by Opal Carew
She tried to stay out of the way as she moved about to snap photos of the men as they worked, but when they saw her with her camera, they stopped what they were doing and hammed it up for photos, showing off their bulging muscles, lifting their T-shirts to show their hard, well defined six-packs. Each trying to best the others.
She’d never seen so much hard, masculine flesh, and her hormones were kicking her butt and insisting she consider doing something about it. Especially since every time she turned around, either Carter or Simon would be there watching her and smiling. As if knowing that soon enough, her need would become a primal, aching desperation and they would be there for her, ready and willing to fulfill that need.
She walked into the kitchen and Kyle was cooking something in a big pot.
“Smells good,” Rikki said as she breathed in the aroma, her stomach rumbling.
He grinned. “Well, the guys say my soup doesn’t suck.”
“Can I help?” she asked.
“No, thanks. It’s done. I’ll just carry the pot out to the table and then it’s a free-for-all.”
“What about setting the table?”
“Got it,” one of the other men—Daniel, she thought his name was—said as he grabbed a stack of bowls, followed by another man carrying spoons and a stack of glasses through the door to the table.
As if my magic, all the men began arriving at the table and sitting down.
Tanner pulled out a chair for her. “Sit beside me, darlin’.”
She thanked him as she sat down, then he pushed her chair into place. As he pulled out his own chair, though, Carter stepped in and sat in it.
“Thanks, buddy,” Carter said with a grin.
Before Tanner could claim the seat on the other side of her, Simon had already taken his place there.
“So that’s how it is,” Tanner said as he moved to the next chair and sat down.
The men laughed and told stories over lunch. Mostly funny tales about missteps many of them had made, jokes they’d played on each other, or the odd people they encountered. Like the previous week when Kyle had gone barreling into a burning kitchen in a house fire to save an older woman. She didn’t want to leave, so he threw her over his shoulder, but she grabbed a rolling pin from the counter and kept hitting him with it the whole time he carried her out to the ambulance.
“You guys laugh, but I’ve still got bruises,” Kyle grumbled.
As the chuckles rumbled around the table, Simon leaned in and said, “What they didn’t tell you was that Kyle discovered all the woman wanted was to save a small, clay sculpture that her granddaughter had made her. He made a point of finding the treasure on a shelf in the smoke-filled kitchen on his next trip in and returned it to her. Afterward, she baked him a huge batch of cookies in thanks.”
After lunch, Rikki helped clean up the dishes, then went to where she’d left her camera in the living area. Simon and Carter were waiting for her.
“Have you decided where you’re going to do the first photo shoot?” Simon asked.
“I was thinking outside. Maybe with the truck in the background.”
Carter smiled. “Good thing we washed it then.”
“Why don’t we go out there now so you can show us where you want the truck and whatever else we can do to help you get set up?” Simon suggested.
She nodded and led the way. Once outside, she walked to the truck, which was gleaming in the sunlight, and stroked her hand along the side of it. She checked the angle of the sun and glanced around at the available space, then suggested how the vehicle could best be positioned.
“I’ll move it now,” Carter said.
“No, that’s okay,” she said. “I think we can wait until the next shift starts. I’d still like to take some more shots around the firehouse.” Her excuse sounded lame, even to her.
Simon looked thoughtful as he leaned against the truck. “Rikki, are you trying to avoid taking these photos?”
Her stomach tensed. “Uh … why would you think that?”
“Well,” he said, “it seems you’ve taken tons of photos of each of us in every conceivable location. I’m wondering if you’re a bit nervous about having us strip down in front of you, even if only to the waist. I mean, I know you saw us do it out here this morning, but this’ll be more one-on-one.”
Oh, God, was she so easy to read?
Simon moved a little closer. “Is it specifically Carter and me?”
She shook her head.
“Are you uncomfortable that the others might be watching?” Carter asked.
She nodded. “A little.”
“So clearing the area and leaving you with just one man—”
“Will make it worse,” she said, interrupting Simon.
She gazed up at him. She didn’t know how to explain her discomfort without admitting that she was completely inexperienced with men, and that this whole shoot had made her feel like she was in way over her head.
Simon’s gaze locked on her, filled with concern. “You know that no one here would hurt you, right? Or make a move on you if you made it clear you didn’t want him to.”
She nodded, feeling a little silly admitting her nervousness to them.
“And if you’re uncomfortable with the kind of teasing we all did this afternoon,” Carter said, “we’ll let everyone know to lay off.”
She smiled. They were both so sweet to look out for her like this.
“No. It’s okay. I’m just not used to doing something like this … I normally do weddings and prom pictures and maternity shoots. This is just … different for me. I’m not used to directing big authoritative men in uniforms.”
Simon smiled. “We won’t exactly be in uniform.”
She stared up at him solemnly, very aware of his solid chest. His broad shoulders.
His masculine aura.
“Taking the clothes off doesn’t change anything,” she said, almost breathlessly. “The air of authority is a part of you.”
And right now, it was heating her blood and making her want things she shouldn’t want. To be in his arms, pulled tight against his hard chest. To feel Carter move in close behind her, sandwiching her between the heat of their large bodies.
