Rescue Me

by Nikki Ryan

  Connor loved the smell of the ocean, especially at night when he slept. He knew at some point in his life, he’d live on the ocean. But for right now, he was content with living in Boston, working for his dad and the never ending influx of women. Until now. It had scared the shit out of him. He had taken her out that night for seafood. They spent hours eating, drinking the finest wine and talking. He had never spoken that much or shared that much of himself to any woman before. When they were finished eating, they walked along the beach with the full moon as their only guiding light. At one point, she had taken his hand in hers and they had walked together in comfortable silence; along with the gentle sound of water crashing against the shore.

  When they got back to the hotel room, they shared the bath room. Connor shaved while Kat washed her face. They both had laughed when shaving cream fell from his face and landed on her head when she bent down to rinse her face. They had climbed into their respective beds that night. They’d said good night to each other. Connor stayed awake for what seemed like hours with a painfully rock hard erection, listening to her soft breaths as she slept.

  He had snuck out early that morning while Kat still slept and bought breakfast for the two of them. She woke when he’d entered the room. He walked over to her, handed her a coffee and kissed her on the lips. He still to this day had no idea what had possessed him to be so bold but he refused to over think it because what happened the next two days had blown his mind and haunted him for months after they parted.

  Connor sat in his car in his parent’s driveway and texted Sam.

  You awake?

  Yes. What do you need?

  Is Kat’s house still on Makenna Way?

  Don’t know. I’ve never been there. Let me ask Alyssa?

  A few minutes went by and Connor was beginning to get restless.

  Con, she fell asleep. I don’t want to wake her. Sorry, man.

  No problem.

  Connor put the phone down and decided to head that way anyway. It had only been a year since he picked her up. The chances were good that she was still there.

  He turned right onto Makenna Way and parked in front of her apartment. Every light in the apartment was on. It has to be her. Connor smiled, remembering how he’d teased her when she left every light on in the hotel room. He killed the ignition and walked up to the door. He heard the soft voice of Sarah Machlachan playing on the other side of the door. He knocked on the door before he chickened out. No answer. He knocked again, this time a little harder.

  “I’m coming. I’m coming. Geez! Keep your pants . . .” She swung the door open. “Connor!” His eyes dropped to her chest. She had on a skimpy tank top with no bra. Her nipples had hardened beneath the thin cotton from the sudden burst of cold air. She followed his gaze and quickly covered them. “What are doing here?”

  “We need to talk.”

  “Really? About what?”

  “Can I come in?” he asked. Kat didn’t respond. She just stared at the same blue eyes as Sam’s. After a few moments, she stepped aside, allowing him entry.

  “What is it you want to talk to me about, Connor? How you fucked my brains out that weekend and hung me out to dry or how sorry you are that you have to be in my life again because of Sam and Alyssa?”

  This isn’t going to be easy. Connor ran his hand through the dark brown silk waves of hair on his head.

  “Would you stop? Please!” He took in the sight of her. He felt himself instantly get hard when he saw the pink silk pajama bottoms. “I don’t know why I didn’t call you after that weekend, Katherine. No. Yes I -”

  “Don’t call me Katherine. You lost that right after what you did to me.”

  “What exactly did I do to you? We had an amazing weekend together.”

  “I thought so. I also thought you’d call me again. But you were never to be heard from again.”

  Connor lowered his head. He was going to have to put his heart out on the table for the first time in his life if he wanted a chance with this girl. Fuck me.

  “Katherine. I fell in love with you when you took care of me in the hospital. Then we went away together and I shared parts of myself that I’ve never shared with anyone. I was scared out of my mind.”

  Kat looked at him as if he’d grown another appendage in the amount of time he blurted out that statement. “Will you say something?” he asked.

  She walked into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine. She downed it and was pouring herself another when Connor walked in. She downed the second glass and turned to look at him.

  “I really don’t know what to say other than I don’t believe you.” She grabbed the bottle and headed back to the living room. “There’s beer in the fridge if you want one.”

  Kat wrapped herself in a blanket and sat cross legged on the couch. She poured her third glass of wine.

  “You might want to slow down on that. I’d like to talk to you sober,” Connor said, beer in hand.

  “Don’t fucking tell me what to do in my own fucking house, ass hat,” Kat said.

  Connor held up both arms in surrender. “Calm down, she-devil. I meant nothing by it.”

  “Why now? Why am I so important now? Oh. Let me guess. You’ve finally gone through all eligible women in Boston and I’m what’s left.”

  Connor had had enough of her attitude. He knew one way to calm his “hissing cat”. He placed his beer on the coffee next to the wine bottle and reached for her glass.

  “Hey,” she protested as he laid it on the table with the others.

  “Hey yourself,” he said. Connor leaned in and gently kissed her lips. When she didn’t respond, he deepened the kiss and teased her tongue with his. Within seconds, he felt her body relax and lean into his touch. His fingers slowly descended to her left breast where he rubbed the nipple with feather-like precision. Kat placed both hands on his chest, never breaking contact with his lips. She pushed him onto his back and straddled his groin area.

