Jared accompanied Mike this evening to Wendy’s. The bar, not the hamburger joint. Wendy provided good food along with plenty of beer, a jukebox and a pool table. Place was always packed. The guys weren’t too rowdy, but the only women that frequented Wendy’s were liberal or biker gals. Not that he preferred any female this evening—he had one too many running loose in his head now.
Trying to forget the luscious blonde, Mike had been drinking more than normal. One chance meeting and the woman lodged in his mind like she’d been embedded there.
He shoved the door open and stepped into the cool night air.
“I’ll take your keys.”
Mike glanced up and realized Jared was speaking to him. Mike stiffened his spine and braced his hands on his hips. “No need, Jared. I’m fine.”
“You’ve had a bit to drink. As a matter of fact, I’ve never seen you put away alcohol like that. Something bothering you?”
“Nothing is bothering me.” Except an itch he’d like a certain blonde to scratch. He may have overindulged, but he still had a clear head.
And he was smart enough not to drive.
He glanced over his shoulder at the brunette standing twenty feet away. “Don’t you have someone waiting for you?”
A lecherous smile lit Pretty Boy’s face. “Sure thing, Hoss. First, I’ll take you home. She’ll keep.”
“Don’t let me interrupt your night.”
Jared chuckled. “She suggested I drive you before I had a chance to mention it. And she’s willing to wait.”
“She is, huh?” Mike took in her smiling face, thinking the woman pretty and considerate. Unusual traits for a woman picked up in a bar.
Mike shrugged and turned to walk off. He could find a ride. Jared stopped him.
“Something’s got under your skin. If I had to guess, I’d say a female. Maybe one of those gals we met at the Mexican restaurant.” He cocked his head and one corner of his mouth lifted in a taunting grin. “I left you alone with that blonde. I have to wonder, Mike. That babe was smokin’.”
Resentment struck him. An unknown feeling, a lot like jealously. “Keep your blasted mind where it belongs,” he barked in a sharp tone.
Jared didn’t take offense. He smiled, as if Mike had just revealed something he shouldn’t have.
“Come on.” Jared clapped him on the back. “Let’s get you home.”
“I’m not drunk. And I’m not some child you have to take care of.”
“No one said you were. You’d do the same thing if it were one of the guys.”
Ass. Didn’t matter that he was right.
Mike fitted his frame into his truck on the passenger side. “What makes you think you’re fit to drive?”
Jared started the engine. “You know me. I spend most of my time sipping on one bottle and checking out the women.” As he pulled into traffic, he continued, “I know. Sipping is for ladies. Not men.”
“Hell. If it works …” Mike never paid much attention other than Jared always had a bottle in his hand. Although, Mike had never seen Jared drunk. Always in control. Never made a scene. His pretty boy face had women flocking around him like chicken after feed. Even in the dark, Mike saw Jared’s teeth flash in an invigorating grin.
Mike pushed a button on the dash and Hank Williams, Jr. blared in the cab. He turned the volume down to a reasonable level. When he was by himself, he usually had the windows down and the wind in his hair, so the music had to be cranked up just to be heard. Lately, the volume hadn’t mattered. His attention had been elsewhere. Damn, if Cassie didn’t have the most arresting eyes.
“Are you going to share?” Jared’s question came from out of nowhere.
“Share what,” Mike growled. He’d never shared a woman and damned if he would start now.
“Information, you dope. Not the woman you obviously have on your mind.” Jared’s chuckle filled the cab.
Hell. He’d jumped the gun. If the woman wasn’t constantly in his head—
“She’s what’s got you preoccupied, isn’t she? You haven’t been yourself for days.”
Mike had never let a female get under his skin. He sighed as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. He scrubbed a hand over his face. Confession time.
“Yeah. Cassie.”
“Cassie? The blonde from the Mexican restaurant.”
“Yep.” Mike put his window down and rested his elbow in the open space. “Can’t stop thinking about her.”
“She is a looker. Nice jugs, too.”
A flame of resentment shot through Mike, but he quickly shook it off. Any man with eyes would look. He turned in his seat. “How come you didn’t make a play for her?”
Jared glanced out his window, put on the turn signal and pulled over in the next lane of traffic. “She wasn’t interested. Now the redhead, she’s another story.”
“You seemed to hit it off with Tammy.”
“She could give as good as she got.” Jared checked his rearview mirror. “But we didn’t hook up. She seems like a nice girl and I’m not into nice.”
Nice—as in, doesn’t sleep around.
“I know what you mean. Cassie is nice.” Which didn’t mean a damn, because he still wanted her. Redheads, brunettes, blondes, he’d worshipped them all at one time or another. Yet here he sat, like a lovesick fool pining about a woman he didn’t know and couldn’t have.
Forget her.
How?
