Chapter 6

As the days go by, I settle into my new job with surprising ease. Suzy was a godsend. Had she not been here for the first week, I probably wouldn’t have handled the role as well. I can see why Holt was sorry to see her go. She’s quite the firecracker. I learned a lot from her, and that gives me a certain confidence in how I perform my tasks from the minute I arrive until the minute I walk out.

I’ve got Sammy and Luna on a videocall during my lunch break, courtesy of Marie. I can see they’re happy and giggly, even if a bit tired and in dire need of a nap.

“How do you like it so far?” I ask Luna.

The firehouse is empty with the guys out on a call.

“I love it,” Luna says, a broad smile drawn across her pink face. “We have so many toys!”

“Oh, I’m glad. Sammy? What about you?”

“We can’t peel him off the swing,” Marie chimes in with a light laugh .

“Love it!” Sammy exclaims. “Mama, can we get the swing at home?”

We don’t exactly have a home yet but I can’t tell my son that. He doesn’t understand our situation fully, so all I can do is offer the next best thing. “You already have a swing at daycare, honey. We can do other fun stuff at home. I got you a new book, by the way.”

“Randy the Rhino?” his eyes light up.

“Yes! You asked, I delivered.”

His little fists come together in absolute victory while Luna gives him an amused glance. “Mama, can we have pizza for dinner?”

“I’ll grab one on the way home. Alright, I have to get back to work,” I say, hearing the fire trucks pulling into the main hall. “You two be good and listen to Marie, okay?”

“Okay, Mama!” they both reply in singing unison.

“I love you guys. Thank you, Marie!”

“Don’t worry about it, honey. I’ll have Wyatt pick them up for you later, alright?”

I nod once. “Yeah, that’s helpful. Gives me enough time to stop and grab that pizza.”

The Danson brothers’ shift ends at four today. I get out at five. It’s not usually a problem since Marie often brings the kids back to the house for me, but I do like picking them up myself sometimes.

Holding a loaded document box in my hands, I make my way down the hall and pass by the lounge area just in time to see Wyatt, Eric, Chase and their colleagues climb out of their trucks and take their heavy jackets and helmets off. I notice smudged blood on Eric and Chase’s uniforms, feeling my brows furrow with concern. The looks on their faces aren’t happy. It must’ve been a bad call.

I briefly wonder how they might comfort themselves in the face of a tragic loss.

They see me just as I reach the records room. Eric’s icy blue eyes light up and he gives me a soft nod. I respond with a vague smile, stealing a quick glance at Chase and Eric before I go in to do my filing.

Inside it’s semi-dark, quiet, and dusty. One deep breath is enough to push me into a sneezing frenzy.

“Are you okay?” Eric’s voice startles me.

I whirl around to find him in the doorway. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t hear you come in.”

“It’s not like you could’ve heard me over that sneezing fit. Are you okay?” he asks again, and I can only laugh in response.

“It’s the dust. Nothing serious. I’ll get used to it.” I pause and take a moment to just look at him. He looks so hot in those firefighter pants and that tight black tee, the suspenders stretching over his bulky, ironclad shoulders. He’s got some soot on his face and hands, and I see specks of ashes in his hair. “How is your day so far?” I decide to probe him.

“Not as good as I’d like,” Eric replies with a heavy sigh. I see a brief flicker of pain in his gaze. “I keep forgetting that we can’t save everybody.”

“I’m so sorry,” I mumble. “I can only imagine what that feels like.

”

I can almost feel the heartache echoing in my chest. He smiles softly and comes closer. Suddenly, my heart decides it’s the perfect time for a gallop. Easy, girl, you’ll pass out.

“How’s your day, Halle?” Eric changes the subject along with the tone of his voice. “How are you settling in so far?”

“I like it. Chief Holt is pretty particular about a few things, but I’ve had plenty of training with Suzy, and I’m confident I can handle whatever he throws my way.”

“Good, I’m glad to hear that. This is a good place, you know? We’re like a family here. We look out for one another. I think you’ll appreciate that in the long run.”

“I already do, to be honest. I’m certainly enjoying these dinners y’all put together at the end of a shift,” I say. “And Chief Holt is an excellent cook.”

Eric stifles a hard laugh. “It’s mostly Mrs. Holt who does the cooking. I’d be surprised if the Chief knew how to boil an egg.” He takes another step toward me and my brain stops functioning altogether. “I think you’re gonna love it here, Halle. It feels like the right place for you. We’re all about fresh starts in this firehouse.”

“Oh, really?” I mumble, holding back a smile. I can’t move. I can smell the smoke mixing with his heady cologne. This man’s body is telling me one hell of a story and I’m not even touching him. Yet. All he needs is another step.

“My brothers and I came here looking for a fresh start after the Navy. Holt welcomed us with arms wide open. So did the crew. And now, you. Though I would like to know more about you, Halle.”

“What do you mean?

”

“What wasn’t clear?” he smiles, inching toward me. “I wanna know you, the real you. I wanna know how you got here, what makes you tick.”

