Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

“ C ome on!” Ivy checked her watch as she gunned the Caddie on a yellow light. Technically that wouldn’t earn her a ticket. Right? Her phone jingled with one of those old-timey phone tunes she loved so much. Right now, though, it set her nerves on ice. She reached into her purse a second before flicking a thumb across the smooth glass.

“Hello. Ms. Winters speaking.” She schooled her rapid breathing and cleared her throat

“Ms. Winters, please hold.” Soft Christmas music carried over the phone seconds before static crackled. She pulled the phone away from her ear and looked down.

Brown-gray fur flashed across the road and she swerved. In that split second her world spun and she quickly realized she had no control over where she stopped.

The front tires lost traction first, followed by the back. The side of the road came into view, only she hadn’t turned her neck. A set of wide eyeballs and antlers flashed in front of her then the heavy beast of a car twirled like a ballerina on ice. Black ice.

Ivy’s hands flew to two and ten, the cell phone abandoned in the front seat.

Tires screeched and horns blared. Ivy wound her fingers tighter around the wheel and whispered every prayer she could remember from Sunday school that the car would be light on impact and she didn’t hit anyone else.

She barely had time to register the quickly advancing sleigh and nearby phone pole.

A plastic big, fat man in a flashy red suit closed in fast. Rudolph’s flashing red nose flew across the hood seconds before metal crunched and eight tiny reindeer flew over the hood of her car minus the blinking red nose as she came to a screeching halt with only the sound of multiple somethings peppering the hood of her car.

The force drove her head into the window and the jolt of pain rattled her teeth.

SHIT! Why did Gran insist on driving this old thing? No side airbags meant a splitting headache.

“Ma’am! Are you okay?” The voice on the other end of the phones squeaked with concern from the front seat.

“I… uh… oh.” The side of her head throbbed and she rubbed a hand over the pain that slowly ebbed off to a dull rhythmic thud.

Ivy pinched her eyes closed. “Yeah. I think so, but oh, gosh. I think I ran over Rudolph.”

She squinted. Was that a vibrating dildo on her hood?

Silence followed then a dead dial tone carried over the speaker. “Great.” If fate really existed, it seemed like it didn’t want her to have that job.

Her blurry vision zeroed in on familiar brown eyes a minute or two later. “Are you okay, Ivy Sunday? Don’t try to move.” His voice came muffled through the glass. “I’ll get you out in just a second, baby” Cold air rushed in the second Aspen pulled her door open. That’s when she noticed he must have pulled in right behind her because he left his truck running and the side door flung open.

Aspen reached across her lap and killed the engine, which kept right on purring as if nothing happened. “You know you didn’t have to take out my Santa sleigh to get my attention.”

He gently gathered her arms in his hands as he slowly checked her for any injuries. “I don’t think you have any broken bones but you shouldn’t move too fast. It was a light impact, all things considered.”

“Is that a dildo?” she managed to ask without her jaw hurting too much.

Aspen busted out a laugh. “Long story. Don’t move your neck, sweetheart. Let me check you over real quick and see if you need to go to the hospital.”

“Nah. I’m good. Just a bit of a headache. I just banged my head a little. Freaking old cars don’t exactly have all the trimmings of the newer models. Like side airbags.”

He ran his hands over every inch of her body and if he wasn’t careful, he was going to find what his touch did to her nipples.

When he paid no attention, she slowed his hands with a soft touch. “Aspen, look at me, I’m fine.” She pressed a single finger under his chin and drew his gaze to hers. “Honestly.”

He looked tense and worried but steadily in control. That was her Aspen.

He pressed his mouth into a fine line before his features relaxed as he accepted her words. “You scared me to death,” he said in a low voice. “Had I known you liked to play bumper cars with Santa sleighs I would have waited a couple of days before setting up the rig.”

She busted out laughing and winced.

“Easy. Sorry. You’ll probably be sore for a couple of days from the pressure of the seatbelt over your ribs. Good thing your gran still has this hunk of metal. It’s like a tank. I think you could go a few rounds with a semi-truck and walk away unscathed.”

