TONY: Slow Burn (Raging Fire Book 1)

by Kallypso Masters

  “Count me in.” Seeing Carm again at the charity event—and after, regardless of who won him—gave him something else to look forward to. By November, the weather would be sketchier, and they wouldn’t be able to dive as often. “Just let me know when and where.”

  “Great!” She outlined the schedule for the evening and mentioned that she could hook him up with a tux if he needed one. “No need. I’ll get one from the same rental place I used for Angelina and Marc’s wedding. They already know my measurements. Need any more bachelors? I have a few single brothers I could wrangle into joining me, provided they aren’t working.”

  “Absolutely! The more the merrier—more men will just mean more money raised for a good cause.”

  “Who’s the event benefiting?”

  She glanced away momentarily. “Actually, you’ve inspired me to do it for the fire department.”

  “That’s awesome.” The affluent city of Aspen probably didn’t need all that much help, but seeing Carm doing something to support her community made him so proud of her. Maybe he’d get some ideas at her event for doing something on a smaller scale here in town sometime.

  An extended cab pickup approached, and the two couples soon joined them. Everyone knew each other from the wedding and Angelina’s birthday, so while Luke, Megan, and Ryder got into their gear, they caught up on what was happening with everyone.

  Cassie remained quiet, as usual, and spent the time setting up her easel and canvas to paint Iron Horse Pass, near the Dentons’ cabin, while the others were diving. She’d given scuba diving a try at the high-school pool but hadn’t taken to it the way the others had. Some people couldn’t get past the feeling they were going to drown when water got into their masks.

  “Who’s watching things at the ranch?” Tony asked.

  “O’Keeffe,” Luke answered. Everyone but Carm laughed.

  “O’Keeffe?” she asked.

  “Luke’s horse,” Tony explained.

  “Actually,” Luke said, “we just decided this was more important than building more bunkhouses today.”

  “I really appreciate you all wanting to join the team,” Tony said. “Sorry there’s no compensation involved.”

  “Hey, we do SAR work as volunteers,” Ryder said. “This will just be an extension of that.”

  With Carm and Tony’s assistance, the dive instructor reviewed the signals they’d need to communicate with each other underwater and, after a quick overview of what they wanted to accomplish, he double-checked their equipment to make sure everything was ready to enter the water.

  When they were ready to go in, the instructor cautioned the newest divers, “Stay close to one of us at all times.” They walked to the edge of the water and donned their fins before walking into the water. At waist level, they purged their regulators, put in their mouthpieces, and went underwater.

  As part of this class, the instructor made sure all were comfortable with their dive equipment, practicing buoyancy, how to clear their masks of water, buddy breathing, how to help if someone lost their regulator, and other techniques that would come in handy when they were trying to help someone having a problem during a dive.

  After about an hour, they returned to shore.

  Being on a dive again with Carm exhilarated Tony. She handled the cold water like a champ. He wished he’d scheduled a fun dive for the two of them, but his total focus was on getting in dives with his potential team.

  When they had removed their equipment, Cassie came up to him.

  “Tony, I am so sorry I could not be a part of your team. I wanted to do this with Luke, but I do not think I am cut out for scuba diving.”

  “No worries, Cassie. It’s not for everyone. But at least you gave it a try.”

  She smiled, relief spreading over her face. She wasn’t part of the SAR team either, so she’d have required additional training in order to be a part of the team. “Perhaps I can donate some of my artwork for you to auction off or sell to raise money for the cause.”

  “That would be great!” Carm said, not waiting for Tony to respond. He liked her enthusiasm. She looked down suddenly, tucking her wet hair behind her ear, even though it was fine just the way it was. After a few moments, she met his gaze. “I mean, don’t you think that would be a good idea, Tony?”

  “Absolutely!” Tony said. Maybe she just didn’t want to butt in, thinking it was his project, but there was no I in team.

  While the dive instructor prepared the dive equipment for packing up, he told the three novices they should be ready to start their certification classes soon.

