Playing With Fire (Firehouse Fourteen Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

have? But the food was pretty good, for all that it was just scrambled eggs and bacon.
    Long minutes went by, filled with an awkward silence as they both ate. Angie watched him from lowered lids, her embarrassment not detracting from her appreciation of the man in front of her. Close-cropped dark blonde hair, cut a little longer on top. Flint gray eyes, completely focused on the plate in front of him. And the rigid set to his shoulders, broadcasting his discomfort loud and clear.
    She was trying not to be obvious. For all the attention he was paying her, though, she could have just propped her chin in her hand and stared at him and he wouldn't have noticed.
    She finished chewing the last bit of bacon, washing it down with a final swallow of coffee. The silence was unbearable now, oppressive and damning in its weight. Her hands curled into the napkin on her lap as she wondered if she should say something.
    "Jay, about last night—"
    He jumped from the table so fast that he knocked into the edge of it. Their plates bounced against the wood surface, the clanging loud in the following silence. But he didn't say anything, just grabbed the empty plates and cups from the table and made a hasty retreat into the kitchen.
    Which made her feel even worse. She didn't want this tension between them, this awkwardness that stretched her nerves to an uncomfortable point. Angie lowered her head and stared at her hands, still clutching the twisted napkin.
    "I just wanted to—"
    Plates banged together with a loud noise, interrupting her. Angie turned and watched as Jay placed everything into the dishwasher, his movements short and jerky. She took a deep breath and let it out, frustration now warring with embarrassment. Didn't he realize she was trying to apologize?
    No, he probably thought she was going to proposition him or something.
    "Jay, I didn't mean—"
    "Angie, stop." Jay slammed the dishwasher closed and finally turned to face her, his eyes boring into hers. The intensity in the gray depths made her heart skip a beat. Had she always known how intensely gorgeous those gray eyes of his were? Or was she just seeing him a different light now?
    Probably both.
    And she really needed to push all thoughts like that from her mind, because that way lay insanity.
    "I just wanted to apologize—"
    "Angie, as far as I'm concerned, I'd prefer to completely forget about last night. It didn't happen. It shouldn't have happened. As far as I'm concerned, nothing happened. Okay?"
    Angie's mouth snapped closed and she looked away, her face flaming under his scrutiny. She heard him mutter something but she refused to look at him.
    And she actually thought earlier she couldn't possibly be more mortified. That's what she got for trying to be optimistic.
    She got up from the table then picked up her backpack and slung it over her shoulder, making sure she kept her gaze lowered. It was bad enough that her cheeks were flaming, that he could see the embarrassment so clearly on her face. But to also know that her actions last night had embarrassed him was the last straw. Yeah, she had made a complete ass of herself, but she could have sworn that there had been at least a little mutual attraction and interest coming from him.
    Obviously there wasn't, which only made the whole debacle that much worse.
    "Got it. So, ready whenever you are."
    "Shit." The word was short, conveying the frustration he obviously felt, which only increased her own misery.
    She hiked the strap higher on her shoulder and moved closer to the door, figuring she'd just wait for him outside. A strong hand wrapped around her arm, stopping her. She looked down at the hand, momentarily caught off-guard, then raised her eyes to find Jay watching her, something unreadable in the depths of his gaze.
    He quickly released her arm and ran his hand down his face with a loud sigh. "Ang, I didn't mean that the way you took it, okay? Listen, last night." He paused and took a deep breath. "You have no idea