He rolls his eyes. “Yeah. Not much left but still is.”
“By the way,” I mutter. “You never gave me your name.”
He stops and stares. “I guess I didn’t. It’s Reed. Reed Franklin. I don’t think you gave me a name either.”
“It was on my badge,” I say, ducking my head to look at a beam, my eyes following the trail of accelerant.
“Forgive me. I didn’t write it down.”
I glance up at him and grin. “It’s Mercy. Mercy Lee.”
“Well, Mercy. I’m glad to meet you.”
“You don’t need to say that. I know you don’t want me here.”
“You don’t know a damn thing about what I’m thinking.”
“You were pretty plain.”
I stalk out of the building and follow the accelerant trail out to a patch of grass that’s black and burnt. I squat down and squint, hoping that I’ll see a shoe print or something.
No such luck. I stand up and turn around, only to walk right into the broad chest of the behemoth driving me nuts. “Whoa!” I snap.
His big hands come up and lock on my elbows and it’s like everything around me goes still. Like all the air gets sucked out of my lungs and there’s not even the sound of my breathing to break the stillness. My heart hammers in my chest but I can’t hear it.
His calloused hands run up until he’s cradling my shoulders and he moves closer. His lips are so close I can feel his breath on my cheek as he leans down to brush the lobe of my ear. I close my eyes, gulping so hard it hurts.
“I never said I don’t want you here, there or anywhere I can get you, wildfire. I just didn’t know what to think when I saw you.”
“Why?” I ask breathlessly.
“Because I don’t think I’ve ever seen a woman as beautiful as you. And I wanted to fuck you the second I saw you standing in my doorway.”
Hissing in a sharp breath, I open my eyes, glaring at him. “You can’t say things like that to me.”
“I shouldn’t. I agree with you there. But every second that I’m near you it takes everything in me not to throw you over my shoulder and drag you off to a bed. Sometimes it’s hard to stop from saying it.” His dark brow lifts and his full lips quirk. “I suppose I should apologize.”
I pull back from him and cross my arms, my head swimming with the closeness of him, the warm fresh smell of him. Like pine trees and freedom. Something delicious and manly, tempting me closer to his sexy big body.
Licking my lips, I eye him warily. “Don’t bother apologizing. I have a feeling you wouldn’t mean a word of it,” I breathe.
His lips curl in the most devastating grin I’ve ever seen. Sexy and scary all at the same time. My eyes widen and I gasp softly.
“You are correct. I don’t regret a bit of it.”
Staggering backwards, I move even further from him, trying to get my damn head back on straight.
“Well, at least you’re honest,” I huff.
He chuckles. “Honestly? I don’t think I could lie to you if I tried.”
Shooting him a wry smile, I shake my head, pushing a lock of my curly chestnut hair behind my ear. “No man is immune to that kind of thing, Reed.”
“We’ll see.” He cocks his dark head and there’s a burning in his dark chocolate eyes. A golden blaze that has my belly clenching again.
I need his touch. And that scares the hell out of me. The last time I needed anything from any man he screwed me so badly, I almost lost my job. I did lose some of the respect of my peers and it took awhile to get it back.
“You said that you’re staying with us?”
