by Kim Loraine
The screen on her phone lit up as a call came through. Wrist deep in the sticky concoction, she had no way of answering, so she chose to let the call ring to voicemail. A niggling strand of hope wormed its way into her head as a text message followed the call.
How’s my favorite photographer? Sorry I didn’t call sooner.
Her heart jumped into her throat and she had to read the text a second time. What should she do? Make him sweat, or write back? She grinned as her phone lit up a third time.
I didn’t mean to take so long. I’ve got duty today. Can I call you tomorrow?
Forcing herself to keep her hands connected to the dough and off her phone, she focused on the back and forth motion until she absolutely had to stop kneading. Only then did she wash her hands and consider her options.
Make him sweat.
She flipped the phone face down on the counter and began to pinch off portions of her dough, forming small balls with each one, then rolling them in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Before long, she’d filled a Bundt pan with what would become the most delectable, caramel pull-apart bread.
By the time she decided to text him back, her apartment smelled of the sweet treat, and she had a plan. He wasn’t going to get away with ignoring her for two weeks. If he didn’t want to see her again, he could damn well tell her to her face.
Her heart raced as she placed the caramel drizzled bread, still warm, in a box and headed for her car.
The firehouse sat on the main street of Golden Beach. A tall, brick building with a classic look, the facade added even more small-town charm to her home. Donovan Miller and Tommy Klipper stood outside, washing Engine 31. She winced as they caught sight of her. Before Michael, she’d had a brief and tumultuous relationship with one of the station’s former crewmembers. Brian had transferred to a station in Richmond, only after she’d found out he was married. She’d not reacted well to that revelation, to say the least.
“Keep your eyes on the tires Miller, the slasher is here,” Tommy said.
Her cheeks burned and her chest tightened at the dig. Firefighters were like brothers. She knew that, and slashing all four of the tires of Brian’s stupid truck had been a little crazy. It had felt damn good at the time, though.
“You’d better be nice to me, Tommy. I brought you guys a treat.” Her voice was a little wobbly, but she pushed through her nerves and plastered on a big smile. “I’m not done with the edits on your calendar photos either. You’d be amazed at what I can enhance, or minimize with Photoshop.”
Donovan burst out laughing as Tommy’s face drained of color. “Yeah, man. You need all the help you can get in the enhancement department. Don’t piss her off.”
“I’m looking for Michael. Is he around?” She mentally patted herself on the back at the calm tone of her voice. The last thing she wanted was to let these guys know how much their comments hurt.
Tommy and Donovan exchanged a look and she rolled her eyes as she saw the wall go up between her and them.
“I’m not sure where he is. I thought he traded shifts with Sully today didn’t he, Miller?” Tommy came toward her, hands in his pockets and a slight smirk turning up his lips.
“I haven’t seen him,” Donovan added.
“I’ll take the box in.” Tommy reached out grasping the pastry box, but she held tight. “Unless you poisoned it.”
She bit back a retort, and pulled the box free of his hands. “Thanks. I’ll just text him.”
“Text me what?” Michael’s voice echoed from the open garage.
Heaving a soft sigh of relief, she turned her attention to the man who already held the power to break her.
Offering the bread to him, she fought off a flutter of anticipation. His dark blond hair was a little longer than it had been the last time she’d seen him. It was deliciously tousled and messy. Her fingers itched to feel the strands between them as she tugged and pulled. The sharp line of his jaw was shaded in light stubble. He looked tired. He looked freaking hot. She wanted him to kiss her again. And again.
“What’s this?” he asked, one eyebrow raised.
“Caramel pull-apart bread.” She couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face as he inched the lid of the box up and inhaled.
“Oh, sweet baby Jesus. That smells amazing.”
She shrugged. “I bake when I’m frustrated.”
A derisive snort escaped Klipper, but one look from Michael had him turning away, focusing instead on polishing the hubcaps of the engine.
Michael’s eyes widened. “You made this?”
“It’s no big deal. I thought you guys might like a treat.”
Before she could make her excuses and leave, he had his arm around her waist. “Come on. I’ll show you around the house and we can put this in the kitchen.”
He led her through the rooms, ignoring her reluctance. As they walked through the house, he gripped her hand, running his thumb across the inside of her palm, making her forget why she was hesitant. Wandering the halls, he showed her where he spent his days and nights. They ended the tour in the large communal kitchen. Sitting across from one another at the table, he poured a cup of coffee for each of them.
She watched, amusement filling her, as he popped a piece of bread into his mouth, then groaned in pleasure.
“Oh, God. How are you so good at everything? This is almost better than sex.”
Flashes of their night together so long ago ran through her mind and she had to laugh. Nothing had compared to that, certainly not her baking. “I don’t know about that. We were pretty good together. I don’t think I’d trade that for baked goods.”
He licked the caramel off of his lips, heat filling his eyes. “We are good together. That was only a kiss. Give me a chance and I’ll show you just how good we can be.”
