From The Inferno (Firemen Do It Better Book 3)

by Leah Sharelle

  “Oh yes, it is lovely—now, that is. When I first took it over after my parents died, it wasn’t this good. But with long hours and hard work plus the love of my hunky hose man, I managed to turn a profit and build it to what it is today.”

  “I’m sorry, hunky hose man?” What on earth was she talking about?

  Lake swung her son to her other hip, eliciting another string of cute giggles from him.

  Pointing her finger towards the window behind me, she nodded. “See the fire station over the road there?”

  I turned my head and saw a relatively new looking building across the street.

  “My husband is the station officer there. My hunky hose man and I met right here in this café when he came across to get some food for a meeting. It was love at first sight, and despite a few bumps along the way, we got married and had our first child just over a year ago now,” Lake explained, taking a seat next to me with a sigh of relief.

  “Bay is only one! My goodness, I don’t know much about kids, but he looks a lot older than that,” I spewed out before I could stop myself. “Oh God, that was so rude. Please forgive me,” I said, shocked at myself.

  “Oh, nonsense. Everyone who knows us says the same thing. Yes, he is only one—a few weeks ago, actually. Yesterday, we discovered we are having another baby. Carson, my husband, is overjoyed at the prospect of another child. So am I, but to be perfectly honest with you, I am a tad worried that I will give birth to another giant. I am hoping for a tiny little six pounder, and maybe a girl this time. You know, even out the girls to the boys in the house. Right now, it’s my sister and me versus Carson, River, Bay, and Carson’s son, Dom. We might still be outnumbered, but one more might help.”

  “I see you are looking for some help. What requirements do you have for a work—” My next words were cut off by a deep voice.

  “Sprite, why are you holding Bay? How many times do I have to tell you he is too heavy for you.”

  I turned in the direction of the voice and nearly choked. Standing in the doorway were three very large men dressed in dark navy pants and shirts, the sleeves of which were rolled up over three pairs of huge muscular arms.

  The one who spoke—Carson, I think she said looked older than the other two, judging by the grey hair at his temples, not that it deterred from his looks at all. No wonder Lake called him her hunky hose man. I couldn’t help but notice as he came closer to take Bay from his wife’s arms that he was very handsome. I giggled when she sighed and shook her arm. The baby certainly was big.

  One of the other men, who was massive with tattoos on his bulging arms and sporting a mohawk, was deliciously good looking if not a little smug about it, but the wedding band on his ring finger told me he was already snapped up. Lucky woman.

  I was about to look away when the last man, who was standing behind the tattooed behemoth, walked around him and into my line of sight. It was at that moment I swore I really did swallow my tongue.

  He looked to be about in his early to mid-thirties although I was never good at judging the age of a person so I could have been wrong. But it was his eyes and gorgeous face that held me captive. The brightest eyes glistened back at me, a colour so blue they resembled the waters of a lagoon I once saw in Florida. He had a chin that was strong and chiselled, a straight nose, and dark blond hair that was longer on the top and shaved on the sides. But it was his body that made my mouth go suddenly dry. Not that his looks weren’t drool-worthy, because they were, but damn, the way his wide shoulders and upper chest tapered into his waist… The tight shirt he wore didn’t hide his shredded physique in any way, the material clinging to every muscle, dip, and curve of his washboard abs. The rolled sleeves strained against his biceps, giving me plenty of visionary material for later on when I was alone. Because if I had one weakness, it was a man’s arms.

  Oh, and hands. Letting my eyes travel down his arms, I nearly orgasmed right there in the seat. Squeezing my legs together, I swallowed the hum of appreciation for them. Strong and large with long fingers, they had everything I dreamed about. And dreams were all I had because, at twenty-five, I was still a virgin. Being busy with training hadn’t left me time for romance. Most of the time, I was too tired to go out with the other players on the circuit, and Colin never liked me fraternising with what he called the enemy.

  Now, however, I wished I had experience in the ways of being a woman because the man standing before me, his blue eyes narrowing in on me, looked like he was used to an experienced woman. Not a clueless virgin on the run from possible murder or, at the very least, assault with a deadly weapon and fleeing the scene of a crime charges.

