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Firefighter's Unexpected Fling
Susan Carlisle
When the best laid plans… …go up in smoke! In this First Response story, with his impending promotion hot-shot fire captain Ross Lawson has no time for romance. Until stunning paramedic Sally Davis starts work at his station… Even if she wasn’t his best-friend’s recently divorced sister, a workplace romance is out of the question. But their blazing attraction burns bright and deep and soon becomes one fire Ross might not want to put out!


When the best-laid plans…
…go up in smoke!
In this First Response story, with his impending promotion, hotshot fire captain Ross Lawson has no time for romance. Until stunning paramedic Sally Davis starts work at his station… Even if she wasn’t his best friend’s recently divorced sister, a workplace romance is out of the question. But their blazing attraction burns bright and deep and soon becomes one fire Ross might not want to put out!
SUSAN CARLISLE’s love affair with books began in the sixth grade, when she made a bad grade in mathematics. Not allowed to watch TV until she’d brought the grade up, Susan filled her time with books. She turned her love of reading into a passion for writing, and now has over ten Medical Romances published through Mills & Boon. She writes about hot, sexy docs and the strong women who captivate them. Visit SusanCarlisle.com (http://www.SusanCarlisle.com).
Also by Susan Carlisle (#u4eea8e4c-1cde-5bf1-84b5-d0aa85b53b7d)
The Brooding Surgeon’s Baby Bombshell
A Daddy Sent by Santa
Nurse to Forever Mum
The Sheikh Doc’s Marriage Bargain
Highland Doc’s Christmas Rescue
First Response collection
Firefighter’s Unexpected Fling
Pregnant with the Paramedic’s Baby by Amy Ruttan
Available now
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk).
Firefighter’s Unexpected Fling
Susan Carlisle


www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
ISBN: 978-0-008-90205-6
FIREFIGHTER’S UNEXPECTED FLING
© 2019 Susan Carlisle
Published in Great Britain 2019
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
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Note to Readers (#u4eea8e4c-1cde-5bf1-84b5-d0aa85b53b7d)
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To Brandon Ray.
Some family you love even though they married in!
Contents
Cover (#u2fd31e92-5e37-5f66-9df3-5c863a9567a4)
Back Cover Text (#u2ab24079-2957-5b7c-a33e-56d421b17338)
About the Author (#u37aabbd1-f568-52d0-8b6a-b9707fe36fc5)
Booklist (#uca964362-1f22-559e-9b69-6cd287af70ce)
Title Page (#u3b564a4d-331e-57bd-9e1d-2207aa092c69)
Copyright (#udab55d89-972b-5dfa-ab7b-5a6bd1d8e0bc)
Note to Readers
Dedication (#u9c1995ae-b265-5ade-acbf-23f3811bb437)
CHAPTER ONE (#uae80675d-7a9c-54b7-a436-6da509d6f957)
CHAPTER TWO (#uaf614674-453f-5b05-a718-934e1ddae7dd)
CHAPTER THREE (#uc989dcc9-29c4-5375-a192-742145a32ef9)
CHAPTER FOUR (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER FIVE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SIX (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER SEVEN (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER EIGHT (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER NINE (#litres_trial_promo)
CHAPTER TEN (#litres_trial_promo)
EPILOGUE (#litres_trial_promo)
Extract (#litres_trial_promo)
About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER ONE (#u4eea8e4c-1cde-5bf1-84b5-d0aa85b53b7d)
SALLY DAVIS PULLED her bag and a portable bottle of oxygen out of the back of the ambulance. The heat from the burning abandoned warehouse was almost unbearable. Her work coveralls were sticking to her sweating body.
This structural fire was the worst she’d seen as a paramedic working with the Austin, Texas, Fire Department over the last year. Her heart had leaped as the adrenaline had started pumping when the call had woken her and the dispatcher had announced what was involved. These were the fires she feared the most. With a warehouse like this, there was no telling who or what was inside. There were just too many opportunities for injury, or worse.
