CHAPTEREIGHT
Danny
I’m doingmy best to keep calm as I walk her to her car. There are moments in time where you understand your life is about to change, and this one is mine. When we get to her car, she stops at the driver side door and turns around.
The street light casts an ethereal glow around her, making her look like some sort of angel fairy sent to earth from places unknown. “Sooo…” I start off, getting as close as I dare, but not as close as I want. “Maybe we could do this again?”
She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, a ghost of a grin showing on the edge not clamped tight. “I think I’d like that.”
“We’ll have to figure out a time. I have to work tomorrow and then I’ll be helping my dad for one of my days,” I warn her. “Sometimes being with me isn’t easy.”
“Nothing worth having ever is, Danny.”
“It’s just, other women have gotten annoyed,” I try to explain. It’s been the hardest part of any relationship I’ve ever had. “Unfortunately, right now a lot of my time isn’t my own.”
“I’m not like other women.”
“Good.” I get slightly closer to her. “I’m not like other men.”
“We’ll figure this out?”
“Most definitely.”
She licks her lips, tilting her head almost expectantly up toward me. “Thanks for the dinner tonight.”
“It was my pleasure.” I move in a little closer, placing my hands on her hips. “Can I kiss you?”
She tilts her head higher, scooting closer to my body. “I’d be really disappointed if you didn’t.”
This time, I do get all up in her business, pressing her against the car. One hand at her hip, the other behind her neck, I pull her close, lowering my mouth toward hers. It’s all in slow motion as our lips touch. It’s hesitant at first, but the spark that’s been brewing between us ignites as we tentatively kiss one another, small pecks that build hotter and hotter. She melds into me as her lips finally open, allowing my tongue to sneak inside. A soft moan escapes the back of her throat and her hands, which had been at my elbows, travel up to my neck. Sharp fingernails rake against the skin, causing me to lose my sure footing. Taking my hand off the back of her neck, I brace it against the frame of the car and shove my thigh in between her legs.
My fingers grip her hip tighter and I’m not sure where she ends and I begin when a loud car horn startles us, making us jump apart. Turning my head, I see two cars have tried to leave the parking lot at the same time. They’re arguing, but I forget about them, moving my attention back to her.
Her lips are dark and swollen, eyes big and bright. “I should be getting home,” she whispers.
“Yeah, me too.”
With a reluctant sigh, I let her go. Stepping back, I allow her room to turn. I open the door, waiting for her to get into the driver’s seat. Once she does, I lean in, kissing her on the forehead. “Be safe, text me when you get home.”
“You too. Oh, here.” She passes what I realize is my jacket.
I close her in, watching until she backs out and drives away.
Looking up at the sky, I notice it’s brighter than normal, stars dotting the dark inkiness. A few of them shine brighter than the others, reminding me of the sparkle in Hayden’s eyes. “Fuck.” I shake my head. “You’ve got it so bad.”
* * *
Getting out of my Jeep,I see Cameron Hines, our shift Lieutenant, walking across the parking lot to the firehouse.
“Ramirez,” he greets, a yawn cracking his jaw. “How’s it going?”
“Not bad, kinda wish we had more than two days though.”
“Don’t I know it? Trinity,” he mentions his daughter, “had a hard time sleeping last night. With the big windstorm that came through.”
“There was a windstorm?”
He chuckles. “You musta been tired, winds kicked up to fifty miles an hour. The tree branch outside her room kept scraping the window. Gonna have to get it fixed.” He reaches behind his neck, scratching at his hairline.