12-Alarm Cowboys

by Cora Seton

  “My grandparents left me the place a few years ago,” he said. “It’s not much, just a dozen horses and a couple hundred head of cattle. I have a few guys that help me run things when I’m at the station, so most of my money goes to paying them, covering the taxes, and keeping the place maintained. But it’s been in the family for generations, so I keep it going.”

  When Jax stopped his truck in front of the two-story clapboard house with a big wraparound porch, Skye climbed out before he could come around to open the door. In addition to the house, there were two barns and a hay storage building. Even in the dappled moonlight, she could tell that the place was well maintained.

  Since the house had been his grandparents, Skye expected the inside to look like something out of Little House on the Prairie, but she was surprised to see an open floor plan complete with an updated kitchen that boasted stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, and recessed lighting. The living room was equally modern, complete with a stone fireplace, comfy looking sectional couch, and a big, flat-screen television. If it wasn’t for the cowboy, rodeo, and firefighter stuff tastefully sprinkled throughout, she’d think she was in a loft in New York City.

  Jax dropped his keys on the table in the entryway just as a black Labrador mix came trotting out from the back of the house to greet him with a wagging tail. Skye smiled as Jax dropped down to a knee and affectionately scratched the dog behind the ears.

  “This is Rodeo,” he said when he stood up. “Rodeo, meet Skye. She’s going to be staying with us.”

  Rodeo walked over, tail wagging, eager to let her pet him. Skye gladly gave him what he wanted, laughing as he licked her hand.

  Jax gave him a pat on the rump. “Okay, Skye’s had a long night. Let’s give her some space.”

  Rodeo wagged his tail and obediently trotted into the living room and hopped on the couch. He was absolutely adorable.

  “I know you’re exhausted, so I’ll show you the important stuff and save the nickel tour for later.” Jax led her down the main hallway and showed her to a bedroom down the hall from his. “There are three more bedrooms upstairs, but this is the only one I have set up for guests. Bathroom is across the hall. There are toothbrushes, soap, and towels in the linen closet beside the sink. I have some T-shirts in my dresser you can sleep in if you want.”

  She smiled. “Thanks. Is it okay if I raid your fridge before I go to bed?”

  She really wasn’t hungry. She was just so wrung out from the argument with Dane that she wasn’t sure she could sleep.

  “I can make you something to eat while you shower if you want?” he suggested.

  She opened her mouth to tell him that wasn’t necessary, but then closed it again. Something told her that Jax didn’t make offers on a whim. If he was offering, she’d take him up on it.

  “Thanks,” she said “I won’t be long.”

  He flashed her a smile. “Take your time. I’m going to shower off first anyway. And if one of my T-shirts doesn’t work, feel free to look in my closet.”

  Skye slipped into the bathroom and closed the door. When Jax said there was soap in the linen closet, she’d figured he meant a bar of Ivory, but she was pleased to discover a bottle of body wash. They were the kind marketed specifically for men, but it was still better than a bar of soap. She grabbed a bottle of shampoo, then dumped her smelly clothes on the floor and climbed into the shower.

  At first, she simply stood there under the warm spray, more interested in letting it wash away the tension than the dirt. After a few minutes, her shoulders and back relaxed, the water rinsing the stress right down the drain.

  Finally feeling up to the task, she went to town with the body wash and shampoo, scrubbing away the smoky stench and black soot that seemed to be everywhere. She ended up washing her hair three times before she felt it was clean enough. As she rinsed out the shampoo, she thought again about how lucky she’d been that night. Not just surviving the fire—though she definitely counted herself blessed there. It was meeting up with Jax. He was probably the only person in the world who could get her strong-willed and determined brother to back off and give her some space. He was also one of the few people she knew who would offer his guest room to a woman he hadn’t seen in nearly ten years. There weren’t many guys like that in the world.

