To Tame a Wild Firefighter (Red Hot Reunions Book 2) (14 page)

Long, delicious moments later, Mick pulled away with a sigh. “Two days isn’t going to be enough. I wish I could kidnap you for the entire week.”

Faith’s arms tightened around his waist, loving the way their bodies felt pressed together. “I know. It makes me wish I hadn’t taken so much time off already. But I’m out of vacation days, and my savings is looking pretty sad right now, so I probably couldn’t afford a week’s vacation, anyway.”

Mick glanced at the cathedral before turning back to her, an anxious look in his eyes. “I kind of have a confession to make.”

“Oh, yeah?” Faith’s eyebrows lifted. “What’s that?”

“You know how I said I majored in computer programming?” he asked, continuing when Faith nodded. “Well, I chose the major because I’d already been designing apps for years.”

“Really?” Faith said, surprised though she probably shouldn’t be. She’d known Mick was smart. He’d been their class valedictorian, after all.

“Yeah. The upside to not dating in high school was that I had plenty of time to mess around with coding. I designed the recipe app for Naomi’s television show our junior year, and the work flowed from there.” He shrugged. “Then in college, my friend Andy and I designed a chat app that we sold for a pretty decent stash of cash, so…”

Faith frowned. “You’re telling me you’re not as poor as I am, is that it?”

Mick smiled. “I’d say you’re rich in every way that counts. Good friends, a job you love, an amazing guy who has a horrible crush on you.”

Faith cheeks heated for the umpteenth time that day. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d blushed, let alone multiple times in one afternoon. “You know what I mean,” she mumbled.

He nodded, his smile fading a watt or two. “I do, and yeah, I have a decent stash squirrelled away. Nothing like Naomi, of course, but enough that I wouldn’t have to work for a few years if I didn’t want to.”

Faith blinked. “Wow. If I took off for a few
weeks
I’d be strapped.”

“But you do good work,” Mick said. “Work that’s a lot more important than something you’re going to download onto your phone and mess with for ten minutes a day.” He leaned down, bringing his face closer to hers. “The only reason I said anything is that I don’t want you to stress about money. I’ve got the money, and as soon as you get some vacation days built up, I can afford for us to go somewhere nice.”

Faith’s eyes dropped to the ground as her brows drew together.

“What’s wrong?” Mick asked.

“I don’t know,” Faith said honestly. “I mean, an offer like that would have been my mother’s dream come true, but…”

“Maybe that’s why you don’t like it?” Mick finished for her, pushing on when Faith shrugged. “Well, it’s obvious to me you’re nothing like your mom, and letting me pay for things once in a while isn’t going to change that. You’ll still be the same strong, independent person. You’ll just be a strong, independent person with a boyfriend who can afford to buy you a nice steak dinner.”

At the mention of steak, Faith’s stomach growled again, making both of them laugh, banishing the awkward moment.

“Why don’t we head to the restaurant and see if they can take us a few minutes early?” Mick asked.

“Sounds perfect,” Faith said, taking his hand as they turned toward Royal Street.

On their way out of the square, Faith glanced to her left to see the fortuneteller greeting her husband—a giant of a man who leaned down to give his wife a sweet kiss before tucking her trunk beneath his thick arm. The two were obviously still in love, so in love the air around them seemed to glow a little brighter than in the rest of the square.

Faith had no experience with love that lasted for more than a year—let alone thirty of them—but when she turned to find Mick smiling down at her, she couldn’t deny a part of her was starting to wonder if happily ever after might be a real thing, after all.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Mick

By the time they drove into Summerville on Sunday, Mick had been with Faith for three days—and nights—straight.

If she had been anyone else, he would have been craving some alone time.

Even when he was head over heels for Bridget and dying to spend every waking moment with her, he’d had to take an occasional break from the constant togetherness. Mick played a good extrovert, but in reality he was an introvert, a person who treasured activities that allowed him to work quietly, at his own speed. He needed that time by himself to recharge.

