Chapter 2
This happened every time a bunch of the guys got together. People would stop whatever they were doing and watch. The clientele of this restaurant stared in awe like they’d never seen a firefighter before. Or a group of men in uniform having dinner, or drinking a beer instead of putting out a fire.
Hell, Mike was human just like anybody else. His job happened to be putting out fires. Saving lives, if it came down to it. He should be used to the attention but being called a hero made him feel uncomfortable. Since he’d been a little kid, he’d wanted to be a fireman and ride on a big red truck, like his dad. Of course, children only saw the glamor and excitement. Once he’d joined the fire department, he learned a whole new respect for the term firefighter.
After the day he’d had, he needed a beer more than food. Even though both shifts had come to eat, only the guys off duty would be drinking. His shift officially over, he was allowed. He ordered a combination platter and grabbed one of the bottles Laredo brought to the table. He took a long pull, allowing the frosty chill to sooth his dry throat.
The back of Mike’s neck prickled. He’d felt a singe earlier but chalked it up to patrons checking out the uniforms. Jared sat across from him, staring over Mike’s shoulder, giving one of his leering grins. Without a doubt, women had to be the reason.
Jared couldn’t help his pretty boy looks, and he had the charm to go with them. Since the team already had a Casanova in the group, the guys at the station called Jared Pretty Boy. He craved action, enjoyed life in the fast lane, and was not the type one usually found applying for a fire-fighting position. But he’d been an asset to the department. One thing Mike shared with him—there was nothing he valued more than his bachelorhood.
He lifted one hand and rubbed the skin on the back of his neck above his collar. Jared scrutinized him with a smirk.
“You’ve already found someone to hit on?” Mike asked.
“Can’t stand it, can you? Might as well turn around. She’s a real looker.”
“She must be. You’ve been staring ever since we sat down.”
“There’s two. One for each of us.” Jared flashed a smile. “The blonde only peeked once. She must be shy. Bet I could liven her up.”
“Maybe she doesn’t like pretty boys.” Although Mike had yet to meet a woman who could resist Jared’s charm.
“Whoa,” Jared said and dropped his chair back on all four legs. “Think I might change my mind. The blonde is the looker, but damn, that smile.”
“I heard that.” Cooper, the youngest and newest member of their group, spoke up.
“Good sign you aren’t deaf.” Jared took another pull of his beer and kept his gaze on the woman he’d been observing.
Cooper lifted his glass of iced tea. “Lucky you. You’re off duty.”
“You’re still in uniform,” Mike reminded Jared.
“Short stuff, here, can drive the rig back to the station.” Jared slapped Cooper on the back.
Cooper’s eyes lit up like the lights on a Christmas tree. The boy’s dream was to be the next man in line for driving the quint, so he jumped at the chance to drive one of the engines.
Cooper mimicked Jared and surveyed the two women. His eyes grew heavy-lidded and the boy’s admiring gleam drew Mike’s interest, finally making him curious enough to turn around and satisfy his own inquisitive mind.
A woman stared at him with a mixture of intrigue and apprehension. He shifted in his chair, just before her gaze darted away. The woman virtually had wrenched his gut. Jared was right. She was a looker. A beauty with blonde hair, a picture-perfect oval face, translucent eyes and full pouting lips. He guessed her to be in her late twenties, a few years younger than him. She didn’t seem to welcome the attention. If anything, she seemed cautious. Did she not know how striking she was? The look in her eyes said she did not. His libido gave a slight jump.
Damn.
“Get your own date,” Jared said with some potency and slid out of his chair.
Shit.Mike had been caught drooling. The redhead jerked with noticeable excitement and fluttered like a teenager. She said something to her companion. The blonde turned her disillusioned gaze to him. No invitation there.
But Mike had seen her earlier flicker of interest. She darted a glance at Jared, who, without wasting any more time and with the grace of a predator, swaggered across the floor to the ladies table.
Mike couldn’t hear their conversation from where he sat, but by their tone, and knowing his friend, there was a lot of flirting going on. With every moment that passed, he wanted to sneak another look, feast his eyes on the woman to see if he’d get the same reaction as before. He angled his chair so he could see them from the corner of his eye.
