down to rest on the back of the bench behind Race.
“You took the last muffin,” Ari said with a smirk. “I get to sit next to Race.”
Huh?
Race gave Ari a confused frown as the handsome fireman continued to grin. He felt as if there was something going on that he had no clue about. There were times when Race missed things, like not seeing Terrence’s violent tendencies until it was too late.
He was starting to feel like this was another one of those times.
Vinnie and Ari might not have violence in mind, but they were up to something. Race started to get a nervous tickle in his stomach. He really wanted to believe that they weren’t violent, but he had been wrong before.
When Race scooted away from Ari, the man dropped his arm after giving him a funny look. Race replaced the lid on the container and then held it tightly to his chest as he stood. “I need to get back. Thanks again for meeting me at the airport.”
Race took a step to the side, away from the two men.
When Vinnie stood, Race took another step back.
“Race, it’s okay.” Vinnie slowly raised his hands, holding them up in front of him. His face had lost all amusement and was now totally serious. “We’re not going to hurt you.”
“No, of course not.” Race laughed nervously.
It was a sad sound.
He tightened his grip on the plastic container when Ari stood, holding it in front of him like a shield. “I really should get going.”
“If that’s what you need to do, Race, go ahead,” Vinnie said. “We won’t stop you.”
Race swallowed tightly. He yearned to stay, but he was afraid to. His eyes darted between the two men, then moved to the open green grass around them.
“Why don’t Ari and I sit over here,” Vinnie said as he waved his hand toward a grassy spot a few feet away. It was off to one side, leaving the bench seat open to the rest of the grassy lawn.
“I guess that would be okay.” Race waited until Vinnie and Ari walked over and sat down, crossing their legs, before moving to sit back down on the bench. He held on to the plastic container for another few minutes, just in case he needed to run. When Vinnie and Ari started talking as if this was just another day in the park, he set it down beside him.
“I talked to Dorian and got his permission first before saying anything,” Vinnie said. “We asked the guys at the firehouse to keep an eye out for strangers in town.” Vinnie nodded his head toward the green cast on Race’s arm. “We wanted to make sure whoever did that didn’t get a chance to do it again.”
“Do you think maybe you could tell us who did it, Race?” Ari asked. “It would help to know who we’re looking for.”
Race’s eyes dropped down to his cast. He absently rubbed it as he wondered why Vinnie and Ari would even care. They had done as Dorian asked and picked him up from the airport. Why did they still care?
“Race?” Vinnie asked. “Can you tell us who did this to you?”
“His name is Terrence,” Race said as he raised his head. “Terrence Flannery.”
Before Race could continue, the alarm sounded from the fire station. Vinnie and Ari jumped to their feet and hurried over to where Race sat. Vinnie leaned down and kissed Race on his lips before Race could protest. A moment later, Ari did the same.
“We need to go, passerotto ,” Vinnie said. “Can we take you out for dinner tonight and talk more about this guy who did this to you? We can go to the Rusty Nail. There will be lots of people around, so you don’t have to be afraid.”
Dazed from the two kisses he had received, Race absently nodded his head.
“Great.” Vinnie grinned. “We’ll call you when we’re off duty.”
By the time the fog lifted from his head, Vinnie and Ari had run across the street and were heading into the truck bay. How had he ended up accepting a dinner invitation from two men he might need to avoid?
Race didn’t know how long he sat there, staring at the fire station long after it had
“You took the last muffin,” Ari said with a smirk. “I get to sit next to Race.”
Huh?
Race gave Ari a confused frown as the handsome fireman continued to grin. He felt as if there was something going on that he had no clue about. There were times when Race missed things, like not seeing Terrence’s violent tendencies until it was too late.
He was starting to feel like this was another one of those times.
Vinnie and Ari might not have violence in mind, but they were up to something. Race started to get a nervous tickle in his stomach. He really wanted to believe that they weren’t violent, but he had been wrong before.
When Race scooted away from Ari, the man dropped his arm after giving him a funny look. Race replaced the lid on the container and then held it tightly to his chest as he stood. “I need to get back. Thanks again for meeting me at the airport.”
Race took a step to the side, away from the two men.
When Vinnie stood, Race took another step back.
“Race, it’s okay.” Vinnie slowly raised his hands, holding them up in front of him. His face had lost all amusement and was now totally serious. “We’re not going to hurt you.”
“No, of course not.” Race laughed nervously.
It was a sad sound.
He tightened his grip on the plastic container when Ari stood, holding it in front of him like a shield. “I really should get going.”
“If that’s what you need to do, Race, go ahead,” Vinnie said. “We won’t stop you.”
Race swallowed tightly. He yearned to stay, but he was afraid to. His eyes darted between the two men, then moved to the open green grass around them.
“Why don’t Ari and I sit over here,” Vinnie said as he waved his hand toward a grassy spot a few feet away. It was off to one side, leaving the bench seat open to the rest of the grassy lawn.
“I guess that would be okay.” Race waited until Vinnie and Ari walked over and sat down, crossing their legs, before moving to sit back down on the bench. He held on to the plastic container for another few minutes, just in case he needed to run. When Vinnie and Ari started talking as if this was just another day in the park, he set it down beside him.
“I talked to Dorian and got his permission first before saying anything,” Vinnie said. “We asked the guys at the firehouse to keep an eye out for strangers in town.” Vinnie nodded his head toward the green cast on Race’s arm. “We wanted to make sure whoever did that didn’t get a chance to do it again.”
“Do you think maybe you could tell us who did it, Race?” Ari asked. “It would help to know who we’re looking for.”
Race’s eyes dropped down to his cast. He absently rubbed it as he wondered why Vinnie and Ari would even care. They had done as Dorian asked and picked him up from the airport. Why did they still care?
“Race?” Vinnie asked. “Can you tell us who did this to you?”
“His name is Terrence,” Race said as he raised his head. “Terrence Flannery.”
Before Race could continue, the alarm sounded from the fire station. Vinnie and Ari jumped to their feet and hurried over to where Race sat. Vinnie leaned down and kissed Race on his lips before Race could protest. A moment later, Ari did the same.
“We need to go, passerotto ,” Vinnie said. “Can we take you out for dinner tonight and talk more about this guy who did this to you? We can go to the Rusty Nail. There will be lots of people around, so you don’t have to be afraid.”
Dazed from the two kisses he had received, Race absently nodded his head.
“Great.” Vinnie grinned. “We’ll call you when we’re off duty.”
By the time the fog lifted from his head, Vinnie and Ari had run across the street and were heading into the truck bay. How had he ended up accepting a dinner invitation from two men he might need to avoid?
Race didn’t know how long he sat there, staring at the fire station long after it had
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