She watched as the flames grew. The popping and cracking of the building burning was an ironic contrast to the peace of the sun rising on the horizon. She didn’t have time to appreciate it though. She had a job to do.
Moments later a voice yelled, “There’s someone in there!”
Sally’s mouth dropped open in shock as she saw Captain Ross Lawson run into the flames. Even in full turnout gear with the faceplate of his helmet pulled down and oxygen tank on his back, she recognized his tall form and broad shoulders. Sally’s breath caught in her chest. What was wrong with him? Her heartbeat drummed in her ears as she searched the doorway, hoping…
Sally had seen firefighters enter a burning building before but never one as completely enveloped as this one. She gripped the handle of her supply box. Would Ross make it out? Would there be someone with him?
The firefighters manning the hoses focused the water on the door, pushing back the blaze.
Every muscle in her body tightened as the tension and anticipation grew. Ross was more of an acquaintance, as she’d only shared a few shifts with him since moving to Austin. However, he and her brother were good friends. More than once she’d heard Kody praise Ross. From what little she knew about him he deserved Kody’s admiration.
Right now, in this moment, as she waited with fear starting to strangle her, she questioned Ross’s decision-making. Since she had joined the volunteer fire department back in North Carolina, Sally had been taught that judgment calls were always based on the safety of the firefighter. She doubted Ross had even given his welfare any thought before rushing into the fire.
The loss of one life would be terrible enough but the loss of a second trying to save the first wasn’t acceptable. In her opinion, Ross was taking too great a risk, the danger too high. He hadn’t struck her as a daredevil or adrenaline junkie but, then again, she didn’t know him that well. Was this particular characteristic of Captain Lawson’s one of the reasons Kody thought so highly of him?
James, the emergency medical tech working with her, stepped next to her. “That takes guts.”
A form appeared in the doorway, then burst out carrying a man across his shoulders. The sixty pounds of fire equipment he wore in addition to the man’s weight meant Ross was carrying more than his own body weight. Sally had to respect his physical stamina, if not his reckless determination.
Two firefighters rushed to help him, but he fell to the ground before they could catch him. The man he carried rolled off his back to lie unmoving beside him, smoke smoldering from his clothes.
“You take Captain Lawson. I’ll see to the man,” Sally said to James as she ran to them.
Ross jerked off his helmet and came up on his hands and knees, coughing.
Placing the portable oxygen tank on the ground, she went to her knees beside the rescued man, clearly homeless and using the warehouse to sleep in, and leaned over, putting her cheek close to his mouth. As the senior paramedic at the scene, she needed to check the more seriously injured person. Ross had been using oxygen while the homeless man had not.
Her patient was breathing, barely. She quickly positioned the face mask over his mouth and nose, then turned the valve on the tank so that two liters of oxygen flowed. By rote she found and checked his pulse. Next, she searched for any injuries, especially burns. She located a couple on his hands and face. Using the radio, she called all the information in to the hospital.
“We need to get this man transported STAT,” Sally called to her partner.
Another ambulance had arrived and took over the care of Ross, leaving James free to pull a gurney her way. With the efficiency of years of practice, they loaded the man and started toward the ambulance. She called to the EMT now taking care of Ross. “How’s he doing?”
The EMT didn’t take his eyes off Ross as he said, “He’s taken in a lot of smoke but otherwise he’s good.”
“Get him in a box. I still want him seen,” she ordered.
Ross shook his head. “I’m fine.” He coughed several times.
“I’m the medic in charge. You’re going to the hospital to be checked out, Captain.”
He went into another coughing fit as she hurried away. She left the EMT to see that the stubborn captain was transported back to the hospital.
Minutes later she was in the back of the ambulance—the box, as it was affectionately known—with the homeless man. While they moved at a rapid speed, she kept busy checking his vitals and relaying to the hospital emergency room the latest stats. The staff would be prepared for the patient’s arrival.
The ambulance pulled to a stop and moments later the back doors were opened. They had arrived at the hospital. A couple of the staff had been waiting outside for them. Sally and one of the techs removed the gurney with the man on it.
