“What about last night?”
“In my apartment?”
Another firefighter joined them and Seth dropped her arm. “Your turn to coil the hoses, Greenway.”
Seth nodded. Then turned back to her, but Erin hadn’t waited for him to get to his point. Embarrassed to think he’d been interested in her more than as damsel in distress and rescuer. Her face flamed.
She needed to get away. Maybe she could push this story off on another reporter, if she had any.
She ran up the stairs and into the office, mumbled to Sandy and went to her desk to wallow in her embarrassment. She hazarded a glance out the window to the station across the street. The men had stripped and were cleaning the trucks. Seth was coiling hoses, his tan torso glistening in the sun.
She hated her reaction to him. As much as she wanted there to be something between them, she couldn’t imagine him letting his guard down to make a move. If he was even interested. He seemed to see her more as a pest than a desirable woman.
* * *
Seth put everything he had into coiling the heavy hoses. Something had to stop his brain from thinking about the maddening woman who insisted on putting herself in his sphere. The chief already yelled at him to keep that woman away from the station and him. Seth had tried to explain that Erin wasn’t his, but it fell on deaf ears.
He muscled one of the hoses back on to the rig.
When Erin had brought up her apartment, he wasn’t sure if she was going to mention the kiss in front of the guys. Of course he wouldn’t get in trouble for that. They were both consenting adults, but he’d told the guys that he wouldn’t do anything to hurt her and inevitably he would hurt her. He wasn’t a commitment guy. He never had been. No matter how many relationships he’d had, he’d always broken it off before they could get to the “'til death do us part” level. He’d seen too many broken marriages including his parents, who hadn’t been able to and still couldn’t be in the same room.
If she said nothing was going on between them, he’d follow her lead. Now he had to convince his body that nothing was happening there because when he’d grabbed a hold of her around her waist and pulled her into him, every cell and every nerve went on full alert. As much as his brain said “don’t go there,” his body said “let’s get some.”
He tossed the last hose on the truck and headed inside for a shower. He should do them both a favor and finish the article quickly so he could get back to work and she could go back to whatever it was she did when she wasn’t doing her editor shit.
He slung his shirt over his shoulder and with a quick look into Erin’s window, he closed the door.
“Dude, what was all that about with Erin?” Craig asked as soon as they were alone in the locker room.
“Nothing. She was not taking crap from the chief. I thought he was going to have a heart attack. Did you see how purple he was?”
Craig smiled. “He’s stressed these days. The town council is talking about cutting some of our positions. I’m safe and you’re safe because of our seniority, but he doesn’t want to lose any of us. Can you imagine being down a man or two at these fires? It could have been really bad.”
“Erin’s getting nothing from him for her story about us.”
“What’s she getting from you?”
Seth rolled his eyes. “Give it up.”
“She’s a good looking woman. You seem to like her and –“
“And nothing. All of the guys have warned me against getting involved with her. They’ll kill me if I do something wrong and God forbid she cries.” Seth slapped Craig on the back. “You’ve got your own women issues I hear, so back off.”
Craig smirked and shrugged.
He wasn’t going to let it go, Seth could tell.
Chapter 6
The next day, Seth was up early to get ready for the running of the sheep. He’d only lived here for five years, but the tradition was the funniest and most absurd thing that he had ever seen. Serenity Harbor PD took care of traffic control, but the fire department was in charge of crowd control. People came from all over to see sheep run through the streets to their winter pasture.
He hadn’t seen Erin since the day before with the chief. He wasn’t exactly looking forward to hearing what she thought about him today, but he was looking forward to seeing her.
The crowds started forming around eight. Some people had set out chairs the night before on the sidewalks so they’d have the best seats.
Insane.
He spotted Erin before she saw him. She was on the other side of the road taking pictures of nothing that he could see. She kept walking down the hill toward the water. She obviously hadn’t gone over to get island pictures.
Without thinking he realized he was following her down his side of the street. She still wasn’t looking for him, which hurt his pride a little.
She had used the picture of him that she’d taken when she was waiting for them yesterday. It was in today’s paper that had been delivered on his doorstep this morning along with a story about the most recent fire. She hadn’t interviewed the chief, but quoted Craig and the deputy chief. “Too many fires” was the headline she’d used.
He got to the bottom of the hill where the road ended at the water and watched the white fur blobs board a barge at one of the islands in the harbor. Erin had her camera up to her face, would look, take a picture, look and snap again. The whole time she was chewing on her lip in concentration and that little move made his pants a little tighter than usual.
Damn. He turned and strode back up the hill to his post. He’d catch up with her later, finish the story and be done with this annoying attraction.
“Which crowds are you controlling?” Craig asked, nodding toward Erin. “She’s a good looking woman and since there’s nothing going on between you two, perhaps I could date her.”
Seth stifled the possessive feeling that flowed over him at the thought of Erin dating one of his best friends, possibly kissing him or hooking up.
