Then it hit me. “Do you know Ewan’s sister-in-law?”
Tyler popped his head over the refrigerator door and looked at me with curiosity. “I’ve met her a time or two.”
I felt like the clouds were opening to let the sunshine through. “What’s her name?”
He thought for a second then said, “Jaelyn, I think.”
Jaelyn. It was as gorgeous as she was.
Tyler ducked back down and grabbed something from inside before standing and shutting the door. “Ewan is kind of a pain in the ass about her,” he mused nonchalantly as he twisted the cap off a smoothie and took a swig.
Possession and jealousy slammed into me like a truck. I was about to tell him to stay the fuck away from her when he spoke again and cooled some of my ire.
“We were all at a barbecue, and while she’s a great girl, I wasn’t the least bit interested in her, but he still warned me off at least three times.” Tyler snorted with laughter. “I thought Kaia was going stab him with her fork. Jaelyn seemed to be oblivious to it all.”
“Do you—” The rest of my question was cut off when the alarm sounded, and we sprang into action. I reminded myself that now I had her name and could find her, but for the moment, I needed to concentrate on my job.
2
Jaelyn
For the past two nights, I’d looked forward to bedtime because my dreams had been filled with the hot as heck fireman who’d pitched the softball game against my new brother-in-law. My eyes had been drawn to him each time he took the mound but for a different reason than why everyone else’s attention was aimed in the same direction. The way his muscles flexed on his six-foot-two muscular body when he wound up to pitch was even better to watch than how he threw the ball. I’d wanted to run my fingers through his thick, dark hair when he tugged his hat off to wipe the sweat from his forehead. His full, closely cropped beard made him even more appealing.
His beard featured in many of my dreams. How it would scrape between my legs as he made his way to my pussy, making the skin of my inner thighs even more sensitive. In the slim space of time between sleep and waking up, the sensation seemed so real. As I rolled over, my legs slid together and sent a jolt of desire to my core. I let out a low moan, unwilling to let go of the vision of my smoking hot firefighter. I wanted more of the pleasure he would give me, even if he wasn’t here in the flesh.
My brain was foggy from the lack of sleep, and it took me longer than it should have to realize the scent of smoke wasn’t from the uniform my hunky fireman had stripped out of in my dream. When I finally recognized the smell was real, my eyes popped open. Glancing up at the ceiling, I saw smoke pouring out of the vents and squeaked, “Holy crap!”
I scrambled off the mattress and chanted, “Holy crap!” a few more times as I grabbed my cell off the bedside table. Then I shoved my feet into the flip-flops on the floor next to my bed and ran out of my bedroom. The smoke grew thicker as I moved through my apartment, making me cough.
The fire must’ve been burning long enough for one of my neighbors to call it in. By the time I made it into the kitchen, I heard a fire truck’s siren and saw the flash of red lights through my living room window. “Oh, thank goodness,” I sighed, feeling a huge surge of relief at knowing help was already here.
As quickly as I could, I grabbed my purse off the kitchen counter and crammed my laptop inside before heading through the living room to the door. Yanking it open, I hurried down the hallway. I must’ve been the last to notice the fire because several of my neighbors’ doors were wide open. Feeling a renewed sense of urgency, I sped up. As I neared the stairs, I tripped over my left flip-flop and stumbled. Strong arms caught me as I fell, saving me from crashing down the stairs.
“Thanks,” I gasped, tilting my head back and locking gazes with my rescuer. Although I hadn’t been close enough to see the color of the hot fireman’s eyes during the softball game, as soon as I spotted the green orbs through his mask, I knew it was him.
“I have you.” He lifted me higher and slipped his arm under my knees, cradling me against his broad chest. I twined my arms around his neck and held on as he swiftly carried me down two flights of stairs. When we made it out to the sidewalk in front, most of my neighbors were standing on the lawn. Instead of setting me down near them, he stalked over to the back of the ambulance parked behind the fire truck. A few firefighters called out to him, but he completely ignored them.
