Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 39513 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 198(@200wpm)___ 158(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39513 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 198(@200wpm)___ 158(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
Oh my God. They probably see us through the windows.
“The windows,” I manage to gasp.
“Don’t fucking care who sees me kissing you,” he snarls, one big hand closing around my breast. “You feel too fucking good.”
I sob his name, my head thumping against the wall as another flow of lava pours through my veins. This is...good grief. Is this what my sisters are always talking about? Is this the magic? It certainly feels like magic.
He pinches my nipple hard, and I see stars. I hear alarm bells.
“Motherfucker!” he swears violently.
Nope. I’m definitely not hearing alarm bells. Those are real.
“What the heck is that?”
Alessandro pulls back with another curse, breathing hard. “My pager is going off, angel. We gotta stop.”
I whimper like a pitiful, eager little mess.
“I know, baby,” he croons, tipping my head back to kiss me softly. “I know. But there’s a call. I gotta go.”
Right. Play with fire, get burned. Stupid motto. Stupid vagina. Stupid hot body pressed against mine, burning me all up.
He touches his forehead to mine, his breathing ragged. “Go out with me, Heidi. Give us a chance.”
“I…”
“Please, Sunshine. One date.”
“Okay,” I whisper.
He groans and kisses me again, a wildness to it that sets my blood on fire all over again. When he pulls back to look at me this time, his eyes are so dilated they’re almost black.
"This isn't over, angel,” he growls. “Not by a long shot."
“Okay,” I whisper. Apparently, it’s the only word I know right now.
He stares at me for a minute and then chuckles. “You gotta let me go, baby.”
What? Oh, right. My cheeks heat as I unwrap my arms and legs from around him, allowing him to slide me down his body. His erection presses against my stomach, and I have to fight the urge to whimper.
Once he’s sure I’m steady, he touches his lips to my forehead, and then steps back, his hot gaze running over me.
“Jesus,” he rumbles, shaking his head. “So fucking sexy.”
I’m not sure if he’s talking about me or him, but he should definitely look in the mirror because wow. He looks sexy as sin with his cheeks flushed and his eyes all smoldering and dilated.
“Be safe,” I murmur.
He winks at me and then spins on his heel and strides out the door.
I lean back against the wall, my heart racing. What the heck just happened? One minute, we were talking. The next, I’m basically climbing his body. That was not part of the plan.
I think I like this plan better.
I touch my lips, still feeling the imprint of his. I've never been kissed before, but that one was definitely something to remember. It's as if he poured every ounce of his desire into that one moment. I felt his need as if it were my own.
Whatever this is between us…it’s powerful. But it's more than just physical. There's a connection between us, a spark that ignites like a freaking electrical storm whenever we're together.
It's terrifying and exhilarating all at once.
I shouldn't want him this much. I barely know him, and yet, I can't help but be drawn to him. His strength, his humor, his unwavering dedication to his job and those he cares about. I can’t think of a single other man who would call in a favor just to bring me kolaches. But he did.
Gemma's words echo in my mind. Everyone loves Alessandro.
I'm starting to understand why. Beneath that cocky exterior lies a heart of gold. He isn’t just a firefighter because he likes the thrill of being a hero. He’s actually the type of man willing to risk everything without asking for credit.
But falling for him? That's a risk I'm not sure I'm ready to take. Being that vulnerable, sharing all those raw pieces of myself...that’s far more frightening a prospect than opening this bakery. Frankly, the thought alone is terrifying.
But when I touch my lips again, and still feel the imprint of his, I can’t help but wonder if maybe he’s worth the leap.
Maybe, just maybe, this is worth the risk.
Chapter Four
Alessandro
“Fuck,” I mutter, pulling into my driveway a little after midnight. All the lights at Heidi’s are off. She’s already asleep, meaning I won’t get to see her again tonight. I was kind of hoping I would.
My body aches, and fatigue seeps into my bones after spending half my shift battling a house fire in the middle of town. But even in the thick of the blaze, my mind was on Heidi and the way she responded when my lips were on hers today.
I haven’t been able to think of anything but her all fucking day. Actually, I haven’t thought of anything but her since she opened her door yesterday. She’s got my mind all twisted into knots, and I fucking love it.
This is the shit my dad always told me about—the kind of connection that runs bone deep. He and my mother have had it since the day they met on a beach in Mexico. He was on Spring Break. She lived there. He refused to come back without her. Six months later, she was his wife, and I was growing in her belly. They’ve been together since.