She blinks. “Well, I have aburningquestion for you.”
I groan. “Heard that one before. But go ahead.”
“Why is your dog stealing my clothes?”
“Ember? You’re kiddin’ me? She’s an angel.” At the sound of her name, Ember comes over from where she’s been digging and wags her tail.
“I think you’ll find she’s buried my favorite shirt under that bush over there.” There’s a tiny smile playing on those soft pink lips, and it changes her whole expression. I walk over to where she’s pointing and crouch down.
Ember’s dug one of her extra big holes, which she usually reserves for the most precious toys and bones. There’s a flap of pink poking out, which I pull out of the mud. The remains of a silky shirt flutters in the wind as my dog makes a sheepish expression.
“Ember, bad girl. No stealing.”
Ember barks, then puts her head between her paws. Usually that would get her a big hug and a dog treat, but I need to keep appearances up in front of my neighbor.
“I apologize. So does Ember.”
Hailey smiles and it’s like a punch in the gut. “She doesn’t look very sorry.”
She’s got to be fifteen years younger than me.Off fucking limits, as Grizz likes to say. I’m used to being flirted with, thanks to this ridiculous big hero rep I have in Snowflake. I don’t ever abuse my position by chasing tail. But Hailey isn’t flirting with me, she’s just being friendly.
So why do Iwanther to flirt with me?
I clear my throat again. “Let me buy you another shirt. How did Ember get inside your place to steal it?”
Hailey shrugs. “The shirt was outside. The dryer’s broken, so I wanted to–”
“The dryer’s broken? Does the management company know?”
She nods. “It can take a while for them to get around to fixing things.”
“Well, I’ll take care of anything like that. Come straight to me, don’t go through them.” I’m going to have words with the asshole who’s taking a cut for supposedly looking after my rental property.
“Oh no, you’re doing important stuff, I wouldn’t bother you…” She turns away and I reach over to touch her shoulder. She jumps as I touch her.
“Woah there, I didn’t mean to startle you.” I hold my hand up.
“Sorry, I’m a little jumpy today.” She runs her hand over her eyes, leaving a little smear of mud on her forehead.
“Can I?” I reach up and wipe off the mud. Her skin is warm under my fingers and my cock twitches again.
She breathes out, shakily. “Thanks. And I don’t mind if you want to look at the dryer.”
I smile. “I’ll take a look tomorrow evening, if you’re home around seven?”
“I am. I mean, I’m at home. See you later.” She turns around and walks back over to her place. A car door slams from across the road and she jumps again, then squares her shoulders and carries on. I wait to see if she looks back, but she doesn’t. Whistling for Ember, I walk up the stairs to my porch. I wipe off my dog’s muddy paws before we go inside.
The next day, on the drive to the firehouse I keep going over my conversation with Hailey. I’ve purposely avoided getting to know my neighbor. One, because she’s my tenant. Two, she’s fucking gorgeous. And three, she’s way too young for an old crock like me.
It hasn’t stopped me noticing her leaving the house with that pack of dogs she walks in all weathers. Or taking bundles of folded clothes in big bags in and out of her car. She works hard. Her sister Sienna moved out a few months back to live with my buddy Rhys, so I know more about Sienna than I do about her.Rhys is crazy in love, walking around with a big smile on his face and whistling all the time.
At the lights, I get a couple of beeps from two of the Bells sisters, who are driving in the opposite direction, a big cheesy smile from the mayor, and a box of cookies passed through the window from the girls at the Candy Cabin. Sometimes it feels like I’m a celebrity, and the guys never miss a chance to roast me about it.
Grizz is nailing up the new sign outside the firehouse. The ladder creaks as he climbs down. He’s a big guy, good in a crisis, but a little wild. When he takes off his bunker gear after a job, his black hair sticks straight up on his head and he resembles a grizzly bear, hence the name.
“Hey, Chief. Are thoseherodoughnuts?” He raises an eyebrow.
“Herocookies, hotshot.” I toss him the box. “Don’t eat them all.”
