Finding Chris Evans: The 9-1-1 Edition by Erin Nicholas
Authors: Erin Nicholas
her—why Chris took the job so seriously, why he was so focused and determined at the scenes and why he demanded that of all of the entire crew—that all she’d been able to do was hug him. And he’d welcome her arms around him.
“Cheating and stealth aren’t the same thing,” Nathan finally said. Then he frowned. “Are they?”
Britt laughed. “No, not really. But fine. We were hiding. You caught us.”
“Why were you hiding?” Nathan asked suspiciously. “That is cheating.”
She shook her head. “No it’s not. We aren’t saying we won or anything. We just didn’t play. But you can’t tell grandma. You know she likes everyone to play everything.”
“But why were you hiding?” Jase asked. “You love paint ball.”
“Well—” Britt looked up at Chris and decided to go with as much truth as she could. After all, the kids were probably going to tell on her and she needed to have a good reason for sitting the game out. “Chris and I wanted to go off somewhere together alone for a while.”
Jase frowned. “Why?”
“Because we wanted to kiss,” she told him. They had kissed. Along with the talking.
Jase’s nose wrinkled. “Ew. You were kissing?”
Britt nodded. “We were. Like this.” She took the front of Chris’ shirt in her fist and pulled him down. He came willingly, kissing her deeply in spite of their young audience.
“Gross! Okay, stop!” Nathan said.
Chris lifted his head, grinning down at her. “I promise, you guys, someday you’re going to think our idea to hide was the best one anyone’s had all day.”
“Ugh,” Jase said.
“And I could kiss your Aunt Britt all night,” Chris said.
The boys groaned and then ran off, clearly worried about having to witness more of that.
Britt grinned up at Chris. “Thanks for today.”
He moved to face her fully, his hands on her hips. “Of course. It’s been fun.”
“Fun looks good on you.”
“Then I should probably keep hanging out with you. I haven’t really had fun like this in…maybe forever.”
Her heart tripped at that. Keep hanging out? As in, he wanted to keep seeing her? “Chris, I—”
Suddenly their pagers both went off. They looked at one another, then down at their pagers.
“I’m being called in,” Britt said.
Chris nodded. “Looks like the other crews are out.” Chris wasn’t being called in, but as the crew leader, he was informed of where all the crews were when calls came in.
“So, I’ll…” She looked around. “Can I…take your truck?”
Chris had driven them to the party, and she’d hoped that meant that he’d stick around at her place when he took her home.
“I’m coming with you.”
She met his eyes. “Really?” She wasn’t actually surprised.
“Yep.” There was no teasing in his expression.
“Then let’s go.” She started for the front of the Zone at a jog.
Chapter Six
“Got a call!” she yelled to her mom and brothers. “I’ll see you later! I love you!” Thankfully, her family was used to her having to leave in the middle of things. They didn’t like it, but they were used to it.
And they’d made it through the party without anyone knowing about her thumb. Wow, she almost couldn’t believe it. The joint ached, but not only was it worth not worrying her mother, but it had definitely been fun having Chris glued to her side and so attentive all day.
Fifteen minutes later, they pulled up outside the address they’d been sent to. It was a gas station in a not-so-nice part of town. Cops were already on scene, but Britt and Chris were the first paramedics. It didn’t surprise her a bit that Chris had an EMT bag in his truck. It wasn’t uncommon for him to get called in on big scenes or to even just show up to help and, of course, he would always be prepared for anything.
He grabbed the bag and they headed toward the Chief of Police.
“What’s up, Gary?” Chris asked.
“There’s a guy holed up inside with a gun and his two kids,” the
“Cheating and stealth aren’t the same thing,” Nathan finally said. Then he frowned. “Are they?”
Britt laughed. “No, not really. But fine. We were hiding. You caught us.”
“Why were you hiding?” Nathan asked suspiciously. “That is cheating.”
She shook her head. “No it’s not. We aren’t saying we won or anything. We just didn’t play. But you can’t tell grandma. You know she likes everyone to play everything.”
“But why were you hiding?” Jase asked. “You love paint ball.”
“Well—” Britt looked up at Chris and decided to go with as much truth as she could. After all, the kids were probably going to tell on her and she needed to have a good reason for sitting the game out. “Chris and I wanted to go off somewhere together alone for a while.”
Jase frowned. “Why?”
“Because we wanted to kiss,” she told him. They had kissed. Along with the talking.
Jase’s nose wrinkled. “Ew. You were kissing?”
Britt nodded. “We were. Like this.” She took the front of Chris’ shirt in her fist and pulled him down. He came willingly, kissing her deeply in spite of their young audience.
“Gross! Okay, stop!” Nathan said.
Chris lifted his head, grinning down at her. “I promise, you guys, someday you’re going to think our idea to hide was the best one anyone’s had all day.”
“Ugh,” Jase said.
“And I could kiss your Aunt Britt all night,” Chris said.
The boys groaned and then ran off, clearly worried about having to witness more of that.
Britt grinned up at Chris. “Thanks for today.”
He moved to face her fully, his hands on her hips. “Of course. It’s been fun.”
“Fun looks good on you.”
“Then I should probably keep hanging out with you. I haven’t really had fun like this in…maybe forever.”
Her heart tripped at that. Keep hanging out? As in, he wanted to keep seeing her? “Chris, I—”
Suddenly their pagers both went off. They looked at one another, then down at their pagers.
“I’m being called in,” Britt said.
Chris nodded. “Looks like the other crews are out.” Chris wasn’t being called in, but as the crew leader, he was informed of where all the crews were when calls came in.
“So, I’ll…” She looked around. “Can I…take your truck?”
Chris had driven them to the party, and she’d hoped that meant that he’d stick around at her place when he took her home.
“I’m coming with you.”
She met his eyes. “Really?” She wasn’t actually surprised.
“Yep.” There was no teasing in his expression.
“Then let’s go.” She started for the front of the Zone at a jog.
Chapter Six
“Got a call!” she yelled to her mom and brothers. “I’ll see you later! I love you!” Thankfully, her family was used to her having to leave in the middle of things. They didn’t like it, but they were used to it.
And they’d made it through the party without anyone knowing about her thumb. Wow, she almost couldn’t believe it. The joint ached, but not only was it worth not worrying her mother, but it had definitely been fun having Chris glued to her side and so attentive all day.
Fifteen minutes later, they pulled up outside the address they’d been sent to. It was a gas station in a not-so-nice part of town. Cops were already on scene, but Britt and Chris were the first paramedics. It didn’t surprise her a bit that Chris had an EMT bag in his truck. It wasn’t uncommon for him to get called in on big scenes or to even just show up to help and, of course, he would always be prepared for anything.
He grabbed the bag and they headed toward the Chief of Police.
“What’s up, Gary?” Chris asked.
“There’s a guy holed up inside with a gun and his two kids,” the