He strokes his beard. “Like firemen and policemen are on the same side?”
I’m not going to take the bait. “Yes.” Thad knows to stay away from me, but does he know I’m dating Gemma?
Myrna gives a dreamy sigh. “Look at those muscles …”
We all watch Thad’s biceps stretch his T-shirt sleeves as he sets Gemma down. We’re still twenty feet off the ground, so we also have a great view of the two together as Gemma removes her helmet and shakes her long hair loose. It’s going to smell like coconut, and even if it makes Thad assume she’s been sunbathing at the lake, he’s not going to mind. He’d love to go with her as an excuse to rip off his shirt.
Gemma throws her head back in laughter. The sound jolts me like an alarm. Earlier, she couldn’t take her eyes off me in the basket, but now I’m almost at eye level and she hasn’t even noticed.
Finally, she hears us talking and lifts her dancing eyes to tango with mine. “I just told Thad about the speech you gave at the beginning of my training,” she calls. “He says had he known, he would have removed his shirt to be funny.”
I knew it. “What a joke,” I say, though I’m talking about the man, not his comedy.
She laughs again, almost too filled with mirth to continue her story. “Can you believe I tripped and fell when I was trying to rescue the dummy?”
I feel like the dummy.
“A firefighter followed Charlie and me in and didn’t realize we’d separated. I guess we weren’t supposed to, but you know how competitive Charlie is. When she heard me go down in the other room, she radioed for more help.”
Thad chuckles along with her.
I ignore him to scan Gemma’s form. She doesn’t seem to be hurt unless her stomach is cramping from all the laughter. “I’m glad you weren’t injured.”
Myrna practically hangs out of the side of the basket to get a better look, but it’s not Gemma she’s looking at. “I’d be willing to risk an injury to be carried by a firefighter.”
I open the basket door to kick Myrna out. She’s even less help than Larry.
Gemma beams at Thad once again. “Will you rip off your shirt if Myrna needs you?”
Thad glances warily at me. “No.” Smart man.
“Jokes aren’t as funny a second time.” My tone removes all humor.
My less-than-joyous demeanor dampens Gemma’s mood, and her giggles trail off into a long exhale. “Thanks again, Thad.”
“My pleasure.” He salutes me.
I turn my head to keep them both from seeing my sarcastic eye roll. My best attempt at using a trigger guard.
Myrna exits the bucket and joins the firefighting fan club.
The basket shakes at Larry’s exit. “Tough break, brother.”
I’m not sure which part of his statement to find more offensive. That he believes he can call me brother or that he assumes my relationship with Gemma is broken. And to think I’d been looking forward to seeing her tonight.
“Sorry your vacation got interrupted, Thad,” I call. Hint, hint. Go somewhere you’re wanted—like camping with mountain lions, mosquitoes, and rattlesnakes. “Gemma, hop in.”
I need my trigger guard right now more than ever. I don’t want either of us to get injured here. Friendly fire is the most painful because it should be the most preventable.
She nods at me, then looks down at the coat she’s still wearing and the helmet in her hands.
“Here.” Thad reaches for his uniform, coming to her rescue yet again.
“Thanks.” She hands it over and gives me a measuring glance before stepping into the basket.
I quietly lock the door and press the button to lift us high enough for the breeze to cool me off. We rise above the top of the tower and come to a stop. It’s peaceful up here. Or at least it should be.
I fold my arms and lean against the side of the basket. I feel vulnerable, and not because I’m suspended a hundred feet in the air.
