Summer Kisses (141 page)

Nanci dug in her purse for her wallet and then handed him a crisp ten dollar bill. “Keep the change. Oh, and my email addy’s on the back of it, just in case.”

“Thanks.” After a memorizing perusal of the email address she’d written across the bill’s border, he walked away grinning.

“In case of what?” she asked Nanci. “In case he’s looking for a horny woman?”

Her friend turned to her, but only after she’d treated herself to a visual tour of the bartender’s jean-clad butt as he stood with his back to them at the cash register. “You are so bad,” she muttered distractedly.

Kelsie gave a snort. “You must be confusing me with all the dates I’ve gone out on.”

Nanci dragged her attention away from the bartender. “When are you ever going to accept the fact that no man is perfect? Though I will be the first to admit you’ve dated more than a few losers lately.”

“Courtesy of you and my mother.”

“Your mother’s picks were worse than mine.”

“Not by much,” she told her. “My dates have ranked from bad to completely nauseating. And that’s putting it nicely. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you and my mother hated me.”

“Now you’re being overly dramatic. Your dates haven’t all been bad ones,” Nanci argued. “The guys I set you up with were pretty damn cute.”

“Cute doesn’t mean they didn’t have flaws.”

“Come on, Kelsie. Be real. What man doesn’t have some sort of flaw? No one’s perfect. Not even us, though we come damn close,” she added with a grin.

Kelsie sighed. “I realize that. And I’m not looking for perfect.”

“No. You aren’t
looking
for anything at all,” her friend pointed out. “And before you give me the old ‘I’ve tried’ story, remember this is me you’d be feeding that line of bull to.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Nanci sipped at her beer. “Need I point out that since your divorce you’ve been determined to find something wrong with every single guy you go out with?”

Maybe so. But she wasn’t about to lose herself in a relationship again. Finding men’s faults before that happened kept her heart safe.

Kelsie finished off the last of her wine cooler and then reached for the cold one Nanci had ordered for her. “I may not be looking for long term commitment, but that doesn’t mean I’m not entitled to be choosy.”

Her friend offered an apologetic smile. “You know I only nag you so much because I want you to be happy.”

“You sound like my mother. She was so distraught over the breakup of my marriage you would have thought she was the one getting the divorce.”

“She wants more for you than she had. That’s why she pushes so hard.”

“Pushes hard is an understatement. And you’re not much better,” she said, pointing the open top of her wine cooler in Nanci’s direction.

“Hey, I’ve only fixed you up a few times. Your mother does it all the time.”

“I think she’s going through some sort of mid-life crisis or something. Only her fear isn’t of getting old. It’s of never having grandchildren to dote on. So any single man that crosses her path becomes fair game.”

Nanci laughed. “Don’t you think that you’re over-exaggerating just a little bit?”

“You think so? I’m telling you, Nanci, I think my mother is losing it. She propositioned some guy in the meat market at Kroger the other day.”

“That’s good, isn’t it? If she’s preoccupied with her own love life—”

“Not for her. For me! She asked him if he’d be interested in going out with her single, very attractive, successful daughter.”

“Ah, another prospective blind date to set you up on.”

Kelsie nodded. “Apparently the guy purchased a couple of really big sausages, which my mother took to mean he was both single
and
sexually confident.”

“How did she come to that conclusion?”

“She assumes all men are big eaters, so two sausages would mean it was going to be dinner for one. And a man secure in his masculinity wouldn’t have any problem with buying sausages that might give his you-know-what a run for its money size-wise.”

Beer spurted from her friend’s mouth. “Oh God,” she choked.

“I know,” Kelsie said, handing her a napkin. “Can you believe the lengths she goes to find Mr. Right for me?”

“I take it you and the ‘big sausage’ guy have a date set up.”

“Thankfully, no.”

“No? Let me guess. The guy was married?”

She nodded, grinning. “Yeah, and he told my mother his ‘husband’ probably wouldn’t appreciate it.”

Nanci burst into a fit of laughter. “Another excuse for your date escape list.”

Kelsie dug in her purse, pulling out the notepad she carried with her everywhere she went. “I never thought about that. Pretend to be gay,” she muttered as she scribbled the idea down for future reference.

