Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 44188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 221(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44188 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 221(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
Because it’s like the moment I recognized the twin flame in her, the ember of mine flared to life. I’d been smothering it. Starving it for oxygen.
But suddenly it seemed acceptable. Not just acceptable—actually welcomed. A thing to be enjoyed. A thing that could give Lia pleasure.
And that gave me the headiest power rush I’ve ever had.
Possibly even more than saving lives or putting out fires.
I’m tempted to get her alone today, whisper all the dirty things I want to do to her, but I can’t risk it. It’s bad enough it’s my night to cook and she’s hanging around like she wants to help.
I chose ribs. It’s my favorite and can’t be ruined easily by the inevitable call because it’s a slow bake in the oven. The worst for ruined dinner is steak. Or pasta. If a call comes in while you’re in the middle of cooking those, you can just kiss your meal goodbye.
I unwrap the first package of meat, rinse it and slap it down on a huge sheet of tinfoil.
“Captain’s going all out tonight,” Rocket observes, stripping the husk off the two dozen ears of corn we bought. The guys like to give me shit because ribs are expensive and we all split the cost of food, but I know they love it.
Lia hovers a few feet away. I register her presence viscerally, as I’m sure every male in the station does. It’s like I come alive around her, the alpha male in me eager to show off, stake my claim, throw down the competition. I haven’t felt this way in a long time. After Samantha, and the heartbreak of losing my little ready-made family unit, complete with a kid, I guess I wrote off women. Which is pretty lame considering I’m only thirty-six.
“So you gonna graduate me from dish duty tonight or what?” she demands. Her voice is sultry, like honeyed iced tea on a hot day.
I turn and frown, only because I sense an actual smile wanting to appear. Lord knows it would break my face.
“No rookies in the kitchen,” Rocket says flatly.
Our official rule is that newbies aren’t allowed to cook. They’re given dish duty. Cooking for the team is something they work up to as the trust builds. It strikes me as an idiotic rule at the moment.
“If you want to help me, you can,” I find myself saying.
“Wouldn’t be showing a gender bias, would you, Captain?” This from the damn peanut gallery, otherwise known as James.
I toss a scowl his way.
Lia ignores us both and steps up to my side, unwrapping another package of ribs. “I love cooking,” she breezes, pretending there’s no tension over her presence here. “My mom is Puerto Rican. Cooking is an expression of love for her.” She’s already slapping down ribs like she’s a butcher’s wife. She tips her head up to look at me. “You have a special recipe, Captain?”
I stare down at her big green eyes, fascinated with the gold flecks, the long, naturally dark lashes. For a moment, I can’t think of anything but how much I’d like her cooking special meals just for me, serving them up with her as dessert. I pull another scowl to cover. “Just barbecue sauce.”
“Mmm.” She makes a non-committal sound and starts opening cabinets. Pretty soon she’s rubbing the meat with some kind of olive oil and spice concoction before she folds the foil up into neat little packages.
“Little hint, Sparks,” Rocket says to Lia. “You’re not supposed to make the captain look bad. Haven’t you wondered why we call him Blaze?”
“Temper?” She steals a look at me.
“Yep.”
Her nipples bead up under her t-shirt. I almost growl out loud, thinking that the other guys might notice.
“I’m not afraid of him,” she says lightly, inciting a chorus of “oohs” from the guys.
“Oh you should be, little gi—”
Damn. I cannot call her little girl around here.
I clear my throat. “I mean, uh, Sparks.”
James snorts. “You’re so worried about us getting the department slapped with a harassment suit.”
Lia pops the ribs in the oven and starts washing the lettuce for the salad.
“Are you telling me strip poker was a good idea?”
He shrugs. He’s the one who bitched the loudest when I told him they hired a female for the vacant position. It’s his cousin J.J. who Lia replaced after J.J. fell off the ladder and broke his back. He survived. He may even walk again. But it will be a long slow recovery and he won’t ever join us or any other crew again. We’re all sorry as hell he was hurt on the job. “I don’t think any of this is a good idea.”
Lia turns slowly. “Any of what, exactly?” Her chin lifts, green eyes pin him.
James scowls and stands up like he’s disgusted with her and the whole conversation. “You have no idea what this job is about, do you?” he snarls.