13. Madi
Chapter 13
Madi
Ineeded to go straight to church on Sunday and confess my sins. Most of which were made up of impure thoughts thanks to the sight of the shirtless Cozy Creek Fire Brigade and one dark-haired, blue-eyed firefighter, whom I was about to take as many pictures of as was professionally appropriate.
“You’re next, Cole!” Kenzie turned and shouted. He had gone up to his office to get some paperwork done.
“He won’t hear you. He’s all the way upstairs.”
I sent him a text to let him know it was his turn.
She wiggled her fingers together beneath her chin and cackled at me. “Dude, your face is so red. Try to chill out, okay? Or he will figure out exactly how hard you’re crushing on him.”
“Shut up!” I hissed. “The guys will hear you. Dang, Kenzie.”
“No, they won’t. They’re all back in their little firefighter garage, playing with their hoses. No one will hear me from all the way down here.” She was sitting on the back of the old firetruck, swinging her legs and laughing at my nervous dismay as I fiddled with my camera equipment.
“You’re too much. I should have had Gigi help me.”
“Gigi’s a bigger perv than I am.” She scoffed. “Who’s the one who thought this entire thing up?”
“Ugh, fine.”
“Why did I save him for last?”
“So you can be alone with him.” She flicked her wrist, checking her smartwatch with a smirk. “Oh no. Something suddenly came up,” she deadpanned with a smirk. “I guess you’ll have to take hottie Cole’s picture all by yourself.” She hopped off the truck and waved at me. “Ta ta, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Kenzie! What the hell? Where are you going?”
“Nowhere. Everywhere. Or maybe just back to Gigi’s. I’ll meet you at your place when you’re done.” She tossed me her keys. “I’ll leave my car since you have all that camera crap. Later.”
“This isn’t cool! You are on my list,” I hollered at her retreating back as she waved at me over her shoulder.
I shook my head. It didn’t matter if she left. I was a professional. I could take Cole’s photo professionally and not drool all over him. Probably.
Out of all of them, Cole seemed to be the most ill at ease. He had excused himself and practically ran to his office when I started. But to be fair, none of them had watched each other get their photos taken. They’d taken turns posing in front of the old truck, then gone back inside to do whatever they did in the station when they weren’t out fighting fires and saving lives.
“Shit,” I muttered as I waited for him to come down. “He’s just a man. You’ve got this. You’re a trained professional, and he is just a man. He is just the sexiest firefighting man in the entire world, damn it. I don’t got this at all. I got nothing.” I shrugged my shoulders up and down and did a little hop to pump myself up.
“You okay there, Madi? Are you cold?”
“Huh?” I spun to face him, nearly tripping over my feet as the heel of my boot got caught in a crack in the sidewalk. “No. I’m not cold. I’m totally professional—I mean fine. I’m totally fine.” I caught myself and smiled at him.
“Okay.” His lips tipped up at the corner. “I have an extra jacket in the station. If you need it, let me know.”
“Thanks.” Gah! How can he be so hot and sweet at the same time? It was not fair to us mere mortals.
“So, uh…” He fidgeted with the suspenders on his pants and looked at me questioningly. He was struggling with this. He was nervous, and my heart melted.
“Right. All the other guys posed right over there. By the truck. Does that work for you?”
“Yeah, sure.”
I didn’t want to make him even more uncomfortable by asking if he wanted to remove his shirt, so I didn’t. It wasn’t like he needed to anyway. He had changed into a blue Cozy Creek Fire Brigade branded T-shirt, and it was snug.
His biceps strained at the sleeves, and his pecs were pec-cing all over the place. Good lord, his chest was broad, like a freaking wall. My eyes were about to pop out of my head like one of those old-timey cartoons. I was in real danger of embarrassing myself over him.
I thought I had it bad when I saw him jogging all over town. That was nothing compared to how I felt right now.
I was face-to-face with his glorious pecs, abs, shoulders, and all the other gorgeous parts of his body. Seriously, the man was without flaw, and he rocked the crap out of that T-shirt.
Plus, I knew him better now. His personality, in combination with his looks, was lethal. He was super shy about having his picture taken, which was completely adorable.
I wanted to cuddle him.
In his lap.
Naked.
Damn it.
“How about you stand by the door.” My voice came out squeaky, like a horny little mouse. “Maybe put your hand on the hood and lean in?”
“Sure, yeah.” He did what I said, but it seemed like he forgot how to be human in the process.
He was rigid.
He was stiff and awkward.
He was also pink-cheeked and embarrassed, and I swear I fell a little bit in love with him.
