His father lingered behind the others. Damn. Exhaustion weighed heavily on William’s shoulders as he dropped into his chair to await the dressing down. Bill Caldwell, as he preferred to be called, had a father’s ability to detect when one of his children was lying. Well, this was true for his sons. Tori, Chad’s twin sister, had always been able to lie her way through anything. The little witch. He could use some of that talent right now.
After pulling out a chair and sitting beside William, Bill tapped the table, the sound like rain on a metal roof. “Now that we’re alone, I want the truth, William. Not the powdered-sugar version you gave the board.”
William rubbed his cheek and pressed farther back in his chair. “The truth? Torval is stone-walling me. If I say A, he says B. If I give him B, he says it’s off the table.” He swiveled the chair and stared out the window, rolling his favorite Montblanc pen between his fingers. His brothers had given it to him when he’d received his CPA license. “It’s like he’s trying to run us into the ground.”
“But why? If we go bankrupt, he’s out of a job.”
“It doesn’t make any sense to me either. I’ve got my team going over the books and running the numbers to see what we can squeeze out of the budget. If I can get Torval to agree to one concession, maybe that will get the ball rolling on these negotiations.”
“That’s a good plan. And while you’re squeezing money out of the budget, don’t forget about the one-hundred-and-sixtieth anniversary party. We’ll be giving out the usual five-percent bonuses.”
William’s brows shot up. “Seriously? You still want to do that?”
“It’s good for morale, son. If we change the tradition now, everyone will know we’re in financial difficulty.”
“Maybe they should.”
“We’ve put out some amazing designs in the last few years. I want the teams to know their work is appreciated.”
William tucked the Montblanc into the breast pocket of his jacket and stood. Nothing would convince his father, except neat columns of numbers in black and white. The man was far too soft-hearted to be CEO of a struggling company. Good thing the union negotiations were in William’s hands. Some very tough decisions were needed, some loyal employees would need to be let go, some stunning, but unprofitable, products would need to be dropped from their lines. Some people would need to be hurt in order to keep the company afloat. He’d do whatever he could to minimize the damage, but there would definitely be casualties. “All right, Dad. I’ll do my best.”
“I know you will, son. See you at lunch on Sunday?”
Lunch with his crazy family? How could he resist? “I’ll be there.”
Would Danielle go too? Jamie or Erica often invited her.
“Oh, and bring Dani along. She’s practically one of the family.”
William’s step faltered and his head whipped around. “She is?” What had he missed?
His father laughed. “You two are living together now. I never thought I’d see the day.”
What? His father was acting like he and Danielle were together together, as in a couple. “Dad, you know this is temporary, right? I’m just doing Jamie a favor.”
“You go on believing that.” Laughter bounced off the floor-to-ceiling windows as his father left the conference room.
After a full minute of staring through the empty doorway, William shook off his stupor, grabbed his laptop and high-tailed it back to his office before another Twilight Zone moment could occur.
Once he reached the sanctuary of his office, he slammed the door shut and checked his watch. Lunch time, and he wasn’t even hungry. He should head to the gym and work off his breakfast. His tiny slip of a roommate was going to kill him with her morning cholesterol feasts.
The humor lighting her eyes when he’d stuffed the mash of toast, egg, bacon, and sausage into his mouth had driven all the blood in his body below his belt. She annoyed the shit out of him, that was true. But their verbal sparring made him feel alive, exhilarated. Although he’d played right into her plan, it had been well worth it. Making dinner for her tonight would be worth it too. He’d get her steak, but he drew the line at the Corona. If she was going to be staying with him, she’d have to learn to drink something that wasn’t glorified watered-down piss.
He settled at his desk and planned the rest of his day, including a stop at the grocery store on the way home. The way she ate, he needed to stock up on everything. The memory of her taut stomach and slender thighs made him sweat. His breathing accelerated and his cock went hard.
What the hell was wrong with him? A woman like Danielle, no matter how sexy and smart she might be, had no place in his life. Certainly not in his future.
His cell buzzed, interrupting his poor attempt at convincing himself that she wasn’t his type. He pulled the phone out of his jacket pocket and swiped the screen with his thumb to unlock it. A message from Danielle stared him in the face.
Sorry. Can’t make dinner. Have to work. Tomorrow?
Something heavy filled his chest. He rubbed his sternum to alleviate the discomfort, but it wasn’t going anywhere. Was he actually disappointed that he wouldn’t be seeing her tonight? She was nothing to him. Nothing more than his brother’s friend. Nothing more than the woman who’d helped save his niece’s life after the earthquake that rocked Seattle a month ago. Okay. So maybe she did mean a little something to him. He texted her back.
No problem. Be careful out there.
Thirty seconds later, his phone pinged again and displayed a new message.
Watch out, Will. I might start to think you care.
As he put the phone away, a smile tugged at his lips. With only a few words, Danielle had managed to brighten his day and lighten the weight on his shoulders. She wasn’t his future, but maybe she could be his right now? After all, they had the perfect cover. No way Torval could twist this against him. William was simply helping out a family friend, one of the community’s elite firefighters, by offering the use of his spare bedroom in her time of need. There was no way this could go wrong. None at all. Shit.
