by Morgan Fox
Victor grinned, stealing another kiss. “I always wonder what kind of conversation I’m going to walk into when I show up here. Apparently, this one’s about asses.”
Janie eased back and hiked her thumb over her shoulder. “Jace has a crush on a woman that’s never going to give it up to him.”
Victor’s eyes narrowed. “You gave it up to me,” he reminded her with a twisted grin.
Janie’s mouth formed a small O, but she said nothing to object.
Finally, someone who can shut her up and make her eat her own words.
Jace never would’ve guessed it would be Victor Cadwell, an attorney he’d once threaten to slaughter if he hurt Janie. He might’ve overstepped a bit when they’d first started dating. But that’s what real friends did for each other.
Janie pressed her hands on the bar, her gaze locked on Victor. “You know that was different.”
Victor folded his arms over his chest, leaning back on the barstool as if he’d planned to stick around awhile. “How so?”
Janie scoffed, rolled her eyes, and snatched up the bar towel. “It just was.”
Victor laughed. “Sounds to me that Jace has just as much luck as I did.”
“Right,” Jace cheered, his attention moving back to Sage. “It’s not like I don’t have charm.”
Janie snorted. “And an ego the size of Texas to go with it. I’m surprised anyone can fit in this room with you.”
“Ha. Ha.” Jace shook his head, sighing. “Joke all you want. I’ll show you what kind of charm I’ve got.”
Better yet, I’ll show Sage.
“And how are you going to do that?”
He faced her. “You’ll just have to wait and see.”
“And he’s right,” Victor told Janie. “Because we have a date tonight. Are you about ready?”
Janie smiled. “Yep. Let me get my purse.”
She patted him on his bald head as she passed and he ducked, swiping her hand away. Working with Janie was like working with a sibling. Annoying, but fun, all at the same time. He loved her like a kid sister. Always had.
Jace spotted some new customers and headed to take care of them. The entire time he went about tending bar, his thoughts were on the sexy firefighter he couldn’t ignore. Her laughter carried through the bar, drawing him in. He wanted to go up to her, talk with her, but Janie and Zerina had gotten to him. Literally shaken his confidence. Nothing ever did that to him. No woman ever gave him pause. Yet Sage did.
She had an aura around her that was not only enticing, but mysterious. The way her hair swept down the side of her face and hung close to her eye left his fingers itching to brush the strands back just before he tasted her supple lips.
A lurch of disappointment sank in his belly as he glanced up to see Sage leaving the bar. A fellow firefighter he’d seen in the bar before was giving her a ride home. He’d missed his chance and he tossed the bar rag hard into the sink and groaned.
“Watch out. That towel may end up pressing charges.” Samantha Whitmore, Sam for short, the bar owner and manager teased, sliding alongside of him. “I don’t see you assault many towels, so I’m pretty sure something’s up.”
He breathed out a laugh. “Ah, it’s nothing.”
“All right. Suit yourself. How’s tonight going?”
He heard Sam’s words, but his concentration was on the dark haired woman who sparked his desires into hyper drive. Watching her stumble out of the bar with her arm draped around someone else only irritated him. He didn’t know what it was that was driving him toward her, firing his engine up a bit more than usual. Maybe it was the challenge of getting close to a woman who was off limits to a guy like him. Luckily, he was up for the test.
Chapter 2
Sage groaned. “I can’t believe you made me come.”
“That’s what she said,” Zerina teased and then did a giggle snort that revealed she thought that she was funny. Then her expression shifted to serious. “Eat, drink, and find a hot guy to sleep with. Seriously, have you even had sex recently? Trust me you are way overdue.”
“No, thank you. I don’t need a guy. I’m good just sitting here.” Sage glanced around the bedroom she was hiding in. It was covered in soothing colors and reminded her of the childhood bedroom she and her mother had decorated. Soft purples, teals, and whites accented by all things costal. She smiled, almost smelling the warm ocean air.
“So nothing will tempt you out? Not even finding out why Jace asked me if you’d be coming today?”
“What?” The air that once filled Sage’s chest escaped in a rush.
