Flames & Firehoses (Arsonist X Firefighter)

Chapter 5

"What were you doing when the fire started?" a police officer questioned me with his hands on his hips, as he drilled his calculating stare into me.

I gulped, unable to control the nervous response.

"I...uh...was taking a walk," I confessed a lie that Henry had taught me.

"It's the middle of the day. Don't you have work?" he asked with disbelief and suspicion.

"I have the day off," I shrugged, not knowing what else to say.

Luckily for me, Henry stepped closer to the officer to whisper just between the three of us.

"Look, she was with me this morning. I had her follow me out here, when I got the call, because I was hoping that she and I could get away together after this," he sneakily explained with a smirk.

The officer's eyes twinkled with amusement and his stern facade cracked into a grin and a chuckle.

"Alright. Go ahead, man!" he laughed and waved for Henry and me to leave.

I felt the excitement from the confirmation of freedom, before I took a single step! I was shocked that Henry had gotten me out of being a suspect; but, I was extremely grateful! I turned around with a smile and stared at my restless hands, while I thought of what to say to him. We began slowly walking towards my car - showing the police officer what we wanted him to believe. The cop dashed ahead to move his vehicle from blocking mine.

"I really appreciate what you did!" I finally burst with unexpected emotion. "I wouldn't have walked away from here without you," I admitted the strange truth. "So..." I stalled, wondering what the firefighter was pondering, in regards to the impacts of my hobby.

"I know you're not doing this so that people will get hurt. That's not your intention. You picked a remote area. I don't see what the big deal is," he shrugged. "I've certainly wanted to set fire to a couple of places!" he chuckled.

"But you didn't!" I scoffed at his excuse of my behavior. "I've always been afraid that this would hurt someone; but, I...I just can't stop!" I heaved a sigh with unexpected tears of bitterness.

"Hey! Hey! It's okay!" Henry soothed with a gentle voice. "No one's hurt!" he swung his arms around him to indicate his perception.

"Not yet! This was a close call! Hell, I was almost consumed by it!" I half-laughed nervously.

"I'll go over a list of precautions to take," Henry stated seriously.

"Ahaha! You have a pamphlet about how to prevent forest fires, boy-scout?" I laughed, overcoming my anxiety a little, for a brief moment.

"I have my own man-ual," Henry grinned, "but, it's available only in one kind of physical format."

Reaching my car, we stopped and both leaned against the side of it. Neither one of us was eager to withdraw from the conversation, despite some of the unpleasant topics we had to discuss.

"Oh yeah?" I smirked, checking him out, as he spoke. "I have to rent you?"

"Something like that!" Henry didn't even flinch.

I unconsciously gravitated towards him, wanting to touch the curves of his dimples with my lips. Henry's relaxed approach to the crisis I had caused was so alluring that I knew I wasn't thinking completely clearly...and I didn't care!

Maybe, in a way, I did need him - but, not just for what he thought I did. He was an amazing lover, a thoughtful person... He was probably better than I deserved; but, I couldn't help being drawn to him, especially after he had saved my life, as I knew it!