Up In Flames (12 page)

There was a part of Shane which actually thought it might be a good idea to meet some other women. He'd been isolated for so long since Alana's death. He wondered if he'd been so taken with Jules because she was really the only one who'd sparked for him since Alana. Sure, he'd looked at others, even had a few dates, but none of them made him feel the way Jules did.

But maybe he hadn't given those other women a chance to spark.

Maybe he would thank Kevin later. Maybe this auction would introduce him to someone really nice. Someone with less baggage than Miss Juliet Baker. Maybe this town was full of hot women, waiting to get their hands on Fire Captain Gaskill.

And then he realized he didn't care. He didn't care how many women he could pick up in Riverbend. His body, and he was pretty sure his heart, only wanted one.

The tiny, stubborn brunette down at the Baker farm. The one who looked so sweet in a pair of khaki shorts and loved Jimmy Stewart movies.

But was he willing to wait for her while she decided if she could trust him, the big, bad firefighter? He wasn't yet sure. But he did know he didn't want former fire starter Kevin McGuinness anywhere near her.

He was trying to maneuver him away from Jules. Kevin figured he was weak, as weak as he was, and that he would fall for one of the local women after a charity auction. And then, he'd move out and Kevin could move in.

Well, Kevin didn't know how wrong he was.

Just as Shane was contemplating the possibility of taking up magic so he could make Kevin disappear, he popped his head back into the office. Kevin handed him an envelope. “By the way, someone left this for you out front."

He felt a distinct chill go down his back. His name was printed on the front. “Who?"

"I don't know,” Kevin said, shrugging, tossing it onto his desk. “It was just sitting there."

He watched the other man leave, then pulled out a new pair of latex gloves. Only then did he carefully open the envelope and pull out the note. Even before he unfolded the paper, he recognized the font inside. Heart sinking as he imagined all sorts of horrible possibilities, Shane read it.

"U DON'T GET TO TOUCH HER,” it said.

He glared back up at Kevin's retreating form. Then, showing more calm than he felt inside, Shane picked up the phone and dialed his counterpart at the local police station.

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As much as it bothered her, Jules managed to avoid Shane over the next few days. She spent her time getting quotes from contractors for various jobs at the farm, and pricing out various items she'd need for the B&B such as linens and furniture. When she wasn't working, she volunteered herself as a babysitter for Claire and Todd. In this way, she kept away from the farmhouse for sizable chunks of time, returning home late at night. So far, she'd only run into Shane once or twice for a couple of minutes. She'd never considered herself a coward, but she breathed a sigh of relief each time she returned home to find Shane away.

What she did return home to was even more police officers, all there on Shane's orders. He'd told her that much. That he was working with the police chief and didn't want her alone. As disconcerting as their presence was, every time she thought of her “YOU WILL PAY” letter, she couldn't help feeling glad they were there.

And glad for Shane for thinking of her. Of course, he was just doing his job.

And yet, it wasn't part of his job description to always let her know of his whereabouts. That was odd. He'd given her about fifty different numbers and ways to reach him when he wasn't home. When his work schedule changed, he'd put a calendar on her fridge, one which detailed his hours. God only knew he didn't have to share any of his information with her, certainly not after the great breast debacle.

She shared her thoughts on the phone with Claire, keeping out the part about the letter and the heavy police presence at the farm .

"I think it's considerate,” said her sister. “Even Kevin never told you where he was half the time."

"There was a reason for that."

"Well, it's clear Shane doesn't want you to worry."

Jules scowled. “I'm sure that's the least of his concerns."

"Talk to him."

"No, thanks."

"Oh, so you're happy entering your own house like a thief in the night?” Claire let out a sigh and put on her mom voice. “Ellie, put your pants back on and stop rubbing your boogers on your little sister!"

"You know, you lecture me as much as you lecture them."

Claire ignored the comment. “I almost forgot why I called! The firehouse bachelor auction is in a couple of nights. I went ahead and got a ticket for you. I'll bring it by later."

Jules turned her head to stare into the phone receiver, her face drained of color. The note and the police were already forgotten. “You didn't."

