Before Rose could say anything, a wave of firefighters came stomping down the stairs. Jill looked for Roger, but she couldn’t see him in the group. She did, however, spy Luke among them.
Her heart stuttered a little when Luke broke away from the group and walked toward her. He was about the same height as Roger, she thought, maybe a little taller, and his arms bulged out of a t-shirt that was a little too tight, showing off his broad chest and chiseled abs. His dark jeans clung to him in all the right places. Jill forced her eyes to his face, blushing. He quirked one dark eyebrow at her, but kept quiet.
“The usual,” he called to Rose, who nodded distractedly. She was taking orders from several other people, rattling off the orders to Chelsea who scribbled them down before jumping to fill them.
Jill studied Luke’s face. It was more angular than Roger’s but just as tanned, accentuating those intoxicating green eyes. He kept his dark hair longer than Roger’s, with a windswept look Jill would bet money he styled on purpose.
“Hello, Jill,” Luke said, and she realized she’d been staring.
“Luke,” she replied, looking him over. “Are you okay?”
“I’ll live,” he answered. “So, how’s my best friend’s girl? People are saying all sorts of things about the unbelievably sexy woman who’s managed to turn Roger Mayer’s pretty head, but I prefer to get my news from the source.”
Jill scowled at him. “I don’t belong to Roger,” she snapped, then narrowed her eyes. “And you added that ‘sexy’ part, didn’t you?”
He chuckled and shrugged. “You’re right. Most say ‘beautiful’ or ‘cute,’ but that doesn’t really do you justice, does it?”
Jill rolled her eyes and snorted.
“Either way,” Luke said, acting bored. “I have a message for you.”
She waited expectantly. His devil-may-care attitude didn’t fool her. He was baiting her, and she knew it. She’d be damned if she let him see her squirm. And she was determined not to acknowledge how much he affected her.
“Oh, yes,” he said, pretending he only just remembered the message. “Roger said he’s running late but will be here shortly.”
She raised an eyebrow. “That’s an awfully complicated message to remember,” she quipped. “I’m surprised your little brain could handle it.”
He smirked, leaning forward. “My little brain can handle more than you can imagine, sweetheart.” he purred.
Jill’s face turned red, and she told herself not to look down at the little brain he was referencing. It was like telling herself not to think about pink elephants. Without a doubt, as soon as she’d tell herself not to think about ridiculously colored pachyderms, they’d go dancing around her mind, mocking her. The same concept was true here. As soon as she told herself not to think about his “little brain,” it was all her mind could think of.
Luke’s smug smirk turned into a wicked grin when her eyes flicked down and then back up in quick succession. Her face turned even redder.
“Consider your message delivered,” she snapped. “You can return to whatever hole you crawled out of.”
He chuckled. “But your hole is so much better than mine,” he teased, his voice low enough that only she could hear.
She rolled her eyes and sipped her beer root, refusing to satisfy him with a response.
Rose sauntered over a few seconds later, handing Luke a tumbler of dark amber liquid.
“Thank you, Rose,” he said, flashing her a devilish grin.
Rose rolled her eyes. “Don’t tease this one,” she said, nodding at Jill.
“I’m sure she can take it,” Luke replied, his smile widening.
“It’s not her I’m worried about.”
Before Luke could respond, Roger’s voice called out to them. “Jill, Luke!” He strolled up to them and sat next to Jill before giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. “Sorry, I had paperwork. You haven’t been waiting long?”
She shook her head.
“I kept her company for you,” Luke said breezily.
Jill snorted. “Yeah, best time of my life.”
“You wound me, lady,” Luke replied with a fake pout.
Jill rolled her eyes. Roger looked between them, his eyes narrowing.
“Why don’t you guys get a table?” Rose said, nodding at the tables nearest the stage. “Remember, it’s karaoke night. Things should get pretty entertaining.”
Luke shrugged and looked toward Roger. Roger smiled and took Jill’s hand in his own, and the three of them walked toward an empty table.