Both of the paramedics were helping my neighbors, so the hunky firefighter and I were alone as he gently lowered me onto the back bumper, then ripped his helmet and mask off. His green eyes burned with fierce concern as he kneeled down in front of me. “Do you have any shortness of breath or a headache?”
“I—”
I’d been about to assure him I was completely fine, but my breath caught in my throat and made me cough.
“Shit! You’re not okay.” He dropped his helmet and mask onto the ground before gently cupping my cheeks and tilting my head back to search my face. “Your eyes are a little red. It might be irritation from the smoke.”
“Your job is putting out the fire, Rand,” a masculine voice chided from behind my sexy firefighter. “Mine is treating the patient.”
I glanced up and offered Tyler, a paramedic friend of Ewan’s, a weak smile. Rand jumped up and stood between us, blocking Tyler’s view of me. “She needs a blanket before you can treat her.”
It was a little after eight in the morning, but the sun was already shining. There was only a light breeze in the air, and I was pretty sure it was in the sixties. “A blanket isn’t necessary. I’m not cold.”
Rand turned toward me, his green eyes raking over the pale blue cami and short set I was wearing. His gaze lingered on my nipples, which puckered at the attention. “Trust me. It’s more than necessary.”
When I followed his eyes and saw how much was on display through the thin material, I couldn’t help but agree. Besides, I wasn’t about to argue when he was staring at me like he was ready to devour me. “Okie dokie.”
Rand shifted closer as Tyler climbed into the ambulance and grabbed a gray polyester blanket. When he went to drop it around my shoulders, Rand took it from him and wrapped it around me instead. “There you go, baby. Now Tyler can look you over and make sure you’re okay.”
Rand stuck close as Tyler did his examination. He paid particular attention to my lungs, and I coughed a few times when he had me breathe deep. Once he was done, he flung his stethoscope around his neck and said, “I don’t think the smoke had the chance to do much damage before Rand got you out of the building.”
“I feel pretty good, considering how my morning has gone so far.” I smiled at both men to reassure them, but it didn’t do much to erase the concern in Rand’s eyes.
“Can you do me a solid and take Jaelyn to the hospital? I’d feel better if a doctor looked her over.”
I shook my head. “But I don’t need to go to the hospital. Tyler just said I’m okay.”
“When it comes to you, any amount of damage is too much as far as I’m concerned.” Rand looked over his shoulder at my apartment building and swore under his breath as he turned his attention back to Tyler. “I’d take her myself—”
“Captain!”
Rand held up a hand in acknowledgment when a female firefighter jogged up but didn’t pause as he continued to speak to Tyler. “But I’m going to be here for a while.”
“Whatever you want, man,” Tyler agreed.
“Don’t I have any say in this?” I grumbled.
“Of course, you do.” Rand traced his thumb along my bottom lip, which had turned down in a small pout. “But don’t you agree it’s for the best? It’s just a quick trip to the hospital so a doctor can confirm the smoke didn’t do any lasting damage. And it’s not like you can do anything here. The building won’t be cleared for re-entry anytime soon.”
“I guess you’re right,” I conceded softly, cringing at the thought of what my apartment was going to look like b
y the time I was allowed back inside.
Rand flashed me a sexy grin before brushing his lips over my forehead. “Good girl.”
I shivered at the compliment and stared at his ass after he said something quietly to Tyler, then picked up his stuff and walked away. I shook my sexy fireman-induced stupor off as Tyler helped me into the ambulance. As it pulled away with me safely tucked inside, the way Rand worded his request for Tyler to take me to the hospital hit me. “How does he know my name?”
I hadn’t expected anyone to answer my whispered question, but Tyler surprised me when he said, “Because he grilled me about you this morning, right before the call about the fire in your building came in.”
“He grilled you about me?” I echoed softly.
“Yeah,” Tyler confirmed with a grin. “And he looked like he was about to blow a gasket when I told him Ewan warned me off you. If I’d had more time, I would’ve yanked his chain over his caveman reaction.”
