by Marie Carnay
She held up her hand. “No, it’s okay. Really. It’s nothing I can’t handle.”
His best friend’s face told a different story. But if Angie didn’t want to go there…
“So I’ve got the results.” Angie waved the clipboard around.
Rich turned to her. “And?”
“It’s a tie. You both got first place. Congratulations.”
A tie. A grin spread across Rich’s face and he fought the urge to pick her up and twirl her around.
“Why are you so happy?”
Because of you. Rich glanced at Dave. Did his best friend still want to ask her out? Dave gave him a wink. Guess that’s a yes. “Well, let’s just say we won a bet.”
Angie frowned. “A bet? You bet that you’d tie?”
“Something like that.”
“Alright. Well, um—” Angie shifted her weight back and forth on her feet and focused on the grass.
Is something wrong? He’d planned to open his mouth and ask her out right then. But the way she clasped her hands around the clipboard and hugged it close…She seemed so vulnerable.
At last, her green eyes rose to meet his stare. “If that’s all, I’m going to call it a day. It was fun being the instructor. Even when you carried me across the lot.”
Rich watched as she turned and walked away.
“What are you doing?” Dave hissed out the words as he stepped closer.
“What do you mean?”
“I thought we’d agreed. Why didn’t you ask her out?”
Rich ran his hand through his still-wet hair. “I don’t know. I clammed up, I guess.”
Dave snorted. “Then I’ll have to do it myself.”
The door to the fire house clanged and Rich glanced up. “Come on, let’s go find her. We can do it together.”
Angie headed toward the women’s lockers as the back door slammed shut. Both Rich and Dave had been acting weird ever since the test ended. Did she have something stuck in her teeth? Did she smell? She pulled open the door to the locker room when Rich’s voice called out.
“Angie, wait!”
Her fingers slipped off the handle and she turned around. Rich and Dave walked up to her and she tensed. “What is it? Is there a problem?”
“No…it’s just…” Rich’s voice faltered and Angie frowned.
“Did I make a mistake? Is there some issue with the test?” God, if she had an error in the math, Steve would never let her live it down. But from the look on Rich’s face, that wasn’t it.
He shook his head and glanced at the floor. If it’d been any other guy standing there, she’d be convinced he was nervous. But Rich Kelley? Impossible.
After a moment of awkward silence, Dave stepped forward and gave Rich a nudge. “Rich was trying to see if you’re free tomorrow night.”
What? She raised an eyebrow. “I’ve got two days off. Do you need me to cover a shift?”
“No.” Dave flashed her a pair of dimples and Angie’s stomach flipped over. “We were hoping you’d want to come out with us. Dinner and drinks—what do you say?”
Angie blinked. She’d been fantasizing about this very thing. Rich and Dave and her in between. But a date? In real life? That made no sense. Two men didn’t ask the same woman out. She must have read it all wrong. “I don’t understand. You mean like hang out?”
Rich tucked his hair behind his ear and stepped forward. Gone were the nerves. The fidgeting. In their place was a stare that had Angie sucking in a breath and backing up. Her shoulders brushed against the wall and she swallowed.
Damn. Did the air conditioning just break? Because she was about to break out in a sweat. Rich pinned her to the wall with his dark brown eyes. As he inhaled, the rise of his thick shoulders had her thinking of a plush king-size and two days off. Rich’s body on top of her, crushing her into the mattress. She glanced over at Dave. His strong hands touching all the right places.
Rich palmed the wall beside her head and she snapped her gaze back to him. “We don’t mean hanging out. We mean on a date. You, me and Dave. Say you’ll come.”
She swallowed. The wanton displays of man chest and chivalry that morning must have addled her brain. “Don’t you think you’ve done enough joking for one day?”
He leaned closer and fire alarms sounded in her head. “No joke. Come out with us. Have dinner. Get to know us.”
“And then what?”
His eyes raked over her like she was naked. “We’ll see where the night goes.”
