America's Bravest (47 page)

That disturbed him. A lot. He faced her. “You
were trapped because of me?”

“No, I was doing my job.”

“You did it really well.”

“Thanks.” Geez, she actually blushed.

He’d finished recording all the details of
his rescue and had gone on to other saves when he heard the PA go
off. “Call on Lexington and Cameron. House fire.”

All five firefighters bolted up. Sydney
turned before she left. “Sorry, Max. Our time must be up.”

“The hell it is. I got permission for a
ride-along. I’m coming to see you in action.” Leaving the computer,
he slid a small camera out of his case, along with a tape recorder,
and followed America’s Bravest out to the bay.

He had to admit he got a kick out of watching
Sydney dress in her turnout gear. Not as much, though, as he’d
enjoy watching
un
dress what was underneath.

oOo

He maneuvered to sit right next to her in the
back of the truck, Sydney thought. The driver and cap took the
front row, of course, but Max could have sat with Felicia and Brody
in the second seat, where there was room. Instead, he climbed over
them to get into the back with her. His presence unnerved her right
away. She swore she could smell his aftershave, even in the stuffy
cab of the rig with gear that still reeked of smoke.

“Put your seatbelt on,” she said.

He looked at her. “You’re not.” He nodded to
the front. “No one is.”

“Do it,” Felicia called back. “Ride-alongs
are rare and we don’t want you hurt.”

Thankfully, Max obeyed. Sydney slipped hers
on, too, because she knew what was coming. When they turned the
first corner, the horn blaring and the siren running, she swayed
right into him. With no belts she’d probably be in his lap.

Where she’d had the most incredible sex last
night.

All morning long, she’d thought about them
together and how, well, simply wonderful, it had been. He wanted to
keep seeing her. In her heart so did she, but she had a lot of
reservations. Ugh…she shouldn’t be thinking about this at work.

“Quint 9 is already there,” Gabe told them.
“We’re second in.”

“Which might mean not a lot of action,” she
said to Max.

Gabe gave them a rundown on who was in the
building, the fact that no victims had fled the house—not good—and
how they’d wait to see what they could do to help. Seven minutes
later, they arrived at the scene.

When they leaped out of the rig, the
cacophony of noise must have surprised Max, because he startled at
the still-arriving trucks and their sirens, the loud hum of the
rigs already there and shouts as equipment was set up.

Gabe hurried to Incident Command as the rest
of them approached their own truck and pulled out some kind of
funny-looking axes. Again, Sydney explained, “Halligans. We never
approach a scene without tools.”

Max waited with them only a few minutes until
Gabe returned. “We got roof ventilation. Sydney, take the K-12
saw.”

“Why her? She’s a rookie,” O’Malley said to
jab her.

“It’s my turn.” She lifted her chin. “And
I’ve done it before.”

The cap rolled his eyes. “You can help.
O’Malley, bring the saw to the roof ahead of her to conserve her
strength. Nine’s getting the ladder up.” Gabe faced Syd. “Wait for
my signal to cut, and mine only.”

She nodded.

They dragged the huge saw out of the back of
the rig where a myriad of tools were stored. Brody started it as a
test run, and a teeth-gritting sound rent the air. He turned it off
and he and Sydney approached the ladder. She felt self-conscious
about Max watching her, but as soon as she was up top, thoughts of
him fled.

For now at least.

oOo

As Max spoke into the tape recorder, an April
wind carried the scent of smoke, reminding him of when he was
trapped. “Four members of Group 7 are ascending the ladder. It
sways with their weight and the heftiness of the saw, which is
huge.… Up on the roof, below which, fire can be seen in the
windows, they creep into position. They’ve removed their turnout
coats, I assume for better maneuverability.… As if it’s a toy,
Sydney lifts the apparatus into the air.”

Max caught that with the camera—her muscles
bulging and the sun sparkling down on her hair. Another shot as
Brody stood close behind her, ready to help. “Jesus, she slips and
O’Malley grabs her waist while she rights herself. The angle of the
roof, the awkwardness of the saw, is precarious.
This
is
dangerous. But also fascinating. No one seems to care or even
notice that a fire’s blazing below them.” He reminded himself to
check how hot it was up there.

