Fireman Daddy (Crescent Cove 8.50)

“Mami,” I muttered.

Her dark eyes flashed at me, and I bit my tongue. “You go over there—” She gestured to the food-laden table. “Now.”

I ignored her directive. I’d pay for it later, but I needed air. And lots of it.

I headed for the front vestibule. Another half dozen firefighters and EMTs were working on the porch. My shoulders were tight and I knew I was being an ungrateful shit, but everything was going on without my say so.

This was exactly why I’d left Crescent Cove. I hated that everyone got into everyone else’s business. The chaos made me mental.

I mumbled thanks to the guys for their work and hurried down the makeshift stairs they had se

t up. I stalked across the parking lot and followed the gravel-strewn path to the road. I needed to walk off some of this anger. The lake was so close, I could taste the water on the air. The one thing I did miss was the lake. Maybe if I saw it, it would help me chill the hell out.

“Freckles.”

I stiffened at Jake’s voice and kept walking.

“Erica, come on.”

My name sounded wrong on his lips and that pissed me off even more. I whirled around. “You cannot take over my life.”

“We talked about having everyone come in and start the renos. Remember?”

“Yeah, we talked about it. There was no plan.” I put my hands on my hips. “Actually, let me be clear. No plan I was involved in.”

“You were in the city. I figured I’d start it for you.”

“You figured.” We were on the side of the road, and people were blaring their horns as they drove by.

He hooked his hand through my arm and pulled me back toward the parking lot. “Would you just listen?”

“Please enlighten me. Because I love when people make all the decisions for me.”

He raked his fingers through his freshly shorn hair. I tried not to get distracted by the fact that his beard was also trimmed, and he was ridiculously handsome in his aviator sunglasses. He had on an old navy CCFD T-shirt that had been through so many washings it had shrunk enough to cling to his wide chest.

Not the time for getting distracted. I was mad at him.

He crowded into me and cupped my face. “You’re strong and perfect and don’t need help from anyone. But I want to help. I want to show you I can be the kind of guy who is here for you.”

Shocked, I lifted my hands to his wrists and didn’t stop him when he bent down and kissed me right in front of everyone. The mouth I hated that I’d missed for a week.

The taste that had stalked me all week long—especially in dreams.

I went up on my toes and kissed him back. There were whoops and whistles coming from the porch, and right then, I didn’t even care. Damn him and his talented mouth and capable hands that made me want things I thought I’d never want again.

The scary little part that always secretly wanted this man.

“Chief!”

“Not now, Sullivan,” he muttered against my mouth.

I could feel someone in our space, and I tried to get my thoughts together. This freaking man always left me so off balance.

The not-so-subtle clearing of a throat made Jake groan into my mouth.

Jake finally let me go and turned toward the man I’d met just a little while ago. “First of all, Ben, stop calling me Chief.”

“Right, Chief.”