by Opal Carew
At their polite nods, he grabbed the thermos jug on the table and filled two empty mugs, then handed one to Cassie and one to Rikki.
Rikki added some cream from the little metal jug on the table and added a pouch of sugar. Through the glass window looking into the rest of the firehouse, she could see the big strapping men moving around, sending her the occasional curious glances. She wondered what they thought of her. Her stomach quivered. She wondered how she’d handle watching them strip off their shirts, revealing their muscular bodies, then trying to direct these huge, authoritative figures as she shot the photos.
The thought reminded her of Simon this morning when she’d seen him without his shirt, his muscular chest so sinfully masculine. Knocking her totally off balance.
A knock sounded at the door.
“Come in,” the chief called.
The door opened and two men stepped inside.
Rikki’s eyes widened and her heart stammered.
Oh, God. It couldn’t be.
Chapter Four
Carter and Simon had gotten a call this morning asking if they’d come into the firehouse to meet the photographer who’d be working on the calendar. Carter didn’t mind stopping in on his day off, especially for this project, which he thought would be a lot of fun … and would raise money for some worthwhile causes around the neighborhood.
He might have resented being called in if Rikki hadn’t been called away, too. He wouldn’t have minded trying to convince her to move forward from where they’d left things at the bar. The thought of those tiny crotchless panties in her purse still had him hot and throbbing.
But they’d dropped her off to meet her friend and then driven here. They’d spent a few minutes chatting to a couple of the other men in the parking lot before they came in.
When they walked into the chief’s office, he saw that the chief was sitting at the table with two women. He knew Cassie already and sent her a smile. Then his gaze fell on the other woman.
As soon as he saw her auburn hair and lovely heart-shaped face, his lips turned up in a broader smile.
It was Rikki.
Her eyes widened when she saw them, then turned glacial as she dropped her gaze to her coffee. The same look he’d seen her give the men who’d approached her table at Rango’s to send them away.
What the fuck?
“Rikki,” the chief said, “this is Lieutenant Simon Davies and Lieutenant Carter Fenn.”
“Actually, we’ve already met,” Simon said. “Hi, Rikki.”
Cassie nudged Rikki and she tipped her face up again.
“Yes, hi.”
Carter sat in the chair beside Rikki and Simon at the next chair, which was at the end of the table, across from the chief.
The chief recapped the plan they’d already discussed about the photographer—Rikki—joining them for their shift tomorrow and showing her around.
“Whatever access you need to the men and the firehouse and equipment, just let me know and we’ll make it work.”
“Thank you, Chief. We appreciate that,” Cassie said.
“Yes. Thank you, Chief,” Rikki added.
Carter watched her, wondering why she was so subdued. And why she refused to make eye contact with them. Was she afraid they’d embarrass her because of last night? Did she think they’d brag to their buddies about how they’d taken her home? Insinuating they’d fucked her?
“Okay, I’ve got to get back to work,” the chief said. “Why don’t you two take the ladies to lunch and discuss what Rikki has in mind? You might want to brainstorm with some ideas of your own, too. Now’s the time.” The chief stood up and the others followed his lead.
“Cassie, why don’t you and Rikki come in our car?” Simon suggested.
Cassie smiled. “That would be lovely. Thanks.” Cassie grabbed Rikki’s arm and led her after them.
“Knightley’s?” Carter suggested.
“Perfect,” Cassie answered.
When they got to the car, Carter opened the back door and Cassie got in while Rikki got in the other door that Simon had opened for her, mumbling her thanks. Simon sent him a questioning stare over the roof of the car as they closed the doors, clearly as perplexed by Rikki’s cold shoulder as Carter was.
* * *
Rikki tried to avoid Cassie’s inquiring glance as the men got into the car. They drove to the restaurant and as soon as they were at the table, Cassie grabbed her arm.
“Let’s go to the ladies’ room,” Cassie said. “Guys, could you order us a couple of diet colas?”
As soon as Cassie ushered Rikki into the bathroom, Cassie turned to her.
“I didn’t know it was Simon and Carter you were with last night.”
If Cassie hadn’t been able to tell by her reaction in the chief’s office, she would have figured it out when they got into the same car she’d seen Rikki get out of at the Starbucks.
“So what gives?” Cassie asked. “You said you’d like to see where things go with them, but now you’re treating them like you’re the ice queen.”
“Why does everyone keep saying that?” Rikki asked. “I’m just not being overly friendly.”
“Rikki, you look like you’re a porcupine with icicle quills. But whatever. Why are you freezing them out?”
Rikki frowned. “You know why. Because they’re firefighters.”
“You don’t have to marry them. Just open up a little more. Get to know them. See where it leads.”
Rikki shook her head. “I don’t think I can. I…” She shrugged. “I don’t think I can just have a casual relationship of any kind with them. I think … I mean, if I do, I might…”
“You might what?”
Rikki sighed.
“When I met them … I got a feeling about them.”
“What kind of feeling?”
Rikki shifted. “The same kind of feeling I had with Jesse when I met him.”
