Fire and Ice: A Paranormal Romance Read Online Free PDF Page B

and after that, I started shrimping on my own without my daddy,” Billy told her.  “In fact, Eddie didn’t have a St. Christopher on his boat.  That’s why I mounted one the minute I got it.”
                  “I can surely understand that, especially after what had just happened to him,” said Sarah.  “What about paperwork.  Was there any on the boat when you bought it?”
                  “No, not a thing,” said Billy.  “The authorities went over the vessel with a fine-tooth comb.  When I took possession of it, there was nothing in it except the registration.  I had already gotten the bill of sale from Charla earlier that day because the boat was in her name.”
                  “It was?” asked Sarah.  “Let’s get out of here.  We really need to talk in private.” 
                  “Where are we going?” he asked.
     
                  “To my place,” she answered.   They got a bag for their beignets, to-go cups for their coffee, and were on their way. 
                  The two of them walked the few blocks back to Sarah’s apartment.  She had the key to the hallway that lead to an old service elevator.  “I’m on the second floor,” she told Billy.  The elevator was slow, as usual.  When it finally landed on her floor, they stepped out into a carpeted hallway.  Straight ahead was the door to her apartment.  Once they got inside, Billy was captivated. 
                  “This place is amazing,” he said.  “Where does that circular staircase lead to?”
     
                  “To a loft upstairs,” she replied.  “It’s where my office is.  See?  It’s that small
     
    room up there.”  Sarah pointed toward it.  
                  “You would never guess from the outside how spacious it is in here,” Billy remarked.  “You’ve even got a fireplace.”  He put the beignets on the coffee table.
                  “Yes, but I can’t use it,” Sarah explained.  “I understand that it’s against the fire code.  All of the buildings here are too close together.  If a fire started and got out of hand, it would be disastrous.”  She set their coffee cups next to the beignets.
                  “It certainly would,” said Billy.  “In the 1700s, there were two huge fires that devastated the French Quarter. In fact, the first one broke out on a Good Friday less than a block away from Jackson Square.” 
                  “That is terrible,” said Sarah.  
                  “They lost over one thousand properties in those two fires combined, including major government buildings,” Billy told her.  “All of the damage happened within five hours.”
                  “How devastating.  It’s not even a big area.”
                    “Exactly,” Billy agreed.  “The Quarter is less than one square mile in size and more than half of it was destroyed.”
                  “It’s hard to fathom,” said Sarah.
                  “It certainly is,” Billy agreed. 
                  “You sure know a lot about history,” Sarah noted.
                  “I’m kind of a history buff,” Billy admitted.
                  “I figured that when we took the drive last night,” she said.
                  “Why?”
                  “Because you seemed to know a lot,” she told him.
                  “It’s just Louisiana history,” he said.
                  “I think you’re being modest,” said Sarah.
                  “No,” he assured her.  “It was my favorite subject in school.” 
                  Suddenly, Sarah thought of something that Billy might find of interest.  She pointed to the ceiling.  “See those large wooden beams up