“I can’t believe you punched him. You’re supposed to be saving lives, not hurting people.”
“What about what he said about you?” Larry pinpointed her, his face drawn in anger.
“I never said I was an angel.” Jenna grabbed the photographer by the lapels and shook him. “What if we have to call 9-1-1?”
“He’s still breathing. I hope he doesn’t have a head injury.”
“Where’d you hit him?”
“Jaw, but I didn’t even break it. I shouldn’t have hit him,” Larry conceded. “I’m sorry, Jenna. I lost it when he said he and those other guys were your lovers.”
“It doesn’t matter what he said. You can’t be going around hitting people. I’ll call Connor. But this doesn’t look good. If you gave him a concussion, you could be going to jail.” Jenna opened her purse and extracted a bottle of water and her cell phone.
Larry took the water bottle and doused Gustave’s face. His mascara ran down the sides of his eyes, and he shook his head and sputtered.
“Oh, good, you’re awake.” Jenna smoothed Gustave’s hair from his face. She could feel Larry’s fiery gaze on her, but she had to placate her off-and-on-again date first. “Do you remember what happened?”
The photographer coughed and rubbed his face. His eyes went in and out of focus and he grinned, reaching up for her. “Hey, babe. I’m here for your photoshoot. How come you didn’t return my texts?”
“I’ve been having phone trouble,” Jenna said, which was the truth. Her phone had run out of memory and needed to be rebooted whenever she wanted to send or receive texts. “Where are you staying?”
She helped Gustave sit, and he glared at Larry while Harley stood at attention, or as stiff as a basset hound puppy could get. His throat rumbled with a low, snorting growl.
“Is that your bodyguard?” Gustave rubbed his head. “Did he hit me? I ought to sue him. Have him arrested.”
“Sue me, instead.” She batted her eyelashes at the photographer. “I hired him, and I apologize. Really.”
“Then you ought to fire him and hire a better looking one.” Gustave rubbed his jaw and let Jenna pull him to his feet. “Don’t tell me you’re low on funds again. I could spot you the cash if you need any.”
Jenna’s back scorched from the fire fuming out of Larry, but she had to save his skin. Gustave was a class-one asshole, and he could care less whose life he ruined. The only reason she had to stay on his good side was obvious. He could make or break her career. He was in high demand, despite her jibe that he was cheap, and he could put together a look-book that would have couture buyers everywhere drooling to order.
She rolled her shoulders and tilted her chin up, narrowing her eyes at Larry. “You’re fired. Please take your dog and leave us alone. I’ll direct deposit your final paycheck.”
Larry’s mouth opened and shut. His face hardened and he turned away so fast that Jenna almost didn’t see the hurt in his eye. But she had, and the hope in her heart died.
He’d never understand the world she operated in, the sharks she swam with, the compromises she had to make, and how low she had to go to claw her way to success.
# # #
Larry walked as straight and tall as he could until he was out of sight of the two slime bags. Even though Jenna had been worried about him getting into trouble for punching out Gustave, she’d treated him like dirt while flirting and simpering over the fallen photographer.
“Well, Harley, I don’t know what to do with you,” Larry said as the puppy lifted a leg against a bush. “You’re potty-trained already. Let’s swing by the station and see if you’ll like it there.”
He was going to miss little Harley, but he couldn’t steal him from Jenna, and with the way everything had turned upside down, he didn’t want Jenna to have any reason to come see him. These past few days, she’d shown up every evening to walk Harley, and he’d come to look forward to her visits.
He didn’t want to think about the kissing and the promises she’d made, saying she’d be his treat as long as he and Harley wanted her. Heck, she’d dismissed him as if he were a mere servant and fawned all over the assbite photographer.
A couple of blocks later, Larry walked up the driveway of the fire station. Chad and Jackson were washing the engine, and they waved at him.
“You’re in time for dinner,” Jackson said. “Jenna brought over Mrs. Hart’s Brunswick stew.”
