“Probably all of them.” He sighed, knowing he was going to lose this argument. “What’s your point?”
“Those kisses were nothing like what just happened. They were tame friends’ kisses. Not I want to devour you kisses. I really like kissing you too and I think we need to explore what’s going on between us.”
As her breasts pressed into his chest, he let his hands slide down her back to circle her waist. “But it isn’t going to lead anywhere. You go back to the city in what, three or four months and as much as I want to have a relationship with you, it doesn’t seem feasible. Where does that leave us?”
“Well, by my calculations, that leaves us with three or four months to figure out where we’re going. I’m pretty sure we can come up with something. We’re both intelligent people. There has to be a solution somewhere. We just have to find the one that suits us best.”
“And if we can’t?” It didn’t bear thinking about but he couldn’t see how it would work. His life was here and hers wasn’t. Bella had commitments she couldn’t ignore.
Bella thought for a moment. “I don’t know but isn’t it worth a shot?”
How could he deny himself the chance to try with her looking up at him like that? They’d been on dates whenever his shifts would allow and he wanted more. Much more. “I’d like to think so. But what happens if you decide to go back to Seattle? What happens to us?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. But”—she gave him a seductive smile—“I’m willing to work on a solution if you are. Have you ever given any thought to living in a big city? You might like it.”
“I’m not too sure about that. My life is in Cherry Lake. Cory’s too. He goes to school here. How can I uproot him for my own selfish needs?”
“Fair enough. I couldn’t do that to him either. Rash words, Jake. Forget I even thought of it. All I’m saying is this – let’s see if we’re compatible first before we jump ship and make long-term plans. You might hate me after you get to know me better. I’m sure that’s possible.”
As if he could imagine that happening but it made sense. The only problem he had was if it all worked out between them romantically and they couldn’t resolve the issues facing them. He’d given it much thought over the last few weeks when he started to fall for her. How would he cope with losing another great love if that was how it came to be?
“Okay then. I’m game if you are. But no foul if this relationship goes sour on us, okay? Agree to walk away knowing we gave it our best shot and it just wasn’t meant to be more than a charming short-term thing.” Not that he would be able to do that. He already knew he’d do anything to be with her. If he could delay his move until Cory was at college, it might work. The best thing all round would be convincing Bella to move here permanently. That was fraught with all kinds of issues.
Nobody had made his blood race like this since Lisa and it wasn’t the thought of getting her into his bed either. Watching her standing at the sink cleaning up the mess she’d made cooking shouldn’t be sexy but it was. Seeing her with soot on her face when he’d dragged her out of the kitchen after the fire had been the moment when he’d first noticed the arrows sticking out of his heart. Figuratively speaking, of course. But the pointed tips buried themselves deep and pulling them out would be horrible. The little barbs were made for pain and, for a tough fireman like himself, it was going to hurt removing them.
“I’d better go back to work. Lunch break is over and my desk is piled with paperwork as usual. You have a great afternoon and I’ll see you tonight if you have time.”
*
Bella gave him a lingering kiss before she let him leave. She kept her gaze on him as he walked out of the kitchen, his heavy uniform doing nothing to hide the shape of the man under it.
Get a grip, girl. You know how much it hurts when you get burned. But she couldn’t help herself. She wanted this man more than she’d ever wanted anything and it shocked her to admit it. Even to herself. Be damned with the whys and hows. She was in too deep to stop now.
Bella pulled her list in front of her. She only had four days before the Valentine’s Day dinner and all the tickets had been sold, much to Mari’s relief. Jake had his ticket as did his friend Ben and his wife, her sister Dakota and her fiancée were back home and had theirs. She’d asked Mari to make sure Jake didn’t sit alone and to leave the chair next to him empty so she could snatch moments with him as the evening progressed. Now all she had to do was organize her ingredients and make sure everything was on hand in time so she could start prepping in two days’ time and sit waiting to see if Russell would come back to her with regard to the idea she pitched to him. Until then, she was keeping her idea to herself. No point in getting anyone’s hopes up before she had the okay. That was if she would ever get it.
And she had the photographer coming to do a shoot as well. Her days couldn’t get any fuller.
When she’d called Russell back to talk to him about filming for the last episode, he’d listened while she rushed out her idea, saying nothing until she’d stopped to take a breath. Why she’d made the offer was beyond her. It wasn’t like she had any choice but to do something. Bringing them all to Cherry Lake wasn’t something she expected him to
