by Lisa Kessler
“You can tell them whatever you want.” She bit her lower lip and stared up into his eyes. “Is that what you want me to be?”
He kissed her, and whispered, “Baby, I’d be the luckiest guy in the world to call you mine.”
She rose up on her toes and brushed her lips to his. “Only if I can call you mine, too.”
“Deal.”
Applause broke out, and Erica jumped back. A young guy with short, black hair grinned. “McIntosh, I thought you told me relationships were off the table for you, man.”
Reed shook his head. “Just hadn’t met Erica yet.” He gestured to the firefighter. “This is Ethan Johnson. He’s the new guy on the block around here.”
Ethan crossed the room and offered his hand. “Nice to meet you.” He looked at Reed. “How long have you been keeping her a secret?”
Erica smiled. Reed was on his own for this one.
“We met the day we fired off the water salute on the airstrip for the retired SEAL.”
Erica remembered the day like it was yesterday. She’d come along as Callie’s wingman. Meeting Reed had been an unexpected perk.
Ethan nodded. “Yeah. Okay, I remember.” He smiled at Erica. “You were on the FOD walk, right? McIntosh kept talking about you afterward. I should’ve known.” He nudged Reed. “Why’d you keep this under wraps so long?”
Reed chuckled. “We only reconnected recently. Took me awhile to track her down.”
Ethan went over to the lockers on the far wall and unlocked one of them. “Did the captain tell you our first appointment’s at three?”
“Yeah. I’ll get changed, and we can run after I show Erica around.”
“Think you can keep up with me, old man?” Ethan pulled out a pair of running shoes.
Reed rolled his eyes. “You know I can.”
Ethan headed for the bathroom area. “I’ll be having a shower before your sorry ass is back in the door.”
Reed shook his head. “In your dreams, boy.”
Seeing them banter made her laugh, and that warmth flushed her heart again. Reed led her into the giant garage. Two big red trucks sat inside at the ready.
She looked up at him. “So you guys run every day?”
“We try. Keeping in shape means we won’t burn through our air supply when we go into a fire.”
Erica blinked. “It never occurred to me that firefighters were hot for a reason.”
He laughed, squeezing her hand. “We do have a reputation to hold up.” He sobered. “But seriously, if you get winded and suck up all your oxygen, that thirty-minute tank can shrink to ten minutes. No one wants to get trapped in a fire without any air.”
The danger of his job wasn’t lost on her.
She squeezed his hand. “You’re careful when you fight fires, right?”
“Always.” He walked her between the two trucks. “We actually don’t get structure fires here very often. We’re usually hauling pilots out of planes that catch fire on the landing. The cantina was actually our first structure fire in a long time. We’re too good at prevention, I guess.”
“So if my place was on fire, you wouldn’t get the call?” she asked.
“Nah, not unless the city needed backup. If it was something big with lives at stake, they might call us for help.”
She cocked a brow. “You wish they’d call you, don’t you?”
He shrugged, trying not to smile. “It’s not that I want things to burn, but we train hard for fires and to save lives, and even though we’re ready, we’re usually just checking sprinkler systems and fire extinguishers. It’d be like if you were a songwriter, but most of the time all you got to write were the punchlines of Hallmark cards.”
Erica crinkled her nose at the thought. “I see what you mean.”
“Goes back to wanting my life to mean something, too, I guess. I want to make a difference, you know?”
She lowered her voice. “Couldn’t you get hired with the city?”
“Maybe,” he said with a shrug. “I’ve never tried.”
“Why not?”
He ran his hand along the logo on the door. Erica glanced at the mission: Protecting those who defend America.
“Your dad…”
“It’s stupid.” He sighed. “I’d probably make more money working for the city, and maybe see more action, but my dad and Hunter were both tied to the military, and I guess this was my way to support them.”
“Money’s not everything.” She grinned rolling her eyes. “Says the starving artist slash songwriter.”
He pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “Ready to hear about the difference between an engine and a truck?”
