The Firefighters of Station #8 – Book 2
SHEP
Chapter 1
The Pitt Stop sign glowed above the brightly-lit building centered in the middle of a huge parking lot. Shep shoved the gearshift into park and shut off the headlights. After the day he’d had, a cold beer sounded mighty fine. Too many unanswered questions. An unexplained explosion weighed heavy on his conscious. The fire investigator had not found any leads and his squad, the men he was responsible for, had gone back to the training site on their own. If his profession didn’t kill him, worry would. Yep, he needed just one hour free of his current problems.
“Smell that?” Mike, one of the firefighters in his squad, puffed his big chest out as he inhaled. The smell of charcoaled beef drifted through the door at the front entrance. “Aren’t you glad you agreed?”
Yep. Shep’s taste buds tingled, but right now he wanted a cold drink more than food. He gave a nod and followed Mike into the noisy bar. Loud voices, laughter and the jute-box blaring a country song made him glad for the disruption. Even though The Pitt Stop had great food, it was better known for music and dancing. Bands played every weekend and when they didn’t, the jute-box stayed operational making the place lively.
“Hi Mike. Shep. Two beers coming right up.”
Since he and Mike were regulars, Sam knew what they wanted without question. Shep didn’t drink a lot, but he frequented the place as much as anyone. Not to mention, the firefighters were well known and always welcome.
“Thanks, Sam. Put it on his tab,” Shep nodded toward Mike.
“Guess that’s only fair, since I talked you into coming.”
“Sure thing.” Sam grinned and moved down the bar to take another man’s order.
“Well, I’ll be damned.”
Shep turned to the sound of Mike’s voice, seeing a huge grin on his face. “What’s up?”
“I see someone I know.”
“Cassie and her friend,” Mike said before Shep saw them.
“The school teachers?”
“Yep. Right over there.” Mike gestured with the bottle in his hand.
Shep saw a blonde and a redhead, giggling like a couple of teenagers. He recognized them from the Mexican restaurant the team had gone to after the training exercise. Mike had been keeping company with the blonde for a while now and seemed to be getting attached.
“From the Mexican restaurant?” Shep asked, even though he already knew.
“They’re the ones.”
“I seem to remember Jared taking a fancy to the redhead.” Shep had noticed her right off. The woman had an inviting smile and her eyes had sparkled while she’d flirted with Jared, another member of his squad. The team called him Pretty Boy. He had the looks and the personality to warrant the name. Jared had seen the women first. Being his normal cocky self, he’d swaggered over to their table and moved right in. For the first time in years, Shep had almost felt the pangs of jealousy.
“Naw,” Mike said. “Jared recognized her flirting as innocent. I think she was just having fun. Not trying to pick him up.”
“Hmmm.”
“Come on. They look a little too buoyant. Let’s see what they’re up to.”
Again, Shep followed Mike. He weaved his way through the dancers toward the booth with the laughing women. Mike leaned against a post at one side, so Shep stood alongside the opposite one. The blonde took a huge bite of her burger and closed her eyes.
“Mmm mmm. Heaven,” she said. Damn if she didn’t look like a woman having an orgasm. She opened her eyes and froze, her gaze fixed on Mike.
“Heaven?” Mike teased in a sensual tone.
Shep knew his buddy had the same thoughts he did. Now, the woman looked like she might choke. Mike let her stew for a few seconds but Shep knew he wanted to laugh.
“This is Shep,” Mike said to both women. “Shep, this is Tammy. And this,” Mike angled his beer at the blonde, “is Cassie.” Her face turned red and she dropped her burger.
“It’s a pleasure, ladies.” Shep glanced to the redhead who stared back at him with devilment sparkling in her beautiful green eyes.
“Hello Shep. You a big strong firefighter, too,” Tammy asked with a hint of sexual innuendo. She’d propped her head in the palm of her hand, her elbow resting on the wood. He wondered if her provocative behavior might have been prompted by the empty shot glass in front of her. Even so, she was too cute for words.
“Why, yes ma’am. I am.”
“Well, come on over here, fire-hero, and tell me all about yourself.”
Chuckling, he slipped into the booth beside her. She acted all silly and cuddled right up next to him. Mike had warned him about her flirting, but he figured the alcohol was a contributor. Normally, he did not engage in such things, but she was fun. And he couldn’t help playing along.
