Where There's Smoke by M. J. Fredrick Read Free Book Online

people.” She stacked her hands as she spoke. “You usually are most comfortable with someone in your own tier. Occasionally you might rise one tier above your own, but never two. Those relationships never work.” And that was why she'd never let herself have a hope about Seth. She was content to be his friend.
    She was.
    "And you figured this out when?"
    "High school. Look, just look around you."
    "The light's too dim."
    "Yeah, why did you pick this place anyway?” It was a definite couples place.
    "I was hungry for spaghetti."
    She looked pointedly at his unfinished meal and grew uneasy. He had another motive.
    "So anyway, tell me more. Do you really believe this?” He folded his arms on the table and looked at her as if she had all the secrets of the universe.
    "Of course. It's so common it's nearly a statistic."
    "Seems like a pretty dim view on relationships."
    "Why would I have any reason to have any other kind of view? You know my history. And hell, look at my parents. My mother is a beautiful person. My father, much as I love him, is not. Witness the result of that."
    "I doubt that played into the decision after thirty years of marriage. I think after a while you probably stop seeing each other."
    "And what would you base that on?"
    "You sure opened my eyes the other day in the bathroom."
    She dipped her head as her face heated. She didn't know whether to be insulted that he'd stopped seeing her or flattered that he'd noticed her. “That's different. We're ... different."
    "How?"
    Because she still saw him in all his glory every time she looked at him. But she wouldn't admit that. It would leave her even more vulnerable than being in her underwear after her shower. “We just are. Now do you want to hear my theory or not?"
    He lifted one shoulder in a shrug.
    "Look at the couple over there by the window. The guy in the new suit and the girl in a dress that went out of style five years ago."
    He glanced over his shoulder. “Yeah?"
    "She's a plain person; he's unattractive. He's looking up."
    "Bad for her, right?"
    "Maybe. At least he's making an effort to dress nice. Oh. Look at those two who just came in. Both definitely beautiful people."
    Seth looked and jolted. “Damn, that's the girl who gave me her phone number."
    "I see she's not pining away waiting for you to call,” Lauren said a bit sharply to counter the sudden pain in her heart. The woman was a bombshell in every sense of the word. Lauren didn't know why she should be surprised. That was Seth's regular type.
    "She won't recognize me without my hat,” he said, like a fervent prayer.
    "Fireman Seth.” The woman stopped at the table, laid a perfectly manicured hand on his broad shoulder and looked at Lauren, openly assessing, and finding wanting. Lauren determined not to squirm in her khakis and button-down shirt with the badly ironed crease down the back. “I'm glad you got us out of that elevator in time for supper."
    Seth leaned back in his chair, effectively breaking contact but Lauren saw him turn on the charm. “So, damsel-in-distress Angela, you like Italian."
    "As you would have known if you'd called."
    Seth glanced around Angela at her date, a handsome nervous type, a suit who scanned the room. Why wasn't he paying attention to his date while she was touching Seth? Was he used to it? Did he even care? Was he looking for someone else?
    "Is this your little wife?” the bombshell asked.
    Lauren bristled.
    "Girlfriend,” Seth said, and she saw that he was as surprised to say the word as she was to hear it.
    "Mm. Serious?"
    "Maybe.” Was he using her as a pawn in some game with this woman?
    "So I guess I shouldn't've told her you took my number."
    "No, she'll probably be kinda upset by that.” Again he looked at her companion, who had moved forward to put a hand at the small of Angela's back. Lauren got the feeling it was less of a possessive move than a move to hurry her along. “Is this your boyfriend?"
    "Fiancé."
    Seth's face darkened,