by Sonya Weiss
He was thinking like a girl and needed to get a grip. Hanging out with Casey had started out so innocently, then like a stealth attack he hadn’t seen coming, his emotions had pounced on him, making him notice all the little things he’d overlooked before. He rubbed his forehead.
Casey was his girl and…his girl…no…she wasn’t his anything. After his cousin’s wedding, she was free to date whoever she wanted to. Free to marry and to live her life. He hoped she found the happiness she deserved. He stared down at the sad-looking crow and the feathers he’d glued to the bird’s beak. Sighing, he pulled them off.
Jean walked up to him with a cup of punch. She sipped it, eyeing him the whole time. “Did I ever tell you about my first husband, Bruce?”
Kent frowned. “Your first husband’s name was Alex, wasn’t it?”
“No, Alex was my third husband. Jim was a dumb ass who couldn’t see past our friendship. I married Bruce, and Jim regretted it until the day he died.” She patted Kent’s arm and sent a pointed glance at Casey. “Don’t be a Jim.” She handed him her cup. “Toss that, will you? I see a lonely-looking old man, and I’m going in.”
Kent crumpled the empty cup. He’d bet none of Jean’s husbands had failed to save someone they cared about. None of them had lived with the fear that one day they just wouldn’t be enough. Going through his fire training, he’d learned about avoidable risk and minimizing risk with the goal of protecting lives first. It was riskier to be with Casey than to be without her, and he’d meant what he’d told her. He would always protect her heart first—whatever it cost him.
Chapter Thirteen
Casey felt as if she was walking on air. Over the last week, she’d landed over thirty new clients, and double that in applications were pending. Everything was beautiful. The birds were singing, the weather was perfect, and her dream was safe. She felt like celebrating. She wanted to shout, to dance, to party, to share the news with Kent.
Humming to herself, she left her office and drove straight to Kent’s house. His cousin’s wedding was tomorrow, and she supposed she could wait until then to tell him, but she didn’t want to.
She parked in front of his house, rushed up the steps, and rang the doorbell. Seconds later he opened the door, and she held up the report she’d printed out. “My business is going to be okay.”
His eyes lit up. “That’s awesome.” He held his arms wide.
Casey walked into them, and he lifted her up and spun her around with him, laughing, sharing in her joy. Friends. It was all good. They could do this.
Then his smile faded, and hers followed.
Their bodies were plastered together in several places, and Casey swallowed at the wave of desire washing over her. “Kent,” she whispered, even though she hadn’t meant to say his name.
He lowered her to her feet, never taking his gaze from hers. “Casey,” he said in a husky voice. His eyes locked on hers. He said her name again in a groan, looking uncertain, and then his lips crashed down on hers.
She was flying, soaring on the wings of an everything-was-perfect moment. She leaned into Kent as he walked them backward from the porch into his house. His hands were on her back, her hips, moving, roaming, memorizing her body. His lips were creating sparks, setting fires she desperately wanted him to ease. Flinging her arms around his neck, she dropped the folder on the living room floor so she could touch him, draw him into her.
She wanted him—no…“want” was too tame a word. She craved him with a hunger that had been building since she was a teenager but she’d been too blind to see. She wanted to hold him forever and a day, pull him with her to his bedroom and let what she was feeling consume her.
Sliding her hands beneath his shirt, she touched his rock-hard abdomen, then put her palms against his back, drawing him closer against her. Her heart was braced, waiting for him to lower his arms and step away, to tell her this was all a huge mistake. And she was willing to plead with him to please quiet the inferno that only blazed around him.
But he didn’t step away. He pressed harder into her until her veins sang with the heat of his body. His lips—oh, sweet heaven, the wonder of those lips as they moved from hers down the side of her neck.
With fingers that were shaking so badly she didn’t think she’d be able to get them to work, she unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it down his arms, exposing his broad chest and taut abdomen.
He shrugged the shirt down and off without stopping the magic his lips were performing against her skin.
She arched her back and banged her head against a photograph hanging on the wall. The frame started to fall, and Kent caught it with one hand before it hit her.
“Keeping me safe,” she said, pressing one, two, a dozen kisses against his shoulder.
“Always, baby,” he said as he bent to set the frame on the floor.
“Come with me,” she said. She led the way to his bedroom. In the middle of the room, she hesitated. She’d stood wearing a bikini in front of him more times than she could remember during various family outings. But this was different. Not awkward, but nerve-racking. Her body wasn’t perfect. She hesitated, biting her lip.
“You are the only woman who has ever had the power to bring me to my knees,” he said, and just like that, he wiped away her insecurities. She blinked at the moisture pooling in her eyes. Friendship…what an idiot she’d been. She’d loved him for years.
“Are you okay?” he asked in a low voice.
She knew that what they were about to do would forever alter their relationship, but she could no sooner stop wanting him than she could change the course of the ocean.
“I’m going to make love to you, Casey, and the first time is going to be powerful and fast and hard, because I’ve wanted this for too long.”
“The first time?”
“Uh-huh. And the second time is going to be gentle and slow and drive you crazy, so hold on to me.”
