Chapter 5 Mayson “Trucker” Calhoune
MAYSON “TRUCKER” CALHOUNE
I didn’t get much sleep the night before. I spent most of the time tossing and turning.
Maybe it was the strange bed—maybe it was the idea of being responsible for a generation of firefighters.
Maybe I was thinking about Taji in ways I shouldn’t be thinking.
My sudden insomnia made no sense to me.
But how could I not be thinking highly inappropriate things about her?
Taji—a woman too damn sexy for her own good.
And the worse part of it, of all of it was that she had no clue how good she looked.
How good her personality made her look.
She didn’t have a clue how crazy she could make a man just with the sashay of those rounded hips.
I barely knew her, and I already couldn’t stop the thoughts in my head from turning into a porno.
Did I want to stop the thoughts in my head from turning into a porno?
Deep down, I knew Taji wasn’t that kind of woman—she was probably the kind who referred the lights off while still fully clothed.
I rubbed my eyes and rolled over to stare at the red florescent light of the alarm clock. After a while, I picked it up and turned it over to hide the distraction.
Eventually, I climbed out of bed to get a glass of water before trying to sleep again.
It didn’t help.
The sun was barely up but I was already dressed in a pair of track pants and a t-shirt. After exiting the house, I turned up one of the many trails around the property and inhaled deeply.
The air was fragrant, not a trace of exhaust or cigarette anywhere.
The land Taji owned was heaven.
Sure, it was more of a vacation place in my mind, but the fresh air and the music of the wind blowing through the leaves was enough to calm me on my morning run.
When I glanced at my watch, I realized I was on time to stop. I carried on for another minute before turning and began walking back the way I’d come.
I was soaked in sweat, my t-shirt clinging to my back. Without thinking, I removed it and moaned as the cool, morning air flowed over my heated flesh. I spared a moment for my body to cool down, and my heart to slow before jogging back.
Before long, I was entering the yard, and my phone was ringing.
“Hey, Cap.”
“Seriously?” Zoom groaned.
I chuckled.
“I figure you’d be up.” Zoom ignored my greeting.
“Damn, I’m getting signal here.”
Zoom laughed and choked.
I smirked.
“The question is.” I leaned in. “Why are you up so early?”
“The boys are borrowing my husband for a mission.” Zoom explained. “Husband…”
She giggled then screamed happily.
“My husband is going out on a mission. He wanted to say goodbye.”
‘Goodbye?” I smirked. “And that’s code for—”
“Mayson Calhoune!”
“And stop blushing, Cap.” I teased. “Keep it together. I may be single, but I know how this works when two people love each other.”
“Fair.” Zoom laughed. “I like to see and hug him before he leaves for those.”
“Aww.” I teased.
She shushed me.
“I wanted to check on you as well.”
“On me?” I arched a brow while climbing up to sit on the hood of my truck. “I’m fine. Heading in for my first official day today.”
“And you and your host are getting along?”
“So far, so good.” I cleared my throat.
Glancing over my shoulders to ensure I was still alone, I lowered my voice.
“How much do you know about her?”
“Taji?” Zoom asked. “Not much. I mean, I don’t know anything beyond what the chief sent me. From speaking with her when setting things up, she seems very sweet. Why?”
“She’s gorgeous, Zoom.” I admitted. “Have you ever seen her face?”
“Yeah, but as you know, she isn’t exactly my type.”
I sucked my teeth in frustration even though I knew she was messing with me.
“Be serious for a second, would you?”
Zoom cleared her throat. “And you want to know if she’s single.”
I scoffed.
“Come on, Trucker. Who knows you better than I do, huh?”
Sighing, I hopped down and headed for the porch.
“Sometimes I think you knowing me this well is a hazard.” I muttered. “More to my health than yours. Because I’m adorable. You know what this is? It’s actually bullshit.”
Zoom wiggled her brows at me.
“I have to get ready after my run. I’ll check in later.”
“Don’t think I don’t know that you’re changing the subject. But sure.”
Grinning, I hung up, quite aware that conversation was far from over inside Zoom’s head.
I knew very well she was thinking of a scathing comeback to what I’d said to her. It would be a comeback that would make our ancestors cry with pride.
Taji didn’t seem to be awake yet.
The house was quiet—almost eerily so.
For a moment, I wondered if she had to live like that, without another soul roaming the halls and was she truly good with that.
I felt as if a house like this deserved to have the sound of tiny laughter and the pitter patter of little feet along the hardwood floors.
The walls deserved to soak in her laughter as her man picked her up over his shoulder and tickled her until she laughed out loud.
Sighing—I was an idiot.
I hurried to the bathroom to shower, washed those thoughts from my head and dressed. I paused to check my email, all the while keeping an eye on the time.
It wouldn’t be in good taste as the trainer to be late on the first day.
Eventually, I descended the stairs again.
“Morning!” Taji called as I entered the kitchen. “You have time for some breakfast?”
“Hi.” I smiled. “Barely—but something smells amazing. I’ll make time.”
“In that case, sit.”
I was barely on the stool before she set a plate with scrambled eggs, sausages, toast and a side of fruits in front of me. That was quickly followed up by a mug of coffee that smelled entirely too strong.
