by Candi Wall
The rest of the meeting passed in a blur of signed papers and schedules that completely warped past him. He couldn’t focus on anything but the encouraging smiles Abby sent to Jonathon and the way she chewed at the end of her pen when she was deep in thought. A couple of times she met his gaze, but all too quickly someone else would distract her.
By the time he and Jonathon made their way to the parking lot, Brack’s nerves were frayed. His son was happy, the school had accepted him, and the woman his hands itched to pull close stood across the parking lot ready to climb into her car.
A car that probably wouldn’t start.
He’d already offered her a ride, but he decided to wait this time. If her car didn’t start, he’d ask again. The thought of having her in his truck, her scent filling his space, sent a wave of need through his body. He tapped Jonathon’s shoulder and signed, “Be right back.”
He hurried over to her car and motioned for her to roll down the window. “Do you need a ride?”
She turned the key in the ignition and the car started. With a soft laugh, she smiled up at him. “Guess not. I’ll see you later?”
“Yes. We’re meeting at the public boat landing off Elm Street. Do you know where it is?”
“Near the old church?”
“That’s the one.” He was stalling, and by the expectant arch of her brows, she was aware of it. Uncertain if he liked the taste of crow he was eating, he pulled a hand through his hair. “Hey, Abby?”
“Not Aretha? I must have done something right.”
Damn her wit. “Thanks—for, well for what you did in there.”
“No problem.” She nibbled at her bottom lip for a moment. “He’s a good kid, Brack. He’ll come around.”
“I hope so.”
“Lighten up. He’s got a great sense of humor.” She shifted the car into drive. “Must have gotten that from his mom.”
She pulled away before he could say anything more, but the smile that tugged at his mouth felt good.
Jonathon’s humor definitely came from his mother, but it had taken an altogether different woman to bring it out, and Brack couldn’t ignore the effect that woman had on him as well. Ellen’s smile had been open, just like Abby’s. Full of life and promise—or at least it had been. Long ago.
Anger welled in his chest. His son was on the verge of self-inflicted destruction, and here he stood, staring after a woman because she was good-looking. A woman he knew flaunted the rules, took dangerous risks and was as mouthy as the day was long.
He didn’t need the aggravation she would bring into his life. He was a grown man. Not some sixteen-year-old ready for a tumble in a cute chick’s bed because it would be fun. That thought flashed through his mind in crystal-clear imagery, her warm skin gliding against his own, tangled in the smooth cotton sheets of his huge bed with a fire roaring nearby…
Pushing the thoughts aside furiously, he stomped toward his truck. Damn woman.
Chapter Five
The ice, only recently opened on this portion of the lake, formed dips and shelves of white in intricate patterns over the surface. Snow from the last storm had melted off the trees, but it clung to the ground with tenacious intent. At this rate, they’d have snow banks left over in June. Sand and salt layered the parking lot, crunching under the feet of the men and women assembled for drills.
Abby shivered against the cold wind blowing across the parking lot as she pulled the zipper up on her drysuit. Go figure, the first drill would be cold water rescue. Nothing she wasn’t used to, but she’d become spoiled by the warmer waters of the south in the last few years. Jumping back into frigid temperatures would definitely take some time to get accustomed to.
Rand waved from across the lot as he pulled in. His little red sports car turned and slid a couple feet before coming to a stop. The other men and women gave him a hard time about having his “penismobile” out so early in the season, but he just shook off the comments and headed in her direction.
His smile was huge as he approached. “Damn, and I thought you looked good in clothes. I think a drysuit is my newest fantasy.”
“You’re just asking for a sexual harassment suit.”
“Yep.” He popped a piece of gum in his mouth and offered her one. “Harass away, Abby.”
His easy laughter drew several stares in their direction and she hid behind him. “Why are they all staring?”
He waved dismissively. “Brack probably didn’t bother to tell them you were coming. My brother makes up for his lack of people skills by being an exceptional captain.”