“Good to know. I won’t press my luck if you don’t mind.”

Aspen lifted a brow and smiled that dreamy, sexy smile that made her body tingle with silent promises of long nights by a fire.

“Better yet,” he said, his voice low and gruff.

“Either you’re my guardian angel or you’re really good at playing a hero and have epic right time, right place kind of timing.”

He tightened his grip on her hands enough to help ease her nerves. “I’ll go with the right place, right time, I guess.” He shrugged with a wide grin that brought warmth to his features.

“Either way, lucky me.” He continued to look at her as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words. This did nothing for her already racing heart. Emotions bubbled as one hundred and one questions came at her all at once. She was just in an accident, for God’s sake. She should be shaking and scared, right? But as Aspen continued to check her for injuries she couldn’t help but feel…safe.

“I think you’re okay to move, but let me help you out.”

He unclipped her seatbelt, slid an arm beneath her legs and had her out of the car and firmly in his arms before she could protest.

“Wait. My planner and phone.” He lowered her down and reached in to snag her things from the car’s front seat.

He handed over her things and scooped her up again and held her tightly against his broad muscled chest; his strong arms more comforting than she cared to admit to at the moment. “So you’re going all out on the hero stuff, huh.” She looped her arms around his neck.

Aspen smirked. “It’s written in the job description.” Ivy felt his muscles roll beneath her touch as he shrugged. “Besides, my mom always said if you’re going to do something…”

“…do it right the first time,” Ivy finished for him. “Smart woman.”

“Agreed. Let’s get you inside and warmed up.” Aspen walked into the firehouse to the tune of several catcalls and low whistles from the on-duty firefighters. He stepped through a side door that led directly into a kitchen and a wave of warmth chased away the cold air that followed them inside.

Off to the right, she could see the fire engines and all their equipment. In the far end of the kitchen was a set of stairs she assumed led to sleeping quarters.

“Ivy, good to see you!” Several of the guys she went to school with waved and smiled her way.

Ivy gasped with surprise. “I see the big dix crew is here!” she teased with a laugh.

Rowdy, masculine laughs filled the kitchen.

Luther, one of Dixen’s firehouse crew stood a playful grin spreading across his handsome face. He looked like he had a long night and was ready for bed, but happy all the same. Pointing at her hero, who currently had his brows pinched together in a cringe, said, “Aspen here has a way of keeping us all together. Only a few of us spread wings and left town. The rest of us either joined the police force or stuck it out here.”

Ivy nodded. “I see.” Another aspect of Aspen she remembered vividly. He was a born leader whether he liked it or not.

Looking around she’d forgotten the power of childhood friendship and seeing all the men from Aspen’s football team, or most of them anyway, brought about a pang of nostalgia. A feeling deep within bloomed. She missed this, she admitted to herself. Everyone here knew her name, her family, and vice versa. Back in Seattle, she was lucky if the cashier returned her smile.

Ivy smiled. “I missed you guys.”

“Okay… okay. Take it down a notch, boys.”

“Any need for an ambulance, Chief?”

Aspen slipped her into a nearby chair. “Are you sure you’re all right, baby?” he asked softly close to her ear. It felt incredibly intimate for him to care for her like this and she couldn’t shake the feeling of liking it way too much for her own good.

“Positive. Nothing a couple of aspirins can’t fix.”

Ivy looked around the tidy kitchen as Aspen spoke with his men. Though they were in the middle of a meal, the place still looked well organized. Cleaned and polished from top to bottom. Heck, even the trash can looked scrubbed.

“Luther and Mac, secure the car. make sure there’s no gas leak. Give me a few minutes and I’ll take care of cleanup of our former Christmas decorations.” She caught the drawn-out emphasis on the word former and cringed a little. Nothing like being a sleigh killer.

“You got it, Chief,” came Luther. Everyone else followed suit and made their way to their duties.

She wrapped her hand around Aspens. “The dildos,” Ivy blurted. S fierce blush splashed across her face when Aspen’s gaze snapped to hers.

