Burning Up: Firefighter Contemporary Romance Series Box Set

by K. C. Crowne

  I got up from the bed to help her, but she grabbed my pants from the floor along with my shirt, throwing them into my arms. She then chucked my shoes at me, and thankfully, I caught them.

  “You have to get out of here,” she said. She looked around the room before her gaze fell on the window. “That way.”

  “Uh, you live on the fifth floor, Hannah.”

  “There’s a fire escape,” she told me, rushing over to the window and prying it open. The doorbell rang again, and Hannah cringed. “Please, Justin. I hate to ask this of you, but I don’t want Melody and my sister to see you here.”

  “Well, I can get dressed and we can talk to them...”

  “No, please, Justin,” she begged. “You don’t understand. Melody will know. If you’re here, and I look like this, Melody will know.”

  “Is that so wrong?” I asked, scratching my head.

  “Yes, right now, it is. Especially since Izzy is with her,” she said. “I just can’t deal with this right now.”

  The poor girl looked ready to cry, and I didn’t want to embarrass her in front of her friend and her sister. I pulled on my boxers and had my pants mostly on when Hannah began pushing me toward the window. “Hurry, please, Justin.”

  “I’m hurrying,” I grumbled.

  Hannah looked toward the door then back at me. “Izzy has a key, so if we take too long...”

  “Got it,” I said.

  I heard the front door open and Melody’s voice called out. “Hannah? Did you oversleep?”

  “Go,” she said.

  Shaking my head, I climbed out of the window with my shirt in hand still. My pants weren’t even buckled. I turned toward Hannah, preparing to ask for a kiss goodbye when the window slammed shut and the curtains were drawn.

  Damn.

  And she was worried about me kicking her to the curb.

  I heard voices from inside of her apartment and wondered if Hannah had managed to get herself dressed before they’d barged in.

  Shaking my head, I finished zipping my pants. My belt was missing - probably still on her floor. With a smirk, I wondered how she’d explain that. Coupled with her still being mostly naked and her bedhead, well, they’d probably have an idea that someone had stayed over.

  With my pants fully on, I started walking down the fire escape. On the floor beneath Hannah’s, an elderly woman caught sight of me. I waved, but she scowled at me, clearly not amused by the half-naked man outside her window. I tried not to look in the remaining windows as I made my way down, tossing on my shirt before I got to the alley below.

  Well, that was the first time a woman ever kicked me out the morning after. First time for everything, I suppose.

  I sat down on the bottom step to put my shoes on. No socks, great.

  My phone buzzed in my pants pocket. At least that hadn’t fallen out in the confusion. Part of me was hoping it was Hannah, apologizing and inviting me back inside. But it was Logan.

  “Hey man, what’s up?” I said as soon as I picked up.

  “Do you think you could meet me? I really need to talk,” he said.

  Logan didn’t sound like himself at all. It was early still, maybe he hadn’t had his coffee. Not that either of us were really morning people. Still, something seemed off. He sounded stressed.

  “Of course,” I said. “How about Gary’s? I hear they serve a mean breakfast.”

  Logan and Melody lived nearby, just a few buildings over from his sister. They’d stayed close ever since their parents died.

  “Are you close?” he asked.

  I could see the sign at the end of the alleyway. “Yes, I happen to be very close,” I said, chuckling to myself.

  “Good. I’ll be there in five.”

  I’ll be there in two, I thought to myself before hanging up.

  I stood up and caught a homeless man smiling at me, clearly amused by something. It wasn’t until I got into Gary’s and sat down at a booth that I noticed my shirt was not only backward but also inside out.

  I was just about to make a run to the bathroom to fix it when Logan slid into the booth across from me. He gave me an amused look, shaking his head.

  “Fun night?” he asked.

  “You could say that.”

  “Who’s the lucky girl?” he asked.

  I froze, not wanting to blurt out that I’d fucked his sister the night before. Thankfully, Logan wasn’t all that interested in the details. He brushed it off fairly quickly.

