Bad Boy's Heart: A Firemen in Love Series Novella (8 page)

“What did you say?”

“...Nothing.”

There was a hint of distrust in her eyes as she slowly closed the door. Hell, she was right to be wary of me. Look how much I managed to hurt her already without even meaning to.

As the shower ran, I lay on the bed and let the dirty fantasies of her play in my head. What was the point of resisting? Not like I could think of much else, anyway.

She was in there, naked, right freaking now. It would be so very easy to open that door – just a crack – and fulfill my unrelenting curiosity.

What was that annoying noise? Oh. Her phone was ringing on the table. Dazed, I swiped at it and answered. A woman squeaked on the other end.

“Oh, excuse me, I must have the wrong number.”

“If you're looking for Alicia, she's in the shower.”

“Uh... Who is this?” The girl was obviously confused.

“Alicia's new husband,” I announced, because I figured I ought to say so just in case.

“
What?
Andy, is that you?” She screamed like a banshee in my ear. “How dare you screw her over like that! What kind of asshole just dumps a woman at the altar, huh? You useless, evil piece of human trash.”

“Hey now, that's a bit harsh,” I tried to interrupt her. “And I'm not –”

“I always knew you were no good for her. You should have at least had the decency to break things off before the wedding.” Her voice got louder and louder. “Well, you know what? I hope you get
herpes
for what you've done.”

I had to hold the phone away from my ear so she didn't make me go deaf. Alicia emerged from the bathroom – clothed, much to my dismay, but smelling so damn amazing I was
this
close to pulling off her shorts anyway.

“Carter? What in the world are you doing on my phone?”

I winced as the girl's voice pierced my eardrums through the speaker. Alicia snatched it from me with a glare, as if I had done something horribly wrong.

Great going, Carter. Let's piss her off even more. What a wonderful way to get those panties off her, eh?

“Dana, please. Calm down. It's me.” The shrill hissing abated. “What? No, that wasn't Andy. It's my friend Carter.”

Mass confusion, I'm sure, ensued. I sprawled on the bed, too exhausted from Dana's verbal assault to move.

Alicia put her friend on speaker phone while she brushed her hair.

“I'm
sooo
sorry I wasn't there for you at the, uh... the thing yesterday,” Dana wailed. “But my professors refused to let me postpone the exams. Bastards.”

“It's all right.”

“But I heard what that douche did to you. Where is he, huh? I'll chop off his balls myself if it'll make you feel better.”

“What a pal,” I whispered, brushing against Alicia on the way into the bathroom. The sweet scent of her shampoo followed me, and I smiled like a lovesick idiot, unable to help it.

“That's not necessary, but thanks for your support. I just feel bad all those people got plane tickets and hotel rooms in Texas.”

“Weren't they mostly on Andy's side? Screw 'em, then.”

Well, now. Alicia sure had made some interesting friends since last time we saw each other.

“I just wish you were here in Florida. Then we could hit the town and find us some hotties to take home.”

“Actually, I
am
in Florida. I just flew into Sanibel to visit grandma and grandpa.”

Dana was understandably confused. “But who was that man claiming to be your husband? If this is some kind of sick joke...”

Alicia looked at me like I was a cockroach climbing up the wall. Christ, just how mad did I make her?

The funny part about it all was that I actually
cared.

I was a lot like Jayce and my other buddies in that regard. To me, nothing was a bigger turn-off than a woman having an emotional breakdown. Why get involved with one of them when there were so many others out there?

Alicia wasn't just any woman, though. She was a friend. There was nothing I'd not do for her; I came to that conclusion long ago.

“Don't you dare tell anybody about this, got it? Not a soul.”

“Jesus, Alicia. You know I can keep a secret.”

She took a deep breath. “We're kinda on our honeymoon pretending to be married.”

Dana flipped out; she patiently explained our ploy and all the reasons for it. I had to give the woman credit for being so calm, really. Guess dealing with a bunch of bratty five-year-old kids all day had rubbed off on her.

“I get it,” Dana said finally. “Ed and Susie have always been a bit loony tunes. It sucks you've got to do this, but I mean, c'mon. It's millions of dollars we're talking here.”

“So you promise you'll keep your mouth shut?”

“How can you doubt me?” She squealed. “But hey, this means if you're not
really
married, we can go out partying after all!”

“Oh, Dana, I don't know.”

“C'mon, what else are you going to do all night? Hang out with your loser friend?”

“I heard that,” I shouted. “It'd be nice if you bothered to meet a guy before passing judgment.”

Alicia was mortified. “He's not a loser. He's a firefighter, and I've known him for years.”

“A firefighter, you say?” Dana cackled. “Whoo, that changes things, then. Is he single?”

“I... I don't know!”

Poor Alicia was turning redder and redder. I thought it was pretty damn funny, but did feel just a
little
bad for her.

“Whatever. You're meeting me at Club Captiva tonight, and I don't wanna hear any complaining about it. It's half price drinks for ladies on Friday, y'know.”

“I told you, I've got company.”

“So bring him too. He sounds cute.”

I winked at Alicia, who looked as though she might puke. She put her hand over the receiver.

“Sorry about her.”

“Don't worry about it. And I think going out for drinks sounds like a good way to spend the night.”

Dana kept begging her until finally, she relented.

“Fine. Maybe one night with some random guy's just what I need to get my mind off Andy.”

“That's my girl! You won't be disappointed in the selection. Men at Captiva are hot.”

Wait a minute. What? She'd screw some stranger, but not me?