I laugh nervously but my blood is already sizzling. The proximity is too much to bear, and he knows it. He takes advantage of my flustered reaction as he reaches out and tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. “There’s nothing interesting about me, I promise, Eric. I’m just a single mom trying to make ends meet.”

“See, I don’t agree,” he says, then closes the distance between us. “There’s a story in every glance, in every breath that you take. And I intend to read every page of you. I’m going to drink up every word.”

My knees are weak. My skin tingles everywhere as shivers tumble down my spine. His touch is electrifying, his fingers lingering on the side of my neck. We look into each other’s eyes for what feels like an eternity before he swoops down and captures my mouth in a devastating kiss.

His lips crush mine and I welcome him without hesitation. There’s a volcano yearning to explode inside me. This man sets me on fire, and there’s no putting out this blaze. I need more, I need all of him, and I completely forget myself in a span of a few seconds. He pulls me into him, one arm snaked around my waist. I’m soft against his hard body—a feeling I wish to get used to because he makes me feel safe.

“Eric, this is a bad idea,” I manage in between ragged breaths and ravenous kisses.

“Not according to your body and mine,” he whispers and playfully bites my chin .

I giggle and tilt my head back in response. Eric trails wet kisses down my neck, causing my nipples to perk up and struggle against my lacy bra. The satin shirt I’m wearing gives it away, and Eric stares at my breasts for a few seconds, his breathing faltered as he takes me in.

“Fucking hell, Halle, you’re a sight for sore eyes,” he says and plants a kiss atop the valley between my breasts. He groans as he hides his face in my chest.

It doesn’t matter that he’s smudging me with traces of soot. It doesn’t matter that his short stubble scratches my skin red. My hands are all over him and his are all over me. I’m hot on the inside, arousal pooling between my legs as I beckon him to come back up for another kiss, though this time, I’m the one delivering it, with all my passion and wanting.

He feels me sizzling in his arms while his hand slips between us.

“Eric,” I moan as he cups my breast. He squeezes, tighter and tighter, making me whimper at his touch, then he pinches the nipple through the fabric. Harder and harder until I shudder in his arms. “Oh, Eric…”

“Halle, I swear I only came in here to say hi,” he exhales sharply and lets his hand move farther down between us. With incredible dexterity, he slides it down under my pants and panties. His fingers move like lightning as they glide between my wet folds and I gasp loudly. “You’re wet for me, aren’t you?”

“Eric…”

His fingers move, teasing my swollen nub, building up unbearable tension within my core. I hold on to him, my legs parting, my hips rocking, grinding against his hand. “Tell me, Halle,” he says. “Are you wet for me?”

“Oh, yes, Eric, I’m so wet for you,” I manage, everything turning white before me. “Don’t stop, please.”

“I had no intention of stopping, baby.”

The rhythm his fingers creates is inebriating, overwhelming. I clench myself tightly as uses his middle and ring finger to penetrate me, pressing the base of his palm onto my clit.

“Oh, God, yes…” I climb this peculiar staircase to heaven, losing myself in his darkening gaze as he feels me unraveling.

I come hard as he finger-fucks me into sweet madness, my knees going weak while he squeezes every fucking drop out of my body. Ripples wash over me, pleasure gradually dissolving as I gradually make my way back down onto earth.

Eric gives me a satisfied and ridiculously seductive smirk. “We’ll finish this later.”

“What?” I can barely utter this single, confused little word.

He plants one last kiss on my lips, then gently withdraws his hand from between my legs and takes a moment to lick his fingers. “You taste fantastic, Halle. I look forward to eating you whole.”

And just like that, he walks out.

I’m left in the records room by myself, somewhat disheveled and simmering in a delicious afterglow while trying to remember what the hell I came in here for in the first place. My hair is a mess, my pulse tumbling down a thousand flights of stairs, but I can still taste the honey of Eric’s lips on mine, and it’s enough to keep me conscious.

Minutes pass before I’m able to concentrate on my original task. I take deep breaths and start filing things according to Holt’s notes.

The door opens and I turn, half expecting it be Eric coming back for round two.

“Halle,” Chase says as he enters the room. There’s a deep frown on his face. It’s been there since they got back. “Didn’t know you were still in here.”

“Still filing,” I reply with a warm smile, trying to ignore the butterflies currently fluttering through my stomach. The effect that this man has on me is equal parts undeniable and alarming. “Can… um, can I help you?” I ask.

“Yeah, I guess. I’m looking for an old fire incident report,” Chase says.

“Okay, how old?”

“2018. May, I think.”

I think about it for a moment then cross the room to the fire incident section—an entire wall covered in metallic cabinets.

“Right, 2018,” I mutter, feeling Chase’s gaze drilling holes into my back. I don’t know how this man manages to make me nervous and turn me on at the same time, but it is messing with my ability to focus. “There’s a lot of stuff in here,” I say, opening the drawer to find hundreds of files with names and dates. “Can you be a tad more specific?”

“I’ve got it,” he says, and I almost jump out of my skin. He’s so close, out-of-the-blue, that I can feel his warm breath on the back of my neck. “I’ll bring it back when I’m done.”