“And married,” Nanci tossed out. “Just don’t ask me to play your wife.”

“But you’d make such a hot wife,” Kelsie teased as she reached for her wine cooler.

Suddenly, Nanci grabbed for her arm, nearly knocking the wine cooler from her hand. “Ooh, ooh! Let the Olympic bedroom games begin.”

Somehow Kelsie managed to keep her drink from spilling. “What are you talking about?”

Her friend leaned closer, saying in an urgent whisper, “I’ve just discovered the next Hunk of the Year centerfold.”

“What?”

Nanci pointed past her to the door.

Twisting around on the bar stool, she discovered the cause of her best friend’s sudden need for a drool bib. There, in the open doorway of Casey’s Bar and Grill, was the closest thing she’d ever seen to a Greek god in Columbus, Ohio.

Only instead of wearing a toga and a crown of gold leaves, he was dressed in tight-fitting jeans that hugged his muscular thighs and no doubt his butt. Unfortunately, she couldn’t see that side of him from where she sat. The Greek god stopped just inside the door to talk to a man and woman who were seated at a table near the entrance.

She actually found herself craning her neck to stare at the sexy hunk of a man across the room. He wore a short sleeve, navy blue t-shirt with the words - Worthington Fire Department – written across the front of it in stark white letters. His dark hair was short with just a hint of sideburns that blended into the five o’clock shadow lining his jaw.

“Mmm...mmm...mmm...,” Nanci mumbled appreciatively behind her. “I’m actually tempted to go outside and climb a tree, meow, and pretend I’m stuck so he’ll come to my rescue.”

Nanci wasn’t the only one tempted to do something foolish to get his attention.
Kelsie shifted in her seat, tearing her gaze away from her friend’s fantasy-man-of-the-moment. “I think it’s supposed to be cats they rescue from trees.”

“Hey, I can purr with the best of them. Just let him take me home to bed and see.”

“Honestly, Nanci, is sex all you ever think about?”

“That and shoes,” she admitted. “Sometimes both together.”

Kelsie wasn’t the least bit surprised by that. Her best friend might be a sweet, soft-spoken dental hygienist by day, but her nighttime behavior was a whole different story. Nanci was a self-proclaimed bad girl whose hobby was collecting, along with shoes and men, vibrators. Not that she ever needed to use her B.O.B.s (battery operated boyfriends). She had more men at her beck and call than she knew what to do with. She just thought vibrators were fun conversation pieces and displayed them in her curio as one would dolls or collectible glassware.

“Better you than me,” Kelsie told her, meaning every word of it. Sex with Kyle had been about as exciting as a root canal. And the rebound sex she’d had a week after her divorce hadn’t been much better.

“I’m warning you, Kelsie. The next time we go out, I’m bringing the laughing gas along with me from the office. Maybe it’ll help you to relax and enjoy life.” Her friend’s gaze shifted back across the room, no doubt seeking out her version of Mr. Wonderful again.

Kelsie grabbed her pen and quickly jotted LAUGHING GAS down in her notebook.

“What are you doing?” her friend muttered as she tossed a handful of popcorn into her mouth.

“Writing that down.”

“Writing what down?” she asked, clearly distracted.

“Nitrous Oxide. That’s a great way to ditch a date and still leave the guy happy.”

Nanci arched a perfectly plucked brow. “Please tell me you’re kidding.”

She was, but it was fun to get Nanci going. “Hey, it’s an option.”

Her friend looked at her as if she’d just gone off the deep end. “Think about it, Kelsie. If slipping people Mickey’s in a bar is illegal, imagine what the penalty would be for dragging a nitrous oxide unit into a bar and hooking some unsuspecting guy up to it.”

Feigning disappointment, Kelsie crossed that one off of her list. “I suppose you’re right. I prefer to stay on the good side of the law.”

“Smart girl,” a deep, very male voice said behind them.

Both women whipped around.

“Ladies,” the firefighter hunk greeted with a lone dimple grin that had Kelsie wishing bar stools came equipped with seat belts. Because she was just about to slide bonelessly off the one she was sitting on.

Nanci straightened, effectively thrusting her breasts outward and upward in her usual man-hunting, take-me-to-bed pose. “Well, hello.”

