Dare You by Ella Frank
Kieran
“OH, SO YOU are alive. That’s good to know. I was going to send out a search party after you didn’t come home last night.” Olsen’s shit-talking mouth was flapping as usual as I walked into the kitchen, searching out a hot cup of joe.
It was the start of my twenty-four hours on after forty-eight free, and I wasn’t ashamed to admit I’d spent a good portion of that time unwinding in the best way possible. In someone else’s bed.
“Aww, you waited up for me?” I grabbed the coffee pot and glanced over to Olsen, who was stuffing his face with a forkful of scrambled eggs. “That’s really sweet.”
Olsen flipped me off and reached for his juice. “More like rejoiced when I realized I wouldn’t have to wait an hour to use the shower this morning.”
I grabbed the milk from the fridge, sniffed it to make sure it was good, then poured some into my mug. “Hey, it takes time to look this good.”
“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Brumm said as he entered the kitchen and made a beeline for the coffee. “The guy wins one contest and he thinks he’s a fucking movie star.”
“Nah,” I said, and leaned back against the stainless-steel counter. “Just the hottest fireman in Chicago.”
Brumm made a gagging sound as I took a sip of my coffee. “So glad that shit hasn’t gone to your head, KB.”
“Hey, I’m not the one who came up with the ridiculous charity event. But the city of Chicago spoke. I was just there doing my civic duty.”
“Civic duty my ass.” Olsen grabbed up the magazine on the table beside him. “You worked out like a maniac for two weeks straight before that stupid event because everyone knows that to the winner goes the spoils. And by spoils I mean Kaitlyn, Lucinda, Fiona, and what was last night’s name?”
“Summer.” I grinned. “And man was she hot.”
Brumm grimaced. “Oh God, can someone find me a bucket?”
“Pretty sure your mom has one. You still living there? Or you find a new place?”
“Don’t you be talking about my mom. I don’t know what you did with that mouth last night.”
I shoved away from the island and made my way toward the hall leading to the chief’s office. “I can give you Summer’s number; she’d be more than happy to tell you.”
The sound of their ribbing followed me out the door as I made my way toward the chief’s office, where I knocked and waited for permission to enter.
“Come in.”
With my coffee in hand, I pushed open the door and found Chief Parker sitting behind his computer. In his early fifties, the chief was a tall, well-built guy with closely cropped salt-and-pepper hair. He had a no-nonsense attitude and a good three decades of experience fighting fires, and used that knowledge to mold and shape some of the best firefighters in the company.
He ran a tight ship that was one hundred percent loyal to him, and anyone who was lucky enough to be at firehouse seventy-three soon learned that it was a privilege to work for the man. One that each and every one of us understood and respected every time we set foot in his station.
He glanced up and sat back in his chair. “KB, how are you doing this morning?”
“Good, Chief. Good. Rested up and ready to go.”
Chief smirked, and it was clear Olsen’s smack talk had started long before I arrived this morning if it had already made its way through the halls. “That’s what I like to hear.”
“Anything I should know?”
“Nope. Everything went smoothly last shift, nothing to report. I have a meeting across town later this afternoon, so if you don’t mind keeping an eye on things?”
“You got it. Anything else?”
“That’s it.”
“Then I’ll let you get back to it.”
“Appreciate it.”
I gave a clipped nod and headed out the door, taking another sip of my coffee. It was time to get the day started. I made my way back in the kitchen to see that everyone had arrived for shift and was milling about finishing off a quick breakfast or cup of the good stuff. So I rinsed my mug and stacked it in the dishwasher.
It was equipment check time, and if someone didn’t light a fire under these guys’ asses, they’d be dragging until a literal fire came along to burn their asses.
I headed out from the kitchen area and over to the doors that led to the app bay. “Okay, it’s time to stop sitting around gossiping like a bunch of little old ladies—”
“Old ladies? Don’t tell me I have the wrong firehouse.” I turned at the sound of an unfamiliar voice to see a man standing behind me in one of the most outlandish outfits I’d ever seen in my life.
In a pair of dark blue flared jeans that were so tight I was surprised he could zip them up, the man’s long legs put him at around the same height as me—six-two. He’d paired them with a fitted blue blazer and flouncy blouse that was cream-colored with blue patterns all over it, and at the neck was this huge bow.
It was distracting as hell, and I was doing my best not to stare, but come on, when a man’s standing in front of you with a gigantic bow tied around his neck like a birthday present, it’s difficult to look away.
His dark-rimmed eyes cast an appreciative glance over each of us, and then he smiled. “No, I think this is the right one. Or maybe you can put on those sexy jackets again so I can be sure.”
“Um.” I glanced back at the guys to see their jaws were all practically on the floor, and for once in their damn lives, they were silent. Then I turned back to our…guest. “Can I help you?”
“Oh, you already did. Or one of you did. I was in the fire at the Royale a couple of nights ago, and would’ve met an untimely demise if it weren’t for someone here.” He held up the large gift basket in his hands. “Just wanted to show my thanks.”
