Free Willow: June by Brandy Walker

gaze, because he looked at her and smiled. Her heart did that silly erratic thump when the corner of his mouth lifted. Something indefinable twinkled in his eyes. It almost reminded her of pure, simple pleasure. He held her door open and helped her in. Before he shut it, he kissed her again. A gentle brush of his lips against hers. He was getting way too familiar with her.
    Her door slammed, and he walked around the front. The man was undoing her quickly, and she didn’t know what to do to make it stop, or if she wanted to stop it at all.

    C edric stood behind Willow as she talked to Aaron Hoserman. The man was entirely too friendly and flirty with her, and it was grating on his nerves.
    The second they had shown up and found him, Aaron had ignored Cedric in favor of Willow. He took her by the arm and gave her a tour of the firehouse. The kitchen, day room where they all hung out, the hanger with all of the trucks, and lastly, the sleeping quarters.
    They stood in the quiet corridor with five individual rooms on both sides. Each room had a curtained doorway to make it easier to rush out on a call. It also gave them a little privacy for anything they may need, like seducing someone else’s woman.
    He snapped back to the present at the sound of Willow’s voice.
    “You can’t expect me to believe you fit on that bed, Aaron. There’s no way in hell. You’re too big.”
    Cedric whipped his head in the direction they were talking. Aaron stepped into one of the rooms, pulling Willow with him. They stood next to what he would guess was a full size bed. It had a dark comforter and a couple of matching pillows.
    “Sure I do, Willow. There’s even enough room for you to fit on there with me. Come lay down and I’ll show you.” Aaron winked, and Cedric let loose a bolt of lightning. It arced across the floor, traveling up the metal desk and popped the light bulb in the lamp.
    “Sorry about that,” he shrugged and gave his best apologetic look. But he wasn’t. Not one damn bit. Aaron’s dark eyebrow rose, and Cedric figured he didn’t believe him. “How about we talk about the arrangements for the Summer Solstice? We would like to wrap your end of it up.”
    He threaded his fingers with Willow’s and tugged her out of the room, away from the randy firefighter.
    Aaron chuckled and moved ahead of them. “Let’s head to the office, and we’ll go over everything.”
    Willow pulled on her hand, but he refused to let go. “What is wrong with you?” She hissed. Her panicked gaze bouncing between Aaron and him.
    “Nothing,” he replied through clenched teeth. Unless, you consider murdering someone for flirting with the woman you love wrong.
    “Bullshit. What was that back there, and what’s with this?” She swung their hands out in front of them. He didn’t see anything wrong with them holding hands. He liked it.
    “He was flirting with you. Trying to get you in bed.”
    Willow’s brows drew down into a deep furrow. “No, he wasn’t. He was just joking around.”
    “Bullshit,” he retorted. “He’s hard as hell for you.”
    Willow’s eyes rounded quickly. “Oh, my god, you’re insane. And what are you doing looking at his junk? Are you hot for him?”
    Cedric barked out a laugh. “Love, men don’t do it for me, and if you missed that damn snake in his pants, then you must be blind.”
    Before she had a chance to reply, Cedric’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and checked it. “Shit, I need to take this. I’ll be back in a minute.” He walked off, but not too far away. Leaning up against the wall not close to the office, but with enough distance he couldn’t be heard, he saw Aaron lean into Willow as she entered the room. A poisonous thread of jealousy snaked through his veins, leaving a foul taste in his mouth.

    W illow cast a glance at Cedric , who was getting out of helping her once again, then turned her attention to Aaron. He held the door open for her, a big grin on his handsome