Page 40 of Burn Falls

“Don’t you know Draven is an expert packer? He moves every ten years,” Athan broke in.

My brows furrowed. “You do?”

Draven rolled his eyes at Athan. “Haven’t found a good place to call forever.”

“Looks like this will be my forever,” I stated. At least my mother was nicer to me now.

“It’s not a bad place,” Draven noted.

“Except my father was attacked here.”

“I haven’t lived here that long, but Burn Falls always seemed like a safe place to live,” Draven stated.

I nodded slowly. “Burn Falls was a town where everyone left their doors unlocked at night, but now, I imagine everyone is watching their backs.”

“It’s also boring with only one bar in town,” Athan chimed in.

“It is.” I smiled and took a sip of my margarita.

“It’s not that bad,” Draven said again. “We aren’t far from the Northern Lights. Have you ever been?”

“It’s been years, but yes.”

“Then maybe once you move back we can go sometime.”

My gaze flicked to Valencia. Her eyes widened, and she grinned. Was Draven asking me out on a date? The closest place to see the Aurora Borealis was at least five hours away in Fairbanks. That was an all-day trip.

An all-day trip with Draven.

“Hey, Athan, want to go with me up to the bar and grab another drink?” V asked, sliding off of her stool.

“Lead the way, sweet cheeks.”

They left, and I looked back at Draven. “You know you don’t need to do that.”

“Do what?”

“Be nice to me. You’re no longer my father’s doctor.”

Draven placed his hand on my arm. “I’m not only being nice to you because I was his doctor, Calla. I want to …”

I held my breath as I waited for him to finish his sentence. Was he about to confirm my thought that he wanted to take me on a date? Why would he want to take a chubby girl like me on a date when he had all those muscles? He could probably get any woman he wanted.

“Can I take you to dinner before you head back to Seattle?”

Heart meet floor. Floor meet heart.

“Dinner? With me?”

“Why is that such a surprise?”

I looked down at his hand still on my arm. “Why me?”

“Why not you?”

I scoffed. “Because look at you. You probably have a six—no, an eight-pack, and I have—”

He leaned closer to me and whispered, “Trust me, I want to tasteallof your curves.”