Chrissy coughed hard on her wine.
The man in question loped up, bottles of water in his hands. He gave them over. “Nonna wants you all to drink water. You okay, Chris?”
Heather tried to remain calm. Did he still like his ex? Not that it mattered to her. But still, he was hot, and a hero, and he’d brought Heather to the picnic.
Anna jumped up. “Take my seat. I’ll make sure everyone has water.” She hurried off.
Heather watched her go, fighting the urge to hop after her. Traitor. “Um, thanks.”
“Sure.” He studied her heated face. “You okay?”
Of course. It wasn’t every day she sat next to a hot guy’s ex. A hot guy who she really wanted to see naked. That thought had to stop spinning through her head.
“Heather?” he prodded.
“I’m good,” she said, reaching for the water. There wasn’t enough in the bottle to cool her head, and if she poured it over her hair, everyone would probably think she was nuts. If she had to spend much more time around Quint and keep him in the friend zone, she would go crazy. But it was the right thing to do.
Chrissy sat straighter. “I hope it’s okay I’m here, Quint. I should’ve called to talk to you first, but Trick really wanted to come, and I didn’t think.”
Quint turned to her, and his smile made his stunning eyes nearly glow. “Chris, come on. You know you are welcome any time, and I’m glad you’re here. It’s nice to see Trick with somebody as great as you.”
Chrissy breathed out. “Okay. That’s good. I’m so glad. I love these barbecues.”
Quint claimed Anna’s hastily vacated seat and stretched his legs out, crossing his boots at the ankles. “Me, too.”
Heather looked from one to the other, sitting between them. “Do you guys want to talk? I can go help Anna.”
“Nope,” Chrissy said. “We’re all good. Just relax.” She looked at Quint. “I heard you were injured last month. All healed?”
Quint nodded. “Yeah. No worries. I’m good.”
“Injured?” Heather asked. The guy had carried her down a mountain, and it wasn’t like she was a lightweight. “What injury?”
Quint shrugged. “Just a little one from a recent job. No big deal.”
“No big deal?” Chrissy burst out. “You are crazy. You know that?” Her smile was good-natured and rather relieved. “I heard your parachute got caught and spun you in the wrong direction.”
“True.” Quint leaned down and snapped his fingers as Zena ran toward them. The dog instantly lay down at his feet, partially beneath the table.
Heather reached for the wine instead of water. “Parachute? You’re a forestry technician.”
Chrissy took a drink of her water. “I always thought that was too casual of a job description for a smokejumper.”
Now Heather coughed out wine. “You’re a smokejumper? I mean, you parachute into the middle of forest fires?” Her voice rose and she quickly lowered it.
Quint nodded. “Sure.”
Chrissy leaned toward her. “He won’t brag, but he’s also a rappeller, although he prefers the smoke jumping.” She shook her head. “Talk about an adrenaline junkie.”
“I am not,” Quint said, resting his hand on Zena’s head. “I just get the job done.”
Chrissy waved at Trick, who gestured her toward the horseshoe area. “Oh. I’m up. Wish me luck.” She took her water with her.
Quint settled back. “How weird was that for you?”
Heather burst out laughing.
Quint smiled. The woman had a great laugh. “You’re a good sport, Heather Davis.” Yet one more thing to appreciate about the pretty blonde.
“Thanks. Are all of your exes so good-natured with you?” Heather asked, her small hands playing with her wineglass.
He patted the dog’s head and mused. “I think so, actually. I’ve even served as a groomsman in a couple of ex-girlfriend’s weddings.” At her second laugh, he smiled again. “Is that odd?”
“Yeah, but sweet.” She sipped her wine.
The sight of her full bottom lip on the wineglass zipped right to his groin, and he shifted his weight. “That’s me. Sweet.” He’d been called a lot of things in his life, and sweet was not one of them. Even by his mama. “Absent, irritable, dangerous, and selfish are the adjectives tossed at me during arguments while dating. Then we become friends afterward…usually right around the time an ex starts dating either a friend or a relative.” He glanced over at Trick and Chrissy.
