by Sami Lee
“Excuse me.”
The man turned suddenly, swinging the hose as he did so. Instinctively, Erica squealed and leapt out of the path of the spray. The man was quick to apologize and turn off the water, but her yelp had gotten the attention of his coworker, who yelled from the back of the truck. “Curly, what are you doing down there?”
Following the sound of the voice, Erica looked up and saw a familiar pair of hazel eyes staring down at her from on top of the truck. The mere sight of Griff made her heart beat out a crazy rhythm against her rib cage. “Hi.”
“Hi yourself.”
“I come bearing gifts.” Erica indicated the box she held. “There’s enough for everyone.”
Curly exclaimed, “What a champion!” and took the pastries out of her hands, opening the lid and mooning over the contents.
“Don’t mind the ravenous hound there, that’s Curly,” Griff drawled. “Curly, this is Erica.”
“It’s Rob, actually. Nice to meet you, Erica.”
Erica smiled. “Likewise.”
Rob flashed her a grin that made two adorable dimples appear in his cheeks. With his curly blond hair and soft brown eyes, he reminded Erica of a particularly friendly Labrador.
Griff whistled at Rob as though that was exactly what he thought as well. “Down, boy. You’d better take those out back and tell Wachawski he has a visitor.”
As Rob aka Curly went to do as suggested, Griff used a ladder mounted on the side of the vehicle to climb down. His booted feet landed on the cement beside Erica with a resounding thud. “What’s up, Red? You get a better offer for tonight?”
Surely he didn’t think that was possible. “No, I just thought the guys might like the afternoon snack.”
He smiled shrewdly. “Couldn’t wait to see our blue-eyed boy, could ya?”
Griff always had been able to read her so well it sometimes frightened her. Her gaze trailed over him as though of its own volition. The yellow rubber pants held up with braces was the same outfit he’d worn in the firefighter’s calendar—except in that photo he wasn’t wearing the black T-shirt he wore today. It was all so eerily similar—the outfit, the gleaming red fire truck and Griff’s lopsided, brashly confident smile—that arousal gripped her with hot fingers, teasing every nerve ending in her body.
Her lips were so dry she had to wet them. “I didn’t only come to see Corey.”
Griff’s eyes tracked the movement of her tongue. Because the way Griff looked at her incited something impish inside her, Erica repeated the maneuver especially for his benefit.
“Jesus, Red,” Griff breathed. “The ideas you put in my mind probably aren’t legal in all states.”
“Erica?” Corey emerged from out back, sporting a wide smile. When he reached her, he swooped down and kissed her on the mouth. “It’s great to see you.”
“You too.” Corey’s obvious pleasure at the sight of her made Erica’s throat close over.
“The guys are going crazy for that stuff you brought in. You didn’t have to do that.”
“Maybe you can pay her back by giving her the tour,” Griff suggested. “Girls always love to check out the equipment.”
Griff’s blatant innuendo made Erica flush, and Corey slap him dead center on the chest. At the playful contact Griff froze. “I’ll be out back supervising the crowd. Take your time showing Erica the trucks, Wachawski.”
He left so abruptly it was as though a cold breeze had blown through the garage. Corey glanced after Griff, his expression for once unreadable. Then he turned back to Erica with a warm smile.
He showed her around the facilities, explaining the difference between the truck they called a Firepac 3000—which carried a 1000-liter water tank and was perfect for the urban environment—and the Aerial Ladder Platform, which was designed to rescue fire victims from multistory buildings. The gleaming red machines were huge and impressive, much like the man showing them off as though they were his very own.
Erica smiled at Corey’s exuberance. “You love the trucks, don’t you?”
“What’s not to love? They’re big and powerful.” Corey leaned in a little, backing her against the cool, hard surface of one of the vehicles. “They have everything you need to put out your fire.”
High on all the testosterone floating around a shed full of huge trucks and hard-bodied firemen, Erica was happy to play with the innuendo. She fluttered her lashes. “You mean like a really big hose?”
