Page 28 of Burn With Me

“You must have eagle eyes because I can barely see what you’re talking about—it looks like a black dot and nothing more.” Ash glanced back at me. As he did, my brain misfired and went blank. He was like a computer virus to any logical thought, and when he was this close, the virus went crazy. The dreaded blue screen and spinning wheel were all that remained.

I jumped a little as his thumb touched my chin and rubbed back and forth.

“You had some soot on your face,” he said, his voice a harsh whisper.

All I could think about was grabbing him and kissing him so I’d finally know what he tasted like. The sparks firing between us, at least on my end, were like nothing I’d ever experienced. I bit my lip, and his eyes fixed on my mouth. Forcing myself, I took a step away, and the little bit of space allowed me to draw in a deep breath. He messed with all my normal brain functions. Even breathing became difficult.

“I’ve always had good eyesight.”

“Huh?” he said.

“The lens, the ability to see things others miss. It’s a gift. Never challenge me to one of those spot the difference games, you will lose.” I smiled wide as Ash laughed.

“You’re a bit of an odd one, Vi, but I like it.”

Shamefully, I couldn’t help the butterflies that took flight in my stomach. Someone other than Beck liked my quirkiness. That never happened.

“We need to figure out if that thing is functional. If so, where the feed leads to—with any luck, it will lead us to who set the fire.” I marched for the damaged apartment door.

“I’m not going to get breakfast, am I?” Asher asked as he followed me.

“It’s probably going to be more like brunch.” I shot him a grin over my shoulder. “But I’ll let you eat all you want then.” His eyes widened ever so slightly, but the intense look almost singed me to my core. “I…ah…I,” I stammered.

“Don’t worry Vi, I plan on eating everything that I want,” he said, the corner of his mouth pulling up in a cocky lopsided smile.

My throat worked at trying to swallow, but it was suddenly very dry. I had a feeling that he wasn’t talking about food anymore, and I was torn between running to my place and locking the door, and laying myself out naked for him like a buffet.

Violet

“Okay girl, time to spill the tea. How was the date?” Beck was amped up like she was on too much sugar. She was practically bouncing from one corner of the kitchen to the other as I made myself a coffee.

I was a morning person, but she was a morning person on crack. “It was more of a work date than a date-date, but it went fine,” I said, pouring the cream into my coffee.

“Fine? That’s it? That’s all I get?” I could feel her pouting behind me. I could almost feel the frown pressing into the middle of my back as she glared.

Turning, I leaned against the counter and stared at my best friend. “Girl, I don’t know what you want me to say. He is very hot, and I do mean sprinklers go off when he walks by kind of hot. But it was mostly a work dinner. That is how I got him to agree to go out, remember? We literally got called to a burning car fire.”

There was a lot I was leaving out, but if I even hinted that things had been as interesting as they’d been, then Beck would be planning the wedding and sending out invitations.

She gave me a look like she didn’t believe the bullshit I was spewing, so I quickly grabbed my toast and perched myself on one of the island chairs. “So that means you have no interest in seeing him again? The two of you didn’t make any other plans?

“We didn’t make any other plans, but if he asked…I’d say yes,” I said and then braced myself.

Beck squealed loud enough that I was sure all the dogs in the neighborhood just cocked their heads. She wrapped me up in a giant hug, squeezing the life out of me. My phone ringing was the only thing that saved me from complete suffocation. I had to wave at her to quiet down as I picked up my phone and saw that it was Asher’s number.

“Oh. My. God! Answer it!”

There were moments in life when you couldn’t stop your muscles from doing whatever they wanted, and the ones in my cheeks were doing that right now. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.

“Hello, Fire Inspector Clarke speaking,” I said, trying for calm, cool, and collected even though my heart was hammering inside my chest.

“Well, hello there, Fire Inspector Clarke,” Asher drawled.

His voice sounded like it had been dipped in honey. I needed to step away from Beck, whose energy was making me more nervous. She followed me to my bedroom, but I made a face at her and closed the door.

“This is Fire Captain West calling.”

“Hey, how’s it going,” I asked and then covered my face, I felt so stupid.