Zerina shot her a lopsided grin. “He asked about you last night and again today. I think someone’s interested in—”
“I gotta go,” Sage said, bolting for the bedroom door before Zerina could stop her.
She couldn’t do this. Couldn’t get caught up in a fantasy with a guy like Jace. It could never work. She just couldn’t do it. Not again. If he really was asking about her, he had to stop.
Her feet scampered along the light gray tile. The pulse thundering at her temples was a pounding drum of panic that surged from her ears to her toes. A cold sweat dampened her forehead and the palms of her hands. The scars on her back tingled, reminding her to run faster, to get away before something bad happened.
Reaching out to grasp the door knob, she gasped as the door began to open toward her. Overwhelmed with apprehension, she hadn’t realized the other people standing nearby. Pausing to take notice, she heard the buzzing of voices, laughter, and music.
“Where are you running off to?” Jeremy asked, closing the door behind him with his foot, his arms filled with grocery bags.
Reeling in her panic, she took a bag from his arms, ignoring the whirling emotions that had beckoned her to flee the scene. The laugher and humiliation of her past, now a faint whisper.
“Nowhere. Whatcha got?” she asked, snooping in the bag, hoping he’d overlook her nervous behavior.
Jeremy arched a curious brow, his eyes narrowing as if waiting for her to crack under his penetrating stare. She didn’t.
“Don’t tell me. Beer.”
Jeremy quirked one side of his mouth in unison with his eye brow. “Nope. We’ve got plenty of that thanks to Sam and Jason.” She knew Sam and Jason were the owners of both Iron Horse bars. She hadn’t met Jason, but from the way Zerina talked about him, he was like a big brother to her.
“But we’re about to run out of food and Zerina would freak if she saw it. I couldn’t let that happen.” He winked.
She made the best physical impression of being saved by a gallant knight with her hand over her heart and eyes fluttering wildly. “Jer-Bear to the rescue.”
His crooked grin grew. “It’s what we do for those we love.” He raised his index finger, slightly pointing it toward her. “And never call me Jer-Bear again. Got it?”
A devious smile tugged at her cheeks. “I can’t promise anything.”
“Happen to have any limes in that bag?”
In an instant, her smile vanished and the air fled from her body. His deep voice poured over her like warm honey. She swallowed hard as the shiver of awareness thudded through her veins.
Jace.
Stepping aside, she inclined her head over her shoulder to see him. His sexy grin turned her insides to Jell-O. Her tongue swelled as her brain registered his shirtless and sculptured body hovering teasingly close. An involuntary fluttering moan of approval moved past her lips, and had it not been for his crooked smile holding her captive, she would’ve launched for the nearest exit.
“I think he’s talking to you,” Jeremy pointed out, nudging her with his elbow.
She shook her head to clear away the absurd and ridiculously hormonal charges clouding her mind. “Um…Well…How would I know?” How could she? She hadn’t been the one to do the shopping or the bagging of the groceries.
“Your bag has the limes,” Jeremy confirmed. “Jace, would you mind following us into the kitchen?”
&nbs
p; “Sure.” Jace moved closer, his hands sliding over hers and the bag. “Allow me.”
Her heart skittered to a standstill and her lungs squeezed tight, fighting for air. She let him take the bag, almost throwing it into is chest.
“Since you got it,” she started. “I think I’ll—”
“You never struck me as a coward.”
She frowned, his abrupt remark twisting like a knife in her belly. She was no coward. And why the hell would he say that? “Excuse me?”
He crowded closer, the bag of groceries separating them. “Apparently, you’re afraid to talk to me. I heard you weren’t intimidated by much. Who knew it would be me.”
She pursed her lips together, grinding her teeth. She wasn’t afraid of Jace Burnette. She was terrified of him. Intimidated perhaps by the fact that he was perfect in every way. A man like him would only make her hate herself. She was long over that part of her therapy. Getting a reminder crash course of her imperfections was not in the cards this month.
I’d need way more ice cream and action movies than any store could provide. No thank you. Not going there again.
