don't understand. I told her those girls meant nothing to me. They were just one-night-stands, a bit of fun.” He leaned over, resting his elbows on his knees. “You know, my dad always said, ‘When an opportunity presents itself, you gotta nab it.’”
Shane found himself growing angrier by the second, but bit his tongue, and Kevin apparently interpreted his silence as sympathy.
"Besides,” he continued, “like I told Jules, there are girls you marry and girls you don't. Jules is the marrying kind. She's the only one I ever said those three little words to."
"That must have been very comforting to her,” Shane replied, his fist clenching under the desk.
"Yeah, I know she's had it rough with her parents and all. I told her I was sorry, but the women ... how do you handle it, Captain? You must have them lining up for you too, huh?"
"I wouldn't know."
"No, eh? I don't know what it is, but the women in this town go crazy for firefighters. If you want it, you can get it every night."
Shane thought twice but decided to forge ahead with the question plaguing him. “So why did you stay with Jules? Why not just remain single and go crazy?"
Kevin grinned. “I would, but Jules is awesome! She always took care of me. She's sweet and sexy and really smart. She's just into the relationship thing too much."
"I think she was under the impression you two were committed to each other."
"We were, but once I passed the firefighter's entrance exam, other women started coming onto me. Women who would have brushed me off in the past were all of a sudden hot for me. This uniform is like a magnet some days and I was flattered. Jules doesn't get it."
Kevin expelled a huge breath as if happy to have gotten it all off his chest. He eyed his new captain warily once more. “Anyway, I don't mean to unload all my crap on you, but with you bunking at her place ... I don't want you to get the wrong idea, but I'm not done with her."
"You're not ‘done’ with her?” Shane tried to keep the threat out of his voice.
"I mean, I've had a lot of time to think. I know I let her down, and she's made her point. But I'm getting tired of all the nameless girls throwing themselves at me. I think I'm ready to settle down."
"And you're worried I'll be in the way?"
"Something like that."
They stared at each other. Shane had begun his day trying desperately to get Jules out of his mind, and now he wanted nothing more than to gather her to him. He felt he needed to warn her, at the very least, that her Neanderthal ex-boyfriend was gunning for her again. Maybe he was the one who sent the note, too.
"Jules is a grown woman. I'm sure she makes her own decisions."
Kevin paled a little. “I just don't want anyone influencing her decisions."
"I'm sure you have nothing to worry about."
Relieved, Kevin stood up. “Thanks, Captain. I knew if we spoke man-to-man you'd understand.” He left the office, a decided spring in his step.
Oh, I understand , Shane thought, I understand perfectly.
And if you think I'm going to let you anywhere near her, you have another thing coming.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Seven
"Let's get a drink into you, Jules."
That evening after work, Jules allowed Claire to take her out to Duffy's to drown her sorrows. Todd had been treating a sick horse on a farm near town, and decided to meet them at the pub. Jules had been disconsolate all day, calling Claire a couple of times to vent. Now, she winced and rubbed her temple as they walked to the pub. She had a headache which was growing progressively more painful each hour.
"So, you really stepped in it this time, huh?” Claire asked. “Did you at least apologize?"
"I did not,” Jules snapped. “He shouldn't have been goading me. I just feel badly for making the comment about the wedding ring."
"Yeah, that was pretty bad.” Claire admitted. “So Shane's a widower. How did he lose his wife?"
"I don't know. After we argued, he left. He was up early this
Shane found himself growing angrier by the second, but bit his tongue, and Kevin apparently interpreted his silence as sympathy.
"Besides,” he continued, “like I told Jules, there are girls you marry and girls you don't. Jules is the marrying kind. She's the only one I ever said those three little words to."
"That must have been very comforting to her,” Shane replied, his fist clenching under the desk.
"Yeah, I know she's had it rough with her parents and all. I told her I was sorry, but the women ... how do you handle it, Captain? You must have them lining up for you too, huh?"
"I wouldn't know."
"No, eh? I don't know what it is, but the women in this town go crazy for firefighters. If you want it, you can get it every night."
Shane thought twice but decided to forge ahead with the question plaguing him. “So why did you stay with Jules? Why not just remain single and go crazy?"
Kevin grinned. “I would, but Jules is awesome! She always took care of me. She's sweet and sexy and really smart. She's just into the relationship thing too much."
"I think she was under the impression you two were committed to each other."
"We were, but once I passed the firefighter's entrance exam, other women started coming onto me. Women who would have brushed me off in the past were all of a sudden hot for me. This uniform is like a magnet some days and I was flattered. Jules doesn't get it."
Kevin expelled a huge breath as if happy to have gotten it all off his chest. He eyed his new captain warily once more. “Anyway, I don't mean to unload all my crap on you, but with you bunking at her place ... I don't want you to get the wrong idea, but I'm not done with her."
"You're not ‘done’ with her?” Shane tried to keep the threat out of his voice.
"I mean, I've had a lot of time to think. I know I let her down, and she's made her point. But I'm getting tired of all the nameless girls throwing themselves at me. I think I'm ready to settle down."
"And you're worried I'll be in the way?"
"Something like that."
They stared at each other. Shane had begun his day trying desperately to get Jules out of his mind, and now he wanted nothing more than to gather her to him. He felt he needed to warn her, at the very least, that her Neanderthal ex-boyfriend was gunning for her again. Maybe he was the one who sent the note, too.
"Jules is a grown woman. I'm sure she makes her own decisions."
Kevin paled a little. “I just don't want anyone influencing her decisions."
"I'm sure you have nothing to worry about."
Relieved, Kevin stood up. “Thanks, Captain. I knew if we spoke man-to-man you'd understand.” He left the office, a decided spring in his step.
Oh, I understand , Shane thought, I understand perfectly.
And if you think I'm going to let you anywhere near her, you have another thing coming.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Seven
"Let's get a drink into you, Jules."
That evening after work, Jules allowed Claire to take her out to Duffy's to drown her sorrows. Todd had been treating a sick horse on a farm near town, and decided to meet them at the pub. Jules had been disconsolate all day, calling Claire a couple of times to vent. Now, she winced and rubbed her temple as they walked to the pub. She had a headache which was growing progressively more painful each hour.
"So, you really stepped in it this time, huh?” Claire asked. “Did you at least apologize?"
"I did not,” Jules snapped. “He shouldn't have been goading me. I just feel badly for making the comment about the wedding ring."
"Yeah, that was pretty bad.” Claire admitted. “So Shane's a widower. How did he lose his wife?"
"I don't know. After we argued, he left. He was up early this
Similar Books