  “We went down to about twenty-five feet today, but after you’re certified, you’ll be able to go a lot deeper.”

  After helping to pack up the gear into the dive shop’s truck, the dive instructor left.

  Tony invited the two couples to join him and Carm for an early dinner at Angelina’s restaurant, but they declined.

  “I need to relieve O’Keeffe of her duties,” Luke joked.

  “And we have evening chores to do,” Megan said.

  Tony hadn’t really wanted to drive up to Breckenridge anyway. He’d rather have some time alone with Carmella but didn’t show them his relief. They piled into the truck and left minutes later.

  He turned to Carmella, took a deep breath, and asked, “How’d you like to have dinner at my place?”

  “Sounds delightful.”

  “Follow me.” In their separate vehicles, he and Carm headed toward town. Passing by the place where the mother and toddler had been swept off the road always gave Tony a reason to do his slow breathing exercises to try and calm his anxiety. He passed it at least once a week, whenever he brought anyone to the county’s reservoir for training. Luckily, most of their training happened in other locations closer to the dive shops and instructors. But Tony wanted to get to know the reservoir better, because more than likely most of the dive-team calls would be to this lake.

  He hoped having Carmella over was the right step to take in their relationship. He’d invited her to stay over when he’d asked her to help him with today’s dive. Before going to work yesterday, he’d even made the bed with fresh linens, taken out the trash, and stocked the fridge with ingredients for a special dinner as well as breakfast items.

  So what was he so nervous about?

  On the drive to Tony’s place, excited didn’t begin to describe Carm’s feelings. This was a big step in their relationship, right? Regardless, she intended to have a great time with him this evening, and it sounded as though he’d be open to her staying the night. She’d leave her overnight bag in the car, though, and play it by ear.

  She hadn’t expected to have so much fun on a cold-water dive in a reservoir, but it hadn’t been too bad. She’d seen some trout. Not the tropical beauties off Provo island, but interesting to watch in their own way.

  When Cassie had offered some artwork to help raise money, Carm couldn’t believe how she’d jumped on the offer before remembering that Tony knew nothing about the reason for her fundraiser. But that gave her the idea to have a silent auction as part of the November gala. She had a feeling she could trust Cassie to keep it quiet, so she might ask the woman privately to donate something. Or she could ask for a donation and just not say what the cause was right away.

  After parking in the space next to Tony’s truck, she got out of the car and met him on the sidewalk. Tony fiddled with the keys as she approached him. Was he having second thoughts about inviting her over?

  “How does pasta primavera with gremolata sound for dinner?”

  “Like I was dining at the best restaurant in town.”

  “If Angelina’s was in Aspen Corners, I’d only be second best, but come on in.” They walked up the steps to the external door, which led to a long dark hallway. “My place isn’t as fancy as yours—”

  “Aspen Corners isn’t as pretentious as Aspen is. I’m sure it meets all your needs.”

  About halfway down the hall, he stopped in front of a door. “This
is it.” He put the key in the lock and opened the door, indicating that she should precede him. Inside, the living room was dominated by a big-screen TV and a sofa. She wasn’t one to watch much TV, although it would be nice for a movie night. There weren’t any knickknacks or photos displayed to give her any clues as to his sentimental nature or interests. She could see part of a small dining table tucked into the corner near what she assumed was the kitchen, which was out of sight. Not the open floor plan she preferred, but definitely a bachelor’s apartment.

  “I’ll give you the ten-cent tour. It’ll take about a minute.”

  She laughed. “It’s just interesting to see where you live. Now I can picture you here when we talk at night.”

  “Usually, I hang out in this room watching sports or whatever’s on. Sometimes I call you from here.” He waved her into the hallway. “Bathroom’s there.” At the end of the hall, he opened the door to his bedroom. “Lately, though, I’m so tired that I drop into bed and call you from here.”

