by Debra Kayn
All too soon, he slowed down, shifted, and turned onto a dead-end road. She leaned carefully to the side to take it all in. Her jaw dropped at the sight of the house in the distance.
A rambling two-story backed up to the beach with a statue of a Dalmatian dog sitting beside the front door. A curl of amusement tickled her. If she needed a sign that this was the fire chief’s house, the dog was it.
Gregg parked the motorcycle in front of the garage, switched off the ignition, and leaned the bike onto the kickstand.
“That was great!” Her voice echoed in her ears inside the helmet, and she struggled to loosen the strap. “I was wishing we could keep going. After riding with you, I can’t believe how much I miss my bike.”
“You had a motorcycle?” He climbed off the seat and helped her remove the helmet. He ran the back of his fingers down her cheek, before hanging the helmets on the handlebars.
She flashed a smile without any reservation, and laughed. “Well, it wasn’t a real bike, not like yours. I had a moped.”
“How about when I take you home, I’ll go the long way to make up for never letting you take control of my Harley...ever?” He shook his head and muttered, “Moped.”
“Deal.” She ran her hand along his upper arm. She motioned at the house. “Is this your house? It’s gorgeous...and the ocean...wow.”
He cleared his throat and glanced away. “Yeah, it’s mine. Come on in. Let me show you around.” Checking the time on his watch, he opened the front door. “We’ve got a few minutes to spare, and then we’ll need to get busy.”
“What kind of plans do you have for us?” She slipped her fingers into his and entered the house.
He grinned at her. “You’ll find out.”
Chapter Three
Gregg stood behind Amber, covered her eyes with his hands, and guided her through the opened glass doors to his backyard. “There’s a yearly tradition in Port View, and it would be a shame to miss out, seeing as how you’re new here. I also thought it would be a nice way to initiate you into the community.”
He uncovered her face and let his palms fall to rest on her shoulders. “Today is the annual sandcastle building contest. Teams build their creation and the judges come through at six o’clock to announce the winner.”
“Look at that.” She pointed down to the beach at a particular sand castle. “It’s huge. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Competition is quite fierce. Some teams take this very seriously.” He pointed toward the left. “That’s the team everyone wants to beat. Port View Insurance Company. I swear they practice all year round for today.”
“What is it they’re building? It looks like...” She laughed and shook her head. “Never mind.”
“What?” He squinted trying to make out what the builders were erecting.
“Well...doesn’t it look like a man’s, um...you know?”
He coughed, tilted his head, and laughed. “I think you might be right.”
“They couldn’t be constructing that, could they? I mean, this isn’t an adults-only affair, is it?” Amber gazed up at him and lifted her brows.
“Nah, but you never know. I’ve seen some strange things built over the years.” He ran his hands over her bare shoulders and down her arms.
“You are so lucky to live right here on the beach.” She gazed to the left and pointed. “Look. There are more people walking down here.”
“Almost everyone comes down to check out the entries and catch up with their neighbors. Hang on a sec. I’ll be right back.” He jogged back inside the house, grabbed the basket he’d set in the garage earlier, and hurried back outside.
“What’s that?” She joined him at the edge of the patio.
He held the basket out to satisfy her curiosity. “Everything we need to build our own prize-winning structure.” He stuck out his hand. “Come on, we’ll need to hurry. We’ve only got a couple of hours until the judges start the voting.”
She clasped his arm, kicked off her flip-flops, and jogged off with him holding her hand over the sand dune. When Amber reached down and gathered up the hem of her sundress so she could move faster, he slowed down to a fast walk to make it easier for her to keep up. Desire hit him hard in the solar plexus. Something about the way she let herself go and threw every effort into the moment pleased him. There was nothing stuck up about this woman.
Her short hair spiked around her face and gave her a pixie-like appearance. The smile that was always present lit up her whole face. Adorable brown eyes hinted at mischief and seduction. He slowed down further. He’d bet a week’s worth of kitchen duty at the fire station that she’d be a little hellcat in bed.
