Wrapped in Flame (2 page)

One problem at a time.

Erica pulled in a much-needed breath and scrolled through the numbers on her cell phone while she paced the empty living room. The firefighter family was hers for now. All it would take was a call to any one of them, and she’d have all the help she needed to move tomorrow.

Her heart skipped a beat when she came to Mike Barnard’s number—the other reason she knew her marriage to Keith was a mistake. The man made her blood sizzle in ways she couldn’t describe. She’d met him when she’d met the rest of Keith’s crew. Something had kept drawing her and Mike together that night, like magnets. She should have known, should have realized. Keith proposed that very night after everyone left. Almost as if he felt threatened. Maybe he did. After all, he had an agenda of his own—her money.

Erica shook the memory away. Mike still did things to her that she’d never believed possible, and he never once crossed the line beyond friendship. Neither had she. He was her friend. If truth be told, her best friend. Logic decreed he be the one she called now. She called Trish Delaney instead.

“Hey, you. What’s up?” Trish’s bubbly greeting bolstered Erica’s mood.

“I could use a little muscle tomorrow, moving my things from the house into my new place.”

“Woo-hoo! You finally did it! You left the son of a bitch.”

Erica managed a small laugh. “Yeah, all about the planning. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as smoothly as I’d hoped.” She gave Trish the rundown of events.

“Bastard. The guys’ll go over there right now—”

“No. I don’t want any trouble.” Nothing could risk her bigger plan. “Keith’s spoiling for a fight. It won’t go well. He’s on-shift tomorrow. That will be the better time.”

Trish huffed. “Where are you now?”

“In my new place.” Erica gave her the address. “I was getting ready to head out for pizza and to find a motel room for the night.”

“Screw that. We’re coming to get you.” Trish disconnected without waiting for a response.

Erica didn’t have the energy to call back and argue with her. Hell, suddenly she wasn’t sure she had the energy to move. The luggage in her car disagreed. She had at least fifteen minutes before Trish showed up. Time she could use to unpack some of her stuff. An overnight bag would suffice for her stay with the Delaneys.

Anger and adrenaline had helped her carry the suitcases to her car. All Erica had going for her this time was determination, because those suckers were heavy as hell. She wouldn’t put it past Keith to have packed them with rocks. Relief sagged through her when she opened one up and found clothing, complete with hangers. It looked as if he’d grabbed everything from her closet and dumped it in.
Fine by her.
She discovered a similar disarray in the other three suitcases. She did a quick inventory and found all her clothing and personal effects accounted for. At least he’d done something right. Maybe things weren’t going to be so bad after all.

“Erica?”

Her breath caught at the sound of Mike’s voice echoing through the empty house. Nerves quivered along the surface of her skin.

“I’m in the bedroom. Be right—”

His body filled the doorway before she could finish the sentence. Damn, but he looked fine. His deep-blue eyes settled on her face. At six-four, he made Erica’s five-ten feel petite. It was one of the things she’d liked about him, one of many. Too many. She stood frozen by the closet, her body alive and fully aware this was a real man in front of her.

“I…I was expecting Trish.”

“She called.” A slow step brought him nearer. “I came right away.” Another step. “Is everything here?” He motioned to the bags. “Clothes, personals, papers, jewelry?”

“Clothes and personals, yes. My valuables are in a safe-deposit box Keith can’t access. I always carry my laptop in the car.”

“Did he hurt you? Hit you?” Fingers coiled into loose fists at Mike’s sides promised retribution if he had.

Erica shook her head. “No. You can put the guns away.” She pointed to his fists.

Mike glanced down. The hint of a flush rushed his face, then disappeared. He shrugged off the lapse and advanced again, slow, determined, until only inches separated them. She stared into his eyes, shaken by the unmistakable fire blazing there. Indignation over her circumstances, or something more?

“Good, because if he did, I’d have to hurt him.”

Erica managed a little laugh. “You wouldn’t have to. I could hurt him myself.”

“So you could.” His semblance of a smile didn’t quite make it. “But still, he’s a sneaky little bastard.”

“Tell me about it.”

“He’s hurt you here.” He pressed the pads of his fingers above her heart, right at the curve of her breast. Oh, how she wanted to push it into his palm, feel his grip mold around it.

