Free Heatwave by Jamie Denton Page A

to understand that this is a serious situation. A few oily rags left lying near a faulty electrical outlet didn’t cause this fire. Nor did a carelessly tossed match. This was an intentionally set blaze, and it’s pure dumb luck the house or the school weren’t taken, as well.” He let out a sigh. “Emily, you need to close the school.”
    “I appreciate your concern, but I can’t do that. I spoke to the two officers, and they’re going to see to it that the area is patrolled.”
    “That’s not good enough,” he said roughly.
    She lifted an eyebrow. “Well, it’s just going to have to be. We can’t afford to close down and I’m not leavingso some nutcase is free to torch everything my grandmother has ever worked for.” She pulled her feet close and stood. “Thank you for your concern and for all you’ve done. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll see you Monday evening.”
    She took off toward the house. She understood his concern, but since there’d been no loss of life and the building, insofar as building codes went, was not a hazard, the decision belonged to her. Ultimately, Grandy could close the school, but she’d made her opinion clear when she’d refused to cancel classes.
    Okay, so the idea of being alone didn’t exactly thrill her, but no way would she turn tail and run. She’d meant what she’d said. If she had to patrol the area herself, she’d do it. Maybe she’d even look for Pop’s old varmint gun.
    She stepped inside the coolness of the house. When she turned to close the door, she nearly crashed into Drew’s imposing frame blocking her path. She tipped her head back and almost winced at the irritation and frustration simmering in his mesmerizing eyes.
    “I take it from the look on your face that you’re not here for a goodbye kiss,” she said, annoyed by the husky tone in her voice.
    His gaze dipped to her mouth, and she had the sudden urge to draw her tongue across her bottom lip. She had an idea what it was like to kiss him. Hot. Wild. And if her subconscious was telling the truth, wholly intoxicating. The idea of doing so again, especially while conscious, suddenly held dangerous, tempting appeal.
    She took a step backward and looked away from him before she did something really stupid, like wreath her arms around his neck and pull him down for a steamy, demanding kiss, the kind destined to curl her toes and start her body revving with anticipation.
    The door snapped closed. She glanced up, and for the space of a heartbeat, hoped he’d be on the other side of it.
    No such luck.
    As if she had any, anyway.
    “You can’t really believe staying here is going to make a difference?”
    “Yes, I do,” she told him, determined to keep her mind on the conversation and not on the way he continued to sneak peeks at her mouth. “If we hadn’t been at the hospital today, then this might never have happened.”
    He glared at her. “You can’t be serious.”
    She folded her arms and glared right back at him. “Very serious.”
    “I know a hell of a lot more about the characteristics of an arsonist than you do,” he snapped at her. “And if you think for a second that you can prevent him from striking again, you’re mistaken.”
    “Good,” she said sarcastically. “Then maybe I’ll catch the bastard in action.”
    In two long strides, he narrowed the space between them. His large, warm hands settled gently on her arms. Sparks shot through her and settled with pinpoint accuracy between her thighs.
    “I’m not trying to be the bad guy here.” His gazesoftened, causing her insides to melt at the concern banked within those green depths. “I’m worried about you, Em. Is that such a crime?”
    No, she thought. That wasn’t a crime. Good thing those cops weren’t around, because if his thoughts were anywhere near as illicit as hers, they’d surely be arrested for lewd and lascivious conduct.

6
    T HE SHAKE , rattle and roll of the San Andreas Fault wouldn’t have stopped