  Deciding she was as clean as she was going to get, she shut off the water and climbed out of the shower. It was as she was drying off that she realized she probably should have grabbed some of Jax’s clothes before she showered. Because while Jax had nice soft bath towels, they were barely big enough to wrap all the way around her and have some left over for tucking in.

  Well, it was a little late now, so she’d have to make do.

  Hoping Jax wouldn’t mind if she used his brush, she ran it through her long hair, then readjusted the towel, snuggling it more rightly around her. Holding onto the end she’d tucked in with one hand, she opened the door with the other and poked out her head to make sure Jax was occupied in the kitchen. Then she made a bare-assed naked dash for his bedroom, deciding speed was more important than coverage. Her damp feet made a slapping sound on the hardwood floor, and she prayed she wouldn’t slip and bust her butt as she raced for the carpeted room. That was all she needed, to have Jax come running to see what all the noise was about and find her sprawled out naked in his hallway.

  But she survived the race to his bedroom, slowing enough to make it inside without falling. She leaned back against the door and looked around the bedroom. There were a lot of dark wood tones to go with the masculine decor, and with the thick drapes meant to block out the light coming through the windows, no one would ever mistake this bedroom for anything than what it was—a man’s retreat. But even with all the testosterone-influenced décor, the bedroom still felt cozy. His sleigh bed in particular looked seriously comfortable.

  Then again, maybe she was just imagining how comfortable the bed would be if she was in it with Jax.

  The thought made her face heat. Jax was a friend, nothing more. No matter how much she was still crushing on him.

  She pushed away from the door and wandered over to the chest of drawers against one wall. Jax said she could poke around as much as she wanted so she took him at his word, digging through the dresser until she found those long T-shirts he’d mentioned. She dropped the towel and pulled one on, reveling in how soft it felt against her skin. It smelled good, too—like Jax. But while the T-shirt would definitely work as a sleepshirt, she wasn’t so sure it was a good idea to run around in front of Jax out in the kitchen. It easily reached to mid-thigh, but floated up every time she lifted her arms or spun around. And if she bent over for something, Jax would definitely be getting one heck of a show.

  Was that why Jax had suggested she wear it, so he could get a show?

  Nah. He wasn’t like that. Besides, he still saw her as Dane’s little sister.

  Skye kept the T-shirt on as she wandered into the walk-in closet in case she couldn’t find anything better to wear. The closet was perfectly straight and organized, the racks and cubbies full of work and dress uniforms, suits, slacks, jeans, button-downs, dress shirts, and all the shoes and boots a man might want.

  She lingered in front of the button-downs for a moment, then moved on to the selection of dress shirts. She was immediately drawn to a crisp white one that seemed extra-long. Inspired, she yanked the T-shirt over her head and tossed it on the bench seat in the middle of the walk-in closet, then slipped into the dress shirt. The moment the fabric settled on her shoulders, she knew she had a winner. She moved over to stand in front of the long mirror as she buttoned it up, turning this way and that just to make sure she wouldn’t give Jax an impromptu show-and-tell session. Even though the shirt only hung down a few inches further than the T-shirt, it didn’t show off her assets when she bent over.

  Yeah, this would definitely work.

  Dropping the towel in the hamper in the bathroom, and the T-shirt off in the guest bedroom for later, she walked into th
e kitchen. Rodeo was parked beside the island while Jax was standing barefoot at the stove wearing a T-shirt and a pair of jogging shorts that showed off his sexy muscles as he cooked scrambled eggs. She was still appreciating his well-sculpted biceps when she realized he’d made small breakfast steaks and toast to go with the aforementioned eggs.

  Skye was about to point out that it was four o’clock in the morning and that he didn’t have to go to all that trouble. She would have been fine with a handful of chips or cookies, or even a sandwich. But then Jax turned to look at her, and she forgot what she was going to say.

  He took in the dress shirt she wore, his gaze lingering on her bare legs. Something that looked like hunger flared in his dark eyes, but he turned back to the stove before she could be sure.

  “Have a seat,” he said over his shoulder. “The eggs are almost done.”

