Playing with Fire by Amy Knupp Read Free Book Online

not nearly as fun,” Gus said.
    Damn good thing Derek wasn’t looking for fun.



CHAPTER SIX
    L ATER THAT NIGHT , Derek was reminded that while he wasn’t looking for fun, Macey might be. And that she was perfectly capable of attracting male attention, especially with that sexy little tee and those shorts that showed off her legs. They weren’t supermodel mile-long or anything—she was almost a foot shorter than him—but they were nice legs nonetheless. With just the right amount of curves and muscles and softness. Not that he was interested for himself. But he had no trouble seeing why other guys might be.
    He’d not had to worry about anyone but himself for the past few months, but dammit, now that she was here he couldn’t help worrying about her. Or rather, the men who pursued her.
    Derek had witnessed more than a handful of guys flirting with her as she took their orders, delivered their cheese fries, grabbed their bottles of beer. For the most part, she was good at being friendly but noncommittal. She had a sway to her hips, though, that he was sure she wasn’t aware of. He wished he could say the same for all the men in the place.
    These two guys now, for example. Derek saw them come in, watched them when they spotted Macey and could tell they were interested in her as they took the last two available seats at the bar.
    “Macey, what’s up?” one of them said.
    How the hell did they know her?
    She walked over to them with a big smile, and Derek moved closer.
    “What are you guys doing here?” Macey asked them.
    “Looking for you,” the second one said.
    “Thought we’d check the place out. Haven’t been here since it reopened,” the first guy said.
    Derek stepped next to Macey. “Need anything?” he asked her.
    “Derek, this is Evan Drake and Clay Marlow. They live in the same building as me.”
    He nodded at them.
    “They’re local firefighters,” she added, and he could tell by her tone she was anxious to gauge his reaction to that announcement.
    Derek took his time in acknowledging her statement. He straightened and happened to spot Andie peeking around the doorway of the kitchen at that moment. She appeared to be sizing up Macey’s firefighters. Scratch that…they weren’t Macey’s anything.
    “Who’s the brunette?” the guy Macey had introduced as Clay asked, nodding toward Andie.
    “Resident rebel without a cause,” Derek said. “Andie’s our Harley-riding cook-bartender.”
    “One of those, huh? Sounds like trouble.” Clay nodded and did his best to act indifferent, but Derek saw him glance one more time at her. “You the one Macey mentioned was with the Dallas Fire Department?”
    He didn’t like Macey telling people his business—especially that business—to people he didn’t know. But there wasn’t much he could say to her now without drawing undue attention to it. “Sure am,” he confirmed.
    “You quit?” Evan asked. There was interest and curiosity in his tone, no censure.
    “Came down here to run this place for my retired uncle,” Derek said.
    “We could use you at the station,” Clay suggested. “Seems like we’ve always got a spot open.”
    Macey was watching him too closely.
    “I’m working this place seven days a week,” he said, feigning regret. “There’s no way I could do it.”
    “Maybe when we hire a few more people,” Macey said.
    Derek was glad as hell to see two women step up to the bar. Without acknowledging Macey’s grand idea, he moved toward them, forced a smile and took their order.

    I T WAS AFTER MIDNIGHT and Andie had left for the night. Derek was in back serving up some seviche when Macey stuck her head in the room. “Could you get me two more of those?” she asked, motioning toward the paper tray in his hand.
    “Macey,” he said before she could return to the front. “Watch yourself with those two.”
    She paused. “Evan and Clay? They’re harmless, Dare.”
    “The one on the left wants you.”
    “They’re my