Above and Beyond (Twist of Fate 4)

He lowered his voice. “If you’re going to stand there and tell me you’re not sleeping with Lucky Reed, I’m going to punch your lying ass in the face.”

I looked around to make sure no one could hear us. “That’s not what I mean. You’re talking about us like we’re… like we’re…”

As I stuttered, Tag’s eyes narrowed to angry slits. “Don’t do this,” he hissed. “Don’t ruin the best fucking thing that’s happened to you in… I don’t know how long.”

The breath seemed to leave my lungs all at once until I was even more of a stuttering mess than before. “We’re not—” I tried again, but Tag held up a hand.

“I said don’t,” he repeated. “Just do me a favor, okay? Think this through before you fuck it up. Will you promise me that?”

I felt my nostrils flare with all of the denials I needed to spew. But Tag was one of the rare people in my life who’d truly stuck with me through thick and thin. He deserved better than my bullshit. Besides, it wasn’t like I was admitting to having certain feelings for Lucky.

Because I didn’t.

Okay, sure, maybe things in bed with him weren’t like they’d been with all my other hookups but that was still all he was.

Even as I thought the words, I started shaking my head. I heard Tag growl and remembered what he’d been talking about. “Fine,” I bit out as I nodded, and suddenly, the anger left his face and he was all cheery smiles again.

“Great!” he said, pounding me on the back. “Good man. Now let’s go give these folks their certificates for a job well done.”

During the informal completion ceremony, Lucky beamed with pride and cheered for each of his teammates as their names were called. When it was his turn, I couldn’t help but flash him a wink as he walked to the front to collect his certificate and paperwork. His cheeks turned light pink and his dark lashes swept down over the tops of his cheeks. I thought about how I was the lucky one. How even within a few hours I would have the chance to touch every millimeter of that smooth skin and kiss those very same pink cheeks.

Watching him mingle with and congratulate the other students reminded me how well-liked he was by his peers. Lucky had always drawn people to him, and I remembered Oz describing him one time like Haven, Colorado’s “Snow White.” When I’d asked what he’d meant, Oz had said, “Everyone loves him, even the woodland creatures.” He’d laughed that tinkling laugh of his before continuing. “One time I swear to god I saw him talking to the birds in the trees. He’s nice to everyone. Walk around Haven with him for one hour and you’ll see. Everyone comes out of the stores to say hi to him. He’s helped, like, everyone with their stuff, volunteering and whatnot.”

Oz was right. Lucky cared more about helping others than even reaching his own goals. I’d seen that over and over again during the course of the training. And the very nature of SAR work required a caring, diligent person in the first place. No wonder Tag had raved about him from the first day.

The reminder that I was taking advantage not only of Lucky’s innocence but of his kindness too made me feel sick to my stomach. But I knew I wasn’t going to be able to give him up just yet. I needed more time to work him out of my system. One of these days I’d wake up with him in my arms and that familiar need to run again would surface. When it did, I’d do my best to let Lucky down gently…

After the ceremony, followed by a big lunch Tag’s wife provided, we made our way back to my cabin. Lucky had already packed up his things at the bunkhouse the night before and stowed them in his car before spending the night in my bed.

As we entered the cabin, I noticed Lucky biting his bottom lip.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, reaching for his hand to pull him closer. I sat on the back of the couch and pulled him between my legs so I could put my arms around him. Lucky’s hands made their way into my hair and began idly stroking my scalp.

“I’m nervous about telling my dads.”

I reached up and pulled his poor bottom lip out with my thumb before caressing it. “About the alpine SAR work or about the fire?”

His eyes widened. “I’m not telling them about the fire. Are you nuts?”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “They’ll see you made it through practically unscathed. They’ll be fine.”

“You're insane. That will give them even more reason to forbid me from pursuing SAR work as a career.”

I stood up and moved us around until we were sittings sideways on the cushions, Lucky between my legs with his back to my front and our legs stretched out along the length of the couch.