12-Alarm Cowboys (72 page)

That wasn’t good, but she wasn’t surprised. “I’m sorry.”

“Me, too.” Caitlin sniffed. “I feel so helpless. I’d wanted to fly up there with Brandi and Kade for the funeral. How stupid was that? Huh? The last thing the guy needed was an old fling showing up.”

She reached across the table to touch her friend’s arm. “I’m not even sure he would’ve realized you were there, hun. He sort of walked around in a daze.”

“Shoot.” Caitlin closed her eyes and nodded, tears spilling down her cheeks. “I can tell Brandi is worried, even Kade. And that’s not good.”

True. And Brandi’s husband didn’t appear the type to let much bother him.

The kindhearted woman sighed, opening her eyes. “I wish there was some way I could help.”

Gwen had felt the same, and had tried, surprised the guy hadn’t told her to get lost when she’d found him staring at a fire pit near the lake the night before she’d flown to Texas. Of course, she’d been carrying a six-pack, which probably tipped the scales in her favor. She didn’t blame the Wynes for being angry with her over the way she’d treated Ben a decade ago. But Keiffer never said a word. They’d shared the beer in silence. Okay, she’d had one and a half, he’d finished the rest. But, hey, that was sharing, right?

“Keep him in your thoughts and prayers.” Lacey spoke up. “I’m living proof they work. Hell, they helped me. I’m not foolish enough to think it was my stubborn nature and determination that helped me walk again after I fell off my horse and broke my back last year.”

Tanner had told Gwen about the accident and the woman’s miraculous recovery. He’d told her a lot of things lately, because they’d bumped into each other quite often. Between the Pub and ice cream shop, and Lacey’s ranch and Brandi’s, Gwen was rubbing elbows with the guy nearly every day.

And she’d discovered something, too. Jordan had been right. The cowboy/firefighter/guardsman was very helpful and sweet. Underneath his bad boy persona was a nice guy. And the more she watched him with Barry when he brought the man to the Pub for dinner three nights a week, the further he burrowed under her skin, cracking her shell.

Which didn’t lessen his trouble-maker qualities, because, yeah, he was big trouble…to her heart.

“Don’t sell yourself short, Lacey,” Caitlin was saying. “I think you’ve been amazing.”

“Nah.” The woman shrugged. “Just stubborn. And not at all forgetful.” She turned her shrewd gaze on Gwen once again. “So, you going to tell me who is
Better Than
?”

Ah, hell.
She’d hoped to have gotten past the kiss and tell. Maybe it was time to try a different tactic. She cocked her head. “Why the interest? Afraid it might’ve been Jesse?”

Lacey reeled back, face puckered as if trying to swallow a boulder through a straw. “Jesse? No. So what? I don’t care if it was him.”

“Interesting.” She tapped her chin with her finger.

Dark brows bunched. “No. Nothing’s interesting.”

“Yeah, I think you’re right, Gwen. Interesting.”

“Cut the crap.” Lacey folded her arms across her chest. “You two are just trying to distract me.”

A grin twitched Caitlin’s lips as she stared at Gwen. “And she’s deploying distraction techniques, too. Maybe
she
slept with him.”

“Or wants to.”

“Oh, for crying out loud, I don’t want to sleep with Jesse,” Lacey claimed loud enough for everyone in the shop to hear, including the two guardsmen that just waltzed in.

Tanner chuckled as he slapped his friend’s shoulder. “Damn, Jesse, we’re barely through the door and you have women dissing you.”

Gwen’s pulse hiccupped at the sight of the handsome firefighter decked out in camouflage, looking all sexy and lean and lethal.

Caitlin sucked in a breath a second before her hand flew to her mouth, while Lacey muttered a curse; Gwen blinked, unsure whether to be horrified or amused.

“That’s okay, Lacey,” the dark-haired soldier replied as the men drew near their table. “I’d never invite you into my bed.”

Her friend glared and shot to her feet. “Why would you if you’re sleeping with Gwen?”

Oh shit.

“What?” Tanner’s head snapped back.

Gwen slowly stood. Things were getting way out of hand.