  No matter how good looking this man was or that I nearly orgasmed from staring at his hands, getting involved with anyone was not a good idea, especially not someone who had a job that intersected with the law.

  Letting my eyes slide down his body one last time, I felt my cheeks heat when he caught me eyeing him.

  Oh, shit! Busted.

  But when a lazy, cocky grin graced his sublime lips… Yeah, not good.

  4

  Holy fucking hell!

  One look at the woman sitting in Lake’s café knocked the very breath out of me.

  The woman in front of me, now giving me her back, was the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes on. Even seated, I could see that her legs were toned and long, the denim jeans that looked painted on only highlighting her perfectly muscular limbs—I estimated her height to be close to five-eight or five-nine. Her simple aqua V-necked tee did nothing to hide the perfection of her body or her cleavage. The material stretched across her chest, the deep neckline giving me a hint of the two plump globes.

  I had the sudden urge to palm my thickening dick, which was up and happy—something he hadn’t been for a very long while.

  I hadn’t missed the way the leggy beauty ran her green eyes up and down my body or the way her teeth bit into her bottom lip as those tawny orbs roamed my hands and arms.

  So she is into arms. Hey, good thing I am into working on mine in the gym. Maybe I should up my work-out routine, I mused, enjoying the fact my body did something for her.

  The only thing off about her, which was just a small thing, was her hair.

  The long thick locks fell well below the small of her back, and I couldn’t help wondering what it would feel like to comb my fingers through it or fist it while I took her from behind. Arrghh focus dickhead, use the other head, not your dick.

  The thing with her hair, the colour didn’t suit her complexion. Don’t get me wrong, she was stunningly gorgeous, but her paler eyebrows belied her hair colour, telling me it wasn’t natural. I guessed she was a natural blonde, but I wasn’t complaining.

  No siree, not me.

  An elbow connected hard with my gut, knocking the wind from me literally.

  “Fuck, Hoove. Watch what you are doing with that tree trunk arm of yours,” I growled, rubbing my stomach.

  “Chase Brennan, watch your mouth. Bay already says three bad words, and I don’t want the worst one of them all added to the list. God knows I am losing the battle with Carson, River, and Dom teaching him things he shouldn’t be learning,” Lake reprimanded me, but her scowl was on her husband.

  Carson was doing his best to look contrite, but the proud glint in his eye gave himself away. Baby Bay was no doubt the cutest not so little monster out there. He was the spit out of his daddy’s mouth, and I didn’t doubt that with the help of his brother and uncle, he was going to grow up to be nothing but trouble.

  “Sorry, Lakey. So who is your friend?” I asked, nodding to the stunner who was doing her best to ignore me. I would be convinced she wasn’t affected by me if it weren’t for the way she was rubbing those sexy legs together.

  Fuck, what I wouldn’t give to have those sexy thighs wrapped around my ears.

  “Oh, sorry, fellas. This is— I’m sorry, I was so busy telling you my life story I didn’t even ask your name,” Lake said to her new friend.

 
I braced myself as she turned in her seat again, this time facing Lake, giving a view of her profile. Classic beauty was the first thing that came to mind when I looked at her slender throat. Her hair was pushed behind the ear facing me, and I noticed she had four small diamond studs trailing down her ear to her lobe.

  A teenage rebellion she kept, perhaps? I thought, interested in finding out as much about her than I ever had with anyone.

  “Um, my name is Jamie… Barstow,” she offered in a husky voice that sent shivers up my spine.

  The way she said her first name felt right, but the way she introduced her last name? Nah, something definitely wasn’t right here. She almost stumbled over the name like it took an effort to say it. As if it were foreign to her and didn’t flow off her tongue.

  Her tongue… Goddamn, Chase. Get your fucking head out of your pants.

  Jamie, though, did sound perfect. Jamie and Chase. It had a good ring to it.