“Excuse me?”

Well shit.

“Not mine. Yours.”

Aspen choked on a laugh.

“I mean, they fell on the car when I hit the sleigh.”

Aspen groaned and slid a hand over his face. “That. It’s become a tradition of sorts around here in the past few years. Local teens like to poke fun at the big dix moniker by putting dildos on the reindeer antlers.”

“Oh,” she quipped, trying to hide her grin.

Aspen’s hands drop to her thighs and he gives them a playful squeeze. “We’ll never live it down. I swear.”

With a dick as big as his and well filled out jeans that drew a woman’s eye, she wanted to second that thought but wisely kept her mouth closed.

“Whoever is cooking deserves a medal. It smells delicious.” Fresh garlic bread and spices tingled her senses and cued up her empty stomach.

“My...my...the big city looks good on you, sweetheart! My fool brother here let you slip away. What do you say? You and me? Give me a shot baby, I’ll make you forget all about the eldest Kennedy.”

“Shut the fuck up, Kade.”

A man similar in height and build to Aspen walked out of a side office area and crossed over to where Aspen kneeled next to her wearing a devilish grin. His hair was slightly longer than Aspen’s but his grin was a little more lopsided. He favored tilting the right up while Aspen’s always went to the left when he grinned. Like now.

Kade reached out and swooped her up from the chair in a big hug before placing her back and turning to Aspen for a brief second. “Hey, man, the sheriff is on the line. He wants to talk to you about the tree lighting.”

“Got it.” Aspen touched her shoulder with a light touch. “Excuse me for a second, baby. Don’t fall for this rowdy punk’s lines while I’m gone. He’s bound to try to sweep you off your feet when no one is around to thunk him on the head.”

Aspen’s brother scoffed. “It’s not my fault I’m the more handsome brother all the ladies want,” Kade teased.

“Easy. She just did a slip and slide and took out our Santa.”

Ivy sighed. “I see he’s just as overprotective as he was in school.”

“I think it got worse with old age,” Kade said. “I feel sorry for any daughters he may have.”

Ivy absorbed that little nugget of information as she turned to Aspen. “While you’re in there, can you call me a rental, please?” The phone pole she’d nicked had done a number on the front left tire. She may not be a mechanic, but even she knew it wouldn’t be moving without a tow truck.

“No need. I’ll take you wherever you need to go,” offered Aspen before he slipped through the doorway and out of sight.

Yep. Just as overprotective and take charge. She’d argue her point and make the call herself just to rile him up a bit, but she didn’t have the heart to take away the joy she saw on his face while caring for her.

Soft, sappy and lining yourself up for more heartache.

She needed to get control of herself.

Kade gathered her in his arms again and took a quick glance to make sure Aspen was out of hearing range and then leaned in. “Between you and me, it’s about time someone took out that hideous monstrosity. That thing was fugly to the tenth degree. Scared half the town’s kids and I’ll swear it under oath if asked. It turns into an egg-throwing bull's eye for the teenagers before Christmas or a dildo rack. More often than not both.”

Ivy hid a smile behind her gloved hand and the brotherly jab Kade delivered to Aspen’s decorations.

“Kade Kennedy. It’s so good to see you.”

“You too baby girl. Still sexy as ever. How do you not have a train of horny fuckers not trailing after you a mile long?”

That was Kade. filthy-mouthed laid-back, and a sense of humor wider than the Grand Canyon.

“Glad you’re okay. I mean, I know you wanted to make an entrance when you came by the fire station for yours truly, but…WOW! You really outdid yourself!” Kade hooked his thumbs through his suspenders and bounded on the balls of his feet with a playful energy.

Like the rest of the crew, he wore a long-sleeved white cotton pullover neatly tucked into worn, black jeans that outlined powerful thighs and a well-endowed package.

From the looks of it, he was the only one that liked the use of suspenders, which he worked like a Don Juan of fire stations. Neatly combed hair and a pearly white grin topped off the polished playboy look.

“Your brother is right. Still a player.”