  “Never mind, I probably wouldn’t know her anyway,” he said, picking up a menu.

  My best friend looked rough too. His eyes were sunken in a bit, and he clearly looked tired. Something was weighing on his mind.

  “What’s going on, man? Stressed about the wedding planning?”

  “You could say that,” Logan muttered.

  “Talk to me, brother.”

  The waitress came over and took our orders. I was starving, having wasted most of the food from the night before. Not that I’d ever choose food over sex, but hey, at least the food wouldn’t have kicked me out of bed afterward.

  As soon as we had our drinks, I waited for Logan to unload on me. With everything going on, it was no surprise he was a bit stressed. A pregnant, hormonal wife coupled with planning a last minute wedding would drive most folks insane.

  “I just-- I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing,” Logan announced, not looking me in the eye.

  “The right thing, as in what?” I asked, leaning back against the booth and studying my best friend’s reaction.

  He shrugged, still not looking at me. “Getting married. Having a kid. All of this at once. It just seems like too much, you know?” He finally raised his head enough for me to see his face. A half-cocked grin on his face made me think he’d counted on me agreeing with him.

  The old me would have. I’d have absolutely called him out for being crazy. But after seeing the two of them together and knowing their history, there was no doubt in my mind that the two of them were good together.

  “I’ve never met two people who belonged together more than you and Melody,” I said. “You two just get each other, you know? I don’t even believe in soul mates, but if I did, I’d bet my life on the fact that you’ve found yours.”

  “You really think so?” Logan said.

  “Yeah, I do.” Licking my lips, I decided to let loose with something I’d never said before. “In fact, I envy you, Logan. It’s like, ever since you two met, it’s been obvious that you’re meant to be together - meant to start a family and grow old together. It just seems so easy for you.”

  “Yeah, I suppose so,” Logan murmured, relaxing back into the booth. “But that’s what makes me wonder - what if, by not dating other girls, I’ve missed out on something. What if there’s more to life than having a family and growing old with someone?”

  I shrugged. “Let me tell you, there’s nothing amazing about being single. Eventually, you grow tired of the whole scene. A different girl every night might sound cool, in theory, but damn, it gets lonely after a while. Especially once all your friends start partnering up. You realize how fucking lonely you are.”

  I hadn’t even touched my coffee; neither had Logan. When the food arrived, there was silence between us as Logan seemed to contemplate my words. I’d never opened up to anyone about how I felt. Hell, I hadn’t even opened up to myself. Until then, I didn’t even realize how lonely I’d been.

  Logan pushed his scrambled eggs around on the plate, and I didn’t even touch mine. I stared into the void of my coffee cup instead, thinking about my own life and everything I’d just said.

  “You’re right, Justin,” Logan said after a long while. He sighed and took a big bite from his plate, a satisfied look on his face. “You’re absolutely right.”

  “Damn straight I am,” I chuckled. “I’m always right.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far,” Logan said, a thoughtful look on his face. “In fact, I think it’s about time for me to give you some advice.”
>
  “Oh no, here we go,” I said, playfully rolling my eyes. I leaned forward, resting my forearms on the table. “And what kind of advice do you have for me?”

  “Maybe stop closing yourself off to others, especially women,” he advised. “If you’re so lonely, do something about it.”

  “Easier said than done, bro,” I mumbled, holding my hands up in defeat. “You found your perfect woman easily. It’s not like that for the rest of us.”

  “Well, who knows? Maybe the girl you spent the night with is the one for you,” Logan said with a wink. “Maybe try calling her instead of losing her number. Won’t know until you try.”

  “Maybe,” I said, thinking about how easy things seemed to be with Hannah, at least when I wasn’t being a jackass. “But maybe I’m not the right one for her.”

  “Never know until you try,” Logan repeated, completely oblivious to the fact that we were talking about his sister. “And if she’s not it, maybe the next girl you take home will be.”

  That thought left a bad taste in my mouth. The next girl. I didn’t even want to think about another woman. It had been that way for a while now, even before Hannah and I had hooked up. I’d been tired of the whole scene and hadn’t met anyone that captured my interest the way Hannah did.

