Sweetest Temptations (6 page)

“Do you know the most important part of first-aid?” he murmured, as his fingers gently massaged my nape. I shook my head in answer. “A kiss to make it all better.”

I was so hot in that moment, that if someone lit me on fire, it would have been as refreshing as a cold glass of water dumped over my head.

Kennedy’s mouth hovered over mine, our bodies flush. I was utterly lost in his eyes, which had turned molten, when bells and sirens began to wail, ripping through our peaceful moment. I jolted from the shock, and my heart thumped wildly for a whole new reason.

“What’s going on?” I asked, stilling in Kennedy’s arms, although, considering where I was, there really was only one guess.

“Emergency,” Kennedy stated simply. By the tight look on his face, I knew what was coming next.

“You have to go.”

“I’m sorry. It’s usually pretty quiet during the afternoon.”

Through the open door, I caught a glimpse of everyone leaping into action, having abandoned their chairs and plates, and were now rushing around and suiting up. I hated that he had to leave, but it was a good dose of reality. I’d finally figured out what was wrong with my sister’s choice. If I planned to date Kennedy, this was what I was signing up for. Days apart, constant worrying over his safety. The realization hit me hard and I felt my shoulders slump. “It’s okay. I know you have to go.”

“I do,” he said, his voice laced with regret. Lifting his hand to trace the curve of my jaw with light fingertips, he spoke quietly, hopefully. “You can stay and wait for me.”

And do what? I had no clue when he would be back, or what state he would be in. I didn’t like the idea of sitting around waiting, wondering. Torturing myself with unanswered questions. “I think I should go,” I told him, my decision made. “You have to work, and I have a cake to bake.”

His eyebrows knit together. “I thought you were closed today?”

“I am. The cake is for the dinner tomorrow at my sister’s. Will you be there?”

Releasing me, he helped me to my feet. As he led us back inside, he said, “I don’t know yet. I’m working tomorrow, but if I can, I will.”

My stomach sank with disappointment, but I understood. He had to work, too, and his job was a lot more important than mine. Still, I found myself hoping that he would be able to get away for a while, because, despite my reservations, I wasn’t nearly finished with this man.

“Kenny, let’s go!” one of the guys shouted as he climbed onto the side of one of the trucks, his neck craning back to look at him.

Kennedy waved his hand, letting him know that he was on his way, and cast me an apologetic look. “I have to take off. Will you be okay letting yourself out?”

I waved a dismissive hand. “Of course.” My heart tripped a little when he stepped forward and laced the fingers on both of our hands together.

“I wish I had time to walk you to your car.”

“Me too. My sense of direction is pretty shitty. I’m surprised I don’t get lost in my own home.”

His deep, throaty chuckle sent a tingling of awareness straight to the spot between my thighs. “You’re incredible.” I wanted to say that I thought he was, too, but the heated look in his eyes stopped my words dead. His gaze dropped to my mouth, and all the blood in my body headed south, turning me into a throbbing, lightheaded mess. Then his lips were on mine, a soft press that quickly turned more aggressive as I pushed my fingers into his hair and pulled him down to me. His questing tongue licked at my bottom lip before dipping inside my mouth, tasting and teasing me until I almost forgot where I was.

Almost.

A truck horn blared followed by a few cat calls. My face heated and I broke the kiss. “You should go.”

“Yeah.” Kennedy watched me for a moment more, appearing dazed. Another honk of the horn snapped him out of it, and a bright smile spread across his face. “Take that door,” he said, pointing to the front of the building. “Then take a left. Your car is only ten feet away, but if you get lost, give me a shout and I’ll come rescue you.”

I smirked. “Cute. Real cute.”

“That’s what they tell me, anyway.” Winking at me, he grabbed his turnouts from one of the hooks on the wall and began pulling it on at the same time he stuffed his feet into a pair of boots.

Shaking my head, I started for the door. “On that note, thank you for lunch.”

Grabbing the last of his gear, Kennedy hurried for the truck, which just happened to be in the same direction I was heading. Hooking his arm around my waist, I was caught by surprise when he hauled me back, my body twisting around and making my head spin. His mouth crashed down on mine and before I had time to register what had just happened, he set me away again. “Anytime,” he said as he leapt onto the truck. “And be careful driving home!”