“Maybe. Listen,” Kade knelt next to her chair and took her hands in his. “He’s happy you’re here. No pressure. Just give him a chance, okay?”

“Chance for what, Kade?”

He scratched at his clean jawline for a second considering his words. “He’s still in love with you, you know?”

Ivy sensed the second Aspen rejoined them in the kitchen and looked his way as Kade went back to cooking.

He stood in the doorway. His gaze locked on her—bright, intelligent and way too perceptive for her comfort. As though he saw more than she wanted when he looked at her. Ivy didn’t know what to make of that.

“Here, let me take that.”

Aspen strode across the kitchen, slipped her coat off and tossed it over the back of the chair as Kade served up three large plates of the best-looking spaghetti and meatballs she’d ever seen.

Oregano, garlic and pasta. Sweet, sweet heaven.

“Everything looks and smells so divine. Just like your mom’s. I catch an extra pinch of extra oregano and is that fresh parmesan in the sauce, too?”

“I see you remember,” Aspen said as he slid into a seat next to her, his thigh brushing against her. Aspen drew close, his cologne wrapping around her and if they were alone she knew a moan would have slipped out.

“Be careful,” he teased in a whisper. “He’s warned me he cooked this himself this time. Mom had nothing to do with it.”

She laughed and turned to Aspen, his presence as overwhelming as the food. His eyes sparkled with a playful mischief she had missed that caused her to momentarily lose her train of thought.

She swallowed hard. They locked eyes and for a second the firehouse faded and they were alone. Just the two of them and all the memories of them together.

Kade scooted forks across the table and broke the spell. then came a plate full of garlic bread

“You two need a room,” he asked ruefully, earning him a scowl from Aspen.

“Fine, fine. I’ll leave you two alone for now.” Kade’s gaze left his brother’s to find hers. “On another note, I’ve been here all day. I thought maybe you forgot about me. Way to hurt an old crush’s feelings by leaving them last on the list.” With one hand filled with garlic bread and the other a ladle, Kade clapped a hand over his chest and faked a wounded heart.

“Old crush, huh?” Aspen teased before taking a bite of noodle and sauce.

“Don’t cramp a man’s style—I’m trying to get my mojo back.” Kade shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck.

“It was one kiss on the cheek in third grade for the cutest Valentine’s Day cards. A thank you. That hardly constitutes as an old crush, no?”

“It was still a kiss. And to my younger self, it was a hot one at that.” When Kade clanked the metal ladle on the side of the saucepan, it brought her gaze up and she caught sight of the other men in the parking lot checking for what she assumed would-be run away dildos and Rudolph’s missing nose. Poor guys.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” She slipped her bag over the back of the chair. It was obviously clear she wouldn’t make it back for the trees. No use in rushing home now and she would just have to wing her schedule and return Mr. Langley’s call.

She glanced between the two brothers clearly trying to rile each other. Both stood over six feet tall, muscular bodies that their job required, and still tried to one-up each other even now.

“Don’t get him started. He’s nursing a breakup so he’s a little sensitive at the moment. Looking for a shoulder to cry on.”

Aspen sat back and ran a hand through his hair with a sigh as if he’d had this conversation countless times and wanted to move on.

“Damn Kade. Sorry to hear that. Really, I am. I kinda know how you feel.”

She wanted to offer more but didn’t want to wade into her own miserable luck with love or pry into Kade’s, for that matter. Plus, wouldn’t that be awkward with Aspen sitting right there?

From the middle of the table a pile of brochures lay stacked in the center with a large picture of evergreens spread across the bottom with a bold FOR SALE along the top.

“This looks interesting. Are you guys going into the Christmas tree business?”

“Aspen here fancies himself a Christmas tree farmer someday.”

Her interest piqued. “Really?”

“Maybe. I don’t know. It is something Jace and I talked about in the past. The owner was passing those out and I took them. You remember Joe, right?”

She nodded. “Joe is selling his farm? I thought he loved that place.”

“He does. But after his wife passed away a few years back and his sons moved away, it’s become a bit too much for a man his age.”

