Firefighter Phoenix (Fire & Rescue Shifters 7)

Guess he was just being polite too. They were all just being polite.

It shouldn’t have mattered. She hadn’t wanted any of them, after all.

But…it did matter, it did. So many men, and none of them had chosen her. She’d been so sure that at least some of them had been interested.

Then again, she’d been sure of Ash too.

She burst out into the cool evening air, face hot with humiliation. She started walking, fast, her feet automatically turning in the direction of her home. She needed to be back in the Full Moon. Back in her place, behind the bar, where she belonged.

She’d been stupid to ever leave. Stupid to reach for anything more. Stupid to dream.

She scrubbed angrily at her eyes, brushing away the stupid, stupid tears. She didn’t have anything to cry about. She was the person people turned to when they needed to cry. That was her role. That was what she was good at. She provided comfort and support, a welcoming space and a listening ear.

There wasn’t anywhere to go when she needed those things.

As she turned down an alleyway, Rose became aware that there was a slight echo to her footsteps, a soft tread falling not quite in time with her own. She halted, and the sound stopped too. Silence enfolded her like vast, gentle wings.

She squeezed her eyes tight shut. “Ash,” she said, without looking round.

“Rose,” he said quietly, from right behind her.

“This is becoming a habit.” She fought to keep her tone light, betraying nothing of the tears streaking her cheeks. “At least you didn’t have to set fire to anything this time.”

He made a wordless, noncommittal noise as he came up to her side. Rose turned her head away, hoping that the darkness would hide her face.

A jolt went through her as his fingers brushed her elbow, very lightly. “Let me walk you home.”

“Just a minute.” Keeping her head ducked down, Rose rummaged in her handbag for a tissue. “Sorry, I-I’ve got a cold.”

Moonlight silvered the side of his face, casting a shadow over his eyes. He said nothing.

Rose made a show of blowing her nose, surreptitiously wiping her tears as she did so. “There,” she said, shoving the tissue in her pocket. She tried to smile up at him. “I appreciate you watching out for me, Ash, but there’s no need to put yourself to all this trouble. I can find my own way home.”

His hand was still on her arm. It was the barest touch, but she felt it through her whole body. His fingers tightened fractionally, in unspoken command. Without conscious thought, Rose found herself falling into step with him.

“You are upset.” He stared straight ahead as he spoke, not looking at her. “What is wrong?”

“Oh, nothing. I’m fine.”

“Rose,” he said, and nothing more.

She let out her breath. “If I tell you, do you promise not to set fire to anyone’s car?”

His eyes cut sideways. “No.”

That startled a snort of laughter out of her. “Honest as ever.”

She could feel his heat against her side, warm and comforting. After the forced small talk and glaring auras of the speed dating event, his quiet presence was restful. She could sink into his silence like a featherbed.

She sighed again, surrendering. “It’s stupid. I went to this speed-dating event…well, I guess you knew that.” She hesitated, glancing up at him. “Were you there?”

His chin dipped in a fractional nod. He still didn’t look down at her.

Friends, she told herself, commanding her silly heart to slow. Just friends. Of course a friend would be worried, after what happened on my last date. I’d be shadowing me too. It doesn’t mean anything.

“Thank you,” she said, meaning it. “For looking out for me, I mean. Lord knows I don’t have a good track record in men. Though it turns out you needn’t have bothered.” Despite her best efforts, her voice wavered a little, her bottom lip trembling. “It was a complete wash. No one was interested in me.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment. “That is not true.”