and—”
“Relax, big guy. You’re wound tighter than an eight-day clock,” she said, patting his shoulder. “I don’t make a habit of joyriding with pervs.”
As they reached their destination, he set the grocery bag on the dried grass and faced her. Stroking his thumb over the back of her hand, he asked, “How do you know I’m not?”
Cocking her head, she peered up at him, considering the question seriously. “Because you’re a lieutenant in the fire department.” She said it with confidence, as though this fact settled the matter entirely.
Howard shook his head. “Doesn’t mean I’m a nice guy.”
“But you are . All the evidence supports my being perfectly safe and happy in your company.”
“What evidence?” He waited, intrigued by her assessment of his character. He’d never met a woman so forthright. Honest.
“You rescued me after I’d inhaled too much smoke, made sure I was all right before we parted ways.”
“Doing my job.”
“You were very kind and gentle. Concerned.”
Oh, jeez. Though a secret part of him arched like a cat having his chin scratched, he continued to play devil’s advocate. “Could’ve been an act.”
“How long have you been a firefighter, Lieutenant?”
Lord, he loved when she called him that. The way she drew out the title, breathy and sexy as a caress.
“Sixteen years. I was assigned to Station Five right out of the fire academy, along with my best friend, Sean Tanner. When our captain retired three years ago, Sean got promoted to his position and I moved up from FAO—that’s the guy who drives the big engine— to lieutenant.”
“He got promoted over you, even though you two started together? You seem like a natural leader to me.”
“So is Sean. He’s five years older than me, did a stint in the Marines and survived Desert Storm before joining the fire department. Major points with the department for military service, and he deserves it.”
Green feline eyes sparkling, Kat regarded him as though he’d revealed some monumental secret. “You love him.”
The pronouncement startled him. Love? He snorted. “Sure. We send each other valentines and everything.”
“Oh, don’t be such a guy .” She poked him playfully in the stomach with one finger. “Tell me, what would you do to save one of your men if he were in life-threatening trouble?”
“Anything,” he said without hesitation.
“Even at the cost of your own life?”
“Absolutely.”
“I rest my case.”
Christ, she knew how to pump a man’s ego. All he needed was a red cape and a capital S emblazoned on his chest. He chuckled in spite of himself. “All right, I give in. I’m not perv material. But I’m not perfect by a long shot.”
By a wider margin than anyone knew, save his parents and Sean.
“Nobody is, but our faults won’t make a difference to those who truly care for us.” This time, it was her turn to flush. “Holy cow, that was so Pollyanna. Sorry.”
He arched a brow. “For what? For believing trial brings out the best in people? Actually, you sound a lot like Georgie, and I respect her more than any lady I know.”
Kat recognized the huge compliment in the comparison. “Thank you . . . but what do you believe?”
Whoa, getting deep here. Still, he gave an honest answer. “Georgie’s an optimist. I’m a realist, like Bentley. I take my blows as they come, deal with them, move on. I think all of that ‘Adversity makes you stronger’ stuff is what people say to comfort themselves when the going gets rough. Friends and family can stand by you, lend support. But in the end, your inner core of strength pulls you through, period.”
“Or not.”
“Yeah,” he agreed quietly, thinking of Sean. Of the man’s shattered world that no amount of drugs or hand-holding could ever patch back together. “And sometimes, no matter how strong you thought you were, the damage takes you out of the game.”
Kat laid a palm in the center of his chest, concern
“Relax, big guy. You’re wound tighter than an eight-day clock,” she said, patting his shoulder. “I don’t make a habit of joyriding with pervs.”
As they reached their destination, he set the grocery bag on the dried grass and faced her. Stroking his thumb over the back of her hand, he asked, “How do you know I’m not?”
Cocking her head, she peered up at him, considering the question seriously. “Because you’re a lieutenant in the fire department.” She said it with confidence, as though this fact settled the matter entirely.
Howard shook his head. “Doesn’t mean I’m a nice guy.”
“But you are . All the evidence supports my being perfectly safe and happy in your company.”
“What evidence?” He waited, intrigued by her assessment of his character. He’d never met a woman so forthright. Honest.
“You rescued me after I’d inhaled too much smoke, made sure I was all right before we parted ways.”
“Doing my job.”
“You were very kind and gentle. Concerned.”
Oh, jeez. Though a secret part of him arched like a cat having his chin scratched, he continued to play devil’s advocate. “Could’ve been an act.”
“How long have you been a firefighter, Lieutenant?”
Lord, he loved when she called him that. The way she drew out the title, breathy and sexy as a caress.
“Sixteen years. I was assigned to Station Five right out of the fire academy, along with my best friend, Sean Tanner. When our captain retired three years ago, Sean got promoted to his position and I moved up from FAO—that’s the guy who drives the big engine— to lieutenant.”
“He got promoted over you, even though you two started together? You seem like a natural leader to me.”
“So is Sean. He’s five years older than me, did a stint in the Marines and survived Desert Storm before joining the fire department. Major points with the department for military service, and he deserves it.”
Green feline eyes sparkling, Kat regarded him as though he’d revealed some monumental secret. “You love him.”
The pronouncement startled him. Love? He snorted. “Sure. We send each other valentines and everything.”
“Oh, don’t be such a guy .” She poked him playfully in the stomach with one finger. “Tell me, what would you do to save one of your men if he were in life-threatening trouble?”
“Anything,” he said without hesitation.
“Even at the cost of your own life?”
“Absolutely.”
“I rest my case.”
Christ, she knew how to pump a man’s ego. All he needed was a red cape and a capital S emblazoned on his chest. He chuckled in spite of himself. “All right, I give in. I’m not perv material. But I’m not perfect by a long shot.”
By a wider margin than anyone knew, save his parents and Sean.
“Nobody is, but our faults won’t make a difference to those who truly care for us.” This time, it was her turn to flush. “Holy cow, that was so Pollyanna. Sorry.”
He arched a brow. “For what? For believing trial brings out the best in people? Actually, you sound a lot like Georgie, and I respect her more than any lady I know.”
Kat recognized the huge compliment in the comparison. “Thank you . . . but what do you believe?”
Whoa, getting deep here. Still, he gave an honest answer. “Georgie’s an optimist. I’m a realist, like Bentley. I take my blows as they come, deal with them, move on. I think all of that ‘Adversity makes you stronger’ stuff is what people say to comfort themselves when the going gets rough. Friends and family can stand by you, lend support. But in the end, your inner core of strength pulls you through, period.”
“Or not.”
“Yeah,” he agreed quietly, thinking of Sean. Of the man’s shattered world that no amount of drugs or hand-holding could ever patch back together. “And sometimes, no matter how strong you thought you were, the damage takes you out of the game.”
Kat laid a palm in the center of his chest, concern
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