“She’s got to be the prettiest woman I’ve ever seen,” Cooper sighed with the admiration of a star-struck teenager. “She might be older than me, hard to tell with that ponytail, but—”
“Down, pup.” Mike’s voice came out more forceful than he’d intended. Shoving out of his chair, he stood and wondered what the hell he was doing.
“That’s right.” Jared laughed, entirely too cozy with the two women. He noticed Mike’s approach and waved a beer in his direction. “Hey buddy. Meet Tammy and Cassie.”
Mike gave a warm smile to an unmistakably delighted Tammy. “Hello,” he said, then turned to the golden blonde on the opposite side of the booth. Her smile was breathtaking. Maybe more reserved than her friend, but he’d bet this woman was not unapproachable. Her posture and keen scrutiny indicated she could handle anything and anyone. She’d evidently sized Jared up and was now doing the same to him. Her light green eyes sparkled and her lips curved in challenge. As if silently communicating, I know what you’re about.
Cooper was right. The blonde had to be the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. He allowed his gaze to roam lower. A tight shirt displayed full breasts with a hint of some serious cleavage. Not wanting to be rude, he allowed his consideration to linger only a moment before putting on his game face.
“Hope my friend, here, has been behaving himself.”
“He sure has. I’m Tammy.” The redhead waved a hand with bright-red tipped nails. “This is Cassie. Would you like to sit down?”
Cassie’s eyes flashed with surprise and possibly annoyance, but her friend ignored her. Jared slid into the booth beside the agreeable redhead. At the blonde’s reaction, Mike hesitated.
“Do you mind? We don’t want to interrupt your dinner.” He sure as hell wouldn’t move in where he wasn’t wanted. After a few seconds, Cassie slid over. It wasn’t the welcome he normally received, but he found himself relieved, so he scooted into the booth next to her. An alluring fragrance assaulted his senses. Not sweet, not floral, but damn … irresistible.
Out of consideration, he kept a suitable amount of space between them. The devil side of him threatened to squeeze closer and watch her squirm.
“This place sure livened up when you boys strolled in. How did so many uniforms manage to take a break at the same time?” Tammy asked.
“Training maneuvers this week. We deserve a treat at the end of a long day.” Jared eased back, propping one arm on the back cushion.
After the fiasco at the training site, they all needed a good stiff drink. At least they knew Ryan would be okay. The men were drained. Back at the fire house, they’d washed off the grime and hashed out the incident, going over the hellish episode again and again. The shaking of heads was getting them no answers, and the guys were hungry. No one had been in the mood to cook. They’d decided to go out.
“I see.” Tammy beamed.
Usually Jared went for the swimsuit-model type, but Mike could see the attraction. Tammy had a gleeful charm and a welcoming friendliness.
“What if there is a fire somewhere?” Cassie drew his attention. He took that as his cue.
“There are other departments and we left a skeleton crew at the station. Some of these guys are off duty.”
“Like me and Mike,” Jared said. “Since we have our trucks with us, if a call comes in, the guys are prepared to respond.”
“You must really like your job. I’m in awe that you risk your safety.” Her throaty voice swamped Mike’s nerve endings. And who could resist those compelling eyes?
Jared turned on the charm. “All in the line of duty, ma’am.”
Mike was ready to punch his buddy back to reality. But Jared had impressed the woman next to him. She giggled and her face lit up like she was sitting next to a superhero.
Mike turned to Cassie. “A few of these guys are still on shift. The rest will head home.”
“That’s a lot of trucks out there.” Tammy fluttered her eyelashes and tilted her head to gaze up at Jared. “Which one is yours?”
“Well now, funny you should ask. That’s my baby right there.” Jared pointed to a truck in the parking lot.
“The one with the long ladder?”
“Yep. That’s the one.”
Like hell.The quint was Laredo’s baby and he wouldn’t let anyone else touch it. Although, in all fairness, Jared had driven the quint before Laredo had joined Station Eight.
“It’s so long. How do you drive that thing in the city or around sharp turns?”
