Wet(21)

Errol laid out his cards and gathered the loot—which consisted of a handful of old candy bars left over from last year’s Halloween—from the center of the table. “Take the back way. Deputy Veinotte blocked the path off and paparazzi have to keep to the main streets.”

Trent made a quick trip to the men’s room, jumped in the shower and changed his clothes before making his way to the Seafarer. When he stepped outside, the warm, muggy air closed over him. The sound of the camera crew speaking on the street carried in the still night.

Trent slipped around back and cut through the rose bushes lining the walking path. A few minutes later he came upon the back entrance of the Seafarer. He climbed the stairs leading up to the service entrance.

Trent leaned against the rail as the sight of Katy in the window had his pulse leaping. Fully focused and concentrating on her menu, she hadn’t noticed him through the pane. He stood on the back deck and watched her, loving everything about her, especially the way she moved with such innocent sensuality. She’d changed out of her work uniform and now wore a light T-shirt and curve-hugging jeans that had his hands itching and his mouth watering.

When she disappeared into the other room, he moved toward the stairs, not about to disturb her when she was so clearly focused on her work, and that’s when his cell went off. Shit. He must be needed at the firehouse. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, “Yeah?”

“Fire, Seafarer, hurry…”

The second he slammed his phone shut, the smell of smoke reached his nostrils. He spun in time to see orange flames licking the sky. His feet pounded hard and the sound echoed in the night as he ran down the stairs and took note of the trash-can fire near the recycle bins. He shot a glance around and found the hose beneath the stairs. He turned it on and dashed along the gravel path to the fire. As he doused the flames, he couldn’t help but wonder what the hell was going on. It was the second trash fire in as many nights.

A sound at his back had him turning and he spotted Katy rushing toward him. Eyes wide and mouth open in shock, she stared at him. Her glance went from him, to the trash can, back to him again. “Trent,” she said. “What’s going on? What are you doing here?”

“Just putting out another one of your trash can fires,” he informed her.

She frowned and shook her head, perplexed. “Haven’t we already done this?”

“Yeah, talk about déjà vu.”

She gestured toward his hose. “At least this time you didn’t soak me.”

He arched a brow and lifted it. “It’s not too late.”

Her soft chuckle teased his nerves and has his cock thickening. He studied her mussed hair, flushed cheeks and big blue eyes. He took a measured step toward her, until his body hovered over hers. “Why do I get the feeling that you’re the one starting the fires, Katy?” He tapped the cell in the front pocket of his jeans. “That you’re the one making the calls.”

She planted her hand on her hip and shot back, “Now why would I do that?”

Trent curled a lock of her dark hair around his finger and watched the desire flicker over her eyes. As their gazes collided, Trent knew she felt the bond between them every bit as much as he did. It was a connection he’d never felt with another, and suspected he never would. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe to get me all alone so you can have your way with me,” he teased.

The tip of her finger pressed into his chest and she poked him. “How do I know you’re not the one starrrting them?” she asked rolling her Rs.

Trent laughed. “Well someone is starting them. If not you, and not me, then who?”

“My guess is either the teens are really antsy this summer or someone is trying to drive us together.”

“Either way, we should go inside and call Brody.”

When Katy nodded, he slipped his arm around her waist and followed her back along the gravel pathway. He turned off the hose on the way. Inside, the warm scent of melting chocolate hit him hard and just thinking about drizzling that sweet syrup over her naked flesh and licking it off had saliva pooling on his tongue. Lust exploded inside him as he envisioned himself spreading her legs, covering her in chocolate and spending the rest of the night feasting on her.

He cleared his throat, adjusted his pants, and glanced around, trying to take his mind off his erection and doubting it possible. He’d been in the back kitchen before, of course, had done the fire safety inspection himself just a few months back.

Katy gestured toward the stove. “Would you mind giving that a stir for me? I don’t want it to burn.”

His gaze tracked her as she went for the phone, and his body registered every sexy detail of her curvy backside. As she punched in the numbers, he turned and looked at the sauce warming in the double boiler over the stainless steel range and tried not to think about all the delicious ways he’d like to use it.