Into The Flames (Firehouse Fourteen Book 4) by Lisa B. Kamps

Author:Lisa B. Kamps [Kamps, Lisa B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BimHaven Press
Published: 2016-09-04T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

Is this a date?

Where the hell had that question even come from? Totally out of nowhere, with nothing to do with anything they had been talking about. And what the hell kind of question was that, anyway? A date. No, it wasn't a date. Not really. Maybe. No. No, of course it wasn't. He wouldn't bring a date to hang out with his shift. Would he?

"Well? Is it?"

"It's—I—" He narrowed his eyes. "Do you want it to be?"

Her head tilted to the side, her own eyes narrowing. "I don't know."

Not quite the answer he'd been expecting, or even the one he hoped for. Asinine. He hadn't been hoping for anything except a relaxing night out, hanging with friends.

Dale ran a hand through his hair then dragged it down his face, feeling the rasp of stubble against his palm. Should he try to salvage the night or just take her home? He didn't know. He didn't even know what she wanted. Her face was carefully blank, her eyes giving nothing away.

"How about we just go back inside and listen to the music and try to have some fun? Just hang out and enjoy ourselves." It was a lame attempt at…something. He knew that. But that didn't stop him from hoping she'd say yes.

"Can I ask you something before we go back in?"

Dale almost said no, afraid of what might come out of her mouth. He nodded anyway, surprised that she suddenly looked away. She seemed to be studying the cracked asphalt and gravel beneath her sandals.

A minute stretched by and he wondered if she was going to say anything else. Or if she was just going to stand there, her hands twisting in front of her, and keep staring at her feet. She finally took a deep breath, her shoulders rising with the effort, and peered at him through her thick lashes.

"Why can't you call me by my name?"

"Why does that bother you so much?"

"I told you why. I can't tell if you're insulting me or not. Or if you even remember my name. And if you can't remember my name, then I don't want to go back inside."

Christ. Were they really going to have this conversation again? He didn't know why it upset her but it obviously did. That much was clear on her face. In the way her brows pulled low and in the tiny little furrow between her eyes. Didn't she understand it was just a silly nickname?

"I know your name. Melanie. Smurfette is just a nickname. That's all. I told you that before."

"But you didn't even say my name when we…" She looked away, shuffled her feet and twisted her hands some more. Her voice lowered to a whisper. "Earlier. When we were together."

"Yes I—" He slammed his mouth shut. Fuck. Now he understood. Maybe it didn't make sense and maybe it was foolish—to him. But she was right, he hadn't used her name. Or maybe he had, but only that one time. He thought. Hell, maybe he really hadn't, at all.

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