breath he took. “Don’t tempt me.”
“I want to tempt you.” She wiggled again and managed to turn to face him. “What’s going on? What’s so magical about being here in the square?”
“I want everyone to know how I feel about you.”
She looked into his eyes. “But—”
“You. I want you to know.” He puffed out a breath. “I want you to know that I want to shout it to the world.”
She glanced around again. It wasn’t exactly the world, but all the people who were important to her were here tonight.
“I think they know.”
“You,” he repeated, firmer now. “I want you to know.”
“You don’t think ripping off my clothes in private would help reiterate that point?”
His eyes narrowed and he shifted her on his lap. She grinned.
“Look, I’ve been thinking about this. Staying here every night and just holding your hand has been killing me. But I’m more than willing to do it. You need this. You need to know that I don’t just want you, I love you. I’m proud of you, proud to be with you. That I want these moments, too. Not just the naked ones. Over the past year I’ve kissed you a lot, and then there was the riverbank and the shed—but there were never moments where we watched a movie or danced or ate s’mores.”
Avery felt her chest tighten. He was so earnest about this. And what he said was true—their moments up until these past two weeks had been few and far between, and they’d been filled with a strange combination of desire and antagonism.
This past week had been sweet. Simple in a way she needed. Even when they weren’t working side by side, they’d been focused on the same goal. When they were done with the work, they sat enjoying the people they both loved in the town square that meant home to both of them.
This had been good in a way she hadn’t even realized.
That he had been working to give it to her made tears sting her eyes.
Trust was tough for her. But with Jake, she wanted to learn.
Almost as if he read her mind, he pulled her in to rest her head on his chest, his hand on her hair. It was a posture someone might use with a child, but it made Avery feel warm and cared for.
“Your mom and grandma never made you feel wanted or good about yourself. My mom was great, but it was always in our home. You didn’t go out together. You didn’t have a lot of friends.” He took a deep breath. “No one has ever . . . shown off how they feel. They’ve never . . . claimed you.”
Avery felt her eyebrows shoot up. She heard him. Every word, and her heart felt full as she realized what Jake was trying to give her.
But the whole claiming thing—yeah, that was kind of hot.
She leaned back, put a hand on each of his shoulders, and looked into his face. “You want to claim me, Jake?”
She felt his hands on her hips and saw him swallow hard. “I do. In so many ways.”
She felt a surge of power and heat and . . . love. “Then I think—”
The fire alarm at the station went off at the same moment her pager began beeping.
They stared at each other.
“Dammit,” she breathed. For the first time in her career, her thoughts didn’t immediately jump to the fire and getting ready.
It took him another few seconds, but he pulled air in through his nose, then blew it out and nodded. “Yeah.”
She leaned in and kissed him hard on the mouth. “I will see you later.”
He stood up, his hands still on her hips. “I’ll come see if there’s anything I can do.”
His cell phone rang as they started toward the station at a run. Fortunately, all of the fire crew was in the square, and the station was only about two hundred yards away.
“It’s Max,” Jake told her. “What?” He answered the phone.
She glanced at him as they jogged together. He frowned and looked up at the sky. She followed his gaze. It was too dark to see anything, but the moon was now covered, and she noted the wind had picked up. Crap. Fire and wind didn’t go well together.
“Be safe.” Jake disconnected. “Max and Bree are out checking the weather. There’s a storm coming in.”
Of course there was. “I haven’t looked at the radar since this morning.”
“Max has been watching.”
They arrived at the station. Everyone