Could she not see how fucking
bad
I wanted her?

Jealousy stirred in me as she went to do her makeup. If only I had the balls to tell her how I really felt – although she wasn't stupid. She surely already knew.

Problem was, I don't think she cared.

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” I called to her from my perch on the bed.

“You're the one who encouraged me to say yes.”

“To drinks, yeah. Not messing around with other dudes. I mean, don't you think it's a bit early for that? You only just broke up yesterday.”

“Better to get it out of my system quick,” she said, staring at the mirror.

“I just don't like the idea of it.”

She threw down her curling iron. “I don't see what business it is of yours. Are you gonna tell me what I can and can't do now, just like Andy did?”

“Don't you dare compare me to him. Unlike him, I actually give a shit about you.”

“All you care about is getting laid. You said so yourself.”

Well, yeah, but...

But that was before Alicia marched back into my life. Now I wanted more than sex with whoever threw themselves at me. I wanted it with
her,
and nobody else.

She wasn't interested in me, though. She was far too angry for that. And, like she said, I wasn't her keeper. If she wanted to take a new man to bed every night this week, who was I to stop her?

“It'll be fun,” she continued, her tone icy. “Captiva's full of gorgeous women. Isn't that right up your alley?”

Her words stabbed me like a knife. I was too hurt to respond.

You know what? Fine. If this was what she wanted, screw it. She could have her fun, and I'd have mine.

Convincing myself that I was okay with it, though, wasn't gonna be that easy.

Chapter 8 - Alicia

Club Captiva wasn't my usual sort of hangout. It was packed with people, and the bass-heavy dance music played so loudly that my brain rattled in my skull.

“Alicia!” Dana squealed and charged at me with open arms. “Oh, girl, it's so good to see you.”

Dana was my cousin on dad's side, but because she lived in Florida, I hadn't seen her in over a year. She still had the same purple hair, but a few new tattoos adorned her arms.

“I'm glad we could meet up,” I yelled over the noise, but she wasn't looking my way anymore.

She stared at Carter and licked her lips. I tried to squash the jealous feelings. Me, jealous that other girls found him attractive? No, of course I wasn't.

“Might this be the sexy firefighter you were telling me about?”

Carter beamed, not seeming to mind the attention at all. He stuck out his hand for her to shake.

“That's me. Name's Carter McGraw.” He looked her over. “Nice ink. I just got a new one done myself, a few weeks back.”

I bristled as he showed her the tattoo on his arm. She enthusiastically pulled up her shirt to show him the bunny on her hip.

Were they already flirting? Oh,
hell
no.

“Come on.” I pulled Dana away to the bar. “Let's go get those half-price drinks you told me about.”

“Girl, I've already gotten started. Gave the bartender my number so he'll pour heavy on the vodka.”

The second we approached the bar, all eyes were on Carter. Women giggled and whispered as he strode past. It was clear he had his pick of any of them.

I didn't blame them for staring. He moved with confidence through the crowd. His laugh was contagious, his smile enough to make me weak in the knees.

He'd showered, shaved, and dressed up. Earlier, at the hotel, I'd watched him as he got ready, wanting him desperately but too mad and prideful to say so.

“So you two have quite the little scheme going on.” Dana sipped her drink and pointed to my fake wedding band. “Better take those off, don't you think? No man in his right mind will hit on a 'married' woman.”

“Yeah. Guess you're right.”

I caught Carter watching me as I slid the ring off. He frowned and followed suit.

Why did removing this ring feel so incredibly wrong?

“You're lucky to have such a good friend,” Dana continued, practically rubbing against him. “Ah... You
are
just friends, right?”

No. No, we weren't. There was chemistry crackling between us, emotions running high that were too painful for us to discuss.

If only we could both be honest. If only things had gone differently ten years ago.

“Yeah,” Carter confirmed. “She needed some help after that Andy asshole ditched her, so here I am, her fake husband. Not sure I'm doing such a good job of it, though.”

“Oh, why is that?”

“I'm not much good at commitment,” he said with a shrug. “Being tied down just isn't my thing. I've always been more into playing the field. Exploring my options.”

“Mm. I know exactly what you mean. Like, if I had to screw the same man for the rest of my life, I'd be miserable. It'd get so boring after a while.” She grabbed my arm. “Don't you agree, Alicia?”

Carter was watching me for my reaction. I felt sick when I looked at him anymore.

He'd never settle down. Marriage wasn't for him. He liked variety too much – which was precisely why I couldn't give in to my desire for him.

I'd always remember the joy of our first kiss, followed by the hurt of him choosing another girl over me. If I actually slept with him, only for him to wander off into another woman's arms after...

I couldn't bear it. Not again.

“Well, Allie?” Carter asked. His playful smile, however, was wearing down my resistance.

“Do I agree? No, not really,” I said quietly. “I was about to get married, after all. When you love someone, you
enjoy
being with them, and only them.”

“But you said you never really loved him,” he retorted.

I felt like punching him. Even Dana, the perpetual chatterbox, realized he'd gone too far. She turned to some guys hanging around the bar and began talking with them instead.

“Yes, let's announce my relationship problems for all the world to hear.” I pushed past him, spilling some booze on him as I did. “I told you that in confidence.”

“Look, I'm sorry. I was just trying to...” He shook his head. “Never mind.”

I grabbed Dana and left him there. If he enjoyed a revolving carousel of women, then by all means, let him have his pick. I wasn't gonna be one of his conquests. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.