Light Up The Night: A Bad Boy Firefighter Novel Read online

  “Thanks,” we all said as we opened our menus and started scanning through the items.

  Even though the fire had been a mild one, we were all famished. After gearing up and racing to the scene, working in the heat, and the adrenaline, a guy had to get sustenance in his body. We had our meals picked out by the time our waitress came to our table with our waters, and we placed our orders. Nobody ordered beers. We were still on duty.

  If we got a call while in the restaurant, we would have to up and leave. There were no other fire stations in Searing.

  We drained our waters in minutes, and the waitress had to bring another round. She returned twenty minutes later with plates of steaming food. The smell was intoxicating, and my mouth started watering instantly. She put my meal down in front of me, and once everyone had their plates, we dug in and had them practically licked clean in less than ten minutes. The food here was top notch every damn time.

  I was halfway through my third glass of water when Derek nudged me in the ribs with his elbow. I looked over at him, preparing to be picked apart for manning the hose today again, but found him looking across the restaurant. He tipped his chin toward the bar.

  I followed the line of his eyes to a beautiful brunette woman standing at the bar. She was flipping through receipts and writing something down in a notebook. Then she would scan the shelves of liquor behind the bar. I knew she was the owner. We’d all seen her in here often enough.

  “What?” I asked.

  “She’s super sexy, right?”

  I looked her over from head to toe.

  She was dressed in form-fitting black pants from hip to ankle. Her black shoes were flat, and a gold chain winked on her ankle. The white blouse she wore fit her curves immaculately and was tapered in at her waist. The top three buttons were open, revealing an appropriate amount of chest for a setting like this. Although if I was being honest with myself, I wouldn’t have minded much at all if the fourth button was open also.

  The owner’s brown hair was long and silky, coming almost to the middle of her back. There were gentle waves to it that made a man want to run his fingers through it. Her eyes were downcast as she scanned her notes, but I knew her eyes were light blue. I’d looked into their depths before and easily gotten lost. I didn’t know her name, but I knew she was the sort of woman who looked right through a guy like me.

  Her lips were pink and full. She had high cheekbones and a slightly upturned nose that had a couple of freckles dancing across its bridge.

  I’d always thought she was stunning.

  “Yeah,” I said as Derek stared dubiously at me, awaiting my answer. “She’s hot.”

  “Hot? That girl has been the sole reason for many morning woods for me, my man. She’s got everything a guy could want. Those tits. That ass. That waist. She’s the full meal deal.”

  “Why don’t you ask her out?” I asked.

  Derek shrugged. “You know me. I don’t date. I fuck and send ‘em packing. I’d hate to ruin our favorite dinner spot because I couldn’t keep it in my pants.”

  “At least you’re aware of your own faults,” I said.

  Derek gave me a sly look. “Then again, I could always show her the best night of her life. A girl couldn’t hate a guy for that, could she? Then we could keep coming here. Maybe we’d even get special treatment.”

  Allen leaned over and peered at Derek. “You sure think highly of yourself, don’t you, Janson?”

  Derek flipped him off. “I wasn’t talking to you, Allen. Butt out.”

  Allen shook his head. “A girl like that wouldn’t entertain you for five minutes, Janson. She’d chew you up and spit you out faster than you could blink. And you’d be walking away trying to figure out your own damn name.”

  “What the hell does that mean?” Derek asked as the rest of us chuckled.

  “It means she’s out of your league,” Mav said simply.

  “You think I couldn’t land her?” Derek asked, looking around at all of us with wide eyes. “Seriously? Me? Of all of us, you think I’m the one who would stand the worst chance of taking her home?”

  Maddox was gleefully watching all of us as this conversation transpired. He was greatly amused by the whole thing, probably because for once, he wasn’t the butt of the joke, and he laughed like a schoolboy when Allen shook his head and said, “I know you couldn’t land her.”

