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Now it was his turn to give her an annoyed look. Cute ass and sexy underwear aside, she was being totally rude right now. “Because I’ve applied to the Sweetbriar Fire Department,” he said with a little more snap than was considered polite.
“You’re a firefighter? That’s very cool,” Chloe said, and he could tell she was trying to defuse the situation. “How long have you been doing that?”
“Since I was fourteen.”
“Seriously?” Ashlynn asked with heavy sarcasm. “You were a fireman at fourteen?”
Ashlynn was still staring at him and he was staring right back. “Actually, I joined the Junior Fire Fighters Program at fourteen, and I’ve officially been part of a squad since I was eighteen,” he replied. “I’m working my way up the ranks, and with the expansion to the squad going on here, I figured I’d apply.”
“Why would you want to come back to a small town where nothing ever happens when you could stay in a big city? Wouldn’t you be able to climb the ranks faster there?” Ashlynn asked. “Old Bob Banks has been the head of the fire squad here since we were all in elementary school. No one’s moved up the ranks here. They just move away.”
He shrugged, once again refusing to be deterred. “I think he may be getting ready to retire. Not that I think I’m going to get his position, but I still think this could be a great move for my career.”
They both grew quiet and apparently stuck in a glaring contest that had neither of them willing to look away.
“Um…I see Katie Ballard over there. I’ll talk to you both later,” Chloe said quietly before slipping away.
Reid’s eyes were starting to hurt, and he totally looked away first. “God, are you always this stubborn?”
“Me? How was I being stubborn? You were the one staring at me!”
“Only because you were staring at me first!” he countered. “Jeez. What is your problem?”
Her chocolate brown eyes went wide. “Seriously? You stood out there and laughed in my face while talking about my underwear.” And yeah, her teeth were clenched pretty tight. “It was completely insulting, Reid.”
Sadly, she had a point.
“Okay, fair enough. I’m sorry. I never should have laughed, but you have to admit…it’s kind of funny how the last time we talked to each other and then tonight sort of…you know…it was similar. Like a pair of bookends, but with…um…”
She leaned in close. “Think very carefully about your next words,” she warned. “Because if you’re about to call my ass a pair of bookends, I swear I will…I will…” With a huff, she took a step back. “Just…go away, alright? Find someone else to talk to!” And with that, she walked away in a flurry of hot pink and rhinestones and that flirty skirt that was swishing from side to side as she walked.
And he knew what she had on underneath, and that was just wreaking havoc on him.
I need to find someone else to talk to. Fast.
For the rest of the night, it was a little like a game of cat and mouse. Or maybe an elaborate game of chess. Either way, Reid was enjoying himself just watching Ashlynn’s reaction to him every time he walked into a room or maybe got too close. Fortunately, no one else seemed to notice. Well, maybe her sister, but everyone else was completely oblivious.
When it was near midnight and half the guests had gone, he finally caught up with Leo again. “You ready to go or are you staying to help with stuff around here?” he asked, since it was Leo’s apartment he was going back to.
“I’m probably going to stay for a while. You have the spare key, right? So go on without me and I’ll see you in the morning.”
That was more than okay with him. It had been a long day and he was kind of beat. All he needed was his coat and…
Crap.
“Um…do you know where the coats are?” he asked Leo.
“There’s a guy by the door who was handling them.”
“Thanks.”
But when he asked the guy at the door, he went to the closet where all the coats had been checked and his wasn’t there. He knew Ashlynn was still here and now he had no choice but to talk to her and ask where she put his coat earlier. She must have noticed what he was doing because suddenly she was walking his way with a smile that could only be described as devious.
“Are you leaving?” she asked sweetly. “Heading back to Roanoke tonight?”
Sliding his hands into his pockets, he nodded. “I’m staying at Leo’s and heading home tomorrow night.”
“Good for you.”
