“Hey, I’ll see you tonight. I have to go,” I whisper.
“Get here quick. No, scratch that. Drive carefully, Sunny T. And call me to let me know you’re on the way.”
My eyes connect with the handsome customer before me and I wince. I don’t want to keep him waiting while I’m taking a personal call. “Okay, okay. Bye.”
* * *
Several hours later, I’ve arrived in Sycamore Mountain. Thank heavens I was blessed with easy traffic all the way south. I’d made it here even faster than I anticipated. Standing on the steps of station 12, I wring my hands together nervously. Alex said they didn’t get that many rescue calls here. But when I’d phoned earlier to let him know I was close, the call went straight to voice mail. Once I made it here, it was clear they must be out as the engine and an ambulance were missing. Now, I’ve been sitting here not so patiently waiting for them to return. What’s taking them so long? And why am I so anxious?
Suddenly the bright red engine comes into view and I sit taller, my heart galloping in my chest. God, I didn’t think it was possible to have missed anyone this much.
The engine barely comes to a stop before the back door flies wide, and Alex jumps out, running to greet me. He’s wearing a broad smile, dark blue uniform pants, and a navy-colored T-shirt stretched across his toned arms and chest. I barely have the chance to return his grin before he’s lifted me into his embrace.
“There’s my girl.” He crushes his big beautiful lips over mine, and I melt. I’m living the dream right now. My head is spinning as he drops my feet to the ground, just as his tongue darts into my mouth. The sounds of our moaning over a kiss are almost comical. Until I remember we have an audience.
“I pull back, looking like a cartoon character with little pink hearts floating above her head, when I notice his co-workers beaming at us. Trevor has his hands playfully covering his eyes.
“Oh, gosh,” I whisper. “What were we thinking?”
“I was thinking I wasn’t wasting another second before getting my hands and lips all over you.”
“Alex,” I scold.
“Hell, these guys are all over their girlfriends when they stop by the station. Don’t let them bother you.”
“He’s right, Tuesday. We’re only playing,” Trevor teases. “We’ve been picking on Alex all day because he’s been like a kid at Christmas, waiting on Santa to arrive.”
I can feel a blush stain my cheeks at his words. “Did you guys have a call? I tried to phone and let you know I’d made better time than expected, but couldn’t get ahold of you.”
An odd expression crosses his face causing me to narrow my eyes in his direction.
“We had to take care of something. Sorry to get here late, Tuesday,” Matt says with a grin larger than one would expect for running an errand. What’s going on?
“The guys are going to let me meet them on scene if we get a call. So we can spend the evening together.”
My eyes fly wide in utter shock. “Really?”
“Sure,” Trevor confirms, slapping Alex on the back. “He’d do the same for one of us.”
I can’t contain my glee. Gripping Alex tighter so I don’t start bouncing up and down in delight like a prepubescent teen, I instead blurt, “Thank you.”
Alex drops a chaste kiss on the tip of my nose. “Let me grab my things. Then you can follow me home.”
Home.
Moments later, we both park at the apartment and grab my bags before heading inside. I catch Alex giving me nervous glances as he unlocks the door.
“Wait. Can you give me one sec before you come in? I just want to make sure I didn’t leave my dirty underwear on the floor.”
“What?” I snicker. “You know I wouldn’t care about that.”
“Please, Tues. I want to start this visit off right.” He looks at me with such earnestness, it makes my heart squeeze in my chest.
“Sure. Okay.”
“It’ll only take me a second.” He darts inside, shutting the door behind him and I stand in utter bewilderment. This isn’t at all like the man I knew back home. He never worried about such things. Yet the thought had barely entered my mind before it was gone in a flash as the door swung wide and he ushered me inside.
I walk in to find candles flickering from the dining room table, and the scent of Italian food wafting through the air. But what has me really floored is the flowers. Big beautiful bouquets of sunflowers sit on every available surface. They’re on the island, the table, and in the den.
