Yikes.
“Harper.” Tate nodded, his green eyes twinkling. Oh, he was pretty. Why hadn’t she ever noticed it before? Had she been so focused on making it work with Roger that she hadn’t noticed the other good-looking men in her life? “Good morning.”
Harper parted her lips, ready to wish him a good morning as well when her best friend interrupted her.
“Why are you in your uniform?” Wren asked, rolling her eyes. “Trying to turn on the ladies?”
“Considering you’re the only one I want to turn on and yet you’re immune to my charms, Gallagher, that would be a no.” He turned his attention to Harper. “I just got off work. Thought I’d grab a coffee and a doughnut, then go crash for a few hours.”
“Tough shift?” Harper asked politely. She’d always liked Tate. He’d come to Wildwood just over a year ago and fit right in like he was homegrown. He was nice, if a little egotistical sometimes, cocky but never rudely arrogant. And he had reason to be. Women seriously fell at his feet. She saw it happen once out at the lake last summer while he’d been out on a call. The woman had literally fainted on top of his booted feet.
He came by his reputation rather naturally.
“Brutal. But what else is new? We’re out there fighting fires and saving lives.” He returned his gaze to Wren, letting it linger. “I hear your brother starts his first shift at my station tomorrow.”
Wren nodded. “He sure does.” She said the words like she was reluctant to even speak to him.
“Well. Can’t wait to meet him. If he’s anything like Holden I’m sure we’ll get along fine.” The barista called Tate’s name, and he winked at them before he started to walk away. “See you later, ladies.”
“Something in your eye, Tate?” Wren called after him but he ignored her, too busy chatting up the cute barista who was batting her eyelashes at him.
“What was that about?” Harper asked as soon as Tate left the coffee shop.
Wren shrugged. “He’s annoying.”
Uh-huh. Just like Harper found West so annoying. “What did he ever do to you?”
“I don’t know. Breathe?” Wren rolled her eyes and laughed. “I’m ridiculous, I know it. But there’s something about him that bothers me. He’s so . . . sure of himself.”
Most women would find that an attractive quality.
“His attitude borders on arrogant. He always smirks at me, like he knows my deepest darkest secrets no matter how much I try to hide from him.”
“Are you trying to hide secrets from Tate?” Harper asked.
“Of course not,” Wren said quickly. “I’ve grown up around firefighters my entire life. They’re nothing special, even Tate.”
Hmm. There was more here than met the eye.
And Harper was dying to know exactly what it was.
THE MOMENT THEY entered the bar, West saw her. Sitting with his sister, her auburn head bent toward Wren’s, her perfect mouth stretched wide in a smile as she listened to whatever his sister had to say.
Lord knew Wren always had something to say. The woman never stopped talking.
Holden and Kirsten had wanted to take him out for a celebratory drink before he started his shift at the Wildwood station tomorrow. Considering he had to be there bright and early at seven in the morning, he had zero plans to get wasted. He wanted to make a good impression on not only his fire captain, but also the firefighters who would be under his supervision.
His little brother and Kirsten, on the other hand, had already downed a six-pack between them at home by the time West had stopped by to pick them up fifteen minutes ago. They were well on their way to Drunkville, and Holden had to be at work tomorrow morning just like West did. But Holden was younger. He’d bounce back easier.
Hopefully.
“Ah, good, Wren’s here!” Kirsten shouted, making West grimace. “And look, Harper’s here too.”
His body went on high alert at hearing her name, and got even worse when he got a better look at her. She was wearing some flirty flower print dress with little sleeves that showed off her slender arms, a scooped neckline that dipped low though not scandalously low. Her hair was up in a ponytail, showing off her neck. A pretty neck he was immediately tempted to kiss again. She sat on the barstool with her legs crossed, the very tops of her thighs exposed, along with the rest of her legs, simple black sandals on her feet. All that skin was bared, on display. Not in a vulgar way. No one could ever call Harper Hill vulgar. But considering he’d had his lips on her skin before, knew her taste, knew the way she’d suck in a breath when his lips touched a particular spot, well . . .
