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Authors: R.L. Mathewson

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BOOK: Sudden Response
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handful of worms down her dress she made that boy eat every single one of them.

A n hour later they both sat in the principal's office, filthy, clothes torn, and mutually angry at Tyler Mathews for tattling on

their little fight.

They made a pact then and there to get Tyler back and had been best friends ever since.

Their friendship had survived the cootie stage and continued on into middle school, high school and then EMT training. Many

people, including Eric's mother, thought they were cute and would end up married one day. That little pipe dream faded away

when everyone realized they were best friends and nothing more.

She'd lost track over the number of women who got pissed over their relationship. Most of them foolishly tried to give Eric an

ultimatum because they couldn't handle her place in his life. Eric never batted an eye when he dumped them flat on their asses

seconds later. Hell, he even broke up with his fiancé three years ago when she tried the same thing.

There had only been a few men who tried that nonsense with her. They quickly learned that her loyalty belonged to Eric. That

little problem had been the cause for many break ups over the years. Not that she or Eric ever made it an issue. They didn't.

They just went on as they always had. It's not like they purposely tried to push people away, but sometimes it was hard for

other people to handle their friendship. She never understood their problem. If anything it should make them feel more

comfortable that they were both more than capable of loyalty.

Plus, and let's be honest here, if they wanted to have sex they would have done it a long time ago.

She felt the back of the ambulance dip as Eric climbed in behind her. "I can appreciate a woman who's willing to turn her nose

up at a judicial order to be with me," he said in his deep sexy voice that had Joe rolling her eyes.

Joe turned and smoothly shoved several bags of expired saline in his arms. "You know a piece of paper will never stand in the

way of our love," she said in a sweet teasing voice while she batted her eyes up at him.

Eric chuckled softly. "I see you missed me."

She nodded solemnly. "I did. I really did. When Bill called up and begged me to come in even though we just got off a twenty-

four hour shift this morning I jumped at the chance." She ran her eyes down his lean well defined body back up to meet his

mischievous green eyes. "You know I can never stay away from you." She reached up with both hands and pinched his cheeks,

hard. "You're just so darn cute," she said, pursing up her lips.

"I'm studly, baby, get it right," he sighed heavily as if it were a burden to remind her yet again.

She placed her hands on her hips. "You're absolutely right. What was I thinking?"

Eric jumped out of the ambulance. "It's okay. I forgive you," he said as he made his way to the trash can to dump the saline. He

was going to have to post something to remind crews to double check supplies when they picked them up at the hospital.

He grabbed a bottle of sanitizer and some rags before heading back to the ambulance. Joe was already completing their check

list. He tossed a rag onto her clipboard. She looked up to stick her tongue out at him and went back to her paperwork.

"Did I mention that we have a third rider today?" he asked as he sprayed down the stretcher and began wiping it down.

"Great," she said, stretching out the word.

He paused mid-swipe to look over at her. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I have to play babysitter the entire shift," she answered.

Eric frowned. "I don't think he's going to be much of a problem. He looked capable."

Joe rolled her eyes. "I wasn't talking about him."

Chapter 2

"Everything okay back there, Greg?" Eric yelled into the back of the ambulance.

Greg turned around in the tech seat to answer him. "Yeah, everything's fine. Um, when are we going to get a call?" Greg asked,

trying to feign casualness. Eric and Joe shared a look. No doubt the kid was a whacker.

A whacker was a term they used for someone in the field that took the job too seriously and thought of themselves as Superman.

They got too excited about the job and focused way too much on it when they weren't working. Most new EMT's were

guaranteed whackers who came in overeager, too confident and full of their own bullshit. A s entertaining as it was to seasoned

EMT's, and a little annoying, it could also be dangerous in the field.

"Cause I'm ready you know. I don't really need to third ride, because I have some experience, but Bill said it was policy. He

said it was up to you to sign me off early so I can get off the initial probation period. So, if you want to do that you know I

wouldn't mind. I don't want to waste your night or anything," Greg rambled on.

Joe covered her mouth to keep from laughing and leaned into the steering wheel while Eric glanced around the convenient store

parking lot they were stationed at.

"I, um," he forced himself not to laugh and keep a straight face, "I really appreciate the offer, Greg. Thank you, but don't worry

about wasting my time. We really like the company."

Joe shook with silent laughter against the wheel. Yup, they'd been training officers for six of the twelve years they'd worked as

EMT's and heard it all from their third riders. A few were honest about being nervous, the others hid it well until their first call

and a few like Greg liked to bullshit their experience right from the start. Definitely a whacker, Eric thought.

"I've been working as a lifeguard at a resort since I was sixteen," Greg offered.

"Is that so?" Eric said with false interest. This was the point where Greg would brag, trying to convince the two of them that

they didn't need to train him and that he knew what he was doing. It never failed to be entertaining when a third rider thought

they were seasoned pros just because of one or two experiences from their past.

They had one guy outright refuse to listen to them while they were extricating a man from an overturned car and tried to correct

them because he'd seen an episode of ER where they did it completely different, and wrong. Eric ended up having to punch the

guy out before he paralyzed the poor bastard in the car. The jerk tried to yank the patient out of the car by his head. That patient

actually thanked Eric and lied to a cop later, covering Eric's ass. A gain, whackers could be very dangerous in the field.

"Yeah," Greg said, nodding to himself. "Did that for almost ten years now. I've been teaching CPR and first aid for two years

as well."

Great. He taught people how to watch a video and pass a written test so he thought he was king shit now. This was going to be

an interesting night.

"Ever have to use your skills?" Joe asked, twisting in her seat to look back.

The guy averted his eyes as he said cockily, "Oh yeah, you wouldn't believe the shit I saw on that job." Which no doubt meant

he hadn't so much as applied a band-aid to some kid's skinned knee.

