Uniform Fetish: Men Of Station 23 Part 2

"We've got an emergency call. You have one minute to get yourself decent, Tammy." Conall's blond hair was highlighted by the light from the hallway. He a.s.sisted her in dressing, slipping her arms into a warm sweater. "You said you wanted to ride along."

Her brain slowly a.s.similated the situation. Someone called 911 and these men were ready to help, day or night. She couldn't understand how they could be so alert after being awakened in the middle of the night. "A fire?"

Conall laughed. "That's usually what they call us for." She was only half-decent, her hair in disarray, as they escorted her out of the room. The bright light in the hall blinded her. She clutched one of the men as they ushered her forward. They were talking amongst themselves, but she was too dazed to focus on what they were saying.

"Hold on and don't let go."

It was that blasted metal pole. Was she expected to slide down that thing after just being jolted awake? The alarm still sounded inside the station, grating on her nerves. "I can't."

When she saw Darius beside her, his authoritative air gave her the courage to take the plunge. His dark hair was damp, pushed off his handsome face. She took a deep breath and reached for the pole. As she slid down it was as if she was ten years old again on the playground. When her feet hit the floor below, the reality of the situation became clear when she saw the fire truck idling, all the lights on as it waited for its crew. Someone's life could be at stake. Tammy wouldn't be the reason why they were late on the scene, the one to delay the firefighters for those few precious minutes that could make a world of difference. If anyone knew the value of a minute, it was her.

She forced herself to buck up and focus, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and twirling her hair into a makes.h.i.+ft bun.

"Get her in the back," said Darius as he disappeared into the driver's seat. Someone silenced the alarm in the station as they all boarded the backseat of the big, red truck. The men had donned their heavy, yellow overcoats and protective helmets. She was squeezed on the small bench as the door closed and the siren began to sound.

"You all right?" Conall asked, resting his hand on her knee.

"I'm okay." The truth was she'd never felt safer, surrounded by these larger-than-life men. Once that alarm sounded they leapt into motion, no fear or hesitation, only the drive to do their job. They'd be able to handle any emergency, so she was in good hands. The past two years had been one nightmare after the other thanks to her ex. If she'd had men like these on her side, she would have been able to breathe, to find some semblance of peace.

The truck pulled out into the desolate streets. A light rain fell from the darkened sky, city lights a blur of color through the windows as they raced by. The siren was a morbid reminder of the fragility of human life. She hoped the call was a false alarm or had a good outcome if it wasn't. n.o.body should have to lose a loved one due to fire.

The garbled static from the front of the truck alerted the men they were near their target. They turned into a narrow alleyway where the streetlights were minimal. She was surprised the truck fit in the confined s.p.a.ce.

"Lock and load," said Jake. He grabbed some sort of tool from the wall above him as the truck slowed to a stop. She could smell the burning wood before she saw the flames and plume of black smoke coming from a run-down garage.

Jake was the first out the side doors, Aaron right behind him. "I've got to hook up the water supply. Just sit tight, okay?" He winked at her before jumping down to the ground below. She leaned out the door to watch but stayed put, not wanting to get in the way. Within minutes she could hear the loud banging of wood splintering. Conall pa.s.sed carrying a fire hose taut with pressure. The action was just out of sight, close enough that she could feel the heat of the fire as it lit up the night.

As she waited in suspended animation, she finally heard Darius's voice on the speaker as he called back to the reporting center. Apparently, no one was injured. It was just a garage fire, and he asked for the chief inspector to come by to investigate the cause.

By the time the guys were back in the truck the area was bustling with activity. Police had the area taped off and official-looking men were conversing on the sidelines.

"You take notes?" asked Jake, sidling in beside her. He smelled like he'd just been by a campfire.

"No, not really. What happened?"

"Probably kids. They don't realize the damage a single match can cause." The truck dipped and jostled her as it made its way out of the alley onto the main road.

"But everything's okay?"

Jake lifted off his helmet, setting it on his lap. "This time. This area of the city is old and in desperate need of an overhaul. These laneways are a fire hazard, especially the way they're used for dumping."

Once they pulled the truck back into Station 23, Tammy's previously adrenaline-riddled body was now on a low. She wanted to crash on her bed and get a few hours of sleep. The men shrugged off their heavy coats and began the long process of settling in, phone calls, and paperwork. Tammy slipped away while they were occupied.

