by J. Richards
Of course he’d agreed. Just because nothing ever happens, it doesn’t mean something won’t ever happen.
He tosses the last cleaning cloth into the dirty laundry hamper and turns to see how Uri is coming along with his side of the gym. Uri is his partner in crime, best friend, and such a pain in the ass. The big Russian is cursing constantly while disinfecting the sweat-stained benches and other workout equipment.
“Swearing at it doesn’t make it cleaner, you know?” Gavin yells across the empty gym. The last member left thirty minutes ago.
“It doesn’t make it dirtier, though, does it?” Uri calls back. Both men laugh a little and Uri begins flicking lights off as he walks toward the smoothie bar. “Need me to open in the morning?” he asks while dropping his solid body on a stool.
“If you can, that would be great. Or Stacey?” Gavin leans over the counter. “I’ll leave the station at eight. By then a few members will already be breaking down the door to get in. I’ll be dead on my feet, man. I can never sleep there!”
Uri claps him on the back. “No problem.” He pushes off the stool, picking up his gym bag he removed from the lockers when they began the nightly cleanup. “Will you not be sleeping because of the worry a call will come in? Or because of some tiny redhead who packs a punch?” Uri’s blond eyebrows wiggle, and Gavin scowls.
“That obvious, huh?” He shakes his head and lifts his own duffel bag onto his shoulder.
“Da,” Uri answers in his native tongue with a small chuckle.
“Damn, I don’t know what hit me. I can’t stop thinking about her. You should have seen her punch, Dave. She put all of herself into it and then tried to play it off cool.” Gavin lays his open palm to his heart. “So fucking cute.”
“That’s how Stacey did me.” Uri laughs. “I saw her deadlift two hundred pounds and there was no going back.” Gavin opens the door, waits for Uri to pass through, and locks it behind them. “Your little fighter a submissive, or are you gonna have to play switch games?”
“I don’t fucking switch.” Gavin scowled. “If she isn’t, I guess I’ll be fucking vanilla until I can get her out of my system.”
“What makes you think she’ll even let you get close enough to find out? You might end up like Dave. Her itty-bitty fist in your face.” Uri tosses his bag into the backseat of his car parked next to Gavin’s big truck. He shuts the door and looks over the edge of the truck as Gavin slings his stuff into the bed.
“When I walked her to her car earlier today, she blushed as if I already had my tongue half way up her snatch.” A cocky grin spreads over his features. “She’ll let me.” He nods farewell to Uri and begins the five-minute drive to the firehouse.
All is quiet when Gavin arrives at the station. Seven other men are on this shift with him. All of them are in great shape and willing to risk their lives for a stranger’s safety. Most of the men are sitting around the flat-screen TV watching the highlights from the NFL scouting. Chatter about which team should draft which player quickly turns into an argument.
“Hey, fellas,” Gavin interrupts. They all turn and look at him, the moment of conflict forgotten. “All the equipment checked?”
“We’re all set,” an older man, who holds the position of chief, answers. “We went through Jay’s stuff for you to make sure all is well and clear. He had a small crack in his mask. We fixed ya up with a new one and set it all in your locker.” The old man points to the small kitchen. “Smith grilled steaks a few hours ago. We knew you’d be coming so we saved ya one. With a helping of potato salad.”
Gavin grins and strolls to the counter where his meal is waiting for him. “Awesome, Smith, thanks!”
Gavin grabs his plate and drops into the free spot on the ragged couch. All he’d eaten at the gym was what was left over from a protein shake some blonde thought tasted too “strawberry-ish.”
After his meal, Gavin began cleaning the bathrooms. The rest of the men split up to spit-shine other areas of the firehouse. The firehouse isn’t all that big: twenty-one guys on staff all together. More volunteers than full-time firefighters, but they make do. Everyone cleans, everyone cooks, and everyone watches out for everyone else. Nothing like a job with daily life-or-death circumstances to bring men together.
“Any calls today?” Gavin asks when he finishes with the bathrooms and meets back in the general area.
