Free The Heat Is On (Boston Five Book 1) by Poppy J. Anderson Page B

basis.”
    Alec grinned apologetically. “That may be the case, but I don’t normally go looting other people’s fridges, especially if I don’t even know their pretty owners yet.”
    “That’s good to know.”
    When his eyes stared briefly at her mouth, she felt herself become nervous. It wasn’t the tingling excitement you’d feel right before someone kissed you, or even the kind you feel when you discover a pair of really classy shoes on sale. It was more like the blank anxiety that would wash over you when the teacher caught you cheating on a test, or when you had to explain to your mother why you were hiding a box of condoms in your underwear drawer.
    Thankfully, his eyes wandered back up to meet hers, as he asked, “Did you get that faucet fixed? If not, I could take a look at it now.”
    She felt the heat rise in her face as she shook her head. “No,” she hastened to say. “No, the faucet is working just fine again. But thanks for the offer.”
    He shrugged. “If there’s anything else I can help you with, just let me know.”
    Hayden forced a noncommittal smile and hoped her pizza would be ready soon. Alec was a very nice guy, with a handsome face, but his unmistakable attempts at flirting were a little too much for a woman who had only ever kissed one man. A woman who was still grieving her broken engagement.
    “But to get back to your initial question,” Alec went on, “I grew up in Kentucky. But I spent the last five years in the Seattle police force.”
    She suppressed the tremor she could feel rising in her voice and asked in a neutral tone, “And what brought a Seattle cop to Boston?”
    “Seattle lost its appeal when my girlfriend went to bed with half the squad,” he replied in a surprisingly calm voice.
    “Oh.” Hayden blinked in embarrassment. “I’m sorry about that.”
    “Don’t be.” He sounded amused. “After all, I’m not the one who no longer owns a non-shattered television.”
    “If you say so,” she murmured, lowering her eyes.
    “Listen, Hayden, I have no idea why Shane was behaving quite so territorial at your house before, but I’d really like to ask you out … for dinner, maybe?”
    She swallowed, noticing the pizza chef’s too-tense stare at his computer screen. Was he merely interested in Alec’s story, or was he getting a kick out of the guy flirting with her? She couldn’t tell, but she didn’t want every resident of Charlestown talking about this encounter by tomorrow. Or worse—for Heath to hear about it. Even though they’d fought when she last saw him, it would make her deeply uncomfortable if he believed she’d immediately gone out with another man.
    “That’s really very nice of you,” she began haltingly, not sure what to say next. Behind her, someone entered the restaurant, setting the bell over the door tinkling. A brief glance told her that the person who’d just come in to indulge an appetite for fattening food was none other than Father Brady. Closing her eyes, she sighed. Father Brady was easily the biggest gossip in all of Boston.
    When she didn’t go on, Alec prodded her. “That’s very nice of me, but …?”
    “But I’m not ready for a date or anything like that.”
    “Oh.” He furrowed his brow. “May I ask why? Is it me, or …?”
    Hayden’s shoulders drooped. “It isn’t you. I just don’t think it’d be a good idea. Shane is your partner and … and I was engaged to his brother.”
    “But you aren’t engaged anymore?”
    She shook her head silently.
    “Good … I mean, good for me.” Alec gave her a sympathetic smile. “I wasn’t sure, after Shane’s theatrics. Tell you what, why don’t we meet for coffee instead? You shouldn’t see it as a date, just a good deed on your part.” He winked.
    “A good deed?” she echoed with a quizzical smile.
    “Yep. Because I hardly know a soul in Boston, apart from my bullheaded partner and dear Tony here,” he nodded at the observant pizza chef, “so you could