Most of all she saw the kindness in his eyes. She didn’t know him well, but she liked the caring and consideration radiating from him every time he was near. He really was in the perfect profession for him—100% All-American Male with heart and soul, who rescued people.
“You’re gorgeous.” His husky voice sent a slice of warmth through her, drawing her out of her mesmerized state. “Every time I see you, you take my breath away.”
His words sent tingles to her belly. No man, not even George, had ever said anything so sweet, and so clearly sincere, to her. He’d said it in a way that was almost reverent.
“Thank you.” She smiled, feeling shy as she accepted his compliment. “I’ll grab my purse and coat.” She left the door open as she returned to the living room and scooped her purse off the coffee table and coat off the back of a sofa. He stepped into the foyer just long enough to help her with her coat.
When she walked out the door, she locked it behind her, then removed her key from her purse and took care of the deadbolt.
She dropped the key ring into her purse and smiled at him. God, when he smiled back, heat radiated throughout her body. The kind of heat that made her want to take his hand, drag him back inside the house, and make love to him until they were both exhausted.
Make love? A little to soon to be thinking those two words. Much too soon.
Her body heated as he touched her lower back at the base of her spine. They made small talk as he guided her down the steps to a big truck parked near the sidewalk.
When they reached the vehicle, he opened the passenger door and grasped her hand to help her onto the running board and up into the cab. Every time he touched her, it was like a shower of electric sparks rained exploded within her. He shut the door behind her and strode around the front to the driver’s side before climbing in.
She had her seatbelt on before he had his keys in the ignition. He paused to look at her and smiled. “I’m glad you said yes to going out with me tonight.”
A laugh rose inside her. “You didn’t give me much of a choice. You’re very persistent.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet.” He winked and a tingling sensation radiated from her belly. He started the truck, then pulled out onto the street before heading downtown to Giovanni’s.
During the ten-minute drive from Chelsey’s home, they talked about the fall weather and discussed how it had been unusually warm for Wisconsin this time of year. The conversation was relaxed and easy, and definitely a safe topic to start with.
Grady found parking in the lot behind Giovanni’s. After he helped Chelsey out of the truck, he escorted her into the restaurant. He had made reservations, and the hostess seated them within a few moments.
Even though she had been to this restaurant before, Chelsey paused to look at the elegant but comfortable surroundings. She noticed something different about the place every time she was there. It was almost as if things in the many murals had moved, making them somehow different every time she looked at them.
The temperature was warm and comfortable in the dining room. A low murmur of conversation filled the air and forks clinked on plates as patrons enjoyed their meals. The aroma of red sauce, pasta, and freshly baked garlic bread surrounded them.
When Grady had taken his own chair after seating her, the hostess set a menu on top of the bread plates in front of each of them. Chelsey picked up her menu, and her thoughts turned to the fact she was out with the handsome firefighter—who appeared to be a wonderful man—she had first seen at the ice rink not long ago.
She looked up from the menu and found him watching her. For a moment, she couldn’t look away. She couldn’t even breathe. He reached across the table and put his hand over hers. The warmth of his touch, the way it caused her whole body to come alive, made her feel as if she could be in his arms forever.
Forever.
She hadn’t even been in his arms once, and she was thinking about an eternity with this man?
A soft gasp escaped her as he slowly rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. “I can’t help it.” His smile was wickedly sexy. “All I want to do is touch you.”
“No one is stopping you.” The words came out before her brain caught up with her mouth. He grinned as a wash of nerves nearly caused her to pull her hand away.
“I’m glad about that.” He slid his thumb over the knuckles of her left hand, and she shivered. “You might not get your hand back all night.”
“How am I supposed to eat?” Her playful comeback earned another smile from him. “I’m left handed.”
He released her and took her opposite hand. “Then I’ll take your right in exchange.”
If she had tried, she couldn’t have stopped the smile that curved her lips. “What if I’d like it back?”
He shrugged. “Unless you want to end up in my lap, you’ll let me hold your hand.”
Chelsey laughed just as the server stopped by. Grady ordered an iced tea and asked her what she wanted. After having a husband who was an alcoholic, she rarely drank, so she told the server she would stick with water. Grady checked with Chelsey and then ordered caprese for an appetizer.
When the server left, Grady turned back to Chelsey. “How often have you been to Giovanni’s?”
Chelsey found herself mesmerized again by the blue of his eyes. “Many times over the years.”
He linked their fingers. “What do you recommend?”
“I’ve never had a bad meal here.” She heard the smoky warmth in her voice when she responded. “I would have to say that my favorite meal is the tortellini conpazze. I also love the gnocchi pistachio. Tonight I think I’ll go for the gnocchi.”
“I’ll try the other one. The tortellini.” He set his menu aside without looking at it, and she put hers on top of his.
The server returned with the iced tea and water, along with a bread basket. He took their dinner order and retreated.
Once they were alone again, Grady lightly squeezed her fingers. “Tell me about your years as a figure skater. I want to know everything.”
She smiled, even as his touch did funny things to her insides. “I want to say there’s not much to tell, but there’s actually a lot to it. Still, I don’t want to bore you.”