I grinned at the thought of Rand feeling all alpha over me after seeing me across the softball field. And there might’ve been a bit of a wicked gleam in my eyes as I thought of the chain yanking I was going to do to my new brother-in-law now that I knew he was warning guys off me. Especially if I found out Rand was one of them.
3
Rand
The damage to Jaelyn’s building was mostly from smoke, leaving the structure intact. It would be habitable again in a few weeks. But it didn’t matter since Jaelyn would be living with me by then.
Once we were sure the building was empty and secured against anyone who might try to get in, I rushed back to the firehouse. I stripped out of my gear and tossed it at a rookie. “Get this to the laundry,” I requested over my shoulder as I hurried by.
After peeling off my sweaty, grimy clothes, I hit the private bathroom attached to my room. I showered quickly, then dressed in jeans, a T-shirt, and a sweater before booking it to my office. My eyes dropped to my watch, and it made me move even faster. I’d told Tyler to keep Jaelyn at the hospital until I could get there, but he would only be able to stall for so long.
“Mick!” I shouted to one of my lieutenants. He entered my office a minute later, and I beckoned him forward. “I have to get going. I’m off for the next four days, but I’ll still work from home. Send me your report on the fire today, and let me know when they expect to declare the building habitable again as soon as possible.” He nodded, and I gestured for him to take a seat at my desk. Before moving out of his way, I locked my drawers and logged out of the programs on my computer. He had his own passwords to the system, and I always left my office open for my lieutenants to use when I wasn’t there.
“It’s Tyler’s rotation to teach the public safety training this afternoon, but he’ll need someone to cover for him. I have him on a special assignment.”
Confident that Mick had everything under control, I jogged out back to my silver extended cab truck. I’d bought it so I had the ability to haul a lot, especially since I was remodeling a house on the outskirts of town. However, I also made sure it would fit and be safe for car seats.
Until I saw Jaelyn, I’d often wondered what had possessed me to even consider that since I’d barely looked at a woman for longer than I cared to admit. Now, I was patting myself on the back for the decision.
It was a short drive to the hospital, and I pulled into a reserved spot near the entrance to the emergency room. The Ladder Co. 45 sticker would keep my truck from being towed. I hopped out and hit the lock button as I sprinted up across the drive and through the sliding, glass double doors.
Tyler was at the check-in desk, deep in discussion with a young male nurse, but he cut off the conversation abruptly when he saw me enter. “Finally.” I raised my brow, and he nodded, answering my silent question before confirming out loud. “She’s fine. No lasting damage.” Then he shook his head, his expression showing clear exasperation. “But damn, man, we were running out of excuses to keep her here.”
The “we” caught my attention, and I scowled at the thought of the young punk laying even a finger on my girl. Tyler caught my expression and said something to the kid in a low voice which caused him to scurry off before I reached them.
Tyler pointed at a single wood door with a square window and the word Emergency painted on the front. “Bay six.” As I swiftly walked in the direction he’d indicated, he drawled, “You owe me fucking big time, Cap.”
I waved to let him know I heard him, then put him out of my mind as I pushed through the door. “Big time!” I heard him yell before the door swung shut behind me.
One woman in pink scrubs sat at the nurses’ station, and she lifted her head when I stalked into the room. She slowly smiled and patted her hair as she stood. Her smile was more seductive than welcoming, which pissed me off. “Can I—hey!”
Ignoring her, I kept on my path until I reached bay six and drew back the curtain. I exhaled slowly, and my muscles began to relax. I realized I’d basically been holding my breath until I saw her again.
“Sir! You can’t just come—” complained the nurse who had obviously followed me.
I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Jaelyn, who was staring back at me with a myriad of emotions displayed on her beautiful face. Surprise, curiosity, and happiness. I briefly wondered if she was as transparent to everyone else as she seemed to be to me. I hoped not. I liked the idea that it was for me only. That she was mine completely.
I couldn’t wait to watch her when we made love. To see the expressions that would dance over her face as she came, screaming my name. The images in my head caused a tightening in my jeans, and I focused on the aggravating nurse in order to keep my cock from stiffening even further.