  Derek frowned. “So you’re all just throwing the whole firefighter thing under the bus, huh? You don’t think that will win me any extra points? Add that to the tattoos, and I’m a—”

  “Walking, talking, inked up buffoon who happens to fight fires,” Mav said dryly. “Yeah. We know.”

  That cued more laughing, and Derek grumbled to himself about how he worked with a bunch of assholes. He wasn’t wrong. We could be total dicks sometimes. But it helped keep the mood light. Sometimes, this job weighed heavily on a guy’s shoulders, and if you were friends with your crew, they would help you feel lighter inside.

  The squeal of a young child’s voice calling “Mommy” caught my attention, and I turned to watch a small girl with light brown hair rushing across the restaurant. To my surprise, she ran straight into the outstretched arms of the restaurant owner, who had taken a knee and wrapped her arms around the girl in a tight hug.

  Derek saw too, because he started shaking his head. “Nope. I’m out.”

  Allen arched an eyebrow. “Convenient.”

  “No, no, no,” Derek said, still shaking his head. “This has nothing to do with me thinking I could or couldn’t get her. This has to do with the kid. I don’t do moms. Too much drama. Too much responsibility.”

  “Responsibility? How horrible.” Allen rolled his eyes.

  Derek glanced at him. “Just because you’re a dried up old prune already doesn’t mean the rest of us have to be.”

  More laughter.

  I wasn’t paying attention. I was watching the owner and her daughter. The little girl was gleeful. She lit up the room with her smile, and the smile she’d brought to her mother’s face was absolutely radiant. I’d never seen her look so beautiful. She had dimples. What a delightful surprise.

  I fished my wallet out of my pocket and put it on the table. “You guys can head out. I’ll meet you at the truck. This one’s on me.”

  6

  Mel

  I dropped my pen on top of my notebook when I spotted Tara and Kylee come in through the front door. Kylee raced across the restaurant with her arms outstretched, so I dropped to one knee to pull her in for a big bear hug when she reached me.

  I rocked her back and forth a couple times. “I missed you, kiddo. How was your day?”

  “Good.” Kylee grinned. She rested her hands on my shoulders as she leaned back.

  I tucked her hair behind her ear. “Yeah?”

  Tara arrived and nodded. “Yep. I heard all about her day. Guess who she played with during art time?”

  I pursed my lips and feigned a thoughtful expression. “Hmm. I’m not sure. Who could it be?”

  Kylee giggled. She knew right away that we were playing a game.

  I pressed a finger to my chin. “Could it have been someone who really likes Batman? And the color blue?”

  Kylee nodded. “Maybe.”

  “Sounds familiar. Don’t tell me! I know who it is. Was it… Nelson?”

  “Yes!”

  I laughed as I got to my feet. “Of course it was. Your Auntie Tara is a bad influence on you, you know that? Pressuring you into hanging out with boys. There will be plenty of time for that in the future. Or never,” I added under my breath as I looked at Tara.

  Tara snorted. “Keep dreaming, momma bear.”

  I glanced up at the table in the corner by the windows as several of the firemen got up and walked out. One of them, the dark-haired, blue-eyed, God-like one, stayed where he was. I could see his wallet on the table.

  “I’ll be right back, you two. I have to go give those guys a discount on their bill.” I left Kylee with Tara and
hurried over to the table where the lone firefighter sat. He glanced up at me when I arrived, and his serious expression softened as he smiled at me.

  “Hey there,” he said.

  “Hi,” I said. It was the only word that came smoothly off my tongue. The rest got jumbled up in my brain as I stared down at him, and I felt like an idiot. I’d looked into his dark brown eyes and became completely lost in them. He had short jet-black hair and a sharp jawline. His bare arms were rippling with muscle, and his tight black T-shirt left little to the imagination.

  And by little, it really left nothing to the imagination. His abs were outlined through the black fabric, and each pec was taut and full.

  Damn.

  I spotted the bill facedown on the table and picked it up. I did some quick math in my head and managed to tell him the new total after the discount.

  He took his debit card out of his wallet and passed it to me. I punched the price of the meals into the debit machine, stuck his card in the bottom, and passed the machine back.