I snapped a few pics as he squirmed and tried to smile.
“Hey, I might have a better idea. Give me a second.” I dropped my hand, holding the camera to the side, and hitched my hip as I contemplated the truck, his body, and all the awkwardness, and tried to figure out if there was any way I could make him more comfortable with this whole thing.
He was the chief. He had to be in the calendar. It would be wrong to make it without him.
“Please do not ask me to keep standing here like this.” He dropped his head back between his shoulder blades and threw his arms to the sides. “It’s like I forgot how to work my face or something. Why is smiling so hard? I can’t even lean against this truck right—”
“It’s okay. Shh, I got this. Come on.” I headed to the truck’s rear, where Kenzie had been sitting, and patted the back. “Sit here.”
“I don’t know about this,” he joked. “Sitting might be too complicated for me too.”
At this moment, Evan and Natalie headed up the street, looking all windblown and adorable with their pink cheeks and messy hair. Sure, they were both in their teens, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t be cute.
“Hey, you two,” I called. “Come help me take your dad’s picture.”
“Great,” Cole muttered. “Now, I’ll never hear the end of it. You’re giving them ammo to tease me with, you know.”
“Nope. I have an even better idea now, and you’ll love it, I promise. Sit tight.” I gestured to his arms. “May I adjust you?”
“Yeah.” His eyebrows shot up. “Do whatever you need.”
I stepped into him, taking his hands in mine to place them near his thighs at the edge of the truck. They were warm, his palms wide and strong. I managed to avoid tracing the fascinating trail of veins leading up his forearms, but it was hard.
“Hold on right there and just pretend you’re at home on the couch relaxing instead of the middle of Main Street getting your picture taken while wearing a tight T-shirt.” Our eyes met, and his crinkled at the corners in that swoony way that was quickly becoming an essential part of my days here in Cozy Creek. “You look hot, Cole,” I added under my breath. “You’re gonna raise a lot of money.”
“If we do, it will be because of you.” His voice was deep and husky. Hearing it felt like taking a shot of whiskey. It sent a thrill zipping through me, but I couldn’t focus on that right now. His kids were here.
“Oh, it absolutely will; I know it,” I answered with mock severity. “Natalie and Evan. Come over here and stand behind me.”
They ran up, breathless and flushed from the chill in the air. “Is this for the calendar?” Natalie asked.
“Yup. And I’ll take a few shots of you together when I finish.”
Cole’s eyes warmed on me. “Thanks,” he murmured. “I’d like that.”
I gave him what I told myself was a jaunty, non-flirtatious wink. “I promise at least one of them will be suitable for framing.”
He chuckled. “This might take us all night then.”
I shivered at the idea of doing anything all night with Cole.
Yum.
“Don’t you worry about a thing. I’ve got skills. Hold on to the truck, lean forward, shoulders back, and flex every muscle you have. Don’t think. Just react. Natalie and Evan, it’s time to dance with me. We’re going to shake our tail feathers.”
I started shaking my booty and wiggling my body in a ridiculous, rhythmless display of nonsense.
Evan cracked up and started shaking his hips immediately.
“That’s right, Evan. Shake that thang,” I encouraged. “Who needs music? Not us.”
Cole burst out laughing.
Click.
After Natalie caught on, we did our best to keep Cole laughing while I aimed my camera and clicked away as he cracked up at our antics.
Perfection.
I knew I had a ton of good shots of him. He was gorgeous, and once we got rid of the nerves, the camera reflected that.
“All right, kids. Go stand by your dad.” They did what I asked, and I got a few more pictures for Cole to keep. “That’s a wrap!” I declared, wishing so badly I could somehow get a picture of the two of us together.
I wanted to remember this moment when I was back in Colorado Springs or to have it as a memento of an early day in our relationship, but I shoved the thought out of my head. I was being ridiculous and fanciful—we had no relationship, not yet, anyway.
“You guys go wait for me inside, okay?” Cole hopped down and sent his kids into the station.
I watched them go, waving at them before putting my camera away.
“I don’t know what to say, Madi.”
He was so tall in front of me. He was so freaking beautiful and wholly focused on me. It was intoxicating. I tilted my head back and grinned up at him. “You don’t have to say anything. I got some great shots.”
“You made this so easy. I was nervous.” He ran a hand through his hair and looked away. “I sometimes have a problem with being the center of attention.”
“I get it; you can be shy, and that’s okay.” I poked him in the stomach, and my eyes widened at the hardness of his abs. “But I told you I was a pro, didn’t I?” I teased.
