Heat: A Friends to Lovers Firefighter Romance Read online

  “I don’t even know what normal feels like, anymore.”

  Old Man Hobbs didn’t wait to be asked before replacing Reece and my empty cups with fresh coffee.

  “Normal is over-rated,” he mused before escaping back to the kitchen.

  “Still, it would be nice to wear clothes that are mine. Go to sleep in a bed that’s mine.”

  “I thought you would have had that when you moved out.”

  “I did. I guess, I wasn’t ready to move on, yet.”

  “And now?”

  “I hate thinking about that day. It seems that whenever I feel the panic come back, being here makes me feel—” Reece would think me a fool, but at least I’d be an honest fool, “safe.”

  I pretended not to notice Reece topping up the coffee from the small flask that was always at his side. We all had our coping mechanisms.

  “You’re not the only one who was scared that day.”

  “Not you. You were in your element, in control.”

  “Zoe, I was in control of Jack shit. I was the fire’s mistress and I had no idea from minute to minute what she was gonna do. All our training, preparation and everything—counted for nothing.”

  “Reece, you and your team did everything right.”

  “If I did, then you wouldn’t have been scared. I honestly thought I was going to lose friends.”

  “Yeah, well, we all lost something that day.” Taking a sip of coffee didn’t really hide my swallow. Reece didn’t need to know that I missed my coffee machine with its automatic functions more than the man I’d been married to.”

  “About the media—” As I expected, Reece understood my need to change the conversation, again.

  “They want their glamor couple back.”

  “Unless you have another idea?”

  “I guess I could always call Glenn and see if he wants to come down and put his face in the media again.” It was an idle threat, just to see what Reece would do or say.

  “Don’t you fuckin’ dare!” Reece’s instant response surprised me, and caused one of the other families to throw evil glances our way until they saw who was swearing. Reece could probably run for mayor and people would let him win unchallenged. “That asshole left you, left town, left all of us to deal with this shit. I know you love him—”

  “No. I don’t!”

  “But, I thought—”

  “I haven’t loved him for the longest time. When he wanted to leave, I stopped respecting him. For wanting to run, to leave us all. No, Glenn and I had been ignoring our issues, him hiding behind his computer screen and me—” I’d just been waiting for Glenn to be the bad guy, be the one to make the decision and leave. Not that I could tell Reece about my cowardice. I wanted him to see me as sexy, independent—and single.

  “Babe, you don’t need to hide anymore.”

  “Not even when I want to cry?” I still hid away around three each afternoon for my daily wallow.

  “I thought you were crying for him.”

  “I was grieving for our town. For what this town used to be. I cried for all our friends, their businesses, everything else. Not for him. Not at all.”

  “So, what would you say if I offered to buy you a drink?” Reece broke the long silence with a cheeky smile.

  “I’d say your flask is never out of sight, but I don’t drink scotch.”

  “You noticed?”

  “I think we’ve both been noticing a lot about each other.”

  “Is that a good thing?”

  “It’s not a bad thing, but I don’t want you to buy me a drink.”

  “Oh.” Reece looked like he’d just lost his best friend. Twitching in his seat, if I didn’t put him out of his misery quickly, he’d leave and we’d never get a step further than where we were right now.

  My body shivered with anticipation, not just of a man’s touch, but the possibility of Reece. My eyes drank him in and I leaned over so he couldn’t miss the intention of my words. If I was going to make a fool out of myself, it might as well be today.

  “I think I deserve more than a drink, if you’re asking me out on a date, that is.”

  “You want me to ask you on a date?” The rest of the breakfast rush was silent. It was almost as if the entire town had turned out to watch us smash through the friend zone.

  “I want you to be happy. Unless, of course, you want to ask Danielle.” My hair twirling was the perfect, exaggerated motion that Danielle pulled before asking Reece a question. He wasn’t going to ask me out on a date, and I didn’t want to lose the friendship we had.