She nodded again. “Makes sense.”

Kade slid a plate in front of her.

She slapped her hand over her stomach. “Thank you! This looks delicious and I’m starving.” Her stomach growled in appreciation if her words didn’t convey just how hungry she was.

“Don’t be too hasty. This is Kade’s first tour on kitchen duty; Mom’s recipe or not.”

“I see how this goes. I guess you’ll not want any of my freshly baked garlic bread then. Mom’s recipe too, by the way.”

Ivy nearly choked trying to throw in her two cents. “Me! Me...I want some. He’s the one who made fun of you. Not me.” She nudged the man playfully and smacked his hand away when he tried for one of her slices of bread.

“You’re on your own, buddy. It might have been eight years since I last had her bread, but that’s all you need. One taste and you’re a lifer. Addicted. Period. Say you’re sorry to Kade and maybe he’ll give you some.”

Kade smirked. “Yeah, what she said.”

Aspen’s eyes lit up with amusement as he said, “Why when I can kiss you and get two for one—a kiss and a bread.”

She turned to face Aspen, bread in hand. “So cock-sure, Huh? You’ll have to test that theory.” And then took a healthy bite.

He roared with laughter, head thrown back, his beautiful neck exposed and so damn kissable. She never thought she’d think that about a man’s neck, but she wished she had the balls to lean in and lick, kiss and nibble her way up his neck until they were kissing again.

Spending all this time with Aspen opened a portal to ideas, desires and memories she’d be better off slamming the door shut on.

But looking at him, seeing him beside, smelling him. Her body was having a hard time ignoring anything about Aspen.

Very hard time.

Aspen reached between them and tugged a chunk of hair. “You always did like to play dirty.”

“This recipe landed me several dates with the fine females of the fine UA.”

“You mean the University of Alaska actually let you in?”

Kade straightened an invisible necktie and raised a pinky finger as he sliced several pieces. She snatched another slice up and teased Aspen with his before handing it over.

“If Aspen could get in, I was a shoe-in.” Kade winked at her.

A phone chirped from the office and Kade excused himself.

Alone, Aspen turned to her. “I guess a dinner date turned into a lunch date plus guest after all. See, things tend to work out after all.”

She focused on the bread she had in her hands and pulled a piece off to nibble. “You always did get your way in high school.”

“To be fair, you crashed into my Santa. I should get something for that.”

“If anyone were to ever plan an accident, what better place than in front of a fire station?”

“Almost kismet, if you ask me.”

Ivy’s brows knitted together. “That’s a heavy word to toss around. You sure you want to use it?”

He leaned a little closer until she could feel his warmth. She put more effort into tearing off another chunk of bread than needed.

“Unless you want me to use serendipity.”

She scrunched up her nose.

“What else would you call it, then?”

“The Ivy Effect in retro.”

His brow arched in puzzlement.

“Never mind. Just lucky. I guess if you have enough bad luck, some good is bound to come around.”

That earned her another quizzical look. “What do you mean by bad luck?”

She huffed a sigh. “Don’t laugh, okay, but it started way back in kindergarten. But I swear the day I walked from our wedding it grew tenfold.”

He gave a deep sound. A grunt of understanding she guessed.

When she brought her eyes up to his they were focused and full of understanding. “You know, Ivy Sunday, don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, sweetheart. Nobody here is holding grudges.”

She didn’t deserve him. He was too fucking good for anyone. Damn him.

“At some point, we need to though. I hurt you.” To be honest it started the day she was born. Why she didn’t know. Bad luck of being the first-born girl of the family. Who knew? It only seemed to get worse the day she said goodbye to him. That deserved a deeper look now that she thought about it, but later when she could focus on more than his tantalizing cologne or whatever he used that had her wanting to lean a little closer and breathe a little deeper.

“You did. Don’t expect me to lie about that. I can’t. But you had to do what was best for you. I can’t hold that against you.”

Silence fell between them. If she could feel any lower it would be a fucking surprise.