She chuckled. “You make it sound amazing.”
“Hey, it’s not every day you get to learn more than you ever wanted to know about hoses.”
She raised a brow. “I am pretty fond of your hose.”
His deep laughter echoed through the garage, and her heart skipped a beat. If she could, she’d hug Zeus until his eyes bulged for choosing Reed as her Guardian.
Reed kept pace jogging with Johnson as they rounded the final corner back to the station, then dipped into the well of energy he’d been sipping from for the first five miles. His legs moved faster, pumping harder with each stride. Johnson picked up speed, too, but Reed was already too far ahead. His lungs burned as he crossed the threshold into the open garage.
Johnson came in behind him a couple of minutes later, huffing and puffing. “Shit, McIntosh.” He shook his head. “You were sandbagging.”
Reed tipped up his bottle and swallowed a gulp water. “I let you set the pace. Never forget, age and treachery wins over youth and beauty every time, boy.”
Ethan chuckled and took a swig of water. “So Erica seems nice.”
Nice wasn’t even close to describing that woman, but he nodded. “She’s amazing, dude. Not sure how I got so lucky.” He checked his watch. “We better hit the showers before the inspection starts.”
After a quick shower, Reed changed into his blue cargo pants and department T-shirt. He reached for his cell and frowned. There was a text from a number he didn’t recognize.
Reed, it’s Nate. We got a line on Jack. Call me.
He called back the number and waited.
“Detective Malone.”
Reed rubbed the back of his neck. “Hey, Nate. It’s Reed.”
“Thanks for calling me back. So we got a hit on some security footage at a gas station near Erica’s place after canvassing the local gas stations and grocery stores, and showing people his picture. This place says he comes in every few days and always pays with cash.”
Relief spread through his muscles. Knowing he was at the station and not protecting Erica himself was weighing on him more than he had realized. “If I weren’t on shift, I’d go camp out there until his sorry ass pulled in.”
“We’re on it. Just wanted to keep you in the loop. Erica’s at your place, right? I have a black-and-white over there.”
“Yeah.” Reed stared at the floor. “I think Lia is staying with her, and Trinity is over at Callie’s.”
“Sounds good. I’ll let you know as soon as we have any more information, but we’re closing in.”
“Thanks for letting me know. I’ll fill my captain in, too.”
He ended the call. With any luck, Jack would be behind bars before Reed’s shift was over.
The knock on the door had Erica jumping out of her skin. She grabbed Reed’s baseball bat from the closet and went to the peephole. She let out a sigh of relief. It was just Lia.
She propped the bat beside the door and slid the security chain over. She opened the door and stepped back. “Hey, Lia. Come on in.”
Lia came inside, dragging her roller bag behind her. She embraced Erica and grinned. “Sleepover time!”
Erica locked the door again. “I guess so.”
She’d never spent time alone with Lia before, but the Muse of Comedy babbled and giggled as if they’d been sisters since bir
th. Awkward silence never descended.
“So tell me about your Guardian. He’s a hottie,” she said with a wink.
Erica chuckled. “Yeah, he’s definitely good-looking.”
“What’s he do besides saving people from burning buildings?” Lia unzipped a pocket in her bag and pulled out a pouch of manicure tools.
“He surfs.”
She grinned. “You know what they say about surfing and sex, right?”
Erica raised a brow. “How do I not know this one?”
“When it’s good, it’s really good. And when it’s bad…it’s still pretty good.” Lia’s laughter was contagious.
Erica nodded, giggling along with Lia. “I can attest to that. Very true.”
Lia laid out a few nail colors. “Pick a polish.”
“Are we doing nails?”
“If by ‘we’ you mean me painting yours, then yes!” She picked up the nail file and went to town on Erica’s index finger.
Erica handed her a deep red. “So I don’t get to return the favor?”
Lia shook her head. “Nope. The polish just chips off when I’m washing and styling hair.”
Erica stared at the manicure tools and back up at Lia. “Why do you keep a manicure set in your bag if you never paint your own nails?”
