OPERATION: DATE ESCAPE by Lindsey Brookes

His gaze settled on her bare feet, his dimple deepening.  Then those dark eyes lifted to meet hers.  “How about a trade?”
    “A trade?” 
    “Your favorite heels for a date.  I’m off duty Saturday.  Let me take you out to dinner.”
    Warning bells went off in her head.  This was the one man who could get beyond the protective barriers she’d put up.  With that devastatingly sexy dimpled grin and deep, soothing voice, it would be too easy to risk her heart with him.  No matter how attracted she was to Cole Maxwell, she couldn’t go out with him.
    “I’m sor—”
    “She’ll do it,” Nanci said, cutting her off.
    The paramedic examining her chuckled, but continued on about his business.
    “Good.  I’ll pick her up at seven.”  That said, Cole deposited her heels on her lap and walked away, whistling as he went. 
    She looked up at her friend in disbelief.  “I can’t believe you just told him I’d go out with him.  Who do you think you are, my mother?”
    “I happen to be your best friend and it’s my job to know what’s good for you.”  Nanci glanced in the direction of Cole’s departing form.  “And that man there is mmm...mmm...good.  So is his friend over there.  Did you see how he man-handled that big truck?”
    “That would be Joe,” the paramedic supplied with a chuckle as he slid the blood pressure cuff off Kelsie’s arm.
    “Is he single?” she asked, her eyes alight with interest.
    “As single as they come.”
    “Well then, if you two will excuse me, I’m going to go see about getting myself a ‘cup of Joe’.”  And off she went.
    Kelsie could only imagine what it took for this man to remain professional, but he did.  With only the barest hint of a smile, he filled out his paperwork while she slipped her heels back on.
    “Okay, you’re free to go,” he said when he was done.  Then he helped her out of the vehicle.  “Oh, and in case you’re worried, Cole really is a good guy.”
    Too good.   That was the whole problem.
    *               *              *
    It appeared Cole Maxwell wasn’t the only hunky firefighter in the Worthington fire Department.  Nanci crossed the yard with a smile, heading back to the rescue truck that had been used in getting Kelsie down.
    “Impressive,” she muttered as she stepped up behind ‘Cup of Joe’ who was bent over, reaching into one of the truck’s countless side compartments.  Nice ass.
    The fair-haired firefighter straightened and turned, his blue eyes meeting hers.  “Excuse me?”
    “The truck,” she said, pointing past him with a playful grin.  “It’s so big and you drive it so well.  Then again, I’ll bet you’re good at almost anything you do.”
    He smiled.  “Everything.”
    “What?”
    “I’m good at everything I do,” he said with a cockiness that made her stomach flutter wildly.  The man was flirting with her.  Let the games begin. 
    “I’m sure you are,” she replied.   Her gaze moved over the hunk in blue, taking in every manly inch of him, the broad shoulders, muscular arms, narrow waist.  She’d never dated a guy in uniform, but after checking out the fine specimen in front of her she found herself wondering why that was. 
    She held out her hand.  “I’m Nanci.”
    “Cupcake’s friend.”
    “Cupcake?”
    “The woman Cole pulled from the tree.”
    “Oh,” she laughed.  “You mean Kelsie.  Yeah, I’m the one who called for help.”
    He nodded and reached for the hand she was offering him.  “Lucky for her.  I’m Joe.”
    “Unfortunately, Kelsie doesn’t share your opinion.  She wants to strangle me for calling 9-1-1.” 
    “It’s better than spending the night in a tree,” he said with a grin as he released her hand.
    “And outside of a strip club at that.”   She met his gaze.  “And FYI, she didn’t know it was that kind of place when she went inside.”
    “Some exit she made.”
    “Long story.”
    “ No doubt.”  He