She trudged up the stairs, tugging off her cardigan. This was only her first night at the station, and it had already drained her physically and emotionally. She never antic.i.p.ated so many old memories coming back to haunt her. Now she just needed to get through another thirteen nights.

Aaron was beat. The late-night calls were always the worst, but it seemed most alarms were after dark. Arsonists needed the cover of darkness to perform their wicked deeds, and the accidental fires often happened when cautious eyes were sound asleep.

After dealing with the chief on the phone, he called it a night and headed back to the bedroom. He left the lights off, not wanting to rouse his senses right before sleep. He kicked off his heavy, fire-r.e.t.a.r.dant pants and pulled off his s.h.i.+rt. Conall must have beaten him to bed, too tired to find his own bunk.

"Hey, get to your own bed," he said, pulling back his comforter. Instead of finding Conall, it was Tammy. He was taken aback, not expecting to find a woman in his bed. They'd set Tammy up in the small spare room down the hall, out of sight, out of mind.

She barely moved, already asleep. But she finally twisted in his direction, peeking open her tired eyes. "Sorry. I didn't want to be alone tonight," she whispered.

He sat on the edge of the bed. Aaron was used to dealing with girls and women. He had three sisters back home on the farm. It had been years since he'd gone back home to the family ranch. It was just too much for him to face with his momma not there anymore.

"You afraid?" he asked.

"I guess I'm not used to all this. It's a bit disconcerting."

"You're welcome to bunk with me." Then he teased, "You're lucky you chose my bunk over Jake's."

He was only wearing his boxer briefs but slipped under the covers beside Tammy anyway. She may be a beauty, but he was too exhausted to care tonight. If she needed comfort, he'd provide it. As he pulled the covers back over both their bodies, she melted against him and let out a barely audible sigh. It felt good having her snuggled up against him, her body soft and warm.

Aaron had promised himself never to become attached to a woman, but being beside Tammy now tempted him to throw away all his personal rules. The ones he created for self-preservation. If he didn't fall in love, he couldn't experience loss and heartbreak. He'd heard the old adage of "It's better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all," but he knew firsthand that was a bunch of bulls.h.i.+t. Losing a loved one was incomparable. Something he didn't want to experience again.

"What made you follow this career?" she asked, her breath hot against his shoulder.

"I guess we all have our reasons. I'm from the prairie country myself. Farming was all I knew before coming to the city to pursue this line of work." He didn't give her the answer she hoped for, but Aaron wasn't ready to open himself up to a virtual stranger. "What about you? Why be an editor?"

"I don't know. Seemed like a good choice at the time."

"Not now?"

She scoffed, molding her pet.i.te body against his side. "It's not exactly the pa.s.sionate career I dreamed of as a little girl."

"And what did little Tammy dream of?"

He felt her shrug. "Something rewarding like journalism. I thought my position would be a stepping stone, but it's taken all my adult life to get this chance."

"You mean us? Interviewing us is your big break?"

"It is. I hope I don't mess up..." Her voice trailed off. Her breathing became slow and steady, her body pliant. Aaron could get used to having her share his bed. He'd also welcome her when they weren't both exhausted. She was tempting to look at and the type of woman a man would be proud to bring home to his family. But he didn't dare put his heart on the table. It was best to keep it guarded where it couldn't be broken.

"Where's she at?" asked Conall after returning from Tammy's room in the morning. She wasn't in her bed or the kitchen downstairs.

"Who?" asked Darius from his upper bunk.

"Tammy's gone!"

"She's right here," said Aaron. "Now go away."

Conall was usually the first to rise in the mornings. The early waking was inbred into his system. Before applying for the job at Station 23 he worked a remote outpost in the Arctic. He did volunteer medical triage when he wasn't ice road trucking to pay his rent. His days started early then, and he'd never really shaken the habit.

He was going to question Aaron further until he saw the tiny foot peeking out from under the blankets at the edge of the bed, confirming exactly where she was. Tammy had her leg across his, her upper body cuddled against his side. How had this happened? Their prim and proper newspaper editor had jumped into bed with Aaron last night? It didn't seem possible.

If anyone could show her a good time, it would be him. Jealousy began to fester inside him as he stood there imagining what took place only feet away from him last night. He'd slept so soundly after the long call an earthquake wouldn't have wakened him.

