Nursing the Flame, page 7
He was the nice guy. He wore the persona like a badge and was proud of it. So what was with the urge to smash this guy’s face in?
“Rob.” He forced a friendly smile, but refused to say anything fake like nice to meet you. Because it wasn’t nice to meet Rob. Not even a little bit.
You’re a tool, and you don’t deserve her.
That’s what he wanted to say.
How long had Amber been dating him?
His attention slid back to her, even though he tried hard not to stare.
The way she looked. Damn. It was hard to remember to breathe.
Her blond hair fell long and shiny over her shoulders and back and she had makeup on, but it was subtle. That outfit gave a total girl-next-door vibe, but hotter. With that crop top showing her small waist and toned stomach, he couldn’t help but stare at the crater of her belly button.
She looked carefree. Young. And definitely like she hadn’t lost any sleep over that night and the kiss they’d shared.
That you took.
His jaw hardened and he shook his head slightly.
That she’d given.
“What are you drinking?” Rob asked. “I’d love a beer. I’m sure Amber would take one too.”
“Amber can speak for herself, thanks,” she replied, and Reggie heard the slight edge to her words. “I actually don’t want to drink tonight.”
“Really?” Rob looked disappointed, maybe even a bit irritated.
Reggie narrowed his eyes. Was the guy hoping to loosen Amber up with alcohol to get her into bed?
That’s presuming he hadn’t gotten there already.
“So, how long have you guys been together?” Nicole asked, glancing at the two.
“Almost two months,” Rob replied, accepting a beer that Blake handed him before Blake disappeared back outside.
So they’d met pretty soon after the night of the kiss.
She sure bounced back quick from her crush on me.
The realization soured something in him, even as he knew he had no right to feel like that. He’d been the one to push Amber away. The fact that she was with someone else should’ve made him happy.
“How about you two?” Rob waved his bottle toward Reggie and Nicole. “How long have you both been seeing each other?”
“Oh, gosh, what’s it been . . . four months now?” Nicole glanced up at him through her lashes.
“Four months?” Amber’s brows lifted and her gaze slid to Reggie. “Sounds serious.”
He could see the silent accusation in her eyes. How could he have kissed her like that when he’d already been dating someone else for two months?
What she didn’t know was that the dates had been casual at first, and he’d done nothing more than kiss Nicole at that point.
Nicole gave a nervous laugh and tossed her hair over her shoulder. “We’re having fun.”
Which was code for Nicole had no clue where she stood with him.
Guilt pricked, and he took another swallow of his beer. Things were somewhere between casual and do we want to keep this up?
It was also a little weird to hear her say they’d been together four months, because they were lucky to get in a date or two in a month.
And the sex? Was still nonexistent, by his choice.
But she still kept calling him. Kept accepting his half-hearted invites to go out when he felt like he should make the effort.
“Hey, Rob. I saw your car when you drove up,” Nicole’s voice turned a bit breathless. “That Porsche is sweet. Is it weird if I ask to go look at it?”
Rob’s face lit up like she’d complimented his dick size.
“Not weird at all. That’s my baby. Come on. Let’s go out and I’ll show you.” He glanced at Amber. “Did you want to come?”
“Thanks, but I’m going to find something to eat.” Her smile was strained. “See you when you come back.”
Reggie could see them out the front window, and Nicole had her phone out and was already taking selfies with the car. Which was pretty much what he’d figured her reason for asking to see it was.
“She seems pretty excited over a car,” Amber remarked, her gaze also on the outside two.
“I’m sure many women would be. Men too. It’s a nice car.”
Amber harrumphed.
“Not a fan?”
“It’s fine if you like sports cars.”
“And you don’t.”
“It’s tiny, and I prefer my truck.” She shrugged. “Trucks give you more room for . . . everything.”
He stilled. The way she’d said that had his mind going straight to sexy times. Unfortunately, the visual of Rob and her going at it in the Porsche slid through his mind.
