Heaven Sent (6 page)

“I-uh.
Yeah. Ash you got your things
together?”

“Yes.” She moved to the door when a volunteer appeared with a wheelchair.
“Who’s that for?”

“You,” the three answered together. She eyed the wheelchair and frowned.
Was it really necessary?

“I can walk.”

“Park your pretty behind in the wheelchair or I’ll carry you out.” Dire
winked.

Mia challenged him with a stare of her own and lost.
“Fine.”
She parked her tail in the seat, allowing them to wheel her out of the
hospital. She waited with Dire and Ashland while
Sinclaire
brought her car around.

“Have a good time when you go away with your grandparents, kid.” Dire
nudged Ash.

“Take care of my mom,” Ash rebounded and plucked her headphones back on
her ears.

“What is it with you two? I’m not comfortable with the conspiracy going
on around me.”

“You’re going to be home alone.
Sinclaire
will
have to work, so on my off days keeping a promise to a teenager worried about
her mom is the least I can do. Besides, I owe Ash a game of Turkey bowl.” He didn’t
go further in detail.

“I suppose you can come around if you want. It’ll save me from talking to
the walls or
myself
after
Sinclaire
wears out her welcome.” Mia grinned.
“Turkey bowl?”

“That’s how best friends are. I have a whole team of them. As for the
bird bowl, you just
wait,
we’re going to all play
together Christmas day.” What must it be like to have so many people in your
life? She envied him that. Before she could muster a response,
Sinclaire
entered the roundabout for patient pickup. Dire
opened the door, and then helped her into the passenger seat.

His divine smelling cologne wafted to her as he leaned over to slip her
seatbelt on. She slapped at his hand only to have him encase her palm with his.
Their gazes locked and she inhaled a breath. Wrong move, his nostrils flared
and a deep intensity sparked. “I’m, I’m good. Thanks.” Moment broken, Dire
retreated and rested his arm on the open door.

“Drive safe.”

A touch of sadness rippled through her. She nodded past the lump wedged
in her throat and offered a smile.

“
Sinclaire’s
a mother hen. She’ll get us there
in one piece.”

“See you later then.” His words tapered off with a fond gruffness. Dire
shut the door for her. Tucking his hands in his pockets, he offered a crooked
smile and turned. His name stretched over his broad shoulder blades. Her gaze
dropped to his ass and she gulped as her world tilted on its axis. Mia turned
to
Sinclaire
.

“Take a deep breath girl.” She shot her best friend a murderous glare
while toying with his shirt and sniffing his woodsy scent.

“Ash?”

“Mom?”

“Making sure you’re back there is all.” Mia leaned her head back against
the neck rest and closed her eyes.
Sinclaire’s
laughter rang in her ears. “Not funny. Not one single bit.”

“Oh, I beg to differ. I think I’ll work overtime on his days off to give
him a fighting chance to win you over.”

“Mom is going to be the most popular mom of the cheer squad when they get
a real life glimpse of him. I just know we’re going to be a family. It’s like
Dad sent the best recruit for us.”

The guys were certifiable, Mia thought four days later. She couldn’t wrap
her mind around their yearly competition or how the grown men and women of
Station 17 could play with frozen food. Their annual Turkey Bowl in full swing
brought laughter bubbling from her lips. The comedic game conjured up an image
of ridiculous fun.

“Mom, isn’t this wicked great?” Ashland’s laughter rang out as she hurled
a half defrosted turkey by the mesh handle down a made up lane with bowling
pins at the end.

“More like crazy.”
Still stuffed from Christmas dinner
shared with the team, she turned to see the one female not playing carrying two
cups her way.

“Cocoa?”
Alpha
Whitier
,
one of the medics for Station 17, asked.

“You’re a godsend. How much longer is the game?” She blew on the cup.
I will not watch him every second of this
game. Well maybe every other second.
Mia groaned and watched Dire from
under her lashes over the rim of her cocoa.

“Who knows? The boys hold championships some years.”

Ashland squealed and air boxed after she rolled a strike. Around her
daughter, the men and women of Rescue Team One hooted and gave praise. However,
Dire’s
magnetic aura kept reeling her back to the
man. After her release, she accepted his promise to Ashland and her own internal
desire to not give up on a chance of happiness. It wasn’t much of a surprise
when Dire showed up bringing some food and dessert courtesy of a scheming text
by her devious daughter. He jumped at the chance to tell her the truth when she
figured out what was going on, but said he was planning to come by anyway. His
honesty was so refreshing. Dire had no qualms in admitting his desire to get to
know her better. The crowd grew loud, trying to make him lose his edge. He
pinned them with a deadly glare, turned to her and winked. Man, was she hooked.

Dire wound back and let the bird loose, it rolled fast, hitting only the
outside pins. “Mother
fu…
of a sheep.” His quick save
brought cocoa up and out her nose. She squeaked a choke, dried her nose and
hacked a few seconds to clear her lungs. As her eyes watered, the men rushed
over to examine her. God they were beginning to drive her insane with their
need to help.

“I’m okay. A bit of hot cocoa down the wind pipe, is all.”

“You sure?”
Dire ran the pad of his thumb down her
jawline. His other hand roamed over her back. Mia arched into his hand,
enjoying his brand of personal attention.

She cleared her throat.
“All good here.”

“Good, it’s your turn.” He dropped his hands and helped her up. “Let me
take that for you.” Dire took possession of her hot cocoa. When his lips met
the rim, she watched him take a swallow and the way his Adam’s apple moved. At
her swift intake of air, he released her cup. “See something you like?”