The corner of his mouth curved. “I don’t care what we are talking about, but you could never bore me. Hell, tell me about when you took the garbage out this week, and I’ll be hanging onto every word.”
She burst into laughter. “It was quite the adventure. There was this rabbit with a timepiece and he seemed to be in a huge hurry.”
“You had me at first giggle.” Grady laughed, too. “Now, why don’t you tell me your ice skating story. How did you get started?”
“My parents took me out onto the ice as soon as I could walk.” She tilted her head to the side. “Mom had always dreamed of being a figure skater, but it didn’t work out for her. So as long as I had the same desire, she wanted me to be the best.”
Grady shifted her hand so that he was now stroking her fingers. “I take it you loved it from the beginning.”
“Did I ever.” Chelsey felt almost like she slipped into another world as she thought back to those early days. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve been on the ice almost daily. Even after my ‘retirement’, I continued to skate and teach in my spare time. It wasn’t easy once I was raising my siblings, but it worked out.”
Money had been tight, and Chelsey had worked two jobs. When her sisters were old enough, they had taken on cleaning houses together for an income, which had helped their little family tremendously.
Grady picked up a piece of bread from the basket with his free hand. “Tell me how you came to be a champion.”
She tipped her head, thinking back to those days. “Coach Markus, my trainer, knew one of the best figure skating coaches in the world, Vlad Ivanov. As a favor to my trainer, Coach Ivanov came to watch me skate in a local competition for my age group. I was fourteen. After I was off the ice, he took me aside and told
me he’d like to train me for the Olympics. He said it would be a lot of work, and I would have to move away from my home in Appleton and go to Colorado Springs if I was to train with him.”
“Did that scare you?” Grady bit into the bread and chewed.
“A little.” Chelsey smiled. “Let’s just say I was lucky to have that opportunity and so very happy it happened.”
“Opportunities don’t just happen.” He set the piece of bread on the bread plate beside him. “You made the opportunity by all the work you did by practicing over and over.”
She considered what he had to say. “That’s true. Coach Ivanov never would have made the trip from Colorado Springs if my first coach hadn’t seen what I could do, and that came from practice.”
“Exactly.” Grady smiled. “What competitions have you been in and won?”
“Pretty much every level you can participate, I won at one time or another.” Chelsey wasn’t bragging, and she knew he understood that. She was stating what were facts from her past. “There was a time I was almost unbeatable.”
“The Olympics?” Grady asked. “I’m pretty sure I would have recognized you.”
She hesitated. “My grandmother passed away from a heart attack six months before the start of the upcoming Olympic games. I had no choice but to come back and raise my siblings. I am the only surviving relative and they would have been put into foster homes.”
“How old were you?” he asked.
“Not quite nineteen.” She felt almost defiant as she added, “I would never let them be put into the foster care system.”
Time to talk about something else. Besides, she wanted to know more about him.
“Tell me about you and that enormous Irish family you grew up in,” she said just as the caprese arrived.
6
Chelsey’s voice was so beautiful, her face so expressive, Grady could have listened to her for hours, but he recognized her need to move the focus from herself. He released her hand as the server placed the caprese between them.
He nodded to the plate and waited for her to serve herself. God, she was stunning with her beautiful eyes and long eyelashes. The blue dress was the perfect color for her, and her long blonde hair fell in a silky wave to her shoulders.
Her sweet personality just blew him away. Everything about her was so clearly genuine.
His thoughts turned to telling her he was an alcoholic. He had talked with his sponsor who said better soon than too late.
Yes, he would tell her, but he’d wait for the right moment.
Grady couldn’t remember her question for a moment, then responded when he did. “Growing up in my family was one adventure after another.
She watched him with an intense, interested expression. “You said you have ten children in your family, including you. Six sisters and three brothers?”
“Exactly.” He dished some of the appetizer onto his plate. “Twelve of us make for one hell of a holiday. Then you add in all the spouses, nephews, and nieces, and it becomes a zoo.”
Chelsey laughed. “I’m picturing a madhouse.”
“A madhouse would be tame in comparison—at least there, the inmates are locked up.” Grady held back a laugh as Chelsey clapped her hand over her mouth as if trying to block a flood of giggles. He used his fork to cut into the fresh mozzarella, tomato slice, and fresh basil. He took a bite then chewed, swallowed, and chased it down with iced tea. He had been relieved that she hadn’t wanted wine. He could be around alcohol, but it was easier when he wasn’t. “There’s no such thing as a quiet moment with the exception of the five hours when everyone is finally asleep at the same time.”
“Our family reunions are nuts and usually last three days.” Which included the benders some of the Donovans went on during the events.
“Did you play hockey with your family?” she asked.
“Are you kidding?” Grady ate another bite and finished before continuing. “Hockey is in the Donovan DNA. Our family hockey history goes back to the late 1800s.”
“I’m not surprised.” Chelsey looked impressed. “You’re good at it.”
“I do okay.” He shrugged. “Had to hold my own in our family.”