  “Whatever,” I said, brushing him off. “We’re not here to talk about my problems. How you feeling?”

  Logan’s smile faded. “I dunno. I know you’re right, but I’m still feeling a bit antsy. I think the stress of it all is weighing on me a bit. Melody is hormonal, and I want to support her, but doing so while planning a wedding too? It’s a bit much.”

  “I know what you need,” I said, slamming my hands down on the table. “You need a guy’s night out.”

  “What do you have in mind?” Logan asked, cocking an eyebrow. “Because Melody wouldn’t be comfortable with strippers or--”

  “No, nothing that would piss your pregnant fiancee off, I promise,” I said. A strip club didn’t sound appealing to me anyway. What is happening to me, I wondered. “Just a couple of guys, some drinks. Something lowkey and relaxing.”

  Ooo000ooo

  It was a Sunday night, but a few of the guys came out. Finn and Jax, of course, but neither could stay out too late since they had families now. Soon, it would be the same for Logan as well. It was a school night, and while none of us had to work until Monday evening, they had kids to put to bed and wives who were expecting them home to help with preparing for the week ahead.

  I had no idea what that was like, having always been on my own. No one to answer to. It was freeing, but just like I’d told Logan earlier in the day, it was also pretty fucking lonely. Especially as everyone else went home, often leaving me at the bar to entertain myself or find someone to take home for the night.

  Jax was already looking a little tired as we gathered at the bar. He apologized in advance. “The baby’s sick, I haven’t been getting much sleep.”

  Finn offered him a sympathetic pat on the back. “I feel ya, brother,” he said. “Ollie had a stomach bug a few days ago, and I thought it would never end. Then Chelsea came down with it too.”

  “That’s the worst,” Jax sympathized. “When everyone in the house gets sick at the same time, and there’s just non-stop vomiting at all hours of the day and night.”

  “Yeah, somehow I lucked out - so far,” Finn said with a shrug.

  Logan stared at his friends, speechless and a little green in the face. He drank his beer in silence, looking practically terrified. I knew I had to change the subject; this was the last thing he needed. Thankfully, I didn’t have to do a thing.

  A group of women sidled up beside us at the bar. I hadn’t noticed them at first. Finn pointed them out to me. Leaning close, he said, “The brunette seems to be checking you out.”

  I glanced up and met the eyes of a stunning woman with cascading curls of chocolate brown hair and the most vivid green eyes I’d ever seen. She was in a black leather skirt and a red top that clung to her large breasts, showing off a perfect hourglass figure. The old me would have gone gaga over someone like that, but instead, I looked her over and shrugged.

  “Not my type.”

  Finn looked absolutely shocked. “What do you mean she’s not your type?” he asked. “She’s exactly the type you usually go for.”

  I looked up again, and the woman smiled at me, running a hand through her soft curls. Her lips were painted as red as her shirt, her eyes dark and smokey.

  “She’s wearing too much makeup for me,” I commented. In the past, it wouldn’t have mattered. It wouldn’t have mattered at all, but this time, it was the perfect excuse.

  Logan was checking her out as well and whistled quietly. “Dude, something must be wrong with you because she’s fine as hell.”

  I sipped my beer, no longer bothering to check the woman out. She was beautiful, sure, but all I could think about was Hannah’s delicate, sweet face, and her pink lips. She didn’t need an ounce of makeup to look perfect.

  This woman simply didn’t add up, and that was purely on looks alone. I didn’t have to talk to the woman to know she was no Hannah. Because no one was like Hannah, and I couldn’t get her out of my head.

  Was I falling for her?

  Nah, I told myself. This woman just doesn’t do it for me, for whatever reason. Once you’ve tasted caviar, it’s impossible to enjoy anything less.

  “Something wrong, bud?” Jax asked, reaching over and feeling my forehead. “Are you feeling alright?”

  “I’m fine,” I said, pulling away from him. “I’m just not in the mood to hook up with anyone tonight.”

