Light up the Night (Firehouse Three #2)(18)

Charlie twirled a pen through long, slender fingers. “Thought you might like to know that she’s behind the building loading up the crates to head back to the shelter.”

“So she’s avoiding me?”

Charlie nodded. “Yup! I’ve never seen her act like this over a guy. It’s kind of cute. So you should go get her.”

“Thanks,” Drake said, and patted his leg. “Come on, beauty.”

At that, Charlie laughed. “Nobody could ever mistake Gossamer for a beauty. She’s sweet as a peach, but I’ve never seen an uglier dog.” She rose, rounding the table and leaning against it as she leaned down to scratch Gossamer behind her floppy ears. The dog grunted and leaned into the touch.

“What can I say? She enjoys the irony.” Drake said.

“You know she’s going to try to get out of the date, right?” Charlie said it matter-of-factly.

“Is she?”

“Oh, hell yes. She’s going to pretend the whole thing never happened.”

Drake knew she was right. He hadn’t known Everly long, but he did notice that she could be goaded into making rash decisions that she’d try to renege on later.

“You should get her out of here right now. I’m covering the cleanup from tonight, and I’ve got a big batch of volunteers. If you don’t do this now, she’ll never go.”

Drake grinned. “I owe you one.”

Charlie’s braids swung as she shook her head. “Nah. Everly’s good people, and she deserves to be happy. And she likes you. So go make her happy.”

“I intend to.” He waved to Charlie and then he and Gossamer escaped through the back door.

He spotted his quarry by a large van parked in the shade. Her cheeks were flushed and she gave an audible grunt as she loaded an airline crate into the back of the van.

So, she thought she could just pretend her bid never happened, and she didn’t have to actually go through a date with him? He was all too happy to prove her wrong.





6.

What the ever loving-hell was wrong with her?

Everly coaxed Paddington, a Shar-Pei mix with a weight problem, into his crate inside the van. He was the last to be loaded for this trip back to Hopeful Paws. Sure, there were about seven other volunteers who could have done this job, but she needed to keep herself occupied until she reconciled her actions with her thoughts.

She’d just dropped most of a month’s paycheck on a date with Drake Hammerfell.

Despite her decision to keep a strict line between her personal finances and the running of the shelter, she’d just made a $1,600 donation in order to keep that ridiculously beautiful blonde woman from finding out exactly how firm and defined those beautiful abs actually were.

She was certifiably insane.

The van doors clanged shut and she waved to Tony, who’d been sitting in the driver’s seat since she’d chased him off. He put the van into gear and Everly watched as he pulled away.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

That voice. Everly closed her eyes and fisted her hands at her sides. She’d have to figure out some kind of shielding mechanism to keep that deep, velvety voice from rumpling up her insides like a load of forgotten laundry. Steel? Plutonium? What was Superman’s Fortress of Solitude made out of, and where could she get some?

“Sorry, I’m fresh out of pennies. I just used them all to buy a guy.”

His laugh did even more internal damage than his voice. Reluctantly, she turned.

God damn it. She was hoping he’d found time to change, or at least put on a shirt. Nope. He stood there in his fireman pants, suspenders over his incredibly well-muscled and naked shoulders. His torso had been oiled slightly, the glistening skin and faint smell of coconut beckoning to her. His smile revealed white teeth that contrasted with his beautifully tanned skin.

And beside him, Gossamer sat and panted with her too-long, curled-up tongue.

Everly couldn’t help but laugh.

Drake tilted his head slightly. “What is it?”

Shaking her head, Everly reached out and took Gossamer’s leash. “The sight of this little creature beside you. She’s a character.”

“We make a good team,” Drake said, kneeling down and scratching Gossamer around her neck’s rolls. “I think she likes me.”

Watching the dog’s buggy eyes roll back in her head, Everly couldn’t help but agree. “That’s obvious. Thinking about taking her home?”

“Honestly? It did occur to me.” He glanced up at Everly, not stopping his petting. “She’s fun.”

“She’s been in our care for about six months now. If you’re interested, drop by and fill out the paperwork. We’ll be here through the festival, and you know where the shelter is.”

Drake straightened and grinned. “I don’t think I can forget that tree out front.”

Damn him. Her cheeks got warm and she kicked a piece of gravel in front of her shoe, wishing it were his face. Just when she’d started to feel comfortable around him. Served her right.

“Well, I need to load up the rest of the dogs at the booth. Thanks for volunteering. Come on, Gossamer.” Patting her thigh, she began to walk briskly toward the building.

“Wait a minute. Stop.”

Shit. It wasn’t working. Pretending she didn’t hear him, she walked a little faster. Had to get away before he brought up the one thing she was dreading.