Nope.
In no shape or way was he going to imagine Amber and that tool getting it on.
“Anyway, sorry our dates ran off together.” She grimaced and gave him a teasing look. “I don’t think they’ll flee the barbecue with each other, but you never know.”
A faint smile tugged at his lips. “I’ve missed this.”
She glanced back out the window. “Missed what?”
“Talking to you. Having fun with you.”
Her gaze moved back to him, and she swallowed visibly. “Yeah. Me too.”
Do not bring up what happened. Just let it go.
He lowered his voice. “I said some awful shit, and I’m sorry. Do you still hate me for what happened?”
So much for letting it go.
Her brows furrowed and her eyes, full of disbelief, met his. “Reggie, if you know me at all, or even just a little bit, then you’d never ask such a stupid question.” Her tone softened. “You’d realize that I could never hate you. Even when you fuck up.”
His gut twisted. For the first time, he regretted their kiss. Wished he could take it back. Not for himself, because it was literally what he thought about falling asleep at night. He regretted it for the sadness he’d caused her.
He tried to find the perfect reply, but nothing would come. Fortunately, he was saved by the approach of Kristen, Blake’s wife.
“Hey, Reggie. Hi, Amber.” She flashed them both a smile.
He nodded. “How’s it going, Kristen?”
“I’m good. So awesome to see everyone here.” Kristen nodded at Amber. “Hey, you wanna come hang outside and meet some of the other ladies? The excess testosterone must get a little tedious at times.”
Amber looked a bit relieved by the offer. “Sure. That sounds great.”
Kristen patted him on the back. “Don’t worry. I won’t steal your girl too long.”
He blinked in shock. Amber flushed.
“We’re not together,” Amber explained somewhat awkwardly. “Coworkers and friends.”
“Firefighter family,” Reggie added.
“Oh.” Kristen groaned and glanced between them. “Right, I’m sorry. I just thought . . . you know what? Ignore me.” She looped her arm through Amber’s. “Come on, let’s have some girl time.”
Reggie watched the two blondes make their way to the backyard and took another sip of beer.
When Kristen had referred to Amber as his girl, it’d felt right before he’d realized it wasn’t true.
Amber wasn’t his girl, and she never would be. Friendship was all that was on the table.
And your sorry ass should be thankful for that much.
He shoved any self-pity aside and went to find the rest of the guys.
*
“I’m so glad you came. I’ve been dying to get to know you better.”
“Me?” Amber shot Kristen a look of surprise as they made their way out to where a bunch of women were hanging out and chatting.
“Yes, I hear a lot about you. Blake’s always talking about his fire family.” Kris handed her a sparkling water before sitting down in the Adirondack chair next to her. “I think I’ve only seen you once or twice and only had a chance to talk for a few minutes.”
“Ah, well, I hear a lot about you.” Amber cracked the can and took a sip. “I’d never seen Blake so lovesick until he met you.”
“I can second that.” This came from a pretty Asian woman sitting nearby. “Hi, there. I’m Hannah.”
“Amber.” She gave a small wave. “I’m one of the firefighters at the station Blake works at.”
“I’m sorry. Where are my manners?” Kristen grimaced. “You probably don’t know everyone here.”
“I know some.” She waved to Beth and Jen, the wife and girlfriend of Chad and Chuck, who’d been talking quietly.
“Okay, and there’s my future sister-in-law, Tori,” Kristen pointed to a gorgeous brunette. “Tori and Hannah, crazily enough, are now engaged to Blake’s closest friends. One who happens to be my brother. There are some wild stories about how these two got together with their guys, but that’s for another time.”
Hannah and Tori shared a grimace that piqued Amber’s curiosity.
“Definitely have to share those with me sometime. And congrats on your engagements, ladies.”
Kristen leaned forward and lowered her voice.