  “Reece, forget I asked. Just tell me whatever you want, tomorrow, over breakfast. Same time, same place as usual.”

  “Yes.”

  “What?”

  “Yes, I’d like to ask you out on a date, and yes, I’d like to tell you anything you want to hear, over breakfast the next morning.”

  “Yes.” I didn’t have to think twice. Not when his eyes were twinkling a promise that had nothing to do with food, and my body felt an unfamiliar tingle.

  “I guess, here is out of the question.” Reece nodded over to our audience who were trying hard not to be seen to be listening.

  “As much as I love being here, it would be nice to get away for our first date.”

  “How do you feel about a picnic?”

  “I could be convinced, but the lake is still filled with ash and debris.”

  “Then, how do you feel about your place or mine?”

  “Really?” Now the pub was filled with my laughter. I hadn’t felt this alive, in years. “I’m pretty sure that they haven’t cleared my block yet, so we might have trouble setting up a picnic rug.”

  “Then, my place, it is. Now, are you going to expect a five-star experience?”

  “For our first date, don’t you think I deserve it?”

  “Absolutely, but I’m thinking that would take at least a few days to organize. How about tomorrow, lunch and I’ll track down a bar-b-que chicken and hot chips.”

  “Are you really asking me on a date?”

  To my surprise, Reece took my hand as he got down from the chair and knelt beside me.

  “Zoe Wynters, you beautiful, sexy creature, would you do me the honor of joining me in a first date?”

  “I better get gravy with those chips!” I pulled Reece up, laughing. Only to hide my face into his chest when our audience started cheering and suggesting we get a room.

  Our special moment could have ended in our first kiss.

  We’d waited long enough.

  We deserved it.

  But, somehow, Reece knew we deserved to keep some moments to ourselves and it was enough that he didn’t let go of my hand, pulling his chair around to be next to mine. All the better to feed me forkfuls of chocolate brownie that Old Man Hobbs just happened to place between us.

  Reece

  No pressure.

  Within an hour of me asking Zoe out for a first, real date, it seemed the whole town knew.

  “Reece, wanna borrow my car for your date?” Korbin found me at the veterinary clinic. I had enough borrowed and donated equipment to at least be open for business.

  “Why do I need a car?”

  “Well, you’re not gonna just bring her back to the pub, after. Head out of town for the night.”

  “Don’t you think that’s rushing things a bit?”

  “Mate, you’ve wanted this woman for how many years? We’ve all seen the way she looks at you.”

  “Still, going away for the night is—”

  “What normal couples do. Take my car.”

  “Thanks.”

  “It’s not much, but I hope you like it.” Eric’s wife, Felicity, dropped by with a picnic basket and esky filled with cold drinks, and a cheese platter.

  “Flick, what are you doing?”

  “I thought you’d need a picnic blanket and cutlery for your date tomorrow.”

  “Making sure I treat your friend right?”

  “I’m just glad to see her
smile.”

  “She didn’t do that before?” It was the closest I was going to get to asking about her marriage. Flick and Zoe had become good friends, even though Glenn had never really gelled with the rest of the football team. We appreciated his aggression on the field, not necessarily off.

  “Let’s just say that I didn’t think they’d end the way they did, but no one who spent any time with them was surprised. The two of you look good together, and you deserve to be happy.”

  “Thanks, Flick.”

  Seriously, it was as if our one date had become the single focus of the town. Wherever I went, trying to get organized, whether it was food, a bottle of wine, or even a table and chairs in case Zoe didn’t want to sit on the ground, someone had already got there first and it was donated.

  Even my bloody clothes.

  Like Zoe, I’d been living in hand-me-down donations. Neither of us had a car or time to drive to a nearby town to buy clothes. For almost three months, we’d clung to the town like a shield, not wanting to see reality. Remember that other towns and people were still living normal lives.