If he wasn’t careful, Danielle and her beast were going to wreck more than his home; they were going to wreck his well-planned life.
At the end of her shift, Dani grabbed the backpack from her locker and headed out into the bright morning sunshine.
“Dani, wait up.”
She stopped and waited for Hollywood to join her. “What’s up, Lieutenant?”
“Just wanted to say thanks for filling in.” He rolled his head on his shoulders, his expression grim. “That was a tough one.”
She hitched her bag higher on her shoulder and had to swallow away the bitterness in her throat. “These are the ones that stay with us.”
“Feel free to use the counseling services if… you know… if you need it,” he said, his voice gentle as he squeezed her shoulder.
There was no doubt she’d be having nightmares about opening up the slider on that minivan and coming face to face with six dead children. Oh, they’d been strapped in… no car seats and two to a belt. When would people learn that seat belts weren’t designed to hold small children? She nodded. “I will.”
“So, you heading out? A bunch of us are meeting at O’Riley’s for a drink to… shake things off. Join us?”
The platoons often met to commiserate after a rough shift. It helped them ease back into normalcy, so they could go back to their regular lives. Go back to their family and friends, who had no idea of the horror they saw almost daily. The switch was important, but it wasn’t an easy one. She wished she could join them. “I have to drive over to my mom’s. She’s got breakfast waiting.”
“Speaking of living arrangements, Jamie told me about your new digs. You should have come to us,” he said, narrowing his gaze. “Jamie and I would have helped you out.”
She smiled to let him know she appreciated his words. “It’s not like I could stay with either of you.”
“I’d have let you have my place. Found somewhere
else to bunk for a few weeks.”
“Where?” She knew enough about his family to know he’d rather sleep in a dumpster than stay with his father, the rarely revered and often feared Deputy Chief Wright. “I doubt Jamie would have wanted you staying with Erica while he was at work.”
Hollywood laughed, transforming his features into the sardonic twist she was used to. “You got that right. Dude’s as possessive as a pit bull. Drew would have taken me in. Or Chad maybe.”
She studied his features. Did he know about Chad? Hollywood was so overt about his manly man status, she was surprised he’d even consider staying with Chad. Unless it was to piss off his father. Yeah. That was a definite possibility. As anti-gay as he was, Hollywood’s father would have a coronary if he learned Hollywood was rooming with Chad. She couldn’t help the grin that curved her lips.
“What’s so funny?”
“Just imagining the good chief’s face if you’d gone to stay with Chad.”
He snorted.
“Things worked out for the best,” she added.
“So how is Mr. Stick-Up-His-Butt, anyway?”
“A lot more fun than I thought he’d be. The man’s got fire in him, it just takes a bit of work to get it started.”
Hollywood’s eyes started to twinkle, and she could see why all the fire bunnies chased him like he was a movie star. Fortunately, despite his marquee looks, there was zero chemistry between the two of them.
“Go easy on him, sweetheart. I’m not sure the dude’s man enough for you.”
Feeling a curious need to defend William, she arched a brow. “Oh, he’s man enough, all right.”
“Speaking from personal knowledge? Don’t forget William is your boss’s brother. No matter how much Jamie likes you, if you fuck with his brother, he’ll be gunning for you.”
She held up a hand. “Whoa! I’m not his type, he’s not mine. We’re roommates. Nothing more.”
And what a shame that was. She’d have loved to find out what was beneath his suits, beneath his CFO armor. What was it people always said? Watch out for the quiet ones? Yeah, she’d bet William was way more than a corporate striver. If he ever shed his shackles, he’d surprise them all.
After saying their goodbyes, she hopped in her car, and thirty minutes later, she was sitting at the table in her mother’s retro kitchen, shoveling waffles into her mouth.
“When I heard about the accident with those poor children last night, I knew you’d need a hero’s breakfast. Just like your father did.” Her mother smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
After her father died at the scene of a horrific apartment building fire, she and her mother and her little sister had grieved together and comforted each other. But it was clear that even after all these years, her mother was still mourning. She’d never dated another man, never even shown an interest. Instead, she’d devoted every minute of her life to her two daughters. And it was also clear that Dani had broken her mother’s heart the day she’d signed up to join the fire service.
Dani briefly closed her eyes to block out her mother’s haggard face. “Mom…” What could she really say though?
Reaching out, her mother squeezed Dani’s hand, then sat back. “So, tell me about this man you’re living with.”
Dani rolled her eyes. “I’m only staying at his place for a few weeks.”
“What does he do?”
“Really, Mom?” She sighed at the interest in her mother’s eyes. It was the first spark of life she’d seen in her for years. She took a sip of her coffee and steeled her spine for what she knew was coming. “He’s the Chief Financial Officer of Caldwell Fine Furnishings.”
Eyes wide, her mother began to smile. “That sounds promising. I love their furniture. Now why does that name sound so familiar?”
Here it comes. “He’s my boss’s brother. You remember Lieutenant Jamie Caldwell from family day, right?”
“Yes. Such a handsome young man. Is his brother much like him?”
