Blazing Love

by Chantel Rhondeau

  Did Thayne really want to subject either of those poor girls to Frankie’s crudeness by choosing one? “Dude, do whatever you want. If the captain lets me leave I’ve got a date with a classy woman tonight, so there’s no strip club in my future.”

  “Are you still chasing after that vet assistant? What the hell is your deal with her? You a glutton for punishment or what?” Frankie rolled his eyes. “She doesn’t like you, so move on and quit looking like a looser. I’ll give you Bambi or Candy, whichever one I don’t take.”

  Bambi and Candy? Seriously? He didn’t even bother to get their real names? Thayne’s stomach turned. Frankie didn’t care about those girls; he just wanted to get laid.

  Draining his coffee cup in a single gulp, Thayne set it on the counter. “Thanks for the offer Hernandez, but I got a real woman waiting for me.”

  “A real woman?” Frankie squinted, his brown eyes nearly disappearing. “If pudgy is what you consider real. Why do you even want her? Laura’s on the hefty side. I mean, you get the hottest chicks throwing themselves at you, why go for a porker—”

  Thayne socked Frankie in the gut, full force.

  “Oomph.” Frankie bent at the waist, gasping for air.

  “Laura is curvy and beautiful, and if I have anything to say about it, she’ll be around a lot, including here at the house.” Thayne cracked his knuckles. “Anyone else want to say something bad about her? If so, we should get it taken care of now before you meet her.”

  Frankie clutched his gut, shaking his head. “I didn’t mean any offense. You just... Well, look at you, for shit’s sake. Every guy here wants to be you, and every girl out there wants to fuck you. Why don’t you let one of those model types screw your brains out and forget the animal lover? I’m losing faith in your game, dude.”

  His game? Damn, but was he ever glad he had passed the age where points were scored based on the chicks he laid. He was looking for a lady now. Yep, he was getting old and didn’t fit with this crowd anymore. Thayne didn’t have any regrets about that. Casual ladies and drinking beer with his firehouse brothers weren’t enough anymore.

  “I have no game.” Thayne glared around the room, half daring any of the men to speak—all the while knowing that made him less of a grown up than he pretended to be. He had to get away from these kids before he reverted. “Where’s the captain?”

  Frankie jerked his chin toward the stairs. “They’re playing poker.”

  Thayne bounded up the stairs, ignoring the whispers that followed. They could complain about him all they wanted, but the punks needed to learn some respect.

  He walked into the dimly lit bunkroom, pausing to let his eyes adjust.

  “Thayne?” Engine eighteen’s captain, Wilson Smith, practically growled his name. “Is that you causing trouble downstairs?”

  After blinking a few times, Thayne spotted the five older men sitting around the card table in the corner. The bunks were empty, not surprisingly. Some of the guys who rode the shift before Thayne’s were still in the room, but they didn’t mind sticking around to win Captain Smith’s money.

  “Sorry, sir,” Thayne answered. “I had to punch Frankie Hernandez.”

  “Had to, huh? The little shit needs more than a punch,” Wilson grumbled. “Get your ass over here and give us your money. I’ll deal you in.”

  Thayne crossed to them, turning the remaining seat backward and slinging into it, resting his arms against the back railing. “Can’t today.” He allowed himself to grin. “I’ve got a date. That is, if you’ll give me a few hours off tonight.”

  “A date?” Wilson’s graying eyebrows jumped up his forehead like a fleeing caterpillar. “With your elusive cat woman?”

  Thayne let his grin grow wider.

  “Well, hot damn, kid. I didn’t think you were actually trying to get her. Just thought it was another excuse to put off life and punish yourself some more.”

  Thayne closed his eyes and clenched his hands tighter on the chair top, hoping the captain wouldn’t notice. He wished people would quit bringing up his failures. It was bad enough that Carl’s dying screams haunted Thayne’s nightmares. He didn’t want to think about it during waking hours too, especially not now, when he finally had something to be happy about.

  When he felt capable of speaking without his voice quavering, Thayne blew out a long breath and met Wilson’s eyes. “I talked to Bonnie about things. She’s dating again now, a nice guy I guess, though doesn’t measure up to the man Carl was.”