  Whoa there, buddy. Rein it back a bit. This chick is obviously hiding from something or someone, and the last thing you need or want is the drama of another man. Been there, done that, got the tee to prove it, I chastised myself. The last bit had quickly become my mantra over the years since Melly and Prue. Drama was not my thing, and the one time it intruded on my life was more than enough, thank you very much.

  “Jamie. What a pretty name. Okay, well, Jamie, this is my husband, Carson. The big bloke with the funny hair is Dylan, but the guys call him Hoove. If you ever see him eat my cupcakes, you will know why. And the one he hit, nearly damaging an organ, is Chase. And FYI, Dylan is married and about to become a dad, but Chase is very single and very available.”

  I dropped my face into my hands and groaned at Lake and her inability to be subtle. She had a thing about me wasting my life away alone on my farm with my horses and dogs. And up until five minutes ago, I was happy to do exactly that. Looking through my fingers, I smiled when I saw a red stain on Jamie’s cheeks, her eyes on me until she saw me looking at her and quickly diverted her gaze back to Lake and Carson.

  Definitely interested.

  “Subtle, Sprite. Hey, nice to meet you, Jamie. I haven’t seen you around these parts before. New to town or just passing through,” Carson said in his friendly, welcoming way, which was one of the many reasons he did most of the public speaking for the station. If it were left up to Hoove or me, all the people would hear was lots of smugness from Dylan or growls and grunts from me.

  I found myself holding my breath as I waited for Jamie to answer Hoge’s question.

  Please say you are staying. Please say you are staying, I chanted in my head.

  “I had hoped to stay here—for a while at least. First, I need to find a job and a house or flat to rent,” Jamie said, making me internally fist bump whoever was up there on my side. I liked to think it was Prue making sure her old man got his wish and maybe even the pretty girl.

  The smile was quickly wiped off my face when Lake started jumping up and down, her hands clapping together. Oh, shit. Here she goes.

  “Oh, we can help you with both of those things. I have a job going here at the café, and in about ten minutes, old Mr Masters and his carer will be in for his morning coffee and vanilla slice. He has a place for rent not far from where Carson and I live, isn’t that right, Chase?”

  “Ah, yes?” I answered, sounding more like a moron than a seasoned firefighter and grown man. Glaring at Lake, I mentally tried to send her a telepathic message along the lines of What did I ever do to you? Sure, I was attracted to Jamie, extremely so, but she was giving me a go slow and be careful vibe. She had a deer in headlights look about her, and Lake railroading her no doubt doubled it.

  Whether I was ready for a relationship was yet to be seen, but some very satisfying sex with the auburn beauty would be most welcome.

  “That chick was a real looker, don’t you think, Hoges?” Hoove said for what seemed like the hundredth time since we arrived back at the station, our arms loaded down with lunch from Lake’s shop. I tried to tune out the tattooed idiot and concentrate on enjoying my pastie, but he was making it mighty hard mentioning Jamie every thirty seconds.

  “What do you think, Chase?”

  “Hmmm,” I murmured around a mouthful of vegetables and pastry.

  “I’d be careful if I were you, Hoove. I can see Chase’s jaw starting to tick. The last time you made that happen, he decked you,” Carson said with a laugh, making me grunt in agreement.

  “Lucky punch, I say,” Hoove grumbled around the whole cupcake he had shoved in his huge trap.

  Fuck! Even with a mouthful, he could still talk and annoy me.

  It hadn’t been a lucky punch. Out of the three of us, Hoove was most certainly the biggest in stature and muscle mass, but I was the one with the best fighting skills, thanks to Jason and his interfering. After Prue died, I went a little—a lot off the rails. I drank whenever I wasn’t at work, got into pub fights, and basically stopped giving a shit. One night, after a particularly heavy bender on Jack Daniels, Jason arrested me. He threw me in the lockup for the whole weekend, and when he released me after two days of drying out, he took me to a gym, made me put on some boxing gloves, and proceeded to beat the shit out of me.

