Page 7 of Seductive Heart

Hollis wore tight fitted jeans, a dark blue color, with a tight black t-shirt and a charcoal gray button down over the top. He held out a bouquet of flowers.

“Hi. You look beautiful.” Hollis’s deep, sexy voice ran over me like a sip of a fine wine.

I smiled, my cheeks burning under his intense stare, taking the flowers from him. I inhaled deeply, the floral scent delicious. “Thank you. You clean up quite well yourself.”

My dogs barked like crazy behind me and Hollis glanced over my head. “You’ve got some rascals, too?”

I chuckled. “Oh yes, want to come in and meet them?”

“I’d love to.”

I held the door wider and Hollis walked by his woodsy spicy scent flooding my insides with heat.God damn this man.

He followed me into the gated off living room, Bam and Luna going crazy for attention.

“Aw, they are adorable.”

“Thanks. The husky is Luna, and the little pug guy is Bam.”

“I love the names. It took us at the firehouse a long time to settle on the name Peaches.”

I laughed. “Peaches is a great name. Let me just get these flowers in some water before we leave.”

Hollis nodded and played with the pups while I hurried to the kitchen, digging out a vase from the cabinet. My hand shookwith nerves and excitement. The chemistry between us was palpable. How would I ever survive a meal with him?

“Shall we get going? I have reservations for seven thirty.” Hollis asked when I walked back into the living room.

“Yes, let me grab my purse and jacket.”

We said goodbye to the dogs and headed out the door. Hollis held the truck passenger door open and helped me inside.

“I hope you like small town diner food.” Hollis said as he climbed behind the wheel.

“The diner in town? Yes! I love it. Nothing like it.”

Hollis laughed. “I knew you were the perfect girl for me.”

We spentthe next three hours eating, laughing, and learning everything there was to know about each other. Hollis told me how he always wanted to be a firefighter growing up.

A family fire destroyed his first childhood home, and he never forgot the men who rescued his family that day.

He fulfilled his dream and I admired that. Something I was working towards.

“I love how similar we are in regard to our careers. Going for what we loved since we were a child. I knew I always wanted to work with dogs too. Here I am trying to make it.”

“You’re doing fantastic, Winona. Strong, independent, going after your dreams- what’s not to look up to?”

“Even when I serve muffins on the side.” I teased.

“Ruby’s muffins are to die for. I’d happily serve them every day.”

“Facts. Wait until she hears that. She’ll be so happy.”

We discussed how neither one of us were close to our families, despite going through hardships together like the fire athis house, or when my parents separated. Both of us were only children, and both of us often spent more time alone than with others.

“Do you like Appleridge a lot more than the city?”

“Yes. A lot. I love the quiet. I love having the yard my dogs play in. And now after today…” My words trailed off.