As other medical personnel began hooking him up to monitors, she reported quickly to the young staff nurse, “This is a John Doe for now. He was in a burning warehouse. Acute smoke inhalation is the place to start.”
Just as she was finishing up her report, the gurney with Ross went by. She followed it into the examination room next to the John Doe. Ross’s coat had been removed and his T-shirt pulled up. He still wore his yellow firefighter pants that were blackened in places. Square stickers with monitoring wires had been placed on his chest connecting him to machines nearby. Aware of how inappropriate it was for her to admire the contours of his well-defined chest and abdomen, she couldn’t stop herself. The man kept himself in top physical shape. It was necessary with his field of work but his physique suggested he strove to surpass the norm. No wonder he’d been able to carry the man out of the burning building.
His gaze met hers. Heated embarrassment washed over her and she averted her eyes. Ogling a man, especially one that she worked with, wasn’t what she should be doing.
Ross went into another round of heavy coughing that sent her attention to the amount of oxygen he was receiving. The bubble in the meter indicated one liter, which was good. Still, at this rate it would take him days to clear the smoke from his lungs.
Sally stepped closer to his side and spoke to no one in particular. “How’s he doing?”
One of the nurses responded. “He seems to be recovering well. We’re going to continue to give him oxygen and get a chest X-ray just to be sure that he didn’t inhale any more smoke than we anticipated.”
“I’m right here, you know.” Ross’s voice was a rusty muffled sound beneath the mask. He glared at her. This time her look remained on him.
“You need to save your voice.”
He grimaced as a doctor entered. What was that look about? Surely, he wasn’t afraid of doctors.
Slipping out of the room as the woman started her examination, Sally stepped to the department desk and signed papers releasing Ross and the John Doe as her patients into the hospital’s care. Done, she joined the EMTs at her ambulance.
She gave James a wry smile. “Good work out there this morning.”
“You too,” he replied as he pulled out of the drive.
In the passenger seat, she buckled up, glad to be out of the back of the box. She wasn’t a big fan of riding there.
She shivered now at the memory of when she’d been locked in a trunk and forgotten while playing a childhood game. To this day she didn’t like tight spaces or the dark. Being in the square box of the ambulance reminded her too much of that experience. It was one of those things she just dealt with because she loved her job.
Sally leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Ross’s light blue gaze over the oxygen mask came to mind. She’d met Ross Lawson soon after she had moved to Austin and gone to work for the Austin Medical Emergency Service, the medical service arm that worked in conjunction with the fire department that shared the same stations and sometimes the same personnel when a fireman was also qualified to work the medical side. As an advanced paramedic, she was assigned Station Twelve, one of the busiest houses of Austin’s forty-eight stations. It just happened that it was the same station where her brother and Ross worked. She hadn’t missed that twinge of attraction when she and Ross had first met any more than she had this morning. But she had never acted on it and never would.
A relationship, of any kind, was no longer a priority for her. She’d had that. Her brief marriage had been both sad and disappointing. Now she was no longer married, all she wanted to do was focus on getting into medical school. It had been her dream before she’d married, and it was still her dream. At this point in her life a relationship would just be a distraction, even if she wanted one. She was done making concessions for a man. Going after what she wanted was what mattered.
The ambulance reversed with a beep, beep, beep. It alerted her to the fact that they had arrived at the firehouse. When they stopped, she hopped out onto the spotless floor.
She loved the look of the fire station. It was a modern version of the old traditional fire halls with its redbrick exterior and high arched glass doors. A ceramic dalmatian dog even sat next to the main entrance. The firefighters worked on one side of the building and the emergency crew on the other. They shared a kitchen, workout room and TV room on the firefighter side. They were a station family.
James had backed into the bay closest to the medical side of the building. The other two bays were for the engine, quint truck and rescue truck. They hadn’t returned yet. The company would still be at the warehouse fire mopping up. When they did return, they would also pull in backward, ready for the next run.
Before she could even think about cleaning up and heading home, she would have to restock the ambulance and write a report. The ambulance must always be ready to roll out. More than once in the last year she’d returned from a call only to turn around and make another one.
“Hey, Sweet Pea.”
