PLAYING WITH FIRE

Chapter Three-Scene 2

AIDEN

It had been a long 24 hours. Besides the fire on Baxter Street, we had three more calls before end of shift. After stepping from the shower, I had just wrapped a towel around my waist when the door burst open and a woman gave out a surprised yelp.

"Oh, my god. I didn't know anyone was in here, and I have to pee—really bad." It was the waitress from the Riverdell Diner.

I stepped into the hall and shut the door behind me as Logan came running up the steps. “I see you met Ember. Before you get mad, let me explain.”

It was obvious what had happened and did not need an explanation. “If you're going to bring home a one-night stand, I would prefer it if they were gone before I get home,"

“It's not like that," he protested. "She lived in the building on Baxter Street, the one that caught fire yesterday. I was writing up my report when she showed up at the scene. She didn't have any place to stay."

“So of course, you brought her here. Logan, this is just like the cat. You can’t bring every stray that crosses your path into our home.”

“I’m sorry. I should have asked you first. But what else could I do? Her car and wallet were stolen earlier in the day."

"That's an awful lot of bad luck for one day," I said, not bothering to hide the skepticism in my voice. "Even if I believed your story, it doesn't explain why she's wearing your t-shirt."

"She lost everything in the fire and had nothing to sleep in, so I loaned her a shirt. Big deal. Nothing happened. Once you get to know her, you’ll see, she's really nice.”

“That’s your problem. You think everyone is ‘nice’ and are disappointed when their true colors come out."

The bathroom door opened, and we stopped talking. The waitress made her way back to Logan's room. At the door she turned and looked in my direction. "Not that it is any of your business, but just so you know, nothing happened between us. Logan was a perfect gentleman."

When she came back out, she was dressed. “Don’t worry, I’m leaving.”

Before she got to the top of the steps, Logan asked, “Where will you go?”

“My first stop is the municipal building. I’m going to need copies of the police report and paperwork from the fire department before I can do anything else.”

“That’s a six-mile walk, and it’s raining.” I was not happy with Logan, but could not help but be sympathetic to the woman’s plight. “Stay and have breakfast. Logan can drive you into town when he leaves for work.”

“Are you sure you can stand having a stray in your house for that long?” She glared up at me with her delicate hands on her slim hips. There was something about her I found very intriguing. Maybe it was because, despite losing everything, the flame of defiance still burned in her eyes.

“I think I can manage,” I said.

She did not return my smile but said, “Then why don’t you put on some clothes while Logan and I get started on breakfast?”

When I joined them in the kitchen, Ember was laughing at something Logan said. Despite their reassurances, I couldn’t help wondering just how well they had gotten to know one another while I was at work. Much to my surprise, I felt my cock stiffen at the thought of the two of them entwined in bed.

Before I could give it any more thought, Ember sat a plate of food in front of me. I inspected the breakfast burrito carefully and was happy to see that rather than sausage; it was filled with white beans. As we ate, they gave me more details on how Ember had come to spend the night in our home.

“I’m sorry you had to go through all of that,” I said. ‘You must have been exhausted by the time you got here. I guess you went to bed right away.”

“We had some dinner first." Ember said, “Neither of us could sleep, so we watched a couple of episodes of Impractical Jokers.”

“Turns out we’re both big fans.” Logan winked at her.

“I’m glad you have something in common.” Personally, I found the show sophomoric and dangerous.

“When Logan fell asleep in the recliner, I went upstairs and worked on my to-do list for today.”

Her story sounded believable, which eased my jealousy. “What’s on your to-do-list?”

By the time she finished, I realized there was no way she could do everything that needed to be done without access to a car. “Logan has an investigation to finish, so maybe it would be better if I drove you around today.”

“It’s your day off. I don’t want to be an imposition. I’ll walk or take the bus.”

“It’s not a problem. I had nothing planned, anyway.”

“He comes off as a grumpy son of a bitch,” Logan said. “But he’s just a big sweetheart who would give you the shirt off his back.”  I stood and cleared the table, hoping neither of them saw the way I was blushing.

Our expedition started out smoothly. I had called ahead, so when we arrived at the municipal building, both the fire and police reports were waiting for us. From there we headed crosstown to the Riverdell Diner, so Ember could pick up a replacement for the paycheck that had been stolen. When I pulled up to the curb in front of the restaurant, I asked if she wanted me to go in with her. Much to my relief, she said it wasn’t necessary. Unlike Logan, I have a policy of not getting involved in other people’s affairs. It has served me well over the years.

The trouble began when we arrived at Parkland Bank. After 20 minutes of waiting in the car, I went in to see what was taking so long. Ember was in an animated conversation with an older man wearing a bow tie and wire-rimmed glasses.

“What part of my license was stolen, don't you understand?”

“As I have already informed you several times; without identification, we have no way of knowing you are the person the check is made out to. If, as you claim, you a have an account here,” the teller looked at her dubiously, “simply deposit the check and withdraw the funds once the check clears.”

