TONY: Slow Burn (Raging Fire Book 1) by Kallypso Masters (the false prince TXT) 📕

He gave her a lopsided grin. “I guess it’s been a while. Maybe I am worrying unnecessarily.”

“I think you might be. It sounds like you’ve found the perfect coping mechanisms to keep them at bay most of the time.”

“Diving has been a godsend,” he began. “I never realized how much peace could be found by being on a regulator under the water.”

“Isn’t it amazing how you can shut everything else out when you’re down there?”

He nodded. “I’m just glad I saw that diving photo of you before our dinner earlier this summer. That’s what brought diving onto my radar right after that when Lisa shared a list of activities that might help with my anxiety. When I saw scuba diving on the list, I gravitated right to it and started classes soon after. Carmella, you’ve helped me in ways you don’t even know.”

A slow smile came across her face as a blush crept into her cheeks. “That means a lot to me, Tony.” He was glad she accepted credit for her part in his coming to this decision. “And I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed having someone to dive with this week.”

He’d connected with Carmella in ways he’d never experienced with anyone else. Very much in tune with her, they’d communicated easily with their hands and bodies. He enjoyed being with her, celebrating life, and just having fun.

Carm also seemed to understand the risks inherent with his vocation and how to say the perfect thing to make him feel better on the bad days. He’d grown to trust her this week like he’d never trusted anyone outside his own family.

He stroked her upper arm, suddenly aware of the electricity arcing between them but trying his damnedest to keep his sexual urges at bay during this tender moment. But dear God, he wanted her more in this moment than he’d ever wanted any woman before.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure I can go to sleep right away.”

She smiled, leaning closer to him to place a kiss on his lips. “Good. Because I’m not the least bit tired.” Her hand moved down his torso until it grazed over his covered erection. “I wonder what we can do to wear ourselves out enough to fall asleep.”

On Monday morning, while Tony went for one last run on the beach, Carm stripped the linens from her bed and tossed them in a pile next to the towels. After the last two nights, Carm believed that their fling would continue after they landed at Eagle Vail. At least for the short term.

Stop worrying about the future. Live in the moment.

This week had been an eye-opener for her. She and Tony had gotten along wonderfully—in and out of bed. Aside from incredible sex and the fact that he’d shared some things with her that he hadn’t shared with many people, they also now shared a passion for diving. She could see them going on future dive trips like this one. And while their opportunities would be limited in Colorado, Tony had done some diving there. Scuba in a mountain lake didn’t immediately thrill her, but Tony had mentioned a number of Colorado lakes with submerged towns—one as close as Dillon—that would make for interesting dives. Neighboring Utah had even more and would be a great getaway destination for them.

Look at you planning your next trip without even consulting with Tony.

For them to find time together, it would take a lot of coordination and flexibility. While they both led busy lives back home, she hoped they’d make plans to be together so they could continue to explore their relationship. She truly felt that they had a relationship after Tony had opened up to her two nights ago. She sensed that he wasn’t one to show vulnerability with anyone, especially with a woman. That he’d chosen to do so with her meant a lot. His worries about having a nightmare hadn’t come to be, thank goodness. He probably would need time to become comfortable sleeping with her, but if they were going to date long-distance, then they would have to spend some nights together, especially after the Pass closed.

In addition, the demands of their jobs would make an ongoing relationship hard to sustain. If they ever decided to take their budding relationship to the next level, would one of them be willing to give up their career so they could live together without spending up to four hours a day commuting? Could Carm do that? She wasn’t sure. The resort was her life and her livelihood, and she wouldn’t let her family down by shirking her duties. Tony only worked three days a week at the most with two days off in between. Would those intermittent days off be enough? Would he consider transferring to the Aspen fire department?

No, she wouldn’t ask that of him. His plans for starting up a dive team would have him even more entrenched at his hometown station.

Why was she even thinking about all this? Wait until you see if he even wants to keep seeing you when we go home.

Carm picked up the linens and carried them downstairs to the front hall where the renter’s agreement had stated she should leave everything before locking up the place. She tossed them on top of the ones Tony had brought down earlier and headed to the kitchen to load the breakfast dishes in the dishwasher.

Tony came in through the patio door wiping the sweat off his chest with one of the pool towels. Her heart skipped a beat at his muscular chest wet with sweat from his exertion. Would they have time for one last skinny dip before heading to the airport in a couple of hours?

“Good run?”

“Best ever. I’m going to miss running on the wet sand. Sure beats the hard pavement.”

Are you going to miss me too?

Hearing how pathetic that sounded in her head, but she was grateful she hadn’t spoken aloud.

“I’m going to