Smolder (Firefighters of Montana Book 1) (14 page)

“Should I bring you one back?” Bryce had that devilish gleam in his eyes again and Laurel swiftly shook her head behind Tyson’s. The situation was bad enough without Bryce making all kinds of promises he couldn’t likely keep.

“Yes!” Tyson wrapped his arms around his father’s neck. Bryce smiled smugly, oblivious that he’d just set his son up for yet another disappointment.

“You behave for your mama okay, Halfpipe?” Bryce tickled Tyson as he let him slide down.

Laurel’s mother called to Tyson. “Sweetie, why don’t you come have a bath in Grandma’s Jacuzzi tub. You can finish telling me about riding the monorail.”

Tyson squeezed his father around the knees while Bryce ruffled his hair. “I can’t wait until the ’lympics is over, Daddy. Then we can all be together every day,” he said before racing off toward the house.

Bryce swore again before angrily yanking the keys to his rental car out of his pants pocket.

“I’m sorry.” Laurel hated how she always seemed to be saying that to Bryce. “I honestly didn’t know he ever considered that a reality. I should have nipped it in the bud last week when he said something similar to Sam.”

He eyed her skeptically. “Soldier Sam seems to know a lot about our son.”

“They barely know one another,” she said, a tad too defensively.

“And how well do
you
know the good soldier?”

“None of your business.”

“I have a right to know if the guy is going to be hanging around Tyson,” he said sharply.

Laurel glared at him over the hood of his rental car. “Funny, I never used that excuse to pry about your legion of snow bunnies.”

His eyes narrowed. “Audrianna is the only woman I’ve introduced our son to. And that’s because he’ll be seeing her for the rest of his life.”

She didn’t bother commenting that the bookies weren’t giving very good odds that Bryce and Audrianna’s marriage would have that type of longevity. “There’s nothing between Sam and me,” she lied.

Only because she couldn’t define what exactly there was between them. Great sex, certainly. But even if she could get over Sam risking his life every day, she wasn’t sure it could ever be a
rest of their lifetime
relationship, either. Sam had made it clear he wasn’t looking for anything long-term. Not that Bryce needed to know any of those details.

He studied her with a critical gaze for a long moment. “Too bad,” he finally said.

Laurel rocked back on her heels. “Excuse me?”

Bryce heaved a sigh before dragging his fingers through his hair. “Jesus, Laurel, do you think this is easy for me?” He spun around, gesturing wildly at the ranch surrounding them. “Your dream was to get out of here. To become a commercial artist. To see the world. Instead, you’re right back where you started. Crunching numbers in this wild west town. With a kid to boot.
My kid
. Do you think I’m that cold that I don’t want to see you happy? With someone?”

Stunned, Laurel shivered slightly in the evening air. Bryce had honored her wish to keep their child, never once holding it against her. He paid his share and then some. And she knew he loved their son. But she also knew him well enough to know his outburst was as much about alleviating his guilt so he could go on with his life unscathed as it was about making her feel better. Although he hadn’t meant his words to wound, they did.

His expression shifted from aggravated to sheepish. “Look, I’ve got to go or I won’t make my flight. Can you—can you just tell him about Audrianna and me before the news is all over the Internet?”

“No.” Laurel kept her own face steely. “I’m happy to explain to him that there is no way in hell we are ever going to be a normal family with the three of us living happily ever after. But I think the news about your wedding should come from you. He’ll need reassurance that he’s going to still be a part of your life.”

“This shouldn’t be so damn hard, Laurel,” he argued.

“Parenting is hard, Bryce. I don’t make you do it that often. And it’s not like you’ll be around dealing with the aftermath.”

“Fine.” She could tell by the way he ground the word out it wasn’t fine, but she really didn’t care. “I’ll come back next month with Audrianna and we’ll tell him together. Make sure you live up to your part of the bargain, though. I don’t want those crazy thoughts still in his head when I get back from South America.” He slid into the driver’s side of the car. “Let my assistant know if Tyson needs anything while I’m gone.”