She stiffened her chin. “Not sure where you get your information, officer, but the only thing that might be afraid of you are the idiots you arrest.”
His mouth quirked again and a rush of heat slowly pulsed its way south, teasing low in her belly.
She rolled her eyes to the ceiling, hating the uncontrollable desire he sparked in her.
What’s wrong with me?
“I was actually on my way out when I stopped to help Jeremy with the groceries.”
Jace’s eyes locked on hers as if trying to dig deep into her psyche. Boy, did he not want to go there.
“I’ll see you around, I’m sure.”
She turned to leave, but before she could, he slipped his hand around her arm. “Stick around, Sage. I’d like to talk.”
Her body pulsed with fiery warmth, starting right along the skin where his hand rested. Why did it feel so good?
No, it doesn’t. What am I thinking?
What could he possibly want to talk with her about? Unless he wanted to interview her about being a firefighter, she wasn’t interested. She couldn’t be. “I’ve got things I need to do today. Maybe another time.”
“How about over coffee?”
Her mouth opened and then closed. She couldn’t take it. An irresistible man was asking her out for coffee and all she could think about was the scars that covered her back. It wasn’t fair. What she wouldn’t give to be normal. To feel sexy. To feel desired by someone who saw more than an available vagina.
“I can’t. Sorry.”
She cut a path through the crowd of people and rushed right out the front door. She glanced back to see if he’d followed her. He hadn’t. Exhaling hard, she pulled her keys from her pocket and climbed onto her red V-Star motorcycle. She fired it up and headed away from the party as fast as she could.
The throttle on the bike wouldn’t roll far enough around to give the bike more power. Putting distance between them was imperative. Not just the party, but Jace, too.
* * * *
Jace watched Sage cut a trail through the dancing people like a bullet firing from a gun. She couldn’t get away from him fast enough. He lowered his gaze, glancing over his shirtless chest, cargo shorts, and boat shoes. This looked traditionally killed it with the ladies. Not Sage.
Is it possible she’s immune to my charms?
“Strike out?” Sam asked, opening the grocery bag to dig out the limes.
“I never strike out.”
Except this time.
She smirked, lifted the plastic bag with the round green balls inside, and dangled it in front of him. “Well, you suck at retrieving limes. I asked for these like forever ago. You might be off your game tonight.”
And last night. “Right. Thanks.”
Sam laughed, playfully popping him on the shoulder. “So you have a thing for Sage Nixon, huh?”
He shot a quick glance to the door Sage had exited, silently hoping she’d return to save his ego. She didn’t. Sage was long gone and he swore he could still see the trail of fire she left in her wake. “Apparently, she doesn’t like me much.”
Sam placed her hand on his shoulder, a sympathetic smile on her face. “Come have a beer with me. You’ll feel better.”
He’d feel better if he could get Sage off his mind and finally get laid. That’s all he wanted. All he needed. But she wouldn’t give him more than two seconds. Maybe he was losing his mojo.
“No luck with Sage?” Jeremy asked, sitting in the chair beside him, popping the top of a beer.
“Seriously? Does everyone know I was trying to talk with her?”
“Yep,” Zerina cheered. “I told them all that you have goo-goo eyes for a certain firefighter.”
He grimaced. Of course Zerina would do that. The woman loved sexual gossip. Too bad Zerina’s BFF wasn’t around to torment the hell out of him, too. Brynn Sloan would at least take some of the attention off of him since she dressed like a dominatrix most days. The woman was hot, but totally off limits. Brynn, the saucy redhead, belonged to Reid Wilson, a Special Agent with the FBI. Last he heard, they were engaged to be married.
Jace still didn’t understand how someone in their line of work—cops, agents, firefighters, anyone who’s life was put at risk as often as theirs—would get married or be in a committed relationship. They’d clearly not seen the shit hit the fan like he had when his parents’ marriage imploded.
“I can always count on you, Zerina. Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me yet, Sweet Cheeks. Thank me after Jeremy gets her to—”
“Woah!” Jeremy started. “Are you looping me in on one of your diabolical plans of matchmaking again?”
