Chapter 6

SIX

S amantha squeezed the bridge of her nose. Still able to feel his smoky clothes up against her. She didn't want to think about the rest of him, especially when the lines between "supposed to" and "off limits" tended to blur when they were around each other.

"Are you gonna tell me what that was?" Romeo asked.

She looked up, perched on the edge of a chair in the waiting area while Romeo went for a cup of coffee. "Thanks."

He settled beside her and sipped.

She tasted hers—awful, but strong enough to wake her up.

"Nothing? We're just gonna ignore the fact a fire captain grabbed you and kissed you like that in front of everyone. He can't even talk because he ate so much smoke, but everyone heard that statement loud and clear."

Across the other end of the waiting room, two firefighters looked over. They probably heard everything Romeo had just said.

Samantha wanted to crawl under the chair and…never come out. "Finish your coffee and let's go."

She didn't allow hot drinks in the car that didn't have secure lids after her training officer had drilled into her the importance of not having injury hazards. A hot drink in a high-speed chase? No, she'd rather drink fast and then go rather than wind up with a burn on her leg after it spilled.

"We are going to talk about this." He leaned slightly toward her. "And that woman."

"She's off limits."

"Really? I hadn't noticed."

Samantha shoved his shoulder, then got up and went over to the firefighters sitting across from them. "How is your guy?"

The older one with the mustache said, "The kid has a sprained ankle. Coda has inhalation. He should be all right, though."

His buddy sitting beside him struggled to keep a straight face. "Heard you gave him mouth-to-mouth."

He was newer and hadn't been on shift when Julio was during the time they'd been together. The older guy had. He knew they'd had an ugly, public breakup two years ago.

"I'm glad it's only minor." She nodded. "Anyone else?"

The older guy said, "Two vics in critical, and the guy Coda got out has a dislocated shoulder. We'll update the PD if you want? After we make sure our boys get back to the station."

She held out her hand, and they shook. "I'd appreciate it."

"You call his next of kin?"

"I checked the paperwork when they admitted him. He still has me listed."

The older guy nodded.

"But I'll make sure his parents know."

"Thanks."

Samantha trailed away to where Romeo stood at the opening into the waiting area.

"You know all the firefighters?" he said. "You know what they do when they're in crisis. How to talk to them."

"And?"

"Just interesting. Like you and Julio using sign language." He stared at her, like trying to figure out a puzzle. "Seems like there's a whole lot about you that I don't know."

"I prefer to keep my personal life personal."

"No kidding." Romeo walked beside her down the hall to the emergency department. "I had figured that out. I'm a detective, you know."

Samantha rolled her eyes.

"But you and I are special. We went through a trauma together, and it bonded us." He laid a hand over his heart. "We're connected."

It didn't surprise her that Julio had done what he did. Even if in the heat of the moment he had the completely wrong idea about who she and Romeo were to each other. So wrong he'd felt the need to make a very loud statement to anyone watching about who belonged to who.

She never had been able to argue with him about what really mattered.

Truth was, deep down she knew it. Like all the way to her soul. She belonged to Julio Espinoza-Vasquez, and she always would. No matter how far apart they were, or if they went years without speaking.

She would always be his.

That kiss hadn't been about what Romeo called their special bond . "You and I were at the same scene. The house blew up."

"Exactly. We're connected."

Samantha almost laughed. "That isn't why he kissed me."

"No? He was staking his claim, right?" Romeo blew out a breath. "Fine. Does he know that's not what we are?"

"Doesn't matter. But yes." Just for reasons Romeo would never know. "You were in critical condition. How can we be connected if you weren't even awake?"

Actually, she wasn't sure she wanted to know, so she waved him off.

He slung an arm around her and gave her a squeeze. "Feel better?"

"You're annoying." Of course. He had a sister, and she realized far too late that this must be how Romeo drew his sibling out of a funk if she was ever in one. "But thanks."

"You're welcome."

The sliding doors swept open, and they went outside. The fire chief's car occupied the closest first responder spot. Chief Frayer and another man, an older guy in firefighter officer uniform, headed toward them.

As much as she didn't even want to think about it, Julio had definitely made a statement . In front of everyone he worked with, the reporter lady and her camera guy, and all the bystanders. Before too long, everyone in the close-knit first responder community would be contacting her asking for the scoop on her relationship with the quiet fire captain who worked bomb squad.

Which was precisely the reason she'd kept it quiet before, and never talked about it much now.

Chief Frayer said, "I was hoping you were still here."

Why was that? "Coda should be released tonight," Samantha said. "The other guy is getting his ankle looked at. There aren't any serious injuries among the firefighters."

The white-shirt guy said, "That's good."

"Except for the victims in critical condition."

It might've been overshadowed by "the kiss"—as she'd decided to think about it—but Julio had been worried the fire was set on purpose. He'd been insistent that Greyson answer the questions he'd been asking while not even able to talk.