She reached for Erica’s hand and inspected her nails. “Because doing other people’s nails calms me. But I’m better at cutting hair, so I’m a stylist by day and a manicurist on the side for fun.”
“I can respect that.” Erica watched Lia trim and file her nails. “We’ve never hung out before, so what’s it like to be the Muse of Comedy?”
“Funny.” Lia peered at Erica through her bangs and grinned. “Sorry. Couldn’t resist.” She focused on Erica’s other hand. “If I could make a living with my improv troop, I’d give up hairstyling in a heartbeat. So I guess it’s not all fun and games, but I do love hearing people laugh, even it’s just myself. I’m my own party, even sitting at the DMV.”
“I bet you are.” Erica chuckled. “Thanks for coming over, by the way. I’m sure you had other things you could’ve been doing.”
Lia grabbed the base coat and slicked it onto each nail as she talked. “I thought it’d be fun to get to know you better. Erotic poetry sounds so ooh la la.” She waved the tiny brush around until Erica couldn’t contain her laughter. Lia grinned and got back to work. “Besides, with the Order coming back into the picture, I’d rather not sit around my place jumping at every creak in the floorboards.”
Erica smiled as Lia applied the red. She could instantly see her nails raking down Reed’s tan, muscled chest.
She took a breath and refocused on her manicurist. “You moved here from Chicago, right?”
Lia nodded, all her attention on Erica’s nails. “Yep. My Big Fat Greek Wedding is the story of my life. Without the Windex. Or the wedding.” She released Erica’s hand and twisted the lid on the red. “My folks weren’t thrilled when I told them I was quitting my aunt’s beauty salon to move to California. I’m pretty sure if I stayed, that kind of wedding was in my future. Dad was sending all the nice Greek boys my way for haircuts on a regular basis.”
Erica chuckled. “So they don’t know—”
“That they named me Thalia after the Greek Muse of Comedy and doomed me forever? No. They think I have beautician friends out here, and I secretly want to be a movie star. My mom is all for it if I can arrange a meeting with John Stamos, and my dad will be on board if I marry him and make us family.”
Erica’s side was starting to ache. Writing songs didn’t usually bring on bouts of the giggles. “What do you want?”
Lia stowed her tools and pulled out a clear top coat. “Good question. I don’t know.” She grabbed Erica’s hand and quickly added the shiny gloss. “Right now, the item at the top of my goal list is not to be killed by psychos in golden Kronos masks. Beyond that? I’m flexible.”
Erica blew on her nails. “What about the theater?”
“I thought you meant personal goals.” Lia stashed the top coat and zipped her bag. “I gave up everything to come out here after the dreams started. I couldn’t get it out of my head that the world had become too cold and mean. We all need to laugh, right? If I can inspire people to smile, gods, how blessed would I be?” She shrugged. “So here I am.”
Erica smiled. “The world is lucky to have you.”
Lia’s grin lit up the room. “I don’t know about that, but if I can turn a frown into a smile and a tear into hope, I go to bed happy.”
Erica’s phone buzzed. She picked it up and frowned, the hair on the back of her neck rising slowly. A single text flashed on her screen:
Meet me at Sunset Beach lifeguard tower 5 in an hour, Pet. Come alone or your firefighter dies in the next one.
Lia’s smile faded. “Bad news?” Erica handed her the phone. Lia scanned the screen and looked up at her. “This is Jack?”
“I don’t recognize the number, but he’s the only person in my life who has ever called me ‘Pet.’”
Lia gave the phone back. “He’s baiting you.”
“He set Reed’s truck on fire last night. Three fires in a week. I’ve got to take the threat seriously.”
Lia rubbed her forehead. “Each Guardian has a special power right? Does Reed have one?”
“Yeah.” Erica pointed at the hole in the wall by the bathroom. “He opened the door so hard the knob punched right through the drywall.”
Lia raised a brow. “No offense, but even I can punch through drywall. Don’t ask me how I know that.”
