Play With Fire (The Men of Fire 1)

I look back to the street in case I missed Zoey’s car but don’t see anything. Huh. That’s strange. Zoey was all for our date tonight and I got the impression that she was down to watch the girls, but if the sound isn’t coming from Zoey, then that must mean … oh no.

I head to the front porch and knock hard on the door, knowing with absolute certainty there’s no way whoever is inside this house can hear me, but I try it anyway.

Amelia has the music cranked up so loud the glass windows are vibrating to the beat of the bass. The song has now changed and is playing AC/DC’s ‘Thunderstruck’ and she’s rocking out as though she’s at some sort of concert.

Deciding to track her down myself, I walk around the side of the house following the sounds of a tortured animal. This is one of my favorite songs, and this girl is absolutely butchering it. But for some reason, knowing that it’s her makes it all kinds of endearing.

I get to the bedroom window and peer inside only to get the surprise of my life. That god-awful sound is coming from my angel. She’s shaking her ass like nobody's watching, singing into the end of the paint brush as though it’s a microphone, and flinging paint all over the room. But more importantly, why the hell does this have me smiling like a fucking idiot?

Amelia cannot hold a tune to save her life. She sounds more like a screeching cat being murdered than a beautiful woman enjoying a night in. She shakes her ass while I take in her attire. She doesn’t look like someone who’s ready to go out for dinner, which has me wondering if she’s forgotten all about it or if she’s really not down for a date. The only thing I do know is that she looks absolutely stunning in those tiny shorts and that old, worn shirt.

I let her rock out a little longer and then knock on the window once her song comes to an end. She squeals out and spins around, and if the language coming out of her mouth is anything to go by, I’d dare say that I scared the absolute shit out of her.

She takes me in, and I wait a moment for her to relax before waving my fingers like the creeper she must think I am. First, it’s stalking her around the hardware store, then welcoming myself into her place to plug in the power for the welder, and now this. I’m not making a great impression.

Amelia shakes her head, but I don’t miss the smile she attempts to cover. She crosses the room and turns the music down before indicating for me to meet her by the front door. She doesn’t need to tell me twice. I nod my head, letting her know that I understand, before turning around and heading back to the front of the house.

As I walk around, I take in her home. The place she lives is really quite nice. If I could afford any place to live in this town, it would be right here, you know, assuming that I had a family of my own. Her grass could probably do with a mow, and I quickly decide that’s something I can do for her, but other than that, Amelia keeps her house pretty nice. If it wasn’t for the swing set at the side of the house and trampoline, you wouldn’t know kids lived here.

It’s perfect for her.

As I come around the corner of her house, my beautiful angel stands there before me, and I can’t help but stop and take her in. What is it about this woman that calms the beast inside me?

I’m so drawn to her, like a moth to a flame. It takes everything within me not to march straight up to her and kiss her like my life depends on it, taking the breath right out of her. Hell, I think my life does depend on it.

But we're not there just yet. I won’t risk scaring her off.

A lazy smile spreads across my face as I take in the woman before me. She’s wearing the smallest cut off jean shorts and an old AC/DC band tee, which is so threadbare that it has holes scattered all over it. Most people would pay a lot of money to look just like she does right now, but I know it’s from old wear and tear. Her shirt is hanging off her shoulder, showing me a sexy black lace bra strap, which has me wondering if it’s a matching set. She looks like a fucking hot mess. My hot mess, but she’s still the most beautiful woman I have ever laid my eyes on.

“Ummm, hi,” Amelia says, looking down at herself. She seems shocked to see me, which I can’t understand. We only organized this the other day. She opens the door further, allowing herself to walk right out of the house. I can tell she’s nervous as she softly laughs at herself like she’s embarrassed to see me.