She wanted to speak with Julio about it, but if there was something going on—like an arsonist in Benson—she didn't have the jurisdiction to investigate.

"Is it okay if I email over a file?" Greyson pulled out his phone. "We had a fire two weeks ago. There was a body found in the basement, during cleanup. We believe the victim was killed on purpose during the burn."

"And you need my help? Or the assistance of BPD?" She needed to clarify the request, or she wouldn't know what the expectations were.

"Yours, maybe the whole BPD." Greyson glanced at his colleague. "If you can ID the deceased, it would be a great help toward figuring out who is setting fires."

Samantha caught the seriousness in his tone and nodded. "Of course, I'll take a look."

After she ran it by her sergeant and got the official sign-off, she would be all over helping to protect firefighters. There was only so much they were equipped to protect themselves against, but being a firefighter was arguably more dangerous than being a cop.

Not that she'd tell that fact to any cop she knew.

"We appreciate it." The white shirt seemed to have to force the words out.

Chief Frayer said, "So far there have been two fires. Tonight might be the third. With one deceased, we're looking at patterns. No one wants another death on our hands."

Romeo shifted, his stance what she'd come to recognize as his cop mode. "Where were the other two fires?"

"Both were residences."

"So tonight would be a break in pattern."

The white shirt said, "Or an escalation."

"Captain Tennet works in Arson Investigation." Chief Frayer motioned to the white-shirted older man beside him.

Samantha figured a guy with a little seniority in years might resent someone like Julio who had risen in the ranks quickly. Especially when he was the one the guys on trucks rallied around. They respected their captain—or so she assumed. Back when she and Julio had been together, they'd loved him as their lieutenant.

She wondered if their breakup had to do with the reason he'd focused so heavily on his career. It certainly was why she'd become a detective and worked her way to major crimes.

Though, calling it a breakup didn't quite fit the immensity of what had happened.

Felt more like a giant fissure had spread open between them, sweeping them apart so hard and so fast she hadn't been able to reach out. Let alone grab his hand and allow Julio to tuck her against him. The way he'd done at the scene just a short while ago.

Claiming her in front of her new partner.

What on earth had possessed him to do that?

She couldn't even imagine what he was thinking. And right now talking it over would be far too volatile. She needed space to process it all. About five years would probably suffice.

"Is it okay if we go back to the scene tonight?" she asked, snapping back to reality. "Take a look around?"

Chief Frayer lifted his chin. "If your sergeant signs off on it, let's meet there tomorrow. The fire should've cooled by then enough for us to walk through and assess the damage. Does that sound okay?"

She glanced at Romeo, trying to get a read on what he thought about it. He nodded, so she said, "Sounds good."

Romeo turned to Frayer. "Are you assuming you're likely to find another body in this warehouse, if it was the same guy?"

"I sincerely hope not." The fire chief nodded. "Thank you both for your time."

Samantha told them both bye, and she and Romeo headed for their car. It would smell like smoke—and Julio. That was the last thing she needed when her life was a carefully constructed attempt to not be reminded of him…

And everything she'd lost.

"It doesn't exactly fit a pattern."

She glanced at Romeo over the hood of the car, the moon low in the sky behind him. "And you're an expert at arson investigation now?"

"I might be by morning."

"Thought you were busy trying to find out who my breakfast companion was."

"You're gonna kick a heartbroken man when he's down?" Romeo clutched his chest. "I need something to do to keep my mind from wandering to the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." He paused. "Hey, did she say anything about me after the diner? Did she ask who I was?"

Samantha got in the car, shaking her head. When Romeo slid into the passenger seat, she told him, "If you quit asking about her, I'll let you drive."

He made a stabbing motion into his heart with an imaginary knife. "You know how to wound a man. Maybe I know how Julio feels more than I realized."

Samantha jerked around and pinned him with a stare. "Don't."

Tears burned in the back of her eyes.

"Whoa, Sam. I didn't know." He reached out but didn't touch her. "Sorry. I don't know what I'm talking about."

"And you feel like you're stepping in a minefield."

"Yeah, actually."

"Then stay out of the field," she warned. "That way you don't have to worry about where to step."

She headed for the station so they could clock out and get home. Today had spiraled in a way neither of them expected, but that was the nature of the job.

"We have plenty of other cases," she added. "Maybe tomorrow we…"

"See other people?" Romeo shifted in his seat, glancing in the side mirror. "We're partners. Sorry to break it to you, but you're stuck with me. And apparently the guy who is following us. He doesn't know three's a crowd."

Samantha gripped the wheel. "There's traffic out here. No one is following us."

Still, she drove in circles just to be sure. Looped the block a couple of times. Past the Walmart, and by the library back to the police station downtown—their hub.

But didn't see anyone tailing them.