Abby feigned shock. “You mean the sweet, even-tempered captain I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with on several occasions?”
“Yeah, you’ve got his number.” Rand chuckled. “Come on, I’ll introduce you.”
Hiding a cringe at meeting new people, she let Rand lead her to where the others assembled. He banged out the list of names like a military roll call. “This is Linda Woodward, all-around helpful soul, grandmother of sixteen and our Assistant Chiefette. Allen Simmons and Linwood Frasier, EMTs, first responders and fire department. This is Jacob, my other older brother.”
“Older and wiser,” Jacob added. “Welcome to the madness, Abby.”
He was as handsome as Rand with small age lines surrounding his blue eyes. “Thanks, Jacob. It’s a little overwhelming meeting so many people.”
He nodded. “This is Jenna, my wife.”
Before Abby could say a word, Rand continued with his listing. “She’s a first responder, and I heard you already met their son Jensen at a call. This is Gigi’s husband, Joe. As you can see, Gigi’s the better half…”
Abby’s head was spinning by the time he finished introducing the twelve other members. “Well if that’s all, I shouldn’t have a problem remembering everyone.”
Rand rubbed a hand over his forehead. “They’ll be like the family you never wanted in a few weeks.”
Linda, a slim woman with a thick braid trailing down her back, approached and shook Abby’s hand. “It’ll take some time, but none of us bite. ’Cept maybe Rand. He’s bad that way.”
“I’ll be sure to remember that.”
Within five minutes Abby felt like she’d always belonged in the group. Their ribald comments and easy banter made her feel right at home. The same camaraderie seemed to exist in all the departments she’d joined, though this one was the most boisterous thus far. She tried in vain to memorize the names and faces, but the more they talked about grandkids, cousins, uncles and the like, the more confused she became. These people needed a scroll to keep track of their relations. Give her mother, father, grandparents and siblings any day. Of course the more she listened, the more convoluted even those relations became.
When Rand started in with a dirty joke, Abby turned away, needing a moment to gather her scattered thoughts. From across the parking lot, she met Brack’s gaze. He stood next to his truck, leaning his elbows against the hood. His face was set in harsh lines again, a sharp contrast to the slight break in his grumpiness she’d seen earlier. She waved, but he didn’t return the greeting.
Confused, she walked back to her car and grabbed her gear. As if in reaction, he hollered out, “Our newest member seems to be the only one ready tonight. Let’s go, folks, we’ve all got things to do.”
He barked orders and within minutes, she forgot about the anger she’d sensed in his burning gaze and let herself enjoy the trials of the drill. Midway through hauling gear from one of the boats, she saw Brack coming in her direction. He pointed over her shoulder. “Man in the water, Burke. What are you going to do?”
With a quick glance over her shoulder, she sighed. “Go get him.”
Brack nodded. “Don’t tell me—do it.”
Unbuckling her gear, she was about to shrug it off when he closed a hand over her shoulder. “Think you’ll have time to do that when it’s a real emergency? Wanna fix your ponytail next?”
The bite of his words jerked her adrenaline up a notch. �
��No, sir.”
She turned and jogged back down the boat landing as Rand’s holler reached her. “Brack, what the hell are you doing? She’s not used to this yet and she’s already run the paces for an hour. She doesn’t even have a survival suit on.”
Abby flipped her drysuit hood in place and tucked her hair under it. “I don’t need the whole survival get-up. I’ve got this. Trust me when I say Alaska was worse.” She hooked the safety line to her suit. “Relax.”
He shook his head. “I’m not going to watch this.”
She didn’t know what the hell Brack’s problem was, but she wasn’t about to give in to his attempts at intimidating her. She plunged into the icy water for a second time that evening and dove under the surface. And fuck a duck, it was cold. Pushing through the water, she let the frigid temperature focus her. Unlike the Alaskan waters, where the crystal-clear blue resembled mirrored glass, the murky depths of the lake hid anything farther than three feet away. She sped along beneath the surface, her body responding to the excitement of the rescue.
