“Spaghetti.” The Chief said with lips curving at the looks of utter satisfaction that crossed each man’s features.

  “It looks amazing, Chief.”

  “You can thank James for part of it. The pasta and the bread.”

  The trainees gaped, but the regular crew grinned and waited until their boss was seated. Each lifted their hands and grasped the fingers that were outstretched next to them.

  Drawing in a deep breath, the Chief started. “Lord, thank you for the food, for the safety of this town, for the strength and family we have here. Let us be blessed with grace and courage as the day closes and a new day begins. Amen.”

  Finishing the prayer, there was a rush to the bowls. They were grabbed and passed to the right. James finished her salad last. Her eyes slid over the table to see where everyone else was in the process of eating and found she wasn’t the only one who was done.

  The Chief locked eyes with hers, and she fell into the green orbs as they softened. A shiver ran down her spine, and she quirked her lips before reaching to grab her water. No one knew. Not even Max. Her glass was drained, and she stood to bring her dishes to the sink. The recruits had to clean up, so she was in luck. She went to the couch and sat down heavily closing her eyes and debating on a nap. They’d had a call early that morning—baby had stopped breathing—and she had been unable to get back to sleep. The Chief sat next to her, closer than she should have, but no one was around and James certainly didn’t mind. A warm palm was pressed to James’ thigh and those green eyes were focused in on her.

  “The baby lived you know, she didn’t die.”

  James shook her head. “It’s not that.”

  Addison’s hand slipped down to the thin fingers. She gripped them tightly, squeezing before releasing.

  “I just haven’t been sleeping well.”

  “Well, I could help with that.”

  Smooth, hushed tones washed over James’ body and she had to work hard to suppress the chills that ran up her arms. “Addy.”

  The woman across from her blinked at the warning. Then her eyes smiled.

  “That was mean.” James protested. “You’re such a damn tease sometimes.”

  “Of course I am; I love to get you riled up.”

  Addison was grinning when the boys started to make their way back toward the couch. The hair in her short pony was bouncing, and she removed her hand and scooted away from James’ warm body.

  Turning to Max, James dropped the topic at hand, “Is it my game yet?”

  “One more round before you.”

  Max winked and turned to the TV to start the game. James stayed for one round where she watched Horace beat Collins, but her eyes were starting to droop and she was having a hard time keeping her head up. The Chief reached over and tugged James’ chin up the last time before nodding her head towards the racks and issuing a silent order. James pushed herself up and stretched her muscles being sure to stand right in front of her Chief. She smirked to herself, knowing that the woman was ogling her ass. Trekking over to Max, she tapped his arm lightly.

  “I’m going to catch a catnap, wake me up in an hour? I want to work out.”

  “Yeah.” His eyes slid over her. “You okay?”

  Her head jerked up in a nod. “Yeah, fine. Just tired.”

  She rubbed her eyes to make a point and left the loud room behind her for the quiet room filled with bunks. It was like heaven when she rested against the mattress. Turning on her side, she took the small pillow that she kept in that particular cot shoving it between her knees and slid the one by her head over her shoulder. Pulling air into her lungs, she held it for a second before releasing it in one great whoosh.

  #

  Addison slipped into the racks and sat next to James, who was soundly sleeping on the bed. Her body was curled tightly, and her face was buried in the pillow. Pressing a warm hand to her arm, Addison shook lightly.

  James shot up, pressing her hands into the mattress and sitting straight until her head hit the top of the bunk. Cowering down, she grabbed her forehead where it had collided with the metal support bar and groaned.

  Addison had jumped back at the sudden move, and after a moment to calm she leaned in close. Her fingers carded over James’ cheek until she felt she was able to move the woman’s hands and look at the injury.

  “You hit it hard.”

  “No shit.”

  James furrowed her brow until she realized that made her head hurt more and stopped.

  “I haven’t done that in a long time.”

  “Yeah, few months if I recall.”

  James hissed when Addison’s hand brushed the bump on her head harder than expected. She looked carefully into each of James’ yellow eyes, not being taken back by the odd hue, but rather her large dilated pupils.

  “Want to tell me what happened?”

  “Intense dream.”

  James looked sheepishly away as Addison kept her cool hands on James’ hot skin.

  “Want to tell me?”

  James took a deep breath. She didn’t really, but Addison deserved an explanation and to at least know a bit about what was going on. James had been waking her up with screams lately and dismissing it.

  “The same dreams I’ve been having for a while.” She paused. “Lots of fire and that little girl.”

  “The one from two years ago.”

  Addison said it as a statement, but it was meant as a question.

  James nodded and rested her face against the metal post that led to the upper bunk.

  With answer in hand, Addison continued. She licked her lips and leaned back slightly making sure of where the back of her head was so she didn’t repeat James’ mistake.

  “It’s not unusual, you know. It was a traumatizing event.”

  “I know, but it was two plus years ago. I should be over it by now.” James’ lips formed a pout. “It’s getting to be ridiculous.”

  “Well, that I agree with.”

  “Thanks, Addy. That’s real helpful.”

