proved that to herself? He was easy on the eyes, sure, but it went deeper than that. The more time she spent with him, the more old feelings rekindled and escaped the neat and tidy box she’d stored them in a long time ago.

“But, I’m not that easy.”

“Oh.”Figures. See. Ivy Effect.

“It’s true.” He pulled a chocolate-covered cherry from a container in the center of the table and popped it into his mouth as he offered her one. He made her want to shake him to continue, which of course fell right into his wicked plan, whatever that may be.

“You have to promise to one thing.”

Nope. She’d managed just fine on her own. She wouldn’t change her plan. No dates, no men, no way. The minute hand slid into place on the large clock over the kitchen door. Already half past two.

She cringed. Time. She didn’t have nearly enough of it lately. She turned in her chair and leveled her gaze on his, her fingers playing with the fringes of her scarf. “Okay, Chief. I’m desperate and you know it. So out with it, what is it?”

“Chief, huh? Okay.” The dirtiest fucking grin she’d ever seen on a man had his lips pulled into a deep smile. “Mm… you blushing and anxious gives me ideas,” he purred. “Tell you what. That’s for me to know. For now.” He added the last little bit as if that explained everything.

That sly, playful grin of his was probably meant to soften her up and make her heart do funny things in her chest. Well, it did and it also had her core tightening and hot liquid spilling to wet the strip of silk between her thighs.

She narrowed her eyes, but it didn’t sway him into fessing up whatever devious plans he had in the works. Instead, he popped another chocolate cherry, that smug--gorgeous--but definitely smug look on his face never slipping.

She shook her head and caused a few strands of hair to snag on her scarf. The motion pulled a portion of hair loose from her braid. She ran her fingers along the edge of her empty plate. “I can’t decide if I want to play your game or not.”

“I can’t decide which is sexier. You biting your lip deciding or the blush along your cheeks because you already know your answer.”

She bit at the inside of her mouth trying to will the heat away, but no dice.

Ivy stilled her fingers. “Are you inviting yourself over to my house, Chief?” There was no hiding the spark of interest in his deep brown eyes. And she couldn’t hide it from herself how much it made her want to reach out and see if the same tingling feeling happened if she touched him again.

“My conditions for my help. Take it or leave it.” He shrugged and held up both hands in a draw then slowly reached between them and tucked the unruly locks behind her ear stopping to stroke a thumb over the plump bottom lip.

Torn between wanting to take him on his offer and the fear of not hitting her deadline pushed her over the last threshold. “Aspen Kennedy, you don’t play fair.”

He crossed his arms over his wide chest and the effect wasn’t lost on her the way the cotton of his shirt pulled across his broad shoulders. His choice of profession had definitely been good for his health. And good for the eyes.

She took in the cozy surroundings of the firehouse kitchen, thinking over his proposition.

“One condition. No dinner dates, no wine, candles or deliciously prepared meals on a table for two. Deal?” That ought to keep her out of trouble.

“That’s five.”

Ivy stared at him for a split second caught off guard. “Five what?”

“Conditions.” He took her outstretched hand before she could work up a sizable comeback to his teasing. Her hand slipped into his, warm callused in places and wholly comforting.

Why did she feel like that one simple move would be her downfall? Because now there was no turning back, she answered herself.

Aspen smiled that infuriating smile that had her wetting her panties with hot liquid every damn time. “You, baby, have a deal and an extra set of hands. By the way, I don’t need any of those things to get you naked and under me.”

Her brows furrowed.Fuck.

---