Darius peered down from his upper bunk, leaning far enough he looked like he may fall right out of bed.

"What's she doing in your bed?" he asked.

"Nothing like you're thinking. She was shaken up last night, so I offered to keep her company."

"Sure," said Conall, unconvinced. "And you're just kindhearted enough to warm her up under your covers. You even have anything on under there, cowboy?"

"I'm perfectly decent. Now f.u.c.k off and let us sleep."

Conall ground his teeth, staring for another moment before storming off. Why did women gravitate to Aaron? He was a natural flirt with that southern charm that seemed to attract the opposite s.e.x. Conall intimidated women with his size and height. He didn't try to scare them off, but as soon as they caught sight of his tattoos and well-developed muscles, they lost interest. In his case, looks were deceiving. He may have had a questionable past, but that was when he was a young adult. Conall had turned his life around, committing himself to helping others, which was why he chose a career in firefighting. A friend had mentioned he'd be a good fit with his medical training and brute strength. Once he signed on with Station 23 and met his three-man crew, it was history.

He slammed the refrigerator door after grabbing the carton of orange juice. It was easy to resent one of his best friends when he had blue b.a.l.l.s for more months than he could count on two hands. Conall nearly b.u.mped into Jake as he came in from the side door of the kitchen.

"Watch it!" Conall snapped. He opened the cupboard and looked for a gla.s.s. Darius, and apparently Aaron, wouldn't be joining them soon, so he planned to hit the gym early. Half his muscles were earned due to stress, s.e.xual or otherwise. It was the same thing now. Thinking of Tammy had him painfully pent up. Punis.h.i.+ng himself in the gym until he was too exhausted to think was his therapy.

"What's up your a.s.s?" Jake was the black sheep, but if they didn't bother him, he kept to himself.

"Nothing."

"This have something to do with the new girl? I knew it was a bad idea to let a chick live here," said Jake as he took a seat at the table with the sports section in hand.

Conall poured juice into a gla.s.s and chugged it. "I could care less about her or her interview. She's none of my concern. It's not like she's my woman or anything. If she wants to f.u.c.k around with Aaron, that's her prerogative."

"Aaron? What're you talking about?" He looked over his paper from his comfortable recline on the kitchen chair.

"He managed to get her into his bed last night. Less than twenty-four hours, and the f.u.c.king cowboy gets the prize."

Jake chuckled. "I a.s.sume you had your own plans for her."

Conall shrugged. He didn't know what he wanted. Until he saw Tammy in bed with Aaron, he hadn't realized how much he wanted her. His friend had bedded many women in the past, but it hadn't bothered him like this. "I don't even know her."

"That never stopped you before."

He set his gla.s.s in the sink and headed for the gym. Unfortunately for him, it also reminded him of the cute little brunette he'd always looked forward to seeing each afternoon they were on s.h.i.+ft. Now she was tangible, living amongst them, but she was an even more unattainable fantasy now that Aaron had claimed her.

Chapter Five.

Tammy woke up next to a hard plane of muscled flesh. Aaron was warm and smelled like a man. She could stay glued to him all day, but knew she needed to get her act together. Last night had brought out all her vulnerabilities. The past came to haunt her when she'd seen those flames and tasted the char in the back of her throat. She was transported to her childhood when everything was s.n.a.t.c.hed away from her.

But, as always, the new day gave her renewed optimism and strength. She stifled away all those weak emotions and focused on the task at hand. Mr. Templeton had given her a great opportunity for advancement and she wasn't about to screw her chances by falling for a handsome face. She knew Aaron's type, and besides, firefighters were every girl's wet dream. Tammy never could stand a c.o.c.ky man, and these four would have to be full of themselves. Just she and Steph gave them enough fuel by walking by to admire them each day. They couldn't be the only ones ready to drop their panties.

"Mornin', sweet thing." Aaron brushed her hair off her face. He was so close, the heat from his skin radiating off him. Was he even wearing anything? His body was golden to perfection, flawless, and toned. His shoulders so broad it felt like a mountain lay next to her. If these were different circ.u.mstances and she a different woman...just maybe she'd give in to the wicked desires playing in her head. How could she not think of illicit acts when she was under the blankets with a s.e.x G.o.d?

His country-blue eyes bore into hers. A light shadow of hair covered his jaw.

