Tall, Strong & Cool Under Fire. Marie Ferrarella

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СКАЧАТЬ had suddenly become aware of the fact that she was on her knees in front of a very tall, very blond man wearing a navy blue fireman’s uniform. Moreover, she was kneeling before a man who was looking at her as if he’d just come off an enforced seven-week fast and she was a piece of fried chicken prepared just the way he always liked it.

      Chapter Two

      “Look, Mommy, it’s just like the fire truck you had in your store.” A hint of an impatient pout graced CeCe’s small mouth when her mother didn’t look at the object of her affections.

      Lisa lowered her eyes to her daughter’s face, trying to ignore the fact that she felt as if she were being slowly appraised and measured by the man standing behind CeCe. Instead she focused on the reason her heart had all but stopped beating earlier. Things could have turned out a great deal worse and she knew it. In light of that, being surveyed by a good-looking man didn’t seem like such a terrible price to pay in exchange for finding CeCe safe and sound.

      Holding her by both small shoulders, Lisa looked at the little girl who had been the joy of her life even before she’d been born. From the moment she’d learned that she was pregnant, Lisa had crafted her life carefully around the promise of a child and the kind of life that would follow once the child was born. She couldn’t afford to remain unfocused any longer. Children needed things.

      Most of all, they needed mothers who were there for them, to hold them and love them the way hers had. It gave Lisa a purpose to her life she was grateful for and that she had never lost sight of.

      Even if she had lost sight of CeCe for the last ten minutes.

      Hiding her relief, Lisa attempted to look stern. She didn’t want this happening ever again.

      “Now listen to me, young lady. I don’t care if you saw an entire fleet of fire trucks, or if there was a great big yellow dragon sitting in its place,” she said, referring to CeCe’s favorite cartoon program, “you know better than to run off without telling either G-mama or me where you were going. And you know something else, too, don’t you?” Deliberately narrowing her eyes, she pinned the little girl with a look.

      CeCe sighed, squirming uncomfortably before she nodded her head. As her mother began reciting the one rule she was strict about enforcing, CeCe joined in, parroting words that had been drummed into her head ever since she had been able to string two words together.

      “Don’t ever talk to strangers.”

      Then, sucking in air as if she intended to launch into a rebuttal that left no room for her mother to voice her opinion, CeCe grabbed the firefighter’s hand and pulled him forward as she protested with feeling.

      “But he’s not a stranger, Mommy. I know his name. It’s Bryce Walker and he’s my new best friend. And he’s a firefighter, Mommy. That’s like a policeman, right, except nobody shoots at him. You said if I was ever lost, to only talk to a policeman or a police lady. Remember? Well, I couldn’t find a policeman, but I found him.”

      Lisa closed her eyes. There was no arguing with CeCe once she got started. She took after her grandmother that way—except worse. Lisa learned by experience to wait until the torrent of words subsided.

      When she opened her eyes again, she saw her daughter’s new best friend looking at her. She supposed he did deserve an apology.

      Rising Lisa brushed her hands against her shorts, a tingle of nerves unaccountably zigzagging through her. She wasn’t accustomed to thinking of herself as anything except CeCe’s mother. The firefighter wasn’t looking at her as if he thought of her as anyone’s mother.

      Lisa cleared her throat, nodding toward CeCe. “I’m sorry if she was any trouble.”

      She looked flustered, Bryce thought. He liked the slight tinge of pink that came into her cheeks. Looking down at his talkative new friend who had an iron grip on his hand, he grinned.

      “CeCe? No, she wasn’t any trouble at all. I was just about to give your daughter a tour of the fire station.” His grin extended to include CeCe’s mother as well. “I’m sure the tour group could be expanded by one if you’re interested.”

      “Thank you, but no.” Lisa saw CeCe’s face fall. Though she was completely right in turning down the invitation for more than one reason, Lisa still felt guilty. She always did whenever she denied CeCe anything. Wanting to give her daughter the world, the guilt that accompanied any refusal was something she continually had to wrestle with.

      “But Mommy—” CeCe began to protest.

      Lisa remained firm. She had to. “We’re in the middle of moving in and everything’s a big mess. I can’t spare the time right now, honey. Besides—” she suddenly remembered “—I have the movers all combing the neighborhood for you.”

      Confusion puckered the small brow. “Why do they want to comb me, Mommy?”

      Bryce bit back a laugh. “It’s just an expression, honey.” Very gently, he withdrew his hand from the small grasping fingers then raised his eyes to Lisa. “I can put the tour on hold, if you’d like. Consider it a raincheck.” He saw her open her mouth to protest. “Everyone should get to know their neighborhood firehouse. We’re not just for fires anymore.” He winked at CeCe, clearly winning her heart by becoming a coconspirator. “And on rare occasions, we even offer baby-sitting—um, big girl sitting services,” he amended seeing her small brows rise in indignation.

      CeCe Billings was, he thought, what his grandfather had been wont to call “a pistol.” He wished the old man was still around to meet the little girl. On second thought, his grandfather would have probably attempted to make a play for CeCe’s mom. The man had retained a twinkle in his eye until the day he died at age ninety-three.

      Bryce hoped the condition was hereditary and that he’d be half as spry when he got to that age.

      Lisa wished she had on something other than a tank top and shorts, but she had a feeling the man would make her aware of his gaze even if she were wearing sack cloth and ashes. She raised her chin, determined to retreat as quickly as possible.

      “That’s comforting to know, but I’m sure we won’t be bothering you again, Mr.—um—”

      “Walker.” He put out his hand to her. “Bryce Walker.”

      “I already told you, Mommy,” CeCe reminded her.

      Lisa hesitated, not wanting to waste any more precious time. Across the street, her mother and the movers were undoubtedly still searching for CeCe. She had to get back before her mother decided to call the police. Her mother had never believed in taking the slow approach to anything and was a firm believer in getting the system to work for her any way it could.

      But the firefighter was being awfully nice about having CeCe bend his ear and he had looked after the little girl for her. She didn’t want to think about what could have happened if CeCe had just continued to wander off on her own.

      So, with one foot out the door, holding her daughter firmly by the hand, Lisa extended her free one and slipped it into his. His grip was firm, hard. Warm. And his eyes were definitely unsettling, reminding her just how long it had been since she’d looked at any man as something other than a customer.

      “I’m Lisa Billings.” Her throat felt inordinately dry. She had to remember to stop and drink something once in a while, СКАЧАТЬ