“You drooled over her like a man looking at his last meal. So, cut the bullshit. It’s obvious you want her.”
Mike conjured an image of long blonde hair draped over his chest. The same vision that haunted his dreams. Whether he was awake or asleep, Cassie occupied his mind. Her feminine curves pressed between his muscled thighs. Lust pounded in his groin the way it did every time he thought of her. He forced her vision away before he drowned in his own desire.
Jared punched him on the shoulder. “You got it bad, man. Either find—shit! Look at that!”
Up ahead, a vehicle lie sprawled on its side in the middle of the road. Flames creeped from under the hood and a stream of smoke spiraled upward.
“Christ. Pull over.”
“What the hell do you think I’m trying to do?” Jared snapped.
When the truck jerked to a stop, Mike grabbed the handle and flung open the door. “There’s gear in the back.”
Jared called dispatch while Mike ran to the tailgate. He flipped the latch and jerked open the tool chest where he kept spare equipment for emergencies. He grabbed a set of fireproof gloves and jogged to the burning SUV. “Move those people back!” Flames threatened to send them all to hell, but a woman’s echoing screams chilled him to his bones.
“This is going to be a bitch with the truck on its side,” Jared shouted.
The job would be risky enough even with a fire crew and proper equipment. They couldn’t wait. Mike grabbed a hunk of metal and jerked. The vehicle wobbled, but held. Watching his footing, he climbed.
Jared crouched as close to the driver’s window as he could, calling out to the woman. “We’re with the fire department. Trucks and rescue will be here any second. We’re going to get you out.”
Mike crawled over the metal, now hot from the flames escaping beneath the hood. Thankfully, the window on the passenger’s side was down. He stuck his head inside, finding a young female he guessed to be about nineteen.
“Hi. My name is Mike and I’m going to get you out. What’s your name?”
“Sandy. Please help me.” She shoved hair from her face, exposing terror filled eyes—but not panic. Victims who panicked were unpredictable, and most times, a dangerous lot. Fatalities occurred from freaked-out people who lost control. The tone of her voice exhibited strength. She might be anxious, but she’d asked for his help and her eyes begged him to rescue her.
“I will. Now listen carefully and do exactly what I say.” He took in every factor, from the top of her head to the bits of broken glass sprinkled about the cab—on the seats, on the dash and across her lap. Thank Christ, she was the only occupant. Blood trickled down her forehead. From his position, and the way she moved, he suspected no broken bones, no sign of a fatal injury. “First. Are you all right? Can you tell if anything is broken?”
She glanced down and whimpered. “I don’t think so. My hip and my arm hurts like hell. I slammed on my side. I hit my head, too. All I can see is smoke. Please. Get me out!”
“Take it easy.” He crawled inside, as far as his size allowed, with most of his body braced on the car door. “Can you move?”
She stretched awkwardly at first. “Yes. But I can’t reach the latch of my seatbelt.”
Shit.
The clock was ticking and he didn’t have time for mishaps. He jerked off his gloves and tugged on the seatbelt strap. It didn’t budge.
“Try pulling on the steering wheel and lift your hips. Hold yourself up as much as you can.”
She grabbed the wheel and seemed unable to move. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she started to cry.
“Come on, Sandy. I know you can do it.” Sweat dripped from his nose. Heat from the flames crawled closer and he feared time was running out.
The click of the latch resounded like a gunshot to his impatient ears. He reached for her. “Take my hands. I’ll pull you up.”
A look of horror crossed her face. “What? How? I don’t …”
“Move it,” Jared shouted, which meant move your ass.
“Take my hands. Now!”
When she extended her trembling arms, Mike stretched. “A little more.”
Tears streamed down her face. “I’m … trying.”
Dammit. A little more.
“Mike!”
“Come on, Sandy! Reach!”
As soon as their fingers touched, he grasped her hand and firmed a good grip. He jerked her up and pulled her free. Then immediately slipped an arm around her back and lifted, practically throwing her in Jared’s arms.
The fire trucks had arrived. Men scurried with hoses and rushed to the burning vehicle. Heat seared Mike’s back. Blustery fire drew way too close and he knew time had run out. He jumped. Two firefighters caught his arms, breaking his fall.
“Hey, man. Are you okay? You got her out of there just in time.”
Mike turned to find the SUV engulfed in flames. Trucks from Station Nine rolled in and more men scrambled, immediately hooking up hoses and spraying the burning vehicle.
“Better get that looked at.” A firefighter pointed to Mike’s side. He glanced down. Blood oozed through his torn shirt. In all the excitement, he hadn’t noticed. Exhausted and drained, he gave a nod.
