Christmas Magic on the Mountain

by Melissa McClone

  Zoe pursed her lips. “Promise me you won’t get up again.”

  “Promise.”

  She placed his clothes over a towel rack. “Give me a shout out when you’re ready to get dressed. I’ll leave the door cracked so I can hear you.”

  Remaining seated, Sean washed off. He heard pans bang together in the kitchen. Not wanting to be an even bigger burden, he struggled to change out of his clothes.

  He managed to get his basketball shorts and boxers off, but getting dressed wasn’t so easy. With the boxers tucked inside the shorts, he brought the waistband over his feet, but he couldn’t get his foot through the leg openings.

  He cursed, tried again, swore. His elbow hit something off the counter. The shaving cream can clattered against the floor.

  “Sean?” Zoe called.

  Damn. He was naked. Sean covered his lap with a towel.

  She poked her head into the bathroom. “Are you okay?”

  He pointed to the shaving cream on the floor. “I knocked the can over.”

  Zoe stared at the clothes lying on the floor. “You were trying to get dressed yourself.”

  Looking down, he nodded.

  “This is a two person job.” She kneeled in front of him. Quickly she rolled his shorts and boxers into a roll. “It’s no different than putting on panty hose.”

  “I wouldn’t know.”

  “A good thing you have me then.”

  She was eye level with his knees. As she bent over, he had a perfect view straight down the neckline of her sweater. He could see the V of her breasts, ivory skin, white lace.

  Sweat broke out on his upper lip.

  One leg at a time she brought up the shorts. Her hands brushed his feet. Her hair caressed his leg. “See, this isn’t so bad.”

  Maybe not for her.

  She raised the roll up to his knees. “Almost there.”

  No kidding. Sean swore under his breath. He was getting turned-on. Again. He placed his hands on his lap. “I can take it from here,” he said, desperate for her to leave him alone again.

  “Now the socks,” she said.

  “I don’t wear socks in the house.”

  “Your feet will get cold.”

  “I could slip.”

  “You—”

  A loud squeal sounded. An obnoxious sound that hurt his brain. What the—

  Panic crossed Zoe’s face. “Breakfast.”

  She ran out of the bathroom.

  The smoke detector.

  Oh, hell.

  CHAPTER SIX

  SEAN ripped off the towel, lifted his hips off the seat and tugged up the waistbands of his shorts and boxers. In spite of the blare of the alarm, he heard clanging and doors opening.

  “Ouch,” Zoe cried.

  Clutching the handles, Sean threw the walker in front of him. He stood only to be forced down again by the pain in his leg. He tried again, but this time focused on Zoe. It worked. He stayed on his feet.

  When he reached the doorway, Sean smelled smoke.

  Adrenaline shot through his veins.

  Out of the bathroom, he noticed the front door wide open. He hobbled into the great room. Zoe used a towel to fan the smoke out the back door and windows.

  “Zoe?”

  She looked at him. “I’ve got everything under control.”

  The alarm silenced.

  He made his way across the floor and eased onto the couch before his legs gave out. “What happened?”

  She continued fanning. “Cooking challenged, remember?”

  “Yeah, I remember.” Something smoldered in the kitchen sink. “Is that…breakfast?”

  “It was, but caught fire when I was—”

  “In the bathroom with me.”

  “I’m sorry.” She sounded frustrated. “This really hasn’t been a good morning.”

  “Zoe.”

  Instead of looking at him, she kept waving the towel, trying to clear the smoke.

  “You must be freezing.” She closed the back door. “You need a sweatshirt and a clean blanket—”

  “Zoe,” he repeated. “Slow down. It’s okay.”

  “But it’s not. I should be handling this better. My mother really was right.”

  “About you being impulsive?”

  “And a few other things.”

  “I’m willing to take my chances.”

  “What if the fire had been worse?” Zoe glanced toward the kitchen. “You might not have been able to get out.”

  “It wasn’t that bad.”

  She bit her lip. “This time.”