Joe gave him a smile. Her beautiful baby blue eyes sparkled. "That's good. It means you'll probably pick up on the way we do

things around here quickly."

Eric had to hold back a snort. Joe was always too nice. Well, right now she was. If this guy's bullshit got in the way of patient

care even he wouldn't want to get in her way. She'd go apeshit on this guy if he caused one of their patients any problems.

Greg nodded thoughtfully. "True."

"Great. I'm going to run inside and grab a drink. I'll be right back," she said, still smiling.

Eric watched her walk into the store and wasn't aware that Greg moved out of his seat to lean in the front and do the same until

he heard the man mutter, "Nice."

More annoyed that the man was getting a little too close to him, he shoved him back with his elbow. "I don't swing that way,

cupcake."

"Oh," Greg said, moving back. "Didn't mean to crowd you."

Eric leaned back as he kept an eye on the store's entrance. This wasn't the best neighborhood, but Joe would kick his ass six

ways to Sunday if he tried pulling any of that chauvinistic shit on her. A s far as Joe was concerned she was one of the guys. He

knew she could handle herself and would tear his head off if she even suspected for a second that he doubted her, which is why

he kept his mouth shut and didn't offer to go get that drink for her. He liked his balls right where they were.

"Hey, um, Eric?"

"Yeah?" he said, already fearing the guy would try to convince him to let him drive.

"Joe, is she seeing anyone?" Greg asked as he ran his fingers through his greenish brown hair. The five minutes he shoved his

head under the sink faucet hadn't helped.

"Nope," Eric said, making the word pop.

"So, you and Joe aren't....," he said leadingly.

"Nope."

"Do you mind if I go for it?"

"Nope," he said, knowing the guy would be shot down and how pissed it would make Joe. Joe didn't date doctors or whackers.

Yup, this should be very entertaining indeed.

*********

"Such a tough choice," Joe mumbled as she looked from the Snickers bar to Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

"You should get them both," a low voice said.

Joe looked over her shoulder and forced a smile as Greg gave her what he probably thought was a sexy grin. Great. This was

going to be a fun night. She looked past Greg to find Eric leaning against the door frame, grinning hugely. The bastard set her

up. She was so going to kick his ass later.

It was only the knowledge that she'd done worse to him that kept her from chucking one of the candy bars at his head. He better

hope they weren't sent to the Sunflower nursing home tonight. Judy was working and that cougar was completely hot for Eric,

much to his horror. She was barely five feet tall and definitely five feet wide, wore more makeup than a drag queen and had no

shame when it came to Eric.

"Shouldn't you guys be in the rig in case we get a call?" she asked casually.

Eric held up a portable radio. Damn technology! "Got it covered. A lready told dispatch we were stepping out," he said

cheerfully.

"So, Joe," Greg said as he picked up a candy bar to study it. "How long have you been an EMT?"

"A bout twelve years now," she said, shooting a glare at Eric who had the nerve to wink at her.

"Wow, twelve years. You must have some pretty amazing stories to tell. Maybe sometime we should get a drink and talk about

them?"

Before she could answer, Eric spoke up. "That sounds like fun. She really likes that bar over on Madison. They have karaoke

there every Thursday and Saturday night."

Greg' smile widened. The poor bastard probably thought Eric was helping him. "Really? You like karaoke?"

"She loves it," Eric said, wiggling his eyebrows. "You should hear her rendition of 'War,' she totally kicks ass."

Joe sucked in a breath. That rat bastard! The one time she made the mistake of getting drunk at a frat party and danced on a

table taking requests and he was going to throw it in her face? Unbelievable! He was the one that requested that song!

"So, what do you say?" Greg asked, giving her a cocky grin that he probably thought was irresistible. There was only one man

she knew who could pull that grin off without fail and right now he was a rat bastard.

"Say about what?" she asked, returning her attention back to the candy bars. If she was going to survive this night she was going

to need chocolate.

She heard Eric's soft laughter and discretely flipped him off, making him laugh harder.

"Tomorrow night? You, me, dinner, dancing, and maybe a little karaoke?" Greg asked smoothly.

"Not gonna happen tomorrow night, spanky. She has plans with me," Eric announced. Joe wasn't foolish enough to think he was

coming to her rescue. Oh no, not Eric. He just didn't want to get stuck with whatever bimbo his mother was throwing his way

and had no problem with using her as a shield. If she didn't love A lice, Eric's mother, so much or really love her cooking she'd

ditch his ass in a heartbeat.

"Well, what about this weekend?" Greg asked, sounding a little unsure of himself.

Oh, this was perfect. She smiled sweetly when she answered, making sure she could see Eric's expression. "I'm sorry. I

already have plans for this weekend. I'm going deep sea fishing for three days." She was not disappointed by Eric's reaction.

"You betraying bitch!" he hissed.

She winked at him. "You got that right." There were really only a few things in this world that Eric really loved and lived for

and deep sea fishing was one of them. His Uncle Brian and grandfather used to take them out several times a year when they

were kids and they both loved it. Still did.

"Echo seventeen?" dispatch called.

Eric leveled a glare on her as he brought the portable radio up to his mouth. "I'm going," he announced.

"Nope," she said, loving the power she held over him. A h, it looked like she was finally going to get some help painting her

garage. There wasn't much Eric wouldn't do for a weekend of deep sea fishing.

"Watch me," he said, before he keyed in. "Echo seventeen."

"What's your location, echo seventeen?" dispatch asked.

"East side," Eric answered.

"Echo seventeen, take a priority one call at 258 Lawson for an assault. Police are already in route."

"Echo seventeen received, 258 Lawson."

"Oh my god!" Greg said, shaking. "Oh my god!" He dropped the candy bar, ran for the door, tripped over his own feet,

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