"I did.” Claire sounded proud of herself. “Look, maybe it was wrong of me to push Shane on you as a boarder. And maybe it's too soon for you to be in a new relationship. But I thought you could use this as a chance to socialize. Meet new people."

"At the firefighters’ auction?” Jules’ voice reached a new decibel level. “Why on earth would you get me a ticket to that? I don't want to date any of them!"

"Come on, Juliet. It's the biggest social event of the year. And it's not just firemen who attend. All sorts of people go. And you won't be alone. Todd and I will go with you. Besides, all the local businesses are represented. It'll be a great chance to talk up the B&B. To network."

"And the whole time I'm ‘networking’ I'll have to stare at Shane in his skivvies, flirting with a banquet hall full of man-hungry women. How on earth is this supposed to make me feel better?” The thought of him, bare-chested and in firefighter turnout pants, already had her temperature rising.

Claire didn't sound remotely repentant. “Oh, relax. We'll just have some good, clean fun."

"I'm hanging up on you now, Claire. You have officially won the Busybody of the Year Award."

Too angry at her sister to even consider hiding out at her house, Jules hung around the farmhouse. It was time to stop hiding from Shane anyway. Soon he'd move out, and she wouldn't see him at all. The thought filled her with sadness, shocking in its intensity.

"Why should I care if he moves out?” she mumbled to herself as she tidied up the kitchen. “He's brought nothing but trouble with him."

Trouble, in the shape of soft brown eyes, hands which knew how to caress, and a killer tongue. She just needed to see him naked now to complete her cycle of insanity and drive her into the seventh circle of hell.

Sometime before the dinner hour, she heard the sound of Shane's pickup coming down the gravel path. Her heart leapt into her throat. It felt as if they hadn't really spoken or looked at each other in days. The sound of him slamming his truck door made her quiver with nervous anticipation.

"What do I say?” She paced the kitchen. “'Sorry I put my boob away the other night. Would you care to see it again?’ Aw, crap.” She was obsessing, but she knew nothing she could say would make up for how she'd left it with him. She considered keeping it casual, as if she had almost-sex with near strangers every day. By the time his key was in the lock, she had a whole, nonchalant speech composed in her head.

But as she heard him enter the house, she forgot every word of that speech. Her tongue seemed suddenly thick in her mouth and she felt unable to talk at all. For one ludicrous second, she contemplated pretending to be mute.

He was headed towards the kitchen. She panicked. She gave her cheeks a light slap for color, but also to help her snap out of her sex-crazed stupor. “It's just lust, that's all,” she whispered. “Your body wants him. Your heart doesn't have to want him as well."

Even still, she looked down at the outfit she'd chosen so carefully that morning. The one which was sexy, but appeared unstudied. The leggings hugged her shape, but covered her legs. The sandals were simple flats, but showed off her pretty feet. The tunic wasn't tight, but still accentuated her curves. And just a bit of purple eye shadow and lip-gloss to highlight her hazel eyes.

The ones which were ready to cry, depending on Shane's reaction.

"Oh, yeah, you want him,” she muttered.

As his last footsteps sounded outside the kitchen door, it seemed important to look busy. She had to find something to do. It wouldn't do to look as if she were waiting for him. She scurried off in no particular direction, but her feet lead her to the big chest freezer.

As he pushed open the kitchen door, Jules remained still with her head in the freezer. She leaned right in, hoping he'd think she was occupied with some sort of culinary creation, and walk right on past her.

Yet even as she heard his approach, she knew her plan was the lamest ever invented.

Even with everything on his mind, the sight of Jules in the kitchen made Shane smile. It also made his cock rock hard. He couldn't help it. Once he saw her bending into the chest freezer, her adorable ass in the air, he only had one thought. It involved coming up behind her, pulling her to his body, closing the lid and taking her right there on top of the freezer. Swallowing hard, he forced the image from his mind. “Hi, Jules,” he called, but not too loudly, so as not to startle her.

She stood back up, and slowly closed the lid to the freezer. She had retrieved a package from it, and was clutching it to her chest like a shield. “Hey. Sorry I didn't hear you come in. I was thinking of planning a dinner party for some people I know, and was getting some ideas."

