Page 8

8

Lincoln

“ L incoln?” Hearing Katy say my name has me jumping off the couch and forgetting that my friend just caught me with his friend in a compromising position on the couch. More shockingly, he didn’t seem to care.

When I reach Katy, she’s standing in the hallway with the throw blanket pulled around her shoulders.

“Hey, sweetheart. Are you alright?” I put an arm around her shoulder and can see the purple under her eyes has faded. She got some much-needed sleep.

“I’m…hungry.”

“My specialty.” Katy jumps at the new voice as Miller walks toward us. He sees her hesitation and slows his advancement. “Hi, Katy. We’ve met before. I’m a firefighter where Justin and Spencer work. My name is Miller.” After a few moments, recognition dawns on her face.

“Grilled cheese.”

I’m confused, but Miller must understand because his lip tilts up in his sexy half-smile, which I love. “And tomato soup. Would you like that?”

Katy nods into my side. Miller turns on his heels, and we stare as he rummages through Spencer’s refrigerator.

The brave girl under my arm steps away from me and squares her shoulders. She looks between the three men in the room and then at Spencer’s door. Her confidence falters momentarily, and I dip to her level and look into her eyes.

“What do you need, Katy?”

“I’d…um.” Her eyes dart between the three of us again. “I’d like to shower.”

Axel begins to round the corner of the couch. “I’ll wake Spencer to help you.”

“No. I don’t want to bother her.” I open my mouth to protest, but Miller is quicker than I am.

“Hey.” His word is firm, but Katy doesn’t shy away from it. He puts down the loaf of bread in his hand, and focuses solely on her. “If you listen to one thing, and one thing only, let it be this. There isn’t a single person in this house, Spencer included, that will ever think of you as a bother or a burden or anything else negative that you can think of. We all dedicate our lives to helping people. Especially when they’re our people.”

I take her shoulders and turn her to face me. “And just so there’s no confusion. You. Are. Our. People. Katy.” Her eyes glaze over with tears, and she flings herself into me, wrapping her arms around my chest, and laying her ear on my heart.

Miller and Axel approach us, and we end up in a circle, embracing Katy until her breathing has calmed from her crying.

Axel pulls away first and tilts her chin toward him. “As I was saying, I’m going to wake up Spencer, Miller will make you food, and mister softy over here can hang with you while the adults do all the work.” The sweetest smile creeps across her face, and she whispers, “Thank you.” He looks at Miller and then me, and we all nod, agreeing to our roles.

Axel approaches Spencer’s door and pauses. I don’t think any of us have a clue what she’s like if she’s woken up. He lightly taps, and Gage lets out a warning ruff. He tries again, and Gage lets out a full bark. It must wake Spencer because there’s movement behind the door.

“Go to sleep, you drunk heathens,” Spencer’s sleep voice chastises.

“I can do it myself, Lincoln. You don’t have to wake her.” Katy’s voice is meek as if she doesn’t want to get in trouble.

“Trust me. She’ll be more upset if we don’t.” I pull her closer to me to reinforce my statement.

“Katy needs you.” Axel says the one thing he knows won’t get any of us in trouble for waking her. The door whips open, and all the air in the room leaves.

“What’s wrong with Katy?”

“Fuck.”

My thoughts exactly. Axel stares in shock at Spencer’s appearance. Her hair is…down. No braids. It’s a rich red color and hangs in waves just past her shoulders. The curls beautifully frame her face, making her freckles more prominent across her nose.

“Why are you all gaping at me?” How can she not know how much she affects us all?

“Your hair is beautiful, Spencer.” Spencer’s eyes find Katy as she says what I’m sure we are all thinking.

“Oh. Thank you.” Spencer glides a smoothing hand down her hair, realizing that’s what we’re all staring at her for, and I see the faintest of blush on her cheeks.

I already know Miller’s fascination with her; it’s a mutual one we share. The singular meeting with her in the coffee shop solidified everything that I needed to know about the woman I’d been listening to for years. Always confident and assured when she spoke.

“Katy, what do you need my help with?” Spencer approaches us, and Katy looks at me for approval, and I give her a reassuring smile.

“I’m hungry, but Miller is making me food. But um…I’d like to shower, and they said I need help.” Her body stiffens under my arm, and she begins to ramble. “I can do it. I don’t really need help. I feel okay.” I feel her body tensing, and her breathing increases with panic as I guide her to the couch. Spencer follows and squats in front of us.

“Katy, I’m happy to help. What do you need from me?” She unwraps the blanket, and her hands appear in front of her. She still has several small bandages on her hands and legs, and Spencer understands her meaning without words. “Come with me. We can use my bathroom. It’s bigger, and I have everything you’ll need in there.” Spencer helps Katy stand, and they disappear into her bedroom.

“Fuck.” Once again, Axel says what we’re all thinking. “Have any of you ever seen her with her hair down?” I shake my head, and Miller not so subtly adjusts himself in his pants.

“What I wouldn’t give for my fingers to get lost in her—”

“Fireball.” My tone came out harsher than I intended, but I don’t want Miller to finish that sentence. I’ll admit that a twinge of jealousy surged through me, and I understand the ridiculousness of it because my mind is wandering in the same direction.

“Fireball?”

Fuck . I hang my head, realizing I used my pet name for Miller without even thinking. And using it in front of Axel is worse than a regular slip up. I hold my breath as Axel slides up next to Miller and ruffles his hair. “I like it, big guy.”

I puff out the air in my lungs and sit at the kitchen island. “You aren’t mad?”

Axel arches a brow. “Why would I be mad?” He slings his arm over Miller’s shoulder. “You two are adorable. I don’t know why you were hiding it.”

“Because you’re such a ladies man, Axel. I know you’re cool with my sexuality, but I don’t flaunt it around you, and I never want to make my friends uncomfortable. I didn’t know how you would feel about two of your friends hooking up.” I pause and look at Miller. “Um also, when did you see Axel’s dick?”

“Hooking up?” Miller shakes Axel’s arm off his shoulder and stalks toward me. His hand grips the back of my neck, and he pulls me in for a firm, possessive kiss. When he pulls away, we’re both panting for air. “I’m your fucking boyfriend.” His statement is firm and growly, and I have to remember we have company in the room because I want to do sinful things to him right now. “And there was an accidental dick pic sent to Spencer that I opened for her while she was driving. It was no big deal.”

“Damn, man. You cut me deep.” Axel dramatically clutches his chest. “Listen, I may come off as a lady’s man, but you two can love whoever you want to love. You be you. I respect you both, so don’t keep shit like that from me. And that kiss was fucking hot. You sure you don’t have room for one more?” Miller shoots Axel a look full of heat, and I don’t know if it’s directed toward him because of his comment or if it’s residual from our kiss.

Miller squeezes my neck and kisses my forehead. “I have to cook for Katy.”

“Are you going to tell us what that was all about with her?”

Miller shrugs. “I cooked the day her class came to the station for their CPR class. Grilled cheese and tomato soup was on the menu because it’s quick, easy, and feeds a lot of people. Katy acted like it was the best thing she had eaten in a while.”

We carry on mindless conversation as Miller prepares the meal she requested. The shower turns off in Spencer’s room, and we wait for the girls to emerge.