  She turned to the table to find it set with silverware and tall glasses of orange juice. No coffee, though. Which was probably a good thing if either of them planned on getting any sleep tonight. She sat down and reached for her glass just as Jax came over with two plates of food.

  “You didn’t have to go to the trouble of all this,” she said as he sat down across from her. “I would have been happy with a snack.”

  He shook his head. “It wasn’t any trouble. I usually make something to eat when I get home from my shift anyway.”

  Somehow, she doubted he bothered grilling steak and making scrambled eggs every day. “Well, thank you.”

  Picking up her knife, Skye spread butter on her toast, then added a generous amount of orange marmalade before taking a bite. Mmm. She never remembered a simple piece of buttered toast tasting this good. The steak and eggs were even better. She must be hungrier than she realized. Or it could simply be that Jax was such a good cook. Then again, he was a firefighter. Knowing how to cook was part of the job description.

  “How have you been?” Jax glanced at her as he pushed eggs onto his fork with the edge of his toast, then softly added, “Since your parents passed away, I mean. I know the fire at hotel must have brought up bad memories for you.”

  The toast she’d been chewing suddenly went dry in her mouth and Skye took a sip of juice to wash it down. After ten years, the memory should have dimmed. But it hadn’t. And after tonight, it was even more vivid.

  She’d been halfway through her sophomore year in high school when their house caught fire. She’d been at a movie with friends and gotten back just in time to watch her childhood home go up in flames. Dane had tried to save their mom and dad, but hadn’t been able to get them out. He’d barely made it out alive himself. She didn’t even want to think how close she’d almost come to losing her brother that night, too.

  “I’m okay,” she said quietly. “It was a long time ago. At least I can talk about it without breaking down and crying anymore.”

  “There’s no shame in crying.” He regarded her with sad eyes, then cleared his throat. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you and Dane. By the time I got back into town, you’d already graduated from high school and headed off to college.”

  She used what was left of her toast to chase a piece of egg onto her fork and chewed slowly. “I hated leaving Dane, but he insisted it was what Mom and Dad would have wanted, so I went.”

  Her brother had planned to go to college, too, but he’d put that on hold to pay for her schooling. By the time she’d finished and paid him back, he seemed to have lost interest. He’d never admitted it, but sometimes she wondered if he blamed her for making him give it up. It would certainly explain why he hadn’t ever wanted her to come home on vacation.

  “You went to college for economics, right?” Jax asked.

  She nodded. “I originally planned to go to school for something creative, like graphic art or interior design. But Dad was an economics teacher, and always wanted me to go into math or finances. So I ended up majoring in economics with minors in finance, accounting, and business statistics.”

  Across from her, Jax’s eyes looked like they were about to glaze over. “Wow. That sounds…”

  “Boring as hell?” she finished.

  “I wasn’t going to say that.”

  She laughed. “Yes you were and you know it. And you’re right. It was boring. I might be good at math, but I don’t love it the way my dad did. Taking all those classes didn’t give me much time to think about anything else, though, and back then, that was a good thing. And as an added bonus, I landed an amazing job when I graduated.”

  Jax studied her, his dark eyes thoughtful. “If it was such an amazing job, why did you quit?”

  She shrugged and looked down at her nearly empty plate. “I took a look at my life and realized I’d been living it for other people for so long that I’d stopped living it for me.”

  “By ‘other people,’ you mean your parents?”

  “Mostly them yeah, but Dane, too.” She chewed on her lower lip. “There was also my ex-boyfriend, Jordan. We’d been dating for a while and it occurred to me that he was making all these plans for me without even asking if any of it was what I wanted. He was setting a wedding date before we even talked about getting married. He had a five-year plan that included everything from when we would have kids and how many we would have, to what social circles I needed to be part of so he could become a partner in his law firm.”

  Jax snorted. “He sounds like a jackass.”