A medic met Mike and escorted him to the back of an ambulance. His shoulder stung. He figured he’d scraped it crawling up the underside. Now that she was out, the girl, Sandy, was crying hysterically and kept repeating, “He saved me. He saved me.” At least she’d held herself together when it counted. He’d seen countless victims fall apart right after the crisis was over.
All in a day’s work.
He tried to swallow and choked on a cough. Shit. He needed something to drink. A bottle of water was shoved into his hand.
***
“Well, this was a bust.” Tammy dipped a nacho chip into a dish of sauce and popped it into her mouth.
“How can you eat any more? My God, we’ve been here for hours.”
Why am I still here?
Cassie glanced around the packed dining room. Loud voices and laughter came from a group clinking glasses, obviously celebrating a special occasion. By the bar, a fat guy gave her a flirty nod for the hundredth time. She quickly turned, reminding herself not to look over there again.
“We got stood up,” Tammy said.
“How poignant since we didn’t have dates to begin with.” Cassie rolled her eyes. “And I’m not coming back here again tomorrow or any other night. The men in here will think we’re on the prowl.”
“We are.” Tammy grinned.
“You know what I mean. Who knows when our guys in uniform will show up again?” It was a long shot. A pathetic attempt, hoping the gorgeous men in navy blue would sweep in and carry them away.
“Jared did say they’d been in some sort of regional training that night. Like it only happened once or twice a year.”
“In six months, we can try again,” Cassie said flippantly.
“You’re depressing,” Tammy said with a glare. “We came here to have fun.”
“We came here looking for men in uniform.” Cassie gave an exaggerated sigh.
“You scared him off.”
Where had that come from?
“I what?”
“You had to mention the boys. You’re the one who scared him off.”
“Good grief. I did not scare anyone off. I simply tried to remind you of the time. You had to pick the boys up from the Scout Hut. And if something as critical as children scared those guys, then good riddance.”
“I had a lust brain-fart. Ignore what I said.” Tammy took a gulp of her margarita.
Cassie laughed. “I know how much you love your boys. And I know you talk through the side of your mouth sometimes.”
“I’m lonely, Cassie.” Tammy’s eyes grew sad and her expression bordered on pained. “I’m still young. My boys are the most important thing in my life. I just want a little romance to help me remember I’m a woman.”
“Oh, honey. I’m sorry that SOB deserted you.” Tammy’s husband had been a hound dog. “You’re pretty. You’re funny. Any man would be glad to have you.”
Tammy made a great show of glancing to the empty space beside her. “But there’s none around.”
God love her. Tammy was a good woman and Cassie’s closest friend. Tammy would do anything for anyone. She was kind hearted, loved her boys and never let a day go by without smiling. That’s why Cassie hated to see her so down.
“Don’t be in such a hurry. You’ll find the right guy.”
“I’m not interested in the right guy at the moment. Just a living, breathing one. Someone to spice things up a bit. Even flirting is enough for me.” Tammy gave a slight shrug while running her finger around the rim of her glass. “I don’t need a relationship. I want some fun. Like our dreamboats in uniform.”
“Mr. Sunglasses?”
“Man, he was hot. Too much for me to handle, but he was a lot of fun. It may have been a short sojourn, but flirting with him made my night.”
Cassie waved the waitress over to their table. “Two more please.”
“Who’s going to drive us home?”
“The next one is coffee.”
They ordered more food to absorb some of the alcohol they’d consumed and later, true to her word, Cassie ordered coffee.
Tammy stared down into her cup as she stirred in some sugar. “The crowd has come and gone. It’s a wonder they didn’t throw us out. People were standing, waiting for tables.”
“We’re paying for this table. We’re eating their food. Drinking their alcohol.”
“I think I’ve had enough.” Tammy opened her purse and pulled out her wallet. “Let’s go.”
Cassie climbed from the booth with a numb butt. If she looked back, she’d probably find an imprint on the cushion. Why had she agreed to wait so long?
Hope.
Yes, she’d been as excited and eager as her friend. This was so out of her comfort zone. For nearly two years, she hadn’t cared if she dated or not. Guys were too eager to take her out, but she’d turned them down, making one excuse or another. Now she felt like she couldn’t wait to see Mike again. Sure, they’d flirted. But he seemed … different. Jared embodied a playboy, anyone could see that. Maybe Mike wasn’t the type to stick with one woman. But she was a big girl. Although, she did not believe in meaningless sex, in his case—
Right.
If he didn’t stir something in her she would not be having these thoughts. The man was hot. Lethal. He’d had her hormones active from the moment he’d sat beside her.
Cassie shook off her thoughts and followed Tammy to the front doors. She glanced at her watch as soon as they stepped into the night. “We were in there for four hours. Do you believe that?”
“Pathetic, isn’t it?” Tammy locked her arm around Cassie’s as they trudged forward.
“These are the actions of desperate women,” Cassie scoffed.