“I hate the idea of you at the B&B all alone and with no help. Let’s recap the situation.” He served them each a glass of apple juice, brushing her shoulder with his arm as he replaced the pitcher on the table.

“Sorry. No wine. On duty and all that.”

She nodded her understanding.

“You’re trapped and all alone in an eight-bedroom B&B with massive amounts of paints, little twinkly lights, and spotty power and have fifteen, maybe twenty people, due in a few days’ time all expecting the Winters holiday treatment.”

“You forgot the baking, the cooking, the replacing of light fixtures and sole caregiver to one very attention-hungry golden retriever. So yep. That’s my holiday horror story in a nutshell.”

“Max is a handful. But you forgot one thing.”

“You’re right.” She scooped up another mouthful. “I’m being stalked by a huge reindeer that has a fixation for my twinkly lights and cookies. I can’t redecorate so I can scratch that off my list. Silver lining?” She shrugged. “Thinking about it, maybe I should thank her for that.” She retrieved her planner from her bag. “I guess that’s one thing I don’t have to buy either.”

“Big mistake,” Aspen warned. “Nothing will save you now that she’s found a friend who will feed her cookies.”

Her attention moved from her notes to Aspen’s tempting gaze. Like the richest coffee and so full of sin she didn’t dare tempt fate and do what she was thinking--stealing another kiss.

This isn’t real though, she reminded herself. It’s just a fantasy whirlwind of excitement and emotions getting tangled together. Nothing real.

Ivy shifted and as she moved, her hand brushed over his thigh.

The slow smile of his should be outlawed. It made her forget about everything instantly.

And she meant everything. The past douche faced fiancé. burned houses, Christmas and New York City. And in that order.

He simply continued to hold her attention with his deep gaze. Waiting to see what she wanted next, no doubt. A repeat of what they were doing back at the grocery store would be nice. But this time she would crawl over his lap. spread her legs over him and slide down that well-built body all the while kissing the hell out of the man.

“Are we alone?” The question was out of her mouth before she thought better of it. Something she apparently did often around him. Too often for comfort.

“For now. Have something in mind?”

Funny, she didn’t remember the golden specks in his eyes. Her gaze slipped to his mouth.

“I was thinking about dessert.”

Her phone buzzed and the interruption jerked her back to reality. Aspen pulled away with a nonchalance she could never pull off. So confident, easy-going as though they were not thinking about firehouse sex in broad daylight.

The urge to ignore the phone was so strong she nearly hit the end button without looking at the screen.

But the adult part of her couldn’t.

Aspen was everything Lewis wasn’t. Where Lewis was too busy trying to make partner at his law firm to care for anyone around him, Aspen made time to connect with those he cared about. Took time to ask the important questions. He listened.

And if she’d wanted to strip down to her lacy bra and panties and make out right here in the kitchen she had no doubt he’d do it without hesitation.

She pulled her phone from her bag. “Ugh. No.” Speak of the devil. Just what her day didn’t need.

At least that’s how she felt today. Last week might have been a different story, but today she didn’t want to talk to a man who so easily gave up on her. Or maybe he wasn’t all that into her to begin with.

Aspen pushed back his chair. “I’ll give you some space.”

She flicked the screen and ended the call before stuffing the phone back in her bag.

Yes. Space. The more she could get the better.

“No.” She reached between them and grabbed his hand before he could stand and walk away. “It’s not important.”

He flashed a grin. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. It’s not who I was hoping.”

He nodded and returned to her side and propped an elbow on the table, their empty plates forgotten to the side.

“What were you going to say earlier? You said something about me forgetting something.”

Aspen’s lips curled up in a slow grin. “I was going to say you forgot about me.”

Ha. Not likely. “How do you mean?”

“The B&B, the countdown to your leaving Dixen. Your next big job…” He raised his hands and wiggled his fingers. “I have two hands and I’m told I’m pretty good at fixing things.”

She couldn’t be so lucky and unlucky all at once. Her Ivy Effect must be out of whack. Every time she got good news, something else in her life was bound to break. It happened like clockwork. So what was up? “Really? Are you offering to help? What about the firehouse?”

