Protect Me Read online

  Will is a paramedic and a couple of years younger than me. He’s also the only other single one left which, I guess, kinda bonds us together and shit. Will is quiet and more reserved. Not like me. But, we have the same work ethic. Work hard. Work often. Do your job right. Hell, we’re all like that. It’s one of the best qualities we inherited from our dad.

  Finally, there is Avery. She is married to Maddox who happens to be Jake’s best friend. You should have seen the shit hit the fan when Avery and Maddox started sneaking around behind everyone’s back. It got ugly for Maddox. Ugly in the form of a black and blue eye and swollen face. Avery found herself pregnant with my niece, Brooklyn - or Bean as we all like to call her - when she was only eighteen. Wanna elevate my blood pressure to stroke level? Start talking about her loser ex-boyfriend, Drake Connor. Thankfully, we don’t have to worry too much about him. Oh, he’s still around and we run into his ugly mug every once in awhile, but we don’t have to worry about him causing trouble for Avery and Brooklyn. The second the marriage certificate was signed, Maddox started the adoption process. Bean is Maddox’s daughter in every way that counts.

  This past March, Avery gave birth to my other nephew, Ryder. He looks just like Maddox with his dark hair, yet with Avery’s blue eyes. On Sunday, I got to roll around on the floor with him. He’s so close to crawling it’s not even funny. I can’t wait to sit back and watch when he officially becomes mobile and starts terrorizing their home.

  As I approach the heart of downtown Rivers Edge, I see the lights already on inside of Purely Sweet, the small bakery that my mom started almost two decades ago. Mom recently decided to step back from the business, turning it over to my little sister. I haven’t stopped in to say hello lately. When Mom worked the morning shift, I always stopped on my way home from work to steal a cinnamon roll and a cup of decaf. With Avery still learning the ropes, I’ve tried to give her some space, especially because she’s not exactly a morning person. Plus, I’ve been so damn exhausted lately that I thought it’d be best to just bypass the bakery all together and head home to pass out. I know she’s looking to hire someone to open the store for her. Her plan is to work the midmornings and afternoons while the kids are in school or daycare.

  I yawn again as I pull up in front of the bakery. It’s barely six-thirty in the morning and the front door is still locked, though it should be unlocked any minute. I head down the block, around the corner, and down the alley towards the back entrance.

  When I reach the back door, I wrap my large paw around the doorknob and give it a push. I’m instantly assaulted by the scent of vanilla, sugar, and coffee. Mom’s recipes for sweet rolls, cakes, and cookies are legendary in this town. Avery made no changes to the menu or the recipes. Hell, she grew up on these recipes that have been in our family for generations and wouldn’t change a measurement a fraction of a unit.

  I step through the doorway and walk into the large, warm kitchen. The small stereo over the sink is playing some twangy country crap, but I don’t see Avery anywhere. I walk through the kitchen and head towards the front where the display cases and a handful of small tables are located. Just as I start to push through the swinging door and into the front room, I hear a small noise behind me like a floorboard squeaking. I slowly start to turn around when…Wham-O! Something very large and very hard slams into the side of my head. I turn around fully, wondering what in the hell just happened, when I catch another solid blow to the back of my skull. Pain vibrates through my entire head and down my body causing me to drop to my knees instantly.

  “What the hell!?” I shout. I stare at the blurred figure in front of me. It’s definitely a woman, but for some reason, I see three of her.

  The woman drops the pan on the floor, terror written all over her beautiful face, and starts to back away. She’s ready to bolt, I can see it even through the haze. She’s shaking like a leaf, her bluish gray eyes filled with fear.

  I shake my head to try to clear the fog and reach out for her. She turns and runs towards the back door.

  “Wait! Who the hell are you? And where the hell is my sister?” I ask as I give my noggin one final, firm shake.

  The woman reaches the back door and stops. She doesn’t turn around right away, but I can tell that my questions have got her wheels turning. “Who are you?” she asks as she slowly turns towards me.

