Free Fireman Edition by M.S. Willis Page B

Rich zipped around me and opened it before shoving a paper sack into my hand. “Here,” he said, attempting to take the books from my arms. “Let me help you with those.”
    I didn’t want him following me to discover that I didn’t exactly have my car. I hugged the books tighter to my chest.
    “No, that’s okay. I’ve got them. What’s in the sack?”
    “Lunch. I thought that you’ll need it since you weren’t feeling well this morning.”
    That was weird. “Okay. Thanks for that. I’m just going to be on my way.”
    He smiled and continued holding the door open for me. “I’ll walk down with you. I need to check the mail anyway.”
    “Fine,” I answered, hoping like hell that he would stay inside the building and get the mail without feeling the need to escort me to my non-existent vehicle.
    We took the stairs in silence, except for a quick observation from Rich that I looked nice. I didn’t quite understand his sudden bout of kindness and chivalry, but I wasn’t going to complain either.
    Maybe he simply felt bad because I wasn’t feeling well.
    Approaching the front doors to the building, I waved goodbye to Rich. He waved back, but then moved around me to grab the handle to the door.
    Giving me a quick grin, he explained, “Your hands are full, so I’ll get that for you.”
    “Thanks! I appreciate it.”
    His wrist twisted, the doors opened and I looked out towards the front of our building….and froze.
    The sound of camera shutters filled the air, lights flashing here and there and a mass of reporters springing forward to shove microphones as close as they could get them to me.
    Doing the Duke , Boinking the Billionaire, Corralling the Cowboy , and the rest of the titles I held in my hands dropped one by one to land on my feet.
    “Ms. Taylor! Can you tell us what happened last night that left you walking the streets in a blanket? Ms. Taylor, did you find love on your first date? Ms. Taylor, what made you decide to post an ad looking for thirteen different standard romance heroes? Ms. Taylor…”
    On and on and on the questions spilled, a horrifying barrage of curiosity and excited faces. My jaw dropped and I stood completely still. I wasn’t completely sure if this was really happening or if it was all just a really bad dream, induced by the stress I felt after my craptastic date.
    Rich chuckled beside me as the crowd parted and a well-dressed and handsome man came through.
    Tearing my eyes from the stranger who was quickly approaching me, I turned to Rich and raised an eyebrow in question.
    His wide grin looked like it hurt and I took that as a confession that he knew this was going to happen. “What the hell, Rich? What is going on?”
    Through his fit of laughter, Rich explained, “You were all over the news this morning. That show you put on last night apparently got people interested and there was live video feed that showed the reporters waiting outside our building. I’m sorry. I’ll admit it. I knew they were down here.” He could barely get the words out because he was laughing so hard.
    I turned back to the crowd and blinked at the chaos that was happening right in front of me.
    The stranger I’d seen earlier pulled his hand out from behind his back and offered it to me as soon as he stepped inside the building.
    “Ms. Taylor?”
    “Uhhh, yes…” I stammered. “My name is Jane, but…” I didn’t know what to say and finally I blurt out, “What in the hell is going on here?”
    The stranger smiled a brilliant grin and got down on one bended knee in front of me. Taking my hand, he looked up and said, “Jane. My name is Vincent Baxter. I’m a prominent attorney in the area and I saw you on the news this morning. I was so impressed with your…display…that I looked up your personal ad in the paper. I have to admit, I’m curious.”
    My breath caught in my chest and I almost fainted.
    “What I’m trying to say is: Jane, I would like to take you on your next date. I am