“Just thinking of ways to kill you nicely for taking my chocolate,” she
quipped as he broke out in guffaws of laughter.

“Let’s go.” He shook his head. They walked over to Rees
Volante
where he handed her the bird.

“I got this, brother.” Rees winked at her. “Now just take a deep breath.
Keep your eyes on the multicolored pins and roll us a win.”

“Oh the pressure.
Now is the time to say
don’t
bet on the non-bowler.” She swung her arm back and
stopped mid-throw causing the guys to groan. The heavy bird dropped like a
stone. Mia adjusted her hold to keep from jarring her shoulder. “Maybe I should
switch hands. Am I standing right?”

“For the love of God woman, throw the bird,” One of the firemen roared
impatiently.

“Armstrong,” Dire barked at Quinlan, shutting his brother up with one
word, and then approached her with the swagger worthy of a king.

“I’m just nervous. I don’t want to cause you to lose.”

He stepped behind her and cradled her body with his. “Take a deep
breath,” he whispered in her ear. “Close your eyes.”

“No stealing kisses.”

“Yeah, bro, no good luck kisses. Keep the odds fair, man.”

Dire shot a murdering glance at his comrade. “Throw.”

She threw hard, plowing through all but one pin. Rees handed her turkey
to go again. She tried to get the one remaining one and missed by a continent.

“Good job.” He stole a quick peck on her lips and dashed to reset the
pins up.

Mia back peddled to the fire station for a break, settling on a chair
they’d set for her. Alpha came over and draped a blanket over her shoulders.
“I’m not an invalid.”

“We know but our orders are to keep you bundled while we’re out in this
frigid cold.”

“Your name is so interesting.”

“Can you believe it was a great aunt’s name?
Part of my
Cherokee history.”

“Pretty cool though. Mia isn’t nearly as interesting.” Pain started to
throb in her temple, but she didn’t want to disrupt the fun everyone around her
was having.

“It’s definitely not girly. Growing up with such a strong name was a
curse. It’s why I go by my last name more.”

“I think your name suits you. I can’t imagine just any woman can deal
with the lot of them out there. How do you do it?
All that
testosterone with sex on a stick all around you.”

“You just have to know their weakness. Once you know a man’s weakness you
hold all the aces. Plus we’re really close and I consider them all family.
Kinda hard to want to fuck family, that and I get to see their unique bad
habits.
Definite cure.”

“Don’t keep me in suspense, do tell.” Mia winced as she said the last,
biting back the sudden nausea rolling through her.

“Mia, you look like hell all of the sudden.” Alpha’s statement didn’t
deter her from wanting to know all about the men.

“Tell me the weaknesses. I’m trying to kick the pain meds. I took some
over the counter pain reliever a few hours ago and can’t have anymore yet.”

“I usually call them by their last name, but will use their first names
so you can put a face to who I’m speaking about.”

“Why last names?”

“That’s how we address each other. You heard Dire call me
Whitier
, right?”

Mia nodded. “I noticed your shirts have your first name on the front and
last on the back.

“Seth, our officer of the truck, is addicted to gourmet cupcakes. If you
want to get on his good side or have really tweaked his nerves, bringing a
dozen is a way to get back in good graces. Although we might need to find a
healthier food or he’ll end up with a bloated belly, which is so not sexy on a
man.”

Mia laughed at the vivid image.
“
Ryker
?”

“Hmmm. Mostly blonds with blue eyes.
Sorry, but you don’t
fit the bill. Really he loves vinyl records. He may look all cocky as shit, and
is moderately handsome if you go for his type, but he loves music. Not the new
stuff, he’s into the oldies. He rules the dance floor at clubs and is a
professional karaoke singer. The women literally cream their pants when he
performs at the bar.”

“Never judge a book by its cover type of male.
Interesting.
Chandler?”

“Restores muscle cars.
Vintage
vehicles.
He loves the smell of fresh leather and wax jobs. He has a
sweet
GTO,
just don’t ask me the year. I’m not
interested enough to pay attention when he goes on about a new find. But bring
him a line on a new part and he’s your best friend.”

“They’re all so different and they look about the same age. How is that
possible? Oh, I forgot about Rees.”

“Would you believe me if I told you they’re all homegrown locals? Rees
enjoys simple pleasures, like a good beer and football or hockey game.”

Homegrown and sexy.
Mia squashed the wandering thought. “That fits with how well they mesh
together. What about you and Samara?” She looked out the window to see the
other woman of the group roll a clean strike and the men moan.

“I grew up on the Kansas Side. I’m all K.U. Basketball while the
knuckleheads and Sam are
Mizzou
. Sam is from
Nebraska.” They watched the other woman set up to roll and make a perfect
strike.

“Damn, she’s great at bowling with a turkey, she never misses a pin. I
bet she’s gonna have a pocket full of cash tonight when she’s done.”

“Every year those dumb jocks-turned-firemen lose. They keep thinking
she’ll have an off year and will miss one. One day I’ll tell them she bowled on
a professional league during high school and college and could have gone pro.”

“She’s a bowling shark. Never knew one existed.”

“You didn’t ask about Dire.”

“He’s a bit overwhelming. So what’s up with him?”

Alpha shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

Mia sighed.

“C’mon. You didn’t think I was just going to hand over every juicy tidbit
of
intel
on him, did you?”

“Well you did on everyone else.” Mia wrapped the blanket around her and
turned to watch Ashland interact with all of them. “She hasn’t had this much
fun doing something silly since her father died. Look at her eating up all the
attention. My heart aches that I haven’t been able to provide this for her.”