  Connor reached down and cupped her ass and squeezed the tight, round globes. Kat moved her hips in slow seductive circles against his throbbing bulge. He slipped his hands under her tank top and teased both nipples with his fingertips. She let out a low moan. He matched her rhythm with his hips, grinding against her sensitive part as she came down on him.

  His erection was so hard that it was chafing against the fabric when he moved. He knew he had to stop before he rubbed himself raw but he didn’t want to. He had waited for this moment for almost a year. He broke the contact of their lips and stilled his body. Kat sat upright.

  “What?” she asked.

  “I can’t move in these jeans at the moment. I’m chafing.” He reached down between their bodies and adjusted himself.

  “Oh. I thought you wanted to stop,” Kat said. She swung one leg over his body and stood up.

  “No, Kat. I don’t want to stop.” He stood and Kat lowered her gaze to the front of his pants that were overly taut. She rubbed her hand against him and kissed his lips.

  “Perhaps we should take this to the bedroom.”

  “Perhaps,” was all Connor could manage to say. Her hands were magical. She took his hand and led him into the bedroom.

  * * * * *

  They woke to the pitter patter of rain drops on the roof. Kat turned and looked out the window. Connor’s arm followed her movements and rested over her hip.

  “I love when it rains and I have nowhere to go,” she said.

  “Mmmm hmmm.”

  Kat flipped herself back around so she was face to face with Connor. He opened his eyes.

  “I could stay here all day,” she said.

  “Me too.”

  He rolled on top of her and started round six of sex fest.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The crew had just sat down to watch TV after dinner when the alarm rang. The dispatcher’s voice sounded over the intercom.

  “Ladder 14, Engine 20, please respond to a house fire on 222 Newbury Street.”

  Sam followed t
he others to the garage and climbed into the passenger seat. They sped through the streets, sirens blaring. Sam saw smoke billowing above the roof tops on the next street over and knew that they were only seconds away. Ramsey turned onto Newbury Street and parked in front of the burning house that was now fully involved.

  A woman ran up to Sam as he exited the truck.

  “Hurry! My husband and babies are in there! Oh my God! Oh my God! Don’t let them die.”

  The woman almost fell to the ground when Sam reached out and held her at the waist.

  “Ma’am. We will find them. How many are in there?” he asked.

  “Three. My husband, Dave, and two babies. Save them! Oh God! Please save them,” she cried.

  The Chief walked over to the truck as they all donned their gear. “There are definitely three victims inside,” Sam said.

  “Okay, get in there.” Sam nodded and radioed the guys. “There are three victims that we know of. A man and two children. Moose, Ramsey, and Hayward, follow me.”

  Jesse’s voice then sounded over the radio as he instructed his guys to go in as well. Two of them ran to the back of the house as the others walked into the blazing building one by one. Sam led the team up the stairs. “I’ll take the north,” he said.

  “We’ll take the west.”

  “Ramsey and I will take the east,” Jesse said.

  Clarkson and Miller had already taken the south end.

  The five of them crouched low in different parts of the house as they searched for the family, hollering out that they were there.

  “This is the fire department. Anybody in here?” Sam called out. No response.

  Sam listened to the other guys hollering out ‘clear’ as they searched the down stairs rooms. He slowly walked down the hallway to check the first bedroom when the ceiling gave way and collapsed behind him, almost landing right on top of him.

  “Fuck!” he shouted. “Ceiling collapse second floor,” he warned the guys. He continued on into the bedroom.

  He saw the lifeless body of a man lying face down. His back completely charred.

  “One victim. First bedroom.”

  Jesse and Ramsey had been right behind Sam. Jesse went in while Ramsey searched the neighboring room for the children.

  “Let’s flip him,” Sam said. He took the shoulders. Jesse grabbed the legs and together they flipped the man to his side.

  Sam and Jesse looked at each other in disbelief as the two children came into view. The man had acted as a shield and laid on top of his children to protect them while he burned to death.

  “The children are in here as well,” Jesse said over the radio.

  All of the guys made their way to the first bedroom upstairs after all other rooms had been cleared.

  “Let’s get them out of here.” Miller and Ramsey grabbed the two children while Jesse, Sam, and Moose carried the man outside. Two EMT’s rushed forward and took the mother and children to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation while one of the paramedics stayed back to help the third victim.

  “Let’s get him on the gurney,” she said. She searched for any signs of life once they laid him down. After completing her full assessment, she looked up at the Chief and shook her head solemnly.

  The man’s entire head and face were covered in third degree burns. The others just stood around the gurney with their heads lowered. Sam dropped down and sat on the curb with his head in his hands.

  “We found him laying on top of his family. He saved his children’s lives,” Jesse told the paramedic.

  “Let’s call it.” She looked to the Chief for approval which was given with a slight nod.

  Defeated, Sam stepped back with his head down. He fought the tears but they flowed anyway.

  “I’ve never ever seen anything like that before.” He wiped the tears from his face with the sleeve of his jacket. Jesse walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder.

  Just like that this family is minus one. Sam thought about Alyssa and his unborn child. An overwhelming fear washed over him. What if he couldn’t protect them?