  I push up off my knees and slowly stand up. I’m instantly dizzy from the sudden movement and start to lean heavily to the right. Fortunately, the doorway keeps me from kissing the concrete floor.

  “My sister owns this place. Who the hell are you?” I ask again.

  “Oh my gosh,” she declares with wide, surprised eyes. Her petite hands both go up to cover her mouth as the shock starts to take hold. She slowly starts to walk towards me, still hesitant with her steps as if she’s afraid I’m going to attack her. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t know who you were, I swear!”

  The woman finally reaches me and hesitantly touches her hand to my forearm. Electricity shoots through my hyper-aware body as the sensation of her touch takes hold. I stagger, again, but this time, I don’t think it’s from the blows to the head.

  “Come over here and sit down,” she says as she leads me towards the closest chair. I drop my large body down onto the hard chair and lean my elbows on the table, cradling my throbbing head.

  “Name?” I ask through gritted teeth.

  “Lia,” she whispers and the sound of her voice, her name, washes over me. “I just started here a couple of days ago. This is my first time opening up in the morning without Avery,” she continues, her voice shaky as she comes down from the adrenaline rush.

  “Well, Lia,” I say as I lift my head out of my hands and gaze into her stunning eyes. “I’m Nate, Avery’s brother. Do you always go around trying to knock off the heads of guys who stop by for a cup of coffee?”

  “No…no. Of course not. You just startled me. I wasn’t expecting anyone. I was getting ready to go unlock the front door when I heard you come in the back,” she says.

  “You could have asked, ‘Who is it?’ or ‘Can I help you?’ Either of those would have been better than striking me with a pan,” I reply deadpanned.

  Lia looks down at her hands that are moving restlessly on the tabletop. It’s the first time I get a decent look at her without the slight concussion affecting my vision. She has her long brown hair pulled up in some sort of bun thingy and sweeping bangs that hang just above her eyes. And her eyes…they are this intoxicating shade of gray with bright blue flakes bursting through. She also has the cutest button nose that makes me want to tweak it with my thumb and finger like I do to my niece, Bean. But by far, her best feature is her neck. Seriously. It’s long and lean and curves seductively from her collarbone to her earlobes. I can see her pulse point beating wildly as she swallows hard.

  “I’m so sorry,” she says again, finally meeting my gaze head-on. “I shouldn’t have attacked you like that. I’m just a little jumpy, I guess,” she adds with a casual shrug of her shoulders.

  “I’d say,” I mumble and reach up, gingerly touching the back of my head. Oh, yeah. Definitely going to have a mark from that one.

  “Here, let me get you some ice,” she says as she stands and hurries back to the kitchen.

  I hear her rummaging around as she tries to locate whatever it is she’s looking for. I decide to head back into the kitchen and help her out. Hell, I’m definitely ready for that cup of coffee now. Preferably with a little Jack Daniels.

  When I step into the kitchen, she is extended into the big freezer and is dropping ice into the baggie in her hand. She startles again when I come up behind her, causing her to wobble on her long, jean-clad legs. I reach forward and catch a hold of her before she can go down. Lightning strikes a second time as my much larger hand wraps firmly around her upper arm. Her wide eyes look at me with…shock? Fear? Heat? Hell, I can’t tell anymore. Maybe that pan caused some sort of temporary damage.

  She walks with me over to the
large stainless steel island in the middle of the kitchen. Lia grabs me by the shoulder and turns me so that she’s standing behind me. She ever so gently places the bag of ice against my swollen melon.

  The cold instantly soothes the dull ache in my head, but it’s the heat that concerns me now. Lia stands mere inches from me, her front to my back. One hand holds on to the bag of ice while the other holds firmly against my head to keep it from moving. Her quickening breath peppers the back of my neck causing my pants to tighten instantly. Being this close to her threatens to unravel all of the self-control I’ve mustered up in the last minute.