Oh, God, without meaning to she tilted her head up, her lips aching for the feel of Simon’s. Her eyes probably sending a glittering invitation to him. Simon’s eyes flared to life and he seemed to lean closer. Her lips tingled, waiting for the feel of his and her breath held—
The pulsing sound of an alarm startled her.
“Ah fuck.” Simon grasped her arm and planted a quick kiss on her lips, then turned and ran toward the firehouse, Carter right behind him.
Suddenly, men flooded from the doors, pulling on their jackets as they raced to the truck. She hurried out of the way as they leaped onto the vehicle, her heart thumping loudly.
* * *
Rikki paced around the firehouse, her chest tight, the old fear pulsing though her. Finally, she picked up her cell and called Cassie.
“Hey, how you doing? How are those sexy firemen treating you?”
“They’re great. They’re all really nice.”
“What’s wrong, Rikki?” Cassie asked with concern.
Rikki didn’t ask Cassie how she knew. Rikki could tell that her voice was tight with tension.
“They got called out to a fire.”
“They’re firefighters.”
“I know,” Rikki snapped, then drew in a deep breath. “I’m sorry, I…” Her hand covered her mouth, as if that would hold back the panic, or the sobs that threatened. “I just … can’t stop thinking about that night … with Jesse.”
“I’ll be right over.”
Rikki sank onto the couch. “I don’t want to take you away from work,” she said halfheartedly.
“Don’t worry about it. We can do some planning on how to promote the calendar. Then I will be working.”
Fifteen minutes after hanging up, Cassie walked into the room. She sat down and slid he
r arm around Rikki.
“You know they’ll be fine, right?” Cassie said. “They get these calls every day. Several times a day.”
Rikki shook her head. “Jesse wasn’t fine. He went out that day, just like he did every other day, but that day…” She blinked back tears. “That day, he didn’t come back.”
Cassie’s hand slid on top of Rikki’s and closed around it.
“They’ll come back. All of them.”
They had to come back. Rikki couldn’t stand the thought of Simon or Carter being hurt or … Her chest tightened.
She didn’t want any of them to get hurt.
“Did I ever tell you I was at the firehouse that day … when they got the call?”
“No, you didn’t,” Cassie said softly.
Rikki shook her head, swiping her hand over her cheeks and pushing her hair behind her ears, so it wouldn’t be so obvious she was wiping her eyes.
“Yeah. I dropped by to bring him some home-baked cookies and just to see him, you know? Then the call came in.”
Cassie squeezed her hand. But Rikki felt a numbness take over. She felt herself start to tremble.
“Just before he left, he gave me a quick kiss.” Rikki’s gaze landed on Cassie’s. “And then … he was gone.”
This time she couldn’t stop the tears that started to trickle down her face, but she dashed them away as quickly as she could.
When Simon had given her that kiss before they left, it had brought it all back. The alarm sounding. The sense of urgency as the men rushed toward the truck.
The pain.
And now, even thinking about the kiss with Simon—and the fact that seconds before he’d been about to kiss her much more passionately, probably even joined by Carter—filled her with guilt. She’d loved Jesse, yet now she was yearning to let these new men—two of them no less—kiss her. Touch her.
To make love to her.
“Aw, sweetie…” Cassie enveloped her in her arms and Rikki rested her head on her friend’s shoulder as Cassie squeezed her.
After a moment of comfort in Cassie’s embrace, Rikki drew back.
“You know, you never talk about Jesse,” Cassie said. “I wonder if it might help. Not focusing on your loss, but on the good memories. Like how you met. Why don’t you tell me about that?”
Rikki leaned back. “I guess. It happened when I was in a car accident. It was a Saturday night and my dad had loaned me the car to drive to a party. I was on my way home, driving along a quiet side street when I was broadsided. The other driver took off and I was left there all alone.”
“Were you hurt?” Cassie asked.
“Not badly. Just cuts and scrapes, but at the time I was terrified. I could smell gas and all I wanted to do was get out of the car and put some distance between me and the vehicle, but the door wouldn’t open. I was trapped. I tried to call 911, but my cell was out of power.”
Rikki glanced at Cassie.
“That’s when Jesse showed up. He’d been out for a run and he’d heard the crash. He raced up to the car and told me to stay calm. As soon as he arrived I felt better. Safer, you know?”
She hugged her knees to her chest.
“He asked if I was okay, then tried the door, but he couldn’t get it open either. He called in the accident, then stayed with me the whole time. He told me he was a firefighter and that helped calm me down. I knew I was in good hands.”
That and the fact that, even though she was terrified being trapped in the car, the moment she’d seen him, she’d felt that knowing. That he was someone very special.
“After the accident, he checked up on me several times.” She smiled. “I knew it was more than professional courtesy. When we started dating, my dad wasn’t too happy about it.”
“Why is that?” Cassie asked.
Rikki shrugged. “He was older than me. I was barely seventeen and he was twenty-four.”
Cassie laughed. “I can see how your dad wouldn’t be impressed.”
“But Mom was on my side. She understood that Jesse and I were meant to be together.”
