Page 40 of Second Chance Christmas

“Glad you’re okay. I mean, I know you wanted to make an entrance when you came by the fire station for yours truly, but…WOW! You really outdid yourself!” Kade hooked his thumbs through his suspenders and bounded on the balls of his feet with a playful energy.

Like the rest of the crew, he wore a long-sleeved white cotton pullover neatly tucked into worn, black jeans that outlined powerful thighs and a well-endowed package.

From the looks of it, he was the only one that liked the use of suspenders, which he worked like a Don Juan of fire stations. Neatly combed hair and a pearly white grin topped off the polished playboy look.

“Your brother is right. Still a player.”

“Maybe. Listen,” Kade knelt next to her chair and took her hands in his. “He’s happy you’re here. No pressure. Just give him a chance, okay?”

“Chance for what, Kade?”

He scratched at his clean jawline for a second considering his words. “He’s still in love with you, you know?”

Ivy sensed the second Aspen rejoined them in the kitchen and looked his way as Kade went back to cooking.

He stood in the doorway. His gaze locked on her—bright, intelligent and way too perceptive for her comfort. As though he saw more than she wanted when he looked at her. Ivy didn’t know what to make of that.

“Here, let me take that.”

Aspen strode across the kitchen, slipped her coat off and tossed it over the back of the chair as Kade served up three large plates of the best-looking spaghetti and meatballs she’d ever seen.

Oregano, garlic and pasta. Sweet, sweet heaven.

“Everything looks and smells so divine. Just like your mom’s. I catch an extra pinch of extra oregano and is that fresh parmesan in the sauce, too?”

“I see you remember,” Aspen said as he slid into a seat next to her, his thigh brushing against her. Aspen drew close, his cologne wrapping around her and if they were alone she knew a moan would have slipped out.

“Be careful,” he teased in a whisper. “He’s warned me he cooked this himself this time. Mom had nothing to do with it.”

She laughed and turned to Aspen, his presence as overwhelming as the food. His eyes sparkled with a playful mischief she had missed that caused her to momentarily lose her train of thought.

She swallowed hard. They locked eyes and for a second the firehouse faded and they were alone. Just the two of them and all the memories of them together.

Kade scooted forks across the table and broke the spell. then came a plate full of garlic bread

“You two need a room,” he asked ruefully, earning him a scowl from Aspen.

“Fine, fine. I’ll leave you two alone for now.” Kade’s gaze left his brother’s to find hers. “On another note, I’ve been here all day. I thought maybe you forgot about me. Way to hurt an old crush’s feelings by leaving them last on the list.” With one hand filled with garlic bread and the other a ladle, Kade clapped a hand over his chest and faked a wounded heart.

“Old crush, huh?” Aspen teased before taking a bite of noodle and sauce.

“Don’t cramp a man’s style—I’m trying to get my mojo back.” Kade shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck.

“It was one kiss on the cheek in third grade for the cutest Valentine’s Day cards. A thank you. That hardly constitutes as an old crush, no?”

“It was still a kiss. And to my younger self, it was a hot one at that.” When Kade clanked the metal ladle on the side of the saucepan, it brought her gaze up and she caught sight of the other men in the parking lot checking for what she assumed would-be run away dildos and Rudolph’s missing nose. Poor guys.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” She slipped her bag over the back of the chair. It was obviously clear she wouldn’t make it back for the trees. No use in rushing home now and she would just have to wing her schedule and return Mr. Langley’s call.

She glanced between the two brothers clearly trying to rile each other. Both stood over six feet tall, muscular bodies that their job required, and still tried to one-up each other even now.

“Don’t get him started. He’s nursing a breakup so he’s a little sensitive at the moment. Looking for a shoulder to cry on.”

Aspen sat back and ran a hand through his hair with a sigh as if he’d had this conversation countless times and wanted to move on.

“Damn Kade. Sorry to hear that. Really, I am. I kinda know how you feel.”

She wanted to offer more but didn’t want to wade into her own miserable luck with love or pry into Kade’s, for that matter. Plus, wouldn’t that be awkward with Aspen sitting right there?

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