“Well, he’s not a firefighter—”
“And thank God for that,” her mother interjected.
Dani stuffed another forkful of strawberries and whipped cream in her mouth to keep herself from responding. Even though she knew why her mother hated that she was a firefighter, it still hurt that she kept putting her career down.
“What does he look like?”
“He’s a little over six feet, trim, wears a suit really well,” she added, thinking of the morning before.
Her mother’s face lit up. “A suit? Oh my!”
“Aren’t you the least bit bothered by the fact that he’s my lieutenant’s brother?”
She shrugged. “Why would I be? You’ll quit once you’re married. A man like that needs a woman by his side, one who’ll throw parties for his colleagues and clients, and who’ll give him babies. Not a woman who tramps through burning buildings, crawls through bug-infested tunnels, or the million other things you do that could get you killed.”
Dani imagined herself as a character in one of those old cartoons, with sweat dripping down her red face and steam pouring out her ears. She wiped her mouth and very slowly, so as not to scrape the chair’s feet on the linoleum, she pushed back and stood. “Couldn’t you be proud of your daughter, even once?” She rested her palms on the table and locked gazes with her mother. “I’m not an incubator, and I don’t need a man to make me a woman. Thanks for breakfast.”
She spun on her heel and took long steps down the hall. Her mother’s next words froze her in place.
“I always suspected you might be one of those lesbians. Now I know for sure.”
Dani’s blood boiled. More than that, a huge hurt opened up in her chest. “I love you, Mom. But you don’t know shit about me.” She’d continue to make the payments on her mother’s mortgage until the house was paid off, but that was it. They’d never have the mother-daughter relationship she’d always wanted. Her mother didn’t understand her at all.
She’d surely condemn her if she knew what Dani did at the fetish clubs. What she wanted to do with Will. A shiver of anxiety raced down her spine as she recalled her dream. No. If she wanted to keep the life she had, no one could ever know the truth about her.
Chapter 3
Arms full, William arrived home with only an hour to spare before his dinner date with Danielle. He balanced the grocery bags between his hip and the wall as he wiggled the key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. Tension coiled in his stomach. What was Danielle doing? Would he catch her in the shower? Or would she be sprawled on his couch with her hairy beast again?
Eager to find out, he shoved open the door—and was greeted by deafening silence. Feeling a little deflated, and not liking it, he toed off his shoes and carried the bags into the kitchen. The house seemed empty, too quiet. After the day he’d had, he should appreciate the time alone, the opportunity to relax and wind down. But he didn’t.
He put the food away, then headed to his room to change out of his suit. His silk Armani tie was beginning to feel like a noose. As he passed Danielle’s closed door, he heard scratching, followed by a soft whine. Had Danielle gone out and left the dog alone in her room? Though he didn’t like dogs, he hated the idea of the animal being cooped up in the room alone.
Backtracking, he pressed his ear to the door. More whining. He’d barely cracked it an inch when Coco’s black nose appeared. She snuffled and squeezed herself through the narrow opening. Okay, so apparently the dog was joining him. He braced himself, thinking she was going to jump up on him. But she didn’t. Instead, the animal sat beside him and leaned her weight against his leg.
Smiling despite himself, he reached down and scratched the top of her head. She wagged her tongue and pushed her head against his fingers. If Danielle ever decided that firefighting wasn’t for her, he was certain she could have a brilliant career as a dog trainer.
Curiosity got the better of him, and he peered into the room. His breath caught as he spied Danielle’s slender body on the bed, w
rapped in a duvet he didn’t recognize. Her hair, the color of dark chocolate, fanned across her white pillow, framing her face, now relaxed in sleep. She made a soft sound, but didn’t otherwise move.
Glancing around the room, he noted other changes. She’d draped a red scarf over her lamp. Seeing she’d cut a hole over the middle so the heat wasn’t trapped, he smiled. Framed photos lined the dresser and desk. He stepped inside to take a closer look. Most were group pictures of her with other firefighters. A few were of her with another woman with very similar features. Did Danielle have a sister?
The last photo was of a young Danielle, another girl, and a man in a firefighter’s dress uniform with his arm around a woman. This had to be Danielle’s family. He’d had no idea her father was a firefighter too. But why did she carry around such an old photo? Was this the only family picture she’d managed to salvage from her apartment after the quake? He really knew very little about his new roommate, about the woman sharing his home.
As he turned to leave, he noticed she’d changed the curtains, and there was a new matching carpet on the floor along with a pile of clothes in the corner and an open suitcase. If it weren’t for his furniture, all from Caldwell Fine Furnishings, he’d hardly recognize this as his spare bedroom. She had more style than Jamie, but she was just as messy.
Shaking his head, he exited and quietly shut the door. She still had another hour to sleep before their appointed dinner. The dog, who’d stayed in the hall when he’d gone into Danielle’s room as though afraid to get stuck inside again, followed him to his bedroom, but did not enter. Keeping an eye on Coco, he changed into a pair of jeans and a light shirt. He left off socks or shoes. The coolness of the hardwood on his bare feet always soothed him.
Everything Bared (Six-Alarm Sexy) Page 3
