TONY: Slow Burn (Raging Fire Book 1) Kallypso Masters (short books for teens .txt) 📖

This was supposed to be a getaway vacation. But he couldn’t help who he was. Work had always been foremost in his life until that disastrous day on the river.

When they entered the pool area at the villa, he asked, “How about another Painkiller?” Then he realized he was once again using alcohol as a means of dulling his mind. “On second thought, maybe we can go for a swim.”

She tilted her head in a sexy way and smiled. “How about we take a skinny dip?” Without waiting for an answer, she reached up to untie her sundress at the nape of her neck.

Tony set the package on the table and reached for her hands. He brought them down before she could undo the knot. “Carm, I don’t know how to say this, but tonight’s dinner conversation derailed me. Brought back memories of a bad call in June—”

“Oh, Tony! Of course that would make you think about the drownings.”

Tony hadn’t shared with her the details of what had happened, but maybe Marc had. She tried to hide her disappointment, but Tony still felt like a heel. He didn’t want to talk about that but needed to explain.

“Our county isn’t equipped with a water-rescue squad of any type, and the precious time we lost waiting for them to show up could have made all the difference. But now I’m thinking having a water and dive combination team might be something to talk to my lieutenant and maybe even the fire chief about.”

“That would be awesome, but it sounds expensive. Do you think they’d fund it?”

He shrugged. “Anybody’s guess, but two lives have already been lost that might have been saved if we’d had our own team. Maybe the public would support it now while that tragedy is still fresh in people’s minds.” It would always be fresh in his.

“So you’re thinking of doing a media campaign?”

“Not exactly. It’s not my place to take it to the public, but I’ll be the squeaky wheel back at the station and try to drum up support with my lieutenant and battalion chief to take it up the chain of command.”

Most people didn’t want to pay higher taxes, though. That thought had weighed heavily on him all evening. But at the very least, he intended to work on his own diving skills and Wednesday’s rescue class would be perfect.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t how he’d expected tonight to end up after that kiss on the beach. His desire hadn’t diminished. He just needed to get his head in the right space.

“Mind if we call it a night?” he asked. “I’m sorry about tonight, but—”

Carm pressed her fingers against his lips, warming them instantly. “We’re going to be spontaneous this week. When the time is right for both of us, we’ll know.”

The momentary flash of disappointment on her face had been clear to him, but was he ready to spill out the details about the drownings and what had been going on with him since? It sounded like she already knew something about what had happened. Maybe he needed to clear the air, tell her about what was going on, and put some of this behind him.

“Why don’t we watch a movie, play a game, and have a few more drinks?” she asked.

“I hope you don’t mind, but it’s been a long day and I think I’ll call it a night early.”

Had he seen a glimpse of disappointment before she smiled? “I understand. You’re right. It has been a long day. I’ll see you at breakfast.”

After determining what time he should have it ready, the two headed up the stairs with Carmella in the lead.

If he didn’t quit ogling her ass, he might change his mind by the time they reached the top of the stairs.

Chapter Twenty-Four

After lying in bed for more than two hours listening to the waves crashing on the beach through her open balcony doors, Carm decided sleep was not going to happen tonight with Tony in a bed mere yards away down the hall. She was as horny as she’d ever been, and all she could think about was what she wanted to be doing with him in this bed right now.

Instead, she pictured him in his bed. Alone as well. Did he sleep in clothes or in the nude? Did he snore? Was he a restless sleeper? Did he like to spoon when he slept with a lover?

The way his shoulders sagged when he’d gone up the stairs, as if he bore the weight of the world on them, signaled to her that he might have a hard time falling asleep. Would she enter into his thoughts as he lay there? The man could run hot one minute, then take a polar bear plunge into oblivion the next.

The dinner conversation about rescue diving had lasted almost two hours, probably conjuring up memories of the mother and daughter’s drownings she’d read about in the paper. Not a good way for Tony to begin his downtime on Provo, but Carm also loved seeing that spark of excitement about the prospect of his rescue-diving class. She hoped it would give him a more positive outlook toward the future.

And even though tonight hadn’t ended up with the two of them making love, there had been no mistaking his interest in her during that kiss before dinner. She’d have to be patient. Or maybe even make the first move—again.

Rather than stare at the ceiling any longer, she decided to go downstairs and pour herself a drink. She’d bring it back upstairs to her balcony and let the hypnotizing rhythm of the waves slow down her mind to where she could sleep.

But when she entered the kitchen, the open patio door surprised her. Surely she hadn’t left it open.

Absolutely not.

Nothing appeared to be out of place. Had Tony gone out for a walk? Was he as unsettled as she? Carm didn’t want to lock him out but needed to determine that he was still outside, so she