A Paramedic to Tempt Her - chapter 2
Lacey looked at the fourth dress she’d slid on. The bright blue polka-dot number was fun, and blue was Mia’s favorite color. But was it too fancy for a first date? Too bright?
“What do you think, Pepper?”
The dog wagged her tail. She’d loved each of the outfits. Pepper never judged, and in her pink I’m the Princess shirt she was the definition of a puppy fashionista.
Still, Lacey couldn’t decide. Her mother’s voice was no longer the critical sound in her brain. Unfortunately, the voice was now her very own.
The other outfits hadn’t felt right. This one did. But what if—
Before she could finish that thought, the door chimed. Well, this was going to have to do now.
Breathe. Breathe.
A reminder shouldn’t be necessary, but this was Mia outside her door. The fun, sweet, sexy, accomplished woman was everything Lacey wanted in a partner.
She took a deep breath, opened the door and nearly gasped at the woman standing in there. Mia’s hair was in a loose ponytail; she wore a black tank top and tight black jeans hugging her hips in a mouthwatering way.
“You look amazing.” Such a silly statement, before even greeting her, but it fell from Lacey’s lips unbidden.
“I am in my standard weekend outfit. You on the other hand.” Mia did not hide her interest as she looked Lacey up and down. “Damn.”
So it was the right dress choice. “Glad you like it.”
“How many times did you change?” Mia leaned against the door as Lacey slid the blue bag that matched the purse up her shoulder.
“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Lacey stuck her tongue out. “Be good, Pepper.”
“How many times?” Mia raised an eyebrow.
“A lady is entitled to her secrets.”
“She is.” Mia grinned.
There’d been a social media trend with men leaning on door frames and the woman in their lives swooning. Lacey had thought it ridiculous. Now, though, she understood the sensuality of it.
“Where are we going?” Lacey brushed Mia’s hips as she slid out the door. Desire racing down her skin.
“Dinner and then a surprise.”
“Surprise?” Lacey almost tripped over her feet.
Mia’s hands were on her shoulders in an instant.
“It’s almost like you know I am not a huge fan of surprises.” Lacey was happy when Mia didn’t move her hand off her waist as they walked to the car.
Mia squeezed her. “I know. But do you trust me?”
She hated her hesitation. It should be an easy answer. She trusted Mia. They were partners, friends and hopefully more. This wasn’t an indictment of her.
It was Lacey’s problem.
“Lacey?”
She bit her lip. “I want to say yes. I mean, I mean, yes I trust you, I just… Ugh.”
This wasn’t really first date territory, but Mia had never asked why Lacey agreed to work all the holidays. Why she never talked about her family other than the giant dog she loved like a child.
“My parents kicked me out at eighteen. I guess that gave me trust issues. I mean if you can’t trust your parents…” She took a deep breath.
Mia’s face had lost all its color. “Jewelry making.”
“What?” Lacey wasn’t sure what she’d expected her date to say, but “jewelry making” wasn’t it.
“We are going to a couples’ jewelry-making class. I saw it online a few weeks ago.”
“A few weeks ago?” Lacey turned in Mia’s arms. “Did you plan to ask me out the whole time?”
Mia’s cheeks darkened as she opened the door for Lacey. “Yes. I had to work up the courage.”
Lacey waited until Mia slid into the driver’s seat. “Courage?” She placed her hand on Mia’s knee, happy to just be able to touch her freely here. “You are the most courageous person I know.”
Mia laughed and wrapped her fingers through Lacey’s. “Honey, you are gorgeous and smart and funny—when you let yourself be. I have not been able to get you out of my thoughts since the day you walked into the station more than a year ago.”
“Careful.” Lacey ran her thumb along Mia’s palm. “That might go to my head.”
“Maybe it should.” Mia winked. “You are the whole package, Lacey. You should know that.”
It was nice to hear, but Lacey knew the truth. She was able to hide the fact that she was a screwup now. But that was who’d she’d always be.
***
She was finally on a date with Lacey Broom. Mia hadn’t embellished her desire at all. She’d want to ask Lacey out the moment she’d walked into the fire station as the newest full-time paramedic.
The other fire personnel and paramedics had noticed the hottie, but she’d turned down every man and woman who’d asked.
So Mia had bided her time. Hoping for a chance and willing to just be her friend if that was what Lacey wanted.