But regret was the only emotion he felt when he and Faith pulled up in front of the bakery Sunday evening just as Melody was flipping the ‘Open’ sign to ‘Closed.’

He wasn’t ready to say good-bye. He wanted Faith across the dinner table from him tonight, by his side as he drew up sketches for the remodel he’d be starting tomorrow, and in his arms when he went to bed. In the past two days, he’d grown increasingly addicted to her smile, her laugh, and the feel of her body snuggled against his as they drifted off to sleep. The thought of waking up without her drool on his shoulder made him feel positively depressed.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, laughter in her voice. “You look like someone kicked your cat.”

“I don’t have a cat,” Mick said, glumly.

“Well, I do, and I had better go feed and snuggle him before he gets pissy and shreds the couch,” she said, hesitating for a second before adding, “But you could come with me, if you want. We could…hang out, order a pizza for dinner or something.”

Mick turned to her, feeling like a death sentence had been lifted. “Does this mean you’re inviting me to stay the night? Because if so I can be up to my apartment and back down again in ten minutes with everything I need.”

“Make it five, and you have a deal,” she said, a grin on her face that made it clear she wasn’t eager to say goodbye, either. “Because I’m starving.”

“You’re always starving,” Mick teased as he leaned over to give her a swift kiss before reaching for the door. “But I’m starving too. I’ll be right back.”

He bounded out of the truck, mentally ticking off the things he needed to bring as he headed for the front of the bakery. He reached for his keys, but the door swung open before he could pull them from his backpack, revealing Naomi and Maddie on the other side. Both of them looked fit to burst.

He was barely inside when the questions started flying.

“So, how did it go? Did you take any pictures?” Naomi said breathlessly, closing the door behind him, setting the bells overhead to tinkling. “Did you—”

“Was it beautiful?” Maddie broke in. “Was the food amazing? Did you do the ghost tour of the French Quarter I texted you about?”

“Did you like the hotel?” Naomi asked. “Did you have an amazing time?”

Mick smiled and pulled Naomi in for a hug. “Yes, we had a wonderful time. Thank you so much for everything. You’re the best,” he said, before pulling away and heading for the stairs leading up to his apartment.

“That’s it?” Naomi called after him, outrage clear in her voice. “That’s all the information we get? What about the nitty-gritty!”

“Yeah,” Maddie agreed. “I need to know every romantic detail.”

“We’ll talk later,” Mick called down the stairs as he fit his key in the lock. “I’m in a hurry. I’ve got to grab some stuff and get going. Faith’s waiting outside.”

“Oh, she is…” Naomi’s words faded away. A second later, Mick heard the bell above the bakery door tinkle again and cursed beneath his breath.

He strode to the window overlooking the street in time to see Maddie and Naomi descending upon Faith, cozying up to the driver’s side window like overeager puppies begging for a treat.

“Great,” Mick mumbled beneath his breath before spinning back into the apartment and gathering up a change of clothes, his laptop, and his sketch materials as quickly as possible.

He loved his sisters and was grateful to Naomi for the wonderful weekend she’d helped make possible, but the Sister Scare-Off Factor wasn’t something to be taken lightly. And if they scared Faith off he was going to be ticked. He needed to have a serious discussion with them about keeping their distance until he and Faith were one hundred percent solid.

He didn’t want to risk messing up what he and Faith had started in New Orleans. He had never felt this way about anyone before. Being with Faith made coffee smell better, sweets taste sweeter, and an afternoon walk feel like a trip to Disney World and a European vacation all wrapped into one. When he was with her, the whole world sparkled, even when they weren’t kissing, and when they were…

God, when they were…

He wanted her so badly that sleeping beside her was a sweet misery. Kissing her, touching her, having her touch him was amazing, but nowhere close to enough. He was dying to be inside her, to be intimately connected to the girl who had shattered his defenses and left his heart wide open and ripe for the taking.

Faith had him in the palm of her hand, and there was nowhere else he wanted to be. He wasn’t ready to put his future with her at risk for anything, even to spare the feelings of two people he loved the most.