“Where are her discharge papers?” I interjected, cutting off the woman’s annoying protests. The nurse ceased all noise when I turned to her with deep scowl. She mumbled something about finding a doctor and beat it out of there.
Jaelyn’s beautiful eyes, which I’d discovered were a captivating velvety brown, were trained on me as I approached her bedside. “Um, hi…Rand?” she murmured, cocking her head in question.
I nodded and grinned and took a seat next to her. “Hi, baby.” With a mind of its own, my hand lifted to brush her hair back from her face and tuck it behind her ear. “How are you feeling?”
Her lips tipped down at the corners, but she only looked a tad put out rather than angry. “I feel fine. Which is why I don’t understand what I’m doing here in the first place, much less being kept here for over two hours.”
The curtain slid all the way open at that moment, saving me from having to answer, although I knew it was only a temporary reprieve.
A tall blonde in a white lab coat walked in and looked up from the clipboard in her hand with a smile. A modicum of relief trickled through my veins knowing that my girl hadn’t been treated by a man in her current state of dress…or more appropriately, undress.
“Thanks for being patient, Ms. Whittaker.” The doctor signed the top paper, then pulled it off and handed it to Jaelyn. “We just wanted to cover all our bases and there was a backup in the lab.”
I couldn’t believe my luck until I glanced at the doctor’s name tag. Dr. Vi Jennings. Tyler’s comment about owing him became clear. Vi was his cousin. While Jaelyn studied her paperwork, Dr. Jennings smirked at me, and mouthed, “Big time.” Then she turned back to my girl and chirped, “You’re good to go!” Spinning around, she strode to the next bay and disappeared behind the curtain.
I couldn’t help smiling, even as I admitted to myself that I was definitely indebted to my friend. A glance at Jaelyn’s beautiful face gave me an idea. I needed to find him a woman. But it would have to wait until I had my own female situation settled.
Standing from the bed, I offered my hand to help Jaelyn climb down from the gurney. She smiled sweetly in gratitude as she accepted my assistance. Warmth bloomed in my chest, confirming my suspicions that love at first sight was real.
I held her waist while she
found her balance but didn’t let go even when she was solid on her feet. When she tilted her head back to look up at my face, her eyelids drooped a little so that she was gazing at me through her long, thick lashes. “Thank you for coming to check on me, but you don’t have to stay. I’ll call my sister to come and get me.”
I answered her by bending over to press my lips to hers. “I’ll take you home, baby,” I murmured before running my tongue along the seam of her lips, requesting entry. She shuffled closer, and her lips parted in invitation. The first sweep of my tongue pulled a tortured groan from my chest as I savored her taste. I was instantly on the edge, my cock dangerously hard and my self-control hanging by a thread. It didn’t help that there was a bed only inches away from us.
My hands fisted at her sides, pulling on the thin material of her top. The fear that I’d accidentally rip it, causing even the remotest possibility of someone seeing what was mine, broke through the lustful fog swallowing me.
Jaelyn mewled in objection when I forced myself to release her lips. It almost did me in, but I swallowed hard and told myself that I’d soon have her all to myself. I touched our foreheads together and attempted to regulate my ragged breathing. My body was overheating from need, but it reminded me about my layers. It was in the high sixties outside, making my sweater unnecessary, but I hadn’t donned it for warmth.
Reluctantly, I let Jaelyn go and grabbed the back of my sweater, pulling it off in one swift move. Then I lowered it over her head and helped her put her arms through the sleeves. It was so big that it almost swallowed her whole. But fuck, I was burning with desire at seeing her wrapped in my clothes.
She held up her arms and laughed at the sight of the sleeves hanging over her hands. “I don’t think this is really my size, Rand.” I chuckled and suppressed the shiver that tried to race through my body at the sound of my name in her husky voice. I rolled up the sleeves and then stepped back to survey my handiwork. A frown creeped onto my face when I saw her bare legs. The shirt hung down to her knees, but it was the way it made her appear as though she didn’t have on pants that bothered me.
Alpha Heroes: A Me, Myself & I Collection Page 7