Incendiary

Chapter 2

Kristi turned in her seat, ready to ream someone out, and looked into the smiling face of Keith McCormick, a radio patrol cop from the local precinct. They'd handled a number of situations together.

"I thought I'd introduce you to the latest addition to our fine precinct."

She looked over his shoulder into the face of the cop she'd worked today's disaster with and thought, holy crap! He'd looked very professional in his uniform, earlier, with his visored cap shading much of his face as he'd done what was necessary in a disastrous situation. And he never lost his cool.

But looking at him now, with hair black as ebony that showed a slight wave, those navy blue eyes beneath sinful lashes, and a crew neck sweater that showed off his flat abs and broad shoulders, she thought there should be a sin against being so good looking. Especially when he grinned at her, flashing, of all things, a dimple at the left corner of his mouth.

Knock it off, she told herself in a stern voice. This guy might be all kinds of delectable but she didn't do relationships. She especially didn't do them with cops or firefighters. With their crazy schedules, one was too hard to maintain and always ended in a mess. At least it had for her. A big mess.

"Say hi to Patrick Hayes," Keith told her. "He just came on board a couple of weeks ago. Patrick, meet Kristi Gregory."

Kristi took the hand he offered. His palm was warm and calloused, his fingers strong, but it was the little zing that passed between them that shocked her.

"Nice to meet you officially," she told him.

"There wasn't a lot of time for socializing today." Patrick's voice was one of those deep bass ones that always made her girl parts quiver. Damn!

"No, there sure wasn't," Kristi agreed. "You were incredible."

And she meant it. He'd directed traffic, soothed people, got the rubbernecking idiots out of the way, guided the tow trucks in, just about everything that was needed, including keeping people the hell out of the way while she and Jared attended to the wounded. He'd seemed to anticipate everything she needed and taken care of it. Even Captain Earl Stewart who ran Station 58 had been singing his praises.

"Same goes." He nodded at her beer, still half-full. "I'd offer to buy you a beer, but it looks like you're all taken care of."

"No problem, but thanks for the offer."

"Hey, look." Keith pointed. "I see a table just clearing out. Come on. You can finish your meal with us and then Patrick can buy you that beer." He reached in and picked up her plate and her drink. "You coming, Kristi?"

So much for enjoying solitude.

"I guess so, if I want to finish eating." She shrugged and slid off her stool. What else could she do? She didn't want to be rude, especially to the new guy. She just hoped that little zing didn't repeat itself. "Of course."

As they moved across the room, several people waved at her. Some gave her a thumbs up or a fist bump for her work today. Keith set her stuff on a table against the wall that had just been vacated then held her chair for her. She c****d an eyebrow at him.

"What? I have manners." He laughed. "I'll have you know my mother taught me well."

"I'm sure she'd be happy to know you use them." She paused. "Occasionally." Then she winked at him.

Kristi settled herself in her chair and took a healthy swallow of her beer when Patrick tucked in right next to her. She needed it to cool her reaction to him. It wasn't bad enough he was the hottest guy she'd laid eyes on in forever. He had to smell outrageously sexy, too. Whatever soap or aftershave or cologne he was wearing drifted tantalizingly across her nostrils. Oh lord, did he have to be so appealing and tempting and appetizing? She'd been on a s****l and emotional diet for what seemed like forever, the best way for her to protect her heart. It seemed she made bad choices where that was concerned so she'd decided it was best to abstain. That way she couldn't get hurt. And trying to build something with someone whose schedule was as crazy as hers was a recipe for disaster. She'd seen it happen too many times.

Besides, she wasn't in the market for a relationship. Make that relationship in italics. What was the saying? Once burned, twice shy. She'd actually come to enjoy her single-blessedness, or what her friend Jamie called her single-cursedness.

"Patrick, what are you drinking tonight?" Keith nodded toward the bar. "I'll get us some drinks, and a refill for my friend here."

"Beer for me. Whatever kind you drink is fine. "And thanks. I'll get the next one."

Kristi was tempted to tell him one was enough for her but she decided to treat herself. She had four days off now so she could indulge herself a little.

Patrick Hayes studied Kristi with those hot blue eyes. "Keith tells me you've been at 58 for seven years."

She nodded. "It's the only house I've ever worked at."

"Is that usual? I know with cops, once you get assigned to a precinct, you're usually there until you hang it up, but I wasn't sure about firefighters or EMTs."

She gave him a tiny grin. "Technically, I'm a paramedic. My partner is an EMT."

"Okay. Sure. I knew that. Sorry."

"No problem. No, it's not unusual to work for a long time at one place. A lot of times the only reason people transfer out is for a promotion, to a rank not available at the current location." She gave a self-conscious laugh. "That's probably more than you wanted to know."

"No. I'm always interested."

His deep voice reverberated through her body, and she had to squeeze her legs together to still the fluttering of her pulse. Oh, s**t. And damn.