Page 11 of The Fire Captain's Unexpected Baby
“Nothing to tell,” Paige insists, but her mother laughs.
“Well then, do something and tell me about it,” she says, before turning her attention back to her grandson.
Silence falls over the group as she leaves.
Paige and I hardly know each other—definitely not well enough to carry on a believable conversation in front of all these people. The idea of me dating his sister has rendered Levi speechless, it seems.
The tension is so thick you could hack it apart with a fire ax, each man trying not to look me in the eye.
I’m grateful for the distraction when Summer taps on the mic to gather our attention.
“I’m going to throw the bouquet,” she announces from the makeshift stage at the back of the yard as Paige’s mother leaves through the gate. “Gather around, single ladies!”
Levi pushes Paige toward the stage, far away from me.
Determined not to leave her on her own, I drift after her until I’m just on the outskirts of where Summer intends to throw the bouquet. A group of women hovers behind her, some enthusiastic about tradition and others eager to get this ritual over with.
But when she turns, Summer aims wide and throws it to the side of the gathered women.
Right into my arms.
Quick reflexes allow me to catch the bouquet, a flush rising in my cheeks. A man is the last person supposed to catch it, and I’ve now drawn even more attention to Paige and me.
“I believe this was meant for you,” I tell her loud enough for her failed date to hear, presenting the wedding bouquet with a flourish. “You know what they say. You must be next.”
I turn in the direction of the man she’s avoiding and wink at him. He glances awkwardly at his watch and then casts about the yard, trying to look anywhere but at us.
The music rises again. There’s only one thing left to do.
“Shall we dance?” I extend a hand toward Paige, who doesn’t hesitate to take it.
* * *
Paige
Aaron has the confidence and charm to make me forget that we’re doing anything except playing a part. He’s doing me a favor, but a girl can dream that this could one day be real.
He draws me in close as a slow song starts.
Strong arms wrap around my waist, leaving no room for me to pull back. No room for me to breathe. No room for me to even think about anything other than his all-consuming presence.
Of their own volition, my arms wrap around his neck. I blush when one of his hands trails lower on my waist, settling just above the curve of my ass. I wonder if anyone notices. I wonder if I care.
He leans down and presses his forehead against mine, a gesture so tender that I want to melt.
“If we’re going to do this, we should go all the way. Really sell it for your little friend over there,” he whispers so that the couple next to us can’t hear him.
I glance over at Alexander, who is studiouslynotlooking at us.
“What do you have in mind?” I ask, wondering how we could possibly pretend any more than we are.
Aaron stops swaying in time with the music. The pretense of dancing falls away, but he doesn’t pull back. He lets go of my waist and hooks a single finger under my chin to tilt my face up toward his.
“We can stop anytime,” he murmurs, leaning in until I feel the rumble of his words against my lips.
But stopping is the last thing on my mind.
My body moves without my permission, stretching upward on my tiptoes to close the space between my lips and his. At first, we don’t move at all, content to let our lips brush softly against one another. His breath tickles as he smiles against me.
