Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 33213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 166(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33213 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 166(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
A little girl in pigtails with a nametag that says Junie beams up at me. “No running! No touching things! No going near the big trucks unless you say it’s okay!”
Her excitement squeezes something in my chest.
Briar touches the little girl’s shoulder gently. “Very good, sweetheart.”
My eyes flick to Briar. Is she a mom? Is Junie her daughter?
The little girl nods, eyes cast down. “Yes, mommy.”
Briar catches me watching then, going still as soon as I look at her.
Like she feels it too.
She says, “Thank you for letting us visit.”
“Didn’t exactly volunteer,” I mutter.
“But you didn’t cancel,” she fires back.
There it is—her spark.
I step closer. “Didn’t know I had permission to cancel.”
Her breath hitches. “You always have permission.”
“Funny,” I say low, leaning in, noticing for the first time that this woman isn’t wearing a wedding ring, “doesn’t feel like I do.”
The tips of her ears flush.
Worth it.
Behind me, someone whistles. The rest snicker.
“Captain’s got himself a sunshine crush,” Axel calls out.
I whip around. “Axel, I swear to—”
“Oh come on,” Ash interrupts, “we all saw the way you hustled her into the closet at school. Thought you were gonna throw her over your shoulder and carry her off next.”
Briar’s jaw drops.
I face her again. “Don’t listen to them.”
Junie tugs my pant leg. “Do you want to carry her on your shoulder because she’s pretty?”
Rowan practically chokes. “Kid’s got him clocked.”
My crew is dead.
Briar tries not to laugh. “Junie, honey, don’t—”
“She is pretty,” Rowan stage-whispers.
“Axel, write that on the board,” Boone adds. “Captain Cole is speechless. Historic day.”
I’m two seconds from sending them all on hose-testing duty for the rest of the week.
“Enough,” I bark. “All of you.”
They scatter, still grinning.
Briar covers her mouth to hide her smile. Fails miserably.
I narrow my eyes. “You enjoying this?”
“Very much,” she says sweetly.
“You shouldn’t.”
“Why? Because you’re terrifying?” she teases.
I step closer, forcing her backward until her spine meets the side of the engine.
Her breath stumbles.
Mine almost does.
I drop my voice. “You said terrifying. You sure that’s the word you want?”
Her lips part. “Maybe.”
She’s trying to look unaffected.
She’s failing.
I let my gaze trail over her—slow, deliberate. “You bring your class here to learn about fire safety, or to test mine?”
Her cheeks burn. “I didn’t—I’m not testing anything.”
“Funny,” I murmur, “you say that every time.”
Her breath shakes.
I hear Rowan across the room whisper, “Holy shit, the captain’s flirting.”
I don’t even look. “Boone, Axel, Ash, Rowan—engine check. Now.”
Four men scramble away like startled raccoons.
Briar laughs softly. “You really terrify them?”
“Only when they deserve it.”
“What did they do?”
I take a slow step closer.
“They distracted me.”
Her throat bobs. “From what?”
“You.”
Her hands grip the strap of her bag like she needs something to hold onto.
“Saxon—”
“I told you Monday,” I say quietly, “you talk too much when you’re nervous.”
“I’m not nervous.”
“Sure you are.”
“I’m not.”
I lean one hand on the truck behind her, effectively caging her in. “Then why are you breathing like that?”
Her eyes flare.
Her chest rises too fast.
She’s warm, flushed, caught between wanting to push me away and wanting to pull me closer.
She swallows. “This is very inappropriate for a field trip.”
“I haven’t touched you.” Yet.
“You don’t have to,” she whispers.
My jaw flexes. “That a complaint?”
“No.”
Her honesty slams into me. For a moment neither of us moves, air stretched tight between us. Junie breaks the spell.
“Mommy! I mean, Miss Briar!” she calls from across the bay. “Can I climb in the truck?”
Briar startles, breath rushing out. “No—yes—no—wait—Captain Cole?”
I force myself to step back.
Focus, Cole.
Do your damn job.
I nod at Junie. “Yeah, kid. I’ll show you.”
Her face lights up. Then she grabs Briar’s hand and drags her along. As they move, Briar glances over her shoulder at me. It’s small. Barely there. But it hits like a match striking. She wants this. Wants the tension. Wants the way I close in on her like she’s the only thing in the room worth looking at.
I follow them to the cab.
Junie climbs up with my help and immediately makes siren noises.
Briar hovers behind her, laughing under her breath.
“You good?” I ask Briar, low enough the kid can’t hear.
She nods. “Of course.”
“Because you look…” I drag my gaze down her again, “…flustered.”
“I am not flustered.”
“You were pinned between me and that engine two minutes ago.”
“You were the one doing the pinning.”
“Did you want me to stop?”
Her lips part—silence stretches—and for one fragile second, she almost tells the truth.
Then she clears her throat. “This is a professional environment.”
I smirk. “Funny. Didn’t feel very professional.”
Her eyes snap up. “You’re impossible.”
“And you’re bad at lying.”
She huffs. “You’re—”
“Captain!” Rowan shouts from across the bay. “You wanna give the tour? Or should we?”
I glare at him. “I’m giving the tour.”
Rowan smirks at Briar. “Careful, Miss Tate. The captain only volunteers like that when he’s trying to impress a woman.”
Briar sputters. Junie giggles.
I step toward Rowan. “Hose testing. Until your hands blister.”