  I watched him as he paid the bill.

  His shoulders rolled beneath the shirt. Looking down at him from this angle gave me a great view of his thick black lashes as he looked down. His nose was sharp, his brows were hooded, and his lips were pressed in a polite smile.

  And they were oh so kissable looking.

  “Dinner was great, as always. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. I’m glad you guys keep coming back. It’s the best compliment a restaurant can receive.”

  He smiled at me. “What’s your name? I always see you in here, and I know you’re the owner, but I don’t know your name.”

  “Melissa,” I said. “But everyone calls me Mel.”

  “Mel,” he said it like he was learning a foreign word that he liked very much. “It suits you. Is that your daughter over there?” He nodded over at the bar, where Kylee was sitting on a bar stool beside Tara, who had apparently ordered my daughter a Shirley Temple. Now she’d be up for another hour at least. Silly Aunt.

  “Uh, yes she is.”

  “Cute kid,” he said.

  “I’m biased, but yeah, she is.”

  The firefighter chuckled. “In all this time coming in here, I had no idea you had a child. I didn’t peg you as a mother.” He blinked, and his eyes widened as he realized that what he said could have offended me. It didn’t. I was thick skinned. But I could see the fear on his face regardless. “Sorry. That came out wrong.”

  I shrugged. “It’s all good. A lot of people are surprised to find out I’m a mom.”

  “You just don’t look like you’ve—” He shook his head. “I’m going to stop talking now.”

  I laughed as he handed me back the debit machine. It printed his receipt, and I handed it to him. “Don’t worry about it. You haven’t offended me.”

  “I’m glad,” he said, and then he slid out of the booth and got to his feet. He was a giant, and he loomed over me. He must have been about six foot four. I had to crane my neck to look up at him.

  I took a step back. I wasn’t intimidated. I just needed to create more space between us. His presence was as big as his physical form, and being so close had my brain struggling to send messages to my mouth.

  “I’m Hayden,” he said, holding out a massive hand.

  I shook it, and his fingers swallowed mine. His grip was firm and warm. When he released my hand, I let my arm fall to my side and smiled sheepishly up at him. “Nice to officially meet you, Hayden. I’ll see you next time?”

  He nodded and turned to leave. Then he stopped and turned back to me, a question lingering in his eyes. I sensed I knew what it was before his lips started moving. “Mel, would you like to get dinner together sometime?”

  I licked my lips. “I appreciate you asking. I’m flattered. But I’ll have to decline. Now isn’t a good time for me.”

  His smile faltered only for a second, and then he masterfully put it back in place and gave me a gracious nod. “I understand. I’ll see you next time, then.”

  “Next time.” I nodded.

  And then he was gone, weaving through tables and nodding at customers who seemed to know him. In a place as small as Searing, I supposed it made sense that a lot of locals knew one of our six firefighters.

  I didn’t know why I stood there waiting for him to look back when he went through the front door. He never did.

  I went back to the bar and stole a sip of Kylee’s Shirley Temple. She giggled as I smacked my lips.

  Tara cleared her throat beside me. “What was that all about with you and McDreamy?”

  “Nothing. I was just giving him the discount. You know how those debit machines are. Super slow.”

  Tara arched an eyebrow. “Look at you. Miss goody two shoes telling a lie.”

  “I am not,” I hissed.

  Tara giggled. “Oh, yes you are. I can see right through you! Come on, tell me the truth. What was going on over there?”

  I sighed. Tara wouldn’t drop it until I came clean, and withholding the information from her would only make her dig harder. It would be a domino effect. Her incessant nagging would only make my life more miserable.

  “He asked me on a date,” I confessed.

  “A date?” Tara asked incredulously.

  “Yes. I told him no.”

  Tara surprised me by nodding. “That’s probably for the best.”

  This was a different tune than the one she’d been singing on Saturday morning while she ate pancakes in my kitchen. I put my hand on my hip. “I thought I needed to find a guy? Your words, not mine.”

