Page 87 of Slow Burn

Elijah whipped out his phone and called Nash, who answered instantly.

“Would you ever pull a fire alarm for a woman?” Elijah got right to the point.

Something dropped on the other line because he heard noise, and Nash mumbled, “Oh shit.”

“Actually, can you confirm the last time we did an audit at Vivo Vino?” Elijah was able to watch Georgia through the window. She was radiant with her hair pulled into a low bun, showcasing her neck. He wondered if she covered up the hickey he left on her throat.

“My head is spinning,” Nash came back to the phone. “In their file, they are due for another review in October, so this could be a head start, but what the hell are you thinking?”

Wasn’t that the million-dollar question?

“The woman I’m sleeping with is on a date with someone else. She was in my bed this morning.”

“Fuck,” Nash muttered. “Don’t do anything stupid.”

“Any chance you want to define stupid?”

“Where are you?” his friend demanded.

It didn’t matter. He was certain he was going to pull the alarm regardless.

“Are you at the restaurant? Elijah, go home!” Nash screamed at him.

The mystery man put his arm around Georgia’s shoulders. Fuck this.

“You can ignore the crisis call that will come through. I’m here to check if their alarm works.”

“Elijah, you aren’t on duty!” Nash yelled at him again before Elijah hung up.

In a moment of insanity, he did it.

Elijah set off the fire alarm.

As expected, everyone skirted around and evacuated through the front door. Elijah went over to the manager on duty, quickly informing her that the fire alarm was a routine check for the restaurant and that they passed for the year. He handed her his card for any questions.

Georgia came out of Vivo Vino, walking with the asshole Nash set her up with.

To add to his night of debauchery, he went over to her as if he had a choice. Whenever she was around, he always gravitated to her.

“Georgia, I need to escort you back to your home,” he told her, using his official lieutenant voice.

The guy next to her responded. “Who are you?”

Fair, he was in shorts and his Landmere Fire Station T-shirt, but he didn’t like the guy’s attitude.

“He’s my friend,” Georgia soothed the man. “He’s also Nash’s best friend. I’m positive there is a valid reason for all of this.”

The word friend grated on his last nerve.

Elijah glared at her date. “It’s a private matter.”

“Seems pretty public to me,” Georgia cheekily responded before turning back to the guy. “I’m sorry to cut tonight short, but let’s figure out another time to reschedule. Would that work?”

“Sure, you have my number. Text if you need me,” the asshole said before he wandered back into the restaurant with the other patrons.

They were alone, and she smacked his arm. “What was that about?”

Elijah put his hand on her lower back and pushed her to his car. “What part?”