She groaned and turned to see Kody loping toward her. “I told you not to call me that,” she whispered. “Especially not here.”
He gave her a contrite look. “Sorry, I forgot.”
“What’re you doing here anyway?”
“I left something in my locker and had to stop by and get it. My shift isn’t until tomorrow.”
Sally smiled. She couldn’t help but be glad to see her older brother. Even if it was for a few minutes. He was a good one and she had no doubt he loved her. Sometimes too much. He tended toward being overprotective. But when she’d needed to reinvent her life, Kody had been there to help. She would always be grateful.
“I heard that Ross was the hero of the day this morning.” He sounded excited.
“Yeah, you could say that.” He’d scared the fool out of her.
“You don’t think so?”
Sally started toward the supply room. “He could have been killed.”
Kody’s voice softened. “He knows what he’s doing. I don’t know of a better firefighter.”
“He ran into a fully enveloped burning warehouse!” Sally was surprised how her voice rose and held so much emotion.
“I’m sure you’ve seen worse. Why’re you so upset?”
“I’m not upset. It just seemed overly dangerous to me. Instead of one person being hurt there, for a moment I thought it was going to be two. He has a bad case of smoke inhalation as it is.” She pulled a couple of oxygen masks off a shelf.
“How’s he doing?” Kody had real concern in his voice.
She looked for another piece of plastic line. “He’s at the hospital but he should be released soon. They were running a few more tests when I left.”
“He’s bucking for a promotion, so I guess this’ll look good on his résumé. See you later.”
“Bye.” She headed back to the ambulance with her arms full. She had no interest in Ross’s ambitions and yet, for some reason, his heroics had been particularly difficult for her to watch.


Ross returned to the station a week after the warehouse fire. He had missed two shifts. The doctor had insisted, despite his arguments. He liked having time to work on his ranch but the interviews for one of the eight Battalion Chief positions were coming up soon and he should be at the station in case there were important visitors. Now that he was back, he needed to concentrate on what was ahead, what he’d planned to do since he was a boy.
Thankfully the man he’d gone in after was doing okay. He would have a stay in the burn unit but would recover. Just as Ross and his grandfather had. Ross rolled his shoulder, remembering the years’ old pain.
He’d hated to miss all that time at the station, but it had taken more time to clear his lungs than he had expected. Still, he had saved that man’s life. He didn’t advocate running into fully engulfed houses, but memories of that horrible night when he was young had compelled him into action before he’d known what he was doing.
Memories of that night washed over him. He’d been visiting his grandpa, who’d lived in a small clapboard house outside of town. He’d adored the old man, thought he could do no wrong. His grandfather had taught Ross how to work with his hands. Shown him how to mend a fence, handle a horse. Most of what he knew he’d learned at his grandfather’s side. His parents had been too busy with their lives to care. So most weekends and holidays between the ages of ten and fourteen Ross could be found at his grandfather’s small ranch.
The night of the fire, Ross had been shaken awake by his grandpa. Ross could still hear his gruff smoke-filled voice. “Boy, the place is on fire. Get down and crawl to the front door. I’ll be behind you.”
The smoke had burned Ross’s throat and eyes, but he’d done as he was told. He’d remembered what the firefighter who had come to his school had said: “Stop, drop and roll.” Ross had scrambled to the door but not before a piece of burning wood had fallen on his shoulder. But the pain hadn’t overridden his horror. He’d wanted out of the house. Had been glad for the fresh air. He’d run across the lawn. It had been too hot close to the house. Ross had coughed and coughed, just as he had the other morning, seeming never to draw in a full deep breath. He’d looked back for his grandpa but hadn’t seen him. The fear had threatened to swallow him. His eyes had watered more from tears than smoke.
Someone must’ve seen the flames because the volunteer fire department had been coming up the long drive. Ross had managed between coughs and gasps of air to point and say, “My grandpa’s in there.”
The man hadn’t hesitated before he’d run toward the house. Ross had watched in shock as he’d entered the front door. Moments later he’d come out, pulling his grandpa onto the porch and down the steps and straight toward the waiting medics. It wasn’t until then that Ross had noticed the full agony of his back.
