Page 13 of Journey To Sunrise (Protectors of Jasper Creek #6)

Chapter Ten

Chloe

“What do you normally do with Slayer when you work a twenty-four-hour shift?” I asked.

“Normally Luke and I work the same shift, so Sheryl from next door comes over and walks him and feeds him.”

I had an immediate picture of Sheryl and I didn’t like it. She would be tall, blonde and endowed. Therefore, everything that I wasn’t.

“Why haven’t I met her?”

“You didn’t seem in the mood for company. She’s a doll. She’s wanted to come over and meet you, plus she’s missed Slayer. Would you mind if she came over for a visit tomorrow after school while I’m on shift?”

“After school?”

“Yeah, she’s in ninth grade. She’s been babysitting Slayer since he was a puppy. They’re great friends.”

Great, now I was jealous that a teenager was best friends with the dog. I needed to get my shit together.

“Chloe, are you okay? You have a funny look on your face.”

“I’m fine. You’re probably right, I’m just nervous about meeting someone new.”

Zarek stepped close. “You look like you need a hug.”

So why was he hesitating? Did I have cooties? Oh yeah, I was crazy. “I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to do,” I said sarcastically.

“Come here, you.” He wrapped me up in his big arms, and I smelled the fresh scent of fabric softener and man. I inhaled, wanting to take him in deeper, wanting this moment to never end. I felt his chin rubbing against the top of my head.

“Don’t go.”

Shit, did I say that?

He went still.

“I can call in.”

I tipped my head back to look at him. “I didn’t mean it. I’m being silly. Of course you have to go in.”

“Chloe, what’s going on?”

“I don’t know. Blame it on that damned doctor. He stirred up crap. I’m all feely. I don’t like it. I don’t even feel like Candy Crush. I’m thinking about cooking.”

Zarek shuddered.

“Well at least my homeowner’s insurance is up to date.”

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.” He moved his hands so he was cupping my cheeks. “Cupcake, I have plenty of leave, I can take the day off.”

I saw his hesitancy. “You don’t want to leave your team in the lurch at the last minute, do you?”

“I don’t,” he admitted. His thumb brushed my lower lip and butterflies took flight in my tummy. It was like that kiss all over again. I saw his green eyes darken. I realized I wasn’t the only one affected by the small caress.

“You pack a punch, Cupcake.”

“You’re the one doing the touching.” My breath warmed his thumb. I rose up on my toes, hoping he would get the message. He did.

Zarek’s head lowered and all I could see was his face as his mouth took mine.

Heat exploded. I lost all ability to stand, but Zarek was there, he was always there to catch me.

Hold me. He molded our bodies together as his tongue swept inside my mouth and took away all semblance of reality.

I moaned and clung, desperate for more of his taste, his essence.

My head swirled, my body throbbed as our tongues tangled. I pressed my breasts against his chest, trying to relieve the ache. I felt his fingers spear through my hair, pulling at the strands. I needed him to pull harder, more sensation, I needed more .

Twisting, I pulled at his neck, wanting the kiss to never end. I heard a sound. A whimper.

Dammit, Slayer!

Zarek caressed my back with gentle strokes. “Shhhh, easy,” he said as he raised his head.

“I want more.”

“I don’t think you do.” His eyes shone like emeralds as they looked down at me, missing nothing. It was at that moment that I realized I had been the one who had whimpered.

“What’s wrong with me?” I asked with a soft agonized wail. “I’m a tease.”

“No, you’re not. You’re perfect.”

I felt the proof of his arousal against my tummy. I wasn’t perfect, I’d provoked Zarek to this state, and I couldn’t follow through. What a failure.

“Hey, hey. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I don’t like it. I can tell you’re putting yourself down. I just shared my second kiss with my best friend. Don’t ruin this for me.”

“But―”

“No buts. Chloe, kissing you is the most profound experience of my life.”

“You can’t mean that. I’m screwed up.” I pushed against his chest, a thought careening through my head. “Is that what does it for you? Wounded birds? Are you turned on by women who are weak? That you can dominate?”

He laughed. “Jesus, you’re head really is screwed up.”

“Well, d’huh.” I tried to get out of his arms, but he held me tight. “Let me go.”

“Not until we hash this out. And we have exactly three minutes before I have to leave.”

His eyes glittered down at me.