Heather patted his thigh, probably not knowing that she’d just killed him because his cock nearly exploded. “I can’t see you being selfish.”
“When the job calls, it calls.” He scratched behind Zena’s ears and the dog grunted in pleasure. It felt right being here with Heather, and he knew better. In fact, since it was early December, he more than likely would be leaving town any day again since there were still fires in California right now. “I don’t control forest fires, but when one springs up, I go. I’ve found that girlfriends don’t like that schedule very much.” Oh, someday he’d stick closer to home, especially if he had kids, but now wasn’t that time. Now was the time to beat fire and win. Or at least tie.
“I see.” Heather rested her chin on her hand and watched a boisterous game of darts played on a snowy tree away from the tables. “I can understand a little bit. When I get into a book, really drawing the pictures, I go into my own head for a while. I’ve been told I need to be more present, but I guess so far, I’d rather be in my book.”
If her current ex was anything to go by, Quint didn’t blame her. “I haven’t read your books yet.”
“They’re for toddlers and grade school kids,” she said, a dimple appearing in her left cheek. “I’d be worried if you had read them.” Her gaze sharpened as Jolene walked on too high heels toward them. Her boots kept sinking into the snow.
Jolene reached them, her professional smile in place. “It is so nice to see you again, Heather. I was hoping you’d reconsidered the story. It’s a good one.”
Heather swallowed. “That’s kind of you, but I’d prefer to stay under the radar as a new person in town. I’m sure there are hikers who are saved all the time by Search and Rescue.”
Quint understood. Apparently her ex had found her, and she no doubt wanted to keep her life private.
“Yes, but they’re not normally invited to the Albertini family barbecue,” Jolene said, her tongue moistening her lips. “If this is a romance, that’d make a fantastic human interest story.” Her gaze slashed to Quint, blatant interest glowing in her eyes.
Heather stiffened. “I don’t have a comment.”
Jolene put a manicured hand on her hip. “Quint? What about you? What about a feature about Zena and you?”
“No.” Quint didn’t elaborate.
Heather shifted in her chair. Was her ankle bothering her again? Quint could find her an aspirin around there somewhere.
Jolene raked his body with her gaze, and he didn’t feel a thing. “Well, just think about it. You have my number, Quint.” She turned and walked across the lawn, somehow making her ass sway even as her heels stuck in the frost covered grass.
Heather tried to bite her lip. “We both have her number.”
Humor rippled through Quint.
“I don’t like when women fight each other or make each other feel badly,” Heather said. “I believe in the sisterhood and in building each other up. We’re not competing with each other, and I really dislike cattiness.”
“And?” Quint asked dryly.
Heather exhaled. “That woman sets me on edge. I wish she didn’t want to write a story about me.”
He nodded. “Same here.”
She managed to keep the question in for a couple of seconds, but he knew it was coming. He could feel it.
“You mentioned that you were in a bad place when you hooked up with Jolene. Was it because you were injured?” She finally asked.
His gut ached. “No. Part of Zena’s training i
s to search for survivors as well as the deceased after a fire. In that fire, we didn’t find any survivors.”
“Oh.” Her voice softened. “I’m sorry.”
“Me, too.” It had been ugly, and he wasn’t going to talk about it. “That’s the other thing that makes me bad at relationships right now.” Considering he wanted to kiss her the sweeter she got, it was only fair to warn her.
She turned to face him fully. Those eyes were unreal. Green didn’t come close to describing them. “What?”
“I don’t bring it home.” There wasn’t much more of an explanation than that. “Sometimes I get home and need a few days to decompress, and the last thing I want to talk about is dead and burned bodies. Ever.” He had to keep this place, his home, clear of that pain. Period.
“I can understand that.” She looked past him to the dog. “I hadn’t realized dogs could find bodies after a fire.”
