Fire of the Wolf [The Gray Pack] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (5 page)

“Sure, I’m attracted to you. I mean look at you. But I’m well past the age of letting lust rule my life, Devin. Sex doesn’t equal stability, and that’s what I want in my life. I need some logical answers and a plan for tomorrow.”

“I don’t mean lust, Caroline, but it’s good to know you want me as much as I want you.” He paused and watched the flush of heat rise in her cheeks and her breathing pick up. “I mean deep down, can you honestly tell me that you don’t feel a connection?”

* * * *

Caroline’s hand rested on Devin’s hard, muscular pec, and she could feel his steady heartbeat. She couldn’t find any air in her lungs, and her voice wouldn’t work, so she remained silent. As they stared at each other, her lips parted, and her eyes drifted over his face. With his high cheekbones and that square jaw, he looked like he was cut from a slab of granite. He had a strong nose, and it reminded her of a picture she once saw of a proud Native American warrior. Domineering and controlling, he was hard in all the right places and soft where a woman needed him to be. Her gaze reached his mouth. He had sensual lips that were fuller on bottom, and perfectly straight teeth. Her gaze held steady there until his lips turned up into a satisfied smirk. She had just enough time to think to herself
yes
, and his lips met hers in an explosive kiss.

She felt the struggle within him to keep his control as his lips explored hers. The kiss was possessive and demanding, but so soft she knew that she had the choice to stop it. To her surprise she didn’t want to, and she melted into it. Her hand grasped a fistful of his shirt while his hand came up to hold her jaw. His tongue drifted softly across her bottom lip as she opened to him, and their tongues began to dance. Never had she experienced a kiss so powerful. She could feel him to the painted-pink tips of her toes, and she wanted to pull him into the bed with her and tear his clothes away. She wrapped her fingers tightly into her blanket, forcing herself to sit still and just enjoy his embrace.

Devin pulled back first, still holding her chin gently in his strong hand, and he stared into her eyes as he let out a sigh.

“Shit, sugar. That was intense. I knew you would taste good.” He smiled that dimpled smile, and she almost smiled back.

The arrogance of the statement settled into her brain again like a cold tidal wave, and she jerked her head away from his grip. What was she doing? The smoke must have ruined her brain or at least damaged it somehow.

“Get out,” she said softly, refusing to meet his eyes. “Please just go, and leave me alone. I need to think.” Devin looked stunned and stood silently for a few moments before he turned to the door.

“I will be outside if you need me, Caroline. We will talk more later, but believe me, we will finish this.” He walked calmly from the room, and Caroline leaned back into her pillows and cried herself to sleep.

Tina woke her from her slumber several hours later to check her vitals.

“You’re awake!” She smiled at Caroline warmly as she checked her blood pressure. Caroline couldn’t resist smiling back at her closest friend. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m pretty sore right now. My lungs hurt, and my throat is raw.” She reached for the ice water still sitting on her bedside table, and took several swallows.

“Yeah, you will be a little raw tonight, and then feel better by tomorrow. Your bruises won’t heal very fast though. That one on your left hip had us worried when they brought you in. Thankfully the X-ray showed that it wasn’t broken, just bruised.” Tina chattered away as Caroline lifted her gown to look at the bruise in question. It was black and purple, and really did look bad. It must have come from her tumble down the stairs. She laid her head back against the bed as Tina shined a flashlight into her eyes, and looked at her throat. Then she offered Caroline a pain pill, and waited patiently as she swallowed it down.

“So, are Mr. Sexy and Mr. Damn Sexy good friends of yours that you never told me about? If so, why the hell didn’t you tell me about them? They are sitting outside your door looking like guard dogs right now. And one of them told Dr. Lou he was your fiancé?” She sat on the edge of the bed and smiled conspiratorially at Caroline.

“Their names are Devin and Damon. I’ve never met them before today. They are firemen, and the one with the dimple on the right cheek is Damon—I think—anyways, he is the fireman that helped me out of the building. No, I am not seeing them, and I’m not sure why they would tell people we are engaged. Oh my God! I hope that doesn’t get passed around the rumor mill. I’ll have to talk to them and make sure they don’t have the wrong impression. Anyways, how did you end up on this floor tonight?” She settled back into her pillows, enjoying the comfort of chatting with Tina.

“Dr. Lou owed me a favor, so I called it in tonight. I couldn’t have my best friend in the hospital and
not
be her nurse, could I? Why wouldn’t you want them to have the wrong impression? How could you not want to explore the possibilities?” Tina was clearly not interested in discussing her job, and wanted the dirt on the brothers. Caroline sighed heavily, and looked down at her fingers which she had unknowingly clenched tightly together.

“They say that they feel something for me. I guess they think it’s like love at first sight or something? I’m sure they won’t stick around much longer. They are pretty hot though, huh?” She shared a smile with her friend and licked her lips.

“Honey, if one of them even hinted at an interest in me, I would drop my panties and jump on him! I think that you need to relax and enjoy the attention. Maybe I can have whichever one you decide you don’t want?” Tina moved from the bed, patting Caroline’s hand as she stood. “So what are you going to do when you leave here tomorrow? The apartment building is toast. Where will you go?”

“I don’t know yet. I guess a hotel.” A teary sting filled Caroline’s eyes for just a moment at the reminder that all of her worldly possessions were gone.

“You could stay with me if you want to, but you will have to take the couch. The Red Cross might help you with the cost of the hotel if you prefer it.” Caroline smiled at Tina, knowing that her offer was generous, but unrealistic. Tina lived in a tiny one-bedroom townhome that was barely enough space for her, much less a live-in guest.

“No, actually the guys offered to let me stay at their place in a spare room. I’m a little apprehensive about taking their offer though.”

