“What happened?”
“It was just work.”
“Did you run into something? Or something run into you? Did you fall?”
“It was no big deal. Just part of the job.”
“Part of the job? Tell me what happened?” I was growing angrier by the second. The thought of Eric being seriously injured at work made me feel unhinged all of a sudden. Of course, I realized danger was part of the job, but seeing it up close was scarier than I ever thought. My father and brother always did a good job of playing down the dangers of their jobs, and I let them, choosing to think about the good they did instead of the fact that they had a job that required them to put themselves in harm’s way on a daily basis.
“I needed to jump out of a two-story window.”
I gasped. “What?”
“The ladder had been pulled down, and I was searching for a baby inside.”
“Oh my goodness!” I covered my face with my hands.
“Hey,” he called, removing my hands from my face, “I’m fine.”
“I know, but?”
“But nothing. We don’t think about the what-ifs in my line of work, okay?” He didn’t give me time to respond. My head fell back when he tilted my chin up, his lips devouring mine. I could taste the food he’d been eating on his lips, mixed with his flavor.
“Remember what I told you about my crew?” he asked, once he pulled back, my chin still in between his fingers.
My brain was foggy from his kiss. I tried to recall everything he said about the men he works with.
“They’re assholes.”
A deep chuckle moved past his lips. “Yes, and what else?”
The night we drove around and then parked out on the overlook where we listened to fire calls throughout the night came back to mind.
“They’re the best of the best. Your insurance policy.”
He nodded. “Exactly. You don’t have to worry about me.”
I knew they were just words. Knew he was saying it just to make me feel better. To feel less scared. But when he moved in again, his mouth covering mine, I had no more words, just the feeling of being swept up and carried by a wave. It took me a while to realize I was being carried. Eric had scooped me up in his arms and walked with me down the hallway. Finishing dinner took much longer that night.
****
Eric
“Oof! What are you doing?” I grumbled, sleep still in my eyes as I lay sprawled, stomach down in Angela’s bed. She’d just climbed on top of me, straddling, but sitting lower on my back toward my butt, as to not place her weight on my bruised side.
“I’m giving you a rub down.”
I laughed. “You didn’t do that enough last night?”
“No!” she insisted. After we made love… wait did I say make love? After we screwed again, and then finished our dinner, my Angel insisted on giving me a back rub before applying ice to my bruises.
“Last night was cold to reduce swelling. This morning I’m applying heat to help loosen up muscles. Just lay still.”
I felt a warm compress laid on my back and fuck all if it didn’t feel like heaven. I caught the moan that tried to escape my lips just before it made its way out. Instead, I relaxed, laying my head back down against the pillow. Angela’s soft hands reached up to my shoulders, rubbing and massaging the kinks out of them and my upper back. My body began to feel like jelly. This almost felt as good as being in between Angela’s thighs as I slid all the way to the hilt inside of her. Almost. Nothing felt as good as that. Hell, not even fighting fires. And for the last seven years,nothinghad felt better than fighting fires.
“What’re your plans today?” I slurred.
“Spending the day with you… after I finish my wash day.”
