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I winced as another memory flashed behind my eyes.
I knew about standing up to assholes all too fucking well.
“I would’ve had your back, you know,” Parker went on. “If it had turned into a real fight.”
“Oh, yeah?”
“Definitely.” He smirked. “Even if you don’t seem like the kind of guy who needs help in a fight."
"I'll keep that in mind for next time.”
“Yep, the next time you’re on the verge of a bar fight, just give me a call—Watch out!”
Before I knew it, Parker’s hands were on the wheel of my car, steering it in a different direction. I looked out the front window, my eyes momentarily locking on two large deer, who were staring right back at me. If I’d kept going the same way I’d been going, there would’ve been a collision for the ages, the kind that ended in a bloody disaster.
A few seconds later, and I’d regained control of the car, pressing down hard on the brake. We’d pulled over to the side of the road, both our chests heaving like we’d just run a 10K in record time.
“Thanks… for that.” I was the first to speak as I spared a look over at Parker. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” he replied, still taking hurried breaths. “Shit. We could’ve been roadkill.”
Just then, something playful warmed behind Parker’s expression. “Wait. Oh, my God. Does this mean that we’re even?”
“Even?”
“You saved my life and then I saved yours?” Parker’s eyes lit up as he spoke. “Does this mean I get to be an honorary firefighter now? Can you get me one of those sexy suits?”
“That’s absolutely not how that works.” I couldn’t help but laugh, which felt so strange, knowing that we could’ve been involved in a tragedy only a few seconds ago, and yet, the joyful sound still escaped my throat. “And I don’t know if I would go so far as to call the suits sexy.”
“They make firefighter calendars for a reason, Nicholas,” Parker replied. “You’re telling me no one’s ever asked you to be Mr. January before?”
“Nope. Or at least, not that I know of.”
“Come on!” Parker scoffed. “You’re so hot?—”
Parker suddenly held a hand up in front of his face, like he was motioning for something to stop.
“Ignore that. Ignore me. All that whiskey and the whole near-death experience thing?” He sank into the passenger seat. “Maybe we should just get back to your place so I can pass out.”
“Yeah. Of course. Sure thing,” I said, already pulling back onto the road.
You’re so hot.
The words had been playing on repeat in the back of my head as I drove us down the road. They didn’t stop when I pulled up to my home, somehow seeming to get even louder as I put the car in park and headed toward the front door. For some reason I couldn’t explain I wanted to know more about what Parker thought of me, specifically if he was speaking in general about finding me attractive or if he meant it personally?—
Wait.
Why the hell did I care?
It wasn’t like Parker was the first person I’d saved from a fire who suddenly thought I was attractive. There’d even been people passing through town who just happened to spot me at the fire station and tried to flirt with me right then and there. I’d always chalked it up to people being infatuated with the badge more than anything else, fantasies of buff firefighters sliding down poles messing with their heads.
Still, I’d been careful not to entertain them or turn into one of those fantasies myself. While I’d had my share of experience in the bedroom, I’d learned enough about relationships to know that they didn’t last too long if I happened to be on the other side of one. Because while people may like the idea of being with a firefighter, no one had been able to fall in love with my schedule, or the dedication I had to spending time at the station and staying on guard during the dry season. I didn’t mind it so much, though, being alone in the romance department. It wasn’t like I was lacking companionship or lacking for ways to stay busy.
I wasn’t a lone wolf by nature, but things sure seemed to be working out that way.
Which was why Parker’s comment sticking to my brain like glue was confusing the hell out of me.
Why did I care?
