Page 3 of Spring Rayne

"Why do I have to save him? Where's Turner? It's his turn to deal with Travis. Just because Travis blew it with Grace doesn't mean he has to be a dick to every woman he meets."

"Turner and Hazel are too busy making out when they think no one is looking. Besides, the sooner this night is over, the sooner I can head to Derek's place for poker." Not that I want to play poker with my friends tonight. I'd rather hang out with the beauty in front of me with her forest green eyes and long auburn hair.

"Is that all you think about, hanging out with your stupid friends? Why don't you and Tucker save Travis?" Damn, the way Tessa says that makes it sound like all I do is hang out with my friends. Which I suppose is true, or it was true before tonight.

Not wanting my mystery woman, whom Tessa has rudely yet to introduce me to, to think that's all I do, I attempt to do damage control by reminding her that I do more than hang out with my friends. However, my mystery woman seems to have zoned out of the conversation.

Needing to bring her back into the conversation, I go back to talking about the bachelorettes. "No way. Those women are feral." I wrinkle up my nose. "They've already tried to shove money down my pants, screaming for me to take it off."

" It looks like you have your hands full, " my mystery woman says. We should probably go home. Sky and I are helping with the Hazmat training at the fire station tomorrow."

"You're helping at the hazmat training?" I look between her and Sky in surprise. "We've never had women help with training before. I'm Tanner, and this is Tucker, by the way. Since my rude sister didn't introduce us."

"Nice to meet you, Tanner, Tucker." She nods to me and then to Tucker. "My name's Rayne. They asked for volunteers to act as victims." She shrugs, but I see something lurking behind her beautiful green eyes—something she doesn't want to say out loud.

A loud screeching sound, like two stray cats fighting, cuts through the air. A glance around the room reveals two bridesmaids attempting to throw punches at each other, with an angry-looking Travis trying to separate them.

With a sigh, I realize it's time to save Travis from the crazy bachelorettes: "We'd better save Travis before he decides to let go of them and let them fight it out." I glance at Rayne, not ready to let her go yet. But knowing she'll be at training tomorrow makes it a little easier to let her go. "I'll see you tomorrow for training."

"Wait, what do you mean you'll see us tomorrow for training?" Rayne says, sounding breathless.

"We're all part of the volunteer fire department. We'll be the ones saving you tomorrow." I can't help but give her a wink at the shocked look on her face before I walk away.

Tomorrow can't come soon enough.

three

Rayne

"Areyousurethisis a good idea?" I glance at Sutton, one of my nurse friends who is helping with the hazmat training today.

Of course, I'm sure. You want to find a husband, right? What better way to show potential candidates what you have to offer? Besides, our instructions were to wear bathing suits under our clothing to make the training as authentic as possible, since they'll hose us down once we remove our pretend contaminated clothing.

"Don't you think a bikini is a little too obvious?" I tug at my t-shirt, thinking about the teeny tiny bikini Sutton talked me into wearing.

"Trust me. It will be fine. Even Sky is wearing a bikini under her clothes." Sutton points to a red-faced Sky, who is searching the waiting area for, I'm sure, a certain sexy bartender/volunteer firefighter by the name of Tucker.

"I don't know about this, Sutton." Sky bites her lip in what I've learned is a nervous habit. "What if they get mad at what we're wearing?"

"I ran the idea by Ryan, and he said it's fine." Sutton rolls her eyes.

"Of course, your husband would think it's fine. He'll probably kidnap you, take you home to ravish you." I roll my eyes this time.

Sutton is so lucky to have a husband to share her life with. I shouldn't be upset about letting her talk me into wearing a bikini. If it helps me attract a husband, I'm all for it. My worry is my attraction to Tanner.

Will my nipples try to poke through the thin material of my bikini top? Or maybe my bikini bottoms will flood with desire just looking at him.

I don't have time to dwell on the what-ifs as the fire chief yells for us to step into the empty bay area where the hazmat tents are set up.

Sutton, Sky, and I each stand by a tent, waiting for instructions. I notice that Ryan is overseeing Sutton's tent, Tucker is in charge of Sky's tent, and Tanner is responsible for my tent, all dressed in their hazmat suits.

We're instructed to take our clothes off in a specific way and place them in a special container. I glance at a now-undressed Sutton in only her tiny bikini, stepping into the tent with a waiting Ryan ready to hose her down.

I glance at Sky, who stumbles on her way into her tent under Tucker's watchful eye in her tiny bikini.

Realizing that I've already stalled too long, I remove my clothes until I'm left with nothing but my tiny bikini.

Before I step into my tent, I hear a muffled sound coming from Tanner's hazmat suit that sounds suspiciously like the word "fuck."

---