Brack stood on the shore counting the seconds. Twenty-five. Fear laced the slow count inside his head. Thirty. Where was she? “Jensen? You see her?”
“No,” he hollered from the rescue raft.
Thirty-five. The enclosing dark made it impossible to see clearly, and he called for a flashlight, watching her safety line continue to uncoil. Forty-five. When the line went slack, he jerked his sweater and shirt off in a wad.
He’d barely shoved one arm of his survival suit on when Linda called out. “Whew, that girl’s fast!”
Brack followed her gaze to where Abby bobbed in the water, her hands already supporting the dummy as she placed a life ring around it. Before he could register his own surprise, she was swimming back toward the shore, the fake man tucked firmly beneath her arm. Jensen trolled behind her, trying to convince her to get into the raft with him.
Rand shot Brack a deep scowl as he ran down to the water’s edge along with the rest of the team. Brack heard their collective praise, the mention of breaking a long-held speed record—his—and then the teasing started. It was good-natured and outrageous, and Brack ignored it all. He stood back from the group, held to the spot by Abby’s dark stare.
She dropped the dummy, made a couple of comments to the others then struggled up the landing to stand before him. Her flashlight and gear hit the ground at his feet, as did her gloves and the safety line. Her drysuit came next until she stood before him in nothing more than her dripping hair and the clothing plastered to her body. Her chest heaved with exertion, her eyelashes still specked with water.
The others slowly approached, and he groaned. He saw the intent in her eyes. He was about to get an earful.
She didn’t disappoint. Her hands went to her hips and she held her head high, looking fantastic in damp clothing that hugged every curve, outlined her taut breasts and pebble-hard nipples…
“Now that you’ve measured my nonexistent dick, don’t ever put me in a situation like that again. The suit is too big, the light’s the wrong wattage and there should have been a rescue ring at the ready when I came within reach.”
Brack ignored the sniggers from his teammates and cursed. Her suit hadn’t protected her the way it should have. “This was a drill, Burke. If your suit didn’t fit, you should have had the brains to come back in.”
“And go against orders?” she bit out.
“You’ve never had any issue going against them before. Why start now?” Her eyes narrowed, but he held a hand up. “Anything else?”
“Yeah.” She jutted a finger into his chest. “Unless you plan to send me alone on all the calls, there’s no reason to run this particular drill again.”
He watched as she stormed up to her car. She glanced back several times, but her smile didn’t return. He’d pushed her too far, and for the life of him, he didn’t know why. It wasn’t her fault he couldn’t look at her without wanting to throw aside precautions and kiss her senseless. He’d been an ass, though. Dealt with it the wrong way. It had been a long time since he’d let someone get under his skin, and he’d handled it horribly. She should be pissed.
Brack groaned when she slipped her damp shirt off. He couldn’t blame her. It was either that or freezing. But he couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off the lines of her stomach either. They tightened, curving in a slow flare out to her hips where her jeans hugged smooth skin. The sports bra she wore crossed in the back, framing her shoulder blades and outlining the swell of her breasts.
“That was the stupidest thing I’ve seen you do to date.”
Brack pulled his attention from Abby and faced Rand. “I told you earlier to leave it alone. I know what I’m doing.”
“And what’s that?” Anger lined Rand’s face. “Are you trying to get rid of her?”
“She’s got a worse problem with authority than you do. That could endanger everyone on this team.”
“And you think putting her in a dangerous situation is going to change that? What if she’d gotten hurt with your little lesson?”
“Rand, I don’t have to explain myself or my actions to you.” He pushed past his brother to join the others. “Now either get back to work or go home.”
He didn’t wait to see what Rand did. Honestly, he didn’t care at the moment. He needed something to take his mind off Abby—and his own stupidity—and he needed it quick. “Get the Beast down. Let’s give her a run. Burn some carbon off the old girl.”
Whoops and hollers followed his statement, and he walked over to help unload the huge four-wheeler from the trailer. A good spin should clear his head.