“Oh, honey…” Cassie pulled her into a hug and stroked her hair. When she pulled back, she smiled. “Maybe you think it’s the same feeling because … well, because you’re really hot for these guys and your subconscious is trying to push you past your block against being with a firefighter.”
“And getting hurt.”
“Did you actually get this feeling for both of them?”
Rikki nodded.
“Well, there, you see? That doesn’t make sense. You’re not going to fall in love with two men at the same time. So my advice is that you hang out”—she winked—”with both of them, and see what happens. And if you’re always with both of them, you won’t make a really deep connection with either of them.”
Rikki’s heart clenched, remembering the pain of losing Jesse. Remembering the strength of the feeling she’d had when she saw Simon and Carter.
“I don’t think so,” Rikki said.
* * *
When Rikki and Cassie got back to the table, the guys already had the drinks. Seconds after they sat down to look at the menus, the waitress brought a plate of nachos.
After they ordered, the four of them talked about the calendar shoot. Rikki said she’d bring her equipment the next day and set up in the firehouse. She’d take some sample pictures in various locations to see what worked best with lighting and background. She asked if there was a space she could set up her computer for reviewing photos and Simon told her they could provide her with some desk space.
After lunch, she pulled out her tablet and showed them some research she’d done—other calendars of firefighters—and asked what kind of thing they were going for. Some had flames Photoshopped into the images, blazing around the men, or behind them. Some had the firefighters posing with equipment or ladders. Most had the men in their thick uniform pants with suspenders over their bare chests.
“I think we should go sexier,” Cassie said, as she swiped through the photos. “Maybe ditch the big pants and suspenders and have them in tight shorts or maybe just boxers, holding their hats or hoses.” She chuckled to herself. “
Their fire hoses of course.”
Carter’s eyebrow shot up. “You want us to be boy toys?”
“Well, yeah,” Cassie shot back with a grin. “That’s why women are buying these calendars. Sex sells, right? So let’s make them as sexy as possible. All the profits go to charity, so let’s try to make this as sellable as we can.”
“What do you think, Rikki?” Simon asked, his gaze locking on her in a most disturbing fashion.
She shifted on the wooden bench. “I … uh … yeah, well, Cassie knows more about marketing than I do.”
“So you think we should strip down to our boxers for you.” Carter winked. “I mean … for the calendar.”
She felt her cheeks flush.
“That would be great for the romance cover shots, too,” Cassie said. “You can really push the limits with those ones.” She grinned. “The sexier the better.”
“Are you suggesting we pose naked?” Simon asked, a glint in his eye. “I mean, not that I’d mind posing that way for you, Rikki. I just don’t know about having a naked photo of me going public.”
Cassie grinned. “I’m sure Rikki will ensure it’s tastefully cropped.”
“I think Rikki could take a few with just Simon and me,” Carter suggested. “Just so we can see how she handles it.”
“Handles what?” Cassie asked with an innocent look on her face.
Oh, God. Rikki’s cheeks flushed even hotter, and she jabbed Cassie in the ribs.
Startled, Cassie glanced her way and at the sharp gaze Rikki sent her, Cassie looked abashed.
“Uh, sorry, Rikki. Guys, I shouldn’t have been kidding around like that. I’m embarrassing Rikki.”
Simon’s somber gaze shifted to hers. “Sorry if our kidding embarrassed you, Rikki. No one’s going to push anything you’re uncomfortable with.”
Staring into his reassuring blue eyes, she knew he meant more than the types of pictures they were talking about.
She nodded. “Thank you.”
“And if any of the guys get rowdy or do something they don’t realize is making you uncomfortable, just let Carter or me know. Okay?”
She stared down at her empty plate and nodded.
Damn, why did he have to be so nice? The way he was being protective of her made her heart swell and her body quiver.
She wanted to be in his arms.
But she couldn’t let that happen.
* * *
To Rikki lunch seemed interminable. Finally, the bill came and she finished her last sip of coffee as Simon paid for all of them.
Cassie glanced at her watch. “Oh, crap. I didn’t realize it was so late. I have to meet a client in fifteen minutes. Simon, do you think you could drive Rikki home after you drop me off?”
“Our pleasure,” Simon answered.
Rikki sent Cassie a sharp glance.
“Sorry, hon. But I know Simon and Carter will take good care of you.”
Rikki bit back the response she was going to make, that she could just walk home. Or Uber.
But she realized she needed to face them alone sometime. It wasn’t fair to just turn off her plans to see them again with no explanation.
They walked to the car and Simon got in the driver’s seat. Ten minutes later he let Cassie out at the parking lot behind the Starbucks near the firehouse. As soon as they pulled away from the curb, Carter turned to her in the backseat.
“You were surprised to see us at the firehouse this morning.”
She glanced down at her hands. “That’s true.”
“You seemed really uncomfortable. If you don’t want the other guys to know what’s going on between us, we won’t tell them.”
If the other firefighters knew she was having hot sex with both these men—which is probably where things would have gone—she would be embarrassed. But that wasn’t going to happen now.
She held her silence and Carter frowned.
“Is there something else wrong?” he asked.
