Fighting the Flames Read Online Free PDF Page A

prayed her knees wouldn’t buckle.
    “The kids went to their father’s for the night. I figured I’d take a drive out here and see your new place, help you unpack, maybe crash here for the night.” Lisa looked back and forth between Jess and Ryan, who had finally turned around. “But I see you already have… uh, help.” She was biting her lips, her shoulders shaking with barely controlled laughter.
    Jessie cleared her throat. “No. Sorry. Lisa this is Ryan, my neighbor. Ryan, this is my sister, Lisa.” She watched Ryan extend his hand and then quickly jerk it back, giving her sister a little wave instead. She found that curious until she realized his fingers were still wet from being inside her. Oh good god.
    “I should’ve called. I’m sorry,” Lisa said, glancing down at the massive bulge in Ryan’s pants and biting her lip to stifle another round of laughter.
    “No, really, it’s okay.” Jessie smiled. “Of course you can stay here.” Lisa’s divorce was still fresh and she was having trouble adjusting to the custody schedule and not having her kids at home with her all the time. Jessie couldn’t imagine how hard it must be.
    “I guess that’s my cue.” Ryan laughed. “It was nice meeting you, Lisa.”
    “I’ll walk you out,” Jessie said, following Ryan to the front porch. He turned around, grabbed her around the waist, and planted a kiss on her mouth that was so hot she swore her lips were burned.
    “This isn’t over Jess.” He smiled and ran his thumb over her lips. “In fact, we’re just getting started.”
    Jessie watched him walk the short distance to his house and exhaled loudly. Just getting started... that’s exactly what she was afraid of. Her heart couldn’t handle another bout with Ryan James.

Chapter 4
    J essie went back inside to find her sister sitting on the couch with a Cheshire cat-like grin on her face. Uh-oh. Jess knew that look. She was about to be interrogated and probably teased. “What?”
    “Your neighbor, huh?” Lisa propped her feet up on a box and leaned back on the couch.
    There it was. Lisa wasn’t wasting any time. “Yes, he’s my neighbor and he helped move my things. That’s it.” Jessie pushed Lisa’s feet off the box, and they landed on the floor with a thud. “I offered him lunch.” Jess sat beside her sister.
    “Right. So that bulge in his pants was because of your culinary skills?” Lisa raised a brow and smirked.
    Jessie hoped Lisa hadn’t noticed that, but no such luck. Her sister had always been overly observant. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jessie hid a smile.
    Lisa laughed. “Yeah right. I’m your older sister, Jessie, you know I’m not going to let this go until I have details.”
    “Did you come here to help me unpack? Or to pry into my personal life?”
    “Oh, so now it’s your personal life? I knew it. Spill it, Sis. Who’s that guy and why are you all flustered?”
    Jessie stood. “I am not flustered,” she lied. She was totally flustered. No, more like sexually frustrated, she thought as she opened a box and rummaged through it. “Are you going to help me or not?”
    “Yes, of course I’ll help you.” Lisa stood and opened another box that was full of kitchen utensils and hand towels. She carried it into the kitchen. “And while I do, you can start talking.”
    Jessie rolled her eyes and smiled. She knew there was no way out of it. Lisa was like a damn dog with a bone. “His name is Ryan, and I find him very attractive.”
    “From the looks of him when he left, he feels the same way.”
    “Lisa!” Jessie said with a disbelieving laugh.
    Lisa went back into the living room. “What?” She shrugged. “You can’t deny it.” She opened another box and then stopped. “You know, I haven’t seen that look in your eyes in a long time. Not since before shithead.”
    Shithead was Lisa’s name for Jessie’s ex-fiancée, Derrick. “What look?”
    “A happy look, a look that says you’re