Uniform Fetish: Men Of Station 23 Part 8

"I suggest you come meet your friend before there's another unfortunate garage fire. I have a feeling this one won't be as easy to extinguish, and by the time help arrives, it'll be too late for Stephanie. She is cute, though. Unfortunately, I've already given my heart to you. Unlike you, Ms. Palmer, I'm faithful until the end."

She wanted to argue, to tell him she wasn't his, that they weren't even a couple. But Tammy feared that anything she said could get Stephanie into more trouble.

"I'll come. Just give me the address."

Chapter Thirteen.

The drive back to the station was relatively stress-free once they got the call from Brad saying Tammy was safe and sound, waiting for them in their bedroom. Aaron may have tried to fight his feelings for the journalist, but the truth was he wanted to keep her. The thought of her walking out of the station and never returning put him in a black mood. He needed to get over his issues with commitment before it was too late or his friends killed him for ruining their chance with the little beauty.

"So you do care about her after all," said Conall with sarcasm in his tone.

"Why wouldn't I? I'd care about anyone in trouble. Why do you think I took this job?"

Jake laughed beside him. "Good one. Don't try out for being an actor, cowboy. You like her the same as us, but for some fool reason you have Tammy believing you want nothing to do with her."

He took a breath. What was the point of lying to his best friends? Some days he swore they knew him better than he did himself. "You know how it is."

"For f.u.c.k's sake, Aaron, you're only thirty-eight. Tammy's a good woman. She's not your-"

"Don't," he warned.

The truck silenced. They should know better than to bring up his mother. He'd lost her, the one woman besides his sisters that he truly loved. Once she died, he'd been unable to commit to any woman, too terrified to experience a loss again-whether by death or breakup. In his opinion, it was better to not love at all than to feel the kind of pain he knew too well. His mother's death had been the main reason he left the family ranch, his father, and three sisters, to move in with his friends and devote his life to Station 23. There were too many memories back home to deal with.

He knew what he had to do without being told. There was little time for him to make amends. He needed to apologize for pushing Tammy away. Explain why he'd kept distant. The ring on his gold chain was a constant reminder of the woman who'd inadvertently hardened him, but he couldn't live in the past forever. His mother would want to see him happy.

Back at the station, he hung up his gear before his friends and he hurried up to the room. Tammy wasn't there. In fact, she wasn't anywhere in the station. He'd gone from room to room, calling her name, to no avail.

"Where the f.u.c.k is she?" he muttered, breathless. They regrouped near the entryway of the station. "It's too late for a walk. Besides, Brad said she was here twenty minutes ago. She can't be far."

"Check 'round back for her car," said Aaron.

Conall took off down the hallway.

"I don't like this," said Jake, his green eyes lethal as a panther's. He paced the open area like a wildcat behind bars, desperate to act.

They all turned when Conall's blond head bobbed back down the hall. "It's gone," he shouted.

"f.u.c.k." Aaron felt useless. She could be anywhere. An errand to the store, picking up something at her apartment. Or she could be in trouble. There'd been two garage fires tonight at opposite ends of the city. With her ex-boyfriend calling the station, his hackles were raised. "We should call the department and get them to trace the calls from the last hour in and out." Jake nodded and headed to the control room.

"I knew we should have kept her with us," Darius blurted, slapping the side of the truck with a heavy palm.

"Relax. She's probably fine," said Conall. "Jake's checking the calls now."

It felt as if several lifetimes came and went while they waited for more news. It wasn't just him, either. All his friends appeared as distraught as he was, which surprised him. They'd never all fallen for the same woman before. It was always fast women to fill a temporary void.

Since Tammy hadn't brought her cell phone, they had no way to reach her. Aaron sat on the stoop around one of the support pillars and scrubbed his face with his hand.

"You care about her, don't you?" asked Conall. His friend stood next to him, looking down. Aaron shrugged. It felt foreign to admit to feeling emotion. Usually, his friends didn't pester him since Jake was even more of a hard a.s.s. At least Aaron didn't stifle his s.e.xuality, he just didn't commit emotionally...until now.

