Chapter Five

Greg shifted his long legs in Jenny’s small blue sedan as she drove them toward Station 58. Greg had been released from the hospital before lunch. Which was great, because his stomach was growling and a good meal from the fire house sounded excellent right about now.

“Sorry,” she said.

“About what?”

“The cramped space. This car isn’t made for guys over six feet tall.”

He grinned. “That’s for sure. Perfect for little women, though.”

She made a scoffing noise. “What? I’m not small. I’ll have you know I’m five foot seven.”

“Small. A good wind could blow you away.”

“All right. In comparison to your big, brutish self, maybe I am small.”

They laughed together.

“You’re perfect,” he said, and watched her cheeks turn pink.

“Flattery will get you everywhere.”

“Promise?”

If it was possible her cheeks turned redder. “I stepped into that one, didn’t I?”

“Straight in and sank to the bottom.”

“I’d hit you with something right now if I wasn’t driving.”

“Hit me later. I’ll look forward to it.”

She threw him a half-hearted dirty look and ended it with another smile. “Beware what you ask for.”

He liked teasing her, and her smile said she’d taken it the right way. Last night, while he’d held her hand and kissed it impulsively, she’d seemed delicate and yet oh so strong. Her touch on his arm had galvanized him. He’d felt her strength when she’d walked in the room. Seeing her had instantly lightened his mood and the anger he’d felt at the homeowner who’d cooked meth in his home with his own wife and children present. If he ever had a wife and kids, he’d be damned sure he’d never knowingly put them in danger. Kissing Jenny’s hand had reaffirmed life, reminding him that things could’ve ended very differently for him if the house explosion had been larger or he’d been in the house at the time. He didn’t know why that made such a difference. He’d made it through time in the Middle East and experienced situations more dangerous than what happened last night.

But you hadn’t met Jenny then.

His stomach did a lurch. Truth smacked him in the face. He’d found himself confessing some feelings to her last night that he didn’t know he had until she’d walked in. He thought he’d seen a hint of worry in her eyes when she’d entered his room, but he didn’t know for certain.

Jeez, Falk. Right now she’s probably trying to think of a way to let you down easy because you’re coming on hot and heavy.

“At this rate I’m going to owe you some dinner. Or yard work, or something,” he said.

“Why?”

“For rescuing me from that hospital.”

She threw him a smile but quickly looked back at the road. “You don’t owe me anything. You took care of me during the tornado, it’s the least I could do.”

His mood sank a little. Maybe she didn’t see this as a mutual thing…maybe he imagined the heat between them. Could she be saying this because she couldn’t wait to see the back of him as she told him to get out of his life? Or maybe she’d say she just wanted to be friends. He chewed on that thought as they pulled into the parking lot next to Station 58. Before he could exit the car, Lexi and Dane walked out of the station. Dane was dressed in civilian clothes with a duffle thrown over his shoulder, while Lexi wore her paramedic uniform. Jenny and Greg greeted Dane and Lexi at the side of the building.

“Hey Viking,” Lexi said, “How are you feeling?”

“Almost like I wasn’t blown up by a meth lab explosion,” Greg said.

“Good deal. I see he’s managed to drag you over here, Jenny,” Dane said.

The banter went on for a bit before Lexi said, “Listen, I’ve got to get back to work, so I leave you with Dane.”

“There’s leftover fire engine chili inside. You guys want some?” Dane asked.

Greg groaned. “Sounds good. I’m starving. Hospital breakfasts are skimpy.” He turned to Jenny. “You’re welcome to eat with us.”

She hesitated only a second and then her phone chirped a text message. She ignored it and said, “You’re sure it’s all right?”

“Of course,” Dane answered before Greg could. “Greg can give you the tour.”

She gave in and went inside. Greg showed her around, and since she’d never entered a fire house before, she got an education.

“None of those fire pole things?” She turned in a circle.

She looked totally in awe, and it made Greg laugh. God she’s so damned cute.

Greg patted the side of the ladder truck. “They did away with those a long time ago in many of the modern houses. There are still some out there.”

After the tour and being introduced to personnel she’d never met, she grabbed chili and sat at the long table with Greg and some of the other guys. Greg noticed that two of the younger men eyeballed her with curiosity, but she didn’t seem to notice. While he couldn’t be certain, she did seem like one of those women who didn’t get how sexy she was. He liked her modesty, but didn’t think it came from a place of weakness. He liked people, men or women, who weren’t full of themselves.