She’d told Mom right off about the feeling she’d had when she met him. Mom had been ecstatic. She would have preferred him to be closer to Rikki’s age, but Mom didn’t argue with fate.
Rikki’s chest constricted. But fate had been cruel and had torn them apart in the end. Rikki could feel the tears well in her eyes again and could barely blink them back.
Cassie gave her a quick squeeze. “Okay, honey, what we need to do is get your mind off it.”
Rikki smiled and nodded, wiping her damp eyes. “You’re right.”
Cassie smiled, too. “So how did you like washing the truck this morning with all those hot guys?”
“How did you know about that?”
“Carter told me their plan last night. I suggested the tight bathing suits.” She winked. “To benefit the calendar and our charities of course.”
Rikki grinned. “I’m not sure, but I think I should be mad at you.”
“For what? You should count yourself lucky. I wish I got to see their packages displayed in those tiny little bathing suits.”
“Okay, we’re changing the subject.”
Cassie laughed. “Seriously though, how did the photo shoots go?”
Rikki sighed and explained to her friend how she’d frozen up, finding herself intimidated at the thought of directing such authoritative men, even sans uniforms.
Actually, especially without their uniforms.
It was one thing to know that the uniform was intimidating, but she knew that the men themselves, their very personalities, were strong and confident. Commanding.
She didn’t know how to deal with it.
“Well, then,” Cassie said, patting Rikki’s hand, “I’ll stay and help you get started. As soon as they all come back, we’ll set up outside and start taking sexy pictures of half-naked men.” She grinned. “I’m willing to make the sacrifice for you.”
* * *
It was midafternoon when the men returned. Rikki sighed in relief as they all came into the firehouse unscathed.
“See, I told you,” Cassie whispered to her.
Rikki squeezed her hand. “Thanks for staying with me,” she murmured back.
She glanced up to see Simon watching her as he and Carter walked in the door, sweaty, with streaks of dirt on his face. She knew by the look of concern in his eyes that he could tell she’d been worried.
“Hey, Cassie,” Carter said with a smile as the two men walked toward her and Cassie. “Nice to see you. Keeping Rikki company while we were gone?”
Cassie grinned. “Any excuse to come over and see you boys. So you been out playing pool?”
“I wish,” Carter responded. “It was a restaurant kitchen fire. A lot of damage, but no one was seriously hurt.”
Rikki flinched at the thought that someone was hurt. Was it one of the firefighters? She didn’t know them all yet and wasn’t sure everyone who had left had also come back.
“Who was hurt?” she asked.
“The chef tried to put out the fire himself after he ensured his staff got out safely,” Carter explained, “but it didn’t go so well for him. He got some burns, but he’ll be okay.”
She felt Simon watching her and turned her gaze to him.
“You don’t have to worry about us, you know,” Simon said. “We do this every day.”
“I wasn’t worried,” Rikki said in casual tone.
She stiffened under his penetrating gaze. Then he chuckled.
“I don’t believe that, but at least it tells me one interesting thing.”
“And what’s that?” she asked tightly.
“That you care about us.”
Carter smiled. “I think that means we’ve got a shot with you.”
Her lips turned up in a thin smile. “Maybe like the proverbial snowball.”
As soon as Simon and Carter left to go up the stairs to shower and change, Cassie turned to her.
“Are you
nuts? They’re gorgeous! Yeah, I know they’re firemen and you’ll worry all the time, but life is full of danger and you can’t let it hold you back. People get killed in car accidents every day, but your life wouldn’t be nearly as exciting if you refused to drive anywhere.”
Rikki loved Cassie, but she could be annoyingly persistent. Rikki had heard this speech before.
“Okay, I’m walking away now,” Rikki said.
“Oh, no you aren’t. We’re going to get started on that photo shoot, remember?” Cassie’s face grew serious. “And I have one more thing to say.”
Chapter Seven
“What is it?” Rikki asked, curious at Cassie’s change of tone.
“Look, Rikki. Not everyone finds their true love as quickly as you found Jesse. The likelihood that’ll happen again is slim. You’ll date a few guys—maybe a lot of guys—before you find that special someone again. So why not Simon and Carter? They’re hot. Sexy. And they’re really great guys. They’re perfect to get your feet wet.” She grinned. “And other parts of you, too.”
Rikki’s eyes widened. “Cassie, I can’t believe you said that!”
Cassie laughed. “Yeah, you were thinking it. I’ve seen how you look at them.”
Rikki pursed her lips. “Thanks for caring so much about me. I do appreciate it. But I have to do what feels right for me.”
“Okay. So I’ll keep bugging you and you keep resisting.” Cassie grinned. “Sounds like a plan.”
A few minutes later, the men started coming down the stairs and settling into their tasks again. Tanner gave her a wink as he went by. Simon and Carter were the last to come down.
“We’re all ready for you,” Carter said with a smile.
“Well, I don’t know about that,” Cassie said, eyeing them up and down. “You were probably more ready a few minutes ago, before you put on those shirts.”
“No problem,” Carter said as he pulled off his navy T-shirt.
At the sight of his rock-hard abs, Rikki felt her hormones shooting into overdrive. Then Simon followed suit and she was faced with two broad, sexy chests.