  An Italian wrought-iron bed dominated the room. That surprised her. “I was expecting a massive dark-wood bed.”

  He shook his head. “Some of my fondest memories are in my nonna’s wrought-iron bed in Sicily. She’d let two or three of us pile in there when we visited her in the summers, sleeping crossways on the bed. Angelina inherited Nonna’s iron bed. I wanted something a little wider, so I found this king-sized bed that’s pretty close to what hers looked like.”

  “I’m glad it wasn’t hers.” He cocked his head at her statement, and she shrugged. “I’d feel a little weird fooling around in your grandmother’s bed.”

  Tony grinned, closed the gap between them, and wrapped his arms around her. “Believe me, dolcezza, if I’m lucky enough to get you into my bed, the last person you’ll be thinking about is my nonna.” He kissed her gently but broke it off before becoming too passionate. “But first, we need to finish the tour in the kitchen and start on dinner. You probably haven’t eaten since breakfast.”

  “I nibbled from a bag of trail mix on the drive to the reservoir, but I am starving.”

  “I like a woman with an appetite, and you already know I love to cook for you.”

  He took her hand and led her back down the hallway, through the living room, and around the corner where she found a cozy dining area, perfect for two. “We’ll eat in here.” Then he slid a pocket door aside to reveal an enormous, modern kitchen.

  “This is bigger than your living room.”

  “I had my priorities straight when I was looking for a place.”

  “How long have you lived here?”

  “Almost two years.” He went to the refrigerator and started pulling items out while Carm continued to take it all in.

  The counters weren’t granite, but there were plenty of them. The black range was nestled in the island in the middle of the room. The other appliances were black and new-looking too.

  “Did you replace the appliances?”

  He stopped and looked around. “Nope. I just kept looking at places until I found the perfect kitchen. Rent’s a little high, but it’s worth it to me.”

  It was nice to see he spent money on something other than training—something just for him, his family, and friends. And cooking, like diving, appeared to be a stress reliever for him.

  “What can I do to help?”

  Tony handed her a bunch of parsley or cilantro, she never could tell the difference. “I’m going to need a lot of this parsley for the gremolata, so if you could wash it, then strip the leaves off and chop them, that would be great.” He slid a paring knife to her.

  After she left the sink to spread the herbs on paper towels, he washed several other vegetables for the pasta primavera dish. They worked in silence. When she finished, she watched him while checking out his domain.

  Tony’s well-stocked kitchen had high-end cooking gadgets and appliances, big and small. “You must have people over all the time to cook for them.” She almost said women but didn’t want to fish for information about past dates who’d come here.

  “Sadly, no. I usually prep and cook here then take the dishes to Mama’s or the station. Rafe’s come over on occasion, and Angelina used to have cooking sessions with me before she opened the restaurant.” Tony set down the knife he was using to slice the yellow squash. “But you’re the first date I’ve ever brought home.”

  To say she was stunned was an understatement, and she couldn’t stop herself from asking, “Ever?”

  He nodded and hitched the corner of his mouth up as if that was a bad thing.

  Carm had no idea! She didn’t care one way or another about his past exploits, because she’d certainly entertained a few guys at her condo over the years. But it warmed her heart even more that he’d invited her here.

  “I’m honored.”

  She came around the island, rested her hand on his until the knife stilled, and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. He half-turned so that he could wrap her in his embrace, and they kissed more passionately.

  Afterward, she returned to her station to await further instructions while Tony sliced the remaining squash. His spirits seemed high tonight. They’d had a great day so far.

  When he picked up the asparagus and start snapping off the tough ends, he paused again to meet her gaze. “Thanks for coming over, Carmella. Do you think you’ll be able to stay the night?”

  That he didn’t take it for granted she’d stay touched her. “Nothing would make me happier. I wasn’t sure how late we’d be at the lake, so I packed a bag. It’s in the car.”

  This was more than a booty call. This was a monumental step, being the first woman to spend the night here with Tony. She wasn’t going to pass on the chance. By his simple admission minutes ago, Tony Giardano had moved light-years ahead of any man she’d dated in the past.