I stepped beside Ember and gave the teller my best smile. “I’m afraid we don’t have time to wait for the check to clear.”

“And you are?” He asked.

“I am Aiden Billic with the RFD." I flashed my credentials. "Ms. Cano tragically lost her home to fire yesterday and needs to cash her paycheck in order to arrange for temporary housing.”

“As I informed her several times, I simply cannot cash any check without identification. Bank policy and all.”

I understood where he was coming from, and the simplest thing would have been for me to lend Ember the $14 for a new driver's license and then bring her back to cash the check. But I could tell the officious little prick was pissing her off. In order to avoid any further confrontation, I said to her, “I’ll take out enough money to cover the check for you. Just endorse it over to me and I’ll deposit it in my account.”

“You would do that for me?”

“Sure why not.”

“I guess I’m just not used to men doing nice things for me.”

She signed over the check, and I handed it along with my ID to the teller. “I’d like to deposit this in my account and withdraw an equal amount in cash, please.” When he pulled up my account, his eyes went wide. “Yes sir, Mr. Billic. I’ll get this taken care of for you right away.”

He slid the money across the counter and I took my time counting it before handing it to Ember. “Is there anything else I can do for you or Miss Cano today, sir?”

“No, I think you’ve done more than enough.”

When we left the bank, Ember was still pissed off, "That guy was a real douche bag. People like him have been looking down their nose at me all of my life.”

“He was doing his job,” I said, even though I understood where she was coming from.

“Of course you feel that way. He treated you totally different. Yes, Mr. Billic. Right away Mr. Billic. Would you like me to suck your cock while you wait, Mr. Billic?” I gave out a snort of choked laughter.

“Go ahead and laugh. But poor people get treated differently. Especially women. You didn’t see the way he looked at me when I told him I didn’t have identification. As far as he was concerned, I was the scum of the earth. Then you show up flashing your fireman’s identification and he’s falling all over himself to be helpful.”

I still did not know how much I trusted Ember, so I didn’t tell her the teller’s attitude change likely had more to do with my account balance than my profession. We crossed the street to where the DMV was. “Why am I wasting my breath? It’s easy for you, with your fancy house, good looks, and a respectable career.”

“You think I’m good looking?” I asked with a smirk before opening the door to the license bureau.

“Get over yourself. I was just making a point. You could never understand how much tougher it is for people like me.”

I wanted to tell her how wrong she was, but it had taken me years to overcome my past and I was not comfortable talking about it with other people. Only Logan knew the entire story. Once she had her new license, I asked, “So where to next?”

Unlike the dark, musty place I envisioned, when Ember told me she wanted to go to the Thrift Shop, the store was as well-lit and neat as any shop at the Gatsby Park Mall. The clothing, displayed on chrome plated racks, was clean and in good condition. Most items looked brand new, and some still had the original tags on them. I was surprised to see most were priced under ten dollars. “This is way nicer than I expected,” I told her.

“Hang out with me for a while and you will learn where all the bargains are.” She looked up from the table of t-shirts she was inspecting and gripped her leather jacket by the lapels. “I bought this here last year for $20. It wasn’t even broken in before someone gave it away.”

She took her time, selecting a pair of jeans which looked brand new and a couple of cute tops. We were halfway to the register when she stopped. “Shit, I almost forgot. I need a pair of black pants for work.”

“Didn’t you say you were fired yesterday?”

“I was. But I start at the Piggly Wiggly on Monday,” she said, while going through a rack of dress pants.

“With everything that happened yesterday, when did you have time to find a new job already?”

“Right after Al fired me, but before my car was stolen.” She studied the tag on a pair of pants. “These are my size. We can check out now."

On the way to Walmart, where she wanted to pick up underwear and a phone charger, I told her how impressed I was that she had found another job already. “Most people after being fired would have licked their wounds for a couple of days or applied for unemployment.”

“Licking my wounds won't pay my bills and living off of the government is my mother's style, not mine."

When we arrived at the store, she led me to the makeup department first. After picking up lipstick and eyeliner, she put them both back. As we strolled through the aisles, she did the same thing several more times—pick an item up, check the price and put it back again. I had seen how meager her paycheck was and knew it would not be enough to cover everything she needed to replace.

When we reached the lingerie department, I told Ember I needed some things for the house and would meet her at the checkout area. After paying for her purchases, she found me waiting at the front doors. We headed back to the house so she could shower and change her clothes. Ember made calls on the way. The insurance company told her to hold on to her receipts and she would be reimbursed. Then she called her landlord to inquire about the return of her security deposit.

“What do you mean, thirty days? I need the money now, so I can find some place to live." I could hear the frustration rising in her voice. “No, I don’t have a copy of the lease. It burned with everything else. What? Yeah, you have a nice day too.”

She dropped the phone in her lap and turned to me. “Fuck my life. They’re claiming that, according to my lease, they have 30 days to return my security deposit.”

This did not come as a surprise to me. In fact, I had expected it. “I guess you will have to stay with us a little longer.”

