Her Firefighter Hero

Or was it? Megan sighed. Maybe she should at least try to find happiness with another man. And yet, she couldn’t seem to let go of Blaine. They’d been college sweethearts, and she’d loved her husband for so long that she didn’t know how to stop now that he was gone. Honestly, the thought of dating another man made her feel disloyal to the love she’d shared with him.

“I figure we have two choices this evening,” Jared said in a soft voice. “We can leave right now, or we can stick it out and try to have some fun.”

“There’s a third option,” Megan said, trying not to sound too angry.

He quirked one brow. “And what’s that?”

“We could strangle Connie and Tim and then flee to South America.”

Jared laughed, a rich baritone that seemed to soothe her jangled nerves. “I’m afraid the cops would catch us for sure. Are you okay with spending some serious time in jail?”

She shook her head. “No, I’ve got children waiting at home. We better stick with option number two.”

“I’m game if you are.”

“Okay,” she conceded, trying to be a good sport. But it wasn’t easy.

She stooped down and petted Connie’s dog. An old basset hound named Sam.

“My kids keep asking me for a dog,” she said.

“Yeah, Caleb told me. Are you going to get them one?”

She shook her head. “Maybe someday. Right now, we’re never at home. And the poor animal couldn’t come with us to the restaurant. It would violate the health codes. But Caleb keeps asking anyway.”

“I’ve been thinking about getting a dog myself.”

She crinkled her nose. “Really? They are lots of hard work. I keep telling Caleb that, but he won’t listen. He informed me the other day that kids are supposed to have a dog. That he needs to learn responsibility. And what better way to do that than by taking care of a new puppy?”

Jared chuckled. “Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure Caleb and June will grow up normal and well-adjusted even without a dog.”

“I hope so.” She laughed, trying to sound happy. But inside, she was screaming. She already liked this man too much. Spending more time as his date tonight would only make matters worse. But it looked as if she didn’t have a choice right now. Not unless she wanted to be rude.

“Would you like some chips and salsa?” he asked, indicating the colorful bowls Connie had set out for her guests.

“Sure.”

He accompanied her over to the table nearby. His voice was deep and warm. He bumped against her arm and the feel of his fingers against her bare skin made her entire body thrum with reaction. Megan glanced up in time to see Tessa playfully swat Sean on the shoulder. He said something that made her laugh. In response, Sean gave her a hug and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Tessa snuggled in close against his chest. They were engaged to be married in December and seemed so natural and happy together. And Megan envied the love they shared.

“They’re a cute couple, aren’t they?” Jared said, noticing her gaze.

“Yes, they are. They deserve to be happy.”

“They definitely do. Where are your kids tonight?” Jared asked.

“Home with a babysitter.”

“It must be nice to have a night off.”

“It is,” she said.

She looked up, meeting his eyes. He stood close enough for her to feel his warmth. To catch his scent. She stared at him, mesmerized. Frozen in time. For several quiet moments, nothing existed in the world except him. An insane notion, considering they were standing in Connie’s backyard and surrounded by lots of other people. Then, Megan came to her senses and stepped away.

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.