  “He is,” she agreed. “I’m just sorry it took me so long to see it. I’d probably still be back in New York clueless if it wasn’t for Jordan’s best friend, Aiden. He convinced me I need to figure out what I want to do with my life, then get out there and do it.”

  “Let’s hear it for Aiden then,” Jax said.

  “Definitely.” She smiled. The only thing she’d miss about New York was not getting to hang out with Aiden anymore. “The next day I broke up with Jordan, quit my job and cashed out my investment portfolio, then booked the first flight to Dallas.”

  “Wow.” Jax lifted a brow. “Okay, some people might say that’s a bit abrupt. But instead I’ll just applaud you for your decisive decision-making skills. So, what kind of business are you going to start?”

  Skye finished the last of her eggs and set her knife and fork on the empty plate. “A bakery called Comfort Cakes. I plan on focusing on the internet market and special events, like weddings, conferences, and conventions to start with. Then after I get established, I can get a storefront and grow into a full-service dessert catering business.”

  She finished in a rush, waiting for Jax to say she was crazy for giving up a six-figure job to open a bakery, but he just nodded and polished off the rest of his toast.

  “Why a bakery?” he asked when he finished chewing.

  She shrugged. “I used to spend a lot of time helping mom bake when I was little. She loved being in the kitchen and showing her affection for people through her food. After my parents passed away, I made cupcakes and gave them to people for all the kind words, cards, and stuff they did for Dane and me. I didn’t realize it until much later that I was also doing it because it made me feel better.”

  Across from her, Jax swigged his orange juice, but didn’t say anything.

  “I continued baking in college, then as a form of stress relief after I moved to New York,” she continued. “Before I knew it, I was staying up late every night making dozens of cupcakes and selling them to people at work and in my apartment building. Even a few wedding planners. It was hard work and didn’t pay nearly as well as my day job, but I loved doing it. Baking brought back all the warm, wonderful memories I had of my mom, memories I’d buried away and forgotten. So when Aiden asked me what I wanted to be doing five years from now, I knew I’d rather stay home and bake than go to work on Wall Street.”

  It felt so good to finally be able to open up and talk about this to someone. And Jax was a damn good listener. He sat across from her, nodding and asking her serious questions as she told him her dream business and her business plan. It
was like he really got it. He even told her that she could stay at his place as long as she needed so she could save money. Even if she didn’t hold him to that promise—he was a friend and living here rent free would start wearing on that friendship soon enough—she still appreciated the offer. There weren’t many guys like Jax Malloy out there.

  It wasn’t until they were cleaning up the kitchen and the conversation started to slow that Skye realized they’d been talking for almost three hours.

  “I should probably try to grab a few hours of sleep before I go back into work,” Jax said as he closed the dishwasher and turned it on.

  Skye was having so much fun, she would gladly have stayed up all night, but the sun would be coming up soon and she didn’t want Jax going to work exhausted. “Yeah, me too.”

  She waited while Jax made sure the door was locked and turned out the lights, then together they walked down the hallway to the bedrooms, Rodeo leading the way. When they reached hers, she turned to look at him.

  “I really do appreciate you letting me stay here,” she said. “I know you don’t think it’s a big deal, but to me, it is. So, thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” He gave her a small smile. “I know you feel like you’re alone right now, but you’re not. Promise me that if you need anything, you’ll let me know. Okay?”

  Tears clogged her throat. She continued to be blown away by how amazing this guy in front of her really was. Giving in to an irresistible urge, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tightly. She’d meant the gesture to be innocent and platonic, but she couldn’t miss how broad his chest was and how good it felt to press her breasts against all that solid muscle. She almost moaned when her nipples began to stiffen into firm, sensitive peaks.

  Maybe it was just a reaction to her near-death experience, or maybe she was responding this way because she had a crush on Jax for so long. Either way, the smart thing would have been to pull back before he felt the hard pebbles of her nipples through both of their shirts and realize she was getting excited. But her head didn’t seem interested in doing the smart thing. If anything, it was urging her to press up against him even more tightly.