When no one made a move to take the basket off his hands—shock will do that to you—the man set the basket down on the closest table and smoothed his hands down his flared pants. Not so much in a nervous gesture, but more like he was making sure he was still perfectly put together.
“You were at the Royale?” Usually I had pretty good recall, but for some reason I couldn’t seem to place him.
The man cocked his head, and then a light flickered behind his eyes. “Oh, you may not recognize me. I was wearing the most fabulous Valentino red sequined gown that evening, but I don’t bring out the designer dresses during the day. It’s a bit much, don’t you think?”
I heard a scoff from behind and turned to see Davis mouth, It’s your prince, and that was when it hit—Miss Razzle Dazzle? Holy shit. Okay. I did my level best to glare Davis to death before turning back to the man who thought that this bold choice of clothing today was in any way less than what he’d worn the other night.
“So.” The man scanned the room, an eyebrow raised. “Who do I have the pleasure of thanking for their chivalry?”
I was standing there dumbfounded, trying to wrap my brain around everything I’d just put together, when Olsen sauntered up beside me and slung an arm around my shoulders.
“That’d be this guy right here. Lieutenant Kieran Bailey. You’re lucky; he’s one of our most…sought after firemen. He just got through telling us this morning that serving Chicago is his number one civic duty. Isn’t that right, KB?”
I was going to kill him. It wouldn’t be so bad living on my own again, right?
The man stepped forward and extended his hand. “Well, Lieutenant Kieran Bailey, I’m in your debt. Sebastian Vogel.”
I reached for his hand, not about to be rude, and noticed his nails were perfectly polished and a glossy shade of blue to match his outfit. “There’s no debt to pay. It’s all part of the job.”
“Well, I appreciate it all the same.” His eyes roved over my face, and when he looked at our hands, I realized I still held his.
I released it and chuckled. “I’m sorry.” I had no idea what I was apologizing for, but when a smile slowly stretched across his lips, I got the distinct impression he did.
“Whatever for, handsome?”
Yeah, I didn’t need to answer that, so instead, I turned and gestured toward the others. “That’s Davis over there, Olsen, Brumm, Sanderson, and our candidate, Lee. They were part of the crew that helped you out.”
Sebastian’s hand covered his heart. “My oh my. So many muscled men in one building. How do you get any work done?”
Silence filled the room, as no one seemed to have an answer for Sebastian’s flirtatious comment. It wasn’t often that we received visitors, and never like the man standing in front of us with more confidence and sass in his little finger than most people had in their entire body.
After all, he’d struck us all speechless, hadn’t he?
I cleared my throat when it became obvious everyone else had swallowed their tongues. “Thank you for the gift basket. That’s nice of you.”
“Oh, it’s nothing.” He waved me off, but the smile he wore said he appreciated the acknowledgment. “I figured with the way you climbed all those stairs that you could use the carbs.”
Behind me, Olsen chuckled and said, “You’re not wrong.”
“Let me give you my card, and if you’d like more, or if there’s anything, anything else you need, please don’t hesitate to call.” Sebastian slipped his slim hand inside his blazer and then produced a small rectangular business card. I took it from him and didn’t dare look away. He peered around me and Olsen to wave at the guys behind us. “Have a good day, boys.”
I could only imagine the dumbstruck looks on their faces, considering there was zero response. But Sebastian Vogel seemed unfazed by the reaction—or lack thereof—and returned his attention to me.
“I hope I didn’t take up too much of your time.”
I shook my head. “Of course not. We’re just happy you’re safe, aren’t we, guys?”
A grumble of affirmation came from all around me, and Sebastian knowingly smirked. “As am I. Thank you again, Lieutenant Kieran Bailey.”
I inclined my head as he turned and headed out the same way he’d come in. With his shoulders straight and his head held high, he exited the firehouse as though he were walking a runway, and I couldn’t help but remember the mile-high stiletto I’d rescued for him the night of the fire. I wondered if he walked just as confidently in those.
Wait, what?
“If you need anything, anything at all, please don’t hesitate to call.” I turned to see Olsen batting his lashes at me and shoved him in the arm, hard.
“You’re an ass.”
“But handsome, I’m just sooo thankful,” he said, doing his best impersonation of Mr. Vogel—which was the absolute worst. The guys busted up laughing.
“Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Just do it while you’re out doing the equipment check.”
Davis peered into the gift basket that was full of cookies, muffins, and all other kinds of baked goods. “Mind if I take a muffin?”
“Take three.”
“One will do, but I gotta say, for a minute there I thought things were going to take a turn in a different direction.”
“Quit it. He was just being nice.”
“Mhmm, really, really nice.”
Before I could refute that, Davis tossed one of the muffins in the air and walked out to the app bay, leaving me to follow. But before I did, I slipped Mr. Vogel’s card in my pocket and shook my head. This morning had definitely gotten off to an unexpected start. I could only hope the rest of the shift was a little less exciting.