A tendril of unease slipped through her haze of attraction for him as she realized what he was saying. He didn’t remember sleeping with her. She’d been that insignificant.
She narrowed her eyes, fighting off the burn of angry tears. “Okay, then. We’re done here. I’m glad you like the bread. Don’t bother calling me two weeks from now, when you find time.”
His mouth dropped open. The chair screeched along the floor as she shoved it back and stormed out—the righteous flame of fury burning in her chest. The sound of his footfalls behind her had her increasing her pace until the alarm blared through the house and she knew he’d have to stop his pursuit.
Letting out a frustrating breath, she slammed her car door shut.
“Fucking firefighters!”
The gray haze of morning light seeped through the skylight at the firehouse. Michael stood in the kitchen, staring at the remnants of the almost-better-than-sex bread Lena had made. Maybe Klipper had been right. Lena was crazy. She’d gone from playful, sexy banter to raging in the course of less than a minute. He played the conversation over in his head again and again, but he couldn’t figure out where they’d gone wrong.
“Yes! There’s some left.” Klipper sauntered over to the table and snagged a gooey piece of bread. “Keep her around. She’s hot and she can bake. Just don’t piss her off and you’ll be fine.”
Michael shook his head, not willing to tell him he might be right about her.
“So, you went back for seconds. I can’t blame you. Was she as good the second time?” Klipper offered a lascivious grin as he licked the caramel off the last piece of bread.
“What are you talking about? There hasn’t even been a first time.”
Klipper let out an ugly, choking laugh. “Uh, dude, yeah there has.” His eyes widened. “Shit. You don’t remember screwing her last year? Was she that bad?”
A chill ran down his spine as realization hit.
Last year.
He’d hit rock bottom after John di
ed.
Lost his way.
Nearly lost his mind.
Fuck!
“I don’t kiss and tell,” he muttered.
“Since when?”
“Since now. Shut up, Klip. Leave it alone.”
Glancing at the clock, he willed time to move faster so he could make it up to her. Explain.
Thirty minutes later, he was out the door and in his car, the engine rumbling to life with a growl. His chest felt tight, uncomfortable, and panic hovered on the edge of taking over. How could he have spent a night with her and forgotten? She’d taken over his mind since the photoshoot, and that was before they’d actually kissed. Even when his days and nights bled together with overtime and side work, he thought of her.
The shame of so many bad choices and weak moments made this situation even worse. That he could have discarded her so easily without a second thought left a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. She was something special. He’d been an idiot not to see it the first time.
He pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building and sat in the car, engine idling, thinking of what he could say to put this right. A knock on his window startled him, and he smiled as he saw Lena’s roommate, Valerie, standing outside of his car. The petite blonde seemed harmless, but he knew better. She was a firecracker, a tiny package with fierce firepower.
Rolling down his window, he shut off the engine and offered his most charming smile. “Hey, there, Val.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and cast him a dubious glance. “What are you doing here?”
“Needed to talk to Lena. She home?”
“Why? So you can make fun of her for dating Brian some more? You know, that guy was a world-class asshole. He deserved to have his tires slashed.”
Had Lena not mentioned they’d been on a date? Maybe he was making a bigger deal of the connection between them.
“No, nothing like that. I, uh, I wanted to book her for family pictures. Mom’s birthday is coming up.” He stumbled over the words, hoping she wouldn’t see through the lie.
“She’s not home. She has a website, you know. E-mail her like the rest of her clients.”
Biting his tongue, he nodded and gave her a tight-lipped smile. “Right, thanks.”
“She’s booked pretty solid until she leaves for New York.”
His heart sank. “New York?”
Valerie hitched her purse higher on her shoulder and offered a thoughtful smile. “She’s been hired to do a fashion shoot. Why are you so interested?”
Trying to shrug it off, he started his car and looked away from Valerie’s curious gaze. “I’m not. Never been to New York. Sounds cool.”
“Yeah. I’ve seen the airport a few times, that’s it. If you want to book her, you’d better get on it. I wouldn’t be surprised if Lena gets out of this little town for good. She’s on the verge of something amazing.”
Val’s words sent a sense of urgency racing through his veins. What did she mean? He wasn’t ready to let Lena go. He’d just put himself back together, just found her.
“Thanks for the advice. I’ll make sure to get that session booked.”
With a smile, she turned and headed to her car as he put his into gear and pulled out of the parking space. He had piles of homework waiting on his desk, a mountain of laundry, and he was pretty sure all that was in his fridge was the remnants of a pizza from a week ago and a solitary beer. There was plenty to do, but he couldn’t think about anything other than Lena.
Deciding to avoid his responsibilities, he turned left instead of right and drove the short distance to his favorite place on the beach. He needed a long walk, some quiet, and time to get his head straight.