“
What
? Are you joking? Two sexpots rescue you from a burning building, fall madly in love with you, and now they want you to come and live with them—together? Have I just stepped into the twilight zone? Earth to Caroline.
Say yes
!” Caroline laughed out loud at Tina’s outburst. Tina was such an outgoing, carefree soul, and she seemed to say what was on her mind without a filter. Caroline knew that Tina had a softer, more self-conscious side to her, and that she didn’t truly trust too many people, so she took it as a good sign that Tina was so easygoing with the twins. She couldn’t help that she second-guessed her choices because she tended to be more reserved. The two women balanced each other well, and had become fast friends when they met their first year of nursing school. Tina had been such a spot of sunshine in Caroline’s dreary world that Caroline had quickly gravitated toward her, and thankfully Tina had helped to pull her further from her depression. They shared the bond of having both lost someone they dearly loved in a horrific tragedy, and they bonded over their grief. They considered each other best friends and yet the only time they seemed to spend together anymore was at work. Caroline made a mental note to herself to make plans to go out with Tina soon. She missed having a social life.

“Caroline? Are you all right? You seemed a long ways away for a minute there.” Tina’s brow had furrowed out of worry, and Caroline sighed again.

“I’m okay, Tina, and you’re right. I need to take more chances. They seem like nice, respectable men, and they are firefighters. I think I will test the waters and agree to stay with them for a few days to get back on my feet. Maybe something will come from it. I haven’t had a relationship in so long though, and I wonder if I would even remember what to do with them if I got them naked.” Her face heated as she shared her thoughts out loud, and Tina licked her lips and smacked them in an air kiss.

“It’s like riding a bike, sister. I’m sure you will manage!” She left the room, laughing loudly, and Caroline heard her pause at the doorway and say to the men. “Hi, I’m Caroline’s best friend, Tina. Keep an eye on her for me, and tell me if she gets disagreeable, in
any
way.”

Caroline couldn’t hear the twins reply, but she groaned at the implications of Tina’s comment. What was she getting herself into?

* * * *

The next morning Caroline’s friends from work filtered in and out of her room checking in on her. There were so many female visitors that she began to wonder if they were actually there to see her, or the man meat outside her hospital-room door. According to Tina several other firemen had visited the hospital, talking with her twins and then leaving. Why would the whole fire department seem to give a damn if she lived or died at this point? This whole damn situation was getting away from her.

She had a promise from her boss that her job was safe, but that he wanted her to take a couple of weeks off to recover. That was okay with her because she had a lot of things to figure out. She had several weeks of paid time off saved up that she had hoped to use for a vacation someday, so she could afford a little bit of time to herself.

Carter hadn’t been back, and she was relieved at that. As much as she appreciated his concern, she also didn’t want to lead him on. He was such a nice guy, and it was impossible not to feel bad for him. She also found that she enjoyed the spark of jealousy she had witnessed from the men when he was around, and it scared her.

As she lay in her hospital bed waiting on the charge nurse to bring her the discharge directions, and bill to sign, she thought again about Molly and Tyler. They were so dear to her, and she had no idea when she would see them again.

She had met the two of them four years ago when they were all moving into the apartment building over the same weekend. Molly, being a single mom with a two-year-old, was struggling to figure out how to simultaneously watch her energetic son, and unpack boxes that the moving company had dropped all over the apartment. Caroline had always wanted to have children of her own, but when her parents died, she realized that if she wanted a stable future she needed a good income, and a career. She had settled for dreaming of personal stability instead of men and love, and it suited her just perfectly.

She had just enrolled in nursing school the year before they met, and the move to the apartment was intended to cut some of her expenses because she could walk to both school and the diner where she was waitressing her way through school.

She had offered to hang out in her free time with them, in order to help keep Tyler occupied, and a true friendship was born. From then on she spent every Friday evening babysitting Tyler for Molly, who had been waitressing at the same diner that Caroline once had. They had dinner together at least one night each week, and Caroline had even trusted Molly enough to share her dreams of a family with her. Molly was encouraging and wanted Caroline to date more often, even though she herself declared that one ex was enough to deal with and she had no desire to date until Tyler was at least out of college.

Caroline even spent last Christmas teaching Tyler how to roll the cookie dough to the proper thickness so that the sugar cookies were just soft enough, and then he had shown her how messy frosting cookies could actually be with a preschooler helping. Caroline had enjoyed the feeling of family that she had when she was with them.

Now she was facing starting over without them around. Knowing Molly’s financial situation, it was unlikely that she would be able to afford to move back to Kansas City after this. She would have to stay in Denver with her sister, and would probably just settle down there. Caroline would miss little Tyler more than she could bear to think about.

Lying in bed, dozing in and out and thinking through her history with Molly and Tyler, she felt a gentle breeze across her cheek. She knew one of the twins was in her room because she could smell him, and feel his heat. She opened her eyes to find Damon watching her apprehensively. His eyes seemed to light up when their gazes met, and she couldn’t hold back her smile.

“Caroline, I’m sorry I was so hard on your friend last night. I didn’t mean to upset you,” he said to her quietly. It was so quiet that she almost wondered if he actually spoke it, or if she just heard his thoughts somehow.

“Thank you for that. You need to understand that I’m not yours to order around, Damon. I’m my own person, and I will make the decisions where my friends are concerned.” She wanted to make sure that he got the point so that they wouldn’t have this misunderstanding again.

“I will try to remember, and control the urge to break his scrawny neck in the future.” The laughter in his eyes calmed her jumping heartbeat as she realized that he was just teasing her.

“Good, I’m glad we have an understanding.” She smiled back, unable to help it. She loved seeing how it made his face light up. God, he was such a sexy man. He was all rough edges, and a soft heart with an unusually deep-seated need to protect her. These two brothers were going to be her undoing. She could sense it.