“Kind of.” Smith laughs. “Ms. Alderidge’s cat climbed up that old oak again. I swear she calls us out there just so she can get a good laugh out of it.”
Gavin smirks and leans back against the overstuffed cushions. The men fall into a comfortable silence, all waiting for alarms to go off while trying to relax at the same time. Victoria’s face appears in his mind’s eye: her sweet round cheeks and bright green eyes. The strength she packs in that little body really shocked him. Yeah, he has been watching her come into the gym on a daily basis and get in her workout. While he watched her during her cardio and weight sessions, he had apparently never truly seen her in all her glory, only noticing her pert ass and ample breasts. Now, he can’t stop imagining how all that soft skin would look next to his.
He has to adjust his position to ease the tension of his dick as it stiffens. Not now, dude, save those thoughts for when we get home. Gavin sits up, leaning his elbows on his knees. He pays closer attention to the TV, trying to drown out his daydreams of Victoria.
The hours drag on. No phones ring, no alarms sound. Nothing but friendly company and football talk. The stagnancy of the night gets under Gavin’s skin. Needing something to do, he walks to the back of the house where a few weight machines are kept. It’s important for a firefighter to be in shape. Lifting unconscious people isn’t easy, nor should you try to do it if you aren’t capable. All the guys actually have memberships at his gym, coming to him for training advice, but when you are stuck at the station, this is at least better than nothing.
He loads the bar with the highest weight possible, pushing his body just enough to feel a good burn. Gavin can’t max out while on shift. If he pumped out max repetitions with his “personal best” weight and killed his arms, he would be useless to the team if a call actually came in.
Still, lifting was far better than tormenting himself with fantasies of Victoria when there was no hope of getting any relief.
CHAPTER FIVE
Vicki’s alarm shrieks at her, yanking her from her perfect dream. She rolls over with a grunt. Kane, matching her enthusiasm for the morning, groans and stretches his long body. His hind legs meet her thighs as he tries to wake his limbs.
“Ow, you horse.” She laughs and pushes him back. He flops his head back on the pillow with a huff. She sits up in her bed and pats his hip. “Let’s go, buddy. We have to be at the shop early today. No snooze button for us!”
Kane stands up, walks in a circle, and curls up in the spot she vacated.
She walks into the bathroom and starts getting ready, leaving the lazy beast to his beauty rest. After showering quickly and dressing in casual jeans and flirty blouse, she jumps up on the bed, shaking her dog.
“Come on, Kane. If you don’t get up I will leave without you.” Her threat seems to get him moving. He crawls off the bed, leaving his back half still hanging. She giggles at him and dashes down the stairs. He runs after her in a race to the front door. They both reach it at the same time. “Good boy!”
While driving to the shop, Kane hangs his large head out the window, ears blowing behind him as she speeds down the roads. Her shop comes into view, and he starts barking. This place has become their second home. A few months back she’d opened Country Chic, a place for women in the area to purchase all their cute jeans, shorts, and tops, along with country-style décor for their homes.
The small town didn’t have any clothing stores, which prompted her decision to open her shop, and business has been booming. She has boxes piled high of Daisy Duke shorts and boyfriend tees to unpack and display before opening. Checking her watch, she blows a puff of air that li
fts her hair out of her face. Better get started.
Kane picks up his squeaky rubber bone and plops down into the bed she stashed for him behind the counter. He bites into the toy, making it scream for his pleasure. She smiles at him before heading into the back to drag out the first big box.
The next few hours slip away and it’s time to open the doors. She pokes her finger into the power button of the stereo system and old country begins to pulse through the speakers. She skips to the front door as Hank William Sr. sings about a lonesome whippoorwill. Her Daddy’s favorite song. What a great way to begin the day.
She kicks open the door and slips the foot-tall stone statue of a cowboy in front of it. The spring air spills into the store. The birds outside flitter from tree to tree. It’s going to be a beautiful day. She leaves the morning sunshine to continue unpacking her sixth box of goodies.