Seeing all that beautiful, smooth skin, he was tempted to put his mouth all over her, all over again.
She has a boyfriend, asshole. You need to rein it in.
Right. He needed to remember that.
Kirsten was running toward the girls while Holden and West trailed after her. The bar was crowded—it was mostly locals at the Forks Bar on a Saturday night and it was still early in the season. West heard a few people call his name and he smiled and nodded, not in the mood to try to make small talk or worse, catch up after he’d been gone for so many years. He suddenly had only one goal tonight:
Get close to Harper.
Catch a whiff of her mysterious scent. Maybe touch her—innocently of course. She was a taken woman. Hell, she lived with the guy. And why that felt like such a kick in the gut, West wasn’t sure. He didn’t want to analyze it too closely either.
“I’m mad at you,” Wren said the moment he approached.
West frowned. “Why? What’d I do?”
“You didn’t invite me to your Gallagher family dinner last night. Though I guess you wouldn’t considering it was men only.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest, clearly bent out of shape.
“It’s not like I purposely excluded you,” West defended, hoping like hell Harper wouldn’t think less of him for not inviting his sister to last night’s lame-ass dinner. He figured Wren would’ve turned him down anyway. Why would she want to hang out with her three annoying brothers? Of course, she’d always tried to tag along when they were younger . . .
“Whatever. I’m sure it sucked anyway. Not like I missed anything.” Wren waved a hand, clearly already over it. Plus, the bartender had just set two shot glasses in front of the girls. Wren grinned madly at Harper as she handed one of the glasses to her. “Bottoms up!”
Harper hadn’t even looked in his direction yet and he was surprisingly butt hurt. He watched as she grabbed the glass and clinked it to the edge of Wren’s before tossing her head back and drinking that shot down in one smooth swallow. She made a sexy little satisfied noise as she slammed her now empty glass on the counter, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and beaming at his sister.
Ah shit. Was that his dick twitching to life? He had no idea watching Harper drink would be so damn arousing. He needed to get himself in check and stat. She was a taken woman. He had no business lusting after her. She belonged to someone else.
The thought alone made his mouth dry as sand.
“I need a drink,” he muttered to no one in particular.
“Want me to order you something?” Harper asked sweetly.
West did a double take, shock coursing through him. Did she just offer to do something nice for him? Yesterday when they talked she’d both insulted and snubbed him all in a matter of seconds. “Uh, sure. A beer?”
“Pale ale?” She lifted her brows.
His skin went warm. She remembered his favorite beer. Way to get to a man’s heart and quick. “Yeah. That would be great. Thanks.”
“Not a problem.” She turned toward the bartender, waving her hand until she got his attention. He made his way over to where she and Wren sat and the both of them gave the guy an earful, orders from everyone.
But Harper asked for only West’s order. Why that little detail made him feel special, he wasn’t sure. He wasn’t going to dwell on it. He couldn’t. Nothing could happen between them. Not
ever.
He had the urge to get a beer in hand even more now.
“We’re celebrating,” Wren told him when the bartender walked away.
He raised a brow. “What are you celebrating?”
“Wren.” Harper’s tone was a warning, and Wren pressed her lips together, looking like she might burst. “Don’t say it.”
Now he was curious. Though what if they were celebrating Harper’s engagement to the dude she lived with? Hey, it could happen. Living with someone was quite the commitment. One he couldn’t imagine wanting to embark on. He wasn’t even ready for a relationship.
He didn’t think he’d ever be ready.
Wren’s lips parted and she sucked in air before she blurted, “Harper’s a free woman.”
West frowned, his gaze sliding to Harper’s. “Free?”
Harper glared at his sister before she offered him a weak smile. “Um, my boyfriend and I . . . ”
“She dumped him,” Wren interrupted. “And about damn time too. He was so boring.”
