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He’d been right the first time he’d set eyes on her, to know he had to stay away from her.
    “I have a half shift this afternoon,” he said.
    “I’m sorry.” She meant it, he could tell.
    He shrugged. “I want to work on the fence before I head to the station.”
    “What made you decide to be a firefighter?” The crêpes were sizzling in the pan and the gorgeous bouquet of ricotta cheese and fresh fruit rose in the air like incense. His stomach growled.
    “I liked the danger.”
    “That’s it?”
    His lips quirked wryly. “It’s why I’ll probably never go far in rank. My buddy Luke has a true calling for helping people. He’s not a risk taker by nature. His heart just outweighs his common sense sometimes.”
    She studied him over her shoulder, her braid sliding on her back like silk. He tried not to imagine what it would be like to fist that braid in one hand while he held her still for his kisses. “Why do I have the feeling that when Luke takes risks, you’re always there to watch over him?”
    “He’s married. Soon to be a daddy.”
    “Ummm.” She didn’t sound like she’d bought in to his reasoning. Then she frowned before turning back to the food she was preparing. “I’ve met him, haven’t I? He’s the gorgeous blond with the sweet smile. Younger than you are.”
    “Gorgeous?” Taz growled.
    She gave him a mischievous look. “Not as gorgeous as you are, not that it does you any good to hear things like that with your ego.”
    His ego was actually far more tender than he thought because he was still feeling the burn of jealousy over her description of Luke. If Luke had been her neighbor, would they have gotten involved? He could see Luke liking her, wanting to take care of her, and hell yeah, what man wouldn’t want her?
    And she would have wanted Luke. They would have dated. Luke was far better at concealing his dark desires than Taz. Luke probably could put them aside for a woman he truly loved. He’d tried with Sian, hadn’t he?
    Bitterness rose like a black cloud from his gut. He couldn’t do that. He couldn’t be the kind of man that Jenny would love, would submit to.
    “He’s married,” he repeated starkly.
    Jenny blinked, then frowned again. “Well…yeah. Somehow I’ll resist seducing him despite being the wild poacher that I am.”
    When Taz’s face didn’t soften, she put her hands on her hips. “You have got to be kidding. You think I’m going to make a play for a married man?”
    “Women will do anything.”
    His words were a slap.
    She swallowed and looked like she was going to cry.
    But women just used tears, he knew.
    She put down the spatula with quiet dignity. “I think you better go.”
    “Wait.” This was moving too fast, making him uneasy. He didn’t understand her. “You forgave me for kissing you last night.” His voice got husky as he said the word ‘kissing’. “But you kick me out for warning you off a friend?”
    Her eyes narrowed into slits and he had a sinking feeling that he was all over the place with this situation, that he had screwed up again, but he didn’t know how.
    “The kiss was mutual. I might have got scared, but you let me go as soon as I was. I’m hurt at your assumption that just because I’m a woman, I’d try to poach a married man.” Her eyes burned him. Her voice got very quiet, so quiet he could barely hear her. “I was a virgin before I was raped.”
    His stomach rolled. His head fuzzed as if flies were circling it. Next thing he knew Jenny had shoved him back in the chair and was supporting him as he swayed.
    “…you okay?” Her voice cut into the static crackling his ears. He swung his head up to look at her then had to swallow, swallow again, kicking off his gag reflex. So small, so delicate and her first time had been—
    Sharply, “Put your head between your knees!”
    He breathed in and out, in and out. Heat burned his face as he realized he’d nearly puked…then fainted.
    He covered his eyes and