Jack, who was behind the wheel, began pulling out of the garage. As I watched, I heard his words echo in my head, and the reality of just who I was dating really began to sink in. Kennedy was about to put his life on the line, and he was telling me to be careful. Pressing my hand against the sudden ache in my chest, I whispered after them, “Be safe.”

7

I stayed up late watching the news, and again the next morning before rolling out of bed. I couldn’t stop thinking about Kennedy driving away on the truck, responding to some unknown emergency. He hadn’t called, not that I expected him to. But it would have been nice to have some confirmation that he was still among the living.

Now, as I stood in front of the kitchen sink, my hands submerged in hot, soapy water, I couldn’t help feeling disappointment and a growing sense of unease. Not only had Kennedy not called, he hadn’t shown up to dinner, either. Granted, he did tell me he wasn’t sure if he would be able to make it, but my screwed up mind only heard “might.” I guess I had set my hopes too high.

“Stop worrying,” Amy chastised from her place in front of the stove where she was busily placing the leftover food into containers. “No news is good news.”

Picking a spot of dried-on cheese from the plate I was washing, I told her, “Only idiots say that. No news could just as easily be bad news.” My mood had been deteriorating all day, and I was perilously close to reaching the unfit-for-human-interaction point.

“Boy, you’re a grumpy Gus today.”

I slanted what I hoped to be my most stern glare at her. “Wouldn’t you be if Doug took off, knowing he was running headlong into danger, and he didn’t even bother to call you to tell you he was okay?”

Turning to face me, she braced her hands on the counter behind her. I tried to ignore the serious, thoughtful look she aimed at me, and began rinsing the dishes and placing them carefully into the drying rack. “You’re right, I would be upset, but only because I love him. You haven’t known Ken long enough for that,” she pointed out. “He strikes me as a guy used to taking care of himself. I doubt he’s in the habit of calling to tell someone he is okay, either.”

Well, when put that way, I kind of felt like an ass. Amy was right. I didn’t know Kennedy, not intimately, and certainly not enough to stand here and twist myself into knots over something so innocuous.

“Besides, you’re missing one important fact here.”

Shutting off the water, I accepted the towel she offered me and dried my hands. “And what’s that?”

Her smile was full of big sister know-it-all attitude. “Firefighters do a whole hell of a lot more than fight fires, that’s what.”

Setting the now damp towel aside, I frowned. “What do you mean, that’s not all they do?” Even as the question crossed my lips, I recalled the way Kennedy had taken care of me. He knew exactly what he was doing. A tiny shiver traced down my spine remembering the feel of his hands on my body, how expertly he handled me, turning what had been an embarrassing and painful moment into a fantasy that followed me home and into my dreams later that night.

“Of course, that’s not all they do. Firefighters are at every call. Haven’t you seen the ambulances and the fire trucks together before? Or the fire trucks and the police cars? I’m not claiming to be an expert here, but I’m pretty sure they are what you call first responders. They know and do a heck of a lot more than just putting out fires, Abs.”

Throwing the towel on the counter, I leaned back and sighed. “Yeah, I guess. It’s just that…” I trailed off, unsure of what to say. I wasn’t normally the wear-your-heart-on-your-sleeve type of girl.

“Just that you were hoping he would be here,” Amy finished for me. I nodded and she smiled warmly. “I’m sure he would have been here if he could have. He really likes you.”

My heart gave a little flutter. “Oh yeah? And how would you know that?”

“Doug,” Amy said simply. “He had an appointment with Ken last week and apparently you’re all he could talk about. Doug’s words, not mine.”

I perked up at this news, feeling a thrill of excitement to hear that Kennedy had been thinking of me, had been interested enough to ask anything about me. “What did he say?”

Amy’s shoulders lifted and fell. “I’m not sure. Doug was pretty tight-lipped. All he said was Ken asked a lot of questions and he had to keep redirecting him back to business.”

My mind scrambled for topics he may have touched on. What could he want to know about me? If I had kids? Ever been married? I also began to wonder what I might have overlooked asking
him
.