  Sean hoped it was the last time. He rubbed his aching leg.

  “Oh, no.” She sprinted to the kitchen, filled a glass with water and opened pill containers. “It’s past time for your meds.”

  “I’m fine.”

  She returned to the couch, handed him the water and medicine. “The doctor said you’re supposed to stay ahead of the pain.”

  He swallowed the pills. “How late am I taking the medicine?”

  “Twelve minutes.”

  “No worries.”

  Tears glistened in her eyes. “I really wanted to do well here.”

  Something twisted inside of him at the regret in her voice. He shoved a pillow off the couch. “Sit.”

  She did.

  “It’s okay,” he said.

  “Okay?” She stared at him. “If the rest of the day continues like this morning, you’ll catch pneumonia and be dead by nightfall.”

  “I’ll give Popcorn your regards.”

  Tears fell from the corners of her eyes.

  Damn. He’d wanted to make her smile, not cry.

  Sean wrapped his arm around her. She felt nice and warm against his bare chest. But this was about Zoe, not him. “Don’t worry about it.”

  She sniffled.

  He pulled her closer.

  “It’s your first day. First days are always the hardest.” The scent of grapefruit filled his nostrils. Sean felt dizzy. He wasn’t sure if it was Zoe or the medicine. “Remember what I said about ordering takeout?”

  He felt her nod.

  “We can get breakfast to go.”

  Zoe looked up at him with a confused look in her eyes. “You’re not angry at me?”

  “Not at all.”

  “But so much has gone wrong. You’re supposed to be off your feet, not running around and catching a chill because of me.” The words tumbled from her mouth in a rush. “I’m really not quali—”

  Sean pressed his lips against hers. Zoe stiffened, no doubt as surprised by his kiss as he was. But it was the only way he knew how to stop her from talking and getting more upset.

  He expected her to back away. She didn’t. Instead, Zoe kissed him back. Her soft breasts pressed against him, heating the blood pounding through his veins.

  He moved his lips over hers, tasting and touching and exploring. Something he hadn’t been able to do at the hospital. Something he enjoyed doing now. She fit so nicely against him.

  As Zoe wove her fingers through his hair, she took the kiss deeper.

  Wow. She really was a good kisser.

  A noise sounded. Lots of noise actually, but Sean didn’t want to stop kissing her. He would be happy to spend the rest of the day with her on the couch. “What the…?”

  The sound of a male voice made Sean jerk back from Zoe. He looked over and saw members of the Hood Hamlet Fire Department standing in his kitchen and great room.

  “Looks like the fire’s out,” Bill Paulson, also an OMSAR member, said.

  Leanne Thomas grinned. “I’d say it’s just heating up.”

  Sean had climbed with both of them during OMSAR missions and for fun. Great climbing partners and even closer friends. He knew them well enough to know they were never going to let him live this down. Rightly so, since Sean would do the same if he was standing in their places.

  “Did you dial 911?” he asked Zoe.

  Red-cheeked, she shook her head.

  “No one called,” Bil
l explained. “Remember that state-of-the-art alarm system I told you to install?”

  “Damn.”

  Leanne nodded. “A neighbor heard the alarm and saw smoke so she called, too.”

  More firefighters entered.

  Zoe cringed. “I’m so sorry.”

  Sean squeezed her shoulder.

  “What happened?” Bill asked.

  “I tried to cook breakfast,” she answered before Sean could. “I don’t cook.”

  Bill gave her an appreciative once-over. “Cooking’s overrated.”

  Christian Welton and John Keller nodded.

  Leanne rolled her eyes.

  “Sorry about the false alarm,” Sean said. “You guys must have better things to do with your time.”

  Christian, who was the rookie at the station and could red-point 5.13 routes at Smith Rock, stared at Zoe like a lovesick puppy. “I’d rather be here than sitting at the station.”

  Sean wanted him and all the rest of the crew gone so he could be alone with Zoe and kiss her again. “Do what you need to do so you can get out of here.”