Karaoke night turned out to be very entertaining. Luke enjoyed catcalling all the girls and booing all the men, who took it good-naturedly since most of them were firefighters. Some threw things at him while others just laughed. It took Jill a little while to realize what Luke was doing. He was intentionally breaking the tense atmosphere of the night.
These men had experienced a huge adrenaline rush, and the whole town had had a scare with the wildfire. Luke was trying to ease the tension by making everyone laugh, and it was working. She studied him with new eyes. He was arrogant, yes, but there was something underneath that arrogance.
Roger took a different approach, shifting between different people, putting them at ease individually. He spoke to each person, conversing with them on a more personal level, putting people’s fears at ease with soft talk and reassurances. It was interesting to see how two men used their very different personalities to accomplish the same goal.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Luke asked.
She glanced at him. He studied her with those green eyes, unreadable in the dim lighting. She cleared her throat, casting around for a topic. “I was thinking about how I’ve never played darts before,” she said, motioning toward the dart boards on the wall by the staircase.
Luke glanced at the dartboards and then back at her. “Are you serious?”
“Yes, why?” she asked defensively.
“I don’t see how a wilderness expert hasn’t ever played darts before.”
“Because last I checked there were no dartboards in the middle of the forest,” she snapped, color rising in her face.
He chuckled. “I just assumed you were wild at heart.”
“And you don’t think I am?”
He shrugged. “You seem sheltered.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You seem like a bit of an ass,” she hissed.
“Tell you what,” he said, grinning wickedly. “I’ll teach you.”
“What?”
“I’ll teach you how to play darts,” Luke repeated. “But only if you do one thing for me.”
“And what’s that?”
“Give me a compliment.”
Jill raised an eyebrow. “You’re serious?”
He didn’t answer, just stared at her with those maddeningly green eyes.
“Fine,” she snapped. She looked him up and down. “You have pretty eyes.”
Luke choked on his drink. “My eyes are not pretty,” he growled.
Jill shrugged. “A deal’s a deal.”
Luke narrowed his eyes. “Fine,” he said, a smile spreading across his face.
“What the hell are you smiling about now?”
He shrugged and downed his drink. “Just that you could have always asked Roger to teach you.” He leaned closer to her. “I think you just really wanted to compliment me.”
“Careful,” she snarled. “Or I might forget which direction the dartboard is.”
Luke laughed as Jill stalked off toward the dartboards. He took his time following her, making her wait. She tapped her foot, grasping the darts in her hand.
He sauntered up to her and gestured toward the board a couple dozen feet away. “Let’s see what you got first.”
“What?” she quipped. “No tips?”
“Try to hit the circle,” he answered, grinning.
Jill huffed and squared off with the black circle. She aimed at the bullseye and threw the dart. It went wide and embedded itself in the wa
ll above the board.
Luke snorted.
“It was my first shot,” Jill snapped. “Besides, aren’t you supposed to be teaching me?”
He sighed and moved closer, grasping her hips in his hands. Electricity shot straight from his hands to her core, and she did her best to ignore it. He moved her hips so that she faced the dartboard head on. Pushing his right leg against hers, he moved her leg forward. “Put most of your weight on your front foot,” he whispered in her ear.
She sucked in a breath. When did he get so close? He pushed his body against hers, forcing her to lean forward. Her heart beat loudly in her chest.
“You want to lean forward slightly,” Luke continued, his voice growing husky. “Now,” he rasped against her ear, “try it.”
He stepped back from her, the loss of his warmth a shock to her system. Clearing her throat, she focused on the board in front of her, and, gripping the dart, she threw it. It landed on the outermost edge of the board, and she sagged in disappointment.
Luke chuckled. She threw him a dirty look and tried again. The next dart landed an inch or two lower than the last one. Sighing in frustration, she ignored Luke’s amusement and stomped to the board to retrieve her darts.
