Page 90 of Falling for the Playboy Pilot

I walked out, passing Chief, who was still talking to the firefighters. Thankfully, I remembered the way up to the cabin. My heart pounded because I had no idea if he even wanted to see me.

Once I arrived, I knocked on the door and waited. His truck was parked out front, so I knew he was home. If he didn’t answer the door, I would kick the damn thing in.

He opened the door with a glass of amber liquid in his hand. He looked at me like I was a salesman interrupting his dinner.

I wasn’t sure what I expected to find when I showed up, but I was suddenly relieved. I had actually been worried about the asshole. He stormed off before I got a chance to see if he was okay. Although he definitely kicked their asses.

And that was kind of hot.

“You stupid man. What the hell were you thinking?”

The words were out of my mouth before I could think twice.

He turned and walked back into the cabin. “Doesn’t matter.”

I marched in behind him, kicking the door shut. My hands went to my hips. “It damn well matters. You said we were casual. You said you didn’t want to catch feelings but then you deck firefighters who barely talked to me.”

He turned to face me and casually took another drink from his glass. “So you wanted to flirt with those guys? Were you planning on hooking up with them?”

I blinked, the absurdity hitting me full force. “No. I was talking to them, Dalton. A conversation.”

“That wasn’t a fucking conversation. That was foreplay.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re an idiot.”

“I’m not the one that let myself get felt up in front of the whole crew.”

My eyes widened. I couldn’t believe his reaction. I stepped closer, hands still on my hips, glaring up at him. “Felt up? Are you serious? It was harmless flirting, Dalton. Something you’d know nothing about since you’re apparently allergic to human connection unless it involves your fists and fucking!”

He took another sip of his drink like we were talking about the weather. “Harmless flirting? He pulled you into his lap, Janna. That’s not harmless. That’s him getting physical.”

I threw my hands up in exasperation. “Oh, please! You don’t get to be territorial. You’re the one who said this was casual. No strings, no feelings, remember? Or did you conveniently forget that part while you were playing caveman?”

His jaw tightened, and I could see the muscle ticking there. “Maybe I don’t like watching other men put their hands on you. Ever think of that?”

I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest. “Oh, so now you care? Now you’re Mr. Protective? Let me guess. This is just another one of your rules, right? You get to fuck me whenever you want, but no one else gets to so much as look at me?”

He set his glass down on the counter with a thud. “That’s not what this is.”

“Then what is it, Dalton? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’re contradicting yourself. You want casual, but you’re acting like I’m yours. You can’t have it both ways.”

He stepped closer, his towering frame looming over me. “Maybe I don’t know what the hell I want, Janna. Maybe seeing you with those guys made me realize how much I—” He cut himself off, his jaw clenching.

I shook my head. “I need to know what the fuck you want. Because you can’t keep dragging me along on your emotional roller coaster.”

“I want you.”

That was the last thing I expected him to say. “What?”

“I want you, but beyond that, I don’t know. I thought I didn’t feel this kind of thing.”

He sounded like he was in pain, and given his hand, maybe he was. But I wasn’t going to let him off the hook that easily. I continued to stand there without saying a word.

“I’m torn,” he said.

“Torn?”

“I’m torn between doing the job that I’ve always done and this. My job is my calling. At least that’s what I’ve always thought. I don’t build relationships because what I do isn’t exactly conducive to that. I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth it.”