“And I’m so sorry I assumed you were with Reggie. I had heard he was dating someone, but hadn’t met her yet. The way you guys were standing so close and looking at each other, I just made a stupid assumption.”
Amber flushed. So they really must’ve been looking all moon-eyed at each other. Thank god Rob and Nicole hadn’t been around to see it.
“We’re just good friends. Reggie kind of took me under his wing when I was a probie—a probationary firefighter—just starting out.”
“That’s sweet,” Hannah murmured. “It can’t be easy being a woman in that field.”
“It has its challenges.” She thought back on some of the men who hadn’t been thrilled to have her there. Fortunately, they’d ended up on different shifts. “Some nearby stations have a few women firefighters. It just turned out I’m the only one at ours currently.”
“So, you’re not dating this Reggie guy?” Tori asked and smiled. “Not that it matters. I have no skin in this game. I don’t know who anyone is.”
That had Amber laughing. “No, we’re not dating.”
“Yeah, I really thought you guys would end up together,” Beth tossed in. “The way he seems so protective of you. At least, that’s what Chuck tells me.”
Jen made a murmur of agreement.
Really?
Just when her cheeks had cooled off, the heat came roaring back. Even the captain had noticed how close she and Reggie were?
“Yeah, just friends.” She was beginning to sound like a broken record. She cleared her throat, knowing she had to put an end to the speculation. “Actually, we’re both here with our own dates.”
“Seriously? How in the hell did I miss that? I’m such an idiot,” Kristen muttered.
A flash of red in the doorway caught Amber’s attention. “Oh, look. Here comes Reggie’s date now.”
Nicole opened the sliding glass door and stepped out. “Hi. Mind if I join you ladies? It’s a sausage fest inside.”
All the women outside laughed, and Amber smiled slightly at the term. She’d dropped that one now and then when talking about work.
At least, this Nicole chick had a sense of humor. It helped ease the sting a bit.
“Of course.” Kristen waved her over.
Nicole, in her short dress, settled cautiously into one of the chairs.
“So, you’re with Reggie?” Jen asked.
Nicole seemed to hesitate before giving a quick nod. “Yeah. We’ve been dating around four months.”
“Cool.” Tori watched her closely. “Where did you guys meet?”
“Actually, he was one of my customers.”
Amber’s brows shot up.
Reggie was a customer? Of what?
“Wait, that could sound bad.” Nicole must’ve read her mind and grimaced. She tossed her hair and smiled. “I’m a waitress, and Reggie had been at my restaurant several times. And one day, he just asked me out.”
Jealousy, bitter and hot, twisted inside Amber.
While listening to the other women carry the conversation with Nicole, she sipped on her sparkling water and stared blankly off at Blake and Kristen’s hot tub across the yard.
Damn.
It didn’t bode well that she was jealous of Reggie dating another woman. And here she’d thought she’d come so far since that kiss.
Maybe she needed to try to take things further with Rob. At least make out with him a little and see if he evoked any kind of physical reaction.
She hadn’t let it go past a deep kiss, which had been pleasant. Not couldn’t-think-straight-my-panties-are-melting hot like she’d had with Reggie, but not awful.
And Reggie was off the table, so she had to move on.
Her gaze drifted to the patio doors, where the men were inside, talking.
Rob and Reggie looked to be in a deep conversation, and her eyes widened.
Well, that was weird. What? Were they, like, bonding now or something?
“Amber, I get a little jealous of you, honestly.”
Her attention snapped back at Nicole’s words. The hair on the back of her neck lifted, and she could’ve sworn the other women leaned forward in their chairs a bit too.
“Of me?” Amber tilted her head.
Nicole sighed, her expression indeed full of envy. “You’re the only female around all those hot firefighters. Not to mention your abs are, like, amazing.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Amber thought she saw Tori roll her eyes.
Hannah turned to ask Kristen a question about lunch. And Beth and Jen restarted their conversation too.
Clearly, they weren’t impressed with Nicole’s confession.
