Operation Date Escape

I’ve got to go.”
    “Good luck!” her friend called out as Kelsie snapped the phone shut and shoved it back into her purse.
    A second later, the passenger door opened and her date popped his head inside. “Need help getting out?”
    “No, I think I can manage.”
    She slung her purse over her shoulder and then scooted onto the wheelchair with a frown. Here she was, queen of date escapes, and she couldn’t think of any way to get out of this mess she’d gotten herself into. Other than the truth, which she wasn’t about to use and hurt Cornelius’ feelings.
    Thankfully the waiting room was packed, guaranteeing them a very long stay. Maybe, just maybe, her date would decide the wait wasn’t worth it and take her home like she’d asked.
    He didn’t.
    An hour later, she found herself thinking the truth might not be such a bad thing after all. They hadn’t known each other long enough to develop any real feelings for each other. How hard could he take it?
    “I have to tell you,” her date said, turning to face her. “I had my doubts, this being a blind date and all, but despite this little mishap I’ve really had a great time this evening. You’re everything your mother said you were.”
    Had her mother included liar in her list of qualities?
    This whole situation was her mother’s fault.
    “Kelsie?”
    She looked up, following the sound of that deep, husky, all too familiar voice. Sure enough, Nanci’s ‘calendar hunk’ from Casey’s Bar and Grill was making his way across the waiting room toward her. Only this time he was in full uniform and looking incredibly hot.
    “Cole?”

    She remembered his name. That kicked Cole’s pulse up a notch and he might very well have grinned with pleasure were he not concerned about why she was sitting in the emergency room in a wheelchair.
    “What happened?” he asked with a worried frown.
    The man seated next to her jumped into the conversation. “She twisted her ankle while we were rollerblading.”
    Cole looked to her questioningly. “Rollerblading?
    She turned to the man beside her. “ Cole’s a fire fighter with the Worthington Fire Department. He knows how dangerous in-line skating can be.”
    She was right. He’d seen firsthand the injuries caused by in-line skating accidents.
    “I stopped rollerblading when Cole and I were dating,” she continued with a glance in his direction.
    He looked down at her, his brows drawing together in confusion. “What?”
    She pushed out of the wheelchair and rose up, balancing on one foot as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
    He glanced past the woman who had besieged his thoughts all day to the man who had accompanied her there. “Did she hit her head when she fell?”
    “No. Most of the falls she took were on her a- . Uh, I mean her backside.”
    “Play along,” she whispered in his ear, the feel of which wreaked havoc on Cole’s senses. “I’ve missed you so much,” she said much louder, following that up with a sniffle.
    He was a trained professional. He’d be willing to bet money there wasn’t a damn thing wrong with her ankle. Not after he’d seen the way she’d shot up out of the wheelchair to greet him.
    “I’ve missed you, too,” he replied with a grin, wrapping his arms possessively about her tiny waist. He had no idea what was going on there, but he wasn’t going to refuse the chance to hold her after fantasizing about it all night long.
    “Cole Maxwell,” he said, letting one hand leave Kelsie long enough to reach down and shake the other man’s hand.
    “Cornelius Benson.”
    “What are you doing here?” she asked as she clung to him.
    “I suffered some smoke inhalation during a run today and had to be checked out.”
    “ Are you alright?” she asked, her expression one of genuine concern.
    “ I’ll live.” He ran a splayed hand up and down her back and smiled. “And holding you in my arms makes me feel a whole lot better.”
    “Don’t get too comfortable,” she whispered, her lips brushing his ear. Then she raised her voice again with dramatic flair. “It feels so good to be in them again. Better than I remember. I know what I said before about the two of us, but I was wrong.”
    “You were?” He had no idea what kind of game she was playing, but he was off-duty now. Might as well play along and see what the little spitfire was up to.
    She loosened her hold on him and leaned back, looking up at him with those beautiful green