Harper said nothing. Neither could West. His brain was too busy reworking what Wren had just told him. Harper was single. This was good news.
Excellent news.
“You promised you wouldn’t bash him,” Harper said quietly.
“I’m sorry. You know I get mouthy when I drink.” Lamest excuse ever. Wren was always mouthy. “West, you’re lucky you didn’t witness those two together. They made a horrible couple.”
He could see the hurt etched all over Harper’s face, but she wasn’t saying anything. “Wren, lay off.”
“Please.” Wren waved a hand. “Harper knows the truth. I mean, come on. They worked together, which was the first mistake. How exciting could an accountant be?”
West raised his brows. “Aren’t you an accountant?” Would Harper continue working with her now ex-boyfriend? That would be . . . weird.
“Bookkeeper.” Wren waved her hand around again, nearly slapping West’s cheek. He dodged out of her way.
“Same diff,” Harper muttered under her breath.
“You two aren’t going to start fighting are you?” West asked warily. They used to when they were kids, over stupid girl stuff that drove him up the damn wall.
“Did someone say the word catfight?” A male voice asked from behind him. West turned to find a guy around his age smiling widely, his gaze only for Wren, who glared at him in return. “I’d pay money to see you tumble around with your bestie, Gallagher, especially if the clothes start flying off.” He started to laugh.
West frowned. Who was this dude? And why was he calling Wren by her last name? Clearly it bugged the shit out of her.
“Shut the hell up,” Wren muttered, turning her charm onto the bartender, who approached with all the drinks. “Ooh, yay. I’m thirsty.”
Harper grabbed West’s beer from the counter and handed it to him, her fingers brushing against his when he took the bottle. Electricity sparked between them and he wondered at that. Remembered how it had been between them before. So hot, they’d nearly set each other on fire.
He wondered if that would happen again, was tempted to make a move on her if only to see if they could still create that heat.
But he couldn’t. She just broke up with her live-in boyfriend. That was serious. She was probably nursing a broken heart. Was it wrong that he found her timing impeccable? Probably. Harper had serious girlfriend written all over her and he had hey, let’s get drunk and screw around for one night written all over him.
Didn’t mean he couldn’t flirt with her for just a little bit tonight though. Test the waters, so to speak. “Thank you,” he murmured, his voice low. Just for her. “Did I tell you that you look pretty tonight?”
Her cheeks turned the faintest pink. “Stop.”
“I’m serious.” He tipped the bottle to his lips and drank, the icy-cold beer sliding down his throat. She watched him the entire time, her gaze never leaving him, and he wondered at that too. “You were sort of rude to me at the supermarket yesterday,” he said after he swallowed, setting his beer on the counter right next to her.
She made a little face. “I was having a bad day.”
“And seeing me made it worse?” He was practically holding his breath waiting for her answer, which was crazy. “Never mind, don’t answer that.”
“Oh, no you don’t. I want to answer your question.” She touched him, her fingers pressing into his forearm, and he went completely still. “Seeing you didn’t make my day worse. But it did bring up some . . . old memories.”
“Good or bad ones?” He sounded nervous. Hell, he was nervous. There was something about Harper that set him on edge.
Harper parted her perfect pink lips, ready to say something just as Wren butted in.
“Weston, I forgot to introduce you to Tate Warren. He works at your station.”
He turned to find the guy who called his sister by her last name smiling at him, holding his hand out. “Good to meet you, man,” Tate said.
West shook his hand, getting the distinct feeling he was being sized up. Fine with him, considering he was sizing up Tate too. What the hell kind of name was Tate? Though he had no room to talk. His entire family had slightly unusual names.
“Nice meeting you too,” West said. “What’s your position? You a firefighter?” The guy couldn’t be much older than him, maybe was even younger.
Tate grinned. “I’m your captain.”