  “So, why are you so jumpy?” I ask as she continues to hold the ice on the back of my head. Honestly, it doesn’t hurt much anymore, but for some foreign reason, I want her body close to mine and her hands pressed against my scalp, so I keep my damn mouth shut.

  “Oh, you know,” she says with an uncomfortable chuckle. “A girl can never be too careful these days,” she adds.

  Something underlying that she doesn’t say, has me turning around. I heard the words she said, but I sense that there is something deeper into her reaction.

  Lia drops her hands from my head, one still cradling the bag of melting ice. We are close enough to touch. To kiss. I honestly consider it. I want to lean forward and kiss the hell out of this woman. We both stare at each other, both lost in each other’s eyes. Her eyes hold so much sadness and pain. It’s like they haven’t truly shined like the jewels they are in forever. Something deep inside me yearns to make them shine again. To bring out the vibrant colors in her eyes and make them light the world. I want to give her this.

  I lean forward ever so slightly and continue to look in her eyes. I see the questions, the challenge, the fear, and the heat - all there within those magnificent eyes. Lia licks her lips subconsciously and lifts her chin. We are mere inches apart yet it feels like canyons between us. She’s hiding something, I can tell.

  Just when I decide to go for broke and kiss the hell out of this enigma of a woman, the back door springs open. Lia and I jump apart like two teenagers and Lia drops the baggie of ice on the floor.

  “I’m sorry I’m late, Lia, I just -” Avery says. “Oh, Nate. What are you doing here?” she asks with a look of pure surprise etched all over her face.

  “Hey, sis. I just stopped by for a cup of coffee and something sweet on my way home,” I tell her as I casually cross my arms over my wide chest. I love coffee, and even in the early morning after working a long shift, I still crave the taste. Decaf allows me to enjoy the taste without wiring me for the next three hours. Plus, Mom’s cinnamon rolls are my favorite, and I never pass up an opportunity to grab one.

  “Oh, okay. Did Lia get you a cup? Did you officially meet her?” Avery asks as she sets her purse down on the small desk in the little room that my mom used for an office.

  “Not officially,” I say as I extend my hand towards the woman in front of me. “Nate Stevens.”

  She hesitates momentarily, but eventually places her small hand inside of mine. “Lia Walker,” she replies. Electricity.

  “Nice to meet you, Lia Walker,” I say as I gently pump her hand up and down. I don’t pull away. Hell, I can’t pull away. I lean forward ever so slightly, dropping my voice to just above a whisper. “Next time, I expect a smile instead of a pan to the head.”

  Lia blushes the fiercest shade of pink and drops her eyes to the floor. “I’m so sorry,” she mumbles. “I promise not to hit you again.”

  I stand straight up and turn my attention back to my sister who was silently watching our exchange. “I’m heading home to sleep. I’ll see you later, Ave,” I say as I walk over and place a kiss on her cheek.

  “Bye, Nate. Sleep well,” she says with a knowing smile on her face.

  I walk towards the door and give Lia a quick glance over my shoulder. She’s staring at my ass. Effin’ A! I can’t help the smug smile that crosses my face as her eyes work their way up my body and collide once more with my own. She blushes again before returning her eyes to Avery. I head out the door with a little pep in my step and a lot of tightness in my pants. Lia Walker is a mystery to me, but if there’s one thing I enjoy, it’s unraveling a good mystery.

  *****

  It took me longer than usual to fall asleep this morning. When I closed my eyes, all I could see was blue-gray eyes filled with so much emotion. Something deep and dark is lurking within those stunning eyes. I felt a pull towards Lia like I’ve never felt before. A sexual pull, of course, but also something more. I feel this overwhelming urge to protect her from the secrets she’s clearly carrying. It’s all I think about as I slowly drift off to a restless sleep.

  I wake up at three o’clock in the afternoon to the steady beep of my pager. I snatch the device off of my nightstand and make a grab for my clothes. I always keep a pair of jeans and a clean t-shirt on the chair by my bed. It’s more convenient than rummaging around in the dead of night through my drawers and looking for clothes.