Oh my God. Angie glanced at Dave and the same heat and longing coiling around her insides was reflected back in his eyes. They’re serious. She wanted to come up with a million reasons to say no.
Two men and one woman on a date? It was so far outside her comfort zone. But as she stood there, back against the wall as two gorgeous men waited for her answer, she didn’t care. They wanted her.
Not some asshole looking for a quick fuck in the back seat of his car. Hello, Steve. Two men who’d been nothing but gentlemen with the sexiest bodies firefighters could offer.
Everyone always told her to loosen up. Live a little. Maybe she could for one night.
A smile lifted the corners of her mouth. “Okay. Count me in.”
CHAPTER THREE
WHY DID I say yes? This is a terrible idea. Angie took another look at herself in the rear view mirror and bit her lip. The fanciest restaurant in all of Mill Creek. Okay, it wasn’t a Michelin Star winner. Or even big city average, but it was the best the little town could offer. And two men were inside waiting for her.
She rolled her eyes at the insanity of it all. She’d gone from impromptu sack of potatoes to ogling sweaty man chest, to bobbing her head up and down like a puppet in a matter of hours. Yes, dinner with the two of you sounds great. Forget what the rest of the town would think. Or the station house. Even her own internal critic. Unbelievable.
Maybe she should cancel. Pull out her phone and claim a headache. She needed to wash her hair? Part of her wanted to come up with anything. Retreat back into the good girl bubble she’d made for herself ever since moving to Mill Creek. Stay single and alone and watching reruns of bad movies on a Friday night.
But the other part of her—the sex-starved one—lit up like a firecracker at the thought of Rich and Dave and their hands all over her. The way Rich had looked at her when he asked her out. The way Dave made her squirm and bite her lip.
Oh, hell. She was a grown woman who hadn’t been on a decent date in over a year. It was time to get out and take a risk for once. Be bold. Daring. If they asked to take her home she could always say no. Besides, at least someone should get a chance to see her in a dress.
With a deep breath, Angie pushed open the car door and stepped out into the warm summer air.
“You did say eight, right?” Dave fidgeted with his shirt collar and glanced out the window again.
Rich had never seen his best friend so agitated. He’d bounced back and forth on the balls of his feet while the waitress set up the booth in the back. Checked his watch a million times. Now he sat hunched over, spinning the beer bottle around so fast Rich was dizzy.
He reached out and stilled Dave’s fingers. “Relax. She’ll be here.”
“I know. It just…this time seems different. Like we might have a real shot, you know? I can’t believe you’re not nervous.”
“I never said I wasn’t.” The truth was, Rich was nervous as hell. But there was nothing either of them could do about it. Either she showed up or she didn’t. That was the easy part.
Convincing her they were serious? That they wanted more than a quick fuck and a see you later? That was hard.
Rich exhaled and relaxed against the plush booth. “I’m just trying to take it easy. Besides, since when do you get so worked up over a date?”
Dave spun his bottle around again. “I don’t know. I guess since Monica left, I’d kind of given up on this.” His eyebrows knitted. “Us.”
“And now?”
“Now I’m ho
ping I was wrong.”
Rich knew exactly how his best friend felt. Monica leaving out of the blue shook him. One day she was lounging around in bed, wrapped up in both of their arms. The next, she was packing her things and saying goodbye. They hadn’t heard from her in months.
Until Angie’d shown up, he’d all but given up on ever finding that kind of connection—even love—ever again. But something about her…Whether it was the way she owned every choice she made, her confidence, or that sexy, round ass. He didn’t know.
The same hope that twisted Dave into a nervous knot had Rich almost bouncing in anticipation. If she’d only show up.
“Hi there.”
Rich glanced up and blinked. It can’t be. “Angie?”
She raised her hand in a little wave. “Hey. Sorry I’m late.”
Wow. Rich practically tripped over his own feet when she wore khaki pants and a polo in the station house. But in a little black dress that hugged all the right places? Chestnut hair out of a bun and falling around her shoulders?