“This looks like a good spot.” He stopped, dropped the basket, and scooped up a pail. “I’ll go get us a bucket of water. You plan out what we’re going to build.”
“Are you kidding me? I’ll go get the water.” She planted one hand on her hip and held out the other. “You’re the expert sandcastle builder. You decide what we’ll build.”
Her brows came up to challenge him. He handed over the bucket.
“Oh thanks. Give me the hard part.” He groaned and rubbed his hand over his chest. “I didn’t quite think this far ahead...”
She skipped away, looking back over her shoulder. Her teasing laughter rang the air. “Better hurry, Chief Gregg. Looks like you have an emergency on your hands. We have less than two hours left to build the best sandcastle here.”
He stared at her retreating backside. Damned if she didn’t swish her cute little butt, taunting him. He groaned. He didn’t want to freak her out, but he’d give anything to skip the silly contest and take her home. He’d have her smiling beneath him in no time.
Amber walked back toward him at a much slower pace. Leaning to the side, she held the pail out from her body, trying not to slosh water over the side. He turned around to hide the fact that he was scoping her out. Her whole personality intrigued him. It was as if someone pulled a Mustang convertible up into his driveway and told him it was his, free and clear—he wanted to wash and buff her till she shined.
“OK.” She stared down at the unoccupied patch of sand in front of them. “What are we building?”
Besides a regular sand castle formed with children’s sized buckets, he was out of ideas. “Uh...”
“Too much pressure, Gregg? I thought firemen reacted fast.” She winked and kneeled down in the sand. More skin at the top of her thighs showed and tormented him.
“Think of it as an emergency. What would you do?” She wiggled her hands in the air. “Hear the sirens? Think fast, mister. Someone’s going to fall out of the apple tree.” She reached over and tugged his pant leg laughing.
He could no more follow her conversation than take his eyes off her.
"Hurry..." Her eyes shined in pleasure and her lips tilted up at him invitingly.
Gregg bent down and placed his hands on each side of her face. He gave her a loud smacking kiss and rocked back on his heels to stare at her mouth. Her full lips formed the perfect O. He’d just driven his shiny new Mustang from zero to eighty in three seconds.
She drew those same lips into a sultry pose and blew a rush of air out her mouth. “Whoa...”
“Fast enough, sweetheart?” He lowered himself onto the sand beside her. “If that isn’t up to snuff, I’m all for trying again. Firemen have a reputation to protect, you know. I’m willing to train for the rest of the day until you’re satisfied.”
Her eyes curved up at the corners and she crawled closer. “Really? Because that was kind of slow... You might have to do it again. You know, just to get the timing perfect this time. Kisses are important. Sometimes it takes a few tries to get it...just right.”
He dragged her into his arms and kissed her hot and heavy. Amber’s mouth softened and Gregg sucked her bottom lip between his. He nibbled, tasted, and explored. Her body melted against him. He moaned and pulled her closer, slowing the kiss down to enjoy every second.
An air ho
rn blast dragged Gregg’s attention away from the kiss. Amber sagged against him, staring up into his eyes. He licked his lips, trying to understand what just happened between them.
He had to slow down. He reached out and ran the pad of his thumb across her soft, moist bottom lip. His breath caught in his chest. First date and he would have taken her here in the sand in front of the whole damn town.
There was something special about her, and he didn’t want to screw it up.
“One hour and thirty minutes left until judging,” a voice yelled from the crowd.
"That's our signal." She sighed, peeking at him while gathering the bucket. “You are...that kiss was amazing, by the way.”
He should say something. Thank you. So are you. Let’s go back to my house. But not a coherent thought came out of his mouth about what he really wanted. “We’d better get started if we’re going to finish this on time.”
She gazed down and brushed the sand off the front of her dress. “Yeah. The sandcastle.” He noticed her hands shook.