  “May I see your hand, Zoe?” Leanne asked.

  Her hand? Sean looked at Zoe.

  She hid it behind her back. “Oh, it’s nothing.”

  Sean’s muscles tensed. “What’s wrong with your hand?”

  She smiled at him. “Just a little burn.”

  Oh, hell. A burn. He hadn’t even thought… “Let me see.”

  “I’ll take care of it.” Leanne led Zoe away.

  He tried to stand, but Bill stopped him. “Don’t get in the way, Hughes. You know she’s in good hands.”

  Leanne had patched Sean up more than once, but that didn’t make this any easier. He was used to being in the center of the action, usually in charge of a rescue team. He didn’t like being on this side of things. He hated not being able to see what Leanne and the other paramedic, Marc, were doing to Zoe.

  “Status?” Sean asked as soon as they had finished.

  The other firefighters surrounded Zoe. Bill dealt with the smoldering mess in the sink.

  “Nothing serious. A first degree burn.” Leanne walked over to Sean and lowered her voice. “It’s obvious the two of you are crazy about each other, but Zoe needed First Aid more than she needed a kiss. Even one of your kisses, Hughes.”

  Okay, his mind had been on other things, but why hadn’t Zoe told him she’d burned herself? “I’ll pay more attention to her.”

  Leanne laughed. “Any more attention, and you’ll enter creepy-stalker zone.” Sean frowned.

  “Kidding, and you should know that.” Leanne’s forehead creased. “I had no idea you were seriously dating someone, but it’s about time. Does Zoe climb?”

  “No, but she wants to.”

  “You going to teach her to cook, too?” Leanne winked. “Though I’m guessing the kitchen is the last room you want Zoe to spend her time.”

  “Guilty as charged.”

  “Just don’t add her to the long list of hearts you’ve broken.” Leanne was one of the guys, but every once in a while her feminine side peeked out. “I talked to Zoe at the hospital. She seems sweet. Nice. I like her.”

  Leanne wasn’t the only one. The guys swarmed around Zoe as if she was the queen bee and they were her drones.

  “And you look better already,” Leanne added. “She’s good for you.”

  “I’d like to keep her around.” He understood the attention Zoe was receiving, but he didn’t like it. Time to send Hood Hamlet’s finest back to where they came from. “You think you can get all these babe-magnets away from my girl?”

  “They’re filling out the report.”

  “All of them?” he asked.

  “They like pretty things.”

  “Tell you what,” Sean said. “If you can clear them out of here, I’ll let you have the first lead when I’m back climbing.”

  “You’re on.” Leanne grinned with anticipation. “Come on, boys. Finish up the paperwork. It’s time to head back to the station.”

  The firefighters shuffled out of the kitchen with a chorus of goodbyes and long glances back at Zoe. The front door slammed shut.

  She blew out a puff of air. “So…”

  He focused on her bandaged hand. “Why didn’t you tell me you were burned?”

  She shrugged. “I want to do a good job.”

  “But if you’re hurt…”

  “It’s nothing,” she said. “You must be starving.”

  Zoe was trying to change the subject. Again.

  “I am.” But not for breakfast. In spite of her burn, he wanted to kiss her again. The way her gaze kept drifting to his lips made him think she wanted the same thing. Good, another thing they agreed on. Not that he usually had a lot in common with the women he went out with. Casual dating didn’t require that. “Come over here so we can get back to what we were doing.”

  The thought of kissing Sean again filled Zoe’s stomach with butterflies. Kissing him made her forget all her troubles. It also made her forget all the reasons she couldn’t get involved in any sort of relationship with him.

  Thank goodness the Hood Hamlet Fire Department had showed up. They had stopped her from making another impulsive mistake.

  Yes, she liked kissing Sean. He made her feel special. But even bruised and with both legs injured, he was dangerous to her new resolve.

  She had to stand her ground. “I…we can’t.”

  He flashed her a dazzling grin that made her knees go weak. “Yes, we can.”

