Excerpt of Make Me Burn by Marie Harte

Avery seemed to be sneaking off as well, so Brad said in a loud voice, “Oh, before you go, Avery, could I get a moment of your time?”

Her boss watched them without blinking.

She smiled at Emil and blew out a breath. “Sure, Brad.”

Emil grinned. “Brad, thank you so much for helping out today. Your boss wanted me to tell you thanks as well.”

“Which boss?” He had so many.

“Well, there was a Captain Reynolds, and I think your battalion chief called. He’s pleased to give us access to Station 44 for as long as we need it. From what I saw, we’ll definitely need you for the next few weeks at least. Friday mornings work for you? Terrific.”

Brad didn’t have a chance to answer before Emil took a call on his cell phone and walked away.

“You have one minute of my precious time, Battle. Speak,” Avery muttered.

“Not here.” He stalked away from everyone, confident she’d follow.

In a dim, unused hallway away from the cameras and people, he glared at her.

She glared back.

“What happened to making this professional and courteous? You called me ‘handsy’ on TV!”

“You had your hand on my thigh,” she said, her voice low, furious.

“Yeah? Well, I was trying to stop you from tripping over your own two feet and flashing your panties at the world. You’re welcome.”

“At the world? You do realize our audience is maybe a few thousand people at most. And what about my panties?” She gaped at him. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“If that wasn’t bad enough, what’s with trying to set me up with half of Seattle?”

“Oh, did I hurt your pride?”

He studied her, seeing the sparkle in her eyes. She liked their little fight. Hell. So did he. He felt himself growing warm and aroused and turned to go before he did something stupid.

Except Avery tugged him back to face her. “I’m not done with you.”

“Avery, it’s clear what this is.”

“Oh, do explain ‘this’ to me.”

He couldn’t see her too well, but at least they seemed out of the way of everyone else in the less trafficked hallway. She moved closer, and her perfume went straight to his head. And other places.

“The problem, lady, is you want me, and that bothers you.” Because I know exactly how that feels. “You think making a joke of me being available will make it seem like you don’t care.” What the hell was coming out of his mouth?

“You make no sense,” she hissed. “You’re so used to women throwing themselves at you that you can’t stand it when a woman doesn’t want you. And nice job, running those hands up and down my legs. You perv.”

Incensed, he stalked her until she’d backed up against the wall. Despite the low light, he saw no sign of fear on her face, just anger. “I’m the perv? You’re the one constantly falling over so I’ll save you. Jesus, that’s lame, even for you.”

“You jackass.” She fumed, and he imagined steam coming out her ears. “Honey, I could kiss the breath out of you and come out the other end cold as ice. And not because I’m frigid, but because you’re all bark and no bite.”

“Oh yeah?”

Her hands gripped his biceps, her breath a rush of mint over his lips as she leaned closer. “I’ve met your type before. Pretty and buff with nothing else to offer. No idea how to please a woman.”

“Avery, if you’d manage to get over yourself and plant a wet one on me, you’d end up shivering and begging for more while I did my best to keep you steady on your feet. I think they call that needy nowadays.”

“Needy? Pucker up, asshole, and we’ll see who’s needy.”

He’d been egging her on, hoping she’d do it.

He wasn’t disappointed.

Avery dragged his head down and kissed him.

And as he’d secretly dreaded, her taste went straight to his brain then traveled directly south and stayed there.