  Logan shot me a knowing grin. “It’s because of the girl you were with last night, isn’t it?”

  I shrugged. “Not at all. I just wanted tonight to be all about us guys.”

  “Sure,” Logan said, patting me on the back and flagging down the bartender to order another round. “Keep telling yourself that, Justin.”

  Hannah

  I hadn’t spoken to Justin at all leading up to the party. He sent me the list of questions he’d chosen, like he’d promised, but that was it. He hadn’t reached out to me either, except regarding the trivia night. Neither one of us mentioned what had happened, and as I walked into the bar, I did everything I could to avoid the subject entirely.

  We had one goal for the night, and that was my focus. We’d give Melody and Logan the best damn bachelor/bachelorette party possible. And with the wedding the next day, my time spent working with Justin was winding down. Soon, I wouldn’t have to spend any time with him, if I didn’t want to.

  That thought hurt more than it should. It was a sign that I’d already spent way too much time with him as it was. I was getting too close for my own good.

  The back room of the bar was mostly set up when I arrived. We didn’t require much in the way of decorations - just the typical trivia night set up, which Mario had loaned to us for the night. There was a scoreboard that lit up every time someone got a right answer, and a whiteboard at each table for the teams to write down their answers. It was fairly straight forward.

  Justin was up on the small stage working with the audio equipment. He hadn’t seen me come in, or if he had, pretended that he hadn’t.

  I walked over to the stage and cleared my throat. “Hey,” I said awkwardly.

  He removed the headphones and looked at me, a half-grin on his face. “Hey,” he replied.

  “So you got here early to set up?”

  He shrugged. “Yeah, I had the time, figured why not?”

  “Thanks,” I said, feeling relieved that there was very little for us to do. I’d spent the day running errands for Elizabeth and had been up since six in the morning. I was tired and my brain was fried.

  I stepped up on the stage and watched Justin work on the equipment. He spoke into the microphone, “Testing, testing.”

  “Seems like everything works perfectly,” I said. “Thanks to you.”

  He shrugged again. “Mario
had it set up, for the most part. I’m just double checking everything before it begins.”

  There was an awkward silence between us, and I couldn’t take it anymore. “Justin, listen, about last weekend--”

  “It’s okay, Hannah,” he said with a sigh. He put the headphones and mic down, turning to me with a smile. “We’re good.”

  My heart leaped into my throat when he smiled at me. God, I was in big trouble. “Are we though?” I asked, still feeling like there was a huge distance between us.

  “Yeah, we’re fine,” he assured me. “You just need to lighten up a bit. Get yourself a drink from the bar. Everyone will be arriving soon.”

  He turned back to the equipment, and as I walked to the bar, I could hear him singing Bohemian Rhapsody badly and off-tune. I turned on my heels, laughing, and caught him smiling at me from the stage.

  He spoke into the mic, “Tonight is about having fun, Hannah. Don’t let anything get in the way of that, got it?”

  “Got it,” I responded, not sure if he could even hear me.

  We smiled at each other for a long time until I heard familiar voices behind me.

  Melody rushed over to me, wrapping her arms around me. “Hannah! I’m so excited! We’re going to kick the boys’ butts tonight!”

  I loved seeing my best friend so happy. It made everything worth it. Izzy was behind her, and even further behind the two of them was Cassie, who looked as petulant as ever.

  “I was just getting ready to grab a drink,” I said. “Would you like one?”

  Mario had agreed to the signature cocktails, including a non-alcoholic version for Melody. It was mainly just fruit juice and sparkling soda for her, but it still sounded yummy.

  “Of course!” Melody said, literally bouncing on her heels.

  “I’ll take one too,” Izzy said with a grin. She’d just turned twenty-one in the last few months, but it was hard to believe she was of drinking age.

  “Cassie, how about you?” I asked.

  She frowned. “I’ll just take a water.”

  “Alright then,” I said, clasping my hands together. “Why don’t the three of you go in and get seated. I’ll bring the drinks over to you.”