How could he not remember Warren’s name? Oh yeah, he’d been interviewed by a panel of battalion chiefs, all of whom worked at the ranger unit’s headquarters. So he’d never had a chance to actually meet his new captains.
“And we’re ready to have you at the station,” Tate continued. “Nothing better than knowing a Gallagher is coming to work with us. Your father is a freaking legend around these parts.”
It took everything within him not to grimace. Or worse, tell his new captain to fuck off. He hated hearing anyone talk about his so-called legendary father. The man merely did his job. He wasn’t a legend. Yeah, he knew Holden ate that crap up with a giant gold spoon, but not West. He never had. The constant comparisons to his father were the main reason he got out of Wildwood.
Now he worried it might’ve been a major mistake to come back.
“Glad you think so highly of him,” West said, his voice tight. He saw the questioning look in Tate’s eyes and mentally told himself to relax. “Looking forward to working with you and everyone else this season.”
“It’s going to be crazy, I can practically guarantee it.” Tate grinned again. “But we’re ready. I’m figuring you are, too?”
The assured smile West offered him felt natural, as did the words that slipped past his lips.
“I was born ready.”
Chapter Four
“SO YOU BROKE up with him.” Rebecca Hill smiled at Harper, reaching out to pat her hand. “It was probably for the best. I never really thought the two of you suited.”
Her grandmother slung the insult with a sweet smile so Harper really couldn’t be offended. Her grandma hadn’t approved of her relationship with Roger from the beginning, and Harper could never figure out why. Throughout her life she’d valued her grandma’s opinion so much, but for once, she’d gone against her advice. Moving in with him had thrown practically the entire Hill family into a tizzy.
But Harper had thought they were going to get married and she’d gone for it anyway. Despite the disapproval. Despite her friends asking if being with Roger was what she really wanted. She’d ignored them all, firmly believing she knew best.
What made it worse? She’d have to quit her job. Working for Roger . . . she couldn’t do it. Being essentially his secretary for the last two years? Why had she let herself become trapped in such a menial job? All for a man?
She almost wanted to slap herself.
“You were right,” Harper admitted, swallowing past the bitter lump in her throat. “I should’ve listened to you.”
“There, there.” Her
grandma patted her again before wrapping her hands around the large coffee mug sitting in front of her. “We all need to break free and try something on our own. Most of the time that involves not listening to what well-meaning people tell us. Unwanted and unasked-for advice is the worst, isn’t it?”
The absolute worst. She’d already dealt with the lecture from her mom and had been thankful her father hadn’t had much to say about it. She just wanted to move on and not focus on any of that anymore. What was done was done.
“When was your break-free moment?” Harper asked. If she said marrying Harper’s grandpa, she’d want to bang her own head against a wall. Her grandparents had the sweetest relationship in the world. Everyone aspired to be them, including Harper. She’d been incredibly close to her grandpa, spending most of her time with him when she was little, up until he died unexpectedly when she was fifteen. She’d been devastated. The entire Hill family had been in a state of shock over the sudden loss. Her grandmother had mourned properly then soldiered on, and even eventually opened her own business.
And they were sitting in the same business at this very moment.
“After your grandfather died, there were all sorts of people offering up every little bit of advice you could imagine. Most of my friends, my family, and especially your father.” Her eldest son. “They all wanted to tell me what to do next, how I should live my life, but I was still young! Despite being a grandma and settled, perfectly content in the life we’d created together, I knew I still had a lot of years in me. I wasn’t going to die along with my husband.”
Harper nodded, fighting the sadness that always threatened when they talked about her grandpa. She wished he were still here. He’d give her good advice about Roger. He’d give her good advice about anything and everything.
“Your grandpa died so quickly, it was shocking. And losing him like that immediately filled me with this sense of purpose I’d never felt before. I knew I had to stop worrying over what other people thought about me and do exactly what I wanted.” Grandma glanced around the room, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “So I opened this place.”
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