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After a full five minutes of sheer celebration, Samantha Brocker slips the mic from Owen. "I think there's only one way that we can end today's event."
Curious murmurs break out across the crowd. Samantha smiles and tilts a look toward Mack and Ryker, both standing off to the side with the exact same posture, legs apart, arms folded across their muscled chests, with their massive biceps straining their sleeves.
"It has come to my attention that there was only one competition that Drake Mackenzie, or as we like to call him Captain Mack, didn't win."
I roll my eyes as some women in the crowd make a scene over the spotlight on Mack. Clearly those will be the women insisting on a Lyons Station firemen calendar.
"And I found out that the competition he didn't win was the one he did not participate in."
Samantha's loving the crowd's response. Owen, seeing his wife having fun, backs off and hoists their daughter, a mini Samantha, up to sit on his shoulders.
Samantha points to Mack and Ryker. "Gentleman, I call for a rematch on the timed dress out test."
My heart's beating so fast. This is just a silly competition and doesn't matter, but it's between Mack and Ryker, and the entire town is watching.
Mack's smile is so damn sexy I'm half afraid I'm going to spontaneously combust. Then he really will need to get dressed in order to put out my flames.
The two men line up side by side. Samantha walks over to them with a timer. As she lifts the stopwatch, Mack's eyes lift and lock with mine. His gaze is so penetrative, I can see the forest green of his eyes.
Time stills, the ghost of his smile returns, and my breath catches in my throat. My heart feels like it's actually breaking open, and all the reasons I've been keeping love out of my life and all the reasons I told myself Mack and I weren't good for one another, now and ten years ago, fades away.
"Go!"
Mack winks. I fall in love, and the crowd erupts into a motley crew, screaming for their favorite fireman to win.
To my horror, the person screaming the loudest is me.
Structural boots, pants, coat, gloves, hood, and helmet in one minute. Mack and Ryker move in unison, both laser-focused and highly practiced.
Ryker's glove snags, and my heart leaps to my throat. But Captain Mack slides his hands in without a problem, which gives him the edge.
And the victory.
BROOKE
Most have already drifted away from Lyons Station now that the big events are over, but the champion of the day, Mack, is still here. I watch his powerful shoulders move back and forth as he guides a push broom across the garage bay floor.
"Why is the winner left to clean up?"
Mack's sweeping goes still, and he glances over his shoulder. "I'm not the winner today. Lyons Station is."
I take another step forward. "Then what are you?"
This time he stops, throwing me a playful glance, and rests the palms of his hands on top of the broom handle. "I'm the first one in, the last one out, honeybee. I'm the leader."
My insides turn to liquid, and a pleasant pulse thrums between my legs. "I thought I told you not to call me that."
His lips twitch. "Why does it bother you so much?"
I smirk. "Only my man gets to call me that."
A sensuous smile slides across his lips, and his molten green-gold eyes flash with determination. "What do I have to do to become yours?"
You’re already mine. You always have been and always will be.
The answer comes straight from my heart and crashes into me like Miley Cyrus's big-ass wrecking ball.
Stunned by the truth that I've hidden from myself for so long, tears of regret and guilt sting the back of my eyes.