Gabe Malvaso left the command post and
hurried to the building. “From below,” Max added to the record,
“the officer shouts, ‘Now, Sands.’ The saw is started again. She
positions the blade on the roof and cuts. And cuts. Layers, it
looks like. Other crew members peel back shingles. On the final
cut, the firefighters fall back.”

Max could see why. Holy shit, flames
ratcheted up through the ceiling, then calmed down again. He
guessed this was ventilation. Hard sweaty work, then acute danger
when the saw cuts through.

And what did it say about Max, that his heart
was pounding and his palms were damp, because Sydney slicing
through the roof like it was butter was about the sexiest thing
he’d ever seen a woman do?

oOo

Max sat on a chair in an upscale motel on the
outskirts of town, removing his shoes. The room was spacious with
beautiful furniture and a down coverlet on the bed. He had good
taste.

Sydney watched him from the doorway. “I can’t
believe we’re doing this.”

His expression was wry. “What, lying to my
daughter and your mother?”

She laughed as she unbuttoned her shirt. “I
feel like a kid.”

“You make me feel like one, too.” He picked
up a bag he’d brought in before she arrived. “I stopped and got
condoms this time.” Standing as he removed his shirt, he said, “I’m
a bit worried about the consequences of last night. We didn’t use
anything—twice.”

She couldn’t decipher his tone and she was a
little uneasy about his comment. “I’m on a pill, Max. Most female
firefighters take it to lighten their period and make them regular.
It’ll be fine.”

“Then how did you get…” He reddened. “None of
my business.”

She stopped undoing her shirt. “How did I get
pregnant? I didn’t know about these pills then. Apparently, the
condoms we used didn’t work. After I had the baby, Rachel and
Felicia talked to me.” She smiled. “Can’t say I wish they had
earlier, though. I wouldn’t have my girl. She was worth all that I
went through.”

He didn’t say anything.

Still trying to figure out her behavior, she
continued, “I’ve never been promiscuous, though. Something happened
with you. I was easy, I guess.”

“Well, if you were, then so was I.”

Her face softened. “What a nice thing to
say.”

“So we don’t need these? Since we both
haven’t been with anybody…” A wary expression crossed his face.
“That was true, right?”

Her insides tightened and she stopped
removing her clothes. “Of course it was. But, Max, if you don’t
believe me about something like that, maybe we
shouldn’t
be doing this. We really don’t know each very well. And we haven’t
even discussed taking this further.”

He bolted from the chair, crossed to her and
grasped her shoulders. “No, I want to do this again. I know we were
both still considering a relationship. But truthfully, Ms.
Firefighter, after watching you up there on that roof, I knew I had
to have you again. Forgive my clumsiness. I never did date much.”
He rolled his eyes. “I got married right out of college, and
Annette and I were together for most of those four years.”

“I’m acting weird, too. With you. Sorry.”

He reached for the hem of her shirt. “Let me.
I haven’t even seen you naked. I dreamed about us together last
night, though.”

“Same here.” She ran her hands over his
chest. “Let’s see if you live up to expectations.” She slid his
shirt off his shoulders and it fell to the floor. He had beautiful
skin, not too light for a sandy-haired guy, with the right
sprinkling of hair. His chest was sculpted, too. He must work out.
“Hmm. I’d say you live up to them just fine.” She leaned over and
kissed his breastbone.

His hand went to her neck and pulled her face
to his chest in a gesture so tender it made her weak inside. Then
he eased her back and drew off her T-shirt. She wore a sports bra,
which he also removed. When her breasts spilled into his hands, he
murmured, “Damn, you are so beautiful.” He stared hard at her. “So
lovely, Sydney, so, so lovely.

Bending over, he began to suckle her.

Sydney closed her eyes and basked in the pull
of his mouth, the scrape of his teeth.

Who cared that they hadn’t made a real
decision to see each other or that they were practically strangers?
She decided to enjoy the two hours they’d bought themselves with
lies.

oOo

“I’m so excited about babysitting for Sydney
tonight.” Amber made the statement from the kitchen counter, where
she helped her grandmother prepare lunch.