Chapter 5
Michael pulled his feet free of his socks and shoes, rolling up the ends of his jeans before he strode down the beach. The water was calm and the soft waves lapped at his toes. The Atlantic waters were already bitterly cold and the chill radiated up his legs, shocking his system. Helping him. He just needed a moment outside of his own head.
As he walked through the sand at the water’s edge, he stared at the swirls of surf. He couldn’t help remembering countless hours he’d sat on driftwood logs sipping beer with John, talking about nothing. That familiar pang of loneliness hit him as he wandered. Losing his brother had been the tipping point. He knew it.
The soft shutter clicks pulled his attention from his memories. Turning his head toward the sound, he felt a jolt of electricity run through him. She was there. Only a few feet away. He watched her as she crouched, adjusting the lens of her camera and snapping another picture.
When she rose, he made his move, calling out her name. “Lena.”
Her back stiffened, shoulders pulling back. She’d heard him, but there was no answer.
He tried again. “Lena. I’m sorry.”
Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, she turned to face him, distrust and anger on her face. “You’re sorry?” She let out a bitter laugh. “You’re all the same. Egotistical assholes.”
That hurt, probably because there was a note of truth in it. Her only experiences with firefighters had been with assholes, himself included. “Yeah, you’re probably right. I can’t fix what Brian did, but I can tell you I’ve changed. I’m not the same man I was last year.”
She rolled her eyes. “No one’s the same person after a year of living. We all change. It’s not a monumental thing to say you’ve changed.”
“Okay, I’ve changed for the better. How’s that?”
“You mean, you’re not the same douche who sleeps with women and can’t remember their faces?”
God, she was really pissed. Swallowing hard, he ran a hand over the back of his neck. He didn’t know how to handle her.
“I wish I remembered being with you. I can’t believe I don’t. It doesn’t make sense because I can’t stop thinking about you now.”
“Ha! That’s good. Do you practice in front of the mirror first?” Her tone was vicious—unforgiving. “You know what? It’s too late. You had a chance and blew it. I’m done.” She shoved past him, her hair hitting his face as the wind picked up.
“Lena, wait. I can—”
“What? What can you do? Try to remember me? No, thanks. I’m done.”
Her words cut him deep. He knew he deserved it though, after all, he had forgotten her. Regardless, he had to go after her. Something deep in his bones told him she was special, that he couldn’t give up on them. “Please. Let me make it up to you.”
Whirling around to face him, her eyes blazed onyx fire. “No. I don’t have time to be played by you. Besides, I’m booked on location for the rest of the year, all the way to February. Somehow, I don’t think you’re cut out for long-distance exclusivity.”
He tried to form words, come up with something to stop her as she stormed off.
He failed.
Lena slid the last batch of cookies into her oven and turned on the timer. Glancing around the room, she sighed. Her kitchen looked like a bomb had gone off. A fine layer of flour covered the countertops, her hands, arms, apron, and she was sure, her hair. With one day until Thanksgiving, she was thankful for the excuse to bake. She’d hoped after weeks of avoiding Michael she’d be able to put him out of her mind. Instead, she spent most of her free time in the kitchen, baking for anyone and everyone that she could—except for the firefighters.
“Mmm, it smells amazing in here.” Her roommate’s cheerful voice rang out from the living room.
Lena grinned as Valerie walked into the kitchen and her big blue eyes went wide.
“What in the world happened in here, L?”
Shrugging, Lena snagged a peanut butter blossom off the cooling rack and took a bite.
“Don’t shrug at me. Who pissed you off? You’ve been ba
king so much lately, I think I’ve gained ten pounds just living with you.”
“It’s no big deal. Just something that didn’t work out. Besides, these cookies are for Thanksgiving. Your family is so big, I have to make a lot just to keep your brothers fed.”
Valerie laughed and grabbed a pinwheel. “True, and it’s just going to get worse as they get older. Three boys. My poor parents aren’t going to be able to keep them all fed.”
“At least you and Angie are grown and out of the house.”
“You’ve got that right. My mom likes to pretend she wants us home, but I think knowing we’re independent makes her more proud than anything else we’ve accomplished. I know my dad feels that way.”
Grabbing a dishtowel, Lena ran the cloth under water and started wiping down the counters. She didn’t want to admit it, but she’d always been jealous of Valerie’s big family. Her own family unit consisted solely of her and her mother. They’d been so lucky when the Peters family moved to town. The big, boisterous group had welcomed the two of them with open arms.
Valerie took one more cookie before diving in to help with the dishes. “Mom said we’ll be eating a little later this year. She’s trying something new with the turkey that’s supposed to take longer but makes it amazing according to the Food Network.”
“So, what time does she want us there?”
“Oh, same time as always. She said it gives us more time to talk. Which Angie and I are interpreting as drink wine and avoid discussing our love lives.”
“I’m sure I can keep her entertained with stories of that wedding fiasco in Maryland. I still can’t believe I found the groom servicing his best man in the coat closet.”
Valerie shook her head, laughter making her shoulders shake. “What was it he said to you, again?”