Now she was sitting next to her, their knees touching at a jewelry-making class. And Lacey was killing it.
“How did you do that?” Mia leaned over, the scent of coconut shampoo sending lightning strikes through her.
“What?” Lacey looked up at her, her eyes bright and clearly confused that the metal wrappings she’d twisted around the blue jewel that perfectly matched her mouthwatering dress were incredibly impressive.
“That.” Mia pointed at the wire wrappings. This class was supposed to teach wire-wrapping basics. She’d picked it because it was fun and could work as a friend date if she’d hadn’t worked up the courage to ask Lacey out.
“Have you done this before? Hiding a secret talent for jewelry making?” It was completely possible. Lacey rarely talked about her past. The few nuggets she’d gleaned were that she grew up in Minnesota, hated the snow, and as of this evening, that her parents had thrown her out.
If her own mother ever had the fortune, or misfortune, of meeting them, she’d…well, the results would not be pretty. And the fact that Lacey wasn’t one of her kids wouldn’t matter, either. Paula Laury cared for everyone in her orbit.
And Mia wanted Lacey in her family’s orbit.
“Nope. I figured this was yet another thing that you were good at.” Lacey looked over at the misshapen wires, then smiled at her. “I guess not.”
“You guessed right.” Mia pushed a piece of hair out of Lacey’s eyes as she twisted the metal one more time, then held it up.
“Ta da!” This was the most Mia had ever seen her smile. She’d bring her to a different crafting event every week if it made her this happy.
Lacey set her pendant down and reached for Mia’s.
“That one is all yours to try your hand at, Lacey. Though it may be past fixing.” Fire raced up Mia’s hands as Lacey placed the pendant in her palm, then put the jewelry pliers in Mia’s other hand.
“You can do this.” Lacey stood up, moving behind her. She reached around, gripping Mia’s wrists, laying her fingers over hers lightly.
The pressure was barely there, but it was all her brain could focus on.
“Loosen up.” Lacey’s voice was soft, her breath warm on her ear. “You’re holding the stone like it might slip away any moment. It can’t run.”
Mia tipped her head. Lacey’s lips were painted red. A smattering of freckles dotted her nose. The urge to lean over and press her lips to Lacey’s shouted in her head.
The other couples were all touching. Light kisses on the lips. Soft touches on the cheek. This was meant to be a date night. No one would look their way if she pressed her lips to Lacey’s.
But first kisses were important, and if she wanted to deepen it…this was certainly not the place. Still, a soft peck…
“Ken! Ken, what are you saying?”
Lacey’s head popped up, and everyone focused on the couple in the corner. They looked to be in their late fifties, early sixties. The rest of the rooms’ participants were looking on like some tea was about to spill.
Mia had heard that tone before. Lacey was already moving.
“What is wrong? Ken!”
The man looked at Lacey, and Mia grabbed her mobile, dialing 911 immediately. The left side of the man’s face was drooping, and his arm was at a weird angle.
“I’ve got 911 on the line, Lacey.” Rule one in an emergency, make sure first responders were coming.
“We’re paramedics, Ken. I’m Lacey and that is Mia on the phone. Is your leg weak like your arm?”
“Y…Yss.” The man’s eyes were terrified as he forced the slurred word out.
“I’ve got a suspected stroke patient. Left side weakness in arm and leg. Facial drooping.”
“When did you notice him acting differently?” Lacey asked the woman he was with as Mia gave the address to the emergency operator.
“Fifteen minutes ago? It’s okay. I understand, you thought it was some weird prank. Yes, first dates can be weird.” Lacey was trying to keep the woman calm while gathering the information Mia needed to relay to the emergency dispatcher.
Another first date couple. They wouldn’t forget the experience. That was for sure.
“Were you feeling off before the date?” Lacey looked at the man; he gave a jerky nod.
That made identifying time of last normalcy more difficult.
“It’s been at least a few hours since initial symptom onset. Five-ish minutes since facial drooping and slurring made it impossible to ignore.” Mia gave a few more details as Lacey monitored symptoms. Now it was just a waiting game for the medics.
When the ambulance arrived, they waved to their colleagues, Nick and Adam, and stepped back.
“This was a memorable first date for them.” Mia watched the woman follow Nick and her older brother, Adam, to the ambulance.
“Not just for them.” Lacey reached for Mia’s hand and squeezed it. “I hope.”
“Definitely not just for them.”