Free Fire and Ice (Firemen do it Hotter Book 1) by Cheyenne McCray Page A

Miss Goody Two Skates?”
    She grinned. “That’s more like it.”
    It wasn’t long before they were on the ice. She had seen Grady warm up for ice hockey, but that was nothing like the kind of warmups she did for figure skating. Today he followed her lead, and he was smooth and skilled.
    Cool air brushed her face as they raced around the rink. She had never dated anyone who enjoyed any kind of skating as much as she did.
    She felt such a connection to Grady that she couldn’t stop smiling. He made her want to smile, all the time. A part of her thought maybe she should be worried, as if the other shoe might drop. She wasn’t going to think that way. Somehow he made her feel so good and that the possibilities on the horizon were endless.
    And odd as it was, even though she hadn’t known him that long, he made her feel as if love was possible again.
    They were laughing by the time they finished warming up.
    “Time to show me just how well your sister trained you.” Chelsey skated in circles as she spoke to Grady. “I want to see what you’ve got.”
    He grabbed one of her hands and gripped it as he settled his other hand on her hip. “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.”
    She snorted out an unladylike laugh as they skated together, lazily moving around the ice. “You’ve already seen mine. Figure skating that is. I’ve only watched you play hockey.”
    “I haven’t seen you play hockey.” His voice was low and teasing. “How are you at playing goalie?”
    “Terrible.” She rolled her eyes as they moved. “But I’m not a bad shot.”
    He looked interested and impressed. “You’ll have to show me your stuff.”
    “If you’re lucky.” She grinned and pushed away from him, skating backward, across the empty arena.
    He chased after her, catching her within moments. He took her hand and spun her. She fell into it naturally, and skated out of it in a reverse figure eight.
    They skated for two hours, just enjoying each other’s company as they spent time together. It amazed Chelsey how well they skated together, and how well they fit in every way.
    When they finished, they were both perspiring and breathing a little harder than normal from the race they had just completed. Grady had won, barely. She had done a great job of keeping up, and her last burst of speed could have won their bet.
    She was highly competitive, but the loss didn’t bother her. Maybe it was because of the nature of their bet that she didn’t mind losing.
    “I lost, so we’re having dinner how many times this week?” She untied her skate and glanced at him as he bent over his own.
    “You have to have dinner with me every night I’m not working at the fire department.”
    He gave her a sexy grin as she glanced from her skate to him. His heated expression could have melted the ice. Even as she caught her breath, she moved her hand in a circle, indicating he should go on.
    He shrugged. “I sort of forgot to tell you that I’m not on the schedule at all this week. I’m on vacation.”
    “Seven straight days?” Her eyes widened even as she wanted to laugh. “You—you brat. ”
    “You have to admit it was genius.” He laughed. “So where do we go tomorrow night?”
    She was still shaking her head. She had agreed to the contest because she loved the idea of spending more time with Grady. She just hadn’t known it was every night this week. Spending a week with Grady…that wasn’t going to be a hardship.
    “Since we’re having dinner at Aunt Annie’s this afternoon, that’s our comfort food for the week.” Chelsey knew there was no arguing about their wager. Besides, spending all this time together made her feel as if she had just won a lottery. “How about Thai tomorrow?”
    “Know any great hidden gems?” He pulled off one of his unlaced skates. “Those types of places as are usually the best when it comes to Thai food.”
    “I know the perfect Thai restaurant, practically invisible in the center corner of