“How about building an octopus?” He stood and gathered two buckets. His brain shifted in pure male fantasy to being lucky enough to have six extra arms roaming over her body.
She wrinkled her nose and pursed her lips. “Nah, too big.” She turned and studied the other sand art again.. “I got it. Let’s do two things that represent what we do for a living.”
He chuckled. “A fire truck is a helluva lot bigger than an octopus.”
“No, not that.” She reached for one of the small shovels in the basket. “You can build a fire hydrant. That shouldn’t be too hard, right?”
“No...I guess that should be easy enough.” He dropped down on his knees. “What are you building?”
“A dog.” She scooped sand into a small bucket. "Plus, they go together. We'll get done in half the time, because they're smaller than everyone else's masterpiece."
Gregg stopped digging up sand and sat back on his ankles. “What exactly do you do for a living? Or is the pet daycare a full time job?”
“Yep, it’s just me and the animals. There are lots of people who work and don’t want to leave their pets home alone during the day because of behavior problems or loneliness.” She dumped some water into the sand and quickly molded the beginning of a dog.
Gregg stared. “That’s a new one on me. Is it for those women who carry those yappy little dogs around in their purse everywhere?”
“Not at all. The pets I take care of are the run of the mill variety, not pampered pooches or exotic in any way. It’s all the rage in big cities, and people from smaller towns love their pets just as much and want them happy.” She reached for the water bucket. “Plus, I love working with animals.”
“Even the kitten?” he grinned, remember her struggle to keep the cat safe.
She nodded. “Yes, even Cleo the brat.” She dribbled more water over the mound of sand in front of her. “She might be little, but the stress of being left alone affects her...um...digestive habits. So, her human parents bring her to me during the day.”
“Here let me help you with that.” Gregg lifted the container out of her hands, but the bucket slipped through his fingers and half the water spilled down the front of Amber.
She gasped and fell back on her rear.
He caught his laugh at her shocked expression and brushed at the front of her dress making a bigger mess with all the sand clinging to his hands. “Damn. Sorry about that.”
“Oh, is that how you want to do this, huh? Get me all heated up and douse me with freezing water?” She stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth, picked up the bucket, and dumped the remainder of the water over his head. “Cool off, big guy. Fair is fair.”
“Oh, sweetheart, you’re going to regret that move.” He straightened up on his knees and tackled her in the sand. His fingers found a sensitive spot at the side of her waist. “How do you like this?”
She pushed against his shoulders. “No! No fair. I-I’m ex-extremely t-ticklish.”
He laid half on top of her, his lips mere inches from her tempting mouth. The way her lips quivered in amusement only tempted him to take another nibble. Her breath caught and she stared up at him waiting. Suddenly the fun and games were over. He leaned down and kissed her again.
He slipped his arm under her back and pulled her closer, urging her to open her mouth. His gut tightened as the blood rushed to the front of his jeans. Her warm moist heat mixed with his.
Her hand came up to curl into the hair at the back of his neck, holding him in place. He moved his hands up to cup her cheeks. Her sweet, fresh taste overloaded his senses. Everything about her was new and exciting, and he wanted to experience it all.
“Chief McKee!”
He pulled back. Amber uttered something he didn't hear and pulled at his arms to bring him back down. “Gregg?”
“Sorry, sweetheart. Someone’s calling my name.” He helped her sit up before getting to his feet.
“Chief McKee!” An older man hurried between the teams, waving, and came panting up beside them. He reached out to shake Gregg’s hand. “I thought that was you. Who’s this pretty gal you have here with you? I haven’t seen her around town before.”
Gregg helped Amber to her feet and put his arm around her as she brushed the sand off her dress. “This is Amber Bailey, Mr. Corland. She's new in town.”
Amber held out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Bailey, you say?” He frowned and leaned closer without accepting her handshake. “Any relation to Grace Bailey?”
“She was my aunt. I’m living in her house now.” She dropped her hand and smoothed the front of her dress, trying to hide the wetness.