Since she was the one against the wall, she quickly rolled over his body and landed on two feet. The floor was cold and unforgiving, not like the area rug which greeted her in her apartment. "I must have overslept. Which way to my room again? Left down the hall? Right? Never mind, I'll find it..." Tammy knew she was stammering, but her nerves, or rather her hormones, were frazzled. She doubted Aaron would have refused her if she wanted to pursue something intimate, and when she stood up, she nearly crashed into the muscled arm hanging down from the upper bunk. Too much temptation first thing in the morning. What she needed was a shower, fresh clothes, and then coffee. Lots of coffee.

When she finally got back to her little room, she took a breath, gathering her wits. The rooms were all sealed to keep the light out. Considering the unpredictable nature of the emergency calls, the men would be required to sleep at odd hours of the day, or whenever they got the chance. The main hallway, which overlooked the lower level, was flooded with natural light.

Her bags were just behind the door. She partially closed it to find her luggage, but froze in place when she heard a masculine voice from inside her room.

"Did you know this is usually my room?"

She turned around. Jake was sitting on her bed. "I thought it was a spare."

"I prefer to sleep alone. Just one of those things. I think my buddies like it better that way, too." He stood up and took one step forward. She felt threatened, but at the same time her p.u.s.s.y moistened. "Apparently, I have nightmares and keep them awake."

Tammy wanted to ask, "Nightmares of what?" but her voice didn't seem to work. Her demons haunted her dreams many nights, too. The room was dim, the door only partially opened. She was trapped with a predator.

"You're quiet for a journalist. Shouldn't you be br.i.m.m.i.n.g with questions, trying to dissect every facet of our lives?"

She shrugged. "I'd rather watch and learn firsthand."

"I'll give you your first tidbit of information. We're not heroes. We're ordinary men with a job to do. No different than anyone else."

"That's not true. Saving lives is extraordinary." Then she added, "When you're able to save them." She regretted her delayed words as soon as she spoke. They gave too much away, revealed more than she was willing to share.

"We save more cats than people. What you see on television is fiction. It's not all glory and commendation around here."

She refused to believe him. Tammy knew the difference they could make. And the statistics proved they did save lives. But when she shook her head, he moved forward and grasped her chin. "We're human, Tammy. We make mistakes, we fail, some of us can even break hearts. Don't forget that." She knew he was talking about Aaron. Since when did sleeping in the same bed equate to a commitment? Maybe they a.s.sumed she did more with Aaron than just sleep. Her cheeks heated at the realization.

"I'm here to do a job, not find a boyfriend. In fact, a man is the last thing I need in my life. So you don't have to worry about Aaron breaking any hearts." She took a breath, glad to get that off her chest. "Besides, you can't break something that's not even whole."

"You'd be surprised how many women change their tune when my boys turn up the charm."

"Not me." She took a step back but hit the wall.

He braced an arm near her head, leaning in toward her. "I guess we'll see."

She didn't want to be viewed as some bimbo who spread her legs for any uniformed hunk. Yes, she had a uniform fetish. Who didn't? But that didn't make her less of a woman, less of a person. She wouldn't make the same mistakes she had with her ex. It was better for her to live the single life with only her own rules. At this point, she needed to concentrate on her career. The time for love affairs and romantic drama was over. She was thirty-six, not twenty-six.

He raked his eyes up and down her body, little emotion in his gaze or playing on his features. His brown hair was tousled, his green eyes narrowed as he sized her up. Didn't he want her? He mentioned his crew being able to sway her but said nothing about himself.

"It's getting late. I need to get my research started." Changing the subject was the best idea when she was literally trapped in a corner. "Do you know what's on schedule for today?"

He pushed off from the wall, standing straight. The man was tall, and he frowned slightly when looking down on her. "Don't get dressed too pretty. We're was.h.i.+ng down the trucks today. You aren't afraid of getting a little dirty now, are you?"

His words were challenging, condescending even. Did he think she was uppity? Tammy had been through h.e.l.l and back in her life, and all her accomplishments were achieved by hard work with no help from anyone. She wasn't sure if she should tell Jake to f.u.c.k off or f.u.c.k me. He had an odd pull on her libido. It was probably a self-destructive tendency to fall for the wrong guy.

"I'll wear my jeans. I have washed my car before. I can't imagine this will be much different."