“When Mike mentioned coming to this place, I almost suggested going somewhere else,” Shep told her. “At the time, it didn’t make any difference to me. Now I’m glad we came here.”
“Is that so?” Tammy’s glassy eyes peered up at him, drawing him into their charming depths.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Please don’t call me ma’am,” she said, rolling out her lip in a sexy pout.
“My mother taught me manners.”
She perked right up. “I can appreciate that.”
He couldn’t help but add, “The evening had promised to be another boring one for me. Not so, now.”
“Really. How come?” Her breath tickled his cheek. “Because I met you.”
“I have met you before. Well, not actually met,” she said waving her hand. “But I remember you from El Puerto’s.”
Tammy remembered him? She’d been flirting with Jared.
“The whole fire department showed up there,” she said with some awe.
“Yeah. We had training that week. Several County units gathered for drills and preparation exercises. On that particular day, we went out for some dinner.” He didn’t add the reason. An explosion at the training site had shaken the men. Station Nine had been in charge so, Shep being the Captain at Station Eight, he’d stayed at the firehouse. Once he heard everyone’s versions of what happened, the men decided to go out to eat. Dumb luck, they ended up at the same restaurant.
“You men in your blue uniforms caused quite a stir.” Tammy leaned closer to him and smiled in adoration. He recognized the look. He’d seen it enough. Still, he didn’t move. He kind of liked the attention.
“We get that a lot.”
“I love a man in uniform.”
He chuckled, wondering how much she’d had to drink.
“Here ya go, gals.” A waitress placed two shot glasses of dark liquid on their table. “You said keep ‘em coming.”
Now he understood. Shots.
The sexy waitress propped a hand on her hip. “What can I get for you boys?”
“What’s that?” Mike said, pointing to the drinks.
“B52 bombers.”
“Sounds good to me,” Shep said, thinking why not. The girls were having fun. They must be celebrating. He didn’t mind keeping an eye on the lovely Tammy. He was sure Mike felt the same way about Cassie. “Two more.”
Mike raised his brows. Mike knew Shep didn’t drink hard liquor. And he wasn’t exactly planning on starting now.
“Are you ladies celebrating?”
A cloud of darkness screwed up Tammy’s face and he wished he could take back his words. Cassie quickly filled the silence.
“We, uh, received some troubling news.”
Shit.
“And we’re here to forget.” Tammy lifted one of the shot glasses. “Bottoms up.” She glared at Cassie as if daring her. Shep wondered what kind of shit storm he opened up.
“Why don’t you take mine?” Cassie slid her glass across the table to Shep.
“Oh, no. I couldn’t take yours.” He shoved it back. For one thing, he didn’t want it. For another, if these girls were trying to forget bad news, what better way than drowning out their problems. For the moment, anyway.
“Bottoms up,” Shep echoed Tammy.
“We agreed that …” Cassie started, then stopped as Tammy flung back her head and the contents of the shot-glass disappeared.
She gasped as if the liquor had stolen her breath. He lifted his beer and offered it to her. He didn’t expect her to take it but she grabbed it and gulped.
“What the hell.” Cassie shrugged and tilted her own glass, draining it.
Shep grinned and he saw Mike’s shoulders shake. Just then, the waitress placed more shots on the table. Shep couldn’t resist. He held up his fingers. “Two more.”
“How you doing on beers?”
“Another round, please. And two more burgers.” He needed food.
The Pitt Stop served man-sized burgers. Damned if he wasn’t hungry. Looked like he might be here a spell.
“Oh, yeah.” Cassie looked at her burger as if she’d forgotten it.
“I love a woman with a good appetite,” Mike said.
“See? I told ya.” Tammy shouted.
“Told her what?” Shep asked, turning to Tammy.
“She was worried about eating a juicy burger in front of a hunk like him.” Tammy pointed her finger directly at Mike.
Cassie made choking sounds. Mike patted her on the back.
Time for some space.
Shep lightly grabbed Tammy’s wrist. “Can you two-step?” Her eyes flew wide and she giggled as he tugged her from the booth.
