Firefighter Christmas Complete Series Box Set (A Firefighter Holiday Romance Love Story)

by Nella Tyler

  Link walked me out of the club. My friends must have already left, as I didn't see them as we walked out. He hailed me a taxi and opened the door for me. I got inside and smiled up at him through the window. Staring at him I remembered our tryst in the VIP lounge and I blushed.

  “I want to see you again Gemma - really soon.”

  “I would like that as well.”

  I waved as the taxi started pulling away from him. I was thrilled that he wanted to see me again. I’m glad that having sex right away hadn't scared him off like it did some men. I wanted to see him again badly.

  Jared suddenly came to mind and it made me feel terrible. They were in a feud and there I was getting my rocks off with Link at the club. What would my brother think if he knew I was involved with an enemy of his? We were all grownups, but I wasn't stupid enough to think that it was going to go over well at all. Jared would be upset, and I would have to talk to him about it immediately.

  Chapter Nine

  When I woke up the next day there was a smile that played on my face instantly. Wow, what a night. I thought of Link immediately and I glowed from within at the thought of the time I had with him. I almost wished that he had come home with me last night so that I could have woken up with him the next day and made love to him all over again. Sex and breakfast would have been the great start of my day. I wanted to feel him, right then and there. I rolled out of bed and started to get ready for my day. I had the day off so I wanted to go and see my brother. Not only did I want to talk to him about Link but also I wanted to confront him about the recipe and see what he had to say about the whole thing. I hoped that I would finally get the real story and be able to decide how to handle things at that point. At least I would have the whole story one way or another.

  I quickly dressed in jeans and a light T-shirt. I slipped into some flip-flops and headed to the bathroom. I washed up and put on some make up. I didn't need a lot I was blessed with a great complexion. Lastly I brushed out my long brown hair and loved how it cascaded down my back. I often thought about cutting it short but I doubted I ever would.

  I headed over to Jared's restaurant - there was no point in calling first. He was usually there, as he was very dedicated to his business. When I walked inside it was empty. They didn't usually open up until lunch so I had some time to talk to him before things got crazy there. Once the lunch rush came in I wouldn't have a chance to talk to him at all. It was now or never and I couldn't wait another day to find out what was really going on, especially if I planned on seeing Link again. Things were already complicated enough and I wanted to know who was really telling the truth.

  I didn't see Jared in the dining room at all so I headed back to the kitchen. His chef Marcus was there but there was no sign of Jared. I walked to his office and peeked inside but it was empty as well. I went back out to talk to Marcus; he was a chef that had been with Jared for years. They were close and he was the head chef of the kitchen. I had eaten tons of food that Marcus had cooked and it was all very delectable.

  “Hey Marcus, has Jared come in yet?” I headed over to the prep table and snagged a cucumber. I crunched down on it, enjoying the sweet taste that filled my mouth.

  “Yes, but he's not here right now. He went out.” Marcus was prepping things for the day, making sure that everything was fresh and ready to go when the orders started pouring in. I snatched up another cucumber.

  “Where is he? He's usually here for the lunch rush, isn't he? He likes to be a part of the cooking station.”

  “He usually is, just not today. He had an appointment. It was more important.”

  “For what?”

  I didn't care if I appeared to be too nosey. It was my brother and I could feel something was up. My brother was always at the restaurant, and if he had appointments he always scheduled around his restaurant time. So what was it that had pulled him away? Why was I being kept in the dark so much. It was becoming increasingly annoying for me.

  “Well you know he's been upset lately. So he went to a lawyer’s office today to talk about it.”

  “You're kidding me?” My heart felt like a lump in my chest. What the hell was Jared thinking? If he was lying about the recipe then what were his intentions when it came to getting a lawyer? Nervousness quelled in my stomach and I worried about Link. Hell, I was worried about everyone. I didn't want my brother getting in over his head either. Sometimes he just didn't think things through. I felt like he should have talked to me first before going to a lawyer, especially since last time we talked I was still his lawyer.

  “I'm afraid not Gemma, and really he has every right to get a lawyer.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “That Link there is a shady guy. It's all true what Jared told you. He stole the recipe right from under Jared's nose and made a killing off of it. He wouldn't have that fancy restaurant without it.”

  I couldn't believe what I was hearing and my head was starting to spin. What the hell was going on? I didn't know who or what to believe anymore. Even Marcus thought that Link was a crook. How could that be? Link had seemed so genuine when I talked to him. I believed every word he had said to me about the recipe. Was that a mistake?

  I looked down at my hands confused. “What sort of recipe was it Marcus?”

  “Oh it was one of Jared's secret sauce recipes.”

  I stood there stunned, unsure of what to say or do. I had never felt so awful in my life. I knew that one of the men in my life was lying to me but I didn't know which one it was. Could Link have really spent such a wonderful and crazy night with me and lied to me the entire time? He had seemed so genuine when he had talked about the feud with Jared. I had believed him despite the fact that I didn't want to believe that Jared was lying to me.

