The lads explode in laughter. Hollywood slaps the table. Phoenix nearly chokes on his coffee. Bear laughs from the corner of the room.
My ears burn hotter than a three-alarm blaze.
Chief just keeps staring, one brow arched. “Gorgeous, huh?”
I open my mouth, then shut it again, because whatever I say next is only going to dig me deeper.
The lads keep laughing, and just like that, the nickname Draco rings louder than ever in the room—half dragon, half idiot with a death wish.
“Careful, Draco,” Bear rumbles through his laughter. “You’re about to get barbecued.”
Hollywood smirks. “Guess we’ll be planning a funeral if he shows up at Sparks’ place with flowers. Cause of death, Chief’s fist.”
Phoenix leans back in his chair, grinning like the devil. “Nah, Chief’ll just make him muck out the truck bay for the rest of his career. Man’ll be polishing rims till he’s eighty.”
“Either that or cat rescue duty,” Bear says.
“It was cat rescue duty that got him into this mess, by the sounds of it,” Phoenix says.
I roll my eyes, but the heat creeping up my neck betrays me. “You lot done?”
“Not even close,” Hollywood fires back, still grinning. “Gotta admit, though… you’ve got balls. Chief’s sister? That’s a line even I wouldn’t cross.”
Chief doesn’t crack a smile. He just plants himself by the coffeepot, pours a mug as if he’s got all the time in the world, then takes a slow sip. His dark eyes never leave mine.
The room goes quiet again, tension humming like a live wire.
Finally, Chief sets his mug down. “One thing you need to understand, dragon boy.” His voice is steady, but heavy enough to crush a man flat. “My sister’s old enough to make her own decisions on who she dates, but I can guarantee, you’ll be the one who needs rescuing if you get yourself involved in her chaotic lifestyle.” He turns and mutters something about crazy cats while he stirs his coffee.
“Yessir,” I murmur, because what the hell else am I supposed to say?
The lads lose it again, the sound bouncing off the walls.
“Don’t worry, Chief,” Phoenix chimes in, slapping my back. “We’ll keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn’t start breathing fire on your sister.”
The nickname rings out again, louder this time, everyone joining in. “Draco! Draco! Draco!”
I bury my face in my hands. Bloody perfect.
“You know what?” Chief takes a slow, smug sip of his coffee. “You want the school talks? They’re all yours, kid.”
The lads all explode again in laughter.
“Wait. What?”
Chief’s eyes glint with dark amusement, his smirk hidden behind his mug of coffee. “You might think you’re smokin’ dragon boy, but my sister doesn’t date. You’d have more chance of tapping Bear.”
Bear wiggles his eyebrows at me with a hearty laugh while Hollywood wipes the tears from his eyes, and I realise I’ve just been stitched up by the whole damn firehouse.
The alarm bell shrieks, cutting through the laughter, saving me from further humiliation. The crew shoot to their feet, chairs scraping, laughter replaced by the thunder of boots as we grab our gear.
Adrenaline replaces embarrassment. This is the rhythm—one minute you’re the butt of the joke, the next you’re suiting up to save someone’s life.
And as I pull on my jacket and climb into the engine, I can’t help the grin tugging at my lips. Even with Chief breathing down my neck and the lads roasting me alive… Ember Sparks is still one hot, gorgeous mess that I want to roll in. Chief’s sister or not, there’s no harm in making a few more friends in this town. Besides, it’s not like I can get it on with my kid’s teacher.
Chapter Five
EMBER
