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"Oh, yeah We’ve been coie has had a fire five of those years," she said, laughing again "I was still snoozing when the alarod my husband, Jim, heard it since I sleep like the dead I wish he would have had the foresight to tell h," she said, pointed down to her stocking-clad feet
I noddedlouder, but I wasThe rest of the residents didn’t see themselves, but I was still a worried Just when I was ready to hobble in after him, the first fire truck turned down the narrow lane in front of the inn At the same moment, Grant caie, as coughing froie," one of the fire "Is it out?"
"It was just a suests
"What did we tell you about using your gas stove?" he asked as the other men from the fire truck headed inside to h the door, I could tell most of the smoke had already started to thin out
"What happened?" I asked Grant as Maggie trailed in after the fireie had it out by the time I made it in there, but the kitchen was already filled with smoke We opened the back door and the kitchen s to let it blow out," he said, taking uess it’s happened before Maggie likes to keep the bacon grease on the stove, but she forgets to turn off the heat under it
I laughed I had worked long enough in the cooking field to know herwith it," I said, watching the fire her he’d have to give her a citation the next tiie listened to hi her head in all the appropriate spots Once the fire truck pulled away, Maggie turned to rin I had seen the day before
"Sorry about the early ood news is breakfast is ready for those who haven’t eaten and the cookies in the oven were saved before disaster struck," she said good-naturedly, leading the way back into the house Everyone laughed with her, relieved it was nothing et back inside There were far tooteeth as everyone stomped their feet in the cold At least the snow had finally stopped, but the as still blowing around
"Your chariot waits," Grant said, liftingused to this"
"Fine by me," I teased My eyesabout our kiss and everything else that was about to happen before the ruckus His eyes darkened while his grip on o back upstairs?" he asked I knehat he was asking If ent upstairs, ould be continuing where we left off He was giving me a chance to put on the brakes, but it wasn’t necessary I was as ready as he was
I nodded ht-colored five o’clock shadow covering the lower half of his face I liked this rugged look he was sporting I continued to explore his face, taking tier over his lip as he carried er into his ue swirled sensually around er I turned ency, he picked up his pace
Our door was still open from e left earlier, but Grant kicked it closed behind us and reached back to make sure it was locked "I don’t want to hurt your ankle," he said, looking at my wrapped foot
"You won’t," I said At theon my mind My desire for him had intensified to the point of no return I had drea ti I wanted to ask hi about kissingtime?" I asked as he pulled offcare not to jareach other
He scooted close, running a hand froether He brought my hand to his mouth so he could place his lips onfor you halfa hot kiss on ued Did I really need to reh during et the hint when I dipped your braid in paint in second grade?" he asked, scooting my shirtsleeve up so he could trail his lips up my forearm I shifted closer to hibetweenus practically on top of each other I couldn’t helpme nuts with his slow patient pace
"You hatedet your attention I thought you were cute, but you kept shootinghis kisses from my arm to my collarbone
"You teasedcrush on you I worked for a week on the valentine I gave you in third grade Do you remember it?"
"I still have it," I admitted
He pulled back fro thunderstruck
I nodded my head as his eyes held mine "I had to re-tape it freshman year when I tore it up"
"Why, what happened fresh h so he could hitch rind I would have been eood to care
"You started dating Aave me After I re-retaped it, I shoved it in my drawer so I wouldn’t have to face it"
"I started dating Aiveured they were right when you never looked at ain"