Just because he couldn’t have her didn’t mean that others could.
“Whatever,” Seth mumbled and kept walking up the hill toward the station. Over his dead body.
Erin took a few long shots of the barge carrying the sheep. This was the funniest tradition they had in Serenity Harbor and people turned out in droves to see sheep run through the streets. She checked the lighting setting on her camera, then started back up the hill to get the best vantage point. She’d been taking the same picture every year, so she needed a different angle on the herd this year.
She scanned the crowd. She told herself she wasn’t looking for anyone in particular, but she wasn’t fooling anyone. She picked the firefighters out of the crowd in their navy blue shirts with red writing. From there picking out the tall, blond shape of Seth wasn’t too hard. Her eyes were drawn to him. She felt her blood heat up. She tried to shake off the feeling of desperation that wanting to run over to him brought up in her.
Now that she was getting to know him, he was more than a hot firefighter to drool over. He was really nice, helpful, sweet and he’d saved her bacon a few times recently.
“They’re here,” she heard the crowd chant. Sure enough the sheep were pulling up to the town dock and Mr. Wells was there to drop the gangway and let the beasts free. For the next half hour, utter chaos ruled. The sheep ran up the road cheered on by the crowds. Erin snapped picture after picture. Baby sheep, big sheep, white, black and all of them stinky, flooded the street. The hired hands, helped push them in the right direction. People who had lined the road reached out to touch the sheep as they passed.
Erin scanned the crowd again looking for another picture when she saw, but couldn’t stop a mother from putting her toddler next to a sheep to take a picture. The boy muckled onto the neck of the sheep and it started thrashing. Another sheep raced at the boy and his mother. Erin was about to scream when Seth snatched the child out of the street and out of harm’s way.
Erin let her breath go.
/> Seth was a hero. Erin watched for a minute more as the mother fawned over Seth. Erin hoped he was lecturing the mother about how reckless she’d been. The mother hugged him, leaving a hand on his bicep.
The last of the sheep passed down the street followed closely by Serenity Harbor Public Works cleaning up all of the droppings. Erin crossed behind the town employees heading for the fire station.
She came across Craig first. “Did you see that little boy?”
“Yeah. I heard the commotion.”
“Seth saved that boy,” she said breathlessly. Looking surreptitiously for him, but not seeing him around.
Craig shifted his weight. “So Erin,”
“Yah,” she said, trying to focus on the man in front of her.
“If I was to ask you on a date…”
Erin’s full attention was on Craig now. She was so stunned, she didn’t know what to think or say.
“You know…a date?”
“She wouldn’t be able to,” a deep voice said from behind her. Erin took a long drag of fresh Maine air.
Seth.
“She wouldn’t?” Craig asked with a grin that told her he had no intention of going on a date with her. It was all about Seth.
“No because she already has a date with me. At least I hope she does.”
Erin stepped to the side so she could look at both of the men. She didn’t know what kind of game they were playing, but she definitely didn’t want to be in the middle.
“I’ll think about it,” she told Seth. “Thanks Craig,” she added sarcastically. She didn’t want a pity date or a date that blocked her from dating other men. Even if Craig wasn’t her type, she still could have had a free meal out
“Erin,” Seth said with a voice that suggested she not test him.
“Seth,” she gave the same right back to him. “Oh, by the way, great save with that little boy. I hope you lectured the mom. That was so dangerous.”
“Did you get pictures?” Seth asked, acknowledging the camera around her neck.
“Maybe…no...I kind of freaked out when I saw what was happening.”
“You and me both. Can we talk in private?” he asked, motioning to the side of the station.
Erin shrugged and followed him. Her traitorous heart sped up.
“You wanted to talk?” Erin smoothed her hair with her palm. There was nothing she could to do look more professional or at least more supportive.
“Yes.” He took a deep breath. “I would like to finish the story as soon as possible. It seems like we should have only another hour or so that we need to meet. We could do that over dinner tonight or tomorrow night or whenever you’re free.”
Erin pursed her lips. This was not what she expected, but she really should finish this story and interview.
“Fine. We can meet tomorrow. I want to get this story done before starting another long, feature project,” she said.
“Great. I’ll set it up and pick you up around 6:30?”
Chapter 7
Erin sat in front of her mirror and tried to make her hair look professional, and more mature than a simple ponytail, which she wore almost every day. Technically it was a working dinner. She glanced over at the notebook and pen she’d set out. It didn’t feel like it though. It was dinner with one of the best looking men in town, just the two of them.
Alone.
Together.
The elephants in her stomach danced their traditional jig. She wasn’t sure she’d be able to eat a thing her nerves were so strung out. She had it bad. She started pacing back and forth through the apartment. Writing questions on the note pad, she continued wearing a path in the floor.
Seth was nothing if not prompt. She saw him cross the street to her apartment before he had a chance to surprise her with the door buzzer.
She had the door open for him when he reached her floor. “No need for a peephole today.”
