Gabe had taken the subway to North Station. Before continuing on, he surfaced and tromped around the old Italian neighborhood, looking for her address. Sandwiched between other old buildings, it wasn’t the worst place on the block, but it wasn’t the best either. He hoped there was a way to figure out which floor she was on. She’d be safer on an upper floor.
He quietly crept up the stairs to the small porch and saw two mailboxes. One saidCarlisle. At least she was smart enough not to use her first name, indicating a female living alone.
Gabe was in the mood for a walk. It wasn’t that far to the financial district, and he needed to clear his head. He had racked his brain trying to think of some other way to casually keep an eye on her. He came up empty, so he walked to the bank to open a new checking account.
He’d just tell her he was being transferred to the nearby fire station soon and wanted to have a handy place to do his banking. If that didn’t tip her off, his coming in person to deposit his paycheck probably would. He’d just have to worry about that later.
When he finally made it to the bank, he tried to look casual as he scanned the tellers, looking for a little girl with long brown braids. Naturally, she’d look a little different by now, but that’s how he remembered her.
When he didn’t see anyone who could have been that girl, he was afraid he might have come on her day off. He checked the tellers’ nameplates and was shocked to realize the gorgeous brunette with long wavy tresses and a slammin’ body was in fact Misty.
Whoa.His dick twitched.This can’t be happening.His best friend’s little sister was a grownwoman. The first woman in a long time to rev up his libido.Shit. Now what?
He got in her line, despite it being the longest, and waited his turn. He could probably have approached one of the offices and asked for the manager, but doing it this way would give him a chance to “accidentally” discover she was there.
Oh my. What a surprise. Who knew you were working here?It sounded stupid, but it was all he had.
When it was finally his turn, he did his best acting job—not that it was very good. “Hello, miss. I’m here to… Wait a minute. I know you…” Then he made it look like he was staring at her name tag, but he was actually staring at her full breasts. His breath caught, and he had to get ahold of himself in order to speak without squeaking like his fourteen-year-old self. “Misty? Misty Carlisle?”
Recognition lit up her hazel-brown eyes. “Gabe? Oh my God. What are you doing here?” Then she laughed. “Well, obviously, you’re doing your banking, but I didn’t realize you lived around here.”
“Oh, I don’t. I was just…thinking of moving to the area, because it looks like I’m going to be transferred to your local firehouse.”
“I guess you’re following in the family tradition, then?”
“Absolutely. I wouldn’t want to do anything else,” he said proudly.
“Well, now I feel even safer, knowing you’re on the job.” Her grin could melt the polar ice cap, or whatever was left of it after global warming and his inner heat had done its work.
The fact that she always felt safe in a city this size and volunteered at a homeless shelter suggested that she might still be a little idealistic or naive. The guys in the shelter were sometimes hardened criminals. Some of his cop buddies had told him stories that raised the hair on the back of his neck.
Dammit. No wonder Parker wanted someone to keep an eye on her.And yet she wanted to be independent. This was no easy assignment.
“That’s sweet. I take it you live around here?”
“Not really. I live in the North End. It’s a short walk, and I enjoy it on pleasant days.”
“There aren’t many of those at this time of year.”
“If anyone would know that, it’s you firefighters. I can’t imagine working in some of the conditions you have to go out in.”
He shrugged. “Yeah, there are times I kind of wish I could sit behind a desk, but most of the time, I love my job.”
She smiled shyly. “I like what you do too.”
Someone behind him cleared his throat.
Gabe realized he’d better get down to business. “So, how do I go about setting up an account here?”
“I’ll get the manager for you.” She left her window and exited through a side door, coming around to the customer area. “Just follow me.”
Her black pencil skirt hugged her perfectly formed bottom, and her hips swished as she walked. He could almost feel himself salivating.Good God. I hate you, Parker.
Misty poked her head into an office marked ADAM FORSYTH, MANAGER. “Hi, Adam. My friend here would like to open a new account.”
The manager frowned at Gabe. That didn’t seem like a very friendly reaction to a new customer.
“Friend?”