“He definitely shook what little faith I had in him, disappointed me, but my heart was never his to break. If I’m heartbroken at all, it’s because I failed to trust my instincts in the first place and married him anyway. It was wrong from the start and only got worse.”

“Then why—”

“Did I stay with him so long?” A year of her life wasted. There was no harm telling the truth now. She was financially back on her feet. “He robbed me blind. It’s taken me time to recover enough money so that I could leave him. I knew he’d never move out.”

“You know any of us would have helped you out.”

“My mess. My marriage, such as it was. I retook control I never should have relinquished and worked it out. No sense dragging the rest of you into it. I didn’t want you to have to choose sides.”

“We did that the minute we met you. The only reason we tolerate him now is because of you. There isn’t one of us who wouldn’t go to the mat for you, Erica.”

He said that now, and Erica knew he meant every word, but… “You still have to work with the guy.”

His scowl darkened the room. “Don’t remind me. I do my best to make sure we’re not on the same shift. He’s lazy, incompetent, and those are his
good
qualities. He has no friends at the station. You aren’t the only one he’s screwed.”

“Well, technically speaking, he hasn’t been screwing me.” It was important Mike know that.

There was a hitch in his breath. “Yeah, we’ve noticed the his-and-her rooms. Berto cornered him on that one day.”

Erica could hear Berto.
“What the fuck’s up with that, man?”

“Apparently I snore,” she said. “Or his hours make it easier for him to sleep without me dashing all over the place. Or I twist the covers. Or my body’s too hot.” She lifted her palms. “It was fine with me because at that point the last thing I wanted was him anywhere near me.”

“Keith is an ass. Always was, always will be. I’m glad it’s finally over.”

Mike closed that last bit of distance between them. Her hands came to rest on his hard chest while he slipped one hand around her waist. Long, thick fingers coiled around her neck, cradling it, drawing her closer.

“I know you had to live it, but we had to watch it. You have no idea how frustrating it was for us to not interfere. It’s been hell watching you—”

He pressed his lips together, rolling them, moistening them, tempting her with a taste. What would he do if she stretched up on her toes and kissed him? There’d never been a hint her attraction to him was reciprocated. He’d never crossed a line, never made a pass, never treated her any differently than anyone else. But then, she’d been “taken.” Now she wasn’t.

Mike cupped her head and drew it to his shoulder. “Someone needs a hug.”

“You or me?” She slipped her arms around his neck.

“Both of us?”

Mike did like his hugs. He was always tossing them around. Granted, he never gave hugs this close, but this circumstance was unique. Erica was glad she hadn’t tried to sneak a kiss. She felt silly even thinking he’d want her. A man this yummy had his pick of the crop. Women were always trying to cozy up to him. Beautiful women. She’d envied every one of them when he’d cast that dazzling smile in their direction. A smile that promised a night they’d never forget. She’d wanted to draw them aside afterward for a blow-by-blow account.
Nothing like living vicariously.
But Mike was careful to keep his relationships clear from the crew. Few were allowed within the “family,” as they were called. He never spoke of them either.
“Real men don’t need to kiss and tell.”
How many times had she heard him say that? And there was no doubt Mike Barnard was a real man.

One hand slipped to her lower back. There was the barest hint of pressure there, trying to pull her even closer than they already were. She felt the hardness between them. Hot and unmistakable.

She swallowed, her throat gone dry. Make a move or ignore it? A mistake now risked ruining their friendship. Erica couldn’t bear that. She left control in his hands, let him make the next move.

So why didn’t he make it? Her hopes fell. Because the erection pulsing between them meant nothing. Guys got hard-ons all the time for all manner of reasons. This was no different. She didn’t expect that knowledge to hurt as badly as it did.

“Let’s face it, Erica. I didn’t marry you for your looks.”

That knife thrust to the heart again, similar to words her own family had uttered time and again. Too tall, too big, too opinionated, too…everything that could possibly be wrong with a person. And she had the nerve to think a man like Mike would want
her?
She was buddy material, not mating material. How many men had told her
that
since college?

