Part 6 (1/2)

”Well, it is his room.”

”He was supposed to give it up for two weeks.”

She didn't want Jake in trouble, especially after being a perfect gentleman, not making a move that entire night. Something soul deep pa.s.sed between them as they held each other close. ”It seems he's had a change of heart. He made me feel welcome and never stepped out of line.”

”That's weird,” said Aaron, finally taking notice of their conversation. ”He's usually a hard-a.s.s.”

”I know he's dealing with some sort of issue, but he never told me what.”

The two men shared a private glance. ”You may as well tell her. Anyone with Internet can find out the details,” said Aaron.

Conall didn't look thrilled to tell her the news. She could feel the connection between the four men, as if they were one body sharing the same soul. ”Our buddy's been messed up ever since he wasn't able to save a family. It wasn't his fault, of course, but he blames himself for not being able to get everyone out of the building safely. He doesn't like to talk about it, even refused the counseling offered by the city.”

”When?”

”About eight years ago,” said Aaron.

Jake's behavior started to make sense to Tammy. She'd been through something similar. She knew how it felt to carry guilt around with her. Although she was only ten when her home caught fire, she blamed herself. There was no way Jake purposely let people die, but there was probably little to make him believe that.

After what she'd told him about her history, it was no wonder he didn't want to tell her the truth. He probably thought she'd judge him as harshly as he judged himself. Tammy had the urge to go to Jake, but he was out at a traffic-accident scene with Darius.

The phone rang. Conall grabbed the phone off the wall cradle near the fridge. ”Station 23.”

He waited a minute, repeated himself, and then hung up. ”Another crank call?” asked Aaron.

”Yeah. I'm getting sick of it. Call the boys at the department today and ask them to trace the number. As soon as Darius and Jake get back I have an inspection to do at the new apartment complex on Mapleview.”

It was probably nothing. No one knew she was at the fire station. She hadn't even told her best friend, although she was sure Mr. Templeton had filled her in by now. But the frequent telephone hang-ups brought back unwanted memories of her years on the move. Her ex-boyfriend had stalked her from place to place, never giving her peace or complying with restraining orders. Could he have found her again? She'd actually started to believe he'd given up, that she could stop looking over her shoulder. Maybe it was wishful thinking on her part.

Chapter Ten.

”I can't remember the last time I was in a school like this,” said Tammy as they walked along the wide, waxed hallway.

”We do these at least a couple times a month.” Darius guided her into the gym, a hand to the small of her back.

Darius and Conall took Tammy along to one of their educational cla.s.ses. It was a group of grades four, five, and six at a local elementary school. Darius loved kids. Coming from a large nuclear family, he thrived with kids clamoring around him, asking questions, and showing genuine interest in his work. It was a small consolation for the life he'd never get to have.

Tammy laughed as the kids charged them. Darius and Conall wore their full uniforms and had one of the fire trucks parked out front to show the kids afterward. The teachers began settling the children on the gym floor. What he wouldn't give to be a kid again, no worries, just fun and games. Although he had to admit that his crew at Station 23 was like a second family. He'd grown up with the other three men, and if he had to be any place but home, it would be with them.

”Anyone know what we are?” asked Conall, holding his arms out to the sides. The kids laughed, calling out ”firefighters” in unison. They did their usual drill and then Tammy helped hand out the activity books and magnets. He loved watching her laugh, her green eyes lighting up like emeralds. She wore a body-hugging, cream skirt suit for the event-respectable but d.a.m.n s.e.xy. For most of the presentation she sat with her legs crossed on one of the perimeter benches, watching as intently as the children. He couldn't stop himself from sneaking peeks at her calves and the glimpse of thigh as her skirt rode up. But there was more. He could see the future when he looked at her angelic face. If only things were different. But he couldn't turn back time now-and would he even want to? His parents were proud of his position at the station, and so was he. Being a firefighter was a boyhood dream turned reality. It meant a lot to him to make a positive difference in his community. But the balance between duty and desire was wavering. Every time he thought of Tammy, he questioned everything, making his life more unsettled.

He started up the truck once they were all inside. Tammy rode up front with him, getting a different point of view than when she rode in the back with the guys. It felt right having her beside him in his masculine world.

”Now what?” she asked.

”You're here to learn, right? I say we take you to our training facility just on the outskirts of town.”

”What if there's an emergency?”

