12-Alarm Cowboys (131 page)

Skye couldn’t help but smile as she ran her brush through her hair. She and Jax had been engaged for a month now and he took great care in reminding her of that fact frequently.

He’d proposed to her two months to the day after she officially moved in with him, which had been the day after Aiden had tried to kill them. Of course, she’d said yes. That meant she now had to add planning a wedding to her already crazy busy to-do list. Not that she was complaining. She was so in love with Jax that the idea of being married to him still made her giddy with excitement every time she thought about it. After what they’d gone through to be together, planning a wedding while getting her new business up and running would be a snap.

She brushed her teeth as fast as she could, then quickly put on her make-up. When she came out of the bathroom, Jax was pulling on his uniform. She would never be comfortable knowing his job involved running into burning buildings, but she trusted his abilities and knew the people he worked with—including her brother—watched out for each other like family.

Still, as they headed for the door after breakfast, she said the same thing to him she said every morning. “You’re going to be careful on this shift, right?”

He pulled her into his arms just like he did every morning. “I promise to be careful. I have the most beautiful woman in the world I love more than anything waiting for me at home.”

She kissed him, then together they walked outside. He headed for his pickup truck while she walked across the newly paved-in parking area toward her shop and the Comfort Cakes delivery van parked in front of it.

The equipment barn that had burned to the ground had been replaced with a new bakery barn, and while the back part still had some storage for tools, the entire front side was a full-service kitchen. Jax had taken the money from the insurance pay-off, added in a good chuck of his own cash and invested in her new company. She’d been a little worried about letting him put his personal money into the business, but he’d been adamant. She had to admit, having her shop fifty feet from the house was a heck of a lot more convenient than using some rented space on the far side of Dallas.

She unlocked the door to her shop and was immediately hit with the mouth-watering aroma of freshly baked goodies. The shop had only been up and running for about six weeks, but Jax, Dane, and the other firefighters at Station 58 had gotten the word out about her new business, and she was already starting to have a hard time keeping up with all the orders coming in. The wedding and catering jobs were the backbone of her current workload—just like her business model had suggested—but she’d also recently signed contracts to provide cupcakes, bagels, and other baked goods to several conference centers in town. Their steady demand was only going to grow as word spread. She’d probably need to hire a delivery person and a baking assistant just to keep up. That was a good problem to have, though.

She was just about to grab the first stack of boxes and head out to the van with them when the door of the shop opened and Jax came sweeping in.

“Did you forget something?” she asked as she picked up a big box of coconut frosted cupcakes.

He took the box out of her hands and set it on the counter. “As a matter of fact, I did.”

Then he pulled her close and kissed her long and lingeringly on the lips. Skye slid her hands up the hard wall of his chest and kissed him right back. She was wondering if maybe they had time for a quickie on the counter when he pulled away with a sexy groan.

“What was that all about?” she asked breathlessly.

Jax grinned as he headed for the door. “Nothing special. Just wanted to make sure you knew how much I love you.”

Skye smiled. Oh, she knew. But she wouldn’t mind him showing her on a regular basis.

The End

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Dallas Fire & Rescue Series
!

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Paige Tyler is a
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Sable Hunter

‡

‡

“W
hoo-hoo! Show us
some skin, guys! Yea!”

Makenna blushed as her best friend unselfconsciously danced to the music, shouting catcalls at the half-naked firefighters who were posing for a calendar shoot. “Allie, calm down,” Makenna whispered in her ear. “You’re going to have a stroke.”

Her vivacious BFF did a fist pump. “I can’t help it, girl. These men are seriously hot. Whoop!” Allie winked at the handsome blond flexing his muscles as he swung a fire axe over his head. “Who is that Greek god?”

A crowd had gathered in the bayside of the fire station. Rain had been falling for days, but everyone wanted to see the Hays County heroes strut their stuff. “His name is Ronan, he’s a good guy.” She playfully fanned the girl who knew all of her deepest darkest secrets—except for the one that mattered most. That secret she couldn’t share.

Allie licked her lips. “Oh, I bet he is good. Girl, if I’d had any idea you lived in beefcake heaven, I would’ve moved here long ago.” The photographer shouted directions while music played and three other well-built men came forward to flex and pose.

“I think I told you there were eligible bachelors in the department.” She couldn’t help but smile as Hotshot mimicked a male stripper, teasing the women by lowering his fireman’s jacket over one well-muscled shoulder. “And I’m glad you’re here. I needed you.”

Allie hugged her. “I’ll always be your friend, you know that. After all, we have much in common.” Returning her attention to the front, she leered at Hotshot. “He’s got the cutest dimples and that long dark hair…hmmm.” Allie sighed. “Wow. What’s the guy’s name with the military cut?”

“Oh, that’s Montana. He’s a former marine, but don’t use the word ‘former’ when you speak to him. He says once a marine always a marine.” Makenna’s voice trailed off as she saw who was coming forward next. Her mouth went dry and her heart rate sped up significantly. Glory be—what a man.

Allie seemed to agree. “Oh. My. God. I didn’t know they came that big. Or that perfect. Grr-rrr-wow! Sheesh.”

“His name is Titan. And yes, he lives up to his name.” Makenna bit her lip, determined not to drool or show any emotion that would betray how she was feeling. She allowed her eyes to rove over his smoking hot body—wide, wide shoulders, massive biceps, strong arms and sculpted chest. Oh how often she dreamed of being held against him, to know what it was like to feel safe and cherished. She had to press her lips together to keep from smiling. He didn’t look comfortable. While the others danced and flexed, flirting with the crowd, he just stood there. But when you looked like Titan, standing there was all you needed to do.

Makenna trembled. There was no other man on earth like him. She watched the photographer’s assistant spray water on him for the shoot and she wanted to lick the droplets from his skin. Did that make her a bad person?

“Look at them, just look at them,” Allie murmured as the camera clicked again and again. The men paraded around, muscles rippling. Every one of them epitomized pure male power, yet each had a hero’s heart. As Titan strolled past her, their eyes met and every cell in her body screamed for him.

“You’re so lucky to be married to one of these hunks,” Allie whispered. “Where is Damien, by the way?”

Makenna swallowed. She didn’t feel lucky. “He’s in the back. They took his photo yesterday.” Probably flirting with the photographer’s assistant. Her husband could definitely put on a show. He was friendly, engaging, always had a kind word for everyone.

But her.

Titan moved back across the stage. This time she got a good look at his strong back, narrow waist and a firm ass any woman would give a thousand bucks just to nip. Yea, she wasn’t dead—not yet anyway. Maybe she shouldn’t notice these things. After all, she was a married woman. But her husband didn’t deserve the loyalty she showed him. The man she married was a monster.

As if it were the sound track of a horror movie, at the exact moment she defined Damien Wade for what he was, the alarm bell sounded. Several people jumped. Titan reached his pager first, he listened, then announced in a loud voice.