He leaned to the side to make sure Zena still had water in her bowl by the deck. “Not only can this princess find bodies after a fire, she can also find cremated ashes in fire ashes. Like if somebody had an urn on their mantle and their house burned down, she could find the actual ashes from the urn.”
“Really?” Heather’s brow furrowed, and she searched his eyes for the joke.
“Yeah,” he said softly. “It’s pretty amazing, really. They actually smell the ground-up bone matter from the cremated remains.” That reminded him that he needed to buy more dog treats on the way home. Zena had definitely earned them. “They’re good at finding historical remains, too. That’s not our focus, though.”
Heather looked at him like he was something intriguing. He could get used to that look. “Your focus is parachuting into a forest fire,” she murmured.
“Yeah.” He grinned. “Or I rappel down if necessary, but I’d much rather jump.”
Her answering smile slammed through his chest stronger than an anvil. Oh, he was in trouble with this one. He forced himself to look away, only to see his Nonna smiling at them from across the lawn.
His sigh was silent.
Chapter 7
It was dark by the time Quint drove her home, and Heather had to fight to keep her eyelids open. After not sleeping well the night before, the day had been fun and tiring. So she didn’t argue when he lifted her out of the truck and carried her to the front door through a walkway that needed to be shoveled. She’d have to find a local kid to hire. “What is it with you carrying me?” she asked, trying not to snuggle right into his broad chest.
“I find it easier to get from point A to point B when I’m in charge,” he said, using her key to open the door. His breath was minty and his arms strong. He also didn’t sound like he was joking.
She chuckled anyway. “I like the way your mind works.”
He stepped inside and flicked on the light. “That’s what you think.”
Awareness flickered to life along her nerve endings. “What do you mean?” She tilted her head back to see his face, and her gaze immediately dropped to his firm looking lips. He had great lips.
His sigh showed he was on the same wavelength. “Heather.”
“Yeah.” She tangled her hand in his thick hair, noting that even his neck felt strong. Her body was tired and her mind fuzzy, but she knew what she wanted. So she leaned up and kissed him.
Just one taste. She only wanted one taste.
He stiffened, even as she traced the contours of his mouth.
Then he kissed her back.
Wildfire heated her veins, igniting her cells, throwing her into an inferno. She curled her fingers tighter into his silky hair and moaned into his mouth.
His hold tightened around her, his arm beneath her knees and the one banded around her shoulders, keeping her exactly, gently, firmly where he wanted her.
He tasted like whiskey and minty coffee, and her mouth automatically opened beneath his, letting him deepen the kiss.
Gone was the good ole boy who’d joked with her, and in its place was a dangerous force of pure masculinity. Oh, she’d sensed the depths of Quintino Albertini, but she hadn’t considered she’d be plundered by them.
Intensity and control surrounded her, took her. She shivered against him, wanting more but needing to hide the desperate, hungry part of her that didn’t belong in a friendship.
His tongue scraped hers, and he completely took over, submerging her into so much pleasure that she just relaxed and let him take. Whatever he wanted. Heat flowed through her, and she softened against him, her blood pounding so hard through her veins that it hurt. Her body ached. Everywhere for him—for his touch.
He lifted his mouth, and his eyes had darkened to a mysterious brown flecked with tawny spikes. His nostrils flared and the desire stamped hard on his face.
She swallowed, unable to move. The muscles holding her had gone rigid, and his expression hot.
In that second, she felt vulnerable, feminine, and somehow powerful. Oh, she could dive right into the sensations and worry about consequences later.
Her phone buzzed from her bag.
She jolted.
His frown held thunder clouds. “It’s a little late on a Sunday for a call. Want me to handle it?”
Handle it. Something told her Quint could pretty much handle anything, including her right now. She took a deep breath. “You’re like a chocolate chip infused donut with glazed icing,” she whispered, her nipples peaking and her clit pounding from just one kiss.
One of his dark eyebrows rose. “Excuse me?”