  Captain nodded. “No one could replace Carl, but I’m glad Bonnie’s moving on.”

  “She said I have to let myself off the hook and live my life. However, she also asked me to grow up and stop sleeping with just anyone. I’m not much of a role model for Carl’s kids the way I was before the accident.”

  After Thayne’s partner died a year and a half earlier, Thayne set himself up as uncle and provider for Carl’s widow and two children. Bonnie was moving on, and Thayne didn’t fault her. Carl was gone forever and wasn’t coming back. They had to move forward.

  Wilson clasped Thayne’s forearm. “I’m glad you’re listening to her, son. It’s past time to forgive yourself.”

  The other men murmured agreement.

  Thayne knew they were right. Their job came with risks. Carl had known what they were getting into that day. And they did save two children before the building collapsed.

  “It’s still hard, sir.”

  “It always will be.” Wilson shrugged. “But, tell me happier news. What are you doing on your date with cat woman?”

  “So I can go?” He grinned as the captain nodded. “Great because I sort of already told her I could.”

  The men shook their heads, probably thinking Thayne received too much laxity from Captain Smith, but it wasn’t like he often asked for any special consideration. Hell, he had a ton of comp time he’d never even used. The job was his life, whether he rode in the ambulance as a medic or fought fires.

  “Don’t leave us in suspense, kid,” Captain grumbled. “What are you doing with her?”

  “I’m going to Laura’s place for dinner.”

  Captain’s hazel eyes lit up with excitement. “Score, she’s cooking for you already. Think she’ll cook some real food for us sometime? I’m sick of chili.”

  “No, no. It’s not like that.” Thayne chuckled. “Unfortunately, I’m friendzoned right now. I’m bringing dinner to her, and we’re having a strictly friendly evening.”

  Sterling Jefferson dug his elbow into Thayne’s rib from the other side. “We know that won’t last, don’t we?” His megawatt smile seemed extra bright in his dark black face. “I remember those days. But it sucks getting old. No more pretty young things to warm my cot.”

  Thayne chuckled. “Better not let Mrs. Jefferson hear that.”

  “Bah. She’s always threatening to trade me in for a younger model. That’s part of our foreplay.”

  Thayne shuddered. “Too much information. What are you now? Ninety? You should give up on sex, man.”

  Sterling lightly punched Thayne’s shoulder. “I’m fifty-six, you little prick.”

  “Besides, we never give up,” Dan Steel said from across the table. “If there are any problems in that department, that’s what the little blue pill is for.”

  “Yeah,” a medic sitting next to Dan agreed. “We’re better with age, like a fine wine. Ladies want experience in their lovers, not some bumbling kid who doesn’t know how to make her eyes roll into the back of her head.”

  All the guys chuckled. Everyone in the room had a wife, except Thayne, and yet he felt more at home with the older crew than the men downstairs.

  “I’ve met your Laura a couple times,” Captain Wilson said, turning serious again. “Don’t screw this up, Thayne. She seems like a nice girl.”

  Thayne rubbed his knuckles against his stubbly chin, suddenly nervous. “I’ll do my best.”

  “Oh, and keep your phone on in case we have an emergency tonight. You don’t get t
o go off duty just because you finally coerced her into seeing you. A lot of small fires have been popping up around town the past week, so I can’t spare anyone. You’re assigned to the medic team, so there’s a good chance we might need you.”

  Thayne thought it ironic that so many fires started happening right after the mayor cut the department’s funding and forced them to lay off a third of the department’s staff. Luckily, so far the fires were confined to places free of people in fairly deserted areas. It took a toll on the newly reduced workforce, however.

  “I wouldn’t dream of shirking my obligations. My phone will be on the entire time.” He had no other choice. Captain Smith did a lot for Thayne, the biggest thing being that he hadn’t forced Thayne to fight fires since Carl’s death. Riding with the ambulance crew and working as a medic had helped him keep his job even when he still had nightmares about Carl and that last fire they worked together.