  I slip on the jeans and shirt, socks and work boots on autopilot. I’ve done this so many times before, it’s second nature. I grab my keys and cell phone off of my dresser and head towards the Mustang.

  I live in a decent sized three-bedroom older home in the heart of Rivers Edge. I bought it a couple of years back and have every intention of fixing it up and selling it for a profit. I’ve already redone the kitchen, complete with new cabinets, countertops, and flooring. The appliances are state of the art and the plumbing all new. It took me awhile to complete the project which is why I started with the most time-consuming part of the house. When you work twenty-four hours on/forty-eight off in a town thirty minutes away, plus volunteer for the local fire department, the time I can truly devote to the house comes in small increments.

  I turn on the blue flashing light, throw the Mustang into reverse, and pull out of the driveway quickly. I head towards the small, local fire station with enough speed to get me there quickly, but not enough to put myself or anyone around me in danger.

  I pull into the small parking lot adjacent to the building just as the doors are thrown open and my fellow firefighters climb onto the first of two rigs. I’m on the second one. It’s the large ladder truck that is used for most fire calls in Rivers Edge.

  “What have we got?” I ask Dave, a lieutenant, who is climbing into his gear next to the ladder truck.

  “Barn fire outside of town. The old Frazier farm. It’s going up quickly,” Dave reports.

  I slide on my turnout gear and climb up into the truck. John is our designated driver. I station myself in the passenger seat next to him while four men sit anxiously in the back seats of the large truck. Moments later, we are pulling out of the bay and heading towards the Frazier farm.

  I’ve been a volunteer fireman since I was eighteen and a senior in high school. It was always what I wanted to do. As soon as I graduated high school, I enrolled in the fire academy. Fighting fire is my first love. Okay, fine. My family is my first love, but fire fighting is a very close second. Women come right after that.

  I have no desire to marry. Not because I don’t want to but because I don’t want to make her a widow before she should be. There are no guarantees in this job and the thought of kissing someone good-bye only to have her told that I’m never coming home makes me sick to my stomach. I’ve even considered having kids, but the thought of them waking up one day without a father doesn’t sit right either. That’s why I love my niece and nephews so fiercely. They replace the children I’ll probably never have.

  Casual dating is my style. I enjoy treating a woman to a nice evening and seducing the hell out of her throughout the night. Touching. Eating. Smoldering glances. It’s all part of the art of seduction. I’ve had girlfriends. Plenty of girlfriends. I just make sure they know that the relationship won’t go further than casual dating. I’ve had a few try to change it. They get it in their heads that they’re the one to make me change my ways. They believe that they will come before firefighting. I hav
e yet to meet a woman who actually makes me want to change the order though.

  We roll up in front of the Frazier barn, which pulls me out of my trance. The small truck is already in place and ready to go. Ladders are extended, hoses are unraveled, and men approach my truck to receive their orders.

  I go through the plan as quickly as possible and confirm that everyone knows their duties. When everyone acknowledges their understanding, we all set out to take down this fire.

  It’s a long, grueling afternoon. It’s unbelievably hot under the intense August sun in full gear, fighting a blazing inferno, but when you do this day in and day out, you learn to cope with the heat and discomfort as long as you stay hydrated. The barn was pretty old; built by the original Fraziers who purchased the land in the early nineteen-twenties. All four horses were safely removed from the barn before it was completely engulfed, resulting in a total loss.

  Though the loss of the building sucks, the fact that none of my men were injured, no animals were lost, and no further property damage was sustained is a plus in my book. As early evening starts to set in, we finish packing up our gear and equipment and get ready to head back to the station in Rivers Edge.

  Once the equipment and all of our gear is back at the station, cleaned, put away, and ready to go for its next use, everyone sets out towards their respective homes. It’s Thursday evening and I could use a little unwinding after the long, tiresome afternoon. I slide into the Mustang, grab my phone and call Jake.