A couple of girls in their twenties stroll into the store and she greets them, helping them pick out a great set of Mason jar candleholders. She is so wrapped up in her task she doesn’t hear when a car pulls into the lot. A large shattering noise startles her and the girls, followed by the high-pitched screech of squealing tires.
“Oh Jesus! What was that?” the tall blonde asks. All three of them run to the front door. Vicki pulls her phone from her back pocket. The last time she heard a noise like that, two cars had collided in the parking lot of a restaurant she used to work at.
Everything in the parking lot looks normal, everything except the black marks on the pavement indicating someone’s all-too-quick escape and the glass sprinkled around her Jeep. A red brick rests on her dashboard. Someone has smashed her damn windshield.
“Oh my,” the brunette gasps. “Who would do such a terrible thing?”
Vicki doesn’t know what to say. She walks closer to the Jeep. Anger runs through her blood.
“Maybe it was just an accident?” the blonde suggests. Vicki turns and glares at her. She stands on tiptoe, not wanting to touch anything in case the dumbass left fingerprints.
“No, there is a note stuck on the brick.” Vicki dials the number for the local police, explaining the situation. “Yeah, I won’t touch anything. I’ll wait. Thanks,” she tells the operator.
She moves away from the Jeep, the temptation to read the note growing with every passing second. She sits down on the curb in front of the store’s door. She puts her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands.
“Girls, if you wanna check out, I’ll be with you in a bit. I just need a second.” She speaks into her hands.
“No worries, Vicki. We aren’t in a hurry. We’ll stay with you till the cops get here.” They each take a seat on either side of her.
A big, jacked-up black truck turns into the lot. Vicki’s head snaps up, afraid the window smasher has returned for round two. She jumps to her feet as the truck parks. The windows are so tinted she can’t see who the driver is. Tan work boots land on the ground, leading up to a pair of dark blue Levi’s. The door shuts and it’s Gavin.
What the hell is the sexy, pushy gym owner doing here? She smiles, some of her tension and fear leaving her at the sight of the big man. He has to be here for her. In his hand is a tall iced coffee. She isn’t sure what looks more delicious, him or the beverage in his hand.
“Mornin’, ladies.” He grins. He holds out the ice coffee to Vicki. “I thought I would drop off a little morning boost.”
She wraps both hands around the plastic cup. Condensation on the cup chills her fingers as she holds it tightly. She places the straw between her lips and sucks up the bit of heaven inside. Her eyes close, and she moans.
“God, I needed this. Thank you.” She sees the satisfaction written in bold over his features at her reaction to his offering.
“If I knew it’d have you making that kind of noise, I’d have started bringing you coffee a long time ago,” he teases her.
She rolls her eyes and blurts out a half-hearted laugh. She points to the Jeep. “Someone threw a brick through my poor baby a few minutes ago. We’re waiting on the police now. Did you see anyone pull out, by any chance?”
His face scrunches up and she can almost feel the heat of his anger. “No, the road was clear. It’s still early. Why don’t you ladies go inside and I’ll come get you when the cops arrive? I don’t think it’s safe for you to be outside.”
“Thanks, but no thanks. This is my store, my Jeep, and I am not running inside for cover from the boogey man.” She takes another long drag from the straw and meets his determined expression.
“I admire your bravery.” He hits the fob on his key chain and the truck beeps. She hears the sound of doors locking. “I’ll hang out for a while.” He winks and sits on the curb where she was before he pulled in.
“Whatever.” She looks away from him and smiles at the girls. “If Mr. Bossy is gonna wait out here, I’ll check you out real quick so you can be on your way. I really appreciate your offer to stay, but it appears I’ll have company.”
Both of the girls are eye-fucking Gavin, and a strange spike of jealousy punches her in the gut. She pushes it off. She has no stake on this man and neither does she want one. She ushers the girls inside to get them gone.
She thanks them again before they drive off and sinks to the ground near Gavin. Kane follows her outside this time and he is pushing at Gavin with his nose. Gavin grins and strokes the big dog’s back.
