Reluctant Rescue

by Cami Checketts

  Jumping down, she patted her Jeep fondly. She’d restored it with her brother, and now that he was deployed, the Jeep was the remembrance of him she needed when the days without him got lonely.

  She sprinted into the store. Her mom had begged her to run in and get her Wolford tights for her dinner party tonight. Her mom was in a tizzy about being invited to Luke Freestone’s mansion. Her parents had been friends with Luke’s dad, John, for years, but hadn’t had much contact with his sons. Sage had always thought all the Freestone brothers were good guys, but she had to roll her eyes at another request when her mom had twenty pairs of Wolford’s in her lingerie drawer. With her dad’s fibromyalgia getting worse every day, Sage wanted to help them however she could.

  She found the tights within seconds, groaning at the long line snaking toward the cash register. Pasting on a smile, she hoped some random cop didn’t drive by and see her parked in the red zone. Most of the cops in town knew her Jeep and had given her a ticket at one time or another.

  An older lady with blue-tinged white hair turned around and grinned at her. “You want to go in front of me, sweetheart?”

  “Oh, no, I’m fine.” Had her worry been that evident? “I just parked in the red zone.”

  The lady laughed, and her eyes twinkled. “As long as those hunky firemen don’t come by, you’ll be just fine.”

  “I’m more worried about a policeman than a fireman.” Firemen? Oh, wouldn’t that be her luck.

  The lady waved her hand. “Beautiful girl like you could talk them out of any ticket. Just flash them one of those long legs.”

  Sage grinned at her, even though the reference to her long legs wasn’t necessarily a compliment. She’d been called everything from giraffe to giant. “I wish. I talk myself blue, but they always give me a ticket.” Her brother, Levi, on the other hand, got out of every ticket. He never groveled like she did, simply greeted the policeman with his friendly grin and said, “Do your worst. I probably deserve it.” Everybody loved her brother. For some reason, police seemed to have a radar where she was concerned. Maybe it was because she adored her Jeep so much and reveled in driving fast with the top off. She’d gotten a reputation with the local law enforcement during high school, and it hadn’t gotten much better since she’d graduated from the University of Utah and moved back to Park City to teach fourth grade at Parley’s Park Grade School. She reminded herself constantly to be a good example to her students, but sometimes a girl just needed to cruise.

  Sirens cut through the air. Sage jumped, and the lady’s eyes widened. “Firefighters,” she whispered.

  Sage calmed her breathing. They weren’t coming for her. Firefighters lived to help people, not cuss a Jeep owner for parking illegally.

  The distinctive smell of smoke wafted through the store, and smoke detectors started going off throughout the shop. Sage glanced up at the sprinklers and hoped they weren’t going to start spraying.

  “We’d better get a move on, sweetheart,” the lady said.

  Sage hooked her arm through the older lady’s, having to stoop considerably as she was five feet and eleven point eight inches, but the elderly lady probably didn’t even clear five feet. She hurried with her new friend to the exit, now blocked with all the people who’d been in line or were browsing the store’s merchandise.

  “The fire is in the restaurant next door.” A loud voice boomed. “Exit in an orderly fashion and please move to the south down the sidewalk.”

  Sage peered over other women’s heads to see the fire truck parked parallel to her Jeep and the firefighters pulling their hoses. One really porky firefighter made rude gestures to her vehicle. She wanted to wilt right into the floor. Please don’t let them realize it was her that had been too impatient to find a parking spot. She had thought she could just run in and out quickly. Why had she done that? Dumb, dumb, dumb.

  They cleared the door, and the lady whispered, “Ooh, they’re not happy with that Jeep, are they?”

  Sage shook her head, her face blazing hot. Why had she parked there? She’d been afraid of a parking ticket, but had never even thought of a fire. The porky guy dragged the hose from the fire truck and flung it over the top of her jeep. Another firefighter hooked into the hydrant as Sage and her new friend shuffled south of the store and watched the action. Smoke seeped out of the restaurant next door, but it didn’t look like a huge blaze. A couple more firefighters ran into the restaurant. She guessed they were checking to make sure the people were all out.