Shane stared at the frozen package of meat, and suppressed a smile. “Do you always serve hot dogs at dinner parties?"

She looked down at the frozen wieners, aghast, but then her face crumpled into an awkward grin. “Yes, Shane, as a matter of fact. I was just thinking of getting ... gourmet buns.” She giggled nervously and threw the wieners back in the freezer.

Your buns are gourmet. I'd like to eat them up
. He shook his head, knowing that train of thought would get him nowhere.

"Um, I was hoping to talk to you when you got home,” she interrupted his sex-filled, hot dog bun-induced fantasies. “You mentioned you were going to try to find another place to stay. How's the search going?"

"Actually, I've changed my mind."

She looked ready to fall down. She actually reached out an arm to the freezer lid, as if to steady her. “You have? Okay. Whatever works best for you."

He approached her slowly, knowing he was staring at her through eyes which must look predatory. There was no helping it. He couldn't stop focusing on her, on her lips. As he bit his bottom lip, in a feeble attempt to snap out of it, he saw her chew on her own lip. It made his body burst into flame. For a ludicrous moment, he had an urge to retrieve her frozen hot dog package and apply it to his aching crotch. As if even that would cool him down. Maybe if he were doused in a large vat of frozen wieners.

She didn't look any better off. She was gripping the freezer handle so hard her knuckles were as blanched as her face.

He stopped right in front of her and looked into her eyes. “I decided I like it here. Surely we can be adults about what happened the other night?"

"You bet!” She squirmed away and made for the kitchen door, as much as her face was betraying her need to strip naked in front of him and beg him to take her until she screamed. “I'm as adult as they come,” she tittered.

As she passed over the kitchen threshold, he called out to her. “Oh, Jules. I have to head out tonight, to a ... rehearsal for the bachelor auction.” He frowned, hating to provide that tidbit of information.

"Lucky you."

"Yeah.” He ran a hand through his hair, wanting to kill Kevin right about now. The auction. That was another night he wouldn't be home. Another night he'd have to rely on the police to protect her instead of him. That is, unless she was planning to attend. “Say. You weren't thinking of going to the auction, were you?"

She stiffened. “Why do you ask?"

Because, he wanted to say, I hate having you out of my sight in case our letter-writing friend decides to pay a visit. Because there's no one I'd rather strip for than you. Because I want you there, plain and simple. He grinned at his own lunacy. “No reason. Just wondering."

But as he ambled passed her, he heard her gulp and it almost made him laugh. Something told him she was going to the auction, and that the thought of him in his turnout pants had her shaking in her boots.

Good. He'd be sure to put on a nice show for her.

"I so can't believe I'm here,” Jules said, holding her chocolate martini up over the heads of a couple of intoxicated, older ladies as they brushed past her. In a way, she was glad for the distraction. Between the police cruisers, Shane's strange behavior, and a sneaking feeling she was being watched lately, she was in desperate need of a release. She just hated that it would come in the form of a dozen, half-naked firefighters waving their tushes at her.

"I know,” Claire shouted. “Isn't this awesome? I've never seen so many people at this thing! I think your fire captain has caused a lot of interest in Riverbend's female community."

They worked their way through the crowd, looking for Todd. He'd promised to go find them some seats and they hadn't seen him since. Jules craned her neck over the bodies lining the banquet hall. There were booths set up by local businesses and silent auctions being held, and it seemed the whole town had come out to participate. It was almost impossible to walk through the hall. Jules spied Todd's dark hair. “There he is.” She grabbed Claire's hand and plunged into the crowd.

When she saw the seats he'd procured, she made a face. “Really, Todd? This close to the catwalk? I was hoping to be a bit more anonymous."

He shrugged. “Thought you'd want to be close. You ladies have a good time. I'm officially escaping to the bar.” He kissed Claire on the nose. “Now, don't go throwing your panties at anyone."

"I only throw my panties at you, honey.” She smiled and hugged him before he could make his escape.

Jules stared at Claire, feeling cantankerous. “Do you have any idea how good you have it?"