[Jake]

Sometimes life makes no sense. Why pizzas are round yet the boxes they come in are square. Why a whole mountainside slides down, burying an entire town without warning, and no one knew about the instability. How tornadoes can hit one house and miss the next one, but then blow out the one behind it. None of that makes any sense.

But with Kayla, life does make sense. The more I think about it, the more I decide to keep that little tidbit to myself. I’ve already done enough damage with my big mouth. Sean and Eli have made it their mission to make me rethink my decision to stay with Kayla now that the wishes are over, let alone be exclusive with her. I’m sure her friends are thinking the same thing, but I don’t care. I love her. I do, and there’s nothing anyone can say to change that, even her.

I step off the bus and turn to wait for her. I’m carrying most of the food on my insistence, but she still has her hands full. No way are we going to leave Ryan to Emma’s cooking. I’ve made a dozen idiot-proof dinners and packed them in ovenproof containers. Not even Emma can screw these up.

“What time do you have to be at the firehouse again?” Kayla asks as we fall into step, heading for Ryan’s apartment.

“I asked for the day off.”

“You did?” She turns to me. “Is everything okay?”

“Everything is perfect.” I steal a kiss. The concern in her beautiful eyes warms me. Damn, this is awesome and terrifying at the same time. I’ve never been in love. I’ve never lost myself in a woman before. With Kayla, I’ve been lost in her since the boyfriend burning. That wide-eyed look, both from the fire and me appearing with my trusty extinguisher to save the day, will forever be etched into my memories. “I asked the cap when you were taking a shower.”

“You were in the shower with me and I distinctly remember you not having a phone. In fact, I’m pretty sure you had your hands full.”

I smile at the memory. That I did. With her, I always have my hands full. “After that.”

She shrugs and switches the bag of food to her other shoulder. “I texted Emma and asked if it was still okay for us to visit. She said she was starving and couldn’t wait.”

“I’m going to have to teach her how to cook,” I laugh. “No one should be as bad a cook as she is. Ryan’s told me stories. Did you know she’s given him food poisoning? Twice.”

“I believe it. You’ve heard about her aversion to eggs, right?”

“Do I want to know?”

“They scare her.”

I laugh again. “Eggs?” We reach Ryan’s apartment and knock. “Do I need to know anything else before we go in?”

“Start small,” she tells me and pats my chest. “Teach her the basics. Baby steps, big boy.”

I grab her hand and hold it as I rest my lips to hers. I take my time teasing her before swiping my tongue out to find hers. She meets me halfway and melts against me. When she whimpers into my mouth, I’m lost in her. God, how’d she do it? How’d she turn me, a player and proud of it, into a one-woman man? I don’t know and right now, I don’t care. I just want to stay lost in her forever.

“Should you two get a room?” Emma interrupts us, and we jump back. I lick Kayla’s taste from my lips and smile when her cheeks grow a beautiful shade of red. “I could always come back if you two want to finish. I’m sure the neighbors wouldn’t mind a show.”

We say nothing as we step into the apartment. It’s small, but I expected no less from a one-bedroom on campus. Our two-bedroom is huge compared to this shoebox. No wonder Emma wants to get their own place. I’d go nuts living in an apartment this small.

“Here,” I present our offerings. “It’s dinner for a month. All eggs have been properly subdued. You only need to heat. Where can we put them?”

“Good thing. If eggs are involved, we’d both starve.” She points in the direction of the kitchen. Despite the front she’s forcing that smile through, I know her injuries. I needed the details of the injuries sustained for the report which, of course, I got stuck with writing, being the cadet. The nicks and scrapes on her face are superficial. She also sustained two cracked ribs, bruises from ass to elbow, and a mild concussion. By the way she’s moving—slow, deliberate—she’s feeling every injury. They could have been a lot worse had Ryan not turned toward the car a split second before the driver slammed into them.