  The hose went taut as it filled with water. Before dragging the hose the rest of the way to the building, Porky drenched her Jeep. Just opened the nozzle right up and sprayed the interior of her vehicle.

  “Hey!” Sage screamed. She disconnected from the lady and ran to save her baby.

  The hose turned off and Porky whirled around to glare at her. “You’re the idiot—Oh, hey, pretty, gargantuan woman.” He eyed her up and down and puffed out his chest. “I got a little fire to take care of. Then you and me could exchange some digits.”

  “You just soaked my Jeep!”

  “Oh, sorry. Shouldn’t of parked there.” The other fireman ran up, and together they dragged the hose off into the building. Porky turned to give her a broad wink before he entered.

  Sage stood rooted to the concrete. She knew she shouldn’t have parked there, but was soaking her beloved Jeep really warranted?

  Firefighters, shouting, and smoke streamed around her as she stared into her Jeep, the floor was flooded with water. Did he ruin her Sony stereo system or Bluetooth? Would the leather seats recover? At least the floors were made of rubber, but the rest wasn’t, and it made her sick to think of Porky desecrating it like that.

  The fire must’ve been small, like she’d originally thought, because the firefighters came back out pretty quickly. The first two in uniform were a beautiful girl and model-gorgeous guy. They walked past together, giving her slightly annoyed looks. She was formulating a groveling apology when Porky strode back out.

  He handed the hose off to Model Man. “Here, Boot. Load it up.” Then he came right into Sage’s personal space. She had him by an inch, and she could tell it bugged him. “Heya, my beautiful Amazon. You realize we could’ve broken your windows or rolled this Jeep over, but I held the guys back because that’s the kind of guy I am.”

  “You mean a loser?” The firefighter girl taunted him. “Shut it, JFK and get in the truck.”

  “I’m working something here.”

  “Working a rejection.” She shot back. She and Model Man strode away to the truck.

  “What do you think, my gargantuan Barbie Doll?” Porky grinned at her. “You buy me dinner to make up for parking in our way?”

  “In your daydreams.” Sage managed to get out. Who was this loser, and how dare he keep making fun of her height? Didn’t men realize she hated being taller than them more than they hated having insecurities about it?

  “Ah, come on, don’t be like that. I got a lot of buddies on the police force. You wanna parking ticket, or you wanna have dinner with a firefighting stud?”

  A true firefighting stud appeared on the threshold of the restaurant, and the sight of him sucked the oxygen out of Sage. He wasn’t picture perfect like Model Man. He was the kind of rugged handsome that belonged on a mountain man poster, minus the beard. He’d look good with a beard too, but she really liked seeing his tanned face. He had a look that let a woman know he would rescue her from a mountain lion and make her sigh with longing at the same time. His eyes were almost a navy blue, dark and full of promise. His lips were well formed with a nice arch on the top and a full lower lip. He zeroed in on her, and she stumbled a bit.

  Porky reached out a hand to steady her. “Hey now, beautiful. I know I have an effect, but don’t go falling into my arms when I’m on the clock. You’re big enough I might not be able to catch you.”

  “Get in the truck, JFK.” Mountain Man ordered.

  “Ah, Cap, you’re ruining my play here.”

 
; “Truck, now.” He didn’t even raise his voice, but the command in that bass made Sage back up a step.

  Porky groaned, but stomped around her Jeep. “I’ll find you later, Hot Gigantor,” He called back to her.

  Sage ignored him, completely focused on Mountain Man and wondering what he was going to do to her. She’d parked her Jeep in the way of a fire truck, and this guy was obviously in command. He slowly walked toward her. The turnout coat and pants made him look even bigger than he probably was, but she could tell he was built, and it wasn’t fluff like Porky.

  As he came closer, she found herself slowly backing away. She hit her Jeep and couldn’t go anywhere. He stopped a couple of feet away, not getting into her space like Porky had, but she still felt surrounded by him—the commanding way he carried himself and the dangerous glint in his eyes.

  “I-I’m sorry?” She squeaked out.

  He arched an eyebrow. “Sorry for JFK hitting on you?”

