Breaking Protocol (Firehouse Fourteen Book 3) by Lisa B. Kamps Page B
Authors: Lisa B. Kamps
Ads: Link
that wanted to tumble from his mouth. But none of them were the right thing to say. So he took another deep breath and let it out slowly, tried to give her a smile. "Well then, let me know if you need any help moving."
"You mean it?"
"Yeah." Dave cleared his throat, then frowned at her. "But the first time I hear he makes you unhappy, I'm kicking his ass."
Angie laughed and leaned forward, giving him a brief hug. He patted her back, just a little awkwardly, then watched her as she sat back and pulled one knee to her chest. There was a mischievous glint in her dark eyes as she studied him.
"Okay, fess up. Who is she?"
"Who?"
"Really? Don't play that game, you know who. Now tell me all about her. Where did you meet? How long have you been dating her?"
Dave looked away, not knowing what to say. And not knowing how to answer the dating question. Were they dating? Well, he was sleeping with her. Did that count? Not that he was about to tell his kid sister that.
"I met her through work. She's a flight medic."
"She's a cop? Seriously? Oh my God, I would have never thought that. She's too cute to be a cop."
Dave actually cringed, knowing CC would have laughed at hearing the description. Knowing that part of her enjoyed using that perception to her advantage. And it was slightly unsettling for him to realize that he knew that, so soon after meeting her.
He didn't have a chance to respond, because the back door opened and Jay poked his head out. Concern creased his forehead as he looked over at them, obviously worried they might be arguing. Dave clenched his jaw at the look but didn't say anything, knowing he probably would have done the same.
"Hey Ang, band's getting ready to take a break, they need us behind the bar."
"Us? Since when do you work here?"
Angie bounced from the bench and squeezed his shoulder. "He doesn't. He just likes to keep me company when we get busy."
Dave stood up, ready to follow them back in, when Angie stopped and faced him again. She smiled, then gave him another hug, quick and hard.
"Thanks Dave. I missed you."
He stood there for a second, surprised at the quick hug, then closed his arms around her again. "Missed you, too, kiddo."
Angie stepped back then turned on her heel and walked through the door. Dave expected Jay to follow her, but he didn't. Instead, he stood there, his hand holding the door open, his steel-gray eyes cool as he studied Dave.
"I'm glad you guys seem to be getting along again. Things back to normal?"
"Maybe." Dave stepped through the door then turned to face Jay. "That doesn't mean I won't kick your ass if you hurt her, Moore."
"I'm not planning on it."
"Good. That's good."
The two of them stood there in the short hallway, staring at each other, the challenge clear between them. Jay finally nodded, the motion short and quick, before he grinned. "Good. I, uh, I have to go help. And you might want to get back to the table, because Jimmy's trying to flirt with your girlfriend."
Jay walked up the hallway and pushed through the swinging door leading to the bar, leaving Dave to stare after him.
CC wasn't his girlfriend.
Was she?
Dave realized it didn't matter, because he was still going to grab Jimmy by the throat when he got back out there.
If CC hadn't already done just that.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Strains of soft music floated through the air, relaxing, soothing. Candlelight flickered from the nightstand and dresser, scenting the room with hints of vanilla and something just a little spicy, something CC couldn't quite make out.
She hadn't figured Big Guy to be a candles-and-classical music kind of guy. It didn't matter that she had subtly suggested some music and candlelight. Well, maybe not so subtly. But he had taken her suggestion to heart, and she was surprised at the music choice when he turned on the small stereo in his room.
Surprised, but certainly not complaining. Right now, she was certain that even annoying techno-music wouldn't grate on her nerves,
"You mean it?"
"Yeah." Dave cleared his throat, then frowned at her. "But the first time I hear he makes you unhappy, I'm kicking his ass."
Angie laughed and leaned forward, giving him a brief hug. He patted her back, just a little awkwardly, then watched her as she sat back and pulled one knee to her chest. There was a mischievous glint in her dark eyes as she studied him.
"Okay, fess up. Who is she?"
"Who?"
"Really? Don't play that game, you know who. Now tell me all about her. Where did you meet? How long have you been dating her?"
Dave looked away, not knowing what to say. And not knowing how to answer the dating question. Were they dating? Well, he was sleeping with her. Did that count? Not that he was about to tell his kid sister that.
"I met her through work. She's a flight medic."
"She's a cop? Seriously? Oh my God, I would have never thought that. She's too cute to be a cop."
Dave actually cringed, knowing CC would have laughed at hearing the description. Knowing that part of her enjoyed using that perception to her advantage. And it was slightly unsettling for him to realize that he knew that, so soon after meeting her.
He didn't have a chance to respond, because the back door opened and Jay poked his head out. Concern creased his forehead as he looked over at them, obviously worried they might be arguing. Dave clenched his jaw at the look but didn't say anything, knowing he probably would have done the same.
"Hey Ang, band's getting ready to take a break, they need us behind the bar."
"Us? Since when do you work here?"
Angie bounced from the bench and squeezed his shoulder. "He doesn't. He just likes to keep me company when we get busy."
Dave stood up, ready to follow them back in, when Angie stopped and faced him again. She smiled, then gave him another hug, quick and hard.
"Thanks Dave. I missed you."
He stood there for a second, surprised at the quick hug, then closed his arms around her again. "Missed you, too, kiddo."
Angie stepped back then turned on her heel and walked through the door. Dave expected Jay to follow her, but he didn't. Instead, he stood there, his hand holding the door open, his steel-gray eyes cool as he studied Dave.
"I'm glad you guys seem to be getting along again. Things back to normal?"
"Maybe." Dave stepped through the door then turned to face Jay. "That doesn't mean I won't kick your ass if you hurt her, Moore."
"I'm not planning on it."
"Good. That's good."
The two of them stood there in the short hallway, staring at each other, the challenge clear between them. Jay finally nodded, the motion short and quick, before he grinned. "Good. I, uh, I have to go help. And you might want to get back to the table, because Jimmy's trying to flirt with your girlfriend."
Jay walked up the hallway and pushed through the swinging door leading to the bar, leaving Dave to stare after him.
CC wasn't his girlfriend.
Was she?
Dave realized it didn't matter, because he was still going to grab Jimmy by the throat when he got back out there.
If CC hadn't already done just that.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Strains of soft music floated through the air, relaxing, soothing. Candlelight flickered from the nightstand and dresser, scenting the room with hints of vanilla and something just a little spicy, something CC couldn't quite make out.
She hadn't figured Big Guy to be a candles-and-classical music kind of guy. It didn't matter that she had subtly suggested some music and candlelight. Well, maybe not so subtly. But he had taken her suggestion to heart, and she was surprised at the music choice when he turned on the small stereo in his room.
Surprised, but certainly not complaining. Right now, she was certain that even annoying techno-music wouldn't grate on her nerves,
Similar Books