  I hid behind trying to get my veterinary clinic back up and running, while preparing the volunteer bush fire unit for the next season. Between that and pre-season football training, I didn’t need a car or to leave town.

  Zoe had her own reasons and I respected her too much to push. Her ex had been one of the first to submit insurance claims and grab the cash. He’d been the first to buy a new car, and the least likely to offer to help anyone with lifts.

  “This should fit you!” Lydia’s husband dropped off a bag. A navy-blue shirt with small white dots, and black pants that would look great when the dusty ash got all over them. Other than the color, he’d done well. Close enough to my size to fit although the sleeves were snug against my biceps. Still with tags.

  “What the—”

  “Apparently, my wife and daughters love your girlfriend and think you need to dress up for your first date.” Bryce didn’t mince words.

  “So you went shopping? Mate!” I gave him a rare man hug.

  “Well, it was either I go shopping or Lydia threatened to go shopping for you,” Bryce didn’t mince words. “And in her words, if I forced her to go shopping for you, she’d be looking for clothes she’d wanna rip off your body.”

  “I wouldn’t mind, your wife is hot!” I joked, ducking the fake punch.

  “I’m pretty sure your girlfriend won’t wanna hear you say that.”

  “Zoe’s not my girlfriend.”

  “Not yet! But don’t mess this up or you’ll have half the town wanting to kick your ass.”

  “And the other half?”

  “They’ll be wanting to either console or date Zoe themselves!”

  “Bastard!” Only in Australia could an insult be a sign of close friendship. But still, I was prepared to take the hint and discover if I still had a dating A game.

  “You look, breathtaking.”

  A princess gracing a marble staircase couldn’t have outshone Zoe as she made her way down the wooden staircase to the applause of a dozen well-wishers. I’d tried not to notice the pub had more lunch time customers than usual. With all attention on us instead of the menus.

  Holding out my hand to help Zoe exit the final stair, I wanted to bring her into my arms, kiss the shit out of her and then take her back upstairs. But this was Zoe, and it really did seem that all our friends were invested in us having a real date.

  “Thank you, you too.” Her ability to blush on cue was possibly the cutest thing I’d ever seen.

  “Your chariot awaits.”

  “You found an old horse?”

  “Better.”

  Korbin had his car parked at the front, engine running and made to open Zoe’s door until my growl made him think better of it. No man was gonna out-gentleman me today.

  “Allow me!”

  As the fabric draped away when Zoe got into the car, I realized that the long, white skirt, was actually split up to almost the waistband. Showing off her long, tanned legs and tiny white bike shorts for modesty.

  With a sudden growth in my pants, I could barely walk around to the other side of the car to get in.

  “You okay, mate?” Unfortunately for me, Korbin wasn’t the only one of my supposed friends who’d noticed my discomfort. Grabbing their groins in mock pain, I knew two things: they’d make me pay in banter at the next football training; and it would all be worth it.

  “You ready for this?” Ignoring my friends, I focused on the white vision sitting next to me. The stupid keys refused to find their way into the ignition. It seemed like forever since I’d driven a real car. Could you stall an automatic? If it was possible, I’d probably do it today out of sheer nerves.

  “What am I getting ready for? I think I’ve eaten bar-b-que chicken before.”

  “Not the way I prepare it, you haven’t.”

  “I can’t smell it.”

  “Perhaps our secret fairy godparents are setting it up as we speak.”

  It was easier to focus on banal conversation than the devastated landscape. I’d driven around in the one of the State Emergency Service trucks after the fires. Identifying trees that needed chopping down before they lost branches or fell over from destroyed roots. Identifying stock that either needed to be put down or collected for disposal.

  Today.

  Today was hard for Zoe, who hadn’t been out since the fires.

  But for me, I saw the beauty. Noticing the small differences as the harsh Australian landscape give a firm fuck you to the fires.

  While mostly grey and desolate, when I slowed down, we could see sprinklings of green growth. Sprouting out of the sides of trees and clusters of naturally sown natives popping up around trees that breathed no more.