“Long arms,” he said, setting down his beer and extending one arm. “And lots of practice. I take care of her, give her what she needs, whether it’s a bath or a quart of oil, and she purrs like a little kitten.”
Oh Christ.Jared was pouring it on a bit thick.
“I just give the wheel a spin and she cuddles right up. Never lets me down.” Jared bared his pearly whites.
“Wow. It’s long and—”
“Fire,” Cassie sputtered. “Uh, ladder. I mean, it reaches up how many floors?”
Mike wanted to laugh at the double entendre. Tammy flirted just as outrageously as Jared. When she mentioned long, Cassie had jumped in as though she had to save Tammy from herself.
“That one is eighty-five feet,” Jared said, but Cassie continued as if he had not answered.
“Tammy. David and Christopher.”
Who were David and Christopher?Husbands?
Mike searched for rings on the girls’ fingers. Neither one had a gold band or a diamond. Cassie seemed nervous and her eyes were definitely trying to relay some message.
Tammy raised her arm and glanced at her watch. “Oh. Uh. I need to be going.”
“Another engagement?” Jared asked her.
“You have your duty. I have mine.” She gave an apologetic smile and reached for her purse.
Mike knew an evasive answer when he heard one. He guessed Jared had the same thought, for he stood without any coaxing.
“Nice to meet you, ladies. Maybe we’ll see you again sometime.”
“I hope so,” Tammy replied.
Mike turned to Cassie, wondering if she felt the same as her friend. He wouldn’t mind seeing her again. “I would like that.”
When she didn’t answer, he rose, making a point of brushing against her with his thigh. He heard her intake of breath and inwardly smiled.
Awareness.
Should he ask for her number—or take a chance of running into her at the restaurant again? Since she stared at the table, he decided he’d leave things up to her.
***
The guy was Don Juan in blue jeans. Cassie knew the type. Impossibly handsome, with a chest that indicated he spent many hours in the gym, or doing some other physical activity. Judging by every uniform at the firefighters’ table, an exceptional physique may well have been a requirement—or an end result. Who knew putting out fires could shape a man’s body like an Adonis?
Mr. Muscles had phenomenal shoulders. He looked like a line-backer. And his eyes had penetrated hers when they met. His gaze seemed to be searching for secrets or waiting for … for what? For her to give him her phone number?
“You ladies be careful driving home.” His deep voice soothed and, at the same time, generated electric shocks dancing along her spine.
“I have to go. But Cassie does not,” Tammy stated firmly.
Cassie could have killed her. Tammy was the one who had drawn the guys over. Now she intended to go on her merry way and leave Cassie to the wolves? If Jared’s smile grew any bigger, she was sure fangs would emerge. Mike seemed less sinister, but her attraction to him screamed danger.
“Is that so?” Jared prepared to climb back into the booth, but Tammy pushed him as she climbed from her seat.
“Haven’t you ever heard, three is a crowd?” She grabbed his arm and tugged. “Gotta go.” Then the traitor held her hand up with thumb and pinky extended and mouthed the words call me.
If Cassie could have gotten her hands around …
She wanted to crawl under the table.
The sparkle in Mike’s eyes matched his teasing smile. At least he had the wisdom to slip into the seat on the opposite side. What kept him from bursting with laughter, she had no idea, because he looked like he was holding back. Her cheek suffered her embarrassment—she nearly chewed the inside of the damn thing off.
“If you could see your face,” he said before he laughed. A deep vibrating sound that sizzled her already sensitized skin.
“Don’t feel like you need to stay because of what Tammy said.” Gee, that sounded mature.
He spoke in a lazy drawl. “The funny thing is, Jared came over first and I’m the one still here.”
Funny? Not to her. At the moment, she was sweltering in a sea of embarrassment—part from Tammy’s obvious matchmaking and the other part from her own traitorous thoughts. The guy was seriously hot. She mentally shook herself. Was he making fun of her?
“Is this a contest? Am I some sort of prize?”
“What?” His brow scrunched up in a frown. “No. I only meant that Jared is usually the one who gets the girl. Now he’s gone. And before you say anything else, I know I don’t need to stay. But I want to.”
His eyes were a gorgeous shade of deep blue. She almost lost herself in them, until his gaze dropped to her cleavage.