When she came back to the line, Luke stepped up behind her again, his hands grabbing her hips firmly. She stilled, her pulse jumping in her neck. Luke didn’t miss her sudden stillness or the flush on her face. He resisted the urge to kiss that pulsing vein in her neck and pulled her into the correct position to throw darts (rather than the other position he’d like to have her in).
He pressed himself closer to her, his hips digging into her luscious backside, and trailed his fingers down her arm to her right hand. His strong, broad fingers grasped hers, maneuvering them easily around the small dart.
“You want to use no more than three fingers.” His voice rumbled through her whole body. “Keep a slack grip and line your body up with the board. Relax your fingers,” he instructed, squeezing her hand. “Darts isn’t about force, but touch. A soft grip is all you need to keep control.”
Jill shivered at the innuendo in his words. He didn’t release her this time but guided her hand back and forth, his breath hot on her cheek as he leaned even further into her. She turned her head toward him, expecting him to be looking at her, but his green gaze was locked on the target in front of them. She had only a moment to wonder what it would feel like to be the target of his focus before he pulled back on her hand.
“Let go,” he whispered.
She did.
The dart went flying, thudding into the red in the very center of the board. With a squeal of delight, Jill spun in Luke’s embrace and threw her arms around his neck. “I did it!”
Luke’s arms went around her in an automatic hug, lifting her against him. He was in a world of trouble, that much he knew as he released her, her soft curves sliding down his hard body. She smiled up at him, dazzling him. He blinked, and the moment passed. Jill adjusted herself awkwardly, clearing her throat, and then smiled again.
“Show me again?” she asked.
He flashed her a wicked again. Oh, yes, he was in a world of trouble. But, then again, when wasn’t he?
“Mind if I help?” Roger asked from behind them, making Jill jump.
“Sure,” Luke said, schooling his face into an unreadable expression. “I’ve taught her the basics. You should be able to fill in any technique she’s missing.”
Roger narrowed his eyes but said nothing. Luke propelled Jill toward Roger and settled himself in a nearby chair to watch them.
Roger helped Jill back into position, his hands lingering where Luke’s had just been. Luke attempted to temper the jealousy that roared in his chest. Jill was attractive, but it was clear Roger really liked her. He tried to ignore the voice inside his head that told him he liked her, too. He didn’t date women, so why was he itching for the chance to date this one?
Luke knew the answer, of course. Jill intrigued him. He wanted to figure her out more than he wanted to bed her, although he wouldn’t deny for a second how fuckable she looked, how perfect she’d felt against him. He shook himself and tried to focus on Jill’s attempts at darts, willing his growing longing away.
It took only a few more throws for Jill to get the hang of it, and the three started an actual game, both men fighting for Jill’s attention. It seemed Luke had made an unconscious decision to throw his hat into the ring, something that did not go unnoticed by Roger. The jealousy between the two men created an undercurrent of tension the rest of the night that Jill did her best to ignore.
Roger wasn’t the only one who had witnessed the heated scene between Luke and Jill. Rose watched the trio with a thoughtful look on her face. Luke would fit Jill’s other love personality perfectly. Could he learn to be more like Roger, to give Jill the romance she needed? Could Roger learn to be more like Luke?
Not for the first time, Rose considered telling Jill the truth about her test, but, once again, she decided against it. She would simply wait to see how this played out. Whatever else happened, the heat of this night would be something they would all remember for a long while. And it wasn’t the heat of the wildfire she was talking about.
Two For One
Luke walked into the fire station the next day ready for a fight. He couldn’t explain what he had been thinking last night when he had acted that way with Jill. All he knew was that when he was around her, she stirred something in him he’d never felt before.
Still, she was Roger’s girlfriend, and Luke had never gone after someone Roger was seeing; Roger had returned the favor. It had never really been an issue because they weren’t often interested in the same women. He felt guilty, but Jill had responded so much to his touch. That part he was sure about. She had wanted him just as much as he had wanted her.