“Well, who do we have here?” He looks at Vicki but keeps his fingers in Kane’s fur.
“Kane.” She smiles at the dog. Hearing his name, he moves away from Gavin to sit on his hind legs between her knees. He tips his head back, and she kisses his head.
CHAPTER SIX
Gavin’s lips twitch to be on the receiving end of Victoria’s kisses. Watching her sip that straw made blood rush to his cock. She is so beautiful, and he wonders how perfect she would look with those plump lips locked around the base of his dick. Small, gagging, whimpers vibrating him as she struggles to take his length.
He shakes his head. Not right now. Her window was just busted by someone. Accident or planned, it doesn’t create the perfect scenario for a blowjob.
The police arrive and start asking lots of questions. She doesn’t really have many answers since she was inside the store when it happened. The officer pulls the brick from the window and reads the note.
“Your beauty shatters my heart.” All written in block letters, bold print. They dust for prints, but there are none on the note, brick, or vehicle.
“Have you broken up with anyone lately?” the officer asks Victoria, and she shakes her head.
“Honestly, since I opened the store I haven’t had time for anything else.” She wrings her hands as she thinks.
The officer jots some notes in a small booklet. “Have you noticed anyone following you around? These kinds of things aren’t always done by men. Been getting any hang-up calls or anything that could point us to a suspect?”
“No, nothing like that,” she replies.
“Actually…” Gavin walks up to the pair. “Yesterday, Dave Rollins assaulted her in the gym. I revoked his membership and asked him not to return. He seemed pretty pissed off about it.”
The cop looks at Victoria. “Is that true?”
“Yes. He smacked my ass while I was lifting, and I punched him.”
The officer smiles at her tale. “Well done.” He makes a few more notes. “Dave has always been handsy. It’s about time someone stood up to him. I’ll drop by his construction site and ask a few questions. Anything else?”
She shrugs. “I thought I saw someone outside around the trees last night. I was wrong though. And maybe I didn’t want to sound paranoid…”
Gavin struggles to keep quiet and not press her for more information. She doesn’t seem particularly terrified, just furious. She was a brave girl, but he could already feel his protective instincts taking hold.
“If it happens again, call us,” the officer says, frowning. “It was probably nothing, but next tim
e don’t hesitate.” He pulls out a card from his vest. “If and when I have anything I’ll call you. This is my number. You can call me anytime. If I’m off duty, I’ll get someone who’s on to respond.”
He shakes hands with both Victoria and Gavin, climbs in his patrol car, and drives off.
“You really think Dave would do something like this?” She points to the mess that is now her Jeep.
“No, He doesn’t seem like the stalker type. He was mad, but he isn’t dumb.” Gavin comes closer to her and gently traces his finger down her smooth cheek. “I want you to be really careful. People who throw bricks and write notes like that are nothing to be messed with.”
“I know.” She sighs and leans her head against his long finger. “I’ll keep both eyes open.”
Gavin leans down and places a kiss to her forehead. “I have to get to the gym. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call.”
He hops up in the big truck and when he glances in the rearview mirror he can see her watch him as he makes his way down the road.
He can’t help but smile.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Today is turning out to be a great day. And after the events of the last week, a great day is exactly what she needs.
She finally has her Jeep back again after all the hassles of dealing with her insurance company and getting the repairs done. It feels great to enjoy the freedom again. Even better, everything has been quiet since her windshield was smashed, so maybe she was finally out of the woods.
She parks in her driveway and hums happily as she holds the door for Kane. Once he’s out of the Jeep, he bounds up the steps with his endless eagerness to get inside. Just as she’s about to put her key in the lock, she notices the door is actually unlocked. She almost always remembers to lock it, but this morning she had been running late so it was possible she forgot.
Brushing off the feelings of fear budding in her gut, she made dinner and filled the bathtub full of rich, lavender-smelling bubbles, soaking away the last two weeks. It felt like the perfect end to a Friday night.