“Trying to put hair on my chest?” I asked.
Taji blinked.
“This coffee smells strong.”
She blushed.
“Want me to add some hot water to it? Maybe some milk.”
Shaking my head, I eased my cup away from her.
“Not a chance.” I replied. “I need the fuel.”
She continued working while I ate, and I was disappointed not having her sit with me.
But I thanked her with a kiss to the cheek as I all but ran out the door with her laughing and wishing me a good day.
Following the same path as the day before, I made it to the station before anyone else had arrived.
I parked the truck under some trees to keep it cool from the sun, then let myself into the station house.
Finding my temporary office, I changed into my gear for the day, and I spent the time going through the boxes they’d shipped ahead for me.
I wasn’t sure how long I’d been there before I heard voices in the lower area. Walking out to the balcony, I looked down into the bay to find about ten people.
“Good morning.” I rested my elbows on the rail.
They jerked around then looked up.
“Sorry, everyone. Didn’t mean to startle you.” I told them.
“Sir.” They chorused.
“You can call me Trucker.” I told them. “I’m not your captain.”
Leaving where I stood, I made my way down to them.
“Thanks for doing this, Trucker.” Andrea told me. “No one else wanted to take a chance on us.”
“Andi, right?”
She beamed. “You remembered!”
I nodded. “Get changed and we’ll start off with some housekeeping stuff. Today will be a relatively easy one.”
They dispersed and I sat on one of the benches to the left side of the room, looking around. It was hard to imagine this place not being here—it felt strange to have a town without a fire station.
By the time the cadets returned, I was ready to start the day.
“For those of you who have no idea who I am.” I didn’t get up. “My name is Mayson Calhoune. I’m a part of the one one eight. I’ve always been at that house—since my certification and that’s where I plan on staying for the rest of my career.”
“It says the one one eight has a female captain.” Lennox Kane called. “Is that true?”
I remembered him as well from my tour.
“She’s the youngest the house has ever had.” Another man added.
I smiled. “Yes—Valentina Forsythe.”
“Forsythe?” Andi asked. “I thought her name was Maddox.”
“It was.” I replied. “She got married recently and took on her husband’s name.”
“Badass.” Andi nodded approvingly.
When no other hand went up, I continued, telling them a little about me, what the training would consist of, and what they would need in order for me to put them through for certification.
All through it, a guy who introduced himself as Ryan Carling stared at me in a way that made me uncomfortable. There was just something about him that just didn’t sit right with me. I couldn’t accuse him of anything, and he seemed to be getting along with the others.
Perhaps it was my burnout.
As the day grew, I kept my eyes on him.
While the others sat in clusters, and whispered to each other and asked questions, he sat by himself, scribbling into a tattered notebook with a barely there pencil.
But I didn’t address it.
Instead, I carried on with the housekeeping activities, gave them a chance to run the course, just to get a feel for it and a slew of other things.
At the end of the day, I stopped at the local grocery store to pick up a few things. Taji said I didn’t have to, but when I was constantly training and working out, I ate entirely more than usual.
In order to have the energy to burn, I had to fuel up.
The further I went into the store, the more it became obvious all the women were staring, and the men were frowning.
A few of the ladies even removed their wedding rings before attempting to talk to me.
Though I was polite, I ignored their advances, picked up what I needed and exited the store.
Outside, a woman I remembered from the diner was leaning against my truck, chewing the life out of a piece of gum and pulling on a cigarette.
“Can I help you?” I wanted to know as I yanked the back door open to put my groceries away.
“I saw the way you were staring at me at the diner.” She blew a bubble from the gum, allowing it to pop before chewing mercilessly. “I think you want my number.”
“If I wanted your number, I would ask you for it.”
“Maybe you’re shy.”
I tilted my head.
“Do I look shy to you?” I asked, eyeing her.
“Wha—”
I frowned. “You’re leaning on my truck.”
She gave me a, how dare you, look.
“That’s my way of asking you politely to move.” I pointed out. “By the way.”
Jerking away from the truck, she was still glaring at me as I climbed in and started the engine. Without giving her a second look, I reverse from the spot and turned for the house.
“What the fuck is in the water in this town?” I muttered.
The place was like something Stephen King forgot he’d created
Small towns give me the creeps.
Maybe there was something to Lena’s words after all.
Usually, I loved it when a woman looked at me. I especially liked it when they looked at me with that heated stare that told me they loved my body. There was an amazing feeling about getting appreciated by a woman’s gaze that made me a little rabid.
I knew it was more often than not their way of telling me they found me sexy and sexual.
But when the woman from the diner stared at me, all I felt was disgust.
I wasn’t sure what it was about her—or even what was happening inside my head, but I kept comparing her to Taji.
And that woman was found wanting.
Lacking.
Not up to par or the standards I saw in Taji.
I compared the way my body felt when Taji looked at me versus when this woman did it. There was definitely a difference—with Taji my body grew hot and every part of me came alive.
With the gum chewer, I needed to shower to scrub the filth off.
With Taji—well—with Taji, I wanted to brush everything from the table to the floor and tossed her across it. I wanted to hold her legs on my shoulders and see if she tasted like the most expensive honey on the face of the earth.