Stealing His Heart (McCormick's Creek Series Book 4)

by Jen Peters

  “Acts like one, too. Watch out he doesn’t knock your feet out from under you.”

  Brandt nodded. “Come on, Buster, let’s see where Andi wants us.”

  Buster was no light weight, so Andi had Brandt crouch next to him at the back of the truck. She took a few shots but wasn’t happy.

  “I think I saw a picnic table out back?”

  They put Buster up on the table with Brandt sitting next to him, legs sprawled in front. Andi started to pose him, and Brandt’s gut knotted.

  He didn’t mind all eyes being on him as he finished a race, but this was different. Stiff pose, artificial, and out for the entire world to see like some attention-seeking wannabe actress.

  “Look across to the truck,” Andi instructed. “Don’t focus on anything in particular. And relax your shoulders!”

  He tried. He really did. But keeping a dog still and keeping his own pose, while being very conscious of the camera…

  Buster scooted closer to him, and he shifted to block any possible fall off the table. Buster stretched his head up. Brandt leaned down. Buster put a paw on Brandt’s arm.

  Brandt reached up and scratched under his chin. Buster’s tongue lolled out. If he’d been a cat, he would have purred.

  Brandt heard the camera click again and straightened up. “Sorry. I’ll try harder.”

  Andi gave him directions, and he did the best he could, but when she finally said she was done, he felt like he’d ridden the 22-mile Sharptail trail several times in a row.

  He slapped Javi on the shoulder as he set up with an overweight golden retriever named Jello, but Brandt didn’t have the energy to watch. He went into the station to chill until it was time to put his gear on for the second go-round.

  He supposed when it was over, he’d be glad he’d done it. Robin’s shelter could use the boost, and Brandt’s family would probably never see the calendar. But right now…never, ever would he want to be a model. And Robin and Justin owed him big time!

  * * *

  Raine finished her makeup, slipped into her shoes, and gave Midnight a goodbye cuddle. She wasn’t due at work for more than an hour, but the calendar shoot was today, and she wanted to watch for a bit. It was half her idea, after all.

  Down at the fire station, the photographer had the policeman, Javi, posing with a golden retriever. His snug white t-shirt and worn jeans looked quite sexy. Of course, you couldn’t go wrong with a guy like Javi—he always looked sexy. Something about the Latino looks, despite his down-to-earth personality.

  She didn’t see any other guys around, but Robin was tending dogs. Raine hadn’t been welcomed before, though, so perhaps it would be better just to watch from afar.

  Javi cuddled a young puppy next, who eventually went to sleep on his arm. How cute could a picture get? The photographer took a few more shots, then sent him off.

  Brandt emerged from the station, helmet in hand, his coveralls up to his waist, his jacket hanging from one finger over his shoulder. Her breath caught. Yes, men could be fully clothed and still sexy. Even from this far away, he had a magnetism about him. She was surprised he wasn’t surrounded by groupies.

  Actually, she hadn’t realized he was on the fire crew at all. She supposed she must have seen him when the hardware store burned, but she didn’t know him then, and it hadn’t sunk in. It fit, though—he was an adrenaline-fueled adventure junkie for sure.

  He knelt where the photographer directed and pulled a chunky dog to him. With one hand on the dog and one on his knee, he looked at the camera.

  Raine watched him follow instructions, but he fidgeted and didn’t seem comfortable. She would have thought his insulated coveralls would have provided cushioning against the asphalt. He glanced away a lot, sometimes at the dog, who looked up at him adoringly, and sometimes into the distance.

  His eyes caught hers, and the intensity kept her from looking away. It pulled her to him, without her moving a muscle. Her skin tingled. She inhaled quickly, not knowing when she had stopped breathing.

  She’d been through a lot of guys in Seattle, some that hadn’t meant anything, some she felt she might have been in love with. But never, never, had she felt this way. Never pulled to someone she hadn’t already been up close and personal with.

