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I totally was. We were right on the brink of doing this. Staying the night. Sex. Naked sex. Harry was still packing an impressive bulge in his pants.
“You don’t have to be sorry or guilty, Stacey. Get those fries into you. I’ll come along and help. Do we report at the Ballydoon shed?”
I nodded. “Are you sure?”
“Yep. So you might get your panties back after all.” Harry turned the ignition over and stole a fry. “Or can you fight fires going commando?”
I made a noise between a snort and a laugh. Harry smiled and placed his hand on my knee, squeezing it. “I’m sure. I’m also not mad, or anything, Stacey. I promise.”
“I was looking forward to later.” That was the truth. Even if I was panicking about showing him my scars, the thought of being in Harry’s bed was exhilarating.
I was so confused. And hungry. I stuffed more fries into my mouth as I texted my attendance.
Harry eased Lorraine onto the highway, gunning the engine to full speed, and then reached out to squeeze my thigh.
“We’ll get another time, I promise you.” He pulled his hand away with a groan. “But me touching you isn’t going to make tonight any easier. So, the fire. What do you know from that text?”
“Grass fire. Several crews have been called. I may not be needed, fingers crossed.”
Harry grinned. “Fingers crossed. Now eat up.”
Ryan beat me to a text, messaging that he’d just dropped Charlotte to Mama Zanetti next door, and he was feeling well enough to lead a crew. I replied I was heading to the shed, asking him to bring me clean clothes, toiletries, and my uniform, just in case.
No crossing of fingers helped. Twenty minutes later, we arrived to find several Ballydoon crew members ready for a briefing. Uncle Bruce was delighted with Harry volunteering his skills.
“Always can use a doctor to help with first aid. And the Ladies Auxiliary could use an extra set of hands to make food and coffee for the crews.”
A food truck was set up between the shed and the toilet block serving trays of sandwiches. An urn with cups was on a small table in front of it, and plastic seats had been set up around a lit brazier.
“Sign me up for both,” Harry said, rolling up his sleeves.
“Crews?” I asked my uncle. “How many are here?”
“We have two, and Glen Affric have sent another truck so far. Grass fire got serious despite the cold conditions. Two trucks are already in the field. Ryan’s already out and Tom’s with him. He left your things here—” Uncle Bruce handed me a backpack, “and I’ll get you into the next truck with Benji. Briefing in two minutes.”
I changed quickly in the toilet block and emerged in my uniform: boots, fire-retardant pants and white tee-shirt with hair tied back, my helmet and jacket in hand. Harry was already cutting up egg and lettuce sandwiches with the Ladies Auxiliary in their food truck. I smiled, very thankful for the large fries and Coke he’d bought me. Carbs and caffeine had to get me through my shift.
Harry winked, and then mouthed ‘good luck’. I smiled back. The Ladies Auxiliary members fussed over him, and on a whim, I strode over. In front of everyone, I kissed Harry without holding back, and then took my place beside Benji for Uncle Bruce’s briefing. The Auxiliary ladies oohed and aahed. My uncle’s cheeks were pinked. I nervously traced the Firebird sticker on my helmet, and muttered a small prayer that tonight would be over quickly.
* * *
Harry
It had only been twenty-five minutes since Bruce had called Stacey and Benji’s truck back to the Shed but it felt like an eternity. I’d drunk five instant coffees while I plated up sandwiches and pikelets with the Ballydoon Ladies Auxiliary for the fire crews. Now I was jumpy. I paced the comms area at the back of the Shed. Stacey had been in the field for the four hours and now I wanted her back.
This wasn’t just a sex thing. Her good-bye kiss was fucking hot. Kissing me right in front of everyone; she’d marked me as hers. I wanted her in my bed but most of all I wanted to hold her, know she was safe.
I scrubbed my face. This was new. I’d never felt like this for any woman before.
How would I cope going back to the hospital, leaving Stacey in Ballydoon? If I ached for her after four hours apart, how would doing the long-distance thing work?
Fuck.My instant coffee high had me planning weekend trips to see my girlfriend.
Shit. Girlfriend.
Did I really want to do a relationship?
My heart ramped up, and I don’t think it was just the instant coffee. I increased my pacing.
