Finding His Unicorn

“Tonight,” he says when he finally pulls back and leaves me breathless. I nod in agreement as I watch him physically force himself to take a step back from me. “Go inside before I snatch you up and take you home with me to have for dessert.”

My mouth falls open, and though it shocks me, it sounds like a wonderful and dirty idea. My face must show what I’m thinking because he gives my bottom a small smack that has me jumping and taking off toward the front door before he can snatch me away. I’m hot and excited and every part of my body tingles for that big muscled man with the baby face to come carry me away.

On the way back in I catch sight of a few of the girls standing outside watching me and I know from the looks on their faces they saw Blaze and me kissing. I hold my head up high as I walk past them and it takes everything in me not to tell them Blaze said he loves my blue hair. If anything, I should tell them thank you. If it wasn’t for their stupid prank on me I never would have met Blaze to begin with.

Chapter Ten

Blaze

I double over in my chair and try hard not to let the Coke come out of my mouth. My abs tighten and my cheeks hurt and I can’t remember the last time I’ve laughed so hard.

We’re downtown at a restaurant on the water and the sun is setting in the distance. Rosabelle looks so fucking beautiful sitting across from me with a smile on her face as she shakes her head.

“It’s true!” she cries out as she hits me with her cloth napkin. “I was so worried a watermelon would grow in my belly I stayed up for three days straight.”

I’m finally able to take a full breath and lean back in my chair. She’s wearing a black strapless dress that hugs her breasts and waist but is loose at the bottom. But when I saw her wearing pink Converse with it, my heart leapt. She’s not like any other woman I’ve ever met, and something about how she follows her heart makes me want to stand closer to her, be a part of her.

“That’s so adorable.”

“I was terrified.” She shakes her head as she sips her wine.

I’m not drinking tonight just in case I get a call. We have enough guys to cover the shifts, but one guy broke his leg earlier today and the other got called out of town for a family emergency. Plus, Chief got a stomach flu yesterday, so it seems it all happened at once. They should be fine unless something bad happens, so I’ll keep my fingers crossed it stays quiet.

“What finally made you stop worrying?”

She takes another bite of her steak and shakes her head. “No way.”

“No way what?” I smile at her and lean close. “Now I have to know.”

She rolls her eyes and covers her face. “Let’s just say I saw the evidence that they were no longer inside me.”

I burst out laughing and she throws a roll at me. I catch it and put it on my plate, shaking my head.

“If it makes you feel any better I swallowed a penny when I was eight and my parents never found it,” I say, and her eyes widen.

“Seriously?”

“For weeks my parents had to check for it.” I give her a knowing look and she laughs in delight. “Nothing; it never came out. I keep thinking one day on an X-ray someone is going to find it.”

“You’re just telling me this to make me feel better.” She looks over her glass at me and I shake my head.

“I would have given anything to have known you as a kid.”

“Me too,” she says, and a comfortable silence passes between us.

“I can’t stop looking at you.” Her eyes cut away and her cheeks flush. “I’ve never seen something that makes me ache right here before.” I put my hand over my chest and I can feel my heart grow with every beat. It’s making room for her, for everything about her.

“You say such sweet things. I wonder if this is real.” She traces the edge of the table as if to test it to see if it will disappear.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I say without breaking eye contact, but just then my radio goes off and it’s dispatch telling me there’s a fire in the area.

“Looks like you might be,” Rosabelle says, and I shake my head as I call it in.

“Looks like we both are,” I say after I talk to them and throw some cash on the table. “Let’s go.”

I grab her hand and rush out of the restaurant with her hot on my heels. “You’re taking me with you?”