  “Hey.” Jesse interrupted his thoughts. “You okay?”

  Sam brushed him off with a quick nod and stood. He slowly made his way back to the truck. It had been a very quiet ride back to the station.

  He took a shower and headed into the common room when the Chief came in.

  “Sam, come with me.”

  One of the guys joked from the couch. “What did you do now, Lieutenant?”

  “Piss off, Ramsey.”

  Neil Ramsey held his two hands up. “Touchy.”

  Sam followed the Chief to his office where his father, the deputy district Chief and Carmen’s lawyer sat.

  The chief took his seat behind the desk and turned towards Sam.

  “Carmen has written a letter exonerating you from sexual assault.”

  “How kind of her,” Sam said dryly.

  “Don’t . . .” the deputy district chief warned.

  Sam looked at the man. Carmen was his daughter.

  “I’m sorry, sir.”

  Mike O’Connor nodded.

  “I’d like to see the letter,” Sam’s dad said.

  Chief Hammond laid it down in front of him.

  “Mike and Carl have already read it,” he said, pointing to the district chief and Carmen’s lawyer.

  Sam read over his father’s shoulder.

  His father read it out loud.

  Dear Sam,

  I’m writing to you today to ask you for forgiveness. There are no words to explain my actions and the lies but I will try. I never told you this when we were together but I applied to the Denver Fire academy four years ago and wasn’t accepted. All I’ve ever wanted to be since I was a little girl was be a fireman. I became a paramedic after that so that I could still be a part of the action. Last year, I decided to try again and applied to BFA. You know how that turned out as I am not a fire fighter. Imagine my surprise when I accidentally learned that the one person who you’d think would be in my corner was not. My father had made sure that I was denied.

  I was transferred to your firehouse shortly after that. I really liked you. I thought we had something and when you made it clear that there wasn’t, something in me snapped, I guess. I was sick of being “passed over”. First by my father then you and the father of my child who shall not be named.

  I targeted you because I had thought that it would be more believable. You being single and having quite the reputation with the ladies that I can now attest to. I wanted to hurt you, like I hurt. And I’m sorry. I’ve recently learned that you have a baby on the way as well. I wish you the best.

  I am ashamed of myself for what I’ve put you through because of my lies. I’ve informed my lawyer that I’m dropping all charges. I understand if you never forgive me but I sit here writing this letter to you in hopes that you will.

  Sincerely, Carmen

  Sam took a step back in shock.

  “Wow,” he said. He looked over at her father who looked like he had aged ten years. “Looks like you didn’t know that she knew.”

  Mike met his stare. “Do you know who the father is?”

  “No. I saw her briefly at the drugstore awhile back and asked but she wouldn’t tell me.”

  Her father responded with a nod. He stood, tucked his hat in the crook of his arm and walked over to Sam.

  “I apologize for my daughter’s actions,” he said and shook Sam’s hand.

  When he reached the door, Sam asked, “Sir. Can I ask why you didn’t want her to be a firefighter?”

  The deputy district chief turned around and faced the three sets of eyes on him.

  “I don’t believe women should be firefighters. Plain and simple. Gentlemen.” He nodded his goodbye.

  Sam raised his eyebrows. Did the deputy district chief just say that? Holy shit! He suddenly felt bad for Carmen.

  “Well. I’m no longer needed.” Carmen’s lawyer stood and shook hands with the three men and made a
swift departure.

  “That was interesting,” Sam’s father said. He stood next to Sam. “Looks like that’s over.”

  “Thank God. I have enough on my plate.”

  “That reminds me, your mom wanted me to ask you when you were going to make that girl your wife.”

  “Ugh! Does she ever stop?”

  “You know the answer to that.”

  Chief smiled at the two of them. “I’m glad that’s over. I never thought for one minute you’d do that to a woman.”

  “Thanks, Chief.”

  John shook hands with the Chief before he followed Sam out.

  “Thanks for everything, Dad. I wouldn’t know what to do if I didn’t have you in my corner.”

  John gripped his son’s shoulder. “I know, Sam. I feel bad for Carmen. She obviously doesn’t have that.”

  “I know. Me, too.”

  “I need to get back to the office.”

  “Okay. Kiss Mom for me.”

  “I will.”

  Sam went back inside and shared the news with the other guys.

  “That’s great, Sam.” Jesse was the first to congratulate him.

  The rest of the night was quiet which Sam was thankful for. One horrific fire was enough for one shift.

  Sam and Jesse were leaving the station at the same time the next morning.

  “You two moving into the new house today?” Jesse asked.

  “Yes. Alyssa texted me and said the movers would be at our place at ten.”

  “Cool. I’ll try and stop by this afternoon. See ya.”

  Sam waved to his best friend as he approached his Beemer.

  He set his bag down on the passenger seat and thought about the dream that woke him up in a sweat earlier that morning. Alyssa and the baby had been stuck in a burning house and he couldn’t get to them. He could still hear their cries. He had had a similar dream after he and Jesse rescued the family whose car took a nose dive into the Charles. Luckily, he had still been on shift so Alyssa hadn’t seen him drenched in sweat and scared to death.