Ways in the Guardian: A Menage Romance Book Collection

by Barbara Downey

  Pouring a large glass of wine, she heated yesterday’s curry and then went for a shower. Her job wasn’t exactly taxing but at the end of the day she just wanted to wash it off her and feel clean. Hearing other people’s problems could leave an unseen residue on a person and it could weigh you down if you didn’t dislodge it. Two glasses of wine and some mundane TV later and she was ready for bed but she liked to check on Lucy first and the furball wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

  Pulling a hoodie over her head and slipping on her flip-flops she stepped out onto the path and whistled. He always came running when she whistled but this time he was a no-show. She grabbed the packet of treats and shook them. She was sure she could hear the little bell that sat on his collar but she couldn’t see him. She didn’t like going outside in her pajamas but she was scared her cat was in trouble so she stepped onto the damp grass and shook the treats again.

  “Lucy!” she hissed, feeling way too conspicuous for her liking.

  A high-pitched meow rang through the trees and she looked up. In what was left of the canopy of golden leaves sat a gray shape that looked very much like her cat. When his eyes reflected the lights of a car as it parked in the small car park, she groaned. Lucifer was up in the tree. The lights on the car went out and the cat became almost invisible once more. He mewed softly several times to let her know that he wasn’t happy.

  “Are you stuck? You’re kidding me,” she moaned and hoped that none of her neighbors could see her.

  Not having a ladder or superhuman climbing abilities, she tried shaking the treats for half an hour before she finally conceded that she couldn’t get the cat down. It also looked like he wasn’t able to come down by himself. After making a fool of herself in front of any neighbor that answered their door she gave up and called the fire station, knowing full well that she would get charged for a call out.

  The woman manning the switchboard told her not to worry, that these things happen, but Angela was now biting her nails and Lucy’s pitiful cries were unsettling everyone in earshot. She was informed that they would send someone when they could but the cat would probably climb down of its own accord. When she shone her flashlight up at Lucy, he didn’t look like he was making his way down. In fact, she was pretty sure he’d climbed higher since she last looked.

  “I knew you were trouble the minute I saw you, furball,” she said softly but she would forgive him if he would just climb down.

  *****

  After an hour of listening to Lucy make kitty whimpering noises, a car turned into the road and parked in the parking lot. There was a ladder strapped to the roof and pretty soon she was hopping from one foot to the other while the man got out of his car and slowly walked over to her. With the cold, her nerves, and extreme tiredness she suddenly got the urge to run, but she stood firm anyway.

  “Hi, is that the little fella?” the man asked, shining a torch into the branches.

  “Yes, his name is Lucy,” she replied.

  As the man turned to frown at her, she once again wondered why she hadn’t changed his name. The man was steeped in darkness and she could barely see him but she was pretty sure he wasn’t wearing firefighting gear. She desperately wanted her cat back but not if the man was just anyone off the street trying his luck and ready to rob her.

  “I went off duty about twenty minutes ago and said I’d drop by and see if I could help save them from bringing the truck and waking your neighbors up,” he said.

  “Oh right, good thinking. So, can you help?” she asked, wondering if he could see her expression better than she could see his.

  “Sure, I’ll get the ladder,” he said and walked back slowly.

  Lucy had gone quiet and was now even higher in the branches. The man came back with a lightweight ladder and slid it against the tree trunk, switching on a head torch which momentarily blinded her. As he began to climb, she found she was at eye-level with a perfect jean-clad behind and she continued to stare at it as it advanced to the top of the ladder which was nowhere near her cat.

  “Oh no, the ladder isn’t long enough,” she said.

  “I can climb trees, Miss,” he replied, blinding her once again with his head torch as he looked down.

  “Oh,” she replied.

  She saw his light move around in the branches and then heard him talking softly to Lucy. He sounded so calm that she relaxed. She didn’t know many calm people; at work they were all about speed, efficiency, and numbers. The clients were people in desperate need of money and tended to resort to crying, shouting, and other highly emotional responses.

  She soon found herself staring at the jean-clad behind once more as he found his footing onto the ladder and carefully climbed back down. There was a moving, meowing bundle inside his shirt and she was so relieved that tears slid down her cheeks.

  “Lucy,” she said as the man pulled him from his shirt and handed her the fur ball. “You silly cat.”

  “He’s a friendly cat; he started purring as soon as I grabbed him but he might have left his mark on my chest. Would I be able to come in and wash the scratches before I leave?”

  “Of course,” she grinned, holding Lucy tight.

  Once inside her house, she put Lucy on the sofa and turned to face her rescuer. She was able to see his face and his features were stunning. He had a strong jaw, covered with manly stubble, pale blue eyes, and light brown hair. He was gorgeous in a strong, dependable way. She briefly wished she’d been rescued from the tree and tucked against that broad chest of his.

  “Have you got any antiseptic?” he asked as he unbuttoned his shirt.

  “I’ll get it,” she replied, blushing.

  When she came back with cotton balls and antiseptic, he was sitting on the sofa with her cat on his lap, shirtless. His naked, tanned chest was a stunning sight even with the scratches. She watched as he dabbed at the cuts and couldn’t seem to draw her eyes away even though she knew it was rude to stare.