  “Okay Marcus, thanks. Let Jared know that I stopped by.”

  “Will do Gemma.”

  I turned and left the kitchen, my thoughts all jumbled together. I headed home feeling more awful than I had in a very long time. I had no idea what to do or how I was going to handle the situation. How was I going to find out the truth if I couldn't trust the men in my life? When I thought about Link I couldn't imagine that he was lying to me but if he wasn't that meant that my own brother was doing it and that was just as bad. Plus he was at a lawyer’s office. What was he planning?

  Would Link have fucked me on a table in the club just to get me on his side when it came to a stolen recipe? Would he have tricked me to get his own way? Terror struck through me as I realized I didn't really know Link all that well at all.

  Steamed #2

  Chapter One

  There was a great park not far from my home that had some pretty incredible landscaping. It was one of my favorite places to visit when I wanted to go for a walk. You could run, hike, bike and I often seen people running up the hills for exercise. It was certainly a great place to do that. Many people went there to get their sweat on. The weather was clear and sunny and it was just a great day to be outdoors. That was exactly what I wanted. I needed to get out of the house for a while. There was just something about the sun that made you instantly feel great about life and your place in the universe. It just energized you and made you feel complete. It was really hard to have a bad day when you were out in the sunshine. That's why I often enjoyed exercising outdoors because the sun made you feel as if the torture of exercise wasn't really all that bad.

  I was determined to go on a hike and clear my head…that was the plan for my morning anyways. My mind had been spinning for days and I couldn't even begin to figure out what had gone wrong with my life. Yesterday had been enough of an experience talking to Marcus and it had left me feeling ill. I had gotten myself into a real pickle. Not only was there a chance that my brother was lying to me, but also I had got mixed up with a man that my brother was at war with. If that wasn't bad enough there was a chance that man was lying to me too. I had no idea how to get to the bottom of things because I couldn't determine which one of them was lying to me. Or maybe they both
were. It was all enough to give me a headache. I didn't need another headache in my life. I lived a relatively stress free existence and I wasn't about to add any unnecessary stress, especially over a guy. I would rather stay single than be with a guy that caused me undue stress. No thank you! I often heard my girlfriends talk about the guys they were dating and oftentimes they were so stressed out over the relationship. What was the point in that? If you were upset all the time then chances are you would be happier being single than dealing with male bullshit. That was just my opinion anyways.

  As I was walking along the trail I came upon a couple that were sitting against one of the trees. The guy was reading to the girl and she was looking up at him with the most adoring look I had ever seen. It was both endearing and irritating to witness. I don't even have to explain what couples that engage in PDA do to the people around them. It takes a pretty special guy however to sit there and read a book to a girl. He's probably sitting there wishing that he was at a baseball game or something, but he loved her so much that he would do anything for her. So there he sat, reading a book and watching her melt right before his eyes. He was probably guaranteed a blowjob out of it anyways, and that's really what was important.

  I sighed deeply and thought that I could go for an easy relationship. That couple probably hadn't met through such awful circumstances like I did. They probably met like two normal people, maybe exchanging glances over a cup of coffee. They were just two strangers finally finding one another. That certainly wasn't the case for me; no, I had to get myself tangled up with a man that my brother hated. I had to try to forget that the sex between us was mind-blowing, though it was; it only got me deeper into a relationship that I probably shouldn't be in. I shook my head as I continued on the trail, leaving the lovebirds alone. What to do...what to do about my own life?

  Link was a great guy, at least from what I could tell from spending time with him. Had we not been in the situation that we were in, I doubt I would have anything to worry about. I just needed to determine whether he was being totally honest with me, if not I needed to find out why. Maybe the whole story was really simple. It may not even be as bad as I thought it was; it's pretty easy to assume things. But that wasn't entirely my fault when the men in my life talked circles around me.

  When I was with Link things were amazing and our repertoire was natural and relaxed. I didn't feel in any way that he wasn't being genuine with me. That's what I found so confusing about the situation that I was in. Everything felt right when I was with Link. At this point I didn't know who or what to believe but I knew what felt right in my heart. So how could it be wrong? That's why I hadn't bailed on the situation even though I probably should have. I still had yet to tell Jared that I was seeing Link. It was a conversation that I was not looking forward to at all. He could only blame himself though. If he hadn’t sent me over there to pretend I was his lawyer than I may never have met Link at all. It almost seemed fated the way we had come together. Really what were the chances of us dating after that initial meeting? Slim to none, was my guess. I know my brother Jared would think the same thing.

  My phone started buzzing and I stopped to check who it was. A smile came across my face as I realized that it was Link. He was asking me what I was doing that night. He was straightforward and to the point. The one thing that I liked about Link was that he didn't play games with me. He didn't try to play it cool with me and make me wait for several days to hear from him. That was a game that most guys played and I was often annoyed by it. If you liked someone you let them know it and you don't mess with their heart by making them wait to find out; it was just cruel. I hated guys who played games and it appeared as if that wasn't something I needed to worry about with Link. There was a really good chance that Link was the one.