  “You okay?” She’d gone pale and sunken into the back of the leather car upholstery.

  “I didn’t expect it to be so—”

  “Broken?” I prompted, not expecting her response.

  “Renewed.” I almost lost control of the car when she hugged her knees to her chest, the skirt falling away and offering me long legs to appreciate.

  “Strange word.”

  “But don’t you see?” My arm seared from her clutch. “Everywhere you look, there’s new life. The country is rebuilding, so it makes me think.”

  “What?” I refrained from adding, sweetheart or babe or any other term of endearment. We were close, but not there yet.

  “If the country can rebuild, then so can we.”

  “Starting with our first date?”

  “The first of many more?”

  “Can you wait until we get to our picnic, because I’d drink to that.”

  “Are you kidding me!” Zoe laughed as I helped her across the almost sandy ground to where our lunch awaited. “I demand candlelight!”

  One by one, I turned on the torches. Not that we needed them in daylight, but I’d hoped the intent would win me either brownie points—or a laugh. “I’ll have you know that as captain of the volunteer bush fire brigade, I calculated the risk of candles and decided that we will dine by torchlight.”

  “But there’s nothing left to burn,” she said, slowly. The catch in her voice the only giveaway of how much it still hurt.

  “Well, my heart’s already on fire. Do you really want it to explode?”

  “Oh, Reece.” She wandered around the shell of my old home. A brown glass orb catching her attention. “What was this?”

  “I think you’re holding what used to be my French windows. They used to look out into the native garden. I’d spend hours doing research while watching the birds feed on the bottlebrush.

  “It’s beautiful.”

  “Out of the greatest tragedy and fury, there can be beauty, if we look hard enough to find it.”

  “And set aside all the emotions that get in the way of us looking.” She sounded so wistful. Lost, but still a twinge of hope.

  “Fuck, Zoe.”

  I couldn’t wait.
Capturing her hand and pulling her towards me. “I need to know the answer to two questions.”

  Pressing her hand to my heart, she had to know how much today meant, at least to me. The whole damn town knew how I felt about this woman, and based on how much effort had gone into today, they approved. The only person I didn’t have a clue about, was the woman herself.

  “Okay, hit me.”

  “Are you ready to move on?” I meant about her marriage, but it could just as easy mean after the fires.

  “Yes.” Her adamant reply almost cancelled out my last words. One down, one to go.

  “Do you want to move on, with me?”

  “Is that a real question or a hypothetical one?”

  “Real.”

  “Then, kiss me and find out.”

  Standing in what used to be my native garden, not even the sound of a lonely bird filled the air. All I could hear was the pumping sound of my own heart, and Zoe’s breath.

  In and out, with the rise and fall of her chest.

  I wanted to kiss her, had dreamed for years about kissing her.

  And now, with permission—I couldn’t!

  Instead, our fingers tingled together and our gaze that started as desire ended up in a giggling fit.

  Me.

  Giggling like a love-struck schoolboy over a girl.

  “I take it, you haven’t done this before!” Zoe was almost doubled over laughing at my feeble attempt at a kiss. Each time I moved forward, lips pursed, she crocked an eyebrow that had me second-guessing how to fuckin’ kiss.

  “I can assure you, I’ve kissed girls before.”

  “But never a woman!” She continued to bait me. “Perhaps if I tie my hair back in pigtails, or remove my makeup to look younger—”

  “Woman!”

  That was all it took.

  I crushed my lips against hers, probing and tasting every inch of her mouth until her pressure rewarded me. Fisting my shirt until our bodies merged as one.

  Still, it was only a kiss.

  My hands cupped beneath her long skirt, smoothing against the white lycra bike shorts, running my fingers beneath the hem and her legs. Pulling her closer until with no effort, I had her cheeks in each hand and her tongue in my mouth and her soul invading mine.