Zerina stuck her bottom lip out and batted her long dark lashes. “It worked for Rusty and Deb. And let’s not forget about Aaron and Mary. Oh, and there’s your other firefighter friend—”
“Fine,” Jeremy said, cutting her off. She smiled.
Jace didn’t know who any of those people were and he certainly didn’t need a matchmaker. He needed to get laid. His dick was so hard for sex, it hurt. Setting him up with a woman was like saying he wanted a relationship. He didn’t. What he needed was a shirt that read “Ride the Iron Horse” on the front and “I’m the Iron Horse” on the back. That should send a clear picture to any woman looking for a good time.
“I’m grateful that you want to set me up with someone, but I’m not interested.”
Zerina grimaced. “But you’re hot for Sage. Even blind people would be able to see that.”
“Yep,” he admitted. “I think she’s attractive. But I don’t want to date her. I’m interested in something a little less long-term and a little more like fun.”
“He just wants to get his dick wet.” The low, husky voice that purred around him could only belong to Brynn Sloan. “Am I right?”
He inclined his head to glance over his shoulder. Brynn and Reid were grabbing a few beers from the cooler. Brynn’s gaze was trained on him, her smirk and arched brow, teasing him to answer.
“Yep, that’s exactly right.”
“That’s horrible,” Zerina said, shifting on Jeremy’s lap.
“Maybe not,” Jeremy corrected. “Sage doesn’t seem to be interested in relationships either. Work is her husband.”
If anyone knew Sage, it would be Jeremy. They worked together, and from what Jace had noticed about them, they were close. In many regards, they appeared to be siblings.
“So, what are you going to do?” Jace twisted, glancing over his other shoulder as Janie and Victor arrived. “Are you going to ask her out or just proposition her for sex?”
Victor chuckled. “I’d know what I’d do.” Janie glared at Victor and he immediately raised his hands to deflect her fury. “I’m not talking about me, but more if I was Jace. Getting married isn’t for everyone.”
That got Jace’s attention. Victor was a sophisticated
lawyer and career focused. Had it not been for Janie, he’d probably still be a single guy living carefree.
Hearing someone agree with him was a nice change. Usually, he caught hell for only wanting to sleep with women. It wasn’t like he didn’t give as well as he received. Every woman he’d had sex with left satisfied. That was his rule. Come and come again.
“I say you leave her alone,” Janie said, glaring at him sternly. “I’d hate to see you fall flat on your face when she shoots you down again.” She tsked under her tongue. “That would crush your delicate little ego into smithereens and you’d likely never recover.”
Sam laughed. Zerina snorted. Jeremy pursed his lips to keep his laugher contained. He failed. Brynn squeezed Reid’s ass and ignored them completely and Victor shrugged.
Why do I hang around with these people?
He was doomed to fail with the kind of support his friends and colleagues offered him. It was a good thing he was used to flying solo and loved a challenge.
Game on, Sage Nixon. Game on.
Chapter 3
Sage inhaled deeply as the fire engine cut a hard path through the busy intersection. The downpour of rain only made matters worse. With sirens blasting, she and her crew arrived on scene. In robotic fashion, the firefighters and paramedics sprang into action, assessing and pulling the necessary gear off the truck. This was nothing the crew hadn’t seen before—two teenaged boys had ran a red light, causing another car to flip and block traffic. Thankfully, no one was fatally injured.
The paramedics loaded all parties involved into ambulances and took them to the nearest available hospital. The victims had sustained lacerations and possible concussions and a more thorough assessment was necessary.
No matter how many traffic accidents Sage worked, she couldn’t shake the haunting chill that riddled her straight to her soul. A stormy night like this one had caused her life to change forever. Her parents’ horrific screams as their car caught fire, and the painstaking hours of physical rehabilitation she endured, could never be forgotten. It was a miracle that Sage had survived at all. She cringed, recalling the sound made by her sticky blood-soaked flesh as each piece of glass was extracted. Bile coated the back of her throat and a quiver of terror rocked her. She closed her eyes to blink away the memory.