“You are far too modest.” She gripped her fork as she looked at him and smiled. “Own that skill.”
Grady flashed a grin. “If you insist.”
“I insist.” She cut into her caprese. “Tell me about your background in the sport.”
“If you put it that way…” He winked. “I played junior leagues in Seattle from the time I was four-years-old, and continued on up through high school. I played for Washington State University and had a promising career ahead, until I had a career-ending injury. At that time it was the end of the world.”
Chelsey looked at him with understanding in her gaze for what it had meant to lose what had meant so much to him. “When you’re ripped away from something you love and want to do for the rest of your life, it’s not easy to take.”
“It sure isn’t.” He shrugged. “I switched to Option B.”
She tipped her head to the side. “Was Option B becoming a firefighter?”
“Yep.” He nodded. “Wanted to play hockey or be a firefighter from a young age. Life chose for me.”
“Were you already taking classes toward a career in fire science?” she asked.
“Just the basics,” he said. “I transferred to a college that specialized in fire science, went through the academy, and eventually ended up where I’d wanted to be as a kid.”
She ate a bite of gnocchi before asking, “You were a firefighter in Seattle?”
“Fourteen years.” He set his fork down. “Then I moved to Wisconsin and got an apartment in Neenah two years ago to teach at the Public Safety Training Center. I liked Appleton, so I moved here a few months ago and hired on to the fire department.”
With a grin, she said, “And you have a Dalmatian named Spot from your sister, Lexi.”
His lips twitched. “Yes, a firefighter’s best friend.”
She took a drink of water and set her glass down. “What made you move from Seattle to Wisconsin?”
He shrugged. “Needed a change of pace.”
By the time they finished dinner, they had covered a lot of topics that included stories of family fiascos as Chelsey raised her brothers and sisters, and Grady’s own colorful childhood.
“I haven’t had this much fun since I left behind my crazy family.” He laughed. “Never a dull moment back home. Here, it’s damned quiet in comparison.”
She dabbed at her mouth with a napkin before lowering it to her lap. “This has been the most enjoyable evening I can remember having in a long while.”
“Good.” Something heated his chest, warming his heart. “You need to enjoy yourself as often as possible.”
“You’re right.” She glanced up as the server arrived, and Grady followed her gaze.
“Dessert?” The server rattled off a number of desserts.
“Cannolis or tiramisu.” Grady glanced at Chelsey. “No Italian dinner is complete without one of those treats.”
“How about sharing tiramisu?” She smiled. “It’s my favorite.”
“That’s what we’ll have.” Grady nodded to the server. “One tiramisu to share, and I’d like coffee, decaf.” Chelsey ordered decaf, too.
The server departed and Grady turned back to Chelsey. “I have a league game tomorrow night. Think you can make it?”
“I’ll be there a couple of hours before the game starts, coaching one of my most brilliant students.” She tucked stray hair behind her ear as she added with a teasing smile, “I can hang around.”
“Good.” He studied her. “I like the thought of you being in the crowd, cheering us on.”
Within fifteen minutes, the server returned with their dessert and coffee. Chelsey and Grady ate it slowly. She seemed to want to draw out their evening as much as he did.
After they finished dessert and coffee, Chelsey looked around them. “We’re t
he last ones here.”
Grady put his hand over hers. “That’s because I’ve enjoyed your company so much I haven’t wanted to step foot out of this place.”
“Same here.” She turned her hand so that it was palm up. “I’ve had a wonderful time. I hate to see it end.”
He gave her a mischievous look. “It hasn’t ended yet.”
Her response wasn’t so much teasing as it was almost sultry. “It sure hasn’t.”
He gripped her hand before removing cash from his wallet and putting it in the check presenter. He stood and helped Chelsey scoot her chair back, took her hand, and assisted her to her feet. He helped her into her dressy coat before they exited the restaurant.
Grady touched the small of her back as they walked toward his truck. A shiver ran through her when he put his fingers against her dress, and he wondered if she’d felt the same tingles of awareness that he had.
He helped her into his truck, then went around to the driver’s side. After he climbed in and looked at her, she looked almost shy.
“It’s getting late.” Her voice was soft.
“Don’t worry.” He reached out and traced his finger along her jaw. “I’ll get you home, safe and sound.”
“I know you will,” she whispered.
He wanted to kiss her, and kiss her. Make both their minds spin. It was too awkward with the console between them, so he slid his fingers to her lips and felt the softness before he let his knuckles slide down her neck to her shoulder. He smiled and then put his hand back on the wheel.
Grady’s simple touch burned her through and she wanted to be so close to him that he heated her from head to toe.
The minutes it took to drive from the restaurant to her house seemed to go by so slowly, yet too fast. She wanted Grady, and she knew he wanted her. But it was too soon to let it go beyond dinner.
Or did it matter?
Their light conversation seemed almost stilted compared to how easily they had conversed in the restaurant. When they arrived at her house, she waited for him to come around the vehicle and help her down from the truck’s running board to the ground.
Fire and Ice (Firemen do it Hotter Book 1) Page 4