  Chapter Two

  I was pretty ravenous after my hike and I couldn't wait to get some food in my belly. Sarah and Lisa were meeting me for lunch and I could not wait. I had advised them of a good restaurant this time. The last thing I needed on an empty stomach was terrible food. I wanted nothing but a delicious and satisfying meal.

  Sarah had groaned when I had told her where to go but I didn't care, with my luck she would have picked another dive and I would have to gag down another entree that I didn't want to. I planned on eating a ton of delicious food since my hike burned off so many calories. The service at the restaurant was a class act as well so I knew we wouldn't wait for food for long.

  I walked into the restaurant and was happy to find they were already there.

  “Hey ladies, how are you doing?” I said and smiled.

  “Gemma! I have been dying to talk to you!” Sarah squealed.

  I chuckled, “Yeah, I figured as much.”

  “You dirty little secret keeper!” Sarah laughed.

  “Easy ladies. I'm ordering food before we get into things here. I am so hungry that I could eat a horse right now.”

  “Fair enough. I guess we can wait a few minutes.”

  I sat down with them and perused the menu. I knew I wanted a cobb salad but I wasn't sure what else to get. Maybe fish of some sort; I had been craving that lately.

  “We are all ready to order girl, so whenever you are ready.”

  I looked up at Sarah and smiled. It was all on me.

  I decided on the spring roll appetizers and the salmon and wild rice. All sounded very delicious and the chef was amazing there so I knew I would be happy with the dishes.

  The waitress arrived and we ordered some wine as well as our lunch orders. She swiftly went away and we were left to talk. I was probably going to get bombed on my first glass with an empty stomach but I couldn't turn down wine.

  “That guy you were with...Link is his name? Cool name by the way...but I've actually eaten at his new restaurant and the food there is some of the best that I’ve tasted in a long time,” Lisa said.

  I gasped, “You're kidding me? I haven't even eaten there yet. I know that he's a good chef because he used to work for my brother, but I haven't actually been to his place at all.” I was terribly jealous to find out that Lisa had been to the restaurant before me. I guess I could have suggested that we go there for lunch but that might have been awkward. I didn't want Link to think I was getting pushy; it wasn't like he was my boyfriend or anything.

  Sarah laughed, “Well how did you meet him then if it wasn't at his restaurant?”

  I groaned. “You wouldn't believe it even if I told you. It's a long story.”

  “Well good thing we have all day,” Lisa added.

  I knew I didn't have a prayer of getting out of talking about it. I would have to explain the whole embarrassing situation and reap the judgement I so deserved from my friends. There was no way around it. I had to spill the beans about my day as a lawyer.

  “Oh god, does it have anything to do with the fact that he called you Jared's lawyer,” Sarah burst out laughing. “What did you get yourself into this time Gemma?”

  I shook my head with a smile on my face. They were already enjoying the moment together. I hadn't even begun to fill them in and they were revelling in it. It sure didn't take much.

  “Okay ladies, that's enough.”

  “Come on Gemma! How did you meet Link?”

  I filled them in all right on the whole story, from beginning to end. I reminded Sarah about the day that I had left her at the restaurant to go and see Jared. From there I explained about Jared's plan for me to impersonate his lawyer and go to pay a visit to Link. The meeting didn't go well and when I returned to my brother he wanted to continue having me impersonate a lawyer for him. Sarah was now the one shaking her head as I talked. I told her that I tried to get out of the mess but it was too hard. I explained the war between the two men was over a supposedly stolen recipe, that Link claimed had always been his.

  “So Link thinks you are Jared's lawyer?”

  “No actually. Link was on to me from the beginning. He used to work for Jared, remember? Well I guess he recognized me. He blew that out of
the water at the club. It was embarrassing to say the least.”

  Sarah was laughing which was not surprising. “Oh my god Gemma! How did you manage to let Jared convince you fake being a lawyer?”

  “To be honest, I have no idea. But I love him and I thought he genuinely needed help. Now...I have no idea what's going on. I haven't talked to him. Last I heard he was getting a real lawyer to go after Link with.”

  “Gee that shouldn't complicate your relationship with Link.”

  “Yeah well, I never said it was easy. Besides, Link and I aren't in a relationship.”

  “Then what are you?”

  “Well I've only seen him out once and that was at the club and it wasn't a date…it was more like a random encounter.”

  “Well I have to admit he is so hot! Gemma, you are one lucky lady.”

  “God I know, it's hard to believe sometimes. Just looking at him drives me crazy.”

  “Ah, I’m jealous that you get to spend time with such a hottie!” Lisa gushed.

  I giggled.

  “Oh I know, when we saw him walk up to you at the club we couldn't believe our eyes. Did I mention how hot he is?” Sara added.

  “Yeah I get it.” I said laughing.

  The waitress arrived with three glasses of wine. I took a sip of mine and closed my eyes. Yep, that was exactly what I needed at the moment. “Thank you,” I said to the waitress. She smiled, “I will bring your salad and some bread shortly.”