He smiled and stared into the darkness, remembering. “You looked at me with that smug little expression, like you could conquer the world.”
She laughed softly and adjusted her head on his shoulder. “What I remember is that you had that same smug look on your face.”
“I had to feign bravado. It was all I had at the time.”
There was a brief pause, one that was underscored with reminiscence; then she spoke, her voice soft. “Oh, Sean. I had no idea.”
“Of course, you didn’t. I didn’t tell anyone. I wanted to be a firefighter more than anything, but at that moment I was scared to death of climbing that ladder. I didn’t know how I was going to do it.”
Another recollection filtered through the others, a very special recollection, and he smiled a little, the details still crystal clear in his mind. He tightened his arm around her hip in an attention-getting hug. “Lana?”
“Hmm?”
He smoothed the thick fall of hair from her face. “Your challenge got me up the ladder.”
“But I still beat you.”
“Soundly.”
Her voice was laced with amusement when she responded. “You were so good at everything else. I wanted to get your attention.”
Sean grinned and gave her hip a little pinch. “You had my attention. I have to say I was pretty skeptical of a woman on the squad, but you and your classmates proved me wrong.”
That wasn’t the attention I was talking about.”
“No?”
“You know it. I never stood a chance against all that virility and charm.”
He gave her another little pinch, and she caught his hand, dragging his arms around her waist. He drew her closer, absently rubbing his stubbled chin against her hair. “I also remember that you were quite the flirt.” He drew her even closer, brushing a soft, sensual kiss against her ear. “Remember?”
A shiver coursed through her, and she turned her head toward his caress, her voice weak and breathless when she responded. “I wanted you even then.”
“We came close.”
“Yes. I remember.”
He’d never forget it. They had just graduated, and a party was in full swing at Mahoney’s. They had danced a sultry number, the lights in the bar were dim and most of the celebrants were drunk, including them. His arms had been around her, she was pressed up tight to his body, and he hadn’t been able to hide anything from her. He recalled how beautiful she looked with her loose hair and dark eyes. He’d bent his head and then that voice had kicked in. It told him that kissing Lana would be a mistake. That lovers never lasted, but friendship was for a lifetime. Even in his stupor, he knew that he wanted Lana in his life for a very long time. Jeopardizing what they had just wasn’t worth it.
The memory of how close he’d come to her lips turned his pulse thick and heavy, and he closed his eyes and trailed his mouth across her ear and down her neck, his breathing suddenly erratic. Lana whispered his name and moved into his arms, and on a deep, slow kiss, the darkness closed in around them. And he refused to let his anxiety matter right now. All their problems evaporated like water thrown onto flames.
* * *
The next morning, Sean sat in a chair by the window of the motel and watched Lana get dressed. It was already Wednesday, two days before they had to go back to work. They had an eight-hour drive trek back to San Diego but sitting in a car with Lana for that stretch of time was no hardship. They had more than enough to talk about.
As he had predicted, the trip seemed very short, but it was dark when they reached the city proper.
Sean wondered if Lana had really given up on the arson investigation. Deep down he knew that it’s what she really loved. He wished she would admit it to herself.
“Have you gotten another soil sample?”
Lana said, “No. I’m not supposed to be investigating the arsons anymore.”
“Right, Lana. When did you get the sample?”
“I didn’t collect a sample. Sienna did.”
He was silent for a moment. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”