I grab the bag from Kayla and carry them into the kitchen. As I busy myself with putting everything away, Kayla helps Emma into a chair in the living room. Their kitchen is totally set up wrong, but it’s not mine so I say nothing as I work my way through the bags of dinners and other groceries we brought them. Can we afford this? No. We’ll be eating leftovers Kayla brings home from the diner for the foreseeable future. Would we do it again?

That’s not even a question.

“How are you?” Kayla asks. “You look like you’re in pain.”

“I’ll manage.” Emma shrugs and tries not to wince, but I catch it. She hurts. “I’ve had better days.”

“What kind of meds do they have you on?”

“Oxy for the pain. I hate it, so I don’t take it.”

“Emma, if you hurt, take it.”

She shakes her head carefully. “I’m fine.”

I know why. I’ve seen it before. People stay stone cold sober and endure the pain to take care of the spouse. Love makes a person do some pretty strange shit. I smile at the thought of all the stupid shit I already do for my girl.

“Looks like you’re healing well.” An older woman wheels Ryan into the living room. His leg is casted straight out. He has a brace on his shoulder to keep the collarbone aligned. The cuts, scrapes, and bruises are a welcome sight. He may look like he lost a bar fight, but he’s definitely healing.

“Thanks, Dr. Levy.” Ryan grins as she parks him next to Emma and sets the brakes on the wheelchair. He spots me, and his grin widens. “Hey.”

“’Sup.”

“You two are amazingly bad at this.” Emma rolls her eyes before regarding the doctor. “Is he really doing okay?”

“He is.” She smiles warmly and grabs a coat off the back of the couch. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll be on my way. Your brother is waiting for my report.”

“He could have come himself.”

“The last I checked, he doesn’t have a degree in medicine and forty years of experience on his side. Trust me, Harold. It’s better I’m here.”

Ryan sighed. “I told you it’s Ryan now.”

“I’ve been your family’s doctor since before you were born, young man. I even delivered you. You will answer to the name your parents gave you.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He colors to his ears.

“I’ll see you in a week. Emma, make sure he takes his meds.”

She stops behind Ryan and places her hands on his shoulders. “Yes, ma’am.”

“I don’t like them,” Ryan whines after the doctor leaves. “You can’t make me take them.”

“Doctor’s orders,” Emma points out, her hands on Ryan’s shoulders. Judging by the way he’s cringing, she’s digging her nails hard, and not in a good way. “Quit acting like a child, Harold.”

“Ow, ow, ow.” Ryan jerks her hands from her death grip. “I’m in enough pain, Em.”

“You’ll be in even more pain if you won’t let me take care of you.”

“Yes, dear.”

“I will cut you.”

Ryan laughs and grabs her, easing her down onto his lap. “I still can’t take you seriously when you say that.”

“Fine,” she says as she clearly holds back a smile. “I’ll have Britt cut you.”

They both laugh and then he kisses her. I divert my gaze, but not before I catch Kayla watching them, a longing expression on her face. She wants what they have and my gut twists. I want to give it to her but don’t know how. I’m not Ryan, not by a long shot.

“Let’s make them dinner,” Kayla offers and hurries into the kitchen.

“Like a double date,” Emma says. She and Ryan nod at each other. “It’s just like the park.”

I stop myself from correcting her. The park didn’t start that way. I had no idea they’d camp right next to us. I’m not sure how I feel spending so much time with my partner outside of our trainings and missions. We work together. That doesn’t mean we need to hang together. What if we spend too much time together and end up hating each other? Ryan and Kayla are way too alike. I found a way to break through her walls. Have I done the same with him? I want to say yes, but I’m not really sure.

“Do you have vodka?” Kayla opens the freezer. “Found it. Who wants a martini?”

“I’m not drinking,” Ryan calls out. “Doctor’s orders.”

Emma jumps off his lap. “I am. I’ll get the maraschinos.” Before I know it, I’m being pushed out of the kitchen. “Let us make dinner for you guys.”