“You ready?” he asked shortly.
“Um. Yes. I’ll grab my phone and stuff. Do you want to come in?”
“No.”
He said it so quickly that she glanced back at him. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing. We have reservations, so we need to go. That’s all.”
She wasn’t a complete idiot. He didn’t want to come in because he didn’t trust her not to jump him. With what she was thinking earlier, it was a possibility that she might just jump him if they were alone.
He’d made the reservations at a local hangout. The lights were dim, the atmosphere was cozy and Erin had never been there on a date. Sure she’d played pool or drank at the bar with friends, but she’d never sat at one of the back tables with Seth or anyone like him.
She watched his face as the hostess sat them. She knew exactly the moment he realized that they were secluded in a back corner of the building. The lights were very soft and romantic. Fear flashed through his eyes.
Was he afraid of her? They were in a public place.
“Is this okay?” she asked.
He nodded.
She slid into the booth and he took the bench across from her. Wanting to make contact with him, she bumped his leg with hers. “Oops, sorry.”
“Let’s get to work,” he said discarding the menus and ignoring that she’d touched him.
“Sure thing. You sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine. Stop asking.”
“Is it me?”
“Is what you?”
“I can tell you don’t want to be around me. You wouldn’t come in the apartment, you freaked out over being seated back here. How about if I promise not to jump you? Will you calm down then?”
He cracked a smile, which went straight to her heart. That dimple, his white, straight teeth, and couldn’t help but sigh.
“I’m sorry. Let’s order and then you can ask me all the questions you’re dying to get out.”
It was her turn to smile. “Deal.”
She picked up a menu, although she already knew what she’d get. She watched him over her menu, trying to pretend she wasn’t. Her foot bumped his, only this time it wasn’t on purpose. He glanced up and made eye contact. Their eyes collided for more time than customary. She gave a shy smile and he looked away first.
A commotion at the door drew their attention. “What’s up, SH?”
Erin closed her eyes. This was not going to go well. As freaked out as Seth was already, having half of the fire department show up on their non-date was excruciating.
“You guys,” one of the guys drawled, pointing and coming over to their table.
“Look who it is,” another one said.
By the time they were done making their little comments, at least 10 men piled in and around the booth. Seth hadn’t said a word.
“We are trying to conduct an interview here,” Erin said over their noise.
They laughed. “Looks like more than an interview. I haven’t seen you wear a dress since 2000,” one of the men said. She couldn’t tell who, but having her attire pointed out and that she had dressed up more than usual had her wanting to beat them all.
She shoved against Craig who had pinned her against the wall. The guy on the end fell on the floor.
“Hey.”
She leaned harder into Craig. Another one went off the edge. Craig was the only one left. He looked down at her and she dropped her head and glanced up at him disapprovingly.
“Fine. We’ll leave. We were only having some fun,” he said.
Seth was glaring at Craig with murder in his eyes. Erin looked from one to the other. She didn’t want to be Craig when they spoke next time.
“Good night boys,” Erin said, shooing them away with her hands.
They rushed through dinner, neither one wanting the other firemen to come back, especially after they’d had a few more drinks.
“Come on. Let’s get out of here. I’ll answer your questions in the car,” Seth said, holding out his hand to help her up.
Erin glanced from his hand to his face. She couldn’t
believe he was offering his hand after what transpired earlier in the evening. She sure wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to make contact with him.
She took his hand. It was warm and firm, and the contact sent delicious shivers up her arm and around her body until the elephants were warming up for act two. She sucked in a deep breath of his aftershave combined with the scents of the bar and she was pretty sure this was heaven. She didn’t let go of his hand even after she was out of the booth and he didn’t try to pull away. She imagined they made quite a scene walking across the bar hand in hand, her notebook in one hand and his jacket in his other.
So much for professionalism. She couldn’t wipe the grin from her face. She was going to enjoy the moment, even if it would be over soon and nothing more would come of it.
“Are you cold?” he asked as soon as they stepped onto the street. Erin shook her head.
She could have been blue and she wouldn’t admit that she was cold and risk him taking his hand back.
“Where are we going?” she asked. “Amelia is in the other direction.”
“Why don’t we go sit down by the dock?” He pulled his hand away. She had to let it go. But he put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in closer. Even better.
Her heart jumped. Hello, 180. She wanted to say something about his change in attitude, but she again, wasn’t risking it.
“It’s so peaceful here at night, once everyone has gone home,” Seth said thoughtfully.
“Don’t you like the tourists?”
“Tourists are fine as long as they are respectful and don’t toss cigarette butts out the car windows setting the woods on fire.”
“Is that what you think happened the other day?”
They found an empty bench and sat down. She wished she’d worn pants that were thicker than the skirt she had on. The cold metal bench was no match for the thin material and she knew she would have waffle butt when they stood back up. They sat knee to knee and arm to arm on the bench.
“They found no trace of what started any of the recent fires.”
“Is that frustrating?”
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