As if she had a choice. He lifted her up; she wrapped her legs around his waist and loved him.
…
The next morning, Kent couldn’t believe he’d waited so long to make a move. He’d felt her emotions in the way she’d kissed him. In the ways she’d loved him, and he’d recognized the look in her eyes. The one that said what she felt for him went well beyond the boundaries of friendship.
Now, rising up on one elbow, she smiled down at him with her hair tousled and her eyes shining. For the life of him, Kent couldn’t imagine why he’d been so hesitant to get involved with her. He still wanted to be cautious, but he knew he wanted to ask her out on a real date. But not here, not now. He wanted to ask her in a way that was memorable for her.
Everything had to be perfect first.
He sat up and reached for his clothes.
“I’ve got to make it to the shop to pick up my tuxedo,” he said, pulling the excuse from thin air to keep from spilling his intentions.
She frowned. “I thought you got your tuxedo days ago.”
“No, I didn’t make it over there before the store closed,” he said, thinking of his plans. He’d ask her out, then rent out the restaurant. Have flowers everywhere.
Casey sat up slowly, keeping the sheet tucked around her body. “Okay.” Her lips curved into a satisfied smile. Lips he found too damn tempting.
He stood and stepped into his jeans, then yanked his T-shirt over his head.
He turned away while she dressed. He had to. Otherwise, he was going to tell her everything and spoil the surprise.
When the sound of clothing rustling stopped, he faced her.
She held her shoes in one hand, her keys in the other. “I guess I’ll see you later when you pick me up for the wedding.”
“Yeah.” He kissed her but didn’t linger.
She gave him a funny look.
“Okay, then.” She turned and left his room.
The sound of the front door closing echoed through the house. He grabbed his phone and sat on the edge of the bed to call the restaurant and make the ar
rangements.
Chapter Fourteen
The world sparkled. She was going to a wedding with the man she loved.
The doorbell rang, and Casey went to answer it.
“Ready?” Kent asked.
“Let me get a coat.” She grabbed one from the closet.
Kent took her arm and walked her to his truck. He opened the passenger door for her and said, “You look amazing.”
“Thanks.” She eyed his tux. “You clean up nicely yourself.” She climbed into the truck and settled the seat belt around herself. He got in beside her, and his cologne did things to her—tied her stomach up in knots, made her heart race and her body want to beg for another afternoon with him.
“Music?” he asked, his fingers hovering over the dial. He seemed nervous. Unlike himself.
“Please.”
A song about lovers crooned from the speakers, and Kent’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel.
He switched off the radio. “I hope you don’t have plans after the wedding. I want to talk to you.”
“About?”
“It’s a surprise.” He flashed her a grin.
“A good surprise?” She scrunched her nose and wondered what it could be.
“I think so. At least, I hope you’ll like it.”
“I’m sure I will.” She’d liked every surprise he’d ever set up for her. Her first semester at college, after she confessed how homesick she was, he’d surprised her with a plane ticket home for a weekend. He’d showed up at her college dorm with pizza the night she was frantically cramming for finals and helped her study. He’d also surprised her with new landscaping when she bought her home. He was full of thoughtfulness and caring.
He pulled into the parking lot of the church where the ceremony was being held.
Casey took off her seat belt, and Kent tipped her chin up. “You’ll be the most beautiful woman in there.”
Her heart burst into a silent song. “Kent, I—”
“Hold that thought. We’ll have time to talk after the wedding.” Casey got out, wondering what could be so big that Kent couldn’t go ahead and tell her. While Kent went to join the other groomsmen, Casey found Josie and took the seat beside her.
The ceremony went off without a glitch, and the guests left the church for the reception at the lodge overlooking the lake. The evening was cold enough to see her breath hanging on the air. Casey shivered as she walked up the front steps with Josie. She’d forgotten her coat back at the church. When sudden warmth infused her, she looked over her shoulder. Kent draped his tuxedo jacket around her, then moved ahead of them to open the door.
“Ladies,” he said, but his gaze was on Casey, and she couldn’t look away.
Inside the lodge, in the middle of the great room, a round table was set up featuring a towering wedding cake decorated with colorful, fresh flowers on every tier. She’d had flowers planned on her wedding cake when she was engaged to Dominic. Looking back, she was so thankful he’d abandoned her at the altar. Every tear, every second of humiliation was worth it. She could see that now. Had she married Dominic, she would have missed out on discovering that Kent was her Mr. Right.
After the newlywed couple cut the cake and then shared their first dance, the wedding planner encouraged everyone to get up and join them on the floor. Kent looked across at Casey, smiled, and held his hand out. He led her onto the dance floor, and she could swear her feet never touched the ground. She was floating in a dream and never wanted it to end. He had one hand at the small of her back, gently guiding their moves around the other couples. They danced well together, and Casey had always assumed it was because of their friendship. Now she knew it was because they were meant to be. Two halves of a whole fitting together.
With the lights casting a soft glow around them and the music in the air, Casey felt like she was dancing on the brink of forever. That this moment in time was the beginning of something real and lasting with Kent.
He twirled her around, dipped her low, and as he slowly eased her back up, the blood hummed in her veins.