“Thanks for providing me with lunch,” she said to the whole table. “And for warning me that there’s a hot chili and a mild chili.”

The guys laughed, including Greg. A chorus of “no problem” and “you betcha” went up and made her join in the laugh.

Dane sprinkled cheese on his chili. “We only feed the hot chili to pain in the ass probies like Viking, right guys?”

Another chorus went up of “damn straight” and “you bet” went around the table, and Greg took it all in stride. These guys might’ve treated him like the new guy when he first started, but he trusted each and every one of them with his life. It was a brotherhood he was so glad he’d found.

After lunch Captain Stewart called him aside and told him to take sick leave. A week to be exact. That pinched a little, because damn it would get boring being at home when he could be here at the station. He understood the rules, though. A concussion, no matter how mild, was a concussion and his doctor had recommended the same.

Captain Stewart slapped him on the back. “Good. I’m glad you’re okay.” The captain did an up nod. “You’d better rescue your girlfriend.”

“Girl—” Greg started and then saw what he meant. Three firefighters had surrounded Jenny and were talking up a storm.

Greg felt heat fill his face. He cleared his throat. No, he didn’t think of her as his girlfriend. He already had a damned obsession with her that made no common sense.

“You’re right. I’ll go rescue her,” Greg said.

Jenny laughed at something the man next to her said, and the sound of her laugh filled Greg with new life. Her voice, so soft and genuine, made Greg want to take her home and strip every last piece of clothing off of her. At the very least he wanted to sleep with her in his arms, hug her and protect her.

Whoa, dude. Slow down. She’s perfectly capable of taking care of herself.

True. She was kryptonite, a lethal combination of understated sexiness and uncompromising intelligence. She’d set his libido into motion, and he wanted to show her how much, and his patience hung by a thread. Still, he’d take this slow. As molasses if he had to.

Greg came up to the group and said, “Got my stuff from my locker. I’m outta here until next Saturday.”

Dane squeezed Greg’s shoulder. “Well, then get outta here. See you later, Jenny.”

Outside next to his car, he cupped her shoulders and pressed gently. “Thanks again. I’m gonna head home, but I’ll text you or call you later if that’s okay?”

She smiled, and he saw pleasure in her eyes. Good. He’d take that. She wasn’t running in the other direction.

“Okay. I’d like that,” she said.

She placed her hands on his chest, and the contact heightened his aggressive need to kiss her. Before he could totally wimp out, he cupped her face in both hands and kissed her forehead gently. Her silky skin beneath his lips was heaven.

“Talk to you soon,” he said and released her.

Her phone chirped with a text again, and she frowned a little. “It’s probably Donna. I’d better get back to her.”

When he left, she was standing on the sidewalk reading her text messages with that same frown on her face.

* *

Jenny returned home that afternoon after shopping for groceries. She’d studiously ignored the last texts on her phone, figuring she wouldn’t answer them until she got home. She glanced at them and saw that Manny had texted again. She put away her groceries and flopped down onto her couch, prepared to see what Manny had said on her phone. She glanced over the text conversation they’d had since this morning.

Manny: Glad to hear you’re doing okay.

Jenny: Thanks. How about you?

Manny: Busy at the hospital. How is Falk? Heard he was hurt in an accident.

Jenny: He’s okay. Off work for a week for concussion.

Manny: Okay, talk to you later.

If that had been all he’d said, she wouldn’t have thought much of it. The new texts, all three of them, took her by surprise. She didn’t know what to think of them, and at first thought they might be Manny’s idea of a joke.

Manny: Don’t text me anymore, okay?

Manny: In fact, don’t even talk to me anymore when you see me. Okay?

Manny: Okay?

Jenny stared at the texts and knew her mouth was hanging open. The tone and content of his texts didn’t matter. What he’d said, going from friendly to weirdly unfriendly, didn’t make a damned bit of sense. Scrubbing one hand over her face, she groaned. What the hell had happened? Even if he meant it as a joke, it was disconcerting. She decided to call his bluff and not react to his texts at all. She’d starve him. She went about her business, but the whole text scenario bugged her because she didn’t know what she’d done to warrant the weird messages. That night Jenny fell asleep on her couch while reading a historical fiction novel about Queen Elizabeth the First. It was so boring she’d fallen asleep twice in the last hour. She glanced at the clock on her fireplace mantle and groaned.