“Not desperate. Determined.” Tammy whirled her hand about. “Optimistic.”
“Rash.” She shook her head. “I can’t believe I sat in El Puerto’s for a delusion.”
“Want to come back again tomorrow night?” Tammy teased, but her voice also held a note of hope.
Cassie closed her eyes in exasperation. “I want to go home.”
“Just kidding.” Tammy pressed the button on her key remote and unlocked her car doors.
Cassie crawled in and leaned her head back against the headrest. “When I get home, I’m going to get involved in a steamy book. At least the heroine will get her man.”
Tammy turned on her headlights and pulled into traffic. “What a way to spend a Friday night.”
“I’d like to see Mike again, but sitting in a Mexican restaurant for hours is ludicrous. I’ve never done such a thing. Even in high school and college, boys chased me. Not the other way around.” She crossed her arms over her ample chest. She had lingered like one of the tortilla chips in a basket, waiting for someone to pick her up. Unbelievable.
“So, now what? Forget him or go looking for him?”
“Why on earth would I do that?”
“Come on. That’s the first man—and I use the term specifically—who has snagged your interest in—oh no. Someone’s had an accident.” Tammy’s anxious voice jerked Cassie’s attention.
Flashing lights lit up the dark. Police cars and fire trucks blocked the lanes of traffic. Firefighters hosed water on a burning car. The fear that normally attacked her when she saw a fire truck hovered, but a stronger fear pushed to the front of her mind.
Mike. Could he be fighting a fire?
“I wonder what happened,” Cassie said, hoping no one had been hurt.
“Oh my God,” Tammy shouted. “Look. There’s a man on top of that SUV. It’s on fire.”
Cassie stared in horror as a man fell from the burning car. Her heart leaped into her throat. “Stop! Stop!”
“All right, already.” Carefully, Tammy eased her car to the side of the highway and found a spot to park. “Cassie, what is it? Do you recognize him?”
Her gut clenched. She took a steadying breath and leaped out of the car. A compelling need drove her. She had to see. Had to know.
“Cassie, wait.”
Smoke rolled into the sky. Gas and exhaust fumes filled the air. A large crowd had gathered and police kept the people back. Several trucks, a rescue squad, and firefighters were scattered around the scene. She threaded through the crowd, fear crushing her chest. Her heart pounding with each step as terror ate at her insides, stabbing her brain. Then she saw him.
Jared.
She almost didn’t recognize him without a full set of teeth flashing in a smile. But then, why would anyone be smiling at a vehicle accident?
“There’s Jared,” she said, feeling Tammy’s presence behind her.
“He’s not in uniform. Or in a fireman’s suit.” Tammy called to him. The second time he heard her. Then Jared stepped back and Cassie saw—Mike.
Her legs nearly buckled.
His head hung, his shirt had blood on it and she couldn’t see the rest of his body. Oh my God. Had he been in the wreck?
Jared motioned to a policeman to let them through. She hurried forward, closing the distance to the medic squad, fearing the worst and praying he was all right.
“Mike?”
His head jerked up. Glazed eyes bore into hers.
“Hey, girls,” Jared said. “Just the medicine my ole buddy needs.”
Cassie’s eyes soaked up every inch of Mike. Black smudged his face and he looked a mess, but he was the most wonderful sight to her. When he smiled, she started breathing again. She wanted to touch him, be sure he was safe and unharmed.
“Are you okay?” she managed to get out. “What happened?”
“I’m fine.”
He didn’t sound fine.
“Jared and I saw the SUV on its side and stopped to help.” His deep voice grated, rolling over her, making her already shaky nerves tremble.
“Mike, here, saved the driver,” Jared explained.
Tammy gestured to the ambulance pulling away. “Is he okay?”
“She,” Jared corrected. “Mike pulled her out.”
With Cassie taking in every detail of Mike, Jared’s words barely registered. When they did, she wanted to scream.
“Out of that?” She pointed to the car that now sizzled with steam. Her gaze locked on Mike. She swallowed a cry of horror, knowing only moments before he’d been in a burning death trap.
“I got her out before the flames engulfed the car.”
She would not cry. But God, how she wanted to hold him. Run her fingers over his face, through his hair. Assure herself that he was all right. She clasped her hands together in an iron grip to keep from reaching for him.
Mike’s gaze consumed her. To the point where her fear slowly dissipated. A budding heat grew in its place and threatened to develop into a full-blown fever. Damn. He made her hot. And he looked like something a tomcat dragged to your back door.
“Was that you we saw fall from the demolished car?” Tammy’s worried voice jolted Cassie back to reality.
“He didn’t fall,” Jared said. “He jumped.”
Cassie gaped at Jared. “Jumped?”
Mike didn’t move.
“Would you mind taking him home? He’s refusing to go to the hospital.”