Page 40 of Fire and Icing (The Firemen of Waterford TN #1)

He turns in his seat and says, “Thank you for showing me around Waterford.”

“You’re welcome.” I feel suddenly shy.

“One day I hope I get to tour you around Marbella.”

“I’d love that.”

He reaches over and runs his fingers from my forehead down my temple and my cheek. I think he’s going to lean over and kiss me, but he turns back to the steering wheel and puts the truck in reverse.

“Farm-to-table?” he says as we pull out onto the main road.

“Yep.”

“Is there an actual farm to this table, or a lot of farms?”

“It’s a community effort. All the farms and ranches contribute.”

“That’s pretty cool.”

“We’ll have to take Mitzi there when she comes out.”

“Yeah?” He smiles. “You want to tour my sister around Waterford?”

“I mean … if she visits … we could.”

“I’d love that. She would too.”

He reaches over and puts his hand on my knee and gives it a squeeze. “You’re just full of surprises, Firecracker.”

I smile and place my hand over his. I just want to touch him. Like a live wire to a grounding pad. He flips his hand over and interlaces our fingers and we ride in silence all the way to the restaurant.

The Waterford Pantry is nearly empty on account of the dance at The Grange. The menu is limited tonight too. After we eat, we drive to The Grange, where nearly everyone in town is gathered for the first barn dance.

“I’ve never two-stepped,” Dustin confesses as we make our way in through the crowd, greeting people as we go.

“You’re kidding, right?” I say over the noise.

“It’s not exactly popular in California island culture. We dance, but it’s not very organized.”

I turn to face Dustin. “But you can dance?”

“I’ll let you be the judge of that.”

The Boot Scootin’ Boogie comes on.

“Let’s go, then,” I say, grabbing his hand and dragging him behind me like a prize bear I won and can barely carry.

Dustin follows behind me. People stare, bless them.

He’s new enough to still be a novelty, and the fact that I’m dating again is scuttlebutt of the highest commodity.

Let ’em talk. That’s what my mom used to say.

And I will. I love the people of this town.

But tonight, my mind isn’t on them. I’m here with Dustin and I’m about to teach him how to line dance.

He takes his place next to me. “Don’t you think we should go to the back of the dance floor?”

I chuckle. “Nope. That’s an amateur call. If you do, you’ll end up at the front in two turns. The middle of the room’s best when you’re learning the ropes.”

“Whatever you say.”

“Just follow me. Do what I do.”

I move my right foot out, step behind with my left. “Right to the side, behind with left. Step right again. And meet with the left.”

I keep walking Dustin through the movements. He follows pretty well, until we get to the part where I say, “Step, Pivot, Step, Hold, and give a little shake.”

He shakes his hips so much I double over laughing. “A little shake! Dustin!”

He laughs too. “I don’t do anything little.”

“I guess not.” I smile up at him.

We’re standing stock-still while the other dancers move in time around us.

“Let’s try again,” he says.

We make it through that song and a few others. Dustin dances with Gran when a slow dance comes on. She smiles so big I think she’s going to start tearing up with joy. He already won me over, but dancing with my grandma? That put a nail in the coffin. I’m done for.

Syd disappears at one point.

I text her:

Emberleigh : Where’d you go?

Sydney : Aren’t you on a date?

Emberleigh : Yes. At the town event. Where are you?

Sydney : I had to take care of something. I’ll tell you about it tomorrow. It’s good. I’m fine.

Emberleigh : You know you can tell me anything, Syd.

Sydney : And I do. And I will. Sometimes things boil down to timing.

Emberleigh : You’re being cryptic.

Sydney : Is Dustin there?

I glance around. Dustin is standing with the other firefighters in a cluster. Vanessa is right in the middle.

Emberleigh : He’s talking to the other firemen.

Sydney : Go enjoy your date. We’ll talk tomorrow.

Emberleigh : Okay. I will.

Dustin and I dance a few more dances. Then we sit with the firemen from his station and eat dessert. At one point, we glance at one another from across the table.

“Are you ready to go home?” Dustin asks me.

I nod. How did he know?

We say our goodbyes and Dustin walks me out to his truck.

Back home, we separate to change into sweats. I make us some tea.

When I come back into the front room, carrying two mugs, Dustin pats the couch next to him. He’s got a movie on with the volume low.

I take the seat he offered and before long, I’m leaning back on Dustin, feeling so comfortable and relaxed I could fall asleep like this.

“Tonight was nice,” I say in a drowsy voice.

“It was. This is my favorite part.”

“Of the whole night?” I twist so I’m sitting across his lap and I can look into his face.

“I loved seeing where you grew up. I like picturing you in all those places—as a little girl. And the food at Waterford Pantry was amazing. I’ll eat there again for sure.

And I liked being a part of the town gathering and learning to line dance.

But what I like best is being here, just the two of us, cozied up in our sweats. ”

I smile because this is my favorite part of the night too.

His arms are around me, and I’m not pretending I don’t like it anymore.

I’m not building pillow barriers or keeping him safely at a distance.

I’m curled into him, one leg draped over his, my cheek against his chest, his fingers tracing lazy lines up and down my spine.

There’s a hum beneath my skin—familiar and new, all at once.

Like my body’s finally allowed to want what it’s wanted for too long.

And even more than that, my heart is free to feel everything I feel for Dustin.

It’s easy. Which is wild, because nothing about getting here was.

I shift just enough to glance up at him. He’s already watching me, his eyes soft and tired in the best way, like he feels the shift between us as much as I do and he’s finally able to relax into this sweetness we’re sharing.

“You’re staring,” I whisper.

His smile is slow and quiet. “Yeah. I am. I stared at you all night. That dress. Your lipstick. Your hair. The way you smiled at me over dinner. The laughter on the swings. I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”

I rest my hand on his chest, right over his heartbeat. “This doesn’t feel real yet. It’s too good.”

“It is—very real.”

“I know.” I bite my bottom lip. “I just … I think I forgot what this feels like.” I pause and shake my head. “No. That’s all wrong. I never felt this before.”

I tuck my head under his chin as soon as the confession leaves my mouth.

He softly runs his hand down my hair. “I’ve never felt this either. Nothing close.”

I tip my head up again so I can look into those brilliant blue eyes of his.

I kiss him on his jaw. His stubble makes my lips tingle.

He moves his mouth down to meet mine and when we connect, it’s not a spark—it’s a flame already burning. Dustin kisses me like he’s home. His kiss is both comfortable and claiming.

There’s no rush. No trying to prove anything. Just this slow, steady rhythm between us. His lips move against mine with a tenderness I didn’t know I needed. My hand finds the back of his neck, fingers slipping into his hair, anchoring myself to him and to this moment.

Dustin’s mouth opens just slightly, deepening the kiss—not desperate, just certain. Like he knows me. Like he’s not going anywhere.

I nearly cry at the realization. He’s the kind of man who sticks around, buying donuts every other day, showing up for the contest, waiting for me to be ready.

Our kiss lingers, Dustin moves so he’s kissing my neck, placing his mouth right next to my ear and kissing the soft spot beneath it on my neck. I shiver in response. He chuckles low.

But then his mouth is back on mine, and the world, the sound of a dog barking outside in the neighborhood, the hum of the refrigerator—it all falls away. It’s just this. Just him. Just us. Just the kind of kiss that whispers things no words can contain.

When we pull apart, he places a kiss on my forehead and then I curl up on him like a cat in the sunshine, content to be where I’m safe and warm.