"Is that surprising?"

"Not really. I never thought I'd find a woman I didn't scare off. But that little thing is fearless. If she can affect me this fast, I suspect she could cast her spell on you, too."

Aaron laughed, knowing Conall well. The women really did avoid his friend when they'd hit the clubs together. His size and foreboding nature seemed to scare them off, but Tammy was obviously attracted to the man.

"Cell phone," Jake called out as he returned. "Fifteen minutes ago. There was an incoming call. She talked for five minutes. The guys are tracing the call now. It's an old-school cell phone, so we won't be able to get a precise location."

"Who's the number registered to?" asked Darius.

When Jake didn't answer, his jaw tight enough to crack nuts, he knew. Brian Oxford hit again. The multiple fires must have been his distraction. He had to be the culprit.

Tammy checked the paper clutched in her right hand as she pulled into the dark laneway. The street light at the entrance was burnt out, making her situation feel more sinister. She didn't look forward to seeing Brian again. Everything about him represented a myriad of negative emotion, a past she wanted behind her. Once she safely had Stephanie back, she wouldn't hesitate to report him to the police. This nightmare had to end.

The sixth garage on the left was dilapidated, its old wooden planks worn with age. As Brian had stated, it had a bloodred X painted in the top right corner. She swallowed hard, trying to take in a deep breath when her heart beat too fast. He said she had to come alone and that he'd know if she called the authorities. She believed him. He had a way of finding her, of infiltrating into her life no matter how hard she tried to keep him out.

She cut the engine and stepped out into the lane. Her shoes crunched on the gravel on the worn asphalt. She walked around her car and tested the narrow wooden door to the garage. It opened, creaking eerily behind her once she stepped into the darkness.

Part of her knew Brian wouldn't let her go so easily, but she couldn't think of herself now. Not when her friend was in danger. Stephanie had nothing to do with her problems and didn't deserve to suffer because of Tammy's mistakes.

"h.e.l.lo?" Her voice reminded her of herself when she was ten, an insecure, scared little girl alone in the world. She resented the b.a.s.t.a.r.d even more for making her feel so powerless again.

"Keep going straight until you reach the wall. There's a chair there. Sit on it." Brian's voice echoed in what must be a mostly empty s.p.a.ce. All she could gauge was his voice came from the far right. She wasn't sure how he could see when she couldn't find her hand in front of her face.

"Where's Stephanie?"

"No talking. You don't have that right."

She held her breath, reaching out blindly for the wall or chair.

"I don't understand why you couldn't be happy with me. I gave you everything you wanted, devoted my entire life to you."

Tammy wouldn't antagonize him in her current predicament by telling him he'd only been a creepy, controlling a.s.shole. Getting him out of her life took longer than the courtship-in fact it continued until today, two years later.

She found the chair and carefully lowered herself to sit, her nerves on edge, adrenaline pumping wildly through her veins.

A match lit. The small flicker of light illuminated Brian's face. A face that hadn't aged well. He looked gaunt, his skin an unhealthy hue, but he still had a smug, satisfied look.

"Where's Stephanie?" she repeated. Tammy tried to listen for sounds of m.u.f.fled whimpering or any movement coming from other areas of the garage. There was nothing.

"Is that all you care about?" he yelled, making her jump. "Your precious friend isn't here. Let that be a small consolation for you." He tossed the lit match in front of him. It landed on a strategically placed pile of old newspapers. They must have been soaked in some sort of accelerant, because they flamed up the moment the match landed. She shielded her eyes from the sudden flash of light and towering flames.

Tammy stood up and flattened against the wall. She could make out Brian's shadowed image on the other side of the flames. He kicked over another tall stack of newspapers which fell across the path she'd taken when she came in. Then he disappeared out the door she'd come through.

Was this it? She'd escaped a death by fire long ago. Maybe death had come to reclaim what was his. As much as she was relieved to see Brian leave the garage, a new fear took hold of her heart and soul. The dancing flames, the crackling, the heat-it all brought her back to that fateful day. The day everything changed for her.

