How to Seduce a Fireman: HarperImpulse Contemporary Romance (17 page)

“Yeah, well, that man needs his ass checked. Needs his diet changed or somethin’.” Ryder shook his head and went back to work.

The guys made it to the fire station ten minutes over the two-hour limit the Captain had allowed them. The remaining members of the squad were situated around the dining table, their eyes glued on Jenna who held a wrapped box.

Jace kissed her forehead before aiming a scowl at the guys. “What are you lowlifes doing ogling my sister?”

“Oh, it’s not me that has them wound up, although I wish it was.” She spared them all a wink and they laughed. “I have a gift for Quinn from Cassie.”

So, she was thinking of him too. “How did she like the neg…” he cleared his throat. “My present?”
God, I want to be with her now more than anything. I want to keep her safe.

“She loved it. She put it on right away and told me to tell you it felt sensual against her skin.”

The guys hooted and elbowed each other.

“She sent me on a shopping trip with explicit instructions on what to buy.” Jenna extended a box wrapped in shiny black paper and tied with a bright red ribbon.

“Looks like something sexy, Quinn.” Noah glanced away, his shoulders shaking with laughter. “Might help you up your game a little bit.”

Quinn stared at the box as if it were a snake. Knowing Cassie’s sense of humor, he wouldn’t be surprised if a python crawled out. “Ain’t a damn thing wrong with my game.” Hadn’t he been nice to her? Hadn’t he laid his emotions on the line? He took the box from Jenna. Once he knew his Cassie was safe, he would paddle that pretty ass of hers and then kiss every inch of it. But for now? He wasn’t in the fucking mood. “Thanks. I’ll open it later. Is Wolf here?”

“He’s picking up tacos for everyone. Said he’d be here shortly.” Jenna shook her head and held up her cell phone. “Go ahead and open the box. I’m under orders here. Cassie’s exact words were, ‘Pictures, big guy.’”

With everyone’s eyes trained on Quinn, what choice did he have? He set the box on the table, and they all leaned in as he tore off the ribbon and black paper. He gingerly folded back the black tissue paper and examined the contents. What the hell? He picked up the first item, a black satin male thong with a red-lace stretchy pocket and a damn bell where his pecker should go.

“The bell’s to help you find that tiny thing you call a cock,” one of the guys chimed in.
Oh, I am definitely going to paddle her ass.

Of course, every person on the squad, including the new female in their unit, Ivy Jo, who Ryder couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off, laughed over his new underwear, especially when he turned it around to examine the strip no wider than dental floss that was to slip between his ass cheeks.
Cold day in hell, angel, when I put these sons of bitches on.
The second thong nestled in the tissue paper was leopard print. He held it up for one and all to see. Hell, he might as well get this show over with so he could move onto more important things, like finding out who was threatening the woman he loved. The gorgeous female with the heart-shaped face who was going to get her sweet ass smacked. Dear God, were those movable eyes at the end of the cock holder?

“Wait!” One of the guys, Eduardo, reached for his cell. “Let me take a picture for my wife. She’s always dishing on Quinn’s ass anyhow.” He snapped a couple shots. “She will love these. Look, it’s got eyes on the pecker pocket!” Eduardo pointed.

“That’s so the little leopard can see to find the pussy.” Barclay’s face mottled red. “Sorry, ladies. Sometimes we guys forget our manners.” He glanced at Ivy Jo. “I meant no offense. We’re still getting used to having women in the unit.”

“Don’t feel you have to change the way you normally talk on my account. I knew coming into a typically male environment, I’d have some adjustments to make.” She smiled and shifted a shoulder. “Besides, it’s no worse than what I hear around my brothers and cousins.” She turned to Quinn. “Will you be modeling them for us?”

“Hell, no!” He wasn’t even sure he’d put them on for Cassie.

Beneath the two pairs of thongs was a book,
One Hundred and One Ways to Make Your Woman Beg for More.
Quinn’s gaze rose to meet Jenna’s. “Tell my woman she won’t need to beg. She’ll have more than she can handle.”

The entire force was in a raucous when Wolf sauntered in carrying an armful of taco boxes. Another man beside him, wearing a suit, carried a carton of soda. “Captain, Jace, Barclay, Ryder and…” with an amused glance at the leopard underwear in Quinn’s hands, the corners of Wolf’s mouth twitched before he added, “
thong-man
, let’s assemble in the conference room. The top three boxes are for us. The bottom five are for the rest of you worthless bums and our new ‘bummette.’ Jenna, you staying? We’ve got plenty of tacos, if you want to join in.”

“No, I’m heading back to stay with Cassie and show her the video I just took of thong man and his goodies.

Ryder reached in one of the pockets of his black cargo pants and extracted a wad of business cards. He started passing them out. “I own a health food café on Sunset Dreams Boulevard. And I’m not too shy to say I make the best smoothies in Clearwater. This card entitles you to one free smoothie. Stop by.” He paused in front of Ivy Jo and pressed several cards in her outstretched hand. “Anytime.”