“Luke,” Roger’s deep voice cut through Luke’s thoughts.
“Roger,” he answered.
Roger scowled at him, not in the mood for Luke’s antics. “What the hell did you think you were doing last night?”
“What do you mean?” Luke asked, choosing to play dumb.
“Don’t be an idiot,” Roger snapped. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. Everyone in that bar could feel the heat between the two of you.”
Luke had the decency to look apologetic.
“You had no right to maul her like that, Luke,” Roger began.
Luke’s temper flared, burning away any remorse he may have felt. “What the hell is that supposed to mean? You two aren’t married. You’ve been on three or four dates. In her own words, she doesn’t belong to you. And it wasn’t like she was fighting me on it, Roger. I didn’t maul her. She responded to me.”
Roger’s face turned red. “She was drunk,” he hissed.
“Hardly,” Luke scoffed. “She had one beer the whole night.”
“What are you saying?” Roger demanded, his face getting redder.
“I’m saying,” Luke enunciated, “that she would have begged me to pin her against the wall and fuck her brains out if you hadn’t so rudely interrupted us.”
Wham!
Roger’s fist connected with Luke’s jaw. Luke swallowed his shock and swung back, his own fist connecting with flesh in a satisfying crunch. With a yell of fury, Roger threw himself at Luke. Three of the other firefighters at the station came running up, pulling them off each other, and their boss, Sam, came rushing out of his office at the sound of yelling.
“What the hell is going on?” he roared.
“You bastard,” Roger spat at Luke.
Luke lunged at Roger, fury flashing in his green eyes.
Sam pushed his way between the two restrained men. “What the hell is going on?” he repeated, grabbing them both by the collars of their shirts.
“I think this has something to do with that new woman,” a firefighter named Seth said through gritted teeth, his arms straining to hold Roger.
“What woman?” Sam asked, perplexed.
�
��The woman Roger’s been dating,” one of the other firefighters explained, jerking Luke back. “She had a, uh, moment with Luke last night at Rose’s bar.”
Sam looked between the men, thinking hard. “Well, I think,” he said slowly, “that the two of you should let the woman decide this.”
Both Roger and Luke stopped struggling and looked at Sam, blinking.
He sighed. “You both like her, and it seems she likes both of you, so let her decide who she wants. But no woman is worth a lifetime of friendship. So knock off the fighting or I’ll whip both your asses.”
Luke jerked his arm out of the grip of men holding him. “Fine,” he snapped.
“Whatever,” Roger muttered.
With a last glare at Roger, Luke stalked off.
“Sam’s right,” Roger said a half hour later.
Luke was lounging in one of the firehouse beds, his eyes closed. He opened one eye and scowled at Roger, who leaned against the wall, glaring down at Luke.
“About what?” Luke asked, closing his eyes again.
“About Jill,” Roger snapped.
Luke didn’t respond.
With a sigh of frustration, Roger strode over to him and pulled his legs off the bed, throwing himself down in their place.
With an irritated look, Luke sat up and leaned against the wall. “What?” he said. “Ask her to choose?”
Roger studied his lifelong friend for a long moment. “Do you really want her? And I don’t mean in your bed. Do you want to be with her outside your bed?”
Luke was silent for a long moment. It was a question he had been asking himself for a while now. He couldn’t deny his physical attraction to Jill. She had a sensuality about her that would call out to most red-blooded men. But there was something else calling out to him. Something strange and new to him. Something deeper than lust. Luke gazed at Roger, realizing that he did want more from Jill than just a hookup, or at least he thought he did. He at least wanted a shot at figuring it out.
“Yes, I want to be with her outside my bed,” Luke whispered.
Roger grunted. “Then it has to be up to her.”
“So, what? We suggest we both date her, and then she chooses who she wants to be with?” Luke asked, brow creasing. He could think of a dozen ways this could go badly. What if Jill didn’t even want to date both of them? What if she didn’t want to date him?
Destiny: AN MFM Romance Page 8