Five Alarm Lust (8 page)

Gillian parked in front of the rustic-looking shop she frequented and sighed. She simply wouldn’t go—then why did she feel like the lowest thing in a sludge pond? Her eyes burning, she pushed her glasses higher on her nose and shuffled into the store.

“Morning, Miss Gillian, how are you?” Bright, cheery, the shop owner, an older, round woman with short blonde and green hair, waved at her.

“I’m well, just came to get a pair of shoes today. How are you, Betty?”

“Well now, I’m doing okay. Just got word this morning my grandbabies are coming for a visit. We’re going to take ’em to the Dinosaur Dig—you still working out at the museum?”

“Yes, I’m there Monday through Wednesday.”

“Well, we’ll just come by on them days. What shoes are you looking for?”

“I have a business meeting on Saturday night.” Gillian swallowed against the rising horror. A strange tingle raced along her nerves, pooling hotly in her gut. She shivered at the faint memories of excitement flowing through her mind. Ruthless, she clamped down on them. There’d be time for that later—much, much later. “Dinner and such, need something…”

“Far from sensible, girl. Come on along with me.”

An hour later, Gillian tossed the bags onto the car seat and gripped the steering wheel with hands that shook. “Oh dear, what have I gotten myself into?”

Chapter 7

“Hey, I hear you told Brad off.”

Jack glanced up with a grin at the familiar bass. “Glad to see you back. Was startin’ to wonder if your new wife had done you in.” He chuckled at the man leaning against his office doorjamb.

“Naw, not yet anyway.” Lenny straightened, a quick grin crossing his face before a more somber expression settled over him. “How’d it go here?”

“Same old…” Jack tossed the pen down on his desk and leaned back in his chair. “Same shit, different day. You know how it is.”

“Yes. So Brad’s whining about you making him do the setup at the university, and he said you threatened him.”

“Yeah, I made him do the setup. It’s his job.” Jack shrugged carelessly. “And I told him if he said one more word about her I was going to slap him. Damn ass was harping on some poor woman’s lack of style.”

For some reason he didn’t feel the need to brag or point out he’d seen Gillian, but he couldn’t explain it or shake the nervousness he felt at the admission. Lenny wouldn’t understand, there were few who would—maybe Luke, but he was out of town for the day, and he wasn’t going to reveal this just yet.

“Seems you were pretty familiar with her.”

“Wow, he really sank, didn’t he?” Jack stood to pour himself a coffee. “To answer your question, yes, I threatened him. Yes, I meant it, and if he says it again, I’ll follow through.” Tiny prickles of anger flared at the thought of anyone calling Gillian down. She wasn’t some random fuck—and it irked him the young punk would call her down.

“Do I know this woman?”

“Why?” Jack settled back at his desk. Rolling the pen between his fingers, he eyed his boss. “My personal life’s open for discussion around here?”

“Jack, you have to admit your personal life has kept more than one dull shift alive. Hell, everyone here knows you love the ladies, it’s just who you are.” Lenny grinned. “However, when it creates tension it becomes an issue. Brad’s complaining to everyone, damn annoying if you ask me. Now, I’d hate to have to send him over to Coulee or something because he’s being an ass.”

“There is no tension. Brad can stay on his side of the house and I’ll stay on mine. The little punk had no right to insinuate Gilli is anything but a lady.” Jack stared at the door behind Lenny. He wondered if he’d get fired if he confronted Brad. Jarred back to the conversation by Lenny’s snort, he focused on his friend.

“Jilly? Who in the hell would name their daughter Jilly?” Lenny shook his head. He walked across the room and sank into a leather chair. “As long as you can stand to work with him it’ll be fine. Just don’t do something stupid, okay?”

“I won’t.” Jack forced the anger back, focusing on a safer topic. “How was the honeymoon?”

“Great. We went to Tofino and puttered around. Great place to go surfing.”

Jack nodded as Lenny leaned back and really got into his story. Tuning him out, Jack glanced at his watch and sighed. Another day before he could pick Gillian up, and he still hadn’t figured out where they were going.

“So we came home and Barbara phoned her daughter. Couldn’t believe how upsetting it was for her.” Lenny leaned back in the chair, his booted feet stretched out before him.

The abrupt change in topic pulled his attention back to Lenny. “Who?”

“Barbara, she phoned her daughter to chat. By the time she hung up the phone and came into the kitchen she was in tears. Gillian’s apparently quite the bitch.”