Mr. Corland frowned, ignoring Amber, and turned to Gregg. “I wanted to talk to you about the scheduled hydrant flushing notice we received in the mail yesterday. The day for our street falls right on my wife’s garden party with the senior citizens, and that will not do.” He shook his head. “The city shouldn’t make all those old ladies trudge through rushing water to get to our house.”
Gregg clapped him on the shoulder. “I’ll tell you what, Mr. Corland. I’ll see what I can do about rescheduling for the following week.” He waved to someone over the man’s shoulder. “Tell Mrs. Corland not to worry. She’ll have her party without any problems.”
The older gentleman left without a thank you or goodbye. Gregg sighed. Even on his days off his job never ended.
He reached out and gathered Amber to his chest. “Sorry about that. Mr. Corland is our senior resident who forgets he’s no longer running things on his timetable. “Some people don’t seem to care if I’m wearing my uniform or not.”
“That’s okay. At least his rudeness was directed at you this time. I've found that my aunt's name doesn't always bring out a warm reception in others.” Her arms went around his waist and she tilted her head back. “Besides, it was probably for the best. It seems I have no control around you. I’m usually not so...easy to please.”
He growled low in his throat. “I don’t know about that. I enjoyed what we were doing.”
She lifted her eyebrow. “Me too, but I need to slow down. I can’t think when you kiss me.”
"Thinking is not as important as people say it is," he said.
Stepping back out of his arms, she smiled. “I’m really glad you invited me today.”
“Forty-five minutes until judging, folks. Forty-five minutes!”
Gregg gave her a peck on the lips. “We’ll save the rest of this getting to know each other for later.” Unable to leave it at that, he gave her one more kiss. Slower this time. He planned to remember every little detail.
“I thought we were leaving it for later.”
“That was for luck...you want to win the contest, right?”
She laughed. “We’ll never win.”
The energy Amber set off in his body helped kick-start Gregg’s creativity. He dribbled more water onto the top of her pile of sand, and then sneaked a glance a
t her. She shared a smile with him when he caught her looking. His chest warmed, and once again his thoughts circled, almost jumbled, unable to figure out what to concentrate on when she was near. Amber or the sand sculpture? Maybe if the judges didn’t look too closely, their work of art would resemble...a disfigured mutt.
Amber stood up and peered down at Gregg’s fire hydrant. "Not bad, Chief. A little on the short side, but the judges should have no problems telling what you created. We probably won't win any prizes, but I'll tell you this is the best date I've gone on in a very long time."
Flirting. Laughing. Kissing. Yeah, he was having a great time to his surprise.
“Here they come.” He pulled her back to make room for the judges and laid his arm across her shoulders.
“Do you think we’ll win?” She gasped and patted his stomach. “Oh wait, it needs one more thing.”
She rushed over and hurried to pour the rest of the water at the base of the hydrant, making the judges laugh behind their clipboards. “There. That’s more realistic. I’ve never known a dog that passed a fire hydrant without doing his job.”
Gregg laughed and shook his head. “I hope they don’t put us on the front page of the Port View Gazette. I’ll never hear the end of this from the guys at work.”
The Judges, two men and a woman, scribbled on their score sheets. Gregg groaned and shielded Ambers eyes from the judging by pulling her closer and curling her into his side.
“Let me know when it’s over," she said against his shirt.
Gregg laughed. “Uh-oh.”
She raised her head and glanced back at their entry into the annual Port View Sandcastle Contest. The mutt she’d built had crumbled apart into one big pile of sand. He laughed, feeling stress free. “There went our next-to-nil chance of winning.”
Chapter Four
The letter E on the neon OPEN sign above the door to Ivan’s Fish House flickered nonstop, and the washboard siding hung loose on the corner of the building. Amber squeezed Gregg’s hand. Happy when he'd called her for another date, and another. Two weeks had flown by in a whirlwind of getting to know him.
