It takes less time than I was planning but pretty soon I’m back, picking through the mess and trying desperately to ignore the dark-haired guy with muscles for days and a look in his chocolate eyes that makes me think he’s not thinking about the fire either.
Something that needs to be pushed way down rears its ugly head in my belly, curling like a living thing and reaching towards the huffy guy in charge.
I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a guy as much as I want this one but it’s not meant to be.
He’s from here, I’m not. He’s grumpy, I’m not. He looks like a male model when he runs here and there, taking everything in and not missing a thing.
I’m too tired to deal with the churning hunger in my belly that I’m just gonna tell myself is because I missed the bacon and eggs this morning.
That’s all this is. I need a sandwich. Not the hot, sexy guy with the chocolate eyes and abs for days.
Sure, sister. Tell yourself that, I groan.
And watch as he stomps around the crime scene, his body a thing of beauty and his dark eyes stormy and tumultuous.
I hope I can wrap this up soon because I’m not sure how long I can hold out against this guy. He’s the last thing I need.
But god, do I want him.
CHAPTER 7
Reed
She’s a vision stomping through my crime scene. A veritable goddess from above with her muscular legs and narrow waist. Her lush hips and thighs. Her dark blue gaze scanning this mess like she’s going to draw out all its secrets and solve this mess right here and right now.
Thank god she took over the interviews. I don’t need that shit right now. I hate reporters more than I hate string beans. And that’s a helluva lot by the way.
She moves away and like an idiot, my eyes can’t help but follow her. That’s how I almost miss him.
There’s always a crowd at stuff like this. Disasters bring out the kookie-loos. I hate it. But sometimes there’s a good reason to be glad that they come.
The guy in the ball cap at the back of the crowd. The reason I noticed him.
He’s so damn still. Everyone else around him is talking, their hands waving around in the air. But not him. He’s so damn still that he almost doesn’t look real.
I can see the gleam of his eyes in the shadow of his cap and that’s another part of what I noticed.
Because they’re looking at the same thing I am.
Her. The damn gleam of his eyes is focused solely on Mercy’s tiny figure moving through the still-steaming piles of debris. When she squats down and pokes at something with a pencil that she pulls out from behind her dainty ear, his eyes follow her.
Just like mine.
My breath catches. My feet slowly move towards him. Careful, calm. Keeping him in my sight at all times. So close. My fingers itch to grab him. Find out what he’s doing here.
But I know. I should be hollering. Should be running.
But like he knows exactly what I’m thinking he turns his head towards me and I see the scarring on the side of his face. See the dark gleam of his eyes. The cynical curl of his lips.
“Hey!” I holler. And just like that, every eye turns towards me and away from him and the asshole disappears with another smirk at me.
“Dammit!” I holler and take to my feet, pulse pounding. I know it! This is him. The guy I’ve been chasing.
Pushing through the confused, milling crowd that seems to grow larger and thicker until I’m slowed to a walk trying to push my way through them.
Mercy meets me, her eyes so damn blue and curious. “What?”
But he’s gone. My eyes scan the area desperately. “He was here. He was right here. Dammit!” I growl and slap my thigh, so damn pissed that I’m practically vibrating with it.