He finished his beer in one gulp. “You look…incredible.”
She smiled and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Thanks.”
“If I’d known you’d show up looking like that, I’d have rented the whole place out.” He stood up and offered her the back of the booth.
“Don’t be silly. It’s just a dress.” Angie slid past him and Rich bit back a groan. The black, slinky fabric cupped her ass like velvet over a candy box. One he couldn’t wait to rip open and devour. He glanced over at Dave at his best friend nodded. Angie would fit between them so well.
“So…do you guys come here a lot?”
The question jumpstarted Rich’s brain and he slid back into the booth. “No.” He smiled as she sat down. “But it’s not every day we get to show off someone as gorgeous as you.”
“Besides,” Dave added, “they’ve got the best burger in Mill Creek.” His best friend flashed a grin and Rich blew out a breath of air.
Thank God Dave was there, otherwise, he’d be falling all over himself trying to come up with something to say. With Angie going from cute to drop-dead, he’d completely lost his mojo.
She was always confident and prepared on the job. You could depend on Angie whether it was two stories up battling a fire or exam day at the station house. Add in sexy as hell in a cocktail dress and heels and she was just the type of woman to occupy all his fantasies. And stir up teenage-level nerves.
Shit. How was he going to make it through a whole night if he couldn’t come up with a single thing to say?
Angie glanced over at Rich. His fingers worked the napkin back-and-forth and his eyes darted all over—looking first at her, then Dave, then over to the bar. She couldn’t figure him out. Was he nervous? Waiting for someone? It didn’t make any sense.
They’d been making awkward conversation all night and it stunk. She’d even downed a whole mixed drink just to calm her nerves and loosen up, but she couldn’t. Dating was hard enough when it was her and some average guy. But two hot guys built like redwoods? Impossible.
She glanced around at the restaurant. Couples out on dates. A few single people at the bar. Not another threesome in sight. How could she pretend she could date two men? When one of them was so nervous, he could barely speak?
The waitress took their plates and Angie inhaled. She should just cut her losses and go home before they wasted any more time. This would never work out. After a sip of her drink, she cleared her throat. “I think maybe we should call it a night.”
Rich started. “What? No. Why?”
Her cheeks heated. “It just—it seems like you’re having second thoughts. And I am too. I don’t know what’s going on or why you’re so nervous, but I shouldn’t keep you here if you’d rather just go.”
Dave burst out laughing. “And here you told me to relax.”
“Shut up, man.” Rich shot Dave a frown and turned toward Angie. “I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. You’re so damn sexy and smart and out of our league. I—I guess I’m just waiting for you to tell us you made a mistake and walk out the door.”
Angie’s eyebrows arched on auto-pilot. “You can’t be serious.”
Rich gave her a sheepish smile and ran his hand through his shaggy hair. Oh my God, he means it. She made Rich Kelley nervous? One of the strongest, most powerful men she knew. Unbelievable. Here she thought they’d realized she wasn’t their type. That whatever it was they wanted, she couldn’t give.
A lock of hair fell across Rich’s cheek and Angie’s heart sped up. Out of uniform, with his hair loose and his broad shoulders covered by a dress shirt, Rich was sexy as hell. Still tough and masculine, but so polished and trim. Not a single smudge of soot anywhere.
She glanced at his lips as he ran his tongue across them. Damn it if she didn’t want him to kiss her right there. And he thought she was out of his league? That’s why they were so awkward? Crazy. “You two could have any woman in Mill Creek. I’m nothing special.”
“Then why can’t I come up with a single thing to say that isn’t stupid?” Angie turned to Dave and he continued. “We’ve both been interested since the minute you came to Mill Creek.”
“Then why didn’t you make a move? I’ve been here for four months.”
Dave shrugged. Where Rich was thick and burly, Dave was slim and wiry. But with cropped hair and bright blue eyes, he was every bit as charming. Sinful.
“How many tried and got shot down? And—” He paused and glanced over at Rich. “We’re not the most traditional guys. I mean, it’s not every woman who can handle two men.”