Blood rushed to her face. Her looks had been a curse in high school. Others had told her she was pretty. At one point, she’d believed them. But she’d been cursed with big breasts, and girls with big boobs attracted all the jocks with only one thing on their minds. Being burned once was enough. She had no desire to repeat her mistake. She rarely dated and if a guy was focused on her chest …
“Do you mind if I stay?”
She raised her head and found his eyes locked on hers.
“Let’s start over. Hi. I’m Mike. I’d like to get to know you.” He leaned forward with his forearms braced on the edge of the table. His warm smile conveyed tenderness and held a hint of promised excitement. Add his actions, his voice and his kind eyes peeling away her barriers, she slowly dissolved into a puddle. Somewhere a little voice niggled the back of her brain, do not fall under his spell.
He must have read her thoughts or guessed her vulnerability, for he lifted his arms from the table and leaned back against the cushioned booth. Keeping his gaze on her, he took a sip of his beer. Transfixed, she watched the knot in his neck bob as he swallowed. Heat flared below her belly button. She resisted the urge to close her eyes.
A man’s physique had never affected her this way. Wasn’t there a saying that went, things that seemed too good to be true, usually were? This guy looked like sin, smelled like heaven, and made her want to jump into his lap.
She reached for her drink and hoped her hand would not shake.
“Okay. What would you like to know?”
“Everything.” His voice lowered to tantalizing pitch. She focused on his mouth as his lips tempted, beguiled.
This was getting too deep. She attempted to lighten things up. “How much time have you got?”
“Forever.”
Sensations swamped her that she’d never experienced before. On impulse, she wanted to tell him everything, give him everything. That knowledge frazzled her. She laughed to cover her nervousness. This guy was a smooth talker and probably had used the same approach with many women.
“Some pick-up line.”
He arched a dark eyebrow, his expression vulnerable. “I thought we were starting over.”
And just like that, she fell under his spell.
“I work at a school. Not much of a paycheck to brag about, but I love kids.” Was it her imagination, or had he winced? Good grief. She wasn’t asking the guy to father her children.
He gestured around the room. “And this is where you go after work?”
“Mexican food is my weakness. Tammy and I come here every once in a while.”
“My good fortune you chose today.”
Really?“Your friend did come over first.”
“Jared can’t pass up a pretty face. He must be losing his touch. He left the prettiest one for me.”
Pretty. Beautiful.A man used flattery when he wanted something. In her younger years, she’d wanted to be pretty, but her sister had crushed those fanciful thoughts. She’d constantly told Cassie she was unattractive. True, her skin was creamy smooth, but her blonde hair was too pale, her nose too round, her eyes were more green than blue. Vulnerable and shy, she’d been convinced that guys only wanted one thing.
“Hey. There’s nothing wrong with these eyes.” He tapped a finger at his temple. “And I like what I see.”
What a flatterer. Yet, the way he said it, she wanted to believe him. Just because he had mouthwatering good looks didn’t mean he had a motive. Besides, his mesmerizing eyes were already melting her inhibitions. She couldn’t remember ever being so relaxed with a man.
“When you were a little boy, did you want to be a fireman?”
A shadow crossed his face so quickly she wondered if she could have imagined it.
“My dad was a fireman. Today we use the term firefighter. That’s all I ever wanted to be. Guess it’s in the blood.”
“How about brothers or sisters?” she asked, then took a sip of her beer. Having the bottle in her hand grounded her.
“None” he said with a shake of his head. “How about you?”
“A sister.” A jealous, overbearing sister who had dominated her youth and still attempted to run her life. Feeling her body tense, Cassie shook off her thoughts and picked at the label on her bottle.
Beep. Beep. Twang.
Mike jerked to attention. He glanced down at his belt.
Someone yelled from across the room. “Mike.”
He banged the glass bottle on the wood table and scooted from the booth. “My ride’s leaving.” He stepped to her and bent close.
The breath caught in her lungs for fear he was going to kiss her. She couldn’t move. Taking her hand, he brushed his lips over the skin at her wrist.
“Till we meet again, pretty lady.”
And then he was gone.