“Hey, who’s that little guy?” Chad squatted to the driveway and patted Harley. “Connor says you’ve been taking care of his sister’s dog.”
Grrr. Gossip sure traveled fast.
“Actually, I came to see if Connor wants this little guy. Jenna wants to surprise him for Valentine’s. You know, offer him a date and out jumps the puppy.”
The two guys guffawed loudly.
“That would be funny,” Jackson said. “Behind door number one is your date to the Valentine’s Ball, wearing a Jenna Hart designer dress.”
“Why thank you, Chief,” Chad continued, in an irritating falsetto. “For letting your men participate in my show. Remember I promised you a date with one of the models? Well, da-dum!”
“Whatever,” Larry grumbled. “It’s not right to surprise someone with a pet. I’m going to run it by Connor first.”
“Chief’s in his office,” Jackson said. “Doing the budget.”
“He’ll love this puppy.” Chad gave Harley a rubdown. “Good luck when Jenna finds out you let out her surprise.”
“I won’t need any luck.” Larry picked up Harley and held him close to his heart. The pain inside was worse than all the burns he had suffered, but he couldn’t let the guys know. He had to put on a tough face. He was not a man to be pitied, and he would never let any woman hurt him again, ever.
He climbed the steps to the chief’s office, high on the second floor.
“Hey, what’s up?” Connor looked up from his computer. “You still have Jenna’s puppy. Is he toilet-trained yet?”
“He’s doing great. Holding it almost all night, and hasn’t had an accident all weekend.” Larry sat on one of the easy chairs in Connor’s office.
“I can’t believe my sister has you suckered into taking care of her dog.” Connor shook his head as if amused by Jenna’s ingenuity or ability to get people to do whatever she wanted.
It wasn’t amusing to Larry.
“Actually, she got this puppy for you.” Larry all but grunted. “I’m hoping you’re ready for another firehouse dog.”
Connor’s eyes clouded over and he heaved a sigh. “That sister of mine. Meddling. If she wasn’t so pretty and perky, I’d strangle her myself.”
“I think she means well. She wants you to be happy. She was going to surprise you for Valentine’s Day, but I figured you should be prepared.”
Connor let Harley sniff his fingers, and the puppy licked his hand, dropping drool on the carpet.
“I guess I could take this dog,” Connor said. “If it makes Jenna happy."
“Do you think Harley would be happy here?”
“You named him already? Cool. I like Harley.” Connor picked up the puppy and rubbed his ears. “He’ll be great.”
Larry’s shoulders slumped, and he felt the entire weight of his grief descend on him. Harley had a home, but it wasn’t with him. He shouldn’t have let himself get attached.
“You look like you’re going to miss him,” Connor said. “Want to take care of him a little longer, at least until Jenna decides to surprise me?”
“No, he’s properly trained.” Larry stood so quickly, he bumped his shoulder on a standing lamp. “I’m sick and tired of Jenna popping over to my place to see her dog while I do all the dirty work. Feeding him, wiping up his spills, taking him out for potty breaks and cleaning his fur.”
“Thought you liked the dog.” Connor crossed his arms and regarded him like a best buddy should. “Thought you liked my sister.”
“I’m not over Shelly,” Larry lied.
“You looked
plenty over Shelly when I saw you yesterday walking through the park with Jenna.”
“Jenna’s boyfriend turned up today.” Larry hated the grit in his throat threatening to choke him.
“Which one?” Connor glowered. “You want me to punch the lights out of him, I’ll be glad to lead the charge.”
“Don’t worry. I already did.”
Connor laid his hand on Larry’s shoulder. “Man, I’m really sorry for you. Jenna means well, but she has no clue the effect she has on people.”
Chapter 11
Jenna packed Gustave into a taxi. She stood in front of the open door while the cab idled. “I’ll call you later, but I have things to take care of.”
“Sure you don’t want to have dinner with me?” The photographer leered at her.
“I can’t. There’s still too much to do. I’m a one-woman show here. The models are flying in and I have to get everyone fitted and make the final adjustments.”