  The sarcasm was dripping off her tongue and caused Addison to smirk. She dropped a heavy hand onto James’ thigh and patted it gently. “Right, you need some ice for that.”

  James nodded and lay back down, waiting for her boss to return with ice from the kitchen. As the door opened again, she heard the winning shouts from the boys playing their game.

  “Did you win your round?”

  The cold pack was pressed to her head, and she looked up in the dim light from the window at the beautiful woman leaning over her.

  “Of course I did. Can’t let the boys have all the fun.”

  The chuckle flitted over to James’ ears, and she closed her eyes snorting. “You’ll be up soon, actually.”

  “Soon? How long was I asleep?”

  James turned onto her side again and tried to get out of the bed only to be stopped by the Chief.

  Addison looked over the head bump again, the reddening from the ice pack not hiding the goose egg just under the hairline.

  “That’s going to hurt for a while.”

  “Don’t joke with me, Addy. How long did I sleep?”

  “A few hours.”

  James rolled her eyes and pushed her way out of the bed, standing and looking around when her head started to rush.

  “I told Max to wake me up after an hour.”

  Growling, James tossed the ice pack onto the bed and stalked over to her locker to change into a clean uniform, ignoring the wave of dizziness.

  “And I told him to let you sleep. You needed it, James.”

  Addison stood up, making her ground clear. It had been her order, and she didn’t want Max to get any flack for it. Softening her voice, she let the tone do what the words couldn’t.

  “You haven’t been sleeping well.”

  “Which you wouldn’t know if you weren’t in my bed just about every night. So, take it or leave it as you will.” The answer seeped through her voice, filled with anger.

  The first tactic hadn’t worked, thus Addison deployed a new method.

  “It doesn’t matter, it’s done and over with.”

  Addison stepped to the door and flipped the light switch just as the bell sounded and dispatch came over the speakers.

  Corner of Garfield and 122nd. Car accident. Head on collision. Unknown occupants. Unknown injuries. Medical aid requested.

  Heaving a breath, each woman glanced at the other before leaving everything in the room and going out to do their jobs.

  Chapter Two

  The scene was chaotic. Civilians ran around trying to help injured crash victims and ignoring any orders given by the fire crew. James finally made it into the smaller of the two vehicles. It looked like a two-door sedan that had been turned into a no-door sedan. The front of a silver car was pushed up so tightly into the back that she wasn’t sure how the teen driving had survived the impact. Her counterpart had died instantly. The girl was becoming frantic. Her pulse was rising, and her gasps for air were erratic. James’ hand was gloved, and she stuck it on the girl’s side after seeing the blood there. She felt the air sucking through her fingers.

  “Damn it!”

  Muttering, she brought her face close to the girl’s and used a quiet, gentle tone. Her other hand rested on the girl’s forehead and she sent calm and soothing thoughts to her. A feeling of peace started from James and moved into the girl like ripples from a wave. James begged the girl’s mind to relax and to trust in her judgment. When she felt that instant click of the girl listening, James finally spoke.

  “Hey there, what’s your name?”

  James was already tugging her right hand up under the shirt to press her palm more firmly against the broken skin. She successfully made a tighter seal around the wound, and the girl started breathing easier, but with the blood that was already there James’ hand was slipping. She would need something far more effective, and soon.

  “Ash—Ashley.”

  It came out in two wheezing gasps and James’ brain started thinking quickly.

  “Okay, Ashley, I need you to calm down and breathe slowly. I’m right here, I’m not going anywhere, everything is going to be fine.”

  James leaned back and looked at her fingers noting the blood that was seeping out. She had no idea what punctured the girl’s side, but it collapsed the lung. Ashley’s legs were at an incredibly odd angle—at least what James could see of her legs—her knees were next to her chest, the steering wheel between them. James poked her head out of the vehicle and located an officer who just happened to be looking directly at her.

  “I need a medical kit and a hand.”

  The Sheriff’s deputy nodded and came with the requested items. James pulled out some plastic adhesive film and moved her hand to get a closer look at the injury. The deputy stood right behind her, leaning over and craning his neck so that he could see. She could smell the cologne which he used far too much of and screwed her nose up in response. Trying to ignore the distasteful stench, she turned back to Ashley.

  “This shouldn’t hurt a lot. You may feel some pressure.”

  She waited for the girl to nod slightly before slipping her hand away and covering the open cut with the plastic. She ran her fingers along the edges to make sure that there was a tight seal, and the girl’s breathing became deeper. Grinding her shoe against the pavement, James moved her knee to rid the slight ache that was starting in her joint from being in one position for too long.

  “How are you doing, Ashley?”

  She handed the trash back to the deputy and waited for a reply from the girl. Checking for more injuries that might need immediate attention, she wasn’t staring at Ashley’s face.

  When there wasn’t an answer, James stood to lean into the wreck of a vehicle and set her hand against the girl’s cheek.

  “Ashley.”

  Tapping the flesh lightly, she waited for a reaction, and when she didn’t get one her heart started to pound. Her other hand found Ashley’s wrist, and she felt for a radial pulse, letting out a breath when she felt the sweet pump under her fingertips.