Corey settled his lower body against hers. “You know it, baby.”
“So this is the equipment Griff was referring to.” Erica arched a little, causing their hips to bump. “The stuff all the girls like.”
“I’m not interested in all the girls.” Tenderly, he touched her face. “Just this one right here.”
The softness in his gaze made Erica’s heart race. Pam was wrong, she assured herself. Corey was interested in having sex with her, that was all. He wasn’t in love with her. “Can I tell you a secret? I’m wearing one of those lacy corsets Griff bought me.”
Corey’s brows hiked. “The blue one or the white one?”
“The white one with the little pink bows on it.”
Corey groaned. “I love that one.” He leaned farther into her, pushing her flush against the truck. “Will you show it to me?”
Erica pretended to demure. “You’ve seen it.”
“Only once.” He dipped his head and trailed his hot breath over her neck. “Come on, baby. Just a little peek.”
The light brush of his lips on the sensitive skin of her throat made Erica quiver. “There are several of your workmates in the next room.”
“Griff’ll keep them from coming out here. He knows the second you turned up today I wanted to kiss you more than I wanted anything.”
To prove it, Corey transferred the press of his lips from her neck to her cheek, then to her mouth. Instinctively, Erica arched against him, needing what he gave her as much as he wanted to take it—right here in a shadowy corner of the fire station against the Firepac 3000.
Corey cupped her breast through her blouse, groaning softly as he pulled out of the languorous kiss. “Show me.”
Trusting him at his word that Griff would ensure their privacy, Erica worked her buttons free with trembling fingers and parted the fabric. The corset was made of satin that cinched in her waist and did a great job of lifting and separating everything else. She was breathing so hard the bra cups barely contained her breasts. Corey’s gaze smoldered as it landed upon the pebbled tips, visible above the pretty pink bows lining the garment.
Releasing an epithet, Corey brushed a thumb over one nipple until it jutted toward him eagerly. His other hand slipped beneath her skirt, lifting it higher on her thigh as he fitted himself more closely to her body.
Erica had to wind her legs around his waist to keep her balance. The rubber of his pants chaffed her inner thighs and Corey winced. “I guess turn-out gear is not exactly a turn-on.”
He had to be kidding. The rubber pants might conceal a lot of his lower body but the tight black T-shirt he wore with them defined every perfect muscle. Bunching the cotton in her fist, Erica lifted it so she could touch skin. “Why do you think they make you put it on for the calendar shoot?”
“Oh.” Corey smiled in understanding. “I figured that was a gimmick.”
“Corey.” Erica rubbed her wet crotch against him. “I am so turned on right now.”
“I can help with that.” Slipping a hand between their bodies, Corey found the front of the lacy G-string that matched the corset and stroked her heat. “But you’ll have to be quiet, baby.”
Silencing her cry of pleasure when Corey pushed aside the miniscule panties and delved into her wetness with his middle finger was the hardest thing Erica had ever done. His pecs grazed her nipples, heightening the sensations as he used his thumb on her swollen clit.
He watched her face as she mouthed the words yes and oh please. The only sound between them was that of their shallow breaths and the sof
t shifting of fabric as they moved against each other. Wearing the underwear all day had already put Erica’s arousal levels on full alert. It took no time at all for Corey to bring her to a furious orgasm. He kissed her as she broke apart, swallowing her whimpers into his mouth so no one would hear them.
Afterward, his chest heaved and even through the thick material of his pants Erica could feel his hardness. “I have condoms in my purse,” she whispered.
His groan tickled her earlobe. “Not here.”
It was only then the sound of voices filtered back into Erica’s consciousness. The other men were still talking in the common room, not too far away. Heat stole into her cheeks as she quickly began refastening buttons. “God, I’m shameless.”