“I came a few days early, hoping to spend time with you, ma chérie,” the photographer crooned.
“I can’t. Quint’s covering the show. You understand.” She pecked him lightly on the cheek. “I absolutely need a fantastic write up from him.”
“But the photos, you need a bang-up look-book, no?”
“Yes, but since this is my solo show, it all hangs on the reviews. That’s what the buyers will be looking at before they order the look-book.” She patted his hand. “Also, we agreed to cut it off. You said, if I ever found a man for my heart, you’d let me go.”
“For Quint? No way.”
“Not Quint. Not Max, either. Someone you don’t know. You promised.”
“I’m a good man. Not a jealous bone in my body. See you, then.” Gustave waved good-naturedly. “And don’t think for one minute I believe that beast was your hired bodyguard.”
He sat back and gestured for Jenna to shut the door, so she did.
Turning quickly, she ran toward the firehouse. She had to catch Larry and explain. No matter how “good natured” Gustave acted, the man was a jerk. If suing Larry and having him arrested would add to the drama and excitement of his life, he’d do it without a second thought. Only now, since he hadn’t had Larry arrested, and the only witness was Jenna, he didn’t have much of a case. A bruised jaw was all that marred his Hollywood handsome face.
She huffed and puffed as her boots clomped down the sidewalk. Maybe she should have called a cab herself.
Chad and Jackson were on the driveway polishing a firetruck, but she dashed by them with a hasty wave. Larry had said he would be headed here. She had to catch him. No way would he answer his phone or his door to her. She’d seen the shuttered look on his face and the way he’d closed his heart to her. She couldn’t let him go. Not today. Not ever.
She breezed through the lobby and ran smack into Connor.
“Have you seen Larry?” she sputtered as he grabbed her shoulders to keep her from pitching forward.
“He was just here.”
“Woof, woof, wooohhfff.” Little Treat’s bark raised her hope.
Jenna turned toward the puppy and swung her head back and forth wildly. “Larry? Larry? Are you here?”
“He left.” Connor stood behind her. “He left Harley with me. Told me everything. How you planned to surprise me with a date with a model and spring the puppy on me.”
“He did?” Jenna’s hands flew to her face. “And what happened? Do you want Harley?”
“Do you want Larry?” Connor grabbed her by the arm and led her toward his office. “That’s the question, isn’t it?”
“Why, what did he tell you?” She clambered up the steps, understanding why her brother wanted to talk in private. Several heads had turned her direction and men had stepped out of the lunch room when she’d run into the station yelling for Larry.
Connor shoved her into his office and shut the door. “If you’re effing around with Larry, sister or not, I’m going to kill you.”
“Me? You’d turn against me?” Jenna couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“Yes, you. Larry’s a good man. He’s the best. He’s not one of your fash pack gigolos. Guys who pat themselves on the back, preening and pretending they’re somebodies when they’re a bunch of lowlife scum.”
“He’s the best,” Jenna wailed, holding back her tears. “He’s the best, but I had to pretend he was my bodyguard. Gustave was going to sue him for punching him. He still might.”
“So you crushed Larry to protect him?” Connor’s frown deepened. “You don’t know Larry at all. He doesn’t need your protection and he doesn’t want it.”
“I didn’t mean to hurt him. Did he go home? Tell me where he went.”
“I don’t know. He left Harley. He said you were giving him to me and he didn’t want you to have any excuse to go bothering him again, so he gave him to me early. Sorry to spoil your surprise.”
“He doesn’t want me bothering him?” Jenna swiped angrily at a few tears that leaked.
“No, and if I were you, I’d leave him alone.”
“I can’t. I only have a few more days before I have to go to London. I have to see him and explain.”
“Don’t hurt him any further.” Connor all but growled. “Pretty women like you think life is all about you. Larry will be fine after you leave.”
# # #
Larry wandered the streets, not looking forward to returning to an empty apartment. Why had he left Little Harley? That had been a stupid thing to do.