  “Ashley, come on baby, you have to wake up now.”

  Still there was no response from the girl, but that didn’t deter James. It would probably be better for her to remain unconscious when they removed her very broken body from the twisted metal. A third truck arrived from Station Five with all the equipment that would be necessary. Powering up the electronic cutter, they set it against the metal frame in the back of the car after shattering the windows.

  James covered the girl’s face with her jacket to prevent any shards of glass from causing more damage. Her eyes slid over to the passenger seat where the other teenager lay awkward and lifeless; she turned back to her patient. James’ head was covered with the helmet that they always brought but rarely used, so she was safe from glass and the jaws. The Chief had carried the helmet over when the jaws-of-life arrived and thrust it onto the Captain’s head.

  The pop from the machine startled James, but it wasn’t long until there was another and another and then finally the fire crew was leaning over her to cut the last support. When the last pop resounded, the paramedics had arrived—late to the scene as usual—they took over and started to pull the girl out after checking her over. Slipping her limp form onto a backboard, they gently set her on a stretcher for transport. James wandered away after giving the pertinent information.

  She didn’t want to see Ashley any longer. Ashley’s broken body would only serve as a reminder for what James was becoming jade over: carelessness. James went back to her fire truck, tossing her gloves on the seat before following them in. She pulled out the metal box clipboard and started on her paperwork, her legs hanging out the open door. She wasn’t expecting the hand on her knee and was startled before she realized who it was. Mr. Sheriff’s Deputy with the extra smelly cologne had his hand on her leg and a soft look on his face.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine.”

  Her brow narrowed and wrinkled between her eyes. It was a look she often gave when trying to figure something out. There was something off about him, yet something overwhelmingly pleasant as well.

  “You good?” She didn’t know why she asked it back, but she couldn’t help herself.

  He nodded and smiled, his white teeth showing, and his eyes crinkling in the corners. “Yeah, for now. Don’t ask me tonight though.”

  James cocked her head to the side reading his name badge. She hadn’t seen him around and in a town this size she knew all the officers of law. “Deputy Taylor.”

  “Heath Taylor, at your service ma’am.” He bowed his head slightly.

  “First off, don’t call me ma’am.” James jumped down from the truck and started for the back to check on her supplies. “Second, I’m James.”

  “James? What’s your first name?”

  He followed her and stood closely by. She opened a storage hold, the hinges swinging up until she set the metal leg in its locked position. James dug aimlessly around inside, attempting to ward the deputy off.

  She was having a slight issue with how close he was to her, but let it slide without comment.

  “James Matthews. My mother liked jokes.”

  The last statement was bland and obviously not the truth. She shut the door and looked to her left, noting that the people from her station were starting to come back. She could feel their adrenaline running around, it amped up the adrenaline in her system. Their minds whirled as the chaos started to wean away. James knew what each was thinking; she could hear it in her own mind if she focused long enough on one person. She knew what each was feeling without looking at their faces, her own gut wrenching with the anxiety that Horace felt. He was so green to the job. Collins thrived off his adrenaline, which was always a good sign and one that James took to steady herself. The boys started to round up all the supplies while cleaning up the area as best they could.

  “What you did today was really brave.”

  Taylor’s voice was hushed and his eyes cascaded across her face, tracing the lines of her cheeks and jaw.

  James realized that she had no idea what she should say. She was never good with receiving compliments, particularly when they felt patronizing and forced.

  “Ummm… thanks. Just doing my job, you know.”

  And really, she was. This time she had done little outside of her job description.

  “You know we’re not just fire anymore, we’re fire and rescue.”

  Giving a quirk of her lips and showing some teeth in the smile, she hoped it was enough for a quiet hint.

  “I love your eyes.”

  James stepped back and blinked. She really had no idea how to reply to his comment, and she was beginning to feel rather uneasy.

  “I mean, they’re so unique and expressive.” He amended, trying to explain away his sudden outburst that had clearly made James uncomfortable.

  She pulled air into her lungs and let it out in a rush, deciding on what to say. “Yeah, everyone says that, try to be a bit more original.”

  Turning on her heel, she made for where her Battalion Chief was standing and away from the nosey and creepy deputy. Addison’s foot was tapping. Her eyes wouldn’t leave James’ face. Her lip was pulled between her teeth. James stopped in front of her and let out a sigh of relief before she realized the Deputy with a hygiene problem had followed her.

  “Addy, so good to see you again.”

  He drawled out her name and made the hair on James’ neck spike to attention.

  “Heath.”

  That same tonality that put James on edge echoed through Addison’s voice. The waves of worry and anxiety that were running from Addison and crashing into James were far greater than any she ever experienced. James didn’t even have to focus on Addison to feel to feel her emotions.

  “What are you doing here?” Addison asked.

  “Just transferred. I quite like it here.”

  He stepped closer and started hovering over the Chief, his blue eyes traipsing all over her body before he ran a hand through his blonde, short-cropped hair. “Nice neighborhood, great for raising kids.”