  “I’m sorry, where are my manners,” she said. “Can I make you some coffee?”

  “Have you got any tea? I drink coffee but I have a taste for tea,” he replied, smiling up at her and revealing a perfect set of teeth set in a dreamy smile.

  “I have tea from all around the world, thanks to my parents,” she said. “I’ll brew their latest gift.”

  She brought the tea out in a pot and poured the highly fragrant brew. His shirt was still off and she could see white cream had been smeared across each wound. He was absently stroking the cat. There was something very pleasing about a man who liked small animals; it must have been the protective instinct. Lucy was sleeping soundly having recovered from his ordeal.

  “Wow, this really is good tea,” he said, sighing.

  They chatted over their tea, he remained shirtless and sexy, the cat continued to rest easily on his lap, and Angela started to feel comfortable with him even though she kept having the desire to reach out and smear just a little more cream on his chest. It didn’t even need to be antiseptic cream, she thought.

  Eventually, he removed Lucy and placed him on a cushion where he continued to sleep. She had work the next day and knew she would be tired but somehow she just didn’t want him to leave. She watched as he slid the shirt over his head, hiding the beautifully muscled chest.

  “Would you like to go out for dinner with me?”

  Angela turned to face him. Would she like to? Of course, she’d love to have dinner with him, served on him, anything just to keep looking at those sensitive eyes and fit body. She was blushing and he grinned, letting her know that he had caught her eyes wandering.

  “I’d love to,” she smiled.

  “Great, I’ll pick you up at eight,” he said, and she watched his retreat until he disappeared into the trees.

  “Lucy, I’m going to buy you some fresh tuna tomorrow,” she said kissing the top of the cat’s head. He smelled just like the sexy firefighter.

  *****

  John opened the door for Angela, making her feel like a princess.
She had plenty of time on the drive home to study his profile while he concentrated on the road. He had a quiet, comfortable way about him that made her feel safe and protected.

  The meal had been great and he was charming in a non-threatening way. She loved the fact that he was a gentleman; she enjoyed the calm, safe environment he projected but most of all she wanted to explore the spark of electric that shot between them when their skin touched.

  The man had a body underneath his clothes that she desired to touch and when he pulled up in front of her house she knew she would have to make the next move because he was shy. She was not going to let him get away without giving her something to dream about, hell even fantasize about.

  “Want to try some more of my fantastic tea?” she asked, glad that she had practiced the line in her head.

  “I sure would,” he said, laughing.

  When she brought the tea tray in she wasn’t too surprised to see Lucy kneading John’s chest with his feline face close to John’s nose. The cat was purring loudly and if that wasn’t a sign then she didn’t know what was. The cat took any nervous tension from the room as he settled on John’s lap and Angela was almost jealous of the attention her fur ball was receiving.

  When John put his cup on the coffee table, he scooped Lucy up and settled him on the cushion. Angela scooted closer to John and when he turned back to her their faces were inches apart. John stared at her lips for a moment before meeting them, making Angela’s heart race. His kisses were sweet and tender; they made her want to lose herself in him, preferably while naked.

  Sliding her hand into his shirt she caressed his chest, teasing the fine hairs that covered it. He ran his hands through her hair, across her neck and then down her back. His touch was so soft that she moaned and pulled her body closer, which was when he pulled back.

  “I don’t want to rush things,” he said, stroking her face.

  Her mouth gaped like a fish. Second base wasn’t rushing it; she was getting lost in the moment. Unfortunately for her, the moment was lost and John was attempting to stand and discreetly rearrange himself within his jeans. She eyed his zipper area with envy; she really wanted to get naked with him.

  “Are you sure?” she asked, hoping not to sound desperate.

  “I have an early start tomorrow and I can spend my next few days on duty looking forward to our next date,” he said, kissing her firmly but quickly on the lips.

  “Okay,” she replied.

  She reluctantly followed him to the door and watched him disappear into the trees once more but not before he kissed her palm in a surprisingly sexy way. She really, really needed to get laid, and he was really, really hot.

  She must have gotten a good three hours sleep before being rudely awakened by what sounded like a tiger. She waited for her heart to slow before climbing out of the bed. Lucy was nowhere in sight so she stuck her head out of the door and peered at the trees. Her eyes were still sleepy but when the sound came again, she was wide awake.

  “Jeez! Lucy, what in the hell?”

  Lucy was perched on the top of her house, close to the chimney. His meows were echoing down the chimney and making him sound like a demon cat which probably meant that she should really start calling him Lucifer. He looked terrified and she had no clue as to how he had managed to climb up there but it didn’t look like he was about to come down anytime soon.

  John’s number went straight to voicemail which was probably because he was sleeping soundly like most normal people were. Of course, her neighbors would be up and baying for blood if she didn’t stop Lucy from making so much noise. She wasn’t left with any choice but to phone the fire station once more.

  Rain began to spatter her face as she waited for the cavalry to turn up and Lucy’s cries became more panicked. She didn’t think she could take much more and the relief she felt when lights swooped into the driveway was indescribable. She saw the straw blond hair before she saw the rest of him, since he was highlighted by the light streaming from her front door.

