Sage peered over people’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 thought she could just run in fast. Why had she done that? Dumb, dumb, dumb.
They cleared the door and the lady mumbled, “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 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.
The hose turned on and 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 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 drenched my Jeep with water!”
“Oh, sorry. Shouldn’t of parked there.” He dragged the hose off into the building, turning 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, shouts, and smoke streamed around her as she stared into her Jeep, the floor pooled with water. It didn’t look like any permanent damage had been done, but 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. A beautiful girl and model-gorgeous guy walked past, giving her looks. She almost apologized until Porky strode back out. He handed the hose off to Model Man. “Here, Booter. Put that away.” Then he came right into her 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.” “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, gargantuan Barbie Doll?” Porky grinned at her. “You buy me dinner to make up for parking in our way?”
“In your daydreams,” Sage managed. 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 ticket or you wanna have dinner with a firefighting stud?” A true firefighting stud appeared on the threshold of the restaurant and the oxygen sucked 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 the look that made a woman know that 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 perfect arch on the top and a full lower lip. He zeroed in on her and she stuttered a step. 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 anyway.” “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.
JFK groaned, but stomped around her Jeep. “I’ll find you later, Gigantor,” he called back to her.
Sage ignored him, completely focused on Mountain Man, and what he was going to do to her. She’d parked her Jeep in the way of a firetruck, and this guy was obviously in command. He slowly walked toward her, the turnout coat and pants making 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 ran into 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 quick and your guy 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,” she forced out, “To damage private property?”
His eyebrows lifted again. “No. Did JFK damage your Jeep?” He glanced it over again.
He probably hadn’t. Luckily the floor was rubber and she should be able to clean it up if she worked hard. “I probably have to detail it,” she muttered.
His eyes swept over her. “Come over to the station with a bill for 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, twentieth 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 couldn’t help but watch him go.
“See you later, beautiful,” Porky called 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 at her elbow. “It could’ve been a lot worse than a fine-looking firefighter giving you the what for.�
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“Yes, it could have.”
“I’d take a reaming from that man any day o’ the week.” She fanned herself.
Sage giggled. “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 gave you will be even bigger.”
Sage thought of her mom’s “Worship the Cook Brownies” and smiled. She could turn on the sugar and see if that commanding man could be softened up.
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Two Hearts Rescue: Park City Firefighter Romance Page 18