“Hey, I don’t want you thinking you have anything to be ashamed of.” Corey tilted her chin up with his fingers, holding her gaze steady. “Unless you think Griff ought to punish you for what you did here today.”
The heat in Erica’s cheeks intensified. “He told you about that.”
“A while back. I don’t care that he did that to you, as long as it was what you wanted. I couldn’t though, Erica. I couldn’t hurt you, even if you wanted me to. I care about you too much.”
Care, not love. Corey cared about complete strangers and abandoned animals. The soft look in his eyes didn’t mean he loved her. “I care about you too.” Guilt assailed her at Pam’s remembered words. You’re just using him. She rushed on, suddenly desperate for him to believe her. “I really do care, so much. I want you to be happy more than I want anything else in the world.”
“Baby, you make me happy.”
“What about Griff?”
“Griff drives me up the wall most of the time. Especially here.” Corey glanced around the garage. “We have to ignore each other here—at least that’s what he said. We can’t let our other ‘stuff’ interfere with the efficient working of the unit.”
Erica recalled the way Griff had frozen earlier when Corey had done nothing more than casually touch him. “Does it hurt that he ignores you?”
“He has to, I get that. But the guys are starting to speculate that we’ve had some kind of falling out. It’s all different than how it was before.”
They’d lost the easy friendship they’d had because their relationship had grown in other ways, forcing the camaraderie to change shape. “But when you’re both with me, he doesn’t ignore you, Corey.”
His grin was a touch shy. “I know.”
“It’ll work out.” Erica stroked his cheek. “But you need to tell him how you feel. That you love him.”
Corey looked about to say something, perhaps to protest. But then he sighed in resignation. “I don’t think he feels the same way.”
“He does, I know it. I’ve watched the two of you make love, remember?” Erica lowered her voice from a murmur to a whisper. “I was there the first time you let him into your body. You didn’t see the look on his face, but I did. Griff loves you. He’s not going to let you go.”
“He said he would, Erica. He told me that months ago.”
Erica dropped her hand and took a step back. “What?”
“He thinks you and I have a better chance of making it as a normal couple, without him involved. He was always going to walk away—when he decided it was time.”
Erica stood motionless, stunned by Corey’s confession. Griff had always intended to walk away from her—from Corey too. It had been her intention as well, to take her leave when either of the men had had enough of her cramping their intimacy. But to hear Corey say Griff had planned to do the same hurt more than it should have.
She had no right to take offense for herself. On Corey’s behalf she could let her anger flow freely. “He can’t do that to you. Is it what you want?”
“It never was. I want both of you—I always have.”
Erica shook her head. “Your future is with Griff. I can’t be a part of it, Corey. I’ve never lied to you about that.”
“That was in the beginning. These last couple of months must have meant something to you.”
He could have no concept of how much it had meant. She didn’t think she’d ever felt more like a woman than she had since she’d met these two men. She’d learned to appreciate what it was to be desired, to inspire passion and hunger, to feel entirely feminine. The experience had reminded her that her body wasn’t only a vessel with the potential to carry disease, but a thing of beauty to be celebrated.
“They have meant a lot to me.” More than he could ever possibly fathom. “But I can’t…”
The rest of what she’d been about to say was drowned out by the shrill peel of an alarm. A voice sounded over a PA system, relaying details of a warehouse fire in a neighboring suburb. Erica scurried to get out of the way as footfalls sounded on the cement floor and men started grabbing gear, heading for the truck.
Corey grasped her arm. “Erica, come to Griff’s tonight. We need to talk.”
She considered refusing, but now wasn’t the time to explain why she had to. Corey and Griff had a job to do.
She had a job to do, as well, one she should have done weeks ago. Mutely, she nodded. A second later Griff’s voice yelled out Corey’s last name, and Corey raced to gather his heavy yellow jacket and helmet.
The men piled into the Firepac. The engine roared as it came to life. The siren wailed. Erica remained pressed up against the wall of the garage, as far out of the way as she could get. Before the truck pulled out of the station, Corey rolled down his window and stuck his head out.