Both he and his grandpa had spent some time in the hospital. They’d had burns and lung issues. His grandfather had been told by the arson investigator that he believed the fire had started from a spark from the woodstove. Ross only knew for sure he was glad his grandpa and he had survived. Regardless of what had started the fire, Ross still carried large puckered scars on his back and shoulder as a reminder of that fateful night.
Last week, the moment he’d learned there was someone in the house he’d reacted before thinking. His Battalion Chief hadn’t been pleased. Only because the outcome had been positive had Ross managed to come out without it damaging his career. He had been told in no uncertain terms that it wasn’t to happen again. The message had been loud and clear: don’t have any marks against you or you won’t make Battalion Chief.
It was midafternoon when he was out with the rest of the company doing their daily checkup and review of the equipment that he saw Sal walking to the ambulance. Her black hair was pulled up away from her face and she wore her usual jumpsuit. She glanced at him and nodded. Memories of the look of concern in her eyes and a flicker of something else, like maybe interest, as she’d watched him in the hospital drifted through his mind.
Ross had known she was Kody’s sister before she’d joined the house. Over the past year they had shared shifts a few times. With him working twenty-four hours on and forty-eight off and her not being able to work the same days as her brother, they hadn’t often been on the same schedule. Still, he’d heard talk. More than one firefighter had sung her praises. A few had even expressed interest in her. They had all reported back that they had been shot down. She wasn’t interested. There was some speculation as to why, but Ross knew, through Kody, that she was a divorcée. Maybe she was still getting over her broken marriage.
Swinging up on the truck, Ross winced. He had hit something, a door facing or a piece of furniture, on his way out of the burning house. At the hospital they had been concerned with the smoke inhalation and he’d not said anything about his ribs hurting because he hadn’t wanted to be admitted. The pain was better than it had been.
He checked a few gauges and climbed out again. This time he tried not to flinch.
Sal came up beside him and said in a low voice, “I saw your face a minute ago. Are you all right? Are you still having trouble breathing?”
“No, I’m fine. I’m good.”
She gave him a skeptical look as her eyebrows drew together. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah.” If he wasn’t careful, she’d make him see a doctor. Did she have that God complex firefighters joked about? The one that went: What’s the difference between a paramedic and God? God doesn’t think he’s a paramedic.
She scrutinized him for a moment. It reminded him of when his mother gave him that look when she knew he wasn’t being truthful. “You were in pain a second ago.”
He’d been caught. She wasn’t going to let it go. Had she been watching him that closely? He’d have to give that more thought later. “I have a couple of ribs that were bruised when I came out of the house.”
“Did you tell them at the hospital?”
Now he felt like he had when his mother had caught him. Ross gave her a sheepish look. “No.”
“That figures.” She shook her head. “You firefighters. All of you think you’re superheroes.”
He grinned. “Who dares to say we’re not?”
She just glared at him. “Feeling like one of those a minute ago?”
He relaxed his shoulders. “I’ve been wrapping it. I just have trouble getting it tight enough without help.”
“You shouldn’t be doing that. You need to stop that and just take it easy. Ribs take a while to heal.”
“It’s hard to do that when you have chores to do at home.”
“Don’t you have a wife or girlfriend who could help with those?”
“I don’t have either.” He’d never had a wife. Had come close once but it hadn’t worked out.
“Come in here—” Sal indicated the medical area “—and let me have a look. Get rid of that bandage.” She didn’t wait for him, instead she walked toward the door as if she fully expected him to follow her orders.
Ross hesitated a moment, then trailed after her. He looked back over his shoulder. He didn’t need any surprise visits from the bosses just when he was being looked over for more injuries. He hated showing any signs of weakness.
He rarely came to this side of the building. Sal was in the spacious room with a couple of tables and chairs, and a wall of supply cabinets.
She pushed a stool on wheels toward him. “Take your shirt off, then have a seat.”