“Not hardly,” Jack ground out. “She’s shy and reserved, hardly the kinda person to make someone cry.”

“That’s right, you met her at the wedding. I hear you took her home?”

“She stayed at the hotel. I just made sure she got where she needed to be.” Jack bit back a sharper, less friendly retort at the tone of Lenny’s voice. “Polite, sweet, she was everything my momma raised me to believe a good girl should be. Kept offering to pay me for dry cleaning my shirt, which I refused. She was nice.”

“Careful there, Jack, best remember those good girls are the forever type, not likely to be interested in having fun in the moment.” Lenny frowned. “Though, if you were to ask Barbara, she’d have a different story. Never really got to know Gillian. She always avoided me when Barbara and I had to be around her. Kinda standoffish if you know what I mean.”

Jack frowned, inhaling slowly. “Do you really think that’s unusual? I mean, Barbara’s been married several times before, hasn’t she? What do you know about Gilli? Seriously, Lenny, no bullshit, nothing from Barbara, just what
you
know about her.”

“Gillian’s not your typical airhead. She’s some sort of genius, already has two degrees under her belt, has majored in history, and is currently working on her paleontology degree. Shy, quiet, always seems terrified of her shadow.” Lenny rested his ankle on his other knee, a frown tugging his brows together. “Hardly the type to be like her mom says she is, but then you never know. Some people are just that way.”

“Yeah, that’s Gilli.”

“Her momma on the other hand has nothing good to say about her.”

“What do you think?”

“I think Gillian is someone you should avoid.” Lenny leaned forward, fingers interlocked between his thighs. “She’s not the fly-by-night type, and something tells me when you’re in, you’re in. Don’t go messing with her, Jack. You break her heart and you’ll suffer for it.”

“Breaking her heart is the last thing I intend to do.” Jack glanced up at movement from the door. “Barbara, how are you?” He stared at the older woman standing, palm pressed against her chest, an appraising look in her eyes.

“Jack, darling, I’m quite well. I’m sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear. You surely can’t be talking about Gillian Rebecca.”

“Yes, we were.” Lenny rose to press a kiss to her powdered cheek. “I’m sorry. I thought I’d be done a lot faster.”

“It’s quite all right, worse places to be stuck.” Barbara’s tinkling laughter filled the room. “Sit, sit, dear. Jack, you’re Lenny’s friend and as such I consider you my friend. Please don’t fall for Gillian’s fake persona.” She sighed, her eyes widening. “That girl has never done a thing to help anyone but herself. Why, she cast a good man aside all for the sake of a little fun. Accused him of some horrid things before moving on to greener pastures. Even now, she’s living off of my generosity. Mark my words, she’ll eat you up and throw away the bones.” She sniffled, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue pulled from her purse.

“Now, Barbara, don’t get yourself all worked up.” Lenny patted her arm, concern written across his face. “Just talking is all. Jack isn’t Gillian Rebecca’s type.”

“Goodness, I hope not.” Barbara reached over and squeezed Jack’s hand. Her long nails dragged across his palm.

Suppressing the shudder of revulsion, Jack pulled his hand away and stood. “Thank you for your input, Barbara, I have to run. I promised Luke I’d help him with some lumber.”

“What’s Luke doing these days?” Lenny asked.

“Getting ready to take his new counterpart up north. You know him, if he can’t have what he wants, he throws himself into his work.”

“Just hope this partner is more tolerant.”

“Man won’t even know.” Jack pulled on his coat. “See you around, Lenny. Nice seeing you again, Barbara.” He swallowed, his throat burning with the scald of bile.

How can a woman be so cruel and unforgiving to her own child? What sort of woman is Barbara she’d turn on Gillian such as she has?
Jack didn’t like the answer flashing in his head.

Jack tapped impatiently on the steering wheel as he drove across town. Irritation raked through him at the callousness of Gillian’s mother. Granted, the woman seemed attractive, but her tone, her manner toward her daughter irked him. There was no excuse for the cold-hearted attitude, none. His parents had both been loving and generous, parents he could be proud of. Briefly he debated calling his mom, talking to her, but discarded the idea. Better she met Gillian first, and then he’d see how it went.

“Hey, you’re early,” Luke called out, his dark hair disheveled, shirt askew as he pounded down the steps of his small, two-bedroom house.