  “Tony, can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.” He set down the asparagus and gave her his full attention.

  “Last month, when you left without saying goodbye, what happened?” The words hadn’t quite come out as intended, but she waited for a response.

  She’d begun to think he wasn’t going to answer, then he blurted out, “I had a nightmare.”

  He hadn’t shared that with her? How’d she been sleeping next to him and not been aware of it? “Tony, I wish you’d told me that morning. I might have been able to help you with the aftermath of the dream.”

  “Thanks, I appreciate that, but it wasn’t as bad as some. I didn’t want to wake you up at four-thirty when you had a meeting early that morning.”

  “I wouldn’t have cared about that meeting as much as I care about you. Sandro and I can touch base anytime, we just choose to do it in the morning. I just hate that you went through that alone.”

  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them again and meeting her gaze. “I can’t promise I won’t have one tonight. They’re unpredictable. The two nights I slept beside you on Provo, I was lucky. But I want to warn you so you know what you’re getting into. I might lash out or kick you. If I ever hurt you, I wouldn’t forgive myself.”

  Carm walked around the island to where he stood. Taking him in her arms, she kissed him on one cheek, then the other, almost like a mother might kiss a child. This wasn’t sexual. She felt this from somewhere deep inside her.

  “Tony, I’m tough. You aren’t going to do anything, and if you did, it would be nothing serious. Please stop worrying about me, because you’re going to make yourself so anxious you’ll inevitably bring on a nightmare.”

  “I still don’t know what caused—”

  She pressed a finger against his lips. “Shh. It doesn’t matter what brings them on. When they do happen, we’ll face them together.”

  Tony’s eyes grew bright with what looked like unshed tears. If he wanted to shed a tear without embarrassment, she’d give him that opportunity.

  “Oh, Baby,” she said, as she pulled him closer and wrapped her arms around him to hold him tight. “I h
ate that you’re having to go through this when all you wanted to do was protect people and save lives.”

  “It’s my job.”

  “But you need to forgive yourself for not being a superhero. Teddy Roosevelt once quoted an old saying, Do what you can, with what you’ve got, where you are. You did all anyone could do under those circumstances—and more than most would have done. Sometimes people can’t be saved from themselves.”

  Tony held onto her as if she were a lifeline. He didn’t say anything for the longest time. That he’d allow himself to be vulnerable with her meant a lot to her, and she hoped he’d continue to lower the walls he’d constructed to protect his heart.

  Despite her brother’s warning and her own questions about whether she and Tony had any future, today she’d learned that they most certainly did. It might take them a while to get to a place where they would make a commitment, but Carmella wasn’t going anywhere. She’d give him the time he needed to come to terms with the past and embrace their future, whether they had one together or not.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Tony tugged at the collar under his bow tie to give himself room to breathe. He hated dressing up and regretted agreeing to be a part of tonight’s charity shindig. What he wouldn’t do for Carmella and the brotherhood. At least she’d promised she wouldn’t let anyone outbid her. He looked forward to spending time together during the dinner and dancing portion of the gala. He’d already told her she could add five hundred to whatever she had as his contribution to the cause—in part to keep from spending the night with one of the older ladies who’d been eyeing him and the other bachelors. They made him nervous. Most were older than Mama—some by more than twenty years. What if one of them set her sights on him?

  If Tony was lucky, they’d choose Rafe, Matt, Franco, or any of the other firefighters he’d roped in for tonight’s gala instead. At least Carm had promised Tony would go up for bidding last. Maybe everyone would be tapped out for funds after the other guys were auctioned off.

  Then there was that Nick guy from New York. Was there something going on between him and Carm? The man had flown all the way from New York to participate in this event, which was more of an effort to be near Carmella than Tony had made in the past six weeks. Tony had only managed to see her twice since their dive in September—and here they were at the second weekend of November already.