He couldn’t do that! She would see his scars. He didn’t completely take his shirt off around people for any reason. How to get around doing so had become a perfected art for him. The other morning at the hospital it had been a fight, but he’d convinced first the EMT and then the hospital staff it wasn’t necessary to take his shirt off.
She left him to go to a cabinet across the room. Ross took a moment to appreciate the swing of her hips before he pushed his T-shirt up under his arms.
When she returned, she had a pair of scissors in her hand.
“Hey, I don’t think you’ll need those.”
She smirked. “They’re to cut the bandage if I need to.” She then gave him an odd look but said nothing about his shirt still being on.
He explained, “It hurts too much to lift my arms.”
She nodded, seeming to accept his explanation. “Your bandage is around your waist, not your ribs. It wasn’t doing you any good anyway.”
He gave her a contrite look. “I told you I’d done a poor job of it.”
“You’re right about that. It doesn’t matter. I’m taking it off. And you’re leaving it off.”
“Is that an example of the tender care I’ve heard so much about?” Ross watched her closely.
Her gaze met his. “I save that for people who shouldn’t know better.”
One of his palms went to the center of his chest. “That was a shot to my ego.”
She huffed. “That might be so but I’m stating truth. Can you raise your arms out to your sides?”
He winced but he managed to do as she requested. Sal stepped closer. She smelled of something floral. Was it her shampoo or lotion? Whatever it was, he wanted to lean in and take a deeper breath. Her hands worked on the bandage, removing it; her fingers journeyed across his oversensitive stomach. He looked down. Her dark hair veiled her face. It looked so silky. Would it feel that way if he touched it?
No! What was going on? He’d never acted this way around any of the other women he worked with. He hardly knew Sal. She was the sister of one of his best friends. Was he overreacting because he’d not had a date in so long? Whatever it was, it had to stop. His sister wanted to set him up on a blind date. Maybe he should agree.
Sal gathered the bandage in her hand, stepped away from him and dropped the wad into a garbage can.
Ross couldn’t help but be relieved, but he was disappointed at the same time. He lowered his arms.
“Okay, arms up again. Show me where you hurt.”
With his index finger, he pointed to the middle of his left side. Sal bent closer. Seconds later, her fingers ran over his skin. “Does it hurt here?”
“Yeah.”
“I can see some yellowing of the skin. You should’ve said something at the hospital.” She straightened.
Why did she sound so put out? “You’ve already said that. Besides, the chest X-ray was clear.”
She stepped closer. “I’m going to check you out all the way around.”
In another place and time, that would have sounded suggestive. And from another person. He and Sal had never had that kind of interaction.
She ducked under his arm and stepped around to his back and then returned to his front before moving away.
Ross missed her heat immediately. He didn’t even know her, and he was having this reaction. Why her? Why now?
“If that isn’t better in a few days, you need to have another X-ray. You also need to take some over-the-counter pain reliever for the next few days.”
Even in a jumpsuit more suited for a male, Sal looked all female. He must have messed up his mind as well as his side in that fire. These thoughts had to stop here.
Her quipping “You can pull your shirt down now” brought him back to reality.
Ross walked toward the door, tucking his shirt in as he went. “Thanks, Sal.”
“By the way, I think what you did at that house was both brave and stupid.”

CHAPTER TWO (#u4eea8e4c-1cde-5bf1-84b5-d0aa85b53b7d)
ROSS DIDN’T OFTEN get involved in the social side of the fire department but he was making an exception this time for two reasons. One, the annual picnic was a good place to take Olivia and Jared, his niece and nephew, while they were visiting. Two, it would be nice if he was seen by the bosses interacting positively with his fellow firefighters and the first responders at his station. He needed any edge he could get to gain the promotion.
The event was being held at one of the large parks in town. Not being a family man, Ross had only been to a few of them. There would be the usual fare of barbecue, baked beans, boiled corn and Texas-sized slices of bread. Desserts of every kind and drinks would also be provided. Along with the food were child-friendly games and crafts. Jared and Olivia were excited about the games. He was more interested in the menu; it was some of his favorite food groups.