“You’re sleeping with Gwen?” He turned to his friend, jaw resting on his chest.

Yeah, big time out of hand.

Jesse muttered a curse. “I’m not sleeping with Gwen.”

Lacey hit her with an accusing gaze. “You said you slept with Jesse.”

“No. I didn’t.” All eyes focused on her. “I asked if you were afraid I’d—”

“Okay! Okay. I get it,” she cut her off. Then laughed. “You’re good. You were just trying to throw me off the scent.”

Jesse frowned. “What scent?”

“Yeah, what the hell’s going on?” Tanner asked, narrowed gaze bouncing between them.

“Nothing.” Gwen lifted a shoulder, wishing she could scoot through the exit, but the men blocked her path. “We were having a discussion over ice cream, and now it’s time for me to head to work.”

“More specific, we were discussing who she had
Better Than
sex with at Brandi’s wedding,” Lacey unfortunately informed.

Witch.

“Really?” Tanner sidled up to her, brown gaze alight with interest, lopsided grin tugging his damn mouth to tempting as sin. “I’d like to know the answer to that, too.”

She snickered and punched his arm. “Lacey just misunderstood. We were talking about Jill’s
chocolate
,” she lied through her teeth, completely okay with fudging the truth this time.

“Bullshit.” His grin broadened.

So did Lacey’s. “Think I just found my answer.”

“Good, then I can go.”

“What’s wrong, Gwen? Too afraid to talk about
Better Than
sex?” damn, sexy man teased.

And she was too weak to resist retaliating. “On the contrary, I’m always up to talking about Jill’s chocolate and the way the penis pop melted in my mouth as I slid it in and out…and in and out.” Her slow emphasis wiped the smiles off the men’s lips…and put it on the girls. She snickered on her way out the door. “See you around.”

Definitely
, Tanner silently vowed. Hell…after a comment like that, and the cute little wiggle as she sashayed out the door, the minx could count on it.

“Damn, Tanner, you should see your face.” Jesse laughed good and hard.

Bastard
.

“Kind of looked like yours, Sergeant Briscoe,” Lacey said, stepping to his buddy who suddenly stopped laughing. “And what do you mean you wouldn’t want me in your bed? That’s not what your tongue said when you had it in my mouth last month.”

“Oh boy.” Caitlin shuffled around the glaring couple. “What can I get you, Tanner?”

“Three vanilla milkshakes…and maybe some popcorn. This looks like it’s gonna get good.” He dropped into the chair Gwen had vacated and watched his best friend swing from an imaginary noose.

“Yeah, well, I’ve wised up since then.”

Ah, hell
. The idiot was asking for trouble. Jesse should know better than to egg Lacey Turner on. That woman would never back down. It was like taking on Jordan.

Just plain stupid.

“No.” A slow smile stole across the dark-haired beauty’s lips. “I think it’s more like you know you’re not man enough to handle me.”

Ouch.

His buddy stepped right up to the scowling bombshell, dark gaze glinting like coal. But instead of grabbing her, he grabbed the chair, then turned and sat.

Lacey released a breath and lifted her chin. “Thought so,” she said, then marched out the door.

Tanner shook his head. “Why do you do that, man?”

“Do what?”

“Poke the tiger,” he replied. “You know Lacey’s got a sharp tongue to match her claws.”

Jesse shrugged. “She doesn’t scare me.”

“Really?” He eyed his friend. “Then why did you back down?”

“She’s Jace’s kid sister.”

“Yeah, so? We both know Jace would have no issues with you hooking up with Lacey.”

“Are you serious?” A deep groove cut across Jesse’s brow. “He asked me to keep an eye on her and his mom while he’s away, that doesn’t mean take Lacey to bed.”

“Then why exactly did you kiss her last month?”

And why the hell was he just hearing about it now?

“To shut her up,” Jesse replied, aggravation tightening his features. “Spoiled brat kept getting in my face, poking my chest, squawking about how to take care of her damn horse.”

“So, you took care of her.”

His buddy’s lips twitched. “It worked. She shut up, then pushed me away and ran from the barn, leaving me alone in blessed peace.”

