"Koi has a spot guaranteed at the fire department, and I've already finished school, so I'll be an EMT."
I paused, a pair of fishnets in my hand. "Oh wow. I wouldn't have guessed that."
"And I never would have guessed you'd return." He snickered.
"I didn't plan on it," I muttered.
"Speaking of planning, did you plan on trying on any of this?" He lifted one of the dresses out of the pile in his arms.
"Can I trust you not to peek if I go to that dressing room over there?" I pointed to the closet with a curtain that covered barely anything.
Swayze's expression darkened, and the grin that spread on his face sent chills down to a place that was... new to me.
"No," he said.
Rule 15 - Koi
Wear a swimsuit under your clothes.
Me: Where the fuck are you?
Swayze: Shopping. Give me an hour.
Iglanced at my watch. I had to be at the firehouse in ten minutes. I didn't have time for him to go shopping. I looked around the camp. Who else had a car that could take me? Fuck it, I'd rather walk.
"What are you looking for?" Mattias and Mitchell, his boyfriend, walked over.
I brushed my hair back. "I need a ride to the fire station. Swayze is with your little sister, taking her shopping," I said as if it was his fault.
"Oh, yeah, I did hear about that. It's a test." Mattias nodded and pulled out his keys. "Come on, I'll take you over."
I followed them out of the park. "What do you mean a test?" I asked from the back of Mattias's car.
"Fabian's worried she'll run. He sent Swayze with her to make sure that doesn't happen."
I shook my head and sat back. Would anyone blame her? Their sister had literally offered me money to kill her.
"What do you think?" Mitchell asked from the passenger's seat. He was more quiet and liked to move around the camp like a calm shadow, unlike me, who needed people to know when I was coming.
"It's hard to say." Mattias looked uncomfortable. "What's going on here?"
Cars were lined up on the road. Kids were running around with balloons and music was being played loudly from the roof of the firehouse. We pulled in and I thanked them quickly, heading inside without dawdling.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
"Well, well, well, nice of you to show up, rookie." Captain Simmons came from his office, pissed off. I put my hands up.
"Swayze took my truck, sir. I'm here now. Where do you want me?"
"Grab a boot and get out there," he snapped, pointing to the gear. I hurried to grab a large rubber boot and ran out to join the other firemen in collecting donations from townspeople.
This was our biggest fundraiser of the year, and fucking Swayze made me late.
Despite my irritation and anxiety over what the captain would do to punish me for being late, I put on a smile and worked my charm on the ladies who'd come to see hot firemen. Soon, my boot was just as full with donations as the other men who'd shown up on time.
"Maitland, over here!" the captain barked as I was emptying my boot and preparing to head back out. I looked for him and found him across the yard. He stood next to two large metal tubs. I rushed over.
"Yes, sir!"