“Crap.”

It was seven o’clock, and she’d skipped dinner. She was tired as hell. This week had taken it out of her. As she fixed dinner, she watched a news report about the meth lab fire yesterday. She thought of how badly it could’ve turned out for Greg and the others in the department. She also thought of his kiss. God his kiss…now that thought made her body turn on five alarm fire status. When he’d cupped her face so gently she thought for a microsecond he planned to kiss her on the mouth. When he didn’t, that tender, sweet kiss on her forehead had filled her with surge of longing. She would fantasize about the almost chaste kiss for a long time.

Her phone chirped and for a moment she thought another text had come in, but it kept ringing and the tone was different. She almost ignored it, half afraid Manny had decided to call her. She looked at the phone and Greg’s name flashed across the screen. Delighted, she answered.

“Hey there.”

Greg’s deep, husky voice came over the line. “Hi. Hope I’m not calling too late.”

“No.”

“I was just sitting around here vegetating and had a wild idea for tomorrow.”

Anticipation tingled insider her. “Oh?”

“This is short notice and it might not be something you’re interested in.”

“Okay, the suspense is killing me. Just say it.”

“I’ve been thinking for a long time…over a year, about going out to my land near Flower Mound. Where my Dad’s farm used to be. I’m not sure I want to go out there alone.”

“I don’t blame you.”

“Would you go with me?”

She didn’t hesitate. “Of course. But aren’t you supposed to be resting?”

“Yeah, but I’ve never been good at following doctor’s orders.”

She laughed. “Hypocrite.”

He laughed with her. “I also thought about doing it next weekend, but I’m signed up to participate in a fire and rescue competition at the park.”

She visualized seeing all that delicious muscle, Greg’s in particular, on display at the competition and decided then and there she’d attend.

“Sounds like fun, I’d love to go to the competition, too,” she said.

“You just want to buy one of the Dallas Firefighter Calendars they have there every year.”

“What? I didn’t know they have a calendar.” The next sentence popped out of her in a rush. “Are you in it?”

He cleared his throat. “I’m Mr. July.”

She laughed. “OMG. Are you holding a…um…puppy or a kitty?”

His voice lowered, the sexual nuance unmistakable. “No. I’m holding my hose.”

Her face flamed, and she couldn’t suppress the half giggle that escaped. “I’ve gotta see that.”

I wouldn’t mind holding your hose, either.

For a second she thought she’d said it out loud. Her body heated up imagining what he’d look like in the calendar.

His laugh came out full of good humor, the deepness of it sending a thrill straight through her body. Her nipples tingled and a new ache started between her thighs.

Wow.

He cleared his throat again. “Seriously, thanks for coming with me tomorrow. I’ve been putting this off for so long, I’ve gotta do it.”

She heard the ache in his voice, and a part of her hurt along with him. “You’ve never been out there before? Since the fire?”

“No.”

“All right. What time?”

“I can pick you up around seven in the morning if that isn’t too early? We can avoid some of the heat that way and have breakfast in Flower Mound.”

“Sounds great.”

“I’ll pick you up.”

“All right.”

Her phone chirped again, this time with another text. She ignored it.

“Sleep well,” he said. “See you tomorrow.”

“You, too. ‘Nite..”

After she hung up she sat on the couch, leaned back and closed her eyes. The fact he trusted her that much and wanted her to go with him to his father’s old farm when he’d been avoiding going there since his father’s death…well, it blew her away.

That’s heavy. Very heavy.

Indeed it was. If it had been any other guy she’d dated such a short time, she might’ve thought it too heavy. Instead, she wanted to help him, to see where this went. She’d take tomorrow one step at a time and be in the moment. Whatever happened, happened.

She finally looked at the text, and when she did, her jaw sagged.

“What the hell?”

Manny: Slut.

“Oh my, God. Really?”

She almost called him back and asked him if he’d lost his mind. Something told her not to, though. She could delete his texts and block his number. No. She’d keep them in case anything else happened. Why would Manny send her these types of texts? It didn’t make sense. If not tomorrow, on Monday she’d track him down at the hospital and get to the bottom of it.