Burn So Bad

by J. H. Croix

  His gorgeous blue eyes narrowed again. “You’re not calling Amelia for a ride. That’s ridiculous.”

  He looked truly affronted I’d even suggested someone else give me a ride. For a flash, I felt a little bad, but my annoyance at his assumption he could tell me what to do was stronger.

  “If I want to call Amelia for a ride, I’ll call her for a ride.”

  I huffed, I actually huffed, and then spun around.

  Levi put his hand on my shoulder, pausing me from stomping away, which was what I wanted to do. His touch was like a brand. That single point of contact was hot and sent sparks of heat through me. I was so rattled at my body’s reaction, I didn’t yank away.

  “I’ll give you a ride wherever you need to go in the morning, okay?”

  His tone was a tad less authoritative this time. I was too annoyed with myself at my reaction to him to carry on. I was also exhausted, my arm ached, and I desperately wanted to sleep. I needed to burrow into the covers and forget everything. Most particularly, forget how much my body was drawn to Levi. I nodded. “Okay.”

  His eyes held mine again. God, I wished he wasn’t so comfortable with direct eye contact. Just now, his gaze felt soft, as if though he could sense how unsettled I was. He let his hand drop and stepped out of the room.

  “Good night,” was the last thing I heard as he closed the door.

  I stripped out of my clothes and crawled into bed. The sheets were cool, and the quilt light and soft over me. I drifted into sleep, thoughts of Levi tumbling through my mind.

  Chapter Four

  Lucy

  I woke up, feeling more rested than I had in years. For a moment, I was disoriented and then I remembered I was in the guest bedroom at Levi’s house. Given the events of yesterday, it was a miracle I’d slept as deeply as I had. I rolled onto my side and looked out the window, which faced the field in front of the house. Mist was rising off the tall grasses as the sun rose above the trees, its rays landing on the dewy landscape.

  I took a deep breath and let it out. I had no idea what time it was. I didn’t have my purse, or frankly anything. I’d left my purse in Amelia’s truck when she took me to the hospital to have my arm looked at. I lifted it, relieved to experience only lingering soreness when I carefully shifted my wrist inside the brace. I sighed, recalling I’d subsequently gotten into a fight with my landlord and had no good plan for where to stay. Finding a new apartment in the summer in Willow Brook was no easy matter. Most places were booked to capacity with tourists.

  It was so odd Levi had been the one who helped me yesterday. I hated thinking of what happened in these terms, but rescue me he did. I briefly wondered why he’d ceased his teasing attempts to get me to go out with him and then forced my mind off of those thoughts. Romance wasn’t in the cards for me. It didn’t matter that Levi made my body feel all kinds of crazy. Restless, I kicked the covers off and hopped out of bed. I dragged my t-shirt on and put my ear to the door. It was still early, so I was hoping I could sneak to the bathroom.

  When I didn’t hear anything, I slowly opened the door. Levi’s bedroom door, directly across from me on the opposite wall, was closed. The house was completely quiet. I stepped out quickly and ran on my tiptoes to the bathroom, dashing inside and closing the door quickly.

  I took care of business and tiptoed back out, only to find a brown and white hamster in the middle of the balcony walkway. It paused to look at me and then scurried over to sniff my foot.

  What the hell? Levi has a hamster? Wow.

  The incongruity of it made me burst out laughing. I leaned down to stroke my fingers over its fur. The little hamster wiggled under my touch and looked up.

  “Ah, I see you’ve met Ham.”

  Levi’s voice was low and gravelly, roughened from sleep. The sound of it sent a prickle down my spine. I stood quickly and spun to find him rounding the corner of the balcony.

  Sweet hell.

  The moment I saw him, heat unfurled in a wave through my body. Did I mention he was calendar material? I knew he was handsome, but my imagination had not done him justice. He wore nothing more than a pair of navy blue cut off sweatpants that hung low on his hips. His chest might as well have been carved from stone. Every muscle was delineated. He was so fit, it should’ve been illegal. My eyes soaked him in. I couldn’t look away. My mouth went dry, and my pulse took off like a rocket.