“I hope your assistant can get an endangered horn toad out of the Amazon rain forest,” she said just to be contrary.

His shoulders slumped. “Do you think he’ll be satisfied with a stuffed one?”

The fire seemed to fizzle out of her and she didn’t have it in her to continue taunting him. “Sure.”

Bryce closed the car door and started up the engine. “Take care of yourself, Laurel,” he said through the open window. “I’m glad that you’re at least riding again. You were too good of an athlete to just let your competitive edge fizzle away. Try and have some fun while you’re at it.” He treated her to that amazing smile of his, the one that had gotten her into so much trouble in the first place, and with a jaunty wave, he was gone.

For the second time that night a man had left her behind, wondering what she was doing with her life. She wandered into the soothing confines of the barn. Night was falling and the flute-like singing of the western meadowlark was fading out as the owls took over the evening chorus. The barn was quiet, except for the whir of the overhead fans and a cricket complaining somewhere among the bales of hay. Tabitha was standing solemnly in the corner of her stall, her head relaxed and her eyes partially hidden behind her long lashes.

Laurel leaned her elbows on top of the stall door and peered over at the dozing mare. Her stomach instantly knotted up again at the thought of Sam somewhere in the mountains fighting a fire. Despite knowing he was doing what he’d been trained to do, it didn’t stop her from worrying about him. About the entire team. She also envied his dedication and drive. Sam and Bryce were doing things they loved. Sure, they were both adrenaline junkies, but at least Sam’s work had a purpose.

She hated how she and Sam had parted earlier. They needed to talk, to clear things up. As much as they were attracted to one another, Laurel couldn’t allow their relationship to continue, though. She told herself it was because she couldn’t chance Tyson getting attached to a guy who risked his life every day. But she was beginning to realize that she couldn’t take that chance with her own heart. Especially when all Sam was prepared to offer was sex.

Tabitha ambled over and nuzzled Laurel’s arm.

“Your last owner really did a number on him, didn’t she?”

The mare sighed, its warm breath tickling Laurel’s skin. Leaning in, she nuzzled the horse’s neck. “Well, if I can’t give him my heart the least I can do is give you a decent shot at winning. You’re getting fitter by the day. Tomorrow, we begin the real training.”

*

Sam ran his
bare hands over the charred wood checking for any residual heat. By the time they’d reached the crash site twelve hours earlier, three acres of dense forest had been engulfed in a fire ignited by the plane’s fuel tanks. The pilot had been unconscious, but his two passengers were able to pull him to safety before the plane exploded. All three had injuries but none were life-threatening. While the two search and rescue crewmembers triaged the wounded and airlifted them out, Sam and his team had circled the fire, stirring it up by digging trenches and chopping out the brush to eliminate any possible fuel that would allow it to spread. Fortunately, the night air was calm and the fire was extinguished just before dawn.

Molly Rivers was hunched over to Sam’s right, her palms turning black as she skimmed the ash and timber. “Everything to the east is cool.” She straightened up, arching her back into her hands. “Ouch. This has got to be my least favorite part.”

Sam got to his feet and wiped his hands together, trying to loosen some of the soot free. Hand feeling the fire was backbreaking and exhausting, but it was critical to ensuring that a fire site was safe. “We still have to pack out ten miles with no trail. You sure that won’t be your least favorite part?”

“Are you kidding? It’s a gorgeous day in the Rocky Mountains. Most of my young, professional friends are spending it behind a desk. Me? I get to go hiking.” She grinned. “Best of all, my boyfriend is waiting at the end of the hike to rub my feet.”

On the other side of Sam, Ferguson laughed as he stowed his kombi shovel into one of the cardboard packs the crew would carry out. “The guy is a vet with his hand up some animal’s ass all day. Are you sure you want to let him touch you?”

She tsked at Ferguson. “What’s the matter Liam? Won’t any of the girls in town let you rub their feet?”