“I was trying to keep this a surprise and plan out a special evening, but I can’t wait.” He touched the sides of her face, his eyes filled with wonder. “After what happened between us earlier, I realized that I want us to date. For real, I mean. Does that sound… What do you think? Say something.”
She was going to burst with happiness. “It sounds perfect.”
“Perfect. Right.” He brushed his lips against hers, pulling back when Sebastian’s new brother-in-law clinked silverware against a glass in an impromptu toast.
Standing side by side, they turned to join in the toast. After a second of hesitation, Casey slipped her hand into Kent’s, and his fingers closed around hers.
He wanted nothing more than to take Casey home and be alone with her. When he’d promised his cousin he’d stay after the wedding to make sure the lodge was restored to order, at the time Casey hadn’t been on the horizon. When he told her he’d forgotten that he had to stay behind, she offered to pitch in. That was just like Casey. Always willing to help. He and Lincoln worked together to stack chairs against the wall, and after the third trip back and forth, Lincoln said, “Saw you dancing with my sister. You didn’t look like you were faking anything to me.”
“We were dancing, that’s all.” Normally, Kent would talk about what was going on in his life with his best friend, but he wanted to keep this private. Deciding to date Casey, and to move their relationship from fake to reality, was a big deal to him. It made him wary and nervous, but he wanted to take a chance.
Someone put music on, and everyone stopped cleaning and began to pair up as dance partners. He went around the room looking for Casey but found Rebecca instead. It was obvious she’d been drinking.
“I see how you look at Casey, and I can guess how you feel about her.” Her fingers skimmed his tie. “But do you honestly think she could truly love a broken, scarred man who lets people die? Aiden was my friend, too, and he’s dead because of you.”
Kent took a step back, the blood draining from his face. The insecurities he’d wrestled with since the accident surrounded him, agreeing with Rebecca, asking him what made him dare think he was good enough for Casey.
One of Rebecca’s friends rushed over, shushed her, murmured an apology at Kent, then steered her away. What was he doing? What had he been thinking? Rebecca was right. Aiden’s death was all on him.
Carrying a handful of table linen, Casey approached. “Kent?”
Dazed, he raised his gaze upward. “I thought I could do this.”
She dropped the linen on the floor and put both her hands on his arms. “What happened?”
“Nothing but my common sense returning.” The bitter realization burned in his gut. “I was wrong about everything.”
Her eyes widened, the first sign of wariness appearing in the depths. “Everything?”
“I was wrong to tell you I wanted to date for real. I got caught up in lust. I don’t want a relationship, and I never will.”
Casey gaped at him. “Kent, this isn’t you talking. Whatever’s wrong, let me help.”
He gently pushed her hands away from him. “I don’t need your help. I’m sorry, but we’re through.”
Casey backed away. She blinked rapidly. “If that’s what you want.”
“It is.”
She turned around to head for the door, waving Lincoln off when he tried to stop her.
Everyone stared at Kent in horror, as if he’d torn off a mask and revealed that he was Voldemort.
“We can finish the cleanup,” one of his other cousins said. “If you want to leave.”
Yeah. He wanted to leave, all right. His heart was aching so badly, he was sure that pieces of it were missing. That they’d splintered apart when he’d told Casey they were through. He’d barely been able to stand at the expression on her face.
“Kent, wait!”
He stopped in the middle of the parking lot, keeping his back to Lincoln
. Casey’s brother was probably going to read him the riot act for hurting his sister, and he should. He deserved that and more.
Lincoln spun him around, and Kent braced himself. When his friend didn’t make a move, Kent looked at him. “I was stupid. Casey and I don’t belong together.”
“Why?” Lincoln crossed his arms. When Kent didn’t answer, he raised his eyebrows.
“You can ask me that after what I let happen to Aiden?” The words were torn from him.
“After…” Lincoln uncrossed his arms and put a hand on Kent’s shoulder. “Ah hell, man.”
Kent couldn’t hold it in anymore. “I didn’t keep him safe. I promised his family I would. He wouldn’t have moved down here and taken the job if I hadn’t prodded him into it.”
Lincoln frowned and gave him a little shake. “Do you hear yourself right now?”
“It’s my fault he died.”
“No. Aiden told me he was already looking into becoming a firefighter before you even talked to him about it. It was his dream.”
Kent clenched his jaw. “I was responsible for him. I should have saved him.”
“You didn’t start the fire, and you didn’t tell Aiden to break from protocol and go back into the structure alone. You went after him knowing what a bad situation it was, because you were trying to save him. It’s why you were nearly killed yourself.”
“But—”
“It is not your damn fault.” Lincoln’s voice rose. He rubbed his head, then said quietly, “Think about what Aiden would say if he could talk to you about this.”
Kent closed his eyes, imagining his friend’s face. His throat worked. “He’d tell me to lay it down.”
“Yeah, he would.”
Kent opened his eyes. He’d been so far out in left field, thinking he wasn’t good enough, and letting that go gave him such a sense of freedom. The weight he’d carried since the accident dropped away. “I’ve made a mess of things.”
“Yeah, you have,” Lincoln agreed.