  “A guy, sure. But a firefighter? I don’t know about that. There’s a reason all those guys are single. They’re bad news.”

  “Bad news?” I asked.

  Tara nodded. “Yeah. You have to be careful around them.”

  I picked Kylee up, lifted her off the stool, and put her on the floor. “Remember who you’re talking to, Tara. This is me. My middle name is ‘careful’.”

  Tara winked at me. “It brings all the boys to the yard.”

  I waved her off. “We have to get out of here. It’s close to Kylee’s bedtime. I’ll see you tomorrow. Say goodnight to Auntie Tara, Kylee.”

  “Goodnight!” Kylee called over her shoulder as I walked her toward the door.

  “Goodnight,” Tara called after us.

  A couple customers held the doors open for me and Kylee, and we ducked out. Kylee and I thanked them and walked around the side of the building to my SUV. I opened up the back door, and Kylee climbed inside. I buckled her into her seat and tucked her backpack at her feet as she yawned deeply.

  “Are you tired, kiddo?”

  “No,” Kylee answered a little too quickly.

  I gave her a knowing smile. “Uh huh. Says every tired kid in the entire world.”

  “I’m not tired, I swear. I can stay up later tonight with you.”

  “Oh you can, can you?” I asked.

  Kylee nodded and had to stifle another yawn. Maybe that Shirley Temple wouldn’t do any harm. “Yeah. I’m wide awake.”

  “You sure seem like it. I might remind you, little lady, that I’m the one who makes the rules, and I’m the one who sets bedtime. And guess what?”

  Kylee frowned. “What?”

  “It’s already ten minutes to your bedtime, and it’s a school night. So we’ll get home, brush your teeth, pack your lunch, and get you in your PJs. Then it’s bedtime.”

  “Can you read me a story?”

  I gave her a kiss on the forehead. “If there’s time, I’ll read a short one. Only if there’s time. Okay?”

  “Okay.” Kylee nodded.

  I closed the back door and walked around the front of my SUV. I stopped as I opened my door and looked across the parking lot.

  The six firemen were all gathered around their truck. Hayden was the easiest to spot of all of them. He was the tallest, and his movements were distinctive to me. He had his hands in his pockets, and he threw his head back in laughter as
one of the guys said something funny.

  I caught myself staring, shook my head, and got in my SUV.

  He was just a guy. And I so did not need a guy in my life.

  I glanced in my rear-view mirror as I pulled out of the parking lot. Kylee’s head was already lolling to the side, and she was having a hard time keeping her eyes open.

  Maybe I would have time to curl up on the couch tonight with my book and a cup of tea. There might even be a couple sugar cookies in my cupboard.

  7

  Hayden

  It was still dark out when I parked my truck on the curb at the end of Derek’s driveway. He was up in the bed of his truck strapping down fishing equipment and coolers, and he nodded to me when I walked up the drive and stopped beside his fishing boat hitched to the back of his truck. I slid my hands in the pockets of my shorts and rocked back on my heels. “Need help?”

  Derek shook his head. “Nope. We’re all set to go. I just have to run in and grab my new hooks and bait, and we can get the hell out of here.”

  I got into his truck as he ducked back inside his house. He was gone for a few minutes and had left the truck running, so I flipped through some radio stations and settled on one playing some old rock music. I twiddled my thumbs and waited patiently as Derek locked his front door and walked around the hood of the truck. He popped open the back door and dropped a metal box on the backseat, which I presumed held his new hooks and bait. Then he slammed the door, hopped up into the driver’s seat, and looked over his shoulder as he backed the truck and boat out of his driveway with effortless ease.

  We were on the open road at five forty-five in the morning and arrived at the best fishing stretch of ocean off Searing’s coast by six fifteen. Derek backed the boat down into the water, and I unhitched it. I climbed aboard, started her up, and kept her close to shore as Derek drove back up into the gravel lot and parked the truck. We were the only ones there, which was promising. We’d have pickings of the canal for the first couple of hours.