"Lieutenant Crawford. I was hoping to catch you."
I hated how my name in her mouth made my skin warm. She moved toward me with purpose, closing the distance between us.
Up close, her scent was delicious, reminding me of something citrusy or clean. "What brings you to 791?" I asked.
She smiled. "Gisselle, please. I think it's pretty obvious. I wanted to thank you for saving my life. Things were a bit chaotic at the scene."
I shifted my weight to widen my stance. "Just doing my job. Anyone on my crew would have done the same." I rubbed the back of my neck.
From the corner of my eye, Dane and Evan exchanged a look, making me want to assign them to bathroom duty for a month.
"Maybe, but it wasn't anyone else who carried me out of that burning house. It was you. So, thank you, Lieutenant Crawford. I'm alive because of you."
I cleared my throat, wishing she'd stop looking at me like that. Gisselle was a dangerous woman, and chasing a woman wasn't in my life's plan right now.
"Has your recovery been okay? Any lingering respiratory issues?"
"All clear. Though everything I own still stinks like a bonfire." She laughed.
"That will fade. Give it a few more washes."
Gisselle nodded, then gestured toward the bay doors. "I was in the neighborhood for work. I'm heading up a restoration project for the old Harlow Building on Main."
"The brick building with the weird gargoyles on the corners?" I asked, amused.
Her face lit up. "Yes, that's the one! It's a beautiful example of late 19th-century commercial architecture. The interior needs a complete overhaul, but we're preserving as many of the original elements as possible."
Her enthusiasm drew me in and made me want to keep the light in her eyes shining. Before I responded, Jaxon slid into the conversation.
"The Lieutenant here knows every building in town. Blaze knows the layout of every structure you might have to run into," he disclosed, clapping a hand on my shoulder.
I immediately shrugged it off.
Gisselle raised an eyebrow, amusement playing at the corners of her mouth.
"Blaze is my call sign from the academy," I explained.
"It suits you," she commented, and there was something in her tone that made me look directly at her again — no teasing or flirtation, just her straightforward assessment, which I noticed at the fire scene. It was as if she saw parts of me others missed.
My crew watched us like we were the most entertaining show they'd seen in months. Connor didn't try to hide his smirk. Evanwas suddenly interested in inspecting a hose near us, and Dane waggled his eyebrows at me.
"I should get back to these reports. I'm glad you're recovering well, Ms. Dan… Gisselle," I corrected myself.
"Of course. I won't keep you from your work. It was nice meeting everyone. Thanks for the coffee and tour," she added, looking around at my crew.
"Anytime. Our doors are always open to the citizens of Goodwin Grove," Dane commented.
"Especially the pretty ones," Jaxon added.
I shot him a look that promised retribution during our next training session, then turned back to Gisselle. "Do you need someone to walk you out?" I asked.
"I think I can find my way," she replied with a smile.
I nodded stiffly, frustrated by my awkwardness. "Right. Well. Take care."
As she turned to leave, I caught myself watching the confident sway of her walk. She carried herself like a woman comfortable in her own skin. I picked up on it during the rescue — a core strength that didn't waver, even in crisis.
Dane slid up to me after Gisselle exited the door. "That's fire girl, huh?"