  She shook her head quickly and gestured toward her sopping wet vehicle.

  “This is your Jeep.” Understanding lit his eyes. “And JFK was going to rip you a new one until he saw how gorgeous you are.”

  She bit at her lip. He’d just called her gorgeous. He was tall enough he wasn’t intimidated by her height, yet he didn’t look too friendly. She was obviously in the wrong here, but it ticked her off that Porky, or JFK, had sprayed her vehicle.

  “Okay, I know I shouldn’t have parked here. I was just running in quickly, and your guy acted like a total dipwad and sprayed the interior of my Jeep. Look!” She gestured behind her.

  He took another step closer, and now she really couldn’t breathe. Peering over her shoulder, he blew out a breath. “That was uncalled for, but you do realize it’s illegal to park in front of a fire hydrant?” He glanced down at her, and her thoughts scattered. The way he was looking at her should be illegal. All smoky hot and stern at the same time. She’d never understood the obsession with powerful authority figures, but this guy just had it going on.

  “Is it legal to damage private property?”

  His eyebrows lifted again. “No. Did JFK damage your Jeep?” He glanced over it again.

  She wasn’t sure yet. Luckily, the floor was rubber, and she should be able to clean it up if she worked hard, but the seats and the stereo could be a different story. “I’ll probably have to detail it, and the stereo and leather seats might be ruined.”

  His eyes swept over her. “Come over to the station with a bill for any damage and the detail, and I’ll make sure JFK pays it.”

  She’d just bet he would make sure. How would anybody ever tell this guy no? She almost felt like he’d issued her a challenge. Come see me again sometime, or something like that. It definitely wasn’t overdone or creepy like Porky. It was seductive, and she wouldn’t mind seeing him again sometime at all. Yet there was no way she’d go to the station and face all those firefighters again. They probably all hated her for parking in their way.

  “I just might,” she said, putting as much sass as she could manage into her tone.

  He grinned, and she clung to the side mirror for support. His smile made him so appetizing she wanted to beg his forgiveness for being in their way and beg him to let her take him to dinner as penance like Porky had suggested she do with him.

  “I’ll look forward to it, ma’am.” He touched the brim of his firefighter hat thing, and she could’ve sworn she’d been transported to an old John Wayne film. She had to remind herself that she was a capable, twenty-first century woman, not the little sweetie who fawned over the big old Mountain Man/Cowboy/Hot Firefighter.

  He gave her one more grin before striding around her Jeep and climbing into the passenger side of their huge fire rig. Sage stood still and watched him go.

  “See you later, beautiful.” Porky called out from the back seat.

  Sage focused on her Mountain Man and loved that he glanced her way and gave her one more devastating smile before they roared away.

  “Well, sweetheart.” The older lady from the store was suddenly standing right next to her. “It could’ve been a lot worse than a fine-looking firefighter giving you the what for.”

  “Yes, it could have.”

  “I’d take a reaming from that man any day o’ the week.” She fanned herself.

  Sage giggled, relieved it had gone so well and replaying every look that man had given her and every word he’d uttered. “I didn’t mind it at all.”

  “You’d better go and see him at the fire station. Take him a treat, and I bet that grin he gives you then will be even more sexy.” She lowered her voice conspiratorially.

  Sage wasn’t sure that grin could get any sexier. She thought of her mom’s “Knock You Naked Brownies,” stolen from the Pioneer Woman’s website, and smiled. She would turn on the sugar and see if that commanding man could be softened up, and maybe, if she was really lucky, he’d ask her out.

  Read more or buy Rescued by Love here.