She ignored the buzzing phone and slowly untangled her fingers from his hair. “Delicious and tempting, but I’d regret it in the morning when I tried to put my jeans back on.”
His chuckle was soft but did nothing to take away from the predatory gaze in his eyes. “Honey, if I got you into bed, you’d still be naked all the next morning. Trust me.”
A tremble took her, head to toe, and hit all the spots in between.
His flash of a grin showed he’d felt every stop on the way. “I’d like to stay.”
“You know that’s a mistake.” Oh, she wanted him to stay. They didn’t even have to make it to the bedroom. The old sofa looked plenty comfortable. Never in her entire life had she been kissed like that. Never.
“I’m not so sure,” he said, a new light in his eyes. “Might not be a mistake.” Even so, he gently set her on one foot.
She grasped his forearms until she regained her balance. Kind of. “Um, friend zone? Remember?” Her body didn’t care. At all.
“Hmm.” He looked at her again, his gaze probing. “Like I said, I’m not sure about that.” He turned on his heel to go back to his truck and dog, stopping on the other side of the door and grasping the shovel leaning against the side. “Lock this and call me if you have any problems.” He’d made sure they’d exchanged numbers at the barbecue, and he was already safely in her contacts. “Promise me.”
“Sure.” She hopped over to him. The biggest problem in her life at the moment was her insane desire to beg him to stay the night. Although, what could it hurt?
Except her heart. Oh yeah. That. He’d been more than clear that he wasn’t ready for a relationship, and she’d never been able to do the casual thing. Quint would probably be worth the heartache, though.
He reached over and tucked her hair behind her ear.
She caught her breath and tried to look calm. “Thank you for taking me to the barbecue. I really like your family.” Yet another reason not to end up in an awkward morning after situation with him. She wanted to spend more time with the Albertini family members.
“Thanks for going.” He looked at her lips again and then slowly shut the door between them. “Lock it,” he said clearly.
“You’re bossy,” she muttered, engaging the deadbolt.
He chuckled and the low tone rumbled through the door. “You have no idea.” Then he quickly shoveled her walkway before his footsteps faded away.
Oh, she had some idea after that kiss, and now she wanted more.
/>
Her phone buzzed again from her purse. She hopped to it, yanked it free, and pressed the screen to her ear. “What?”
“It’s about time you answered,” Jack said, his voice irritable. “Where have you been?”
She hobbled over to the sofa and dropped onto it. It was time he got the message. “Listen, Jack. We are not dating, we are not friends, and I don’t want to talk to you ever again. I really don’t understand why you won’t get the message.” Hadn’t she been clear enough?
His sigh was like fingernails across a blackboard. One of the old green kinds. “I know you’re upset about your grandmother and not thinking clearly, so I’m not going to get my feelings hurt.”
“I couldn’t give two fucks about your feelings,” she burst out. “Honestly. Listen to me. I do not care how you feel. All I want is for you to leave me alone.” Enough was enough. She extended her legs to the antique coffee table.
“You know I don’t like it when you swear,” he said lowly.
She snorted. “Fuck you, Jack. We’re done. Don’t send flowers and don’t call any longer.” She’d add that he shouldn’t key her car again, but that’d just start an argument where he’d deny it and accuse her of being paranoid, and she’d say he was a liar, and that would just keep them on the phone. “Goodbye.”
“Wait. We dated for six months. How can you just throw that away?” Now he sounded whiny.
She shook her head. What had she been thinking? He’d seemed charming and smart until he’d gotten too, well, persistent. “It’s done. I’m not answering the phone again.”
“Is it because of the guy with the dog?”
She stilled. Her body chilled. “Excuse me?”
“The big dumb hick with the dog in the truck. Do you really think you can move on from me to him?” The whine disappeared.
She eyed the deadbolt and ran through the list of knives in the kitchen. She didn’t have a gun. Yet. “Are you spying on me?” Hopefully he’d just hired somebody.
“Of course not. Why are you so paranoid?” Now he sounded calm again.
Holiday Rescue Page 5