  The photographer motioned to Brandt, and the moment was gone. Raine sank to the ground and tried to catch her breath. Even the sizzling kisses they’d shared hadn’t prepared her for this.

  Just what was she supposed to do with this feeling? She was supposed to be avoiding romantic relationships for a while, and he was mad at her anyway. Her heart should not be pounding. Her breath should not be short. Her soul should not be pulled to him.

  “Stop! Catch him!” came a shout.

  She whipped her head around and saw chaos.

  A greyhound was running across the parking lot, leash flying wildly behind it. The fat golden retriever moseyed along behind, and three puppies were scampering faster than Robin Cooper could catch them.

  Raine ran to help. She scooped one up and tried to avoid the joyful licks while she grabbed for another. Nope, he wiggled away. Robin glanced over at her, then went chasing after the greyhound. Brandt grabbed the golden’s collar, but his chunky dog went into overdrive and started dragging them toward the runner.

  Raine couldn’t help there. She put her puppy into the pen area, fiddling with the fasteners enough to see how it worked. Once it was hooked together again, she chased down another puppy and plopped it in.

  Brandt had dropped to the ground, one hand still holding the golden retriever, the other arm clamped across the stocky dog’s back while he leaned into it, pinning it like a wrestler.

  Raine grinned, then caught a glimpse of the third puppy darting under the fire engine. Robin and the greyhound were nowhere to be seen.

  With a sigh, and wondering where all the other firefighters were, Raine lay down to look under the fire truck. The puppy cowered out of reach. She scrunched herself forward but, it was too low. She flipped onto her back. With a sigh for the ground-in dirt she knew wouldn’t come out of her shirt, she inched toward the puppy, crooning in her best soothing voice. It worked for kittens, why wouldn’t it work for puppies?

  The pup started crawling toward her, and she stretched an arm out. Then thunk! Her knee hit some truck part above her and she cried out in pain. The puppy retreated, and Raine groaned.

  She wiped her face—it was feeling awfully close under here—and scooted some more. “It’s okay, little guy, you’re just fine.” She kept talking nonsense—just her voice should be enough to encourage the puppy.

  And then the puppy was gone, scooped up by a masculine hand. “Gotcha, buddy. Here, Robin,” came a voice.

  Then a face appeared. Brandt.

  “Having fun down there?” he teased.

  His voice didn’t sound like he was still mad at her. “You just want all the credit for my hard work,” she finally said.

  “Aw, you found me out. I have ulterior motives for everything.”

  “Huh. If you add this to the attention you’ll get from the calendar, you’re going to be impossible to be around.”

  “Hey, a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do. Now, would you like a hand out of there?”

  Boy, would she. Otherwise someone would have to drag her out by the feet. She scooted on her back until she could reach him, then extended her arm. He grasped her hand with his own, strong and warm and…

  Stop that! She scolded herself. She told herself to just focus on getting out from under the blasted fire engine before an alarm called them out.

  But when she was standing again, her body vibrated, seemingly tuned to his. The touch of his hand both exhilarated and calmed her. She looked up to meet his eyes, only to find his already searching hers. The commotion around them receded to nothing.

  Brandt’s lips parted, but it took a moment for his voice to come out. “I’m sorry I snapped at you the other day.”

  “You did?”

  He nodded,
his gaze never leaving hers. “On the trail. I said you couldn’t make up your mind.”

  “But you were right.” Why couldn’t she look away?

  He reached for her other hand. “Maybe. But I couldn’t decide either.”

  Raine laced her fingers with his, never taking her eyes off him. He pulled her into his chest, leaned his chin against her hair. He felt like home, and she breathed out the tension she’d been living with.

  “Ahem. Want to join the rest of us?” came Mick’s voice.

  Raine pulled away, still mesmerized by the feeling, and smoothed her hair down.

  She started to say something but was silenced by Brandt’s finger against her lips.

  “Later,” he said.

  She nodded. There would be a later. They would see if this could work, despite the occasional storms between them. And if Brandt was the type of man she hoped he was, so different from her past associations, maybe she could figure out how to be strong without living like she was on a desert island.

