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“Were you going to say that I’m right?”
“No,” I quickly replied.
Jay chuckled, and for the first time, I noticed the laugh lines crinkling around his eyes, the dusting of silver in his dark hair at his temples. God, it was so unfair how attractive he was…
A buzz came over the sound system, followed by the dispatcher’s voice, announcing a call for fire truck one.
“That’s me,” Jay said. “I’d better get going. See you later, Rosie.”
Still holding the box of chocolates, I watched him go. A subtle prickle settled between my ribs, as if I’d missed out on something I might have really wanted.
Chapter Four
Jay
Every inch of the firehouse was swathed in Christmas decorations. In the common room, a buffet table had been set up, brimming with food - cookies of all shapes and sizes, garlic and rosemary crostinis, deviled eggs, a mouth-watering array of tartlets from blueberry and cherry to pecan and pumpkin, glazed ham, roasted vegetables, soft doughy bread rolls, sharp creamy cheeses, and mini Christmas tree cakes.
I hooked two fingers in my tie and gave it a tug in an attempt to loosen it just enough so it didn’t feel like I was getting strangled.
“Didn’t have to wear your dress uniform if you hate it so much, Lawson,” Chief Wright said with an amused glint in his eye. “It’s a casual party, not formal.”
“Yeah, well, I’m not the ugly Christmas sweater type,” I replied with a pointed glance in his direction. He was usually a straight-laced, no-nonsense, gruff type of man, but today, he wore a Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer themed sweater, complete with a blinking light for Rudolph’s nose.
“You see me in uniforms every damn day for the entire year,” Chief Wright countered. “Consider yourself lucky that you get a rare glimpse of my sense of humor.”
I snorted into my cup of punch.
“Is that what we’re calling it? Thought it was just poor fashion taste.”
“Joke all you want, Lawson,” Chief Wright replied. “I recognize the look of a man desperate to make a good impression on a lady and you are smothered in it.”
I choked on my punch. Before I could protest, Rosie walked in and all thoughts flew from my mind exceptwow.
She wore a glittery white skirt that flared around her calves. Her black top was a snug, off-the-shoulder affair that hugged her torso, her arms, and her tits so perfectly that it looked like a second skin. Her curls were pinned back on one side, granting a tempting view of her neck that made me swallow hard. A single delicate drop of diamonds rested between her collar bones, nestled at the swell of her cleavage.
Chief Wright was on the move before my brain could sputter into gear again.
“Simmons, you are a sight for sore eyes,” he said, gesturing her into the room. “You look like an angel among all these Neanderthals. Can I get you some punch?”
“Thank you, Chief Wright,” Rosie replied. “I love your sweater. It’s very festive.”
When he offered his arm to her, she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow. They made their way to the buffet table together. Every firefighter in the room turned their head to watch Rosie. She’d always been pretty and put-together, crisp, professional. Tonight, she was breathtaking.
My tie had a chokehold on me now. I yanked at it, desperate to get some air past the thickness in my throat. Normally, I would have worn something far more comfortable - a button-down shirt, or a plain long-sleeved shirt if I really didn’t give a shit. But something about Rosie’s rejection had made me want to try harder this time so I chose my dress uniform, complete with white gloves and cap. I wanted her to see that I could be respectable and decent when the occasion called for it. Deep down, I wanted her to realize we could be good together if she gave us a chance.
Gulping down the last of my punch, I squared my shoulders and made my way toward Rosie. As I came up alongside her at the buffet table, the scent of her sugary-sweet perfume caught in my lungs. Standing this close to her, with her bare shoulders on display, I struggled to stop thinking about how soft her skin looked.
Then Rosie picked up a chocolate covered strawberry. I didn’t stand a chance in hell as she closed her mouth around the girth of it, glossy red lips puckered in a way that made my filthy mind take a fatal plunge into the gutter. She glanced in my direction, her eyebrows raised in a silent question as if to say,can I help you?She had no idea what a devastating effect she had on me right now.
I wrenched my gaze away from her lips and her mouth and the thought of what her tongue had to be doing. I cleared my throat.
“You clean up very well, Simmons.”
She swallowed her bite of strawberry as her gaze flicked over me.
“I would say the same for you, except you look like you’re ready to claw that uniform off at any second.”
I shoved my hand in my pocket to stop myself from tearing the damned tie from my neck.
