Page 52 of Four Firemen For Christmas

I could never admit it to him or the others, but I’d already fallen for them. All of them. Impossible as it was, I was halfway in love with them. One more knee-knocking, pussy-melting look from any of them and I’d never leave Henry’s house.

Alex dropped the stack of plates on the counter. “I have to go.” His face shuttered, turning cold and indifferent. “Last night was fun.” The words were like tiny daggers. They were thrown out with the intent to wound. Without another word, he hurried out of the kitchen toward the front door.

The door slammed and Samuel turned. His gaze caught mine and he frowned while continuing to scan the room. “Where’s Alex?”

Henry and Derek faced us from across the room. They’d been deep in conversation but stopped when they heard the tension in Samuel’s voice.

“He said he had to go.” My chin quivered and my hands shook. Had what I said bothered him that much? Nah. Alex didn’t care enough about me for it to matter. We’d had an amazing night. Maybe he was tired. Though he hadn’t seemed too worn out when he came downstairs.

Samuel passed the spatula to Henry and walked toward me. “Tell me exactly what happened.” There was a coolness in his voice now too. What the hell was going on?

I explained everything, telling him word for word what Alex and I talked about.

Samuel tented a hand over his eyes and rubbed his temples with his thumb and forefinger.

“What’s wrong?” I needed to keep calm. “Did I say something wrong?” Old insecurities roared up and pushed aside all the good from last night. I’d messed it up, like I always did. Alex found me lacking in some way, and he’d left so he didn’t have to endure being with me any longer.

“You shouldn’t have said that to him.” Samuel turned away from me and motioned at Henry. “I’m going after Alex.” He kissed my cheek and it felt like a goodbye.

Shit. I was going to cry. I’d taken a perfect thing and ruined it. I drove Alex away, and where Alex went, Samuel went.

24

HENRY

Ibarely noticed Alex and then Samuel leaving. I couldn’t stop thinking about last night and Emma. She’d responded to me in every way. Like she was made for me and my kinks. The harder I pushed, the hotter Emma became. She’d been wild by the end of the night. I’d never had anyone accept me that readily; someone willing to give me so much.

There was never a moment of hesitation between us last night. Even the guys were willing to let me direct them and order them around. I’d expected some backlash at least from Samuel, but as soon as he saw Emma responding, he was all in.

“Should I go after them?” Derek shuffled the bacon onto a plate. His attention pulled to the front door and then over to me. “They’re missing out.”

“No. Let them go.” Whatever was up Alex’s ass was his problem. I hated to be that way, but we’d all done what we could to try and help already. If Alex wanted to fly off after last night, then maybe he wasn’t the guy I thought. Well, shit. Maybe I should give the kid a break. He’d been through a lot. I was just fucking annoyed that he and Samuel had bailed. I’m glad Samuel took off after Alex. The two of them would get their shit worked out.

Emma kept standing at the back of the kitchen. Her throat worked and she clasped a hand over it. The earlier expression of sexual need fell into something else. Something I didn’t recognize on her but had seen in other women. Rejection. She dropped her hands to the pockets of my robe and shivered. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, Emma.” Derek finished moving the cooked bacon to a plate and bit into a slice. He puffed air over the scorching bite and chomped. “We all thought he was over the breakup, but maybe not.”

I’d thought that would soothe her, but her agitation increased. “So why did he agree to sex if he’s not over his last girlfriend? Did he think it wouldn’t matter?”

“Don’t let Alex’s state of mind take away from last night.” I crossed the room and took her into my arms. “He knew what he was doing last night. He wanted you then, and he wants you now. He just has to get his head on straight. And he will. Give him time to think things through.”

This was going to work out. I felt it in my bones and in my heart. Emma was the one. There was one tiny problem I needed to work out. Our relationship with Emma broke company policy. We were not to have sexual relationships with others within the station’s employment.

Derek and Alex would get off light if anyone discovered they’d slept with Emma. Things were not as simple for me and Samuel. We were in positions of power, with Emma as our underling. But as the captain, I’d get looked at the hardest. Not just my superiority as captain, but the fact that I was over twenty years older than Emma. Neither of those things would win me any favors.

Emma barely let herself relax in my arms before she stiffened and pulled away.

“Let’s eat. Maybe Alex and Samuel will come back.” She rubbed her cheek against her shoulder and made her way over to the table.

We all sat, the quiet tension different from what I’d felt when we first woke up. This felt like the beginning of the end. No. I wouldn’t allow that to happen. Emma meant too much to me. But I did need to talk to her about the situation. “Emma, what are your plans after Christmas?”

“I don’t know. Why?” Her fingers tightened on her fork, and she lifted her head to meet my eyes. “Right now, I’m trying to get through Christmas. Help my grandma and get back in my apartment.” Her cheeks pinked as she poked at her eggs. “I’m sure Derek and Alex will be glad to get their apartment back.”

“You can stay longer as far as I’m concerned.” Derek didn’t hesitate.

I loved the kid for his generous heart and moments like this when he spoke straight from his heart.

“I don’t think Alex is okay with that.” Emma kept pushing.

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