  Fighting in a pub was nothing like getting in the ring, and where I thought I had skills, I really had nothing at all. Jason taught me to channel all my aggression in a more positive way, and fighting without being intoxicated proved to be more appealing to me. It wasn’t long before he introduced me to his brother’s friends. I already knew Deck, who had a love-hate relationship with Jason back then, which hadn’t changed, but they respected one another. I was accepted by the men, all six of them, seven if you included Jason, beat me to a bloody pulp. After that day, I learned everything I knew about boxing from the soldiers, as they had been back then.

  I made friends with each and every one of them. Darth—the biggest of the men—and I became pretty tight mates. He helped me hone my skills, and once they got out of the army and settled back here and formed their motorcycle club, the Wounded Souls, he sold me one of his older Harleys. When he died a few years back, it hit the club very hard. An ex-soldier terrorised the club, and in the process of protecting Deck’s little daughter, Darth had been killed. I still joined them on rides on the bike I purchased from the big man and spent some time at their clubhouse. They were a great bunch of blokes. Their MC was on the up and up and owned many businesses around the town.

  Shoving the last of my lunch into my mouth, I rose from the table.

  “It wasn’t a lucky punch, and you know it, Hoove. Keep pushing me, and I will prove it to you again,” I warned him.

  “Tate will have your balls if I have to meet our kid for the first time with a bruise on my pretty face,” he called out to me as I made my way to the kitchen sink to deposit my plate.

  “Tate will have your balls if she finds out you called another woman a looker,” I pointed out, enjoying the shocked expression on his face.

  “You wouldn’t dare.”

  “Try me, mate.” I nodded at him and Carson, then walked out of the day room to the stairs that led to the bedrooms.

  I had an hour of downtime before I needed to get some jobs done in the garage, and I could get a decent sleep in if no alarms went off. Hopefully, a dream with a sexy leggy auburn -haired beauty might be on the cards.

  The smoke billowing out of the building blanketed the area as we pulled up to the scene. For three days, we had not been called out to a fire, and today, we had two calls within hours of each other, something I did not find amusing as I had been in the middle of a great dream about the leggy stunner I met today at the café when the first call came in.

  The structure was well and truly alight as thick, black smoke poured out of the shattered windows of the old industrial structure that had been empty since I was a teenager. Once upon a time, it had been a meeting place for the local teens to hang around and make out with their significant others. Carson, Hoove, and I included. Mel
ly and I spent many a Friday night making out in the old warehouse.

  Today, it was off limits with a huge chain link fence around it, keeping trespassers and teens from using it. Obviously not everyone got the memo the place was a no-go zone.

  “Looks like some toxic smoke boys. Gas masks are compulsory. Knox, you work the pump, and don’t fuck up this time,” Hoove called out before jumping out of the truck, his mask the last thing to go on as he hit the ground.

  “Fuck, I hate toxic smoke. Makes me stink for fucking days,” I grumbled, donning my breathing apparatus.

  “At least you don’t have a wife that complains about it. Lake makes me wash in her body soap when I get home from jobs like this,” Carson admitted with a snort of disgust. “Fucking hate smelling like lavender and whatever the hell sandalwood is.”

  Laughing, I had to agree with him. Smelling like flowers did not sound like a good thing.

  “Knox, pay attention to my signals, keep the water coming, and don’t let it run out. The pumper is right behind us. Keep an eye on the levels, and fill up before the tank empties, got it?” I said to the recruit, who looked pale as a sheet as he took in the scene around us. Cops, ambulances, and fire trucks littered the old parking area, the noises of different sirens almost deafening.

  “Knox, are you paying attention? This is serious, bud. We need to know you have our backs. Once we get in there, it’s your job to keep us fighting the fire.”

  Being a qualified firefighter, I had just as much leadership of the recruit as Hoove and Carson, though it was Carson who dealt with him most of the time. I had very little patience for the little twerp, and Hoove had none at all.

  Why Knox chose this as a possible profession completely baffled me. He sucked at drills, was horrible with maintenance, and every time we pulled up to a fire, he looked like he wanted to hurl.

  My patience was running very thin with the kid. I wanted Percy back on our team, but he transferred over to the pumper truck a while back and seemed to be enjoying his new job.