Read Fall for Me for Free Online Page B

looking for a reason to drop in. I finally gave up the excuses and just admitted to myself that I want to see her.
    Her eyes land on me, and her smile brightens. She shoves her way past Hennessey, tips her chin up at him, and narrows her eyes. I sit up quickly and move to one end of the couch. She weaves around the recliner and plops down next to me. She grins with her pearly white teeth on full display and pats the top of the box.
    “Guess what I have?”
    Even with how fucking cute she is, my mood is still shit.
    “Antidepressants?” I ask and tilt my head to read the red stamp on the corner of the box top. I suck in a quick breath, now suddenly excited by the familiar little cannoli-shape and the words Abruzzo's Panifico in a dull red ink.
    “Better,” she says and swats at Hennessey, who reaches for the box.
    “You went to Abruzzo’s?” My words come out reverent. It’s like I’m a kid all over again and Mom’s taking us to Abruzzo’s after church on Sunday because the five of us managed to be good during Mass. It was always something special because we were rarely good enough to earn a trip to Abruzzo’s.
    “We got cannoli!” Hennessey shouts, and in a matter of moments, most of the house is charging toward us with a level of enthusiasm that should have Melanie curling in on herself. But she doesn’t. The crazy woman perks up and smiles even brighter at the sight of the ten or so men descending upon her.
    “Wow.” She turns away from the heathens and looks me squarely in the eye while gripping the box like her life depends on it. “Forget online dating. Bring cannolis to a firehouse and it’s like Christmas morning for a single chick.”
    “You don’t want to date any of these guys, Melanie.” I’m being formal, and I don’t give a fuck. I like her enough to be annoyed by her mention of dating one of these dudes, but I know my place enough to not push it too hard. Plus, she’s still gripping that box of cannoli and not giving ’em up. I know better than to piss off a woman in possession of pastries.
    And knives.
    Never piss of a woman with knives.
    Jack slips through the crowd and, just as I expect him to, crouches down to her level and gives her his best smile. “Thanks for bringing these. We all really appreciate it.”
    Melanie smiles, still enjoying being the center of attention, and lifts the lid of the box, grabs two cannolis, and then gestures for Jack to take the box. “You’re more than welcome.”
    Once the box of cannolis are on the move, so are the guys, and I’m left alone with the beautiful woman hoarding more than her fair share of the cannolis.
    “You gonna share?” I point at the pastries in her hands. We’re in that strange place between friends and acquaintances with a dash of sexual tension thrown in for good measure.
    “Maybe.”
    “List your demands,” I say with a smirk. She bites at her bottom lip as a blush rises to her cheeks. Her sudden shyness only encourages me. I like her like this. It’s not often that I’ve seen Melanie be anything but self-assured.
    “One,” she says, finding her confidence, “stop calling me Melanie. I prefer Mel. And two, party at my parents’ beach house next weekend. I already checked the schedule, and you and Hennessey are both off, so don’t be lame, mmkay?”
    “You checked our schedules?”
    She makes a dismissive sound and teases me with the cannolis by taking a bite out of one and smiling as she licks off the cream that’s collected on her lips. I’ve never been jealous of a pastry until now. Melanie fucking Kincaid and her goddamn cannolis are going to drive me out of my mind.
    “Your mom keeps everyone’s schedules posted on her fridge. Jack already apologized for not being able to make it. Apparently he’s got a Bee Scout dance to attend,” Melanie says. I’m not sure it’s a good idea to agree to go to this thing, but if it gets me more time with her . . .
    “Ah, Bee Scouts. His date would never forgive