LITMIR.BIZ

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after Murray and Arlene dropped him at the house, but things got a little vague after that. He must have grabbed a banana from the kitchen counter, intending to sit for a minute and eat it and then take a shower. The peel and half the banana were now on the floor next to his shoes. He didn’t remember kicking them off, either.

      Flynn muttered under his breath and reached for the door handle. A Channel Three newsvan was parked out front. A reporter and cameraman were walking away.

      He shut the door quickly, hoping they hadn’t seen him. The media was the main reason he’d turned off his phones in the first place. Well, them and his well-meaning family. He’d been too tired to talk with anyone when he finally got home.

      He reeked of smoke and stale sweat and his stomach rumbled in warning. Other than half a banana, he hadn’t eaten since yesterday, and not all that much then because they’d gotten one call after another.

      “Shower first.”

      Maybe water would wake him the rest of the way. He wasn’t usually a sound sleeper. Being a fireman meant moving alertly the minute the alarm sounded. But with one thing and another it had been a hard shift yesterday and this morning.

      He peeled out of his dirty clothes as he started down the hall. Man, he was stiff and sore. It took several minutes of standing under the hot water before he started to feel almost human again.

      His stomach rumbled.

      “Right. I got the message.”

      The bruise on his shoulder was badly discolored. He had a series of other bruises he hadn’t even known were there. The scrape on his leg where he’d gone through the porch roof looked particularly nasty and the bruise on his hip was trying to outdo the one on his shoulder. He hadn’t come off that fall nearly as well as he’d originally thought.

      Then again, he was alive and he hadn’t landed on his back on the tank. That could have done some real damage.

      Running a hand over his prickly jaw he knew he needed a shave, but his stomach protested that could wait. A quick swish of mouthwash took care of the day-old-sock taste in his mouth and he padded naked into the bedroom in search of fresh clothing.

      The doorbell rang again. Flynn swore. While tempted to ignore it, there was always the possibility it was one of his family or someone from the department. If it proved to be another reporter, he’d send them on their way.

      Stepping into a pair of jeans, he tugged up the zipper as he headed for the front door, trying not to favor his bad leg.

      “Chill already. I’m coming.” He flung the door wide.

      “Go away,” was already on his lips when he found himself drowning in an unexpected pair of silvery blue eyes.

      “You!”

      Sleeping Beauty was awake and standing on his doorstep.

      WHITNEY CHARLES stumbled back a hasty step and the wracking cough started up again. Her hand reached for the iron railing leading to the front door as the spasms doubled her over. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected when she decided to come here, but she hadn’t been prepared for a half-naked man.

      “Easy. Take it easy.”

      She struggled for breath as he reached toward her.

      “I’m not going to hurt you.”

      She wasn’t afraid. She just couldn’t stop coughing long enough to tell him so. She waved him back, trying hard to calm lungs that felt as though every breath was being pressed from them. The sun rode low on the horizon, but as she inadvertently looked up, she discovered it was still bright enough to make her squint. She turned away, trying to catch her breath.

      “Mistake,” she managed to gasp out.

      “What’s a mistake?”

      “I’ll…come…back.” When she could talk and not look like a fool.

      “You won’t make it down to the sidewalk coughing like that. You should be in the hospital, but since you’re here, come in and sit until you catch your breath.”

      She considered ignoring him, but he was probably right. She couldn’t stop coughing. He held the door wide so she could step inside past him. The scent of an herbal soap and shampoo were unmistakable as she brushed up against him. So were the telltale droplets of water on those nicely sculpted shoulders, one discolored by an ugly bruise.

      Inside the small house, shadows were gathering in the corners of the surprisingly open room. Someone in the not so distant past had given this old rambler a major renovation. Most of the interior walls had been knocked down to open what had no doubt been several cramped rooms into one large great room including a contemporary kitchen set apart by a counter with stools. The ceiling had been raised to give the house an airy, open feeling despite its size and age.

      While far from upscale, the house suited the man quite well. The furnishings were mostly well-worn family rejects. Exactly the sort of thing a bachelor might be content to have around. Was he?

      She got her coughing under control and nearly tripped over his shoes. He hurried to pick up the shoes and a neglected banana sitting nearby, partly peeled.

      Before she could stop herself, her gaze skimmed over his nicely formed chest and came to a halt on the snug jeans riding low on his hips. He hadn’t snapped them. Only a fragile zipper held them in place.

      A spark of heat sent her eyes back to his face. “Sorry. I’ll come back another time.” Her voice had taken on a husky edge from all the coughing.

      “Hey, no problem. You’re here now.”

      He blocked her path when she would have turned back to the door. “It’s the banana peel, isn’t it?”

      “What?”

      “Yeah. I don’t blame you for what you’re thinking, but I’m not really a slob. I sat down to eat it and fell asleep. I don’t even remember kicking my shoes off.”

      What she was thinking was that he was gorgeous, and endearing. She liked that he was embarrassed by the banana. She definitely liked the way he looked and the way he smelled, and she was fascinated by the way the damp strands of his thick, dark hair curled about strong, open features. What she didn’t like was the avid curiosity in those open gray eyes. She should leave.

      “I should go. You aren’t dressed.”

      “I was working on it when you rang the bell. Apparently, I slept the afternoon away. I woke up a few minutes ago and took a quick shower.”

      “Feel free to finish the job.”

      He smiled. The man had a killer smile.

      “I figured you’d be another pesky reporter.”

      Her stomach lurched. He’d talked to reporters? What had he told them?

      “I didn’t really care about the impression I’d make on one of them. Look, have a seat. I’ll be right back.”

      He turned and limped down the hall without waiting to see what she’d do. Undecided, she stared after him. The man was built like a Hollywood hero. Handsome without being too handsome. In fact, pretty much perfect if you didn’t count the limp and the bruises. She didn’t. Still, this had been a bad idea. What had she expected to accomplish by coming here?

      HALF AFRAID she would go, Flynn hurried. He desperately wanted some answers from a wide-awake Sleeping Beauty. Who was she? What had she been doing in that abandoned house? Why had she run from the hospital? And what was she doing here of all places?

      Dressed in a fitted pair of white linen slacks and a crisp, pink blouse, her hair gleaming with restored color even though it hung untidily about her face and down her back, she was a far cry from the dirty waif he’d spoken to in the hospital. Obviously she’d showered as well. She was slender and petite with nicely rounded curves in all the right places. In a word, beautiful. What was she doing here?

      Listening

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