Amber tried to figure out what to say, but how on earth did she reply to that? It wasn’t exactly a deep comment. Maybe even a little offensive by reducing her coworkers to just a bunch of hot bodies.
“No need to be jealous. The guys are basically my family.”
“Yeah, that’s what Reggie says about you too.”
It was really hard not to wince, but somehow Amber managed to keep the tight smile on her face.
Nicole pulled out her phone, adjusted her hair and smiled big. Then took a selfie.
Interesting. Weird.
“Sorry,” Nicole apologized, looking a bit embarrassed. “I take an abnormally large number of pics and selfies. Reggie probably thinks I’m nuts. My parents are in California and can’t visit. My dad has a ton of health stuff and appointments. But it makes him and my mom so happy to see my pictures on social media. So, in a weird way, it’s for them.”
“I’m sorry about your dad. That’s really sweet of you.”
Just when she was stacking up reasons to dislike the other woman, Nicole had to go say something like that, which made her more likable.
Let this crush on Reggie go and let him be happy with his girlfriend.
She glanced back to see Rob inside, who’d been watching her. He lifted his hand in a wave and smiled.
It was time to move on.
Tonight she was going to let things progress with him.
If for no other reason than the needed distraction from Reggie.
Because, Lord help her, she still needed it.
*
From where he was hosing off the engine, Reggie glanced over to Amber, who was sweeping the empty bay.
She sure looked cheerful this morning and had been chatting with the guys like she hadn’t been standoffish to everyone for the last few weeks.
Which had to mean she was over it. Over being angry with him. Wanting him.
Whatever had happened between her and Rob last night had sure left her in a good mood.
He mentally shoved away any images of what might have happened between the two, and the flame of jealousy that roused with it.
It was great that Amber had met someone she liked, he reminded himself. That’s what he’d wanted.
So why isn’t it a relief?
Rob wasn’t as big of a tool as he’d first written him off to be. He’d wanted to dislike the guy, but when they’d talked at the party yesterday, Reggie had discovered that Rob wasn’t half bad.
Yeah, he liked flashy cars and was the super confident type, but he seemed decent.
Reggie grumbled and turned off the hose, right as the tone started.
“Figures,” Adam called to him. “Just get the engine clean, and we’re on our way back out again.”
Reggie laughed. “You know it.”
Everyone hustled to gear up for the single-family house fire, which was their first big fire of the day. Being early in the shift, they’d just had basic life support calls and smaller fires.
They pulled up on the house fire with four engines, a ladder truck, a rescue unit, and an ambulance.
Reggie climbed out of the truck and Amber followed, along with the rest of the personnel. They quickly assessed the fire to formulate a response.
It was in the self-sufficient stage, where the fire was using the heat to cause the combustion of other surrounding fuel sources. Flames licked through the upstairs window, and smoke was starting to leak from the roof.
“All right,” the chief called out. “Two in, Reggie and Amber. Two out, Chad and J.D.”
Reggie pulled down his SCBA mask, a wave of gratitude rolling through him as his vision stayed in focus. Thank god for the prescription insert, because wearing his actual glasses into a fire was a safety concern.
Some firefighters in the field just ditched the glasses all together, because you couldn’t see much, anyway, and were aiming at an orange glow.
But that wasn’t how he rolled.
Nodding at Amber, they made their way into the fire. It was just a sea of black smoke and nearly impossible to see.
But they kept moving forward and up the stairs, before finally reaching the fire. And the fucker was spreading fast.
Everything was a blur of water, smoke, and flames while he and Amber attacked. But they were barely making a dent.
The first flicker of unease hit as Reggie glanced around.
Shit. This was a battle they weren’t winning. The fear of a flashover grew—where the entire place would be engulfed instantly.
“Get out. Exit the building immediately.”
When the command came in over the radio, Reggie didn’t need to be told twice. He turned with Amber, following the hose back onto the stairs and out toward the front of the house.