“Oh, sweet Jesus. No.” Ryan smiles sweetly when Emma glares at him. “I mean… Whatever you make will be awesome.” He even gives her a thumb’s up before he leans to me. “Be afraid. Be very afraid. Please tell me Kayla knows how to cook.”

“It can’t be that bad.” Up until we moved in together, I would have been just as worried to let Kayla loose in the kitchen. Now that we’ve cooked several homemade meals together, I have complete confidence she’ll whip up something amazing.

“You’d just better hope no meat is harmed in the process. Don’t even get me started on eggs.”

Again with the eggs. I roll my eyes and lift my chin toward the ladies. “Anything you need help with?”

“Find a movie,” Emma calls out.

“Just nothing she thinks is directed by John Hughes,” Ryan adds.

I nod, like I’d know anything directed by John Hughes, whether she thinks it or not. I go in search for something with a lot of action, preferably with shit blowing up. Those are my kinds of movies. I love anything where the main character doesn’t follow the rules and challenges the norm. That must be why I love Footloose.

“Drinks are served.” Kayla delivers something red in a martini glass.

“What is this?” I ask.

Ryan laughs. “Vodka and cherry syrup.”

“Maraschino martini,” Emma corrects. “He’s always doing that. He thinks it cute.”

Kayla gives me that devastating smile and follows it up with a cute little wink. “Enjoy.” She then hands Ryan a glass. In all honesty, I’d rather have what he’s having. “Water for you.”

“Oh, goodie. Water. My favorite.” He motions at my glass. “It’s a total chick drink. Emma likes them.”

“So do you,” Emma yells out from the kitchen. She’s got ridiculously good hearing.

Ryan nods at the couch. “Sit. It hurts my neck to look at you when you’re standing. So,” he starts after I settle down on the couch. “Are you and Kayla, like, a thing?”

I freeze as I fight for my answer. Finally, after swallowing down my panic over the question, I plaster on a smile. I want this. I love her. I have no reason to freak out over a simple question. Right? We’re most definitely a thing. And yet, when Ryan asks me the question, I break out in a sweat. “Something like that.”

“Dude, I get it.”

Get what? I haven’t told him anything. I don’t know him well enough to have that Jedi mind-meld thing like some bros have, where we can say one thing and mean something entirely different. “You do?”

“When Emma and I first started out, she wouldn’t admit to it, either.”

He’s better than I thought. Still, I play dumb. “Admit to what?”

“It’s obvious you’re into Kayla,” he says quietly and darts a quick look to the kitchen. The girls are busy gossiping and not paying any attention to us. “I had to literally drop on one knee to even get Emma to hold my hand.”

That doesn’t sound like the same Emma who freaked out when she couldn’t see him at the accident. “I guess it worked. You two are moving in together. She said you were out looking for apartments when that gal hit you.”

“We’d just looked at the last one on the list and were heading back here. It all happened so fast. I barely had time to react.”

“But you did,” I point out. “You may have saved her life. Are you sure you don’t want to tell her?”

“No,” he answers quickly, catching the girls’ attention. They both stop talking and look at us. Ryan and I wave. Kayla frowns and shakes her head as she catches my gaze with hers. I smile, drawing the same from her. “You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”

Ryan’s voice pulls my attention to him. “Is it that obvious?”

He shrugs and cringes. “I have to stop doing that.”

“When was the last time you took a pain med?”

“A while ago.”

I can’t shake what he did to save his girl. “Buddy, I think you should tell her what you did.”

“I’m not telling her,” he insists.

“Tell me what?” Emma’s freakishly good hearing strikes again. She steps out of the kitchen, her cherry syrup martini in hand, and stops in front of us, her gaze resting on Ryan. “Well?”

“It’s uh…um…it’s nothing.”

“They why are you stuttering?”