  All the while, I stood there with a hamster who decided to climb on my foot. I was so discombobulated, I’d forgotten I was wearing nothing other than a t-shirt. It hung just past my hips. When this fact occurred to me, I flushed straight through. I realized Levi probably had a perfect view of my bottom when I bent over to pet the hamster who was apparently named Ham. I was all kinds of hot and bothered. This ranked up there with one of the most mortifying moments I’d experienced. Ever.

  I couldn’t seem to snap out of it, just staring at him while heat bloomed in my center and radiated outward. If Levi noticed anything amiss, I couldn’t tell. He closed the distance between us until he was right in front of me. Only inches away.

  I wanted to touch him. Desperately.

  My hand apparently had a mind of its own. Because I touched him without even thinking, reaching out and sliding my palm down his chest. His skin was warm, lightly dusted with hair. His rich blue gaze locked to mine. The air around us felt alive, shimmering and pulsing with need.

  I couldn’t seem to take my hand away, but I suddenly got anxious, nudged by my past and all the reasons why I didn’t do things like this. As if he could predict my next move, he curled his hand over mine. His touch was warm and strong. His thumb brushed across my wrist in that spot where the skin was so sensitive, it made me ache. Hot shivers raced through me.

  I swallowed, beating back against the anxiety building. Somehow it was mingling with the intense desire I felt and amping it higher and higher.

  “Have coffee with me,” he said.

  I didn’t know what I’d expected, but it wasn’t this. He made no other move, simply standing there with my hand held in his and his thumb hypnotically coasting over the wild beat of my pulse.

  “Okay,” I blurted out.

  He uncurled his hand. I had to force myself to take mine away. I instantly missed the feel of his warm skin under my touch.

  His mouth curled at one corner. “So this is Ham,” he said, gesturing to the hamster.

  Ham had his haunches propped on my foot as he stared ahead. “Um, you have a hamster?”

  Levi nodded. “I do. My sister gave him to me. She said I needed company.”

  “You let him run loose?”

  I was hyper focused on this because I couldn’t seem to get my body under control. With my channel clenching with need and my belly fluttering, it was all I could do to stay sane. I was also way, way too aware of how close Levi was and how insanely sexy he was. With his honey amber hair mussed from sleep and his glorious chest there for me to see, it was fair to say I wasn’t thinking too clearly. At all.

  He shrugged. God, even his shoulders were sexy, the muscles rolling with his easy shrug. “Yeah. He got out once and nothing came of it, so now I leave his cage open. He goes in and out and does his thing. Anyway, did you need the bathroom?” he asked, thumbing toward the door.

  I shook my head wildly. “Nope. All set.”

  At that, I dashed off, desperate to create some distance between Levi and me and maybe, just maybe, get my body under control.

  Chapter Five

  Levi

  I shouldered through the doorway into Firehouse Café. Warmth and the scent of fresh baked goods washed over me. Firehouse Café was on Main Street in downtown Willow Brook, almost dead center in the middle of town. The café was housed in the town’s original firehouse and had been renovated into a cheery space. The seating area was in the old garage with the garage doors turned into windows overlooking Main Street with Swan Lake—a massive lake and the main tourist draw in town—in the distance. The café was decorated with local artwork.
Round tables were scattered in the seating area with the deli and bakery counter to one side.

  As usual, the café was busy. From spring through autumn, it was teeming with tourists. Come winter, it stayed busy with locals. The café had out of this world coffee and baked goods for breakfast, phenomenal sandwiches for lunch, and a damn good dinner selection. In short, Janet James, Firehouse Café’s erstwhile owner, did a bang up job of making the place irresistible in all seasons.

  Willow Brook was roughly forty-five minutes outside of Anchorage, just close enough to have the overflow of tourists from Anchorage and just far enough to feel like you were almost in the middle of nowhere. With Swan Lake sprawling in the center of town, Willow Brook was a hub for fishing, hunting, hiking, biking and then some. Wildlands Lodge, along with a number of smaller lodges, sat on its picturesque waters, charging a fortune tourists were happy to pay.