  “I mean, it’s not a good idea,” she said firmly. “You need me to help you more than you need me to kiss you.”

  “I know what I need. I have a pretty good idea what you need, too.” Mischief gleamed in his eyes. “Trust me, we can do both.”

  She could—a part of her was tempted to give in to his charm—but… “More kisses would complicate things.”

  “What things?” he asked.

  “Us. Not that there’s an ‘us,’” she backtracked, not wanting to read anything more into the kiss than what it had been. She liked him. But earlier, when she’d talked about them using and helping each other, kissing was not what she had in mind. “We can’t get physical. Whatever we’ve told your family and friends, we’re practically strangers.”

  “I don’t think of you that way,” he said. “But even if I did, what better way to get to know each other?”

  The anticipation in his eyes made her pulse quicken. She felt her resolve weakening.

  Zoe squared her shoulders. “What if we did get involved, and it didn’t work out? It would be awful. I’d have to leave.”

  “You’re going to be leaving anyway.”

  “When you don’t need me anymore.” The thought made her sad for reasons she didn’t want to examine.

  Sean eyed her warily. “Is that a problem?”

  “Leaving, no.” She needed to get a grip. “As long as my job is finished here, and we’re not personally involved.”

  “We’re both adults,” he countered.

  “So we have to act like adults.” She cringed. “Oh, no, I sound just like my mother.”

  “And that’s a bad thing.”

  “Usually, because my mother is a very controlled, cautious, responsible person.”

  “Then don’t be like your mother and come here.”

  Temptation grew. But as Zoe took a step toward Sean, her mother’s warnings about men and love returned with renewed force. She had never listened before and look where that had gotten her. She stopped five feet from Sean. “You know, sometimes my mother is right. She only has my best interests at heart. And I only have yours.”

  He stared at her, in disbelief or confusion Zoe couldn’t be certain, but she knew what she had to do.

  “No more kissing,” Zoe said in case he didn’t get the point.

  From the set of his jaw, she could see Sean did, and he didn’t like it.

  No more kissing.

  Sean wasn’t happy about not kissing Zoe, but he
had to respect her new rule. And he did. Sort of. He didn’t kiss her again when they were alone. But when people dropped by to visit often during the next two days, and whenever they had an audience, he snagged as many kisses as he could.

  A jerk move? Probably.

  But he liked kissing Zoe. And even though he knew she was playing a role for others, she seemed to like kissing him, too.

  He couldn’t understand why she didn’t want to take things between them to the next level. They already spent all their time with each other. Why not be together in every sense of the word?

  Her restrictions chafed. He was already frustrated. His energy was improving. He didn’t need as many pain pills. And he was desperate to get back to work.

  At least he had his laptop.

  Sean stared at the screen. The words blurred. Must be glare from the screen. He squinted. It didn’t help.

  He’d been going through the hundreds of e-mails that had piled up in his in-box. Maybe he should do something else.

  He opened a file about the Rail Jam Extravaganza, an upcoming PR event he needed to attend at New Year’s.

  As he read the information, a sharp pain sliced through his head. He massaged his forehead.

  “That’s enough.” Zoe walked toward him. “You said you wanted to check e-mail, but you’ve been online working for three solid hours.”

  She grabbed his laptop.

  He reached for it, but she was too quick and backed away. “Hey, I need that,” he said.

  “You’re squinting and have a headache. In case you forgot, you have a concussion. I’m going to have to restrict your computer usage so you won’t overdo it again.”

  “I won’t overdo it.”

  She hugged the laptop to her chest. “You won’t now.”

  “I have a company to run.”

  “I have a job to do,” she said. “You can ask your doctor about working full-time when you have your sutures removed.”

  “That’s—”

  “How it’s going to be.” Zoe moved toward the built-in shelving unit. “I’ll put this away, then we can watch that DVD your mom dropped off.”

  Knowing his mom, it would probably be a love story, a romantic comedy where the guy proposes at the end. Subtlety was not in Connie Hughes’s vocabulary.