Quinn checked the blush spreading across the new recruit’s chubby cheeks. Had Ryder just hit on her? That sly dog, passing out free smoothie cards to the entire squad just so he could give her his name and work address. Quinn needed to learn some flirting techniques too. Ways to make his angel blush and charm her so she was confident in the extent to which he loved her.

Once the unofficial team was settled around the table in the conference room, ground beef, chicken and steak tacos were slapped on paper plates and cans of soda opened. Wolf introduced Detective Arlo Jacobs, a man he met years back when Wolf had given a couple of courses on boat safety. Arlo Jacobs was one of his first students.

The detective took off his jacket and loosened his tie. “So, everyone here has had military and/or tactical training?”

Wolf glanced at his brother. “Everyone except Jace, but he’s got one of those minds that sees things differently. Zeroes in on what ought to be obvious to everyone else but isn’t for some stupid reason. Besides, I need my brother here. End of discussion.”

Everyone nodded their assent and Arlo made no objection.

“Okay. Let’s make a list of what we know. See what ties into what. Or maybe nothing fits just yet.” He pointed to the men, his eyebrow arched. “But the facts will. Everything we know is a piece of the puzzle. It’s up to us to methodically put the pieces together until the puzzle makes sense.”

Puzzles. Cassie was in danger and this policeman wanted to play with freakin’ puzzles? Quinn fought the urge to heave the empty chairs against the wall. What Cassie needed was to be in another town in a motel with him guarding her, holding her close and keeping her safe. Yet, here they sat eating tasteless tacos and talking puzzles.

The policeman guzzled a soda and then removed the top to a black dry erase marker. “Let’s start with a timeline. Quinn, when did you join the State Department?” Arlo jotted the date Quinn gave him. “When were you invited into the meeting that temporarily assigned you to the DEA?”

“Look, I mean no disrespect, but this is a fuckin’ waste of time. Our first order of business ought to be getting my ang…Cassie out of town. Let me borrow a car or rent one. I’ll take her someplace fifty, sixty miles away. Meanwhile, you all can play this puzzle shit ʼcause it ain’t workin’ for me.”

Arlo planted his fingertips on the tabletop, leaned toward Quinn and stared him in the eye. “What happens if the two of you are followed? You’ve been watched for three years and were too damn dumb to realize it. You think now, all of a sudden, you can detect a tail? I don’t think so.”

Quinn jumped out of his seat, ready to crawl across the table to grab the arrogant bastard by the throat. Noah and Jace both grabbed an arm to hold Quinn in place.

Wolf motioned to the corner of the room. “Get the hell over there, Gallagher. Now!” Both men stormed to the corner indicated. Wolf stared at his feet for a minute as if he were choosing the right words. “If
my
Becca was in Cassie’s place, I’d be every bit as pissed and scared and determined to keep her safe as you are.” He took a deep breath and clasped Quinn’s shoulder.

Quinn didn’t like being handled and jerked away from Wolf’s grasp. “But she’s not your woman. She’s
mine
.”

Wolf shoved him back into the corner with a strong punch to his chest. “And she’s my little sister, dammit. I have protected her for eight years. You think I’m not scared? That I’m not mad as hell? That I don’t want to tear down this fire station, brick by fucking brick? You’re not the only son of a bitch in this town who loves that girl to death.”

Quinn ran a hand over his hair and was surprised at how much it shook when he lowered his arm. “I’ve never loved like…”

“Hell, neither have I.” Wolf lowered his voice. “But I can double-damn guarantee you, Becca, my prickly redhead is my entire life.”

Quinn jammed his fingertips into the front pockets of his jeans. “So if someone threatened Becca, you’d sit back and do this puzzle shit?”

“I’d get a grip and do whatever…
whatever
it took! You’ve got two minutes to get your shit together, and if you’re half the man I think you are, you’ll apologize to Arlo. Then you’ll answer his stupid-assed questions, because this whole puzzle process is driving me every bit as batshit crazy as it is you.” Wolf pivoted, his hands curled into fists, and strode to his chair.

Facing the wall, Quinn beat his forehead against it four or five times as he thought of those who had or might be torn from his life. First, his men. Then, his dad. Now, perhaps, his angel. He chuckled. For the first time in nearly four years, a certain dark-eyed woman did not tumble onto his list of losses. Maybe he was doing a bit of healing—or growing up. And the feisty green-eyed woman who’d prompted it all was in peril.

Quinn made the eight-foot trek, that seemed four times as long, back across the room to come face to face with the police detective. “I owe you an apology. I acted like an ass.” He extended his hand, which Arlo shook. “Ask me whatever you need to know and I’ll help you as best I can.”

Arlo nodded. “Good. Let me repeat the question while you take your seat. When were you invited into the meeting that temporarily assigned you to the DEA?” He wrote the date Quinn provided. The policeman asked who was present at the time and added their names, then also wanted to know who each person’s superior was before adding their names to the list.