Mick grabbed the last of his things and pounded down the stairs, through the bakery, and out onto the street, not breathing easier until he saw Faith leaning out the driver’s side window with a grin on her face, saying something that made Maddie giggle.

“What’s so funny?” he asked with mock severity, secretly pleased that all the women in his life were getting along and the Sister Scare-Off Factor seemed to be having no effect on Faith.

“Nothing,” Maddie said, fighting a smile. “You’re just cute.”

“I am not.” Mick glared at Faith, whose grin widened in response. “What lies have you been telling, woman?” he asked, walking around to the passenger’s side.

“No lies,” Faith said as he slipped inside the truck and closed the door. “Maddie just asked where I got my necklace.” She rolled the silver charm—a firefighter’s hat—between two fingers before letting it rest on her chest. “I told her you bought it for me yesterday as a ‘remember our first vacation’ gift.”

Mick’s gaze slipped from Faith to where his two sisters stood on the sidewalk outside. He glared at them, fighting to keep a straight face as Naomi gave him two enthusiastic thumbs up and Maddie clapped silently, grinning like a madwoman.

Faith turned back to the driver’s side window, nearly catching Naomi and Maddie as they dropped their hands nonchalantly to their sides.

Mick snorted in amusement. “We should probably get going. We haven’t eaten anything since this morning.”

“Okay, get going,” Naomi said, eyes twinkling. She was obviously pleased to see them so mutually smitten. “We’ll catch up on all your news tomorrow.”

“Thanks again for everything.” Faith turned the key in the ignition, sending the truck rumbling back to life. “I appreciate it so much. I’ll be bringing Jake a ‘thank you for picking my crazy mama up at the airport’ gift to work tomorrow.”

Naomi waved a dismissive hand in the air as she backed away from the curb. “Don’t worry about it. He didn’t mind, even though your mom did talk his ear off on the way home. Seems she couldn’t shut up about my wonderful little brother.”

Mick scowled at Naomi and made a “cut it out” gesture behind Faith’s back, worried that talk of her mom would put Faith back into the same low mood she’d been in after dropping Pressie at the airport, but Faith only laughed.

“She’s definitely a fan.” Faith shifted the truck into drive. “See y’all tomorrow.”

Naomi and Maddie waved as Faith pulled out onto Main Street—after checking to make sure the road was clear, of course. In addition to being sweet, funny, sexy as all get out, and militantly opposed to emoticons, social media sites, and selfies, Faith was an excellent driver.

Mick leaned back in his seat as she guided the truck the short distance to her apartment, watching her with a smile. “I’m glad my sisters don’t freak you out.”

She shot him a sideways glance. “Why would they freak me out? They’re both so sweet, and one of them is marrying a guy who might as well be my brother.”

Mick shrugged. “I don’t know. Naomi and Maddie scare off a lot of girls.”

“Oh, I see.” Faith nodded, pushing his hand playfully from her thigh. “You’re talking about all those girls you were dating before me, right?”

“I wasn’t
dating
anyone,” Mick said. “I went on one or two dates with a few different people. That’s it. It wasn’t serious like this.”

Faith clicked her tongue, the way she did when she was thinking. “This is serious, isn’t it?”

“It is,” Mick confirmed. “So, can I put my hand back on your leg? I like to be touching you as much as possible at all times.”

Faith smiled, but it faded as she pulled up in front of her apartment building. By the time she shut off the truck and turned to face him, her expression was chillingly serious.

“What’s wrong?” Mick asked, a sinking feeling in his stomach. “Reconsidering having me over to spend the night?”

Faith shook her head. “No, but…there is something that’s been on my mind.”

“And what’s that?” Mick took her hand, his anxiety fading when she held tight.

“My mama had me when she was twenty-eight,” she said, her gaze falling to the seat between them. “I wasn’t planned and… Well, I know she loves me, but there were times when I could tell she felt burdened by having a kid she wasn’t prepared for, with a man who didn’t stick around long enough to see me out of diapers.”