  Brandt went back to the photo shoot, and Raine wandered over to the dog pens.

  “Everything under control?” she asked Robin.

  Robin turned quickly, hesitated, then said. “It is now, and thanks. I really appreciate you jumping in like that.”

  Raine shrugged. “Anyone around would have helped. I just happened to be here.”

  Robin gave her a pointed look. “A few years ago, you would have just watched and laughed.”

  Raine felt her skin flush. “You’re right, I would have. And then I would have made fun of you. I’m sorry.”

  Robin tilted her head. “Maybe you have changed.”

  “I hope so.” Raine took a deep breath. “I’m glad you’re doing this—I think it will be great.” She didn’t want to push too hard, so she turned to leave.

  “Lorraine? Thanks again,” Robin said.

  She turned back and waved, then headed to her car.

  Progress was good. Progress in many ways.

  Chapter 22

  Tyler, sporting a white button-down shirt and a basketball-print tie, tugged on Raine’s hand Sunday morning. “Come with us, Raine. Pleeeease?”

  “Not really a church-goer, buddy. You can sing extra loud for me.”

  Tori slid earrings in as she came out of the bedroom. “She can make her own decisions, Tyler. We talked about this.”

  Raine blew them a kiss and snuggled into a soft blanket as they left. She sipped some hot chocolate and relished a morning of quiet. She appreciated Tori’s comment more than ever—she could make her own decisions. She didn’t have to go with the crowd, didn’t even have to go with her family just because they were family. She could do what was best for her.

  The phone rang while she was savoring that thought.

  “What’cha up to?” Brandt asked. “Any big plans today?”

  She could hear the smile in his voice and smiled in return. “Just curled up for a quiet morning. I don’t have to work until four.”

  “Want to come see what I’ve been working on?”

  “Hang on a sec.” She took the time to be silent, to think about what she wanted and not jump at his request. It felt right.

  “Sure, I’m game,” she said.

  “It’s not quite 50 degrees, so dress warm. And you might get a little dirty. And wear your sneakers.”

  Raine wondered what he had up his sleeve—there was a hint of mischief in his voice. “You going to give me any more clues?”

  “Nope. Just meet me at my shop.”

  Jeans, sneakers, a long-sleeved tee, with a sweatshirt over that, and she was ready to go.

  She pulled up to a very smiling Brandt, but cringed when she saw the bikes in the back of his pickup. “Oh no, I’m not taking you up on another dare!”

  He shook his head quickly. “It’s not like that. Not at all. Just come and see—I think you’ll like it.”

  She climbed into his truck and sat stiffly as he drove. She was surprised at how terrified her body was. Her body, heck! It was her mind that was afraid. She tensed her leg muscles to keep them from shaking.

  She reminded herself that she could decide what was best for her, that she didn’t have to go along just because he wanted her to.

  But Brandt didn’t go up the same forest road. He took an earlier turn and stopped at a nearby clearing.

  “Brandt, I—” she began.

  He reached over, put a warm hand on her arm. “It’s okay. We’ll leave the bikes here for now.”

  Her eyes met his and found nothing flippant or daring in them, just something…trustworthy?

  They started down a wide, soft walking trail, and he took her hand in his. “I’ve been working on something.”

  “Yeah, another suicidal ride. I learned my lesson, by the way.”

  Brandt shook his head and pulled her to a stop. “See?”

  She hadn’t noticed the narrower trail crossing theirs. It was wider than Devil’s Hill, but was still a bike trail. Newly built. She could see a long way down it: some gentle curves and a mild rise before the trees got in the way of her vision.

  “You did this?”

  He nodded, his chest a little puffed up. “I finally admitted we need something for beginners sooner than next year, even if it’s not very long.”

  “No drop offs? No twisty, rocky sections?”

  “Nope. Just nice curves and easy hills. We call it a flowy trail. Want to try it?”

  Raine took a deep breath. Her muscles had only begun to relax, but… “Yes. ‘Get back on the horse,’ right?”