Not wanting to be rude, Kelsie looked up and returned his greeting with a lot less ‘enthusiasm’ than Nanci just had. Close up he was taller and even better looking, a lethal combination in her book. Without waiting for him to reply, she swiveled back around to face the bar before the sight of him sent her into drool mode right alongside her friend.

Her attempt to avoid the hunky firefighter might have worked had it not been for the mirror that ran the length of the wall behind the bar. His dark eyes met hers and that make-your-legs-weak smile of his widened. Her mouth went instantly dry and her pulse rate kicked up more than a few notches, making her stiffen uneasily in her seat.

Firefighter or not, he was a man. And it was a smile just like the one he was flashing around the bar that caused her several years of wedded misery. Warning bells were clanging loudly inside her head.
Avoid this man at all costs!

Despite the enthusiastic greeting the ‘perky’ blonde had given him, Cole Maxwell found his gaze drawn to the auburn-haired beauty seated beside her. The one whose emerald eyes watched him in the mirror from beneath thick, black lashes with both interest and caution.

He found himself studying the delicate features that made up her face. Thickly lashed almond-shaped eyes. Pert little nose. Temptingly curved mouth. Something about the way she seemed to disregard him the moment their gazes met drew him in. Maybe it was the old ‘want what you can’t have’ adage. He wasn’t, nor had he ever been, a vain man, but he found himself wanting this woman to notice him.

Much to his disappointment, she looked away, breaking their momentary connection. He had to remind himself of his reason for being there. To pick up sandwiches for the station. Not to pick up a petite package of sexiness. As if he had any chance of doing so if he’d wanted to. Unlike her friend whose interest was clear, the young woman who had caught his eye wasn’t showing any at all.

Probably a good thing, seeing as how he wasn’t looking to start anything. He had just gotten out of a relationship. One that had ended for the same reason all his previous ones had. Women liked his being a firefighter in the beginning, but the fantasy quickly wore off when they had to deal with his work schedule and the risks that came along with his chosen profession. They all tried to change him, to convince him to become something he wasn’t. None had ever succeeded. Being a firefighter was a part of who he was and nothing was going to change that.

“Do you come here often?” the busty blonde asked, her tone deliberately sexy.

Not often enough
, he thought as his gaze dropped down to her friend’s ring finger. Or in this case, ring-less finger. “On occasion.”

“Well, I guess we might have to stop in here more often. Don’t you agree, Kelsie?” she said, giving her friend a nudge.

Kelsie?
Cole smiled. So that was her name. Different. Pretty.

The petite redhead swiveled around slowly on her bar stool, her green eyes sweeping over him in a quick glance before focusing on her friend.

Before ‘Kelsie’ had a chance to reply, the bartender came over. “Hey, Cole.”

“Billy,” Cole replied with a nod, his gaze still fixed on the fiery haired pixie. “Our order ready?”

“Give me a sec. I’ll go check.” Turning, he disappeared into the kitchen.

“Our order?” the blonde repeated with a sigh. “Why are all the good looking ones always taken?”

“Nanci,” her friend gasped, her beautiful green eyes widening.

Cole chuckled. “It’s all right.” He didn’t mind the compliment. He just wished it had come from her instead. Hell, he’d settle for even just a hint of interest on her part. Not that he was looking to bring another female into his life. It was more of a male pride thing. “The order’s for the firehouse,” he explained.

Unable to resist, he did a slow inspection, taking in the cherry red toenails peeking out from the strappy black sandals she wore. Faded blue jeans encased a narrow waist, one he could easily span his hands around. Smooth, creamy skin beckoned his touch from beneath the slender straps of the gauzy black summer top. And that auburn hair... Like the fires he fought it made him hot. The silken strands were clipped up behind her head, but several pieces had worked themselves free to hang in wisps along her face and neck.

“So you’re a fire fighter?” her friend asked, dragging his attention away from the object of his interest.

Cole nodded. “Worthington Fire Department.”

“Do you guys really slide down the fire pole when calls come in?”

“Sometimes,” he replied with a chuckle. “In fact, mine is one of the few firehouses in Columbus that still has brass poles. So we have the option of taking the stairs to the bay or the pole.”

Billy returned, placing an oversized carryout bag atop the bar. “All set,” he said, handing Cole the bill.