She couldn’t hear his voice above the cacophony, but she read his lips easily.
I love you, baby.
Erica closed her eyes on a gasp of pain as the vehicle sped away.
Corey was in love with an illusion. And it was well past time she shattered it.
Corey had a really bad feeling in his gut.
Part of it was due to the aftereffects of adrenaline, the mingling of excitement and fear that always swirled in his stomach when there was an emergency call. But the warehouse fire turned out to be minor and relatively easy to deal with.
Not what he would say about his personal life.
Although the job was fairly straightforward, the team had worked overtime to ensure the building was unoccupied and that there was no possibility of further flare-ups. By the time Corey arrived at Griff’s house, the twilight was being swallowed by night’s blackness.
As had become the custom, Corey let himself in. The absence of her scent confirmed what the empty car space in the driveway implied.
Erica wasn’t here.
“Hey, Cor. Long day, huh?”
Griff’s arms wound around him from behind. Corey smelled soap and shaving cream, the familiar brands Griff used that he would recognize anywhere. His smooth cheek was damp where it pressed against Corey’s, his chest bare where it warmed the back of Corey’s T-shirt.
Slipping a hand beneath the cotton, Griff found Corey’s flat nipple and stroked it to a point. “Did you have fun giving Erica the grand tour this afternoon? Get her off out there between the trucks?”
The memory and the reality of Griff’s tensile strength surrounding him made Corey’s cock stir. As though he knew, Griff sent his other hand down to cup him through his jeans. “I knew it. You made me horny at work, you dirty bastard. I’ve wanted to fuck you for hours.”
Corey groaned at the words, even as a part of him resented them. Can’t have you feeling any damn thing at work, can we? The bulge in his pants filled Griff’s hand, even as the annoyance took root.
It was always like this after they shared a shift. Corey nursing the thousand tiny injuries Griff had inflicted with his coldness, Griff soothing the pain with his hot desire, which he let out only when they were alone or with Erica. Within minutes Corey was usually moaning under the heat of Griff’s hands or his tongue, his cock twitching with need until he was ready to beg for whatever scrap of attention it now suited Griff to give him.
He was vulnerable lik
e he never had been before. This afternoon Erica’s questions had forced him to face how much it did hurt that Griff had put such distance between them. Knowing they couldn’t make out in the locker room was one thing. Accepting Griff’s utter departure from the uncomplicated warmth of their previous friendship was another.
Griff kissed along Corey’s neck, melting him and drawing every desperate need he tried to bury to the surface. He delved into Corey’s jocks, stroking skin. “We’re going to give it to you so good tonight, Erica and I. Or don’t you want to wait? God knows I feel like I’m about to blow.”
The solid nudge of Griff’s erection fitted between Corey’s ass cheeks as Griff tilted his hips. Corey almost succumbed to it, knowing Griff could make him lose his mind up against the kitchen counter, filling his ass and stroking his cock until he forgot all about how bad it sometimes felt to need him this much.
And then Erica would arrive and guess what they’d been doing. She’d get that soft smile on her face, the light of mischievous arousal in her eyes. He’d be at her mercy too, and her feminine caresses would open him up further, until the both of them had his heart gripped tight in their careless hands.
In a burst of frustrated movement, Corey broke free of Griff’s embrace. “I can’t do this anymore.”
“Can’t do what, exactly?”
“Any of it.” Griff didn’t say anything as Corey moved away and shoved back the hank of hair that always fell over his forehead. When he got himself more or less under control, Corey turned back to face Griff. “I don’t think Erica’s coming tonight.”
Griff scowled. “Why not?”
“I’m pretty sure I fucked up when I told her I loved her.”
Dead silence. Corey couldn’t have read the look on Griff’s face if his life depended on it. At length he asked, “What did she say?”
“She didn’t exactly come racing after the truck to shout it back.”