She paused and glanced around. They had a point. “So why the sudden change?”
Rich chuckled. “Honestly? I think we talked each other into it during the exam. You’ll probably hate us for saying this, but we kind of made it a competition.”
Angie leaned back in the booth. “A what?”
“If I won, I got to ask you out. If Dave won, he did.”
They made me a bet. Wow. Most women would be furious. A date reduced to a testosterone-fueled contest? But it only made Angie more curious. To fight over her, they must like her. She bit back a grin. “And what if you tied?”
Dave leaned forward. “Then we asked you out together.”
Now it all made sense. The pushing each other to the limits. The crazy way both raced and ended up in a tie. They wanted this night. A chance of a date with her, Angie Williams.
Ever since they’d asked her out, she’d been thinking about the two of them. Were they really interested? “So it’s not a joke? You two are serious?”
“Very.”
A flush crept up her face as her gaze darted back and forth. What it would be like to date two men? Would they take turns? Share? She didn’t know why it excited her so much. Why the thought of Rich and Dave all over her in the dark turned her insides molten and her brain into smoke. But could she do it?
The waitress brought the check and Angie glanced at her. Could she handle the stares and comments and outside pressure? Did it matter? She glanced back at Dave and a thrill rushed through her.
He motioned toward the door. “How about we ditch this place and go have some fun? I think it’d do all of us some good.”
CHAPTER FOUR
ANGIE TOED A clump of grass with her shoe. “When you said fun, I thought you meant bowling. Maybe a movie.”
Rich laughed and launched a spray of water up onto the shore. “Come on, Angie. The water’s warm. No one’s around for miles.”
“You actually want me to get naked and jump in a lake with you?”
Dave dunked his head before slicking back his hair. “We’re naked. Seems only fair.”
Angie couldn’t believe her ears. Or her eyes. As soon as Dave had offered to leave the restaurant, Angie had jumped at the offer. Trade in awkward silence for a chance to get out and do something? You bet.
But skinny dipping? In a backwoods lake? Not exactly what she’d had in mind. “Do you do stuff li
ke this all the time?”
Rich bobbed up and down in the deep water. “What? Don’t tell me you’ve never been swimming after dark.”
She pouted. “I’m from Seattle.”
Both men laughed.
“It’s not funny.”
“Is too.” Dave splashed in the inky blackness. “But no, we don’t do this often. The was the hangout on a Friday night when we were kids, though. The lake’s part of old Mr. Johnson’s place. I’m sure he won’t mind if we’re back for an encore.”
Angie crossed her arms. “It’s trespassing.”
“It’s loosening up.” Dave leaned back and swam a few strokes. “Come on, Angie. Relax. Do something fun.”
“We’ll turn around if you don’t want us to look.” Rich’s grin shone even in the moonlight.
Hmph. She stuck out her tongue and hugged herself tighter. This is crazy.
When Dave had eased the truck onto the dirt road and cut through the forest, Angie hadn’t known what to think. Were they going hunting? To a cabin? It wasn’t until the men had jumped out of the truck, shedding shirts and pants and kicking off shoes, that she’d figured it out.
She had to admit—it’d been one hell of a show. From her vantage point inside the cab, she’d gotten a full look at both Rich and Dave. Chiseled chests. Sculpted abs. Tight asses. Other well-endowed areas. Neither man lacked in any department. But now that it was her turn…
Angie glanced down at her thick hips and frowned. “You promise? You’ll turn around?”
Dave held up three fingers. “Scout’s honor.”
“Alright.” I can’t believe I’m doing this.
Angie waited until both men turned around in the water. Then she toed off her heels and unzipped her dress. Make it quick before you back out. The black fabric hit the grass and she tossed her panties and bra on top. Don’t think about the jiggle, just get in the water. With a deep breath, she broke out into a naked run.
The water splashed over her feet and ankles and in moments, she’d sunk into the warm lake, laughing like a kid.