She was once again cowering for her life, expecting to die. Tammy's thoughts and memories flashed in her head like a slide show, a final viewing of her life. She remembered the specific firefighter who carried her out but didn't go back in for her parents. He'd left them behind. They all had. But how could she judge him when she couldn't even make it over one obstacle at the training center? How could she judge him when Jake existed in a living prison because he was unable to save a family? Perhaps the man who'd saved her suffered the same guilt that he was unable to rescue her parents.

In her final minutes, the fire creeping closer, higher, she found a measure of peace. She forgave the firefighter who she'd held accountable for over two decades. It was her fault. The single match in Brian's hand had been a reminder that she had no one to blame for her lot but herself.

She began to cry, the air nearly too thick to breathe. Tammy felt along the wall behind her for a door, a weakness, but it was all solid. The smoke grew too dense to see. She knew the drill-soon the carbon monoxide would win, making her too sleepy to keep awake. Then she'd never wake up again.

"Tammy!"

The voice barely registered in her groggy state. It was the sound of salvation, a sweet dream to comfort her in her final hour.

A rafter from above crashed down only feet in front of her, encouraging the fire to flame higher, stronger.

She peeked open her burning eyes and saw the yellow of a firefighter uniform. It was him, the man who'd saved her. She screamed for him to save her parents, not her, but her throat was too dry and wouldn't work. Her tears scorched her skin.

"Tammy!" He reached for her through the flames, but she cowered away, too afraid, too confused.

Then there were two of them. The first man barreled through the wall of fire, using his body as a shield in front of her. He tried to grab her, but she shook her head rapidly. "I'm sorry," she cried. "I didn't mean it!" She'd found the matches her father used for his cigarettes in the kitchen drawer. She knew it was wrong to touch them but brought them to her room, curious to try and light just one. Tammy had watched the dancing flame in fascination-orange, yellow, red-until it burnt her fingertips and she instinctively dropped it. The s.h.a.g carpet caught flame instantly, and the fire spread around her room. She'd been so terrified of getting in trouble, not aware of the danger around her, that she hid. If only she'd ran to her parents, called out to warn them, or not touched those f.u.c.king matches at all. All the pain and memories paralyzed her, but the tears of guilt and what-could-have-been kept flowing. She needed to confess, to take off the burden which was too heavy for her to keep wearing.

"I've got you. Never leave anyone behind." The familiar words cut through the fog in her mind. Jake heaved her up over his shoulder as if she weighed ten pounds.

When she opened her eyes next, she was lying on a gurney, an oxygen mask over her mouth and nose. She was surrounded by yellow suits and hulking frames.

"There you go, darlin'. Take deep breaths." Aaron brushed her hair back from her face.

"You had us worried." Darius and Conall were on the other side of her. She looked around for Jake amid the flashing lights, lingering smoke, and darkness beyond their illuminated bubble of s.p.a.ce. He was there at the end of the bed, a slight smile on his lips. He'd saved her, despite the danger. A lot pa.s.sed between them in that single glance. She'd given him a chance at redemption, and he'd given her a reason to have faith once again. He touched her ankle, giving a little squeeze. His face was covered in black soot, but he was the most handsome thing she'd ever seen.

Chapter Fourteen.

Two months pa.s.sed since the fire which almost claimed her life. And it was time for her crew to be on shift again. She walked side by side with Stephanie, each holding a takeout coffee from Tim Hortons.

"So it looks like your article is a big success. They've started construction on the new fire station," said Steph before taking a sip of her coffee.

"Well, I was inspired."

"I'll bet you were." Her friend nudged her lightheartedly in the side. The weight room came into view. They stopped on the sidewalk, facing the frosted gla.s.s obscuring their view of ripped and sweaty firefighters. Steph shook her head. "Can you believe the nerve? I mean, don't we have the right to a little entertainment? Don't our tax dollars pay for that weight room?"

"You're impossible. I thought we were coming out for exercise."

"We are, but what do you think gives me the drive to take that first step?" Steph finished her coffee and began to walk back toward the office. "I'm going to complain."

"Sure, Steph." Tammy chuckled to herself.