She pursed her lips. “Yes, but…” She drew in a breath. She didn’t want to talk about it in a quick conversation in the car. They deserved better than that. “Look, when we get to my place, why don’t you come in for a coffee?”
When they pulled into the parking space in front of the townhouse, Carter got out and opened her door. They went inside and she kicked off her shoes.
“Are your roommates here?” Simon asked.
He and Carter filled the small entryway with their tall, broad-shouldered frames.
“They’re all at work.”
Simon smiled and glided his hands over her shoulders, then drew her to him. As his lips moved to hers for a kiss, she ducked away, slipping from his embrace.
She led them into the kitchen, then put on a pot of coffee. They all sat on the stools at the counter.
“I know we really hit it off last night and we clearly share a mutual attraction…” She frowned. She didn’t want to have this conversation. The pain was already gripping her heart.
“You’re not going to tell us you don’t want to pursue that attraction, are you?” Simon said. “We have a real chemistry. It would be a shame not to see where it might lead.”
She shook her head. “That’s the thing. I don’t want it to lead anywhere.”
“Is it because of the idea of having a threesome?” Simon asked. “Because if that’s it, we can back off on that.”
“That’s not it. I mean, it’s not like I’ve ever done something like that before, but I’m equally attracted to both of you. And the thought of…” Goose bumps quivered up her arms. “Well, it would be very exciting. But that’s not it.”
She poured three cups of coffee and placed one in front of each of them, then sipped her own.
“This isn’t easy to say, but the reason I don’t want to be with you is … because you’re firefighters.” She gazed at them, praying for them to understand. “It’s not that I don’t respect what you do. I think it’s noble and very courageous. I admire you for it.”
She stared down at her cup.
“But…”
She sucked in a trembling breath, feeling her emotions get the better of her.
* * *
Simon could see the anxiety and sadness in Rikki’s eyes. He and Carter exchanged a glance.
“Tell us, Rikki,” Carter prompted when she continued to hesitate.
“I dated a firefighter a long time ago.”
“Did he break your heart?” Carter asked.
She shook her head.
Fuck. Simon knew exactly where this was heading.
“What happened, Rikki?” Simon asked softly.
“He…” But her voice cracked before she got too far and she covered her mouth.
He could see the sheen in her eyes. He stood up and stepped close to her, then drew her into his arms. He could feel the wetness on his shirt as her tears escaped. She sucked in a breath and shook her head, then drew back.
“He died and … I was shattered. He was everything to me. I was really young, but we knew we were meant to be together. We were going to be married. Then…” She gazed up at him, the depth of grief in her eyes so intense it tore at his heart.
He grasped her shoulders, capturing her gaze. “It is a dangerous profession, it’s true. But you can’t live your life in fear.”
“I agree. That’s why I won’t get involved with a firefighter again.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Her gaze dropped and he cupped her chin and tipped it up so she was looking at him again.
“You need to take risks or life isn’t worth living.”
“Spoken like a true firefighter.” Her words were a mere whisper.
His jaw clenched. He’d be damned if he was going to give up on her, despite her fear.
He drew her into his arms again, savoring the sweetness of her soft body against his and captured her lips. She stiffened, her hands flattening against his chest. But as his tongue nudged its way into her mouth, finding the sweetness inside, the press
ure of her palms against him eased and her hands glided to his shoulders. Soon she was clinging to him, her lips moving with his.
Then he drew back, his arms still around her.
“Can you really ignore the heat between us?”
“I have to. For my own sanity.”
But the doubt in her eyes gave him renewed hope.
He sat back down and sipped his coffee, then gazed around.
“You know, after we dropped you off, Carter mentioned that there’ve been problems with these rental properties before.”
“That’s right,” Carter said. “The company that manages them isn’t as diligent as it should be when it comes to fire safety. There’s been at least one fire because of faulty or poorly maintained wiring.”
“Since we’re here,” Simon said, “would you let us check out the smoke alarms?”
“I don’t know.”
“I don’t mean to make trouble for your landlord. We won’t put in an official report or anything,” Simon said. “We just want to make sure you’re safe.”
“I guess that would be all right. As long as you don’t go into my roommates’ bedrooms. It wouldn’t be right to invade their privacy.”
“Can we go into your bedroom?” Carter asked.
Chapter Five
The thought of the wiring being unsafe made Rikki a little nervous.
“Yes, of course.” But then the smile that crept across the men’s faces made her cheeks flush. “Oh, I didn’t mean…”
Simon chuckled. “Yeah, we know.”
“Do you have a stepladder and a screwdriver?” Carter asked as he stood up.
“I’m not sure. We do have a step stool for reaching the top cabinets.” She walked to the window where the plastic step stool sat with a large green spider plant on top of it and moved the plant to the counter. It was just a utility stool with two steps on the side.
“That’ll do,” Carter said as he took it from her and set it under the smoke detector in the kitchen.
She watched as Carter stepped to the top of it and marveled that it could hold his large body. He reached the smoke detector with no problem at all. He fiddled with it, then turned to Simon and shook his head.
