Page 22 of Burning For You

Something she’d craved for years and just never got. Part of putting it all behind her, maybe.

Or maybe Sean understood she only wanted it back then when it was just the two of them alone.

Could be she hoped that he’d be that big brother who would step up and say he’d be there for her. That he’d watch out and protect her.

She didn’t get any of that until she’d moved into Jim and Carrie’s house.

Then she learned what it was really like to have older brothers.

To have boys in her life act like men.

His eyes were still looking her over. Like there was so much he wanted to say but wasn’t sure he should.

“Are you single?” Sean asked.

“I am. You?”

“I’ve got a girlfriend. She’s got a kid.”

“That’s nice. What’s her name? How long have you been together?”

Sean’s lips twisted some, he bit his tongue, then asked, “Do you really care?”

“If I didn’t, I’d just get in my car and drive away. You know, like you did to me years ago.”

There was more hesitation there, then finally he said, “If you want to talk, we can get some food.”

She wasn’t going to turn it down.

“I need to put my groceries away. Can we meet somewhere?”

“Yeah, sure.” He turned his head. “How about Fire Mission around the corner?”

She didn’t know where that was, but would look it up quickly. “Sounds good.” She looked at her watch. It was three. “Can we meet there in thirty minutes? I don’t live that far away and it won’t take long.”

“I’ve got a few errands. I’ll see you there.”

She hopped back in her car and took off, raced up the stairs to her apartment, put her food away in record time, pulled up the name of the place Sean told her and saw it was a taproom. Figures.

Didn’t matter though. It was about connecting with her past, not getting a beer.

Maybe he’d remember something about that night.

She parked at Fire Mission Smokehouse & Taproom and waited for Sean to return.

After ten minutes, she was positive he was going to blow her off. It’d be nothing new for him to do that.

And it wasn’t as if she had his number to reach out and see what was holding him up.

Just when she was getting ready to leave, his motorcycle pulled in and she caught herself smiling.

She got out, walked toward him and waited while his helmet was hung on the back.

“I didn’t think you were going to show.”

“I almost didn’t.”

Her heart sank. She didn’t know why.