”We'll still be close enough to respond in time.” Darius winked at her and took the next left heading out of town. He had plans for Tammy. As much as he should stay away from her to avoid more pain when she walked out of his life, he just couldn't.

The training center was deserted. They usually only used the place once a month for a refresher or for new recruits. The police department put it to use at times, too. There was no shade or reprieve from the sun in the acres of open land. The gra.s.s had long since dried to a golden hue. He slowed the truck to a halt just on the perimeter of the grounds where the wooden structures were set up for training.

”It looks like a set from a movie,” she said as they approached on foot. ”Like one of those boot-camp comedies.”

Conall walked backward, a playful look on his face. ”Promise you this place is anything but fun. We should put you to the test.”

”Me?”

Darius planned full well to push Tammy's limits. He'd love to see her delicate feminine frame try to do a fraction of the tasks expected of him and his crew. Her delicate beauty was a turn-on, especially when living day in day out with muscle-bound men. Conall didn't have to ask to know what Darius was up to. Whether or not Tammy succeeded in the obstacle courses, they'd have her body before they returned to the station.

”Take off your jacket,” said Conall. He held out one of their fire-r.e.t.a.r.dant jackets kept locked up at the training facility. She wasn't sure why she humored them. The sun was high and she'd already broken out in a sheen of sweat. But Tammy decided there was no better research for her article than hands-on. It would be educational to get into their world on a new level, to know what it felt like to have to lug all that equipment as they tried to save people.

”Okay.” She laid her matching jacket on the back of a split-rail fence.

Darius joined them, giving her the once-over. ”The skirt has to go, too. How do you expect to climb the rope wall in that?”

She'd normally protest to doing the course in her undies, but there was no audience, and the thought of losing her clothes released a wave of liquid heat in her p.u.s.s.y.

”Okay,” she repeated. Tammy carefully set her skirt over her jacket, leaving her in just a sheer camisole, bra, and panties. ”Time to prove I've got what it takes.”

They both laughed, a contagious sound, both masculine and boyish at once. She was having fun. More fun than she'd had in ages. Only her friend Stephanie had been able to get her out of her doldrums, but Tammy had been at peace since coming to the station.

Conall spun her around and helped her get the heavy jacket on. It came down to her knees. ”I'm timing you starting in five, four, three, two...”

She ran over to the rope wall, grabbed onto the thick, aged yellow rope, and braced her foot against the solid wooden wall. It was harder than it looked, especially when she wasn't prepared. Her heels might have been low, but they were slippery, making it difficult to walk up the wall.

”If I can reach you in ten seconds, I'll spank your a.s.s, Tammy.” Their voices were just below her. She let her shoes fall, allowing her to better grip the wall with her feet. She was certain she couldn't go higher, but then imagined this was a real emergency situation. What if there was a family like hers in need of saving? What if her performance meant life or death to her parents? One firefighter was put in the same position twenty-six years ago. She easily slipped into character, her imagination a fertile ground. She fought, beads of sweat dripping down from her temples. It was impossible. She'd fail now as she did then. It was all her fault.

When she finally dropped to the ground, her palms burned from the rope and her a.s.s sore from the healthy fall, a well of emotion rose up.

”Naughty girl. I thought you were going to show us how it was done.” Conall squatted down beside her, his hand caressing her inner thigh.

It was Darius who saw her tears first. ”Leave her be. She's gone and hurt herself.” He lowered her to her back, s.h.i.+elding the sun from her eyes by moving to block the rays with his back. ”Where does it hurt?”

She didn't want to tell them she'd had another emotional breakthrough regarding her childhood trauma. Only Jake knew the truth, and not even the whole truth. It would be better to just pretend she was hurt, although it wasn't too much of a stretch considering how much of her throbbed in discomfort. ”Everywhere.”

Conall lifted her hands and kissed her sc.r.a.ped palms. ”I'll get the medical kit.” He stood and dashed off, his heavy footfalls retreating back to the truck.

”Sorry, sweetheart. I don't know what I was thinking bringing you here. Guess I thought it'd be cute to see you playing the part.”

”I'm glad you did. Besides, a few b.u.mps and bruises didn't hurt anyone.” Tammy hadn't antic.i.p.ated how the replica fire scenarios set up around the training area, combined with having the emergency gear on her own back, would transport her back in time. She'd done well around the station, but now her control was harder to maintain.