The four-wheeler slung mud across Abby’s sweatshirt, but she jumped to the side, landing in a soft pillow of snow. She laughed as Linda plowed into the snow next to her, the woman’s braid tucked firmly under her winter cap. Shivering and near exhaustion, Abby took a couple of breaths. “Where are the others?”
Linda gasped, rolling to her back and placing a hand over her heart. “He got everyone but Brack. We’re the only ones left.”
Shit. Three left, and Rand’s abilities on wheels couldn’t be faulted. She peeked over the snow as he spun the Beast around in circles. From the corner of her eye she caught Brack’s gloved hand waving from behind another snow bank. She ducked low again when Rand called for them to come out and play. “Okay. I saw Brack. He’s across the clearing, to the right. On the count of three?”
Linda nodded and rolled to her knees. “I’ll go left, you go right. Let me go first. If he sees me, you two will have a better chance of getting to his flag.”
Taking a deep, exhilarating breath, Abby counted. “One, two, three!”
They struggled up over the snow bank and broke apart. Abby waited at the top for a fraction of a second as Rand made a bead on Linda. As soon as he spun the Beast toward the other woman, Abby shot across the clearing. Rand’s victorious yell mingled with Linda’s capitulation laughter. Shit. Abby dove over another snow bank. She rolled to a stop, mud and snow flying over her head from her boots.
“He got Linda.” Brack grabbed her hand and hauled her up beside him. “We’re it. What’s your thought?”
Struggling to breathe, she glanced over his shoulder. “We’ll have to split up.”
He nodded, his feral smile evidence of how much he enjoyed the game. “If he focuses on one of us, the other can grab his flag.”
She eyed him. “Rock, paper, scissors?”
He snuck a glance over the embankment. A shower of mud spun off the Beast’s tires to pelt them. “You grab the flag, I’ll distract him.”
“What’s this? Making up for earlier?”
“Yeah, maybe.” He ducked low, jerking her beneath him as the edge of the Beast’s frame rounded the snow bank before disappearing again. “Damn idiot’s going to kill someone.”
Maybe, maybe not. But at the moment, with his hard body pressed over hers and his heat soaking into her clothing, she really didn’t care. “Why’d you do that?”
&n
bsp; He met her gaze in the meager light, his eyes lingering over her lips. “I didn’t want you to get crushed.”
“No. Why’d you send me out in the water like that?”
For a moment his eyes closed. In a rush, he whispered, “Your lack of fear scares me. I wanted to show you what it can be like. How we have to improvise sometimes. The elements aren’t always kind, and I guess I hoped to shock you into being careful. It’s something your jacket proves you don’t do often.”
“Do you think I’m trained enough to be part of this team?”
“Yes.” More so than several others.
“Then why not just talk to me?” She couldn’t believe she was having this conversation, trapped beneath him, hiding behind a snow bank, with Evel Knievel trying to capture them.
A quirk of a smile surfaced on his handsome face. “When we talk, it always seems to turn into a fight.”
“True.”
“Start over?”
“You’re offering a truce?” Would that the offered truce could extend to her body. At the moment, every inch of her battled with suppressed sexual tension, reacting to every hard inch of him. “I asked for that earlier, if you remember right, and it landed me in the water.”
His smile grew a fraction. “If you just listen to me, we should get along great.”
“Brack’s way or the highway isn’t exactly truce-worthy material.”
“It’s a good start.” He was teasing, his tone light. She’d seen so little of his softer side, the shift took her off guard.
“We’ll see about that.” The heat of his gaze did funny things to her stomach, and she pushed against his chest. “Now get off me. We have a flag to capture.”
With lithe movements, he jumped to his feet and hauled her up next to him. “I’ll go first, but you’d better be on my heels. We won’t have long. Rand’s a master at this.”
“Whatever you want, Captain.”
“Whatever I want?” He hesitated, a devilish gleam sparking in his eyes. Then it was gone and he shook away whatever thought had burned there. “Ready? Go.”