Page 31 of Built of Flames

“Not even a hint?”

He tapped her nose. “Not even a hint.”

Up In Flames

Bella blinked back the tears as watched Christo drive away with a wave. Mitch tucked her into his side and simply held her as they watched her brother disappear around the corner.

He squeezed her gently. “You okay?”

She nodded and leaned her head on his chest. “I am. More okay than I’ve been in a very long time. Thanks to you.”

He wrapped both arms around her. “Me too.”

Her heart jumped at his words. It was a thrill to the fourteen-year-old girl inside her who’d crushed on the boy with his brand new driver’s license. It was an even bigger thrill to the woman she’d become.

They headed back down the trail leading to the lake. The day had clouded over, and it was chilly under the trees.

“I miss him already. I’d got used to the ache of missing him, missing you. Now that I’ve got you both back, it’s going to be really hard not to see you all the time.”

“It’s not even a two-hour drive, but I know what you mean. And this is exactly what I wanted to talk to you about.”

Nerves had been worrying at Bella all day. Even though he’d kissed her and smiled about it, she’d worried that he wanted to end things with her before they’d even really started. He was a good man and he wouldn’t do that to her in front of her brother.

“I ran into Troy Phail when I got into town last night.”

What? That hadn’t been what she’d been expecting. “Troy’s a nice guy.”

“He is. He showed me the town and talked about the possibility of creating a volunteer firefighter unit in town.”

“I thought you wanted us to stop seeing each other.” Oops. She hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

Mitch stopped and took her hand. “God, I’m sorry, Izzy. That’s the last thing I want. I was excited about this idea and I didn’t want to talk about it with Christo here. Not until I heard more about it, and not until I found out how you’d feel about it.”

With his free hand, he caressed her jaw and then leaned down to kiss her. “I want to keep seeing you, Isabella, as much as you’ll let me. Does that clear it up?”

“It does. I want to keep seeing you, too, Mitch. I want to figure out a way to make this work.” Other than the day she’d questioned her father, those were probably the bravest words she’d ever spoken.

Mitch’s face lit up, and he cupped her face in his hands. “Best news ever.”

She reached up to kiss his smile and the hope she felt radiating from him. They were on the same page. They wanted the same thing. All they had to do was find a way to make it happen.

Mitch broke off the kiss and pulled her in for a long hug. He grinned at her, and she wanted nothing more than to rip off his clothes and have her way with him. But they were on the trail between the lodge and the sawmill. Anyone could come along.

She looked from his eyes to their surroundings, but nothing looked comfortable. And once she had him naked, she wanted to relax and explore, not worry about people walking in on them. Or bugs doing some exploring of their own.

Bella tugged his hand. “Come on. Talk and walk. I want to show you my bedroom.”

His hand gripped hers more tightly. “I’d love to see your bedroom, but please tell me that’s a euphemism for letting me make love to you.”

“It is. I’m ready. Are you ready?”

Mitch laughed, and his voice dropped about an octave. “Any more ready and I might burst all on my own.”

That had her laughing and pulling him in for another kiss. He tugged her tightly against him. His body was definitely ready for action, which heightened her own desire. She hadn’t thought that was possible. “Walk and talk, walk and talk. Just hurry.”

Mitch blew out a breath. “Okay. Walk and talk. I can do that. Maybe. What are we talking about?”

His eyes sparkled at her as she poked him in his rock hard belly. He was hard everywhere, and she couldn’t wait to get her hands on all of him.