It was the last day her men were on shift. Then they'd be off for a week, back to their beachside home. It was hard on her knowing they were a five-minute walk away during the day, but at least she'd have them to herself after work. She savored their weeks off but never managed to stay completely away from the station even when they were they were working.

"Hey!"

They both stopped and turned around. Two of the bay doors of the fire station were up, the firefighters in the driveway preparing to wash the trucks. It was a beautiful day for it, the sun bright, the sky a cloudless blue. At least she didn't resent heading back into the Heartland Tribute after her walks. Her job was no longer hours of editing in the windowless office, but a mix of paperwork and a.s.signments requiring hands-on research.

"Shouldn't you guys be working?" she called back. Just the sight of them made her body thrum with desire. She'd forever be a sucker for a man in uniform. The fact she'd given each of those four men her heart, irrevocably and unconditionally, made them even more appealing.

"You be back here at five, darlin'. We'll be waiting for you." Aaron winked, sending her heart aflutter.

They continued to walk back to the office. "You're so lucky, you know that, right?"

"I know," said Tammy, half in a daydream. Letting go of her guilt and fears had opened up the possibility of experiencing real love.

"It's so unfair!"

Tammy knew Steph was just playing with her. Her friend couldn't have been happier. The day of the fire she'd come to visit her at the hospital, crying over her bedside. She knew all about Brian and the constant fear Tammy lived in because of him. Now it was all gone. In the blink of an eye, her world had taken a new path.

Her ex was behind bars where he belonged and she'd taken the chance on a menage. It may not be the most conventional relationship, but it was hers.

"You're a naughty girl, Tammy. You didn't stop by the station all week."

"I was busy. Mr. Templeton sent me to do live interviews down at the Harborfront all week." She was lying on the bed in her panties. The bedroom window was open, the white, sheer curtains blowing into the room. She breathed in the scent of brine, savoring the earthy smell. The bed dipped as Conall joined her and Aaron.

He smoothed his fingertips down the center of her chest, ignoring her aching b.r.e.a.s.t.s. "Aaron's right. I miss your afternoon visits."

She'd often pop in the station when they were on duty for a quick f.u.c.k behind the fogged gla.s.s of the weight room. There was something t.i.tillating about sneaking over during the day.

"Well, we're all here now. Do you forgive me?" she teased, reaching down to touch herself.

Conall growled and leaned forward to kiss her. She loved the way he dominated her mouth. She closed her eyes and savored the brief connection. But all too soon he pulled back, staring down at her with l.u.s.t-filled eyes. "We'll have to remind you why you said yes to us, little one."

Aaron laughed. "You won't be able to walk right tomorrow, sweet thing." Aaron trailed a finger up her inner thigh, sending shivers skittering across her skin. He moved ever so slowly to where she needed him most.

She'd committed to her firefighters after her rescue, during her recuperation. They'd proved to her that they were there for her through good and bad times. Within two weeks of leaving the hospital after her short stay, she'd given up her apartment and moved into their house. During their weeks on at the station, her desire for them would grow, keeping their relationship fresh and exciting. Tammy didn't mind their absence, as she was used to living alone. But now the men anch.o.r.ed her, gave her virtual roots.

The patio door off the bedroom opened. Darius and Jake walked in, both laughing at some unheard joke. They stopped dead when they saw her on the bed, Conall and Aaron on either side of her.

"Starting something without us?" asked Darius. "After the way you've held out all week?" He was only wearing blue jeans low on his hips, no shirt. His dark hair was casually brushed off his face.

"Then let me make it up to you," she said, every nerve in her body humming with need now that all four of her men were alone with her in the room.

He smiled and joined them at the edge of the bed. Darius unzipped his jeans, releasing his c.o.c.k, thick and ready. "We just took a dip," he said, holding his erection by the root.

"You don't look very shriveled up to me." Darius was just as impressive in size as her other three lovers. Whenever she wanted c.o.c.k, all she had to do was ask. There was always at least one man ready for more. Considering she was experiencing a s.e.xual awakening making her nearly insatiable, they had their work cut out for them when they weren't fighting fires.