  “Aha, I see the problem. Your pet is playing Santa,” the man grinned, and she felt her legs weaken.

  “He can’t seem to stay out of trouble,” she replied, following his gaze to find that Lucy was now clutching the chimney pot.

  “I’m gonna get the ladder,” the man winked and raced back into the trees towards his van.

  She watched him go, wondering if the entire fire department was super-sexy. She felt a little guilty for eying the man up because she’d had a lovely date with John but the men were polar opposites and that made her feel justified. When she saw his biceps tense as he swung the ladder up towards her roof she nearly had a meltdown and forced herself to look away.

  “I’ll be back,” he winked and sprinted up the ladder so quickly that she barely saw his feet touch the rungs.

  He returned almost immediately with a soaking wet cat tucked safely under his arm. Lucy looked fairly pleased with himself and didn’t even attempt to jump from his grasp.

  “I believe this is yours,” the man said, handing her cat over.

  “Yes, thank you,” she took the soggy cat and hugged him close.

  “Can I use your bathroom?” he asked, showing her his dirty hands and she noticed that one of them was leaking blood.

  “What happened?” she asked.

  “I guess your roof has teeth,” he said shrugging and the grin that swept across his face made her feel woozy.

  *****

  The crazy cat lady didn’t look so crazy; in fact, she looked downright scrumptious. When they got the call everyone laughed and then did a coin toss to see who would save her cat. He thought he’d lost but looking at her made him feel like a winner. He followed her inside and was relieved to see only the one cat. He liked felines but only one or two at a time. Any more than that and he became nervous.

  “I’ve got some antiseptic for your cut,” she said and disappeared into another room.

  “Thanks,” he replied.

  “It’s not that deep, but it’s going to take a while to heal,” she said, dabbing at the wound.

  He’d forgotten about the cut, as he was too busy watching her. Her face was pretty and the concentrated look she was wearing was adorable but he couldn’t seem to stop his eyes from wandering south. Every time she moved to dab his cut her top gaped slightly revealing a tantalizing view of her cleavage. He could sit there all day with that view.

  “So, you single?” he asked.

  “What? Oh, yes, sort of,” she replied, blushing.

  “Sort of? Hmmm…it sounds like I’d better get in there quick,” he said tilting her chin up towards him. “I don’t mind the competition.”

  He kissed her before she could resist, not that she could. She melted against his lips and he took that as an invitation to slip his tongue into her mouth. When she sighed and responded he felt a shiver of pleasure run through his entire body, ending at the sensitive tip that was pressing hard against his cargo pants. He didn’t want to rush her but she seemed like she needed his kisses and her response was so addictive he couldn’t pull himself back.

  “I think we should stop,” she said sounding breathless and sexy.

  “I’d better go before we do that again then,” he said and when she looked up at him with pink cheeks he winked.

  “That’s probably for the best,” she said and her smile just blew him away.

  “Wow, you are gorgeous. I am leaving, for now. Get some sleep and I will pick you up at around seven tomorrow, okay?”

  “Okay,” she replied.

  He closed the door behind him before he could change his mind. The woman was dynamite and she had no idea. He wondered what the other guy was like but he wasn’t bothered. Finn was the kind of man who didn’t worry about anything, including playing by the rules. She was his new toy.

  When Finn picked Angela up on his bike, she had been surprised but had risen to the challenge and swapped her high heels for boots and climbed aboard. She had snuggled close to him on the way th
ere and he had begun to wish that he’d chosen a restaurant that was further away.

  He’d picked his favorite surf and turf restaurant because that was what he wanted to eat and he didn’t know what she liked. When she ordered a rare steak and all the extras, he felt a strange sense of pride. He’d dumped many a girl for choosing to eat salad when steak was on the menu.

  “So who’s this other guy then?” he asked watching her closely.

  “It’s awkward because you might know him,” she said blushing scarlet once more.

  “All the more reason to tell me,” he said, giving her his best grin.

  Finn knew he was good to look at; his mother had told him so every day while he was growing up and plenty of women had followed suit. He wasn’t much into being tied down but he loved to date; there was something about the chase that excited him and this woman being courted by another man was refreshing. He still wanted to know what he was up against but he liked the other man’s involvement.

  “His name’s John; he’s also a firefighter,” she said.

  “Would he be tall, light brown hair and oozing farm boy charm?” Finn asked, laughing.

  “Yeah,” she said and blushed just a little bit more.

  “Damn, girl. Looks like I need to step up my game,” he replied.

  John was the kind of man who was choosy, sensitive, and had no idea of the effect he had on women. He was a genuine one hundred percent nice guy. Finn couldn’t compete with him and he just didn’t want to. The fact that John was interested in her was super-exciting and he was happy to share. He liked the guy and the girl would thrive having both of them chasing her.

  When Angela hopped on the back of his bike, he pulled her close and took the long route home going ever so slightly faster than he had on the way to town. She gripped him with her thighs and made his cock throb the entire journey. He couldn’t think of a better way to travel than squeezed in between a woman’s legs.