  Park City Firefighter Romances

  Don’t miss the other fabulous Park City Firefighter Romances:

  Rescue Me by Taylor Hart

  Rescue My Heart by Christine Kersey

  Two Hearts Rescue by Daniel Banner

  Rescued by Love by Cami Checketts

  Hearts on Fire by Christine Kersey

  How to See with Your Heart

  By Jennifer Youngblood

  Prologue

  Afterwards, people would ask if Dax sensed something bad was about to happen. Sadly, Dax would have to answer the truth. No. The only thing he felt getting in the car on that balmy, sunny day at the Daytona 500 was the fevered sensation of competition as a shot of adrenaline buzzed through his veins. He was in the zone, in complete control. Knowing he had the torque to win the race, had victory within his grasp. Then in the blink of an eye, everything changed when his tire blew and he hit the wall going a hundred and eighty miles per hour. The next seconds rolled into a ball of terror. Metal crunching like an aluminum can. Glass shards cutting like razors. Pain wracking his body, feeling ripped apart limb by limb. Then came the startling realization when he came to in the hospital—not only was his body bruised and broken, but something far more terrible had happened to him.

  Everything came to a screeching halt. Life as he’d known it was over.

  …………………………………………………………………………………………………….

  Afterwards, people would ask if Brooklyn sensed something bad was about to happen. Sadly, Brooklyn would have to answer the truth. Yes. She felt like things were off between her and Justin. But she never could’ve fathomed he would do something so calloused. She assumed they were going through a rough patch and things would get better once she got her business underway.

  They’d planned to go to dinner and a movie, but Justin postponed their date, complaining of a sore throat and chills. So, Brooklyn made him a pot of homemade chicken noodle soup and took it to his apartment. She got the shock of her life when she opened the door and discovered him locking lips with her sister.

  Everything came to a screeching halt. Life as she’d known it was over.

  Chapter 1

  The cool wind felt good against Brooklyn’s hot cheeks as she lurched forward increasing her pace, rollerblading across the asphalt with jerky, persistent movements. The setting sun had softened the sky to pink and orange swirls, and a pleasant breeze was blowing. The perfect summer evening in Utah, but Brooklyn had no appreciation for it. She kept her gaze fixed forward, slicing through the air with a vengeance. Normally, she enjoyed rollerblading around the lake near her condo. But today, all she could think about was the phone conversation with her mother. Brooklyn still couldn’t understand why it was her responsibility to fix every stupid problem in the family.

  “It’s time for you to put aside your petty grudge and reach out to your sister,” her mother said with an authoritative tone leaving no room for argument. “You’ve got to dig deep and forgive Madison.
That’s the only way you’ll be free of this thing.”

  Brooklyn gritted her teeth. The only freedom she needed was from her mother’s constant rants. Every time Brooklyn had one of those little heart-to-hearts with her mother, she felt like a teenager again … and not in a good way. It didn’t matter that Brooklyn was a grown woman—a college graduate and owner of a flower shop. In her mother’s eyes, she would always be the docile child who was supposed to drop everything and do her mother’s bidding.

  Petty grudge? Really? Brooklyn clenched her fists, her jaw hardening. Two years ago, Madison had stolen Brooklyn’s boyfriend and married him. That was not a petty offense. A petty offense was borrowing a shirt and forgetting to return it, or leaving the car lights on and running down the battery. But this! This was full out war. And now that Madison and Justin were having marital problems, everyone expected Brooklyn to forget that her sister was a backstabbing witch and lend a helping hand. Well, it wasn’t gonna happen.

  Not now.

  Not ever.

  Madison made her own bed, and now she had to lie in it. Even as Brooklyn thought the words, guilt churned like acid in her gut. Her mother sounded so fragile … broken. After Brooklyn adamantly refused to visit Madison, her mother erupted into tears, declaring she wished she lived closer so she could help. Then, she went on about Brooklyn’s dad Tim and how he was under a ton of stress at work. “If your dad didn’t need me here, I’d hop a plane today,” her mother said regretfully.

  Brooklyn let out a long sigh, knowing deep down her mother would eventually wear her down to the point where she’d go visit Madison, simply to shut the woman up.

  The old familiar hurt pricked Brooklyn. Fraternal twins were supposed to have close ties with one another. Madison should’ve been her best friend, but from the time they were little, Madison viewed Brooklyn as competition. If Brooklyn longed for a particular toy or book, then Madison made it her mission to acquire it first. Unfortunately, as they got older, the toys and books were replaced with boys, then men. In high school, Madison was a cheerleader who ran with the popular crowd. She ridiculed Brooklyn for being studious and hanging out with the geeks, as Madison called them.