Page 56 of Four Firemen For Christmas

I unrolled the robe’s fluffy sleeves until they fell past my hands and watched Derek stretch to put the stack of plates on the top shelf. The move revealed a bare strip of skin along his side. I bit my lip and shoved my hands into my pockets to keep from running over and grabbing him. Now wasn’t the time for sex, even if we both wanted it. Alex had stormed out after getting mad at me, with Samuel following to try and talk to him. Then Henry’s mysterious phone call. Standing in Henry’s kitchen enjoying my time with Derek felt wrong even as he turned and gave me a sexy smile.

“So?” Derek leaned back against the counter and flexed again. “What now?”

“Hmm.” I wiggled my hips and hopped onto the counter.

“That looks familiar.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me and I giggled.

The counter was cool against the backs of my legs, and I tossed my head back while thrusting out my chest. The robe allowed me to flash him my cleavage, and I gave him a sassy smile. “I guess we could have a little fun while we wait on Henry.”

He walked right between my legs and ran his hands under the robe barely covering my thighs. “I want to fuck you right here on Henry’s counter, Emma.”

I wrapped my heels around his waist and pulled him closer. His right hand slid higher, parting my folds and delving into the slick heat. We shouldn’t be doing this. Not when the others had all left in a mild state of panic, but there was nothing either of us could do to help them, and I refused to feel guilty for wanting to fuck Derek.

The front door slammed open, sending a gust of wind and snow swirling through the kitchen.

I yelped and jumped off the counter as fear raced down my spine.

Alex stalked in. Red infused his cheeks and his entire body shook. His coat hung open and snow covered his bare head. “What the fuck did you do?”

He glared at me with enough hatred that I took a step back, straight into Derek’s chest. His hands landed on my hips and helped steady me.

“Alex?” Derek asked.

I’d never heard Alex’s voice sound so dark and dangerous. Derek rubbed my hips through the thick robe.

“What are you talking about?” I asked. My breath came out in a rush that turned my voice squeaky. Whatever Alex heard in the tone caused him to narrow his eyes and take a step forward.

“You know what I’m talking about.” He pointed directly at my chest. “How could you file a sexual harassment claim against Henry?”

“What?” I belted out the question as shock ran through me. Derek’s hands never left me. He didn’t flinch or back down from the accusation. I was grateful for his support, but why did I need it? “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I didn’t file a complaint.”

“I heard all about it.” Alex shot a glare at Derek, then turned back to me while stalking forward.

Derek moved to block him. “Back the hell up, Alex.”

“What’s going on?” Henry asked from the open doorway. Unlike Alex, Henry looked completely put together. The only difference from when he’d left was the tight lines fanning out from his eyes. Those showed his anger despite his apparent calm.

Samuel stood right behind him, a stoic presence that added an air of tension to the already charged atmosphere. I didn't like the looks on either of their faces. The room felt like a pressure cooker ready to explode. I’d been around them long enough to recognize the fiery tension.

This was not how I expected our day to end. Not after last night.

Alex whirled around to face them. A vein pulsed in his temple. “You know as well as I do that Emma's the one who filed that complaint against you.”

“You don't know that,” Derek shot back. His jaw clenched and his hands balled into fists while his entire back tightened into a rigid plane.

I tried to talk, to interject and clarify, but they all started hurling words at each other, a cacophony of accusations and denials that collided in my heart. The words flew too fast for me to get a word in.

“What do you mean a sexual harassment complaint?” Derek demanded, his voice cutting through the verbal onslaught.

“Miles pulled Henry into the office today and said he'd been accused of having sex in his office.” Alex narrowed his eyes accusingly at me. “We all know he fucked Emma in there last week.”

“That has nothing to do with it,” Samuel interjected.

I couldn't stand by and let this continue. I shoved past Derek. “I never filed a complaint.”

Derek gestured toward me, a supportive acknowledgment. "See? It wasn't Emma."

“She's lying,” Alex retorted. “Of course she's not going to admit she did it.”

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