“He never touched the door.” Erica paused. “He wanted it to open, and it did. Hard.”
“Wow.” Lia got up from the table and walked toward the window. “Does Jack know?”
“No.” Erica picked up her phone and stood. “Why?”
“Do you know how far away Reed can make something move?”
Erica shook her head. “We haven’t had a chance to practice with it much.”
Lia turned around, a glint in her dark eyes. “Can Reed get away from the station for a couple hours?”
“I can’t bring him. Jack will be watching.”
“You said Jack burned up his truck, and obviously, he knows Reed isn’t with you or he never would have sent that text. He’s probably been spying on the station.” Lia came closer. “Reed could park and stay in the shadows, and Jack would never know he was there. You can lure him out near a bench or something, and Reed can brain him with it.”
Erica chuckled despite her mood. “Gotta admit the mental image is tempting.”
“Call him. This could end it.”
“It’s risky. He won’t like it.” But Erica opened her contacts anyway.
Lia crossed her arms. “So have a backup plan. You have pepper spray, right?”
“That won’t help if he has a gun.”
“Call Nate, too. He can stay close but not too close, and be ready to move in if things go south.”
Erica raised a brow. “Nothing funny about this plan.”
“Thanks.” Lia buffed her nails on her shirt. “Although Jack getting beaned in the head with a park bench might be a little funny.”
Erica smiled and pressed Reed’s number. The Muse of Comedy was smart and thought on her feet. And when Erica could’ve curled in a ball and cried, Lia turned the fear on its head with the idea of hitting Jack with a park bench.
Laughter was good medicine after all.
“Erica? Everything okay?” Reed asked when he answered the phone.
The tightness in his voice made her jump in to ease his worry. “Yeah. We’re fine. But I got a text from Jack… He says if I don’t meet him on Sunset Beach at lifeguard tower five, he’s setting another fire on base.”
“Fuck.” The echo of his footsteps in the garage of the fire station came through the phone. “I’ll call Nate. Maybe they can go pick him up. They’re staking out the gas station he frequents. We’re getting close to grabbing him.”
Erica glan
ced at Lia across the table. “He said to come alone. He’ll be watching for the police, and even if he doesn’t start a fire, what if he comes over here? He might even know the apartment number by now.”
He cursed under his breath. “I’ll go talk to the captain. I’ll tell him it’s a family emergency.”
“I was thinking you tell him that we’re setting up a sting to catch the arsonist. If you came over in a vehicle Jack wouldn’t recognize, and stay in the shadows, he’ll never know you’re there.”
“That could work… I can park down by tower three and swim over to five. He’ll be watching the parking lot, not the water.”
Erica smiled, nodding even though he couldn’t see her. “Then you can to use your gift to knock him out. Nate can move in and arrest him once he’s unconscious.”
“Wait, where will you be?” he asked, sounding confused.
“With Jack. I’ll come alone, like he said.”
“No.”
Erica sighed. “It’s the only way he won’t bolt. This is our best chance to stop him.”
He lowered his voice. “Please, Erica. Think this through. I don’t know how to control this power yet. What if it doesn’t work at a distance? What if Jack brings a gun? It’s too risky.”
“I’ll bring my pepper spray as a backup. He won’t kill me. I’m a possession to him; I’m useless to him dead. This isn’t like the Order.”
“There’s got to be another way.” He groaned. “What if I can’t get my gift to work?”
“You will. You’re my Guardian. We might not get another chance like this one. Just find something to hit him with.”
“All right,” he said, though he was clearly not happy about it. “How much time?”
“He said an hour.” Erica glanced at the clock. “So I’ll leave here in twenty minutes.”
“Don’t go until you get my text, okay? I’m calling Nate.”
“Sounds good.” She swallowed the lump in her throat, searching for words that wouldn’t come. “Be careful.”
“You too. If anything happens to you…”
“I’ll be fine,” she interrupted. “And then it’ll finally be over.”