  “Happy to hear that, son, but I didn’t expect anything different from you.” Wilson made a shooing motion. “If you aren’t going hand over your money in the poker game, get the hell out of here and get ready for your date. You need to shave.”

  “I’m on it, Captain.” Thayne stood, spinning the chair the right way around and heading for the door.

  “He’ll screw this up,” Wilson told the room at large as Thayne started down the stairs.

  Chapter Three

  Two emergencies at the end of the day? That never happens.

  Laura struggled up the sidewalk with the cat carrier. She’d be happy when her latest foster kitten could stay at home. Lugging the carrier on a bus was less than ideal—especially when she never knew if a springtime rainstorm would make her quarter-mile walk to the nearest bus stop miserable.

  She glanced at her watch... ten minutes late.

  Maybe Thor got sick of waiting and left.

  It would have been wise to get his number so she could text and explain, but the sexy hunk left the clinic before she thought of it. As much as she knew she shouldn’t, she had actually looked forward to dinner. Now Thayne probably left after thinking she stood him up or gave him the wrong address.

  Finally reaching her apartment building, she trotted up the sidewalk, noting the overgrown grass. Her landlord sucked. How hard was it to take care of the yard? She wondered if Thayne took one look at her crappy little building and decided she was pathetic.

  Which wouldn’t be wrong, really. Most days, I feel pathetic.

  Well, that wasn’t entirely true, but after her fiancé’s murder, her panic attacks began, changing her life forever. Laura had a much harder time being the carefree girl she used to be.

  She stepped inside the building and turned down the inner hall, unable to stop the smile that crept onto her lips when she saw Thayne sitting in front of her apartment door.

  “Hey,” she called, hurrying toward him. “Sorry, I’m late. I didn’t have your number or I would have texted.”

  He stood, picking up a basket from the floor. “That’s something we’ll have to remedy. Friends should have each other’s numbers.”

  His deep voice and the way his mouth turned up slightly at the corners made her heart hitch for a beat or two. Her body wanted to be anything but friends with the sex god.

  No, no. He’s off limits. I can handle this. Just friends. Friends are good. Friends are great. I need friends... and sex. I need sex! Lots and lots of it. We don’t have to have a relationship to take advantage of his sexiness, do we?

  Laura reached the door and stuck the key in the lock, thankful Thayne couldn’t read her thoughts. Even though she’d been on her own for far too long, that didn’t give her the right to jump him.

  Shaking her head a bit at herself, she swung the door open. “I was afraid you’d leave before I made it home.”

  “I was afraid you hoped I’d go. I know I forced you into this.”

  The wide smile on his face didn’t look apologetic or worried. Laura wondered how long Thayne would have waited.

  “We had some last-minute emergencies, and Vicky decided to take them since we need the business. I wasn’t avoiding you.”

  She led the way into the apartment, glad she’d vacuumed the floors yesterday. Her dining table was just inside the doorway; her living room split into two parts to serve as both rooms. A half wall separated the kitchen from the living space, and Thayne headed to it without hesitation.

  “I hope grilled baby red potatoes and medium rare steak is okay.” His grin didn’t leave his face as Thayne made himself at home opening cupboards in the kitchen. “I cooked everything the way I like it, and brought fresh salad, too.”

  “I’m not picky.” She opened the carrier and took out her latest foster cat.

  The black and white kitten meowed pitifully, past ready for her dinner. At least she was up to eating again. The poor thing had been half-starved and too weak to move when Thayne first brought her into the clinic.

  Without warning, the heat of Thayne’s chest pressed against Laura’s back, his arms reaching around her as he stroked the kitten’s neck. “She looks better. I didn’t think she would live when I pulled her out of that drainage ditch.”

  Laura’s heart pounded hard, feeling like it hit her breastbone. What was he doing? This didn’t feel friendly. It felt... good. So good. Even while afraid she might pass out from a panic attack, she wanted to lean against Thayne’s chest and lose herself in some human contact. In his contact.