Dodson pulled some MRE’s from the pack filled with supplies and handed one to Sam. “Molly, didn’t you know the reason Liam lives at home is so his mama can protect him from all the women in Montana who want to rub
his
feet?”

“See, and I heard it’s because his mama serves him breakfast in bed,” Rivers teased as she took her own MRE from Dodson.

Ferguson gave them both a middle finger salute before pulling out his camp stool and tucking into his MRE. He ripped open the pouch containing the entrée and put it inside the plastic bag that contained the chemical heater. Then, he poured a small amount of water in to activate the chemicals before returning the bag back to the cardboard MRE box for a few minutes, allowing it to heat up.

“Not that I wouldn’t kill either of you two for one of my mother’s biscuits right now,” Ferguson grumbled after swallowing a few bites of the pasta meal. “
This
is the worst part of the job, Molly.”

Molly reached into her own pack and pulled out several power bars. She tossed one to each of the men sitting with her. “Who loves me now, boys?”

Sam relaxed at the sound of his team’s banter. They were all a bit punchy after the long night of grueling work, but Sam was pleased at how efficiently the firefighters had gotten the job done. Even with the added complication of casualties, they’d managed to contain the blaze quickly and professionally.

“Any word from base on the pilot and passengers?” Dodson asked.

“I asked search and rescue to give Jacqui an update when they got back.” Sam glanced at his watch. “I know you all want to linger over this gourmet breakfast, but there’s at least eight hours between me and a hot shower and I’d like to get a move on.”

Ferguson shot to his feet. “You don’t have to tell me twice, Cap. Tonight is karaoke night at The Drop Zone.”

Molly groaned as she pulled her pack over her shoulders. “I don’t suppose that means you’ll be saving your voice so we can be zen with nature on the way out?”

“Come on, Molls, you love when I get my Adam Levine on.”

She laughed. “Your singing voice is enhanced by the copious amount of alcohol your father serves. But I have to admit, when you start shaking your butt, it’s pretty hot.”

Ferguson shook his ass in front of her and Rivers groaned.

“Hey, why don’t you move that ass to the back of the line?” Sam picked up his pulaski and began wielding it like a machete as he and Dodson carved out a trail through the woods. The work was mind-numbingly distracting, which was just what Sam needed after Ferguson’s mention of The Drop Zone had conjured images of a Laurel’s kiss-swollen lips and that damn sexy yellow dress.

With over a hundred pounds of gear strapped to each of their backs, their progress was slow going. Still, Sam welcomed the physical activity. Now that he had time to process the scene from the bar last night, his annoyance began to churn in his gut again. Even worse, none of his feelings made a lick of sense. He wanted his relationship with Laurel to be casual, no strings attached. But when she had told Straight Air Johnson that they weren’t involved, something cold had seemed to seize Sam’s insides.

Damn it.
He slashed at a vine that blocked their path. Laurel wanted a man who could give her and her son a quiet, risk-free life—even if that life was contrary to her impetuous nature. As much as he wanted to be, Sam wasn’t that man. His job involved risk and it was a career he excelled at. One he thrived on. He hadn’t been able to give up his life for Becky and he wouldn’t give it up for Laurel.

With a fierce hack, Sam leveled a branch with his pulaski. Laurel would never go for the just sex plan, either, no matter how intense the physical connection was between them. It didn’t matter how loudly her body called to him, her declaration at The Drop Zone that they weren’t a couple was even louder. She was living her life for her son, and the parts of Sam above his belt respected her for it.

Tyson needed a male role model who was a more constant part of his life than the selfish ass he already had for a father. Sam angrily pushed a small log with the heel of his boot, rolling it down the hill. He hated how Bryce Johnson was throwing away his opportunity at fatherhood. An opportunity Sam had lost before he even knew he’d had it. And it angered him further that Laurel was giving up on her dreams so she could be both mother and father to her son.