Shit. She’s good. And pissed. I jump to my feet to not get caught in the crossfire. “I’m just going to go check and see if Kayla needs any help.” I rush into the kitchen and practically hide behind her.

“What’d you do?”

Damn. Kayla is just as perceptive as Emma. It must be a woman thing. With a quick glance Ryan’s way to see him focused on Emma, I then pull Kayla to the wall, hiding us from view. “Ryan steered the scooter into the car.”

“Why would he do that?”

“To protect Emma.”

“Holy shit. He could have been killed.”

“I know.”

“You what!” Emma yells. I peek around the fridge. The accident may not have killed him, but she looks ready to. “Goddamn you, Harold Bartholomew Francis Ryan.”

“Full names are never a good sign,” Kayla mutters behind me. I nod in agreement.

Emma shakes her finger at him like a parent scolding a child. I’ve seen the same with Shannon and Mel. Ryan flinches at every shake. “Do you have any idea how lucky you are? Any idea at all? Do you know what could have happened to you? Sweet Jesus behind the wheel. Do you even understand…how…much…I…l-l-lo…” She trails off when her sobs take over.

Ryan pulls her onto his lap and brushes the hair out of her eyes. “I love you, too.”

He kisses her until her sobs slow. She pushes away and throws her arms around him. From the wince in his expression, it hurts, but he says nothing. “Never do something that stupid again.”

“Yes, dear.”

“I’m serious, Ryan. I’ll kill you myself.”

“I have no doubt.”

“Shut up.” She laughs as she wipes at her eyes. “God, that was embarrassing. You guys better not be watching.”

I duck back behind the fridge, pulling Kayla with me. She slams into my chest and I hold her there. When I hear Emma approach, I cover Kayla’s mouth with mine and lick her lips open. She responds immediately and curls her arms around my neck.

“I can’t leave you two alone for a minute.” Emma walks into the kitchen and grabs me by the shoulder. “Out, Jake. Let Kayla and me make one of the dishes you brought.”

“Do you know how to cook?”

She narrows her puffy eyes. “Don’t push me, buddy. After what Ryan just told me, I’m not in the mood.”

“He only did it because he loves you,” Kayla offers.

Emma’s mouth falls open. “You know what he did?”

“Only because Jake just told me.”

She turns her wrath on me. “You knew?” I nod. “I’d kill you right now, but I’m too hungry and don’t want to have to clean up the mess. Now, out. We can manage.”

“I can’t,” Kayla admits. “Unless it comes in a box or has clear directions, I’m a failure in the kitchen.”

“Not true.” I shake my head. “We’ve been making meals together for three weeks now. You’re good.”

“Because you’re right there telling me what to do.”

“And yet, you still fight me.” I take a step toward her.

“Only on certain things.”

“I, uh…” Emma backs away. “Tell you what. You two make dinner. I’ll find us a movie.”

I grin as I regard Kayla. “What are you in the mood for?”

That spark in her eyes strums across my nerves. God, she’s beautiful. When she licks her lips, I nearly come undone.

“I want carbs,” Emma calls out from the living room. She’s back on Ryan’s lap, running her fingers through his hair. “After the accident, carbs are in order. Something extremely fattening, like pasta with about a million calories.”

Kayla and I smile. “My specialty. What do you say, baby? Wanna help me make pasta?”

“I told you not to call me baby.” Her grin widens.

“Unless I’m inside you.” I lean in and nip at her ear. “A problem I plan to rectify the instant I get you alone.”

“This time I get to blindfold you.” The blush that washes over her cheeks holds me prisoner. I can’t do anything but stare at her. Did she really just say that? She gives me another coy little wink and I’m ready to tell Emma and Ryan they’re on their own. She has me close to dropping to my knees with that look.

“Should we go in the other room?” Emma asks. “Or will you two be able to manage to not have sex while making dinner?”

I laugh while Kayla turns ten shades of red. “No promises.”

Emma kneels in front of their rack of DVDs. “That’s comforting. And gross.”