Tanner laughed as Caitlin set their milkshakes on the table. “You’re asking for trouble, man.”

“Can I get you guys anything else?”

“No, thanks, darlin’,” he replied with a smile. “We have to head back to the armory.”

Caitlin Ryan was beautiful and sweet. The kind of woman that brought out a brotherly instinct in him. And apparently, Kade, too, because the first sergeant had given his men the ‘look but don’t touch’ order on Shayla’s kid sister months ago.

“Didn’t you just get off drill?”

“No.” He shook his head. “We’re on a lunch break.”

And he’d had a hankering for a milkshake, which had nothing to do with the possibility of running into Gwen. Absolutely nothing.

She frowned. “I didn’t know you could leave the armory.”

“Yeah, at certain times,” Jesse replied, reaching for his drink. “We told Kade we’d bring him back a shake.”

“Ah, I see, bribe the boss type of thing.”

“Exactly.” Tanner nodded again. “Thanks for the milkshakes. You put them on my tab, right?”

“I was going to, but there was an older couple at the counter who insisted on paying for them.”

“Where?” He glanced around, but the shop was empty, except for them.

She grinned. “They left, didn’t want any recognition, just said it was just a small way to show you their gratitude.”

Dammit.
He shared a frown with Jesse, relating to the discomfort in the man’s eyes. Normally, they changed out of uniform before walking into a restaurant. Otherwise, people tended to feel the need to pay for their food.

“Okay, thanks, Caitlin,” Jesse said, rising to his feet.

Tanner stood. “Yeah, thanks,” he echoed, following his friend out the door.

He hadn’t joined the National Guard to get perks at diners or stores. Same with Jesse. A fact he contemplated on their short, silent ride back to the armory. They’d joined to fight for their country. Neither felt entitled to free meals because they fought overseas. That didn’t mean they were ever rude to those who tried to thank them—he appreciated being appreciated—hence the reason he’d asked if the couple was still around.

He also appreciated only having three hours left until dismissal. After attending drill all day yesterday, a call for a car fire last night, then drill today, he was dog-ass tired.

“Thanks for the shake,” Kade said when Tanner set the cup on the first sergeant’s desk five minutes later. “You two still coming out to the ranch on Wednesday to help with the new arrivals?”

“Yep.”

“Absolutely.”

“Good. Thanks.” Top nodded before he took a drink. “Why don’t you bring Barry? I could use his help, too.”

There were several reasons why Tanner liked Kade Dalton. This was one of them. The man’s uncanny ability to know when people and animals needed help, and when
they
needed to do the helping. Top reminded Tanner a lot of Barry. Strong. Reliable. Kind. And now that the former fire chief was getting old, and aware that he was slipping away, he needed to feel useful. It was important, not only to Barry, but to Tanner, too.

A fact he suspected Kade knew as well.

“Thanks. I will,” he said, before following Jesse from the office to head to section training. “Is it just me, or does it feel weird not to bump into Jace in these halls?”

“It’s not you. It is weird,” Jesse replied before entering a classroom.

Tanner nodded and continued to the next room where he headed to the front to begin teaching his squad a mandatory class on sexual harassment.

Several changes had taken place in his life lately. Some good, like his promotion to squad leader in the guard, and section chief at the fire house. Some bad, like Barry’s increasing forgetfulness. And some in between, like Gwen showing up in Texas.

He was still undecided if the sexy, distracting woman was a good thing in his life, or bad, very bad. It may require more study. Hands on study.

Of the in-depth variety.

‡

W
ednesday afternoon, Gwen
sat at the Dalton’s kitchen table enjoying a cup of coffee with Brandi after their Skype session with Lea. Her sister was keeping them informed on Keiffer, and as expected, the guy wasn’t doing so good, unless you count drowning sorrows in scotch as good.

She didn’t—no one did.

“I wish there was something I could do.” Brandi sighed, staring into her untouched coffee.

It was on the tip of Gwen’s tongue to say things would be fine. To tell Brandi her brother had a great support system and would get through this tough time.