Once on the dance floor, he took her hand in his and slid his arm around her back. Tammy packed some pretty sexy curves. She didn’t resist when he tugged her close, just gave him another one of her beaming smiles as he led her around the dance floor. Her adoring gaze gave him a funny feeling in his chest. He liked her looking at him as if he were the greatest thing since chocolate. Like maybe she wanted to take a bite
Before his reaction could cause a stirring below his belt, he spun her in a circle. Damn if her arousing laugh didn’t do what he’d tried to avoid. Ignoring the sensation, he stepped faster to the Charlie Daniels tune.
Tammy was fun and lively and laughed like a tinkling bell. Her face was getting flushed and he wondered if it might be from him spinning her around. She was out of breath when the song ended.
“This guy knows how to dance,” Tammy told Mike and Cassie as she skidded into the booth. Shep slid right in behind her.
“I grew up in a house with four brothers,” he explained. “My mom believed we were made for dancing and took great pleasure in torturing us.” He faced Tammy, lowered his voice and directed his words to her. “Which is the way we thought of prancing around, until we found out girls liked boys who danced. A girl will pick a guy that can dance over the best-looking guy in any place.”
“Like you have anything to worry about.” Tammy walked her fingers right up his chest.
Christ. He might as well give up on trying to control his arousal. He doubted Tammy would notice anyway. The woman was well on her way to getting tanked. He’d never take advantage either. He slowed his breathing trying to calm things down and ignore the heat from her fingers scorching his chest. Let the women have their fun.
Trying to get her to eat was a bigger chore than he’d anticipated. When his burger came, he coaxed her to take a few bites of his. Damn, Tammy was sexy. She crooned and nibbled, at least she swallowed something other than alcohol. She was bound to have regrets in the morning.
He thought about that. Guess he should feel guilty. He didn’t. Whatever the bad news had been, she deserved to have a moment—or a night—of fun. A moment where she didn’t have to worry over her problems, stress free of whatever had happened.
After all, he’d come here with Mike looking for an hour of peace this evening? He glanced at his watch. Hell. Three hours? He chuckled in amazement. He’d gotten his hour and more.
“What do you think?” Mike asked.
Shep glanced between the two women. “I think it’s time to take these girls home. Which one of you ladies has keys?”
Tammy pointed across the table.
“I do.” Cassie giggled and dug into her purse. “I’m not sure I should drive.”
Hell no, she shouldn’t drive. Mike would see to that. Tammy snuggled into Shep’s side where she’d been plastered pretty much all evening.
“I want my big handsome,” hiccup, “fire guy …” She hiccupped again. Wasn’t talking too plain either.
“Come on, Sweetheart,” he said, pulling her from the booth. He kept one arm around her since she wasn’t too steady on her feet.
“You taking me home?” Her sparkling green eyes peered up at him. He was glad she’d eaten something. Hope she didn’t puke in his truck on the way home.
Since Tammy was all wobbly, he had to help her into his SUV. The woman might have carried a few extra pounds—sensual curves—but he lifted her easily. The problem was, she kept clinging to him and he couldn’t untangle himself quick enough to get the damn door shut. Finally, he clicked the seatbelt, closed the door and turned to find Mike standing behind him.
“Woman’s got more arms than a squid,” he said.
“Cassie’s already asleep.” Mike gave a nod of his head toward her car.
Shep chuckled again. He hadn’t laughed this much since, he couldn’t remember when.
“You aided and abetted.”
Shep wrinkled up his forehead.
“Bottoms up,” Mike mimicked.
“Don’t worry. They won’t remember a thing in the morning.” He still didn’t feel guilty ordering more shots for the girls. “I’ll take Tammy home, put her in bed and leave. I won’t even undress her. She’s a school teacher.” He said the last part as if he needed to remind himself.
Shep glanced at the woman in the truck, blowing him kisses. Damn, his face might crack from this constant grinning. “I figured if the girls wanted to cut loose, let them. Better with us than some other guys that could have happened along. At least with us, they were safe.”
“The distressing news was Tammy’s.”
“You know what happened?”
“Yeah. Her ex. Cassie said she needs a good lawyer. Said she needed to get drunk.”
“Well, she managed that.”
“With your help.”
Shep chuckled again. This was a habit he could get used to.