“Yeah, baby, I’m excited about it, too.”
Which was a complete understatement. Max hadn’t been able to go to
the firehouse today because he and Amber always spent Sundays with
his in-laws. Right now, Barbara Collins was showing Amber how to
make BLT wraps and Mitch, Annette’s father, was doing a crossword
puzzle at the table.

Barbara looked over. “Are you sure Amber
should be babysitting on a school night?”

“Syd said only for a couple of hours. She has
a meeting.”

With me,
Max thought. He couldn’t
wait to get his hands on her again, even though it had been only
twenty-four hours. Yep, they were definitely acting like kids, and
it felt so damn good.

“I think your offer of free babysitting is
great, pumpkin.” Mitch sipped one of the beers he’d gotten for
himself and Max. Grinning fondly at his wife, Mitch rolled his eyes
at Max. “Barbie, you’re being overprotective again.” He only used
the name when he wanted to tease.

“Yeah, well, I’m entitled. I’m the only
grandmother she’s got. And she’s the only…” Barbara trailed off.
Max saw her bite her lip, so he stood, crossed to the counter and
set his hands on his mother-in-law’s shoulders. “I miss Annette,
too. Barb. It’s okay to show it when we’re together.”

She sniffed. “I can’t believe I’m still doing
this. It’s been three years.”

“Showing you loved someone and miss her is
never wrong.”

After a pleasant afternoon with Annette’s
parents, Max drove Amber to Sydney’s house. They arrived at five,
and Daisy was on the porch sitting in Sydney’s lap. Amber burst out
of the car and went running over. “Hi, baby. Ambs is here.”

“Ambs, Ambs.” Daisy slid off her mother’s lap
and raced over to Amber. His daughter scooped her up. The child
hugged Amber’s neck. “Play dolls with me, Ambs.”

“Thanks for letting me do this again,
Sydney.”

Max had followed his daughter to the porch.
Sydney said, “The pleasure’s all mine.”

He smiled lecherously over Amber’s head. “Not
exactly,” he said. The words were rife with innuendo.

oOo

“Oh, man, Sydney, I can’t wait.”

“Don’t.”

“Are you ready?”

“Are you kidding? Jesus, come inside me.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

On their sides, he lifted her leg and slung
it over his. She loved this position because she could see his eyes
go liquid when he came. If she could last that long. He thrust
powerfully into her.

She arched back. He gritted his teeth trying
to control himself, to make it last between them.

“Don’t.” She kissed him hard. “Don’t hold
back.”

Her words broke his restraint. Grunts
encompassed the room and he let go in a series of wrenching
groans.

After she came, twice, he cuddled her close.
“Jesus.”

“I know.” She nuzzled into him. She felt safe
like this, with their skin touching, a direct opposite of the wild
abandon she’d experienced a few moments ago. “We’re great
together.”

“Even if we are sneaking around your mother
and my daughter.”

“Hey, we took them on a picnic yesterday.”
They’d been seeing each other only two weeks, but it seemed longer,
and they took every opportunity to be together.

“It was fun.” Almost like a family outing.
Now that scared her. They were getting way ahead of themselves.

She played with his chest hair. His heart
beat a slow tattoo next to hers and he tugged her even closer. He
asked, “We never really made a decision to start seeing each
other.”

“I know. We kind of fell into it.”

He palmed her ass. “I couldn’t resist you.
And things seem okay. About our ages.”

She laughed out loud and ran her hand down
his stomach to his groin. “As I said before, you keep up with me
pretty good, old man.”

He chuckled.

“What about the chief? You’ll have to tell
him.”

“I know.”

Turning, she braced her arms on his chest so
she could look at him. “Before go any further, Max, I need to tell
you something. This thing between us, it isn’t just sex for me. But
if it is for you, tell me. I’ll be okay with it.”

“Hell, no. I like you Sydney, a lot. And I
admire you.”

“Oh, thanks. Though we don’t know each other
very well.”

“We should stay out of bed long enough to
talk more.”

She pulled up the covers. “I got a better
idea. Let’s talk here, cuddled up.”

“All right. Tell me how you grew up?”

She stiffened. “Can we start with something
easier?”

His hand grazed her biceps. “Why is that
hard?”

“I told you I lived in the city. In a rough
neighborhood. I, um, did some things I’m ashamed of.”