Tears welled up. She tried her best to fight them. The hurt was too much. Words slashed at her heart. The fantasy she’d carried with her crumbled to ashes around it.

“Oh, sweetheart, it’s okay.” Mike rubbed his big hands over her back. “I’ve got you.”

How she wished that were true.

Chapter Two

Mike thought hell was wanting Erica and knowing she belonged to another man. That hell was knowing the other man was a worthless son of a bitch who didn’t deserve her. No,
this
was hell. Knowing she was finally free, being so hard he thought his dick would burst, wanting nothing more than to drag her naked body next to his and fuck her until he was dehydrated…and being too afraid and unsure to make a move.

If this were any other woman, he’d have her up against the wall, legs around his waist, dry humping her to an orgasm. But he’d known Erica wasn’t just any woman the moment he’d laid eyes on her. Mike damned himself a thousand times over for not having made a move on her then. If he had, she damn sure wouldn’t have married fucking Keith Randall. But no, he’d diddled around, thinking he had time to go slow and sweet, to savor every second of seduction, only to realize after the fact that Keith had stolen the prize, stolen the woman of his dreams and his happily-ever-after. Because that was what Erica was to him—his future. If he didn’t fuck it up yet again.

Being cocksure he’d have her before had gotten him nowhere. Now fear held him captive. They were best friends. That much he had obtained for himself, and he sure as hell didn’t want to lose it. Mike had no idea how she felt about him on
that
level. If she thought about him beyond the bounds of friendship, if she entertained any fantasies about him, if the mere thought of him got her hard and moist between the legs.

Mike clenched his jaw against the rush to his cock. With her this close to him, there was no hiding the erection now. He moved his hand down to the small of her back, aching to bring her closer so he could grind into her soft belly. Then he’d cup her sweet ass and haul her up until she tossed those long legs around his waist.

A sniffle stopped him cold. Yeah, he wanted her bad, but not at the risk of making a false move or being the rebound guy or losing her forever.

“Oh, sweetheart, it’s okay.” Mike rubbed what he hoped were soothing circles over her back. “I’ve got you.”

Liar. You don’t have shit and never did. Do something. Take a fucking chance. What do you have to lose?
Everything, but he had everything to gain as well.

“Erica, I think—”

“This is so messed up! I’m gonna kill that little bastard!”

Mike and Erica started as Bub Shephard’s voice blasted through the house. She jerked away and flicked tears from her cheeks while Mike racked his brain for a way to explain his hard-on.
Maybe they won’t notice.
Right. They noticed. Every single time. It wasn’t a secret how he felt about Erica. Well, maybe to Erica.

“This is bullshit,” CJ added. “Little prick’s got a lot of nerve, kicking her out.”

“The hell with waiting.” Oh shit. Now Gina Cannon was all stirred up. “I say we go over there right now and get Erica’s things.”

Erica darted past him when a chorus of “yeahs” rang out. “No, no, no.”

Mike hauled his dick into a more comfortable position and hurried after her.

“Please don’t,” he heard her tell them. “Keith’s looking for any reason to call in sheriff’s deputies. I’ve had enough drama because of this man to last a lifetime. I really don’t want any more. Keith’s on-shift tomorrow. We’ll handle it then.”

“He’s not there now.” Berto Trejo shoved his way inside. “I did a drive-by. His car’s not there. I got my truck. Mike and CJ got theirs. We get Tim’s—”

“Come on, guys. Erica said no. She’s got this under control.” One thing Mike wasn’t about to do right now was take that control away from her. She was standing tall, on her own. “We follow her lead. We do what she says. She’s the one who has to face him in court.”

Bub snorted. “Not if I—”

Mike snapped his hand up. “Don’t finish that sentence.” Bub was strong enough to turn Keith into matchsticks. Angry enough too.

Gina rubbed her hands together. Worry deepened the furrows in her forehead. “What can we do? We have to do something. What will you do tonight? You can’t stay here in an empty house. Are you staying with Trish? Do you want the kids to see you like this? You’ve been crying. You can stay with me. My couch is pretty comfy, and—”

“I was going to get a room at the Circle Inn,” Erica said, interrupting Gina’s litany of questions. Typical Gina, always needing to have all the answers now.

Silence lasted for about ten seconds.