“That you did, and I appreciate it, Madi. More than I can say.”
“Well, I’m happy I could, uh—” I fought the urge to throw myself into his arms and hug the crap out of him. My stomach swirled, and my heart was turning somersaults in my chest. “I’m just happy,” I finally said. It was the truth, after all. He made me happy every time I saw him. “It was fun being here with you. And your kids are amazing.”
At first, I tried so hard not to objectify him when I took his picture. But after a few moments, it was easy; he was more than just a man with a devastatingly handsome face and an unbelievable body. He was also self-effacingly funny, humble, and brave. He was a good dad and a gentleman, and he deserved to have the pictures to show it. But I had to admit, he was still the most beautiful man I have ever seen in my entire life.
“Thank you. They like you a lot. Okay, well, I’ll get going. I have to drive the kids to my ex’s place.” He was saying goodbye but lingering.
“Yeah, okay, bye, Cole.” I zipped my camera into the case and grabbed the light while avoiding his eyes.
It felt like we should kiss or at least hug. Something was pulling us together, but for some reason, we ignored it—maybe because we were in public or because his kids were so close by.
“See you tomorrow night,” he said as he stood on the sidewalk looking at me with his gorgeous blue eyes.
“Yep.” I breathed. “My brownies and I will be there at six.”
“Can’t wait.” He turned and headed to the station’s lobby entrance. Then stopped to turn back and wave at me.
Even though I didn’t get a kiss, it felt like I was drifting on a cloud as I crossed the street to get into Kenzie’s car and drive back to my place.
I found her waiting for me on one of the Confectionery’s outside tables. She was sipping an iced tea and furiously texting someone on her phone.
“Let’s go upstairs.” She stood. “You’re going to spill your guts, and I mean everything—all of it. The look on your face is telling a thousand tales. And at least half of them are dirty.”
I unlocked the door, and we hurried up to my place.
“I’ll never get over today, Kenzie.”
The sight of the shirtless Cozy Creek Fire Brigade was most likely permanently burned into my retinas. No matter how hard I tried to force it out, it wouldn’t get out of my brain.
And Cole?Gah! Was I falling for him? I was pretty sure it was happening. The crush was growing, and I was powerless against it.
She grabbed Kenny and flopped on my sofa. He curled up on her chest, purring his brains out while Sage perched on the chair above my shoulder. Victor was in his usual spot by the fireplace, silently judging us as we poked over the day’s events.
“I get you.” She shot me a grin. “I don’t even like any of them that way, and I won’t be over it any time soon, either. And freaking Tate? Who knew he was hiding all that sexiness under his shirt? Did you?”
“I had no idea. I mean, we probably should have, though. They run all over town like they’re being chased.”
“He has an eight-pack. Eight, Madi, I mean damn. Oh, and let’s not forget about Pace. And Mason, and freaking Jeff—his wife is so lucky. The rest of them started to blur together after a certain point. I think I stopped retaining new information, and the word ‘hot’ just beep bop booped inside my head as I tried not to drool. Do eyeballs feel happiness? Because I think mine are fucking overjoyed right now. And don’t get me started on my ovaries. I feel like I need a cigarette.”
“Right? I’ll never be able to look any of them in the face at Gigi’s ever again. Not when I know what they all look like shirtless. We have too much information now—that phrase is legit.”
“How was it with Cole?”
“He’s so sweet. I knew he was a nice guy, obviously. But he was shy, and it was adorable. And his kids are amazing.”
“I told you. He’s a good one. Gah! I love shy guys. It makes me want to climb them like a damn tree.” Kenny hopped to the window sill, and she flopped to her side on the couch. “Hey, aren’t your sisters coming to see you tonight?”
“Yes.” I heaved out a disgruntled sigh. “To talk about Ross. They have something to tell me. And Kenzie. I do not want to know.”
“You’re better off without him, don’t forget that. I’ll get out of your hair.” She sat up and stretched before heading to the front door. “I should get back down to the bakery anyway. Those sugar cookies aren’t going to decorate themselves.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
“Yeah, bright and early.”
My text notification went off. Kenzie paused at the door. “Is it Cole already? That’s a good sign.”
Riley: Meet us at Bookers. Thirty minutes. Abigail is already two margaritas deep. I’ll wait until you get here to start. Shots!
“Damn, no. It’s not Cole. It’s Riley. She wants me to meet them at Bookers for dinner. Abigail is already drinking. This should be interesting.”
She laughed. “I’ll see you closer to lunchtime, then. Knowing those two, you’ll be out late and wake up hungover.”