  It was late summer with autumn already nipping at its heels. I scanned the crowded café and went to stand at the back of the line. The weather was clear today, hence the café was bustling with tourists grabbing coffee on the run before they headed out for whatever activity they had planned in the wilds of Alaska, while locals were scattered amongst the tables.

  Despite my efforts to persuade Lucy to have coffee with me this morning, she’d shrugged me off when we got into town. Sensing that if I pushed too hard and too fast, she would push back even harder, I’d let it go.

  Someone nudged my shoulder, and I glanced back to see Cade behind me.

  “Hey man what’s up?” I asked.

  Cade flashed a grin. “Coffee, you?”

  “Same.”

  “I’m guessing we’ll be called in to help with cleanup from that fire yesterday,” he commented.

  “Yep. What time is your crew headed out?” I asked.

  “I’ll sort it out once we get to the station. I’ve gotta swing by Denali Builders first. Damn boiler broke last night.”

  We stepped forward together as the line moved.

  “That sucks. Can you fix it?”

  He shook his head. “Nah. We tried everything. Amelia bought it used when she built the house, so we knew it only had so many years in it. It’s a $20,000 repair,” he said with a slow shake of his head.”

  “Damn,” was about all I had to offer.

  “Even worse, Amelia spent the morning on the phone trying to round up favors and see if anyone has one hanging around. No one local has a good one in stock. I mean, those are usually ordered as it is. I told her it’d be best if we bit the bullet and spent the money now for a good one. It’ll be weeks before we get the replacement though.”

  “At least it’s summer,” I commented.

  “True, but we have no hot water. Even worse, our hot water tank flooded when the boiler broke, so we’ve got a mess downstairs. Amelia wants to tear up the hardwood flooring and redo it.”

  “Well, if you need any help, just say the word.”

  Cade nodded. “Thanks, man. I can do the install myself. We’ve just gotta get the boiler here.”

  We stepped forward again when a large cluster in front of us finished ordering and moved away from the counter. Janet James looked up, bestowing a wide grin between us. It was pretty much impossible not to smile when Janet did. With her twinkling brown eyes, her round figure and her effervescent warmth, it suited her to be the center of the café.

  “Well boys, what can I get for you?”

  “Coffee,” we said in unison.

  Janet chuckled. “Anything special?”

  “Whatever you’ve got as strong as you’ve got it,” I said in return.

  Her gaze flicked to Cade.

  “Same,” he said quickly.

  “Nothing to eat?”

  “Better get us a bag of your mixed pastries,” I added. “We’ll bring them to the guys at the station. We’re looking at a day of cleanup.”

  After I paid and ignored Cade’s attempt to pay for his coffee, Janet spun away to take care of our order, while we stepped over to the pick up counter. The bell above the door jingled cheerily, and I glanced over reflexively to see Lucy walking in. The moment my eyes landed on her, my body tightened in anticipation.

  It had been a damn miracle I’d gotten myself under control this morning after I walked out of my bedroom to see her. I’d had an absolutely perfect view of her bottom. Not that I couldn’t have guessed she had a sweet body, but she hid it well. She had a perfect heart shaped bottom in shockingly feminine pink cotton underwear. I’d about fallen over. Just seeing her now with that vision in mind sent a shot of lust straight to my veins.

  I’d done some quick mental talk to keep my cock down because I’d known the minute she spun around, my response to her would’ve been obvious, seeing as I’d been wearing nothing but a loose pair of sweatpants. When she did straighten and turn around with her gorgeous blonde hair a tousled mess and her t-shirt hanging just to her hips, I’d had to do some more mental quick talk. Even though her t-shirt had nearly swallowed her whole, her breasts pressed against it with her nipples easily visible through the thin cotton.

  Then, she’d gone and touched me. From the look in her eyes, she had startled herself as much as she’d startled me. Usually I would’ve wanted to tease, but I’d stopped myself at the look in her wide blue eyes and the heat banked in their depths. A few months back when I’d been trying to cajole her into going out with me, I would have said there was a spark between us. Because it was damn near impossible to miss. Oh, I wouldn’t lie and pretend I didn’t want her for the challenge. But it was more than that. Whenever I was near her, the air felt electrified around us.