“Okay.

”

I stand, motionless and thoughtless as I watch him walk away. He gets to the door but then stops in his tracks. I hold my breath as he turns around and comes back. I’m about to say something, though I’m not sure what, when Chase gets so close that I feel my skin catching fire.

Little blazes everywhere as his lips are barely an inch from mine. The hint of sweat and charred wood fills my senses, along with a subtle hue of sea salt and orange zest. I can almost taste it on the tip of my tongue.

He stares at me, his eyes impossible to read.

I hold his gaze but then foolishly bite my lower lip and he kisses me.

“Chase, no,” I manage and take a step back.

He laughs, the shadow of a smile dancing over his lips, now glistening. “We’ll see.”

“What are you talking about?”

He gives me a smoldering look and walks out. For the second time today, I’m left speechless and headily aroused, yearning for more. Guilt swirls in the pit of my stomach, a sharp claw that slashes at my reasoning. No matter how I spin this, it isn’t right. It might’ve felt right in the moment, natural. But it’s not right. He’s Eric’s brother.

What the hell am I getting myself into? Finally, I manage to get my head back in the game, filing more papers in their appropriate cabinets. The more I sift and check through them, the easier it gets.

Wyatt comes in. “Hey, beautiful.”

“Great, just what I needed,” I mutter to myself. “Another Danson hunk to fry my circuits.

”

“Sorry, what?” he asks. He didn’t hear me, thank heavens.

“I said hey to you too,” I lie and put on a flat smile.

Wyatt laughs. I’ve got a feeling that he can see right through me, whether I like it or not. “I was hoping I might brighten up your day, not make it worse,” he says.

“Oh, no, Wyatt, everything is fine. I think I’m just tired. My apologies if I sounded crabby just now.” I take a deep breath and look at him again. He’s not that different from his brothers, aesthetically speaking. He has the same chiseled jawline, same straight nose, same arches above his eyes. “How can I help you?” I ask.

“I was just checking in on you, actually.”

I blink once, wondering if I heard him right. “You’re checking in on me? You guys just came back from what I understand was a really bad call, and it’s me you’re worried about?”

“I do my best to save everyone but I know I can’t. I have to focus on the good or I’ll go crazy. How are you doing?”

“Thank you, Wyatt,” I say, offering a warm and heartfelt smile. “I’m okay, I promise. Just taking it one day at a time. I like the job. It gives me focus and stability.” When Eric doesn’t have his hand down my pants, that is. Or when Chase doesn’t have his tongue down my throat. “It’s a good place to start anew. Of course, I owe you and your brothers everything. I wouldn’t be here without you.”

“You don’t owe us anything,” he says, slightly frowning as he approaches me.

I’m starting to get a serious déjà vu feeling here. The same movements. The same thickening air between us. The same shiver of anticipation darting through my core. I’d thought the whole Chase thing was wrong but this is taking it to the next level.

“Halle, you needed help. We were there to provide it. We still are. It doesn’t cost us anything to make sure that you and your children are safe,” Wyatt adds.

This time, however, I’m the one taking small but definitive steps toward him. What is happening here?

“We’re living in your house. Eating your food. You bought us clothes and other necessities, Wyatt. I will pay you back for everything as soon as I get on my feet,” I say.

“You don’t have to do that,” he replies. “I’m not going to accept your money, and rest assured my brothers won’t, either. In fact, they will feel offended.”

“I’m not a charity case,” I shoot back, letting my pride momentarily get the better of me. “I’m going to pay you back.”

“You’ve made our lives a tad better just by being there,” Wyatt chuckles softly. “Hearing Luna and Sammy laughing and running through the house, smelling the great food you cook for us whenever we finish a shift…. You have nothing to pay us back for.”

“Why are you and your brothers so kind?” I groan with slight frustration. It makes him laugh as I step even closer.

“You’re not used to being around decent folks, I suppose.”

“Guess not. The folks I thought were good turned out to be monsters,” I say, lowering my gaze for a moment.

It’s all Wyatt needs to reach out and clasp my chin between his thumb and index finger, inviting me to look up and meet his gaze. I’m drowning in those wild green pools of his for a moment, losing control over my thoughts as I struggle to keep my breath steady.

“I’m sorry you had to deal with whatever it was that brought you to our doorstep, Halle, but I’m not sorry you walked into our lives,” he says, making my heart beat faster. “If anything, I’m already looking for ways to stop you from leaving when you do get back on your feet.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I whisper, hypnotized by his magnificent presence.

“I’ll get back to you on that,” Wyatt replies, then leans closer and kisses the tip of my nose. “You keep doing what you’re doing, Halle. I’m loving every second of it.”

A small peck on the nose was enough to turn me inside out and upside down. I’m holding my breath as Wyatt pulls back and withdraws from the records room. A second passes. Then another. By the third or fourth, I become aware of the fact that I’m yet again on my own, my senses buzzing, turned on by another Danson man. What is it with these guys and their incredible sex appeal?