A Fallen Heart Read Online Free Page B

so?”
    “I caught a lot of flak from some of the other medics there, and Clint, my partner, and I never clicked. He was a nice enough guy and a good paramedic. I never had to second-guess decisions he made on a call or anything. But I always secretly thought he believed he might ‘catch the gay’ from me.”
    “What a douche.”
    “Yep. Maybe I had unrealistic expectations of how partners were supposed to be. My dad was a paramedic, and his partner was his best friend. I always wanted that, to have that close relationship, but Clint always felt like a stranger I was stuck in the truck with for hours at a time.”
    “And Adam’s better?”
    “Yeah. They’ve taken me in and made me part of their family, giving me shit like I’ve always been there, and this is only a few weeks in. It’s kind of incredible. I was lucky to get in on that platoon at that station.”
    “I think you were one of the only ones to apply.”
    Nash tucked one hand into his pocket. “Maybe. My old unit chief mentioned that crew had a reputation. I won’t repeat what he called them. He and I never got along that well either. I guess he heard that some of the other guys were gay and thought I’d fit right in. I do, but I hope it has more to do with my stellar personality than with my appreciation for cock.”
    Ford laughed around the last drag of his cigarette before putting it out and dropping the butt in an empty bottle.
    “We should probably get back in,” Ford said, a little shiver going through him. They’d been out there longer than he’d anticipated, and the more time he spent with Nash, the more he liked him. In fact, Nash had Ford’s type written all over him, but that was definitely not going to happen.
     
     
    AS THE evening wore on, the cobbler was consumed, the dishes put away, and more than half the wine bottles emptied. They were sitting in the living room, bullshitting with one another and relaxing. Ford’s tension melted away with each glass of wine and story shared. He sank into the couch, pulling his feet up under him, and enjoyed being with his people.
    “So Nash,” Sam began, staring directly at Nash. “You play for our team, huh?”
    “Dex,” Adam started, but Sam ignored him.
    “Mmm-hmm,” Nash hummed around the rim of his wineglass as he tipped the merlot into his mouth.
    “So that makes Rob the only straight boy in our crew.”
    Rob threw his arm around Caleb and leaned his head down against Caleb’s shoulder. “How can you be so sure?” He batted his eyelashes.
    Caleb chuckled and pushed him off. “Dude, there isn’t enough money in the world.”
    Rob feigned irritation and moved away from Caleb. “You would be so lucky, Caleb Callaghan.”
    Caleb rolled his eyes.
    Sam ignored them both. “Are you seeing anyone?”
    Sam glanced over to Adam.
    “Don’t even think about it,” Adam warned.
    “Oh, come on. I want all our friends to be as happy as we are. Who can we set him up with? Caleb! You’re single.”
    Caleb grinned. “No offense, Nash. You’re pretty and all, but I don’t date medics. Ever. Too much bullshit flying around the service already—I don’t need gossip about my love life added to it.”
    “You’re afraid he’d blab about how small your dick is,” Rob teased him.
    Caleb growled and stood, his hands flying to his belt buckle. “Small, huh?”
    “Goddammit, Caleb, no one wants to see your dick. Sit the fuck down,” Adam barked.
    “What about that guy you set me up with, Ford?” Sam paid no attention at all to Caleb’s display, focusing instead on Ford. His mind seemed to be made up about matchmaking for Nash.
    “Dave?” Ford remembered the failed blind date he’d arranged when Sam and Adam had been broken up.
    The growl that came from Adam was loud in the room and pushed Ford into fits of laughter.
    “Don’t be an idiot, Adam,” Ford scolded. “If he wants to set Dave up with Nash, obviously he’s not interested. It didn’t work out in the first place, and