  She forced herself to take a step forward, though her betraying body rebelled, craving his warmth. “She’s lucky you found her when you did. It was nearly too late. Vicky put her on IV fluids, and we got some food in her. I think she’ll be fine and make a good pet for someone once she’s fully recovered. I need to feed her before trying your steak.”

  Kitten talk. That’s safe. That’s friendly.

  “Well, hurry. I can’t wait to give it to you.” Thayne winked and turned back into the kitchen.

  Burying her face into the kitten’s soft fur, Laura tried to hide her blushes. This wasn’t working. Thayne didn’t intend to stay friends, obviously. How long could she hold out? He was perfect. Everything a girl could want. Why couldn’t he be a nice accountant or retail store manager? Something safe where she’d never have to fear getting a call from his boss to tell her he died?

  Vicky’s advice was to sleep with him and forget her ‘silly rules.’ But Vicky didn’t know what Laura went through seven years ago.

  Going into the kitchen, Laura gave Thayne a wide berth as she snuck past him on her way to the refrigerator. She set the kitten on the floor and opened the door, pulling out the half-empty can of food.

  “Did you give her a name?” Thayne asked.

  Laura grabbed a cat dish from the cupboard and shook her head. “I don’t like to get too attached. I’ll only have her for a few weeks, and she’ll go to a new home. They can name her. I call her Kitty—I call them all Kitty.”

  “I like Snips. I used to have a cat named Snips when I was a kid. Sort of looked like Kitty.”

  “Then maybe you should adopt her.” Laura gave Kitty her food, standing up to find Thayne only inches away.

  He ran his hand over her temple, pushing the hair back from her face. “I wish I could have a cat, but I work long hours, and she’d be lonely and hungry by the time I got home. I’d need myself a partner who could help take care of her.” He leaned in even closer, and Laura smelled mint on his breath. “Since we’re friends, maybe you can help me find the right girl. Someone to raise Snips with.”

  Gulping, Laura was sure Thayne would kiss her. Even though she admitted when accepting the dinner that a kiss might happen sometime before the night was through, she hadn’t expected it this fast.

  “Sure. Friends do that kind of stuff.” She put her hands against his chest and pushed him away gently. “Maybe I can help. What’s your type of girl?” Things had to stay friendly. Either that or she’d need her anti-anxiety pills. She already felt like she needed to change her panties. />
  Thayne shrugged and turned back to dishing up their plates. “You.”

  ***

  Laura rushed from the kitchen, mumbling something about needing to change out of her work clothes. Thayne knew he went too far, too fast. Damn, but that woman needed to kiss him. Once she did, she wouldn’t want to stop.

  It was so stupid. She wouldn’t date him because he was a firefighter. What sort of rule was that? His job was necessary. He saved people’s lives. Why did it count against him in her mind?

  He wondered if it would make any difference if he told her he didn’t actually fight the fires anymore, just saved animals and rode along in the ambulance. However, that cushy job could change at any moment, especially with changes happening in the department’s budget. There was talk that he’d be forced back into fighting fires, and soon, unless he wanted to lose his job.

  Thayne set the dinner plates on the dining table along with the bottles of spring water he brought. Kitty was busy inhaling her dinner, so Thayne took a moment to inspect the small apartment. One loveseat, a recliner, and a 27-inch television took up the side of the room dedicated to a living room. The half where Thayne stood had a small, round dining table on one wall and a computer station on the other next to the opening to the kitchen. Off the kitchen was a short hallway, where Laura had disappeared to change her clothes, so must be the bedroom and bathroom.

  It was a cute place, with gray carpets and big windows. The walls had two large mirrors on either side of the room to make it feel bigger, but no photos or anything to give hints about Laura’s life outside of her job.

  Even the pictures that flashed across her computer monitor were all serene landscapes and beaches. Not a single shot of her friends or family. While beaches were nice, and he could think of a lot of fun things to do to Laura on one, that didn’t help him get to know her beyond the wild fantasies he’d been having all along.

  He had to get her to open up. If he could figure out the reason she wouldn’t date a fireman, then he could work on changing it. It had to have something to do with her past. Thayne had the impression she was running from something, just from the brief conversations they’d had.