EMBER

“What is that supposed to mean?” I was not sure yet how I felt about his offer. Or if it even was an offer.

“I am not sure what part wasn’t clear. You can stay with us until the insurance settles and you get your security deposit back.”

I could not believe his change in attitude since we first met. How did he go from wanting me out of his house as quickly as possible to offering to extend my stay indefinitely? Something about it felt wrong. “I don’t take charity.”

“This is not a handout,” he said. “You’ll contribute to groceries with whatever you can afford from your new job. And you’ll be expected to pick up after yourself and help around the house.” He tried to sound tough, but I was beginning to think he was as big of a softy as Logan.

When he pulled the Honda Accord into the garage, he told me I could put my things in Logan’s room. It didn't feel right, forcing the big man to give up his room. “He can’t sleep in that recliner every night. I’ll take the couch.”

“No one is sleeping in the living room.” He sounded angry. “If we are going to make this work, we need to maintain some semblance of decency.”

The words stung. When I was young, my mother shacked up with a lot of guys in one-bedroom apartments, which meant I spent a lot of time sleeping on couches. But his voice softened. “Everyone deserves a bed to sleep in. Logan can bunk with me in my room.”

I wanted to ask why they had separate rooms to begin with, but it was none of my business. We unloaded the car, and I took my new clothes upstairs. When I came back down, Aiden was unpacking the groceries he had bought. Pleased to see so many fresh vegetables, I helped put them away. “If you don’t have plans for all of this tempeh, I saw a recipe online for stuffed acorn squash that sounded yummy. I could make it for dinner tonight if you like.”

“Sounds good. I’m not sure Logan will be thrilled, but then again, if dinner doesn’t involve red meat, he’s never thrilled.”

My eyes lit up when he pulled a box of King Dongs from a bag. “How did you know those are my favorite?”

“I didn’t,” he said. “These are for Logan. They’re his favorite too. Maybe if you ask him nicely, he will share them with you.” Then he checked the contents of two more bags before handing them to me. “These are yours.”

Perplexed, I looked at the bags. “I didn’t buy anything else.”

“They are still yours,” he said.

Confused, I peeked in the first bag. There was lipstick and eyeliner. The exact brand and color I preferred. The spiral notebooks I use to take notes in class, some pens, and a box of King Dongs. I felt my eyes leaking. “You didn’t have to do this.”

“I know, but I wanted to. I had to guess on the sizes for the other things. If they don’t fit, we can exchange them.” I opened the second bag. There was a pair of flannel pajamas, a robe, and a cable-knit sweater. “This old house gets drafty. I don’t want you to catch a cold.”

Afraid I would start crying if I tried to speak, I leaned in to kiss him on the cheek, but his head turned at the last second and I ended up kissing him on the lips. Neither of us pulled back right away. Although not overly passionate, it was a damn fine kiss. When it was over, we both looked away.

“I meant for that to be a friendly kiss on the cheek. A thank you for being so kind to me,” I stuttered.

“It was my fault,” he stammered. “I thought I heard the damn cat on the counter and turned my head.”

I looked around, but Smoke was nowhere in sight. “If you don’t mind, I think I am going to go upstairs for a while.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” Aiden agreed.” I’ll finish putting the groceries away.” Neither of us looked at one another as I gathered up my bags.

My heart was still beating rapidly when I walked into Logan’s room. The kiss, although unintentional, was the first intimacy I had experienced in a while and my lady bits were buzzing. Living with a pair of sexy firefighters, even if they were gay, something I was becoming less and less convinced of, was going to be more difficult than I first thought. I needed a cold shower.

Smoke was stretched out on a pillow and watched with a bored look as I laid out my purchases at the foot of the bed. Besides the items I had already seen, the bag from Aiden held a two pack of Venus razors and shave gel; and lavender scented body wash, shampoo, and conditioner.

After stripping out of the clothes I had worn for the last two days, I put on the black fleece robe. It was warm and soft against my bare flesh. I flipped up the hood and cinched the belt tight before checking the hall. Satisfied that no one was there, I made my way to the bathroom.

Washed, shampooed and shaved, I let the warm water run for a while longer. Had I been in my apartment, I would have soothed the ache between my legs, but as a guest in this house, masturbating in the bathroom seemed wrong. Instead, I turned off the hot water and an icy blast chased away any lingering horniness.

When I went downstairs, I was wearing my new jeans and the sweater Aiden had picked out for me. Cream colored with a V-neck, the fit was loose. Aiden saw and gave a smile. “You look terrific.”

“I like it too. It is something I would have picked for myself.” Not wanting there to be any strings between us, I said. “Hold on to the receipts, because I intend to pay you back once I get my first paycheck.”

He waved me off. “Teach me how to make that stuffed squash and we will call it even.”

“Deal.” I followed him into the kitchen. Damn, he had a fine ass.

If I sent you a link to this page, it means your opinion matters to me and  I would love to hear your thoughts on this first draft. Feel free to email me at melanie@melanieudallbooks.com