Much to Quinn’s chagrin, time dragged on, but question by question, Arlo constructed a picture of facts and names. He also shared how his team had learned the text Quinn received was from a burner phone, so that lead was dead. Even so, it remained on the timeline.

Arlo’s cell rang. He answered the call, took notes, cussed a few times and issued a couple of orders. Once he ended the call, he turned to the group. “Looks like the driver of the bike was most definitely after your girlfriend, Quinn. No doubt about it now. A Florida motorcycle license plate, starting with the numbers Ryder remembered, was found by one…” he glanced at his notes, “Milt Garland, shoved into the crack of your mailbox in the vestibule of your apartment building.”

“Son of a bitch!” The table shuddered under the force of Quinn’s fist. The man just kept getting closer and closer to Cassie. “One of us needs to be at the hospital with her all the time. We can’t leave her alone.”

“I’ve got an officer assigned outside her door. Wolf asked that she not know she’s being placed under protective custody.”

“I told Becca and Dr. Paxwell I’m hoping the rest of the girls will think the policeman is there for someone else, if they even notice him at all.” Wolf reached for another taco and pulled back, almost as if he’d lost his appetite. “God, I hate this.”

Jace leaned toward Wolf. “I think we need to tell the whole family. I don’t think it’s fair they don’t know their baby sister is in danger. Besides, with Megan being a nurse at the hospital, that gives us an extra pair of eyes. Maybe she could switch duty with someone else and get temporarily assigned to Cassie’s floor.”

Wolf shook his head. “And just how the hell do we keep it all from Cassie? She’s under enough stress right now.”

“I gotta disagree with you on this, Wolf.” Quinn snapped open another can of soda. “She’s stronger than we think. I’m going to her room as soon as we’re done here and telling her everything. We’ve already worked through some issues that troubled her. I have a feeling this will make her damn mad and speed up her healing. You know what a pistol she can be.”

Wolf chuckled. “True that. The kid has worn me down more times than I can count. And, brother, if you truly plan on marrying her, you better grow an extra set of kahunas, ʼcause you’re going to need them dealing with her.”

“Yeah, her mind is always working on how to get one ahead.” Jace looked at Wold and grinned. “Wolf, remember how she glued your jockstrap shut before the big football game your senior year?”

Wolf laughed. “I’d almost forgotten. She was what? All of ten? Damn brat.” He pointed at Quinn. “Yep, now that I think about it, you might deserve some of her shit. She can be sweet as all get-out and vengeful as a hurricane too.”

“You think I haven’t learned that already? Now, back to this asshole coming into my building. He knows where Cassie works, what kind of car she drives and where I live.”

“To put his license plate in Quinn’s mailbox. Sounds like the bastard is playing with our boy, here. Edging him on.” Ryder crushed his empty soda can in one hand. “Still, trust old eagle-eye Milt to see it.”

“Oh, he saw it all right.” Arlo slammed the top onto the dry marker. “One of my men is bringing him here. Claims he won’t tell anyone but Quinn and Ryder who he saw. Took a picture of the intruder with his cell phone, and his dog, Killer, bit the man on the leg. So now we got a man with no license plate on his bike and a limp when he walks.”

“You think an effing Chihuahua can inflict that much damage?” Quinn wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all. As excitable as Milt was, the picture was probably blurred or missing a head. Yet, here they sat, waiting for agent Milt Garland, double-oh-four and a half to show up with his photographic masterpiece.

As soon as this meeting was over, he was taking personal leave and going to the hospital with Cassie. Dr. Paxwell and her orders be damned. They could choose another month to stay apart, like November…of twenty-seventy-nine.

“By now, our man is probably using stolen license plates,” Noah reached for another taco. “Do you have any reports of stolen plates or a ditched bike found anywhere?”

Barclay took a bite and chewed. “Could have the bike in a shop for a custom paint job. Stripes or design work. Or a complete color change.”

For the tenth time, Quinn’s gaze went over every detail Arlo had scrawled on the large whiteboard, his mind processing, eliminating and zeroing in on the facts laid out. He needed help. Cassie needed protection; the best he could provide.

The memory of the fury and shame in Buck Gallagher’s eyes, the echo of contempt in his voice as his words attacked Quinn like verbal shrapnel after his failure in Chile, burned like acid in his gut. Hell, he’d spent his entire life trying to win the old man’s approval. If being shot while serving his country didn’t qualify, then nothing would. Where his male parent was concerned, Quinn didn’t give a damn. Yet, damned if he wouldn’t do anything to keep Cassie safe, including swallowing his pride. He stood and walked toward a bank of windows before dialing a number he’d known by heart since childhood. 

“Dad, I need your help.”

A long-suffering sigh sounded over the phone. “What kind of trouble are you in this time? And haven’t I told you not to call me by that title?”

Telling him to fuck that shit was on the tip of his tongue, but Cassie’s safety meant too much. “You’re the only one I can trust. Will you give me five minutes to ask your opinion on something?”