“I’ll still be on call, and they can radio me in if an emergency arises. We’re only ten minutes out, five with a siren.”

She considered his offer. The only thing keeping her from dancing around the room was she knew herself. Any extra time with Aspen would be disastrous for her no-men policy. Hadn’t she just proved that to herself? He was easy on the eyes, sure, but it went deeper than that. The more time she spent with him, the more old feelings rekindled and escaped the neat and tidy box she’d stored them in a long time ago.

“But, I’m not that easy.”

“Oh.” Figures. See. Ivy Effect.

“It’s true.” He pulled a chocolate-covered cherry from a container in the center of the table and popped it into his mouth as he offered her one. He made her want to shake him to continue, which of course fell right into his wicked plan, whatever that may be.

“You have to promise one thing.”

Nope. She’d managed just fine on her own. She wouldn’t change her plan. No dates, no men, no way. The minute hand slid into place on the large clock over the kitchen door. Already half past two.

She cringed. Time. She didn’t have nearly enough of it lately. She turned in her chair and leveled her gaze on his, her fingers playing with the fringes of her scarf. “Okay, Chief. I’m desperate and you know it. So out with it, what is it?”

“Chief, huh? Okay.” The dirtiest fucking grin she’d ever seen on a man had his lips pulled into a deep smile. “Mm… you blushing and anxious gives me ideas,” he purred. “Tell you what. That’s for me to know. For now.” He added the last little bit as if that explained everything.

That sly, playful grin of his was probably meant to soften her up and make her heart do funny things in her chest. Well, it did and it also had her core tightening and hot liquid spilling to wet the strip of silk between her thighs.

She narrowed her eyes, but it didn’t sway him into fessing up whatever devious plans he had in the works. Instead, he popped another chocolate cherry, that smug--gorgeous--but definitely smug look on his face never slipping.

She shook her head and caused a few strands of hair to snag on her scarf. The motion pulled a portion of hair loose from her braid. She ran her fingers along the edge of her empty plate. “I can’t decide if I want to play your game or not.”

“I can’t decide which is sexier. You biting your lip deciding or the blush along your cheeks because you already know your answer.”

She bit at the inside of her mouth trying to will the heat away, but no dice.

Ivy stilled her fingers. “Are you inviting yourself over to my house, Chief?” There was no hiding the spark of interest in his deep brown eyes. And she couldn’t hide it from herself how much it made her want to reach out and see if the same tingling feeling happened if she touched him again.

“My conditions for my help. Take it or leave it.” He shrugged and held up both hands in a draw then slowly reached between them and tucked the unruly locks behind her ear stopping to stroke a thumb over the plump bottom lip.

Torn between wanting to take him on his offer and the fear of not hitting her deadline pushed her over the last threshold. “Aspen Kennedy, you don’t play fair.”

He crossed his arms over his wide chest and the effect wasn’t lost on her the way the cotton of his shirt pulled across his broad shoulders. His choice of profession had definitely been good for his health. And good for the eyes.

She took in the cozy surroundings of the firehouse kitchen, thinking over his proposition.

“One condition. No dinner dates, no wine, candles or deliciously prepared meals on a table for two. Deal?” That ought to keep her out of trouble.

“That’s five.”

Ivy stared at him for a split second caught off guard. “Five what?”

“Conditions.” He took her outstretched hand before she could work up a sizable comeback to his teasing. Her hand slipped into his, warm callused in places and wholly comforting.

Why did she feel like that one simple move would be her downfall? Because now there was no turning back, she answered herself.

Aspen smiled that infuriating smile that had her wetting her panties with hot liquid every damn time. “You, baby, have a deal and an extra set of hands. By the way, I don’t need any of those things to get you naked and under me.”

Her brows furrowed. Fuck.

Her heart thundered and shot a blast of lust through her veins.

Her mouth fell open and he took full advantage of her surprise with a kiss. Hard and deep like he wanted her to get a taste of what he would do to her pussy when he had her bare to him.

And something told her she wouldn’t be waiting long.