  A few minutes later, they were back in the same spot, mounted on bikes, helmets fastened.

  “You go first,” Brandt said, “and I’ll be right behind. You shouldn’t have anything to stop you for about half a mile.”

  She looked down the trail, through a clump of trees and around the first curve. She pushed off, still a little nervous, but her little voice was back and saying that she could do it. The trail was a little soft, probably because it wasn’t packed down yet. It wasn’t smooth like a city street so she had to pedal hard, but it felt nice.

  She rounded the first curve, went on to the second, and stood on her pedals to pump up a slight hill. When she got to the top, she stopped to look back at Brandt, but he was close behind.

  “Doing okay?” he asked.

  “Oh, yeah. It’s actually pretty nice.”

  “More your style than suicide runs?”

  “Hey, you were the one who dared me!”

  “And you were the one who wouldn’t back down when I offered.”

  They looked at each other, barely two feet apart. Raine leaned ever so slightly toward him.

  Brandt responded, leaning across the rest of the way, his kiss light and lingering. “Maybe we should both admit to being stubborn,” he murmured.

  “I will if you will.” She reached for another kiss, and he stepped off his bike and closed the gap between them.

  When they broke apart, she sighed and rested her head against his chest. “I’m supposed to be getting my head together, not starting a romantic relationship.”

  “Maybe this romantic relationship can help you do that.”

  Raine didn’t know. She had thought she needed time away from all men, but maybe she only needed a break from the superficial ones.

  Brandt was anything but superficial. He was solid and steady and interested in her, not what she could give him.

  She wished her little voice would tell her for sure.

  Brandt kissed her one more time. “Enough introspection. Let’s get going.” He pointed out a place where the trail had a large bump. “You’ll need to be out of the saddle for that, or you’ll get stuck at the top. And then stay standing on your pedals—there’s a washboard sort of section after that.”

  She nodded, checked her helmet, and took off. Sure enough, she got stuck at the top of the bump.

  “That’s okay,” he called. “Come around and try it again.”

  It took her twice mo
re before she got over, but she remembered to stay up for the washboard section. “Woo hoo!” she shouted, pumping her fist.

  “Great!” Brandt called back. “Want to do it again?”

  She grinned and rode back to where she’d started. It took her three more times until she rode it smoothly.

  “And that’s how you conquer an obstacle,” Brandt said, high-fiving her. “You’ll do that with a lot of different types, until you’re doing harder and harder stuff.”

  Joy filled Raine as they rode another mile, up and down and around curves. Sometimes she rode straight through, sometimes she repeated a section a few times until she was comfortable. Always she gloried in the scent of the forest and the warmth of Brandt’s voice.

  And somewhere inside her, a little voice said, “This is good.”

  Back at the truck, Brandt surprised her by pulling a cooler out with a picnic lunch. They spread out in a sunny spot, and Raine smiled as she looked around.

  “You know, Robin and Justin’s mom used to set their Easter egg hunts up here.”

  “Here? In the woods?”

  “Yup. I didn’t move in until I was too old for Easter eggs, but I always thought it sounded cool. Ours were just in the backyard.”

  Brandt snorted. “We didn’t hunt Easter eggs—we hunted full baskets, wrapped in fancy cellophane and everything already in them.”

  “Really? No looking behind trees and under bushes?”

  “Nope. The most creative my mom got was putting Vaughn’s in the dryer one year. Took him a long time to find it.”

  Raine took a bite of her cheese sandwich. “I think it would be fun to bring kids up here. Even the food tastes better in the woods.”

  She made her point by scarfing down the rest of her sandwich and reaching for a piece of apple pie.

  Brandt chuckled. “So you’re not one of those dainty girls who doesn’t eat?”

  Raine swallowed hard. “I was for a few years. More than a few, actually. Then stuff happened. And, well, never mind.” She didn’t need to get into all that now. “Anyway, I finally wondered why, if someone only likes me because I fit an image, why do I care about their friendship?