My Smoking Hot Fake Boyfriend (Lit Creek Fire Department #1)

Chapter 1

Kenzie

Safety first. That’s my motto. Professionally and personally. Aaaand that’s why I’m under the table checking the outlet. Even in a firehall there can be safety hazards. I’m telling you, you can never be too cautious. This need for safety and order is a huge motivator in me wanting to apply for a new position to be the Community Outreach Liaison at the firehall next week. I know I’d be perfect for the job.

Busy removing a few plugs from the powerbar, I faintly hear footsteps and then suddenly the creaking squeak of the wheels before I can even reconsider my compromising position.

“Oomph.” I’d know that sound anywhere. Don’t ask me why because I really don’t want to admit that level of obsession. Anywayzzzz, moving right along. He sighs as he leans back into the chair. Obviously he doesn’t realize I’m here.

“Umm…” I start to say, but my words get muffled as he rolls closer to the table slash desk.

His knees are practically in my face right now.

“Ummm…Finn?” My voice peeps out.

“Oh hey, Kenzie. Whatcha doing down there?” He’s got a shit-eating grin on his face as he drums his fingers lightly against his thigh. His very thick, manly, muscular thigh. It’s about the size of my head. And I know because my head is literally right there.

At this point, a normal man would roll his chair back and let me out. But does Finn do that?

No. No, he does not.

He sits there and—gulp—spreads his legs. I’m guessing he does that to get a better look at me. But then again, my brain is a little fuzzy because he’s so damn hot I can’t really think straight.

“Betchu think I didn’t know you were under there, don’t you?”

“Well, that would be where I would place my first bet. If I was one to bet.”

“Oh, that’s right.” He smirks and his fingers keep tapping away. “You don’t bet anymore. Not since you lost that big pot that one night we all played poker. Remind me. Were the Anderson brothers there? Did Hunter take all your money?” He playfully taps his chin.

Flippety fluck. Pretty sure steam is starting to pour out my ears. And umm…maybe my body in general for a few reasons. But I cannot let him get away with that cheeky comment. Yes, I played. Yes, I lost all my money. And I will never play that stupid game again.

Placing my hands on either one of his tree trunk thighs, I rise up on my knees. His eyes widen slightly as he watches me pop up. And oh ya, pretty sure my breasts graze his thighs on the way up, but there is simply no time to consider the scorching effect that movement has on me.

“I’ll have you know. That was the first time I played poker.”

“We all know that—”

“And I wouldn’t have played except,” insert ungodly grumbling noise here, “Jessa and Avery made me do it. I’m loyal to those girls. More than anything.”

“You’re twenty seven years old, Kenzie. I think you’re making your own choices at this point.”

“Age has nothing to do with it. I’ve always made my own choices.”

“Riiiight. But you just said your friends made you do it?”

“Argh.” I’m confused. I’m hot. And extremely bothered. “Just let me out of here.”

“No can do, Sweetheart.”

“Excuse me.”

“You have a safety job to do, don’t you?” He points to the socket. “Or are you all done?”

“Just let me out of here before someone sees me like this.” It’s a small firehall, in a small town, in the vast and sparsely populated country of Canada, so it’s quite unlikely someone will stumble upon us. But I’m not risking it. Haven’t we already covered my risk appetite?

“Who cares if someone sees us?”

“Well, from this position you probably don’t, but I do. Besides—” I tuck my hair behind my ear. “Aren’t you interested in Summer?” The new girl in town has caught Finn’s attention, which I’m trying very hard not to resent. I mean, I won’t date a firefighter anyway, but it would have still been nice to know that I had the option.

“Last time I checked, yes.”

“Okay then. You wouldn’t want any gossip getting back to her about something…” I let the sentence hang because even voicing the words that are a dream—albeit a dream I don’t really want to turn to reality—feels too risky.

“Something?”

“You know…” I gesture back and forth between us. “Something between us.”

He laughs.

Great.

Now I’m bristling. My jaw is clenched until I let loose on him. Just a little bit. “Finn, move. I’m not interested in playing along with one of your pranks.”