He’d go back to the fire station and retrieve him, but then he’d have to run the gauntlet of all his crew mates. He wasn’t in the mood for the ribbing or teasing he was sure to get. Not when the hole in his chest made it hard to breathe.
He strode past the Love Bean coffee shop and didn’t bother looking inside at all the happy people chatting with their friends. He’d believed Jenna cared about him, or at least could have been a friend, but the way she’d dismissed him hurt to the bone, and no friend would ever have done what she did.
“Larry? Larry!” a female voice called, sounding too much like Jenna.
Larry lengthened his stride and hurried down the sidewalk.
“Larry.” The footsteps clip-clopped after him. “Slow down. Is everything okay?”
It was Melisa, of course. Jenna would never have worried whether things were okay with him or not. She was too self-centered. Even Connor agreed, telling him that Jenna was considered the most beautiful of the three girls in her family and had always been put on a pedestal by her parents—especially her father, who regarded her as the apple of his eye.
He slowed and turned to greet Melisa. She rushed up to him, her cheeks rosy and her hair frizzy from the damp fog which had descended over the city.
“I thought it was you, but where’s Jenna’s puppy?” Melisa held her arms out for a hug.
Larry hugged her, almost lifting her from her feet. “I left him with Connor. He’s all potty-trained.”
“Oh, I thought it was going to be a surprise Valentine’s gift, not that I agreed with it,” Melisa said. “Well, that’s good, right?”
“Yep, all good.”
Her eyebrows pinched together with concern as she looked up at him. “You look like you lost your best friend. Maybe you should have kept Harley and asked Connor to pick out his own dog.”
Of course, Melisa knew how much he loved Harley. He’d brought him to school every day and kept him in the basement during school hours, but had him follow him around after hours to do his chores.
“Yeah, well, he was Jenna’s dog. Her decision.” He slumped his shoulders and shoved his hands into his pockets.
“Jenna’s been acting weird. I doubt she thought this thing through,” Melisa said.
“She hadn’t,” Larry admitted. “I don’t think women like Jenna ever think about anyone other than themselves.”
“Whoa, wait. That’s a mighty big generalization,” Melisa said, touching his arm. “You want to go to the Love Bean and have a cup of c
offee and tell me about it?”
“I shouldn’t.” Larry shut his mouth. This was stupid. Getting Jenna’s brother and now her sister involved in the mess was not cool. “I’m sorry what I said about her. It’s over now. Connor has the puppy, and I’m going home.”
“You don’t look happy about it.” Melisa was always observant, being a kindergarten teacher.
“I’ll miss the puppy, but he was never mine.” Same way that Jenna had never been his either.
“Well, maybe you can get another one.” Melisa stopped in front of her apartment building.
“Larry! Larry!” This time, it was Jenna calling.
He could recognize the strain and desperation in her voice, like that of a rubber band stretched to breaking point.
Cars honked and tires squealed as Jenna streaked across traffic to get to them. There was nowhere Larry could hide. He couldn’t duck into Melisa’s building nor could he cut across the street. He had no choice but to face her.
Jenna threw herself at him and smashed into his chest. Out of reflex, he wrapped his arms around her. He was too weak to turn away, too pathetically under her spell to let her go. She’d drain the last drop of blood from his heart, and still, he’d hold on. He knew he deserved better, but right now, he’d take anything she could give, because beauty always won. It was what every man was programmed to desire. It was also what made women like Jenna the way they were—alluring and dangerous. This was emotional suicide, but truly, had he anything better?
Chapter 12
Jenna had Larry right where she wanted him. On his couch, although the bed might have been better, underneath her, and hot and hard.
They’d been making out ever since the sun went down, and as long as she kept his lips busy kissing her, and his hands busy touching and petting her, she could believe everything was okay.
Men weren’t really that hard to figure out. A warm meal, a hot body, and sleep, and they’d forgive anything.
She slipped her tongue from his lips and smiled at him, stroking his hairline and nuzzling his nose. “We’re okay now?”
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