“Yeah, well, needed to get away from the bitchfest happening.” Jack slammed the truck door. “You met the new kid on the block? What’s his name? What’s he like? You think he’s going to be okay to work with?”

“Yeah, he’s a real dish.” Luke chuckled. “Wouldn’t mind sharing my sleeping bag with him, but he’s straight as an arrow.”

“Too bad, man, it would have been a helluva ride, or so you tell me.” Jack chuckled at Luke’s joking. The camaraderie had come easy to them, and he was glad of it. If there was one thing he hated, it was dealing with tension among those who didn’t approve of Luke’s lifestyle.

“How ’bout you? Your sheets getting any action?”

Instantly, his mind filled with images of Gillian spread out over the bed, her hair a tangled mess around a flushed face. Breasts heaving, thighs trembling with need. Her sweetness on his lips. Breathless little whimpers and gasps echoed in his head.

“They must be for you to look like that. So tell me all about her.”

Jack felt a wave of heat crawl up his face. Luke had met more than one of his “dates” and hadn’t liked any of them. “She’s different. Sexy but in a much simpler fashion. I met her at Lenny’s wedding.”

“She any good?”

His jaw ached at the sudden grinding of his teeth as he narrowed his eyes at his friend. “Gilli isn’t like that, she’s different. I like her. I’m not an animal, you know. It’s not right for everyone to launch into speculation of her sexual prowess like it was the fucking Olympics or something.”

“Whoa, hold on there, bro, just asking.” Shock slid onto his face and Luke tilted his head. “Though I have to say it looks good on you.”

“What does?”

“This chivalry. I’ve never seen you so determined to protect the reputation of one of your women. It’s rather refreshing. Shows there’s a heart beating in your chest. So she’s not some bimbo you take home for the night, huh? Good. Come on, enough about this, I need to get this lumber loaded. Sean’s supposed to be here in an hour and then we’re heading for Station two seventy. As long as something doesn’t come up.”

“Sean? That’s your new partner?”

“Yep.”

“How long you going to be stationed there this time?”

“Six weeks to start. Maybe longer, depending on the fire season. Sean’s a conservation officer so he gets to watch the wildlife. I’m hoping for a slow season. It’s nice to be busy, but I’d like a chance to watch some wildlife of my own, if you know what I mean.”

Jack laughed softly. “Where’s the lumber? Sure hope you’re not building the cabin, you’ll both freeze before the first snow flies.”

“Smart ass.” Luke draped an arm around his shoulders. “Come on, let’s get you set up with the lumber. Then you can tell me all about the wedding. I so wish I could have attended, but someone had to work.”

“You didn’t miss much,” Jack admitted as he followed Luke to the rear of the house. “But the bride’s gown was stunning. Almost as stunning as her bridesmaid. Of course the purple and yellow made her look like a giant Easter egg.”

“Purple and yellow? What was she trying to do? Those colors should never be used together. They’re both nice—but not together.”

“Lumber, Luke. Lumber.” Jack nudged his friend before he could start on about the benefits of color coordination.

Chapter 8

Gillian glanced out the front window for the third time in as many minutes. Her stomach threatened to revolt with each tick of the second hand on the clock. She smoothed her palms over the slacks she’d picked out and lifted the curtain again. “Where is he? Maybe he decided not to bother.” Fear and hope mingled. It would be nice if he’d decided against coming. Nice, but safe and boring.

The shrill ring of the phone startled her. She turned to look at the call display and groaned. She bit a nail and debated answering it for a second before shaking her head. “Damn woman, what does she want? Hello, Mother.” Icy, her tone brooked little argument.

“Good, you’re home. I wasn’t certain if you’d gone in to work or not. We need to talk.”

“About what?” Gillian inched closer to the window. “We have nothing to talk about.”

“How about the manager of your complex informed me you’re not renewing your lease?” Barbara’s tone dripped condescension. “Why on earth you’d be so irresponsible I’ll never understand. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a suitable place to live, especially for someone like you?”

“I’m not. Obviously I am aware of my needs in a residence, Mother. I’ve started looking for another place.” Gillian crushed the resentment and fear her mother’s disapproval often brought. She was a grown woman. “I don’t need to be living here.”

“Now you listen to me, I got you that place so you would be safe. How dare you—”

“You got it so you could keep tabs on me, just as you’ve always done. Was there something else you called about?” Gillian nudged at a CD case on the floor. “If not, I really do have to go. I have plans for tonight and need to get organized.”