“I’m not all about the pranks, you know. In case you haven’t heard, I just got a new position here at the firehall. Very responsible I am.” He polishes a fake badge like a goof.

“Right. Sure, but if someone walks in and the rumors get back to Summer—which you know they will—she’ll be jealous. And you don’t want that.”

“She wouldn’t be jealous—”

“Of course she would,” I snap. “Any woman would.”

“What does that mean?”

Shit. That was definitely saying more than I wanted to. Scrambling, I make up something that doesn’t involve a confession of my deep, unearthly attraction to him. “It’s human nature to want what you can’t have. If she thought you were with someone else, of course she’d be jealous.”

A beat passes where he stares at me with his honey brown eyes. I have no clue what he’s thinking, but then he gets a glimmer in his eyes. I’m thinking this is not a good glimmer, but I don’t yet have proof of that hypothesis.

“Son of a monkey!” He mutters as he pulls on the end of his hair leaving his light brown waves in all disarray. Mmm…bedhead.

“You’re a genius,” he says. Now locking his hands around my upper arms. “I could kiss you!”

“Umm…”

“But I won’t.”

“Okay.” Really not sure how I’m feeling about all of this. “What’s going on?”

“Kenzie, you have given me the best idea I’ve ever had. And we both know I’ve had a lot of those—”

“I’m not so sure—”

“Be my girlfriend.”

“Umm…what now?” What is he talking about? Girlfriend? I can’t be his girlfriend. No way. That would not work. I just need my body to get on board with my head because right now that girl is on fire. Someone call a fireman—I mean, a different one. Preferably female. Because you know…we don’t need this situation to repeat itself.

“I said,” and he slows down his speech, like that’s going to help me understand the words trickling out of his mouth, “Kenzie, be my girlfriend.”

“Uh... ya, that’s what I thought you said.”

“It’s perfect.” Oh, now he rolls back in his chair. “Here, let me help you out of there.” He wraps his hands around my waist and deposits me on top of the table as if I weigh nothing.

And you would think this position would be better, but it’s not. Not even close. Instead of my head being between his legs, now my entire body is. Practically his whole body encases me.

“Be my girlfriend. My fake girlfriend.”

And there it is. The rush of reality douses me. Fake. Of course that’s what he meant.

“I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“Does that sound like something I would ever do?”

His fingers are tapping the desk now. So close to my thighs I can basically feel the breeze he’s drumming up.

“What would Jessa and Avery say?”

I know exactly what my best friends would say, especially since they both know about my infatuation and resistance to Finn.

Jessa would tell me that this was possibly the most romantic gesture to ever happen in real life and that I should totally go for it. In fact, I’d be a fool not to. Imagine all that I could get away with under the guise of fake dating. Crappity crapcakes my cheeks are suddenly very hot right now.

On the other hand, Avery would raise her brow. Eventually she would speak and say something about how it always works in books but would be very unlikely to work for me. I don’t disagree with her.

But Jessa’s hypothetical words are ringing in my ears.

And I’m nothing if not absolutely loyal to my friends.

And Finn is a friend.

I’m loyal to him.

So really, this is completely within my norm. I’ve totally got this.

I lift my gaze to catch his. He’s still staring at me with the most eager, golden retriever, cinnamon roll hero hopeful look in his face. How can I resist? I can’t.

“Okay. I’ll do it.” It can’t be that hard. And I’m helping out a friend. This is a good thing.

“You will?” God, he’s so excited. And he’s even more gorgeous when he’s smiling like that—

Smack. His lips meet mine. And in that nanosecond, I can feel the table drop out from under my butt. I’m free falling, and then—

“Just practicing.” He winks at me. “For tonight. Wings?” He’s standing.

“What’s happening tonight?”

“The Anderson brothers have a secret announcement. You in?” Now he’s backing away toward the door. Giving me guns. With both fingers. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen him do that. “Hoppy’s?”

I think I’m nodding, but I’m not sure.

I’m only sure of one thing. I do not got this.