“One, I’m not turned on by wounded birds.

I’m a firefighter—trust me, more than one woman has wanted me to rescue her over the years, and I’ve turned them down flat.

That’s never been what’s turned my crank.

Two, you’re suffering from PTSD, and you’re working your way out of it.

You’re going to be back to your fighting weight in no time and back to kicking my ass.

Three. I’ve been twisted up about you for years. Ask Luke.”

“What do you mean you’ve been twisted up about me for years?”

“The three minutes are up, but, Cupcake, it’s you. Who you were then, who you are now, and who you will be that I’m interested in.”

I stared up at him, wanting to believe.

“You can believe me.”

Damn it. How could he be in my head?

He bent and slid his nose along mine. “I’ll see you tomorrow. You have my number, call me for anything. Call me just to say, ‘Hi’, okay?”

I knew I wouldn’t.

“Can I tell Sheryl she can come over after school today?”

I nodded.

“Excellent.”

As soon as Zarek left, I picked up my phone and looked at the messages.

I hadn’t cleared out my in-box on purpose.

I was sick of people—in other words, my family—leaving messages.

It was just easier to have a full in-box so they couldn’t leave a message.

Of course, that didn’t stop them from texting.

Who knew you could have over three hundred texts?

Drake was the worst. Evie was second. Hell, I would have bet on Zoe and Trenda.

Trenda played the Bella card, sending pictures of my precocious niece.

It wasn’t fair. I missed the little girl.

But Drake. God, I hadn’t had a big brother for twelve years.

And here he was acting like a big bad grizzly, ready to take on the world for me.

I was sure that if it weren’t for Karen being on bedrest, he would be in Dallas.

It kind of made me feel warm inside, at the same time it pissed me off.

Evie’s messages I just deleted.

Even with the teeny, tiny doctor, I couldn’t figure out all my feelings about Evie.

I was twisted up, like a Rubik’s Cube. My emotions just wouldn’t line up.

I was furious with her for something that hadn’t been her fault.

She hadn’t had the passports; someone had just made her the patsy.

But in my heart, it didn’t seem to matter, I still kept blaming her for my torture.

But at the same time, I was relieved that neither she nor Zoe had been there to take the beating. Dr. Michaels said having tangled emotions was normal. I knew it was crazy. He said he could help.

I was so afraid he couldn’t.

* * *

Chloe

Zarek being on shift for the next twenty-four-hours had me worried.

It was the first time I was out of my own headspace enough to consider the fact that he was a firefighter, and he could be hurt on the job.

I’d watched him get into his truck in his blue uniform, a steel mug of coffee in his hand.

He was smiling. How could he be smiling when he might have to risk his life?

Instead of opening my Candy Crush app, I started looking up all kinds of statistics on the hazards for firefighters.

What I read both reassured me, and scared me silly.

Statistically, the number of deaths was less than fishermen in Alaska, but still when I read about all the hazards like smoke inhalation, structural collapses, and burns, it scared the crap out of me.

I knew where Station 22 was located because my doctor’s office was close to it.

There were a lot of old abandoned warehouses—what happened if one of those caught fire?

He would be at the mercy of the men and women he served with, and I had never taken the time to meet them.

Sure, Zarek had told me a little about them, but I didn’t know if they were good people or not. Were they qualified to keep Zarek safe?

I googled fires in Dallas and immediately got chills.

This time I knew my sweatshirt wouldn’t warm me.

The last four alarm fire had been two weeks ago; a huge fire blazed at an old factory east of Central.

Seven engine companies and four ladder companies were called and it included Station 22.

It turned out that homeless people used the factory for shelter, so it was critical that firefighters go in and clear the building.

Now that I thought back, there had been a night that Zarek had been stressed and listening intently to the scanner that he had at the house that allowed him to listen into the communication going on at the scene.

Shit, there was a code to get into he scanner, and I hadn’t asked him for it before he left.

How was I going to know if he was all right? I thought back to the cupcakes that he had brought home. He said that Butterfly Bakery was operated by a sister of one of the firefighters. Maybe I could find out something if I called her.

I immediately placed a call but got an answering machine.

I left a message, asking for the owner to give me a call back, explaining that I was a good friend of Zarek Post’s and I had a couple of questions for her.

Hopefully this woman would be able to tell me more about what was going on at Station 22.