“How did your date go?” Amy asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

“Good,” I said vaguely. “We went to a hockey game and I ate my weight in carbs.” She gave me one of her brilliant smiles. I chewed my lip, preparing to tell her the biggest news. “And we kinda got together for a second date yesterday.”

“Shut. Up!” Amy yelled, punctuating her words with a swift punch in my upper arm.

“Damn, Amy!” I grimaced, rubbing the sort spot. That was going to bruise.

“Sorry. This is so exciting, though! Does this mean you like him?”

“Yeah,” I said looking away. “I like him.”

The next thing I knew, Amy’s arms were wrapped tight around me. “Oh, Abby, I’m so happy for you!”

The thing about me, I’ve never been much of a hugger. Not that I shun human contact or anything, but hugging was a little more intimate than I preferred in general, everyday situations. I reserved the act for meaningful moments, like saying goodbye, or life and death moments. Patting Amy briefly on the back, I pulled away and cleared my throat. “Thanks, but let’s not get carried away. It was just a date. He didn’t ask me to marry him.”

“But he could,” Amy pointed out, her eyes gleaming. “This is how it all starts, Abs. First, the date, followed by another date, and before you know it he’s down on one knee and you’re shopping for three bedrooms in a cul-de-sac. We could be neighbors!”

I rolled my eyes. “Two dates and you already have me married off and pregnant. Jeez, Louise!”

“It’s every girl’s dream,” Amy said with a teasing lilt in her voice. “You can’t tell me you don’t want the fairy tale. Every girl wants the fairy tale.” Pushing away from the counter, she motioned me to follow her into the living room.

“Of course I want the fairy tale,” I groused as we sat down on opposite ends of the couch and turned to face each other. “Someday. I’m not in a rush to get to the altar.”

“Abby, I hate to tell you this, but you’re not getting any younger.”

“Maybe not,” I conceded, “but that doesn’t mean I’m going to rush to find someone who fits my version of Prince Charming. If I do that, then I’ll end up with his evil twin, Sir Atrocious.”

“Fine, take your time, but don’t take too long. You don’t want to wake up one day and realize you’re forty years old and have no prospects. You’re gorgeous, but, sweetie, there’s nothing gorgeous about a desperate, middle-aged woman hunting for Mr. Right in the middle of a nightclub.”

I gave my sister my best scowl. “Do I look like a clubber to you?” I asked, waving my hands at my basic white capris and pale yellow scoop neck top.

Amy’s eyebrows rose skeptically. “Desperation does funny things to a person.”

“I’m not desperate!”

“Wait ten years.”

Snatching one of the many decorative throw pillows lined up between us, I lobbed one at her head, shouting, “I’ll show you desperate!” Squealing, Amy selected a pillow and threw it blindly, catching me square in the face. From there, a pillow fight ensued. “You’re going down, Saunders!”

“Not if I take you down first, old maid!”

We were in hysterics, battering each other over the heads with our padded weapons, when a throat cleared. Our laughter died off, and together, Amy and I looked up to find Doug and Kennedy standing there watching us, amused smiles on their faces. “Sorry to interrupt the…uh…”

“Beat down?” I supplied, and squawked when Amy brought her pillow down on my head again. “Cheater!” I accused. “I wasn’t ready.”

“Never let your guard down around me, sis, you know this.”

“Yeah, anyway.” Doug shifted everyone’s attention back to him. “I found this guy loitering outside on the porch.”

Once again, my attention was drawn to Kennedy. When ours eyes locked, I felt my stomach flip. Hell, he looked good. Dressed in a pair of khaki cargo shorts and a blue and white fitted stripped polo, I could see every hard muscle in his chest and arms. My mouth turned into a desert when they flexed, however imperceptibly, under my watchful gaze. “How you doing, Abby?” My eyes lifted, focusing on his mouth and the delicious sound of his gruff voice.

“Good,” I said, my voice sounding more demure than I would have liked. I brought the pillow I was holding to my chest, clutching it between both arms. “I thought you said you had to work tonight?”

“I did. My shift ended twenty minutes ago.”