  Yet, nothing could have prepared me for that brief moment with her. The air became heavy inside of a second. The intensity of her gaze and the intimacy in the moment had thrown me. I hadn’t expected it. I sure as hell hadn’t expected her to touch me.

  I watched as Amelia followed Lucy through the doorway. Though Amelia towered over Lucy, Lucy’s presence was so strong, I rarely noticed that detail. Cade called Amelia‘s name. The second she looked over, he winked, winning a smile from her. She couldn’t have known how perfect it was that she and Lucy were here for coffee after Lucy had wiggled out of it with me.

  “Grab us a table?” she called out.

  Cade nodded and looked to me. “Mind getting those coffees?”

  “Not at all.”

  It appeared he’d shifted gears and decided we were staying for a bit. But then, Cade was so whipped by Amelia, it wasn’t the slightest surprise. Didn’t matter they were married and had been for a good two years now, didn’t matter he’d likely just kissed her goodbye this morning less than an hour ago. He’d want to steal more time with her. Worked for me because that meant I could steal a few more minutes with Lucy.

  I snagged our coffees and strode over to the table he found in the corner. Within minutes, Amelia was threading her way over to us with Lucy. I watched as they approached, seeing a familiar guarded expression on Lucy’s face. I wasn’t prone to being a feelings kind of guy. Nah. I took an easy come, easy go approach to romance. I wouldn’t say I was a player, more of a ‘pass from one friendly dating relationship to the next’ kind of guy. Yet, Lucy got to me.

  She was so damn beautiful she took my breath away. She was the kind of beautiful that was impossible to miss. She tried so hard to hide it with her tomboy attitude and her bitchy armor. Up until Cade moved back to Willow Brook, even though I’d noticed her—because it was simply that impossible not to—I’d written her off as too standoffish and distant.

  After Cade and Amelia got back together, my social circles had bumped into Lucy’s in ways where I saw there was far more to her than the prickly cactus vibe she threw off. She was incredibly loyal to her friends and always quick to be there whenever and however her friends might need her. Yet, if there were anything other than a platonic vibe, she threw up walls like nobody’s business. I’d been foolish enough to think I could charm my way through those walls. No such luck. Oddly, trying
to charm her had made me feel things I wasn’t too accustomed to feeling. I wanted to know why she was so protective, why she pushed so hard against me.

  Until yesterday and then last night, I’d pretty much figured I needed to leave well enough alone.

  Amelia reached us first. “Any luck?” she asked after dropping a lingering kiss on Cade’s cheek and sitting down beside him.

  “Nah. Earliest we’re going to be able to get that boiler is in two weeks and that’s if we’re lucky.”

  “What’s going on?” Lucy asked as she slipped into the chair beside me. It was the only chair left, but I didn’t mind one bit having her a little close to me.

  “Our boiler died last night, and our hot water tank flooded. I called everywhere this morning. Denali Builders has a shitty one in stock, but if we’re going to spend the money, I want a decent one.” Amelia paused to take a big gulp of her coffee. “So no hot water, and the floor is ruined where the water was,” she said with a sigh.

  “It’s not like we can afford the twenty grand right now, but we’re gonna take the hit,” Cade added.

  Lucy looked between them, her blue eyes worried. “Well, that sucks.” She moved to lift her coffee cup with her injured arm and then rolled her eyes as she quickly switched hands.

  Amelia’s eyes narrowed. “How’s your wrist?”

  “Oh, it’s fine. Just a little sore,” Lucy said firmly. “Sorry about that mess. If you need help with the floor, let me know.”

  Amelia shrugged. “Not until you’re cleared to use that hand again. We’ll deal with it. We’ll probably stay at Cade’s parents until we get it fixed. I hate cold showers,” she said emphatically. “Speaking of that, it rules out you crashing with us until you find a place. Once we get the boiler, you’re welcome as long as you’d like though.”