Immediately, I calculated the time it would take him to get here from the station: ten minutes, give or take. Did that mean he had come here straight from work? To see me? My heart tripped. “Oh, well, I’m glad you could make it.”

“Are you hungry, Ken?” Amy cast her pillow aside and stood, smoothing her hair and clothes. “We just put dinner away, but I would be happy to fix you up a plate.”

Kennedy lifted his hand to stop her. “No need. I grabbed a burger on the way over.”

“You came straight from work?” Amy asked, voicing my unspoken question. Her quick glance in my direction was full of meaning, and I silently thanked her. Every muscle in my body tensed, waiting for his answer.

“I sure did,” he said, a soft smile teasing his lips as he stared right at me.

Amy and Doug looked between us, assessing the situation. Then Amy grinned and she went to stand at her husband’s side, her hand slipping around his arm to grip his bicep. “That’s about the sweetest thing ever. You two should sit, catch up. Doug and I will…” She gave him a questioning look.

“We have some, uh, laundry to do,” he filled in for her, and then, with a quick, “You two have fun,” he dragged my sister from the room.

The room plunged into an awkward silence as Kennedy and I continued to watch one another. He was so handsome, and when a slow smile crept across his face, my stomach somersaulted and my breath caught in my lungs.

Forcing myself to break eye contact, I sat back and patted the couch cushion. “Here, have a seat. I’m sure you’re tired after working all day.”

Kennedy sat extremely close, eliminating any personal space I might have wanted, but didn’t. If I had my way, I’d be sitting in his lap right now. Dropping his head back, Kennedy’s eyes slid closed and he inhaled deeply, yawning as he breathed out. “Sorry, it’s been a long day.”

I waved him away, his absence from the dinner table forgotten. “Don’t be sorry. I’m sure running into burning buildings, getting all hot and sweaty and…” My words slowed as my gaze traveled over him, noting all the hard, toned muscle hidden beneath the thin cotton fabric. Even the thick network of veins traveling from his strong hands to the tops of his biceps where they disappeared beneath his shirt sleeves were sexy as hell, and I found myself feeling a little flushed. “And…”

“And…?”

I blinked, very aware of my sudden arousal. Kennedy was watching me, a cocky smirk on his face, and I looked away, embarrassed. “So, how was work today? Did you save any lives?”

“If you consider saving a goldfish a life, yes, ma’am. We were called to a fire in the warehouse district. Someone accidentally set a trashcan on fire when they dumped their ashtray into it. Thankfully, the only life there to save was Old Goldie. But hey,” he said, picking up my hand and placing it on his hard thigh, “what were you about to say? ‘And’ what?”

I’ve never been shy, per say. I’ve always been the kind of person who spoke her mind and without apology, but there was something about Kennedy that turned me into a blushing school girl. “I was just going to say that being a firefighter must be a hard job,” I said lamely as I lightly scratched my nails over his shorts. My cheeks burned at the lie. I could still feel the butterflies twittering in my stomach, their flight renewed as Kennedy shifted closer, transferring my hand from his right to his left so he could lift his arm over my head and tuck it around my shoulders.

With his eyes on my face, he lowered his head to mine, tracing his lips lightly over the curve of my jaw. The feathery touch stole my breath and suddenly all of my senses became hypersensitive. The cool, clean scent of his cologne in my nose, the roughness of his calloused fingers around mine, the heat from his body scorching mine everywhere our skin touched, and the light tickle of his breath on my face—all of it sent tingles down my spine and caused an almost painful pinch of desire to take up residence between my legs.

“Are you the kind of girl who gets off on men in uniform?” Kennedy mused, his voice a low rumble as his lips skimmed my neck. I tilted my head automatically, giving him permission to continue his sensual assault. “Does it excite you, knowing that I run toward danger, and I conquer it?”

Imagining Kennedy running into burning buildings, when everyone else was running away, scared me. But he was right. It also thrilled me. Just knowing that he was strong and brave, able to battle the forces of nature and come out on top, made me wet. “Yes,” I admitted, and was rewarded with Kennedy’s hot, wet tongue as he licked the pounding pulse below my ear.