Ross looked around the area for a parking space. The weather was clear. It would be a perfect day for the event. He scanned the vehicles to see if any belonged to the members of his station. Kody had said he would be there. Would Sal be with him? Why would he care about that? She’d been on his mind too much lately.
Ross enjoyed having the kids around. They came for a weekend now and then, but this time they were staying for a little more than a week while his sister and her husband were out of town. Normally, they would have stayed with his parents but they were off on a cruise. He had sort of volunteered and then been asked to take them for ten days. On the days he worked, a friend’s wife had agreed to watch them.
He pulled his truck into a spot in the already half-full parking lot teeming with people. Seconds later, Jared and Olivia were climbing out, their eyes bright with excitement.
“Yay, there’s face painting. I want to go over there.” Olivia pointed to a tent not far away.
“I want to go ride the pony,” Jared said over his sister.
Ross raised his voice above it all. “Circle up here. We need to have a couple of ground rules. Number one, we stay together, and number two, we stay together. If I lose you kids, your mother and father will be mad at me.” He grinned at them. “Got it?”
“Got it!” they chimed in.
“Okay. Why don’t we go have lunch first, then we can make the rounds and do anything you like afterward?”
He raised a hand for a high five. Jared and Olivia enthusiastically slapped his palm.
They made their way to the buffet-style line that had formed under a large shelter and joined it.
The kids each held their plates as he served pulled pork onto their sandwich buns. While he was filling his plate with ribs, he looked across the table to see Sal taking some as well. How long had she been there? “Hey, I didn’t see you over there.”
This was the first time he’d ever seen her in anything but a jumpsuit. Today she was wearing a simple sky blue T-shirt that was tucked into tight, well-worn jeans. A thin belt drew his attention to her hips. She looked fit but not skinny. Her hair flowed down around her shoulders. This version of Sal was very appealing.
Her eyelids flickered and she said shyly, “Hi, Ross. I think you’re a little busy to notice much.”
“You’re right about that.” He looked for the kids and found there was a gap between him and them. He saw Sal’s grin and forgot what he was doing. He hurriedly returned to picking out his ribs and moved forward. The kids each added a small bag of chips to their plates. When they were all finished, they picked out canned drinks from large containers filled with ice.
When Ross turned around after getting his, he noticed Sal pulling her drink out of a bucket next to his. It didn’t appear anyone was with her. Their eyes met and she gave him a soft unsure smile. She looked away over the sea of picnic tables and walked away. Would she have joined them if he’d asked? Did he want her to?
“Come on, kids, let’s see about finding a place to sit.” He nodded forward. “Jared, head out through the picnic tables that way.”
The boy did as Ross said and he and Olivia followed. As they moved along, a number of people he knew spoke to him. He called “hi” and kept moving. Finally, he saw Jared doing a fast walk toward an empty table. Relieved they had found one, Ross settled in for his meal.
He spied Sal weaving through the tables, obviously searching for a place to sit.
She came close enough that he raised his hand and called, “Hey, Sal, come join us. We have room.”
Her face brightened at her name, but when she turned his way she looked hesitant, as if trying to figure out a way to refuse, but she came their way.
As she set her lunch down next to Olivia’s and across from him, she said, “Thanks. Kody and Lucy are coming but they’re running late.” She looked around her. “There sure are a lot of people here. I had no idea that it’d be like this.” She slipped her legs under the table.
“Austin’s isn’t a tiny fire department. The families really turn out for the picnic.” What was happening to him? He didn’t invite single women he worked with to join him for a meal. It was against departmental policy for firefighters and medical personnel at the same station to see each other. But this wasn’t a date. He was just being nice.
He wasn’t dating right now anyway. In college, he’d dated as much as any of his friends. During the early years of joining the department he’d done the bar scene with some of the other bachelors for a few years but that had got old fast. It was hard to see about the ranch and work his odd hours and keep that lifestyle.
Once he’d been serious about someone, but it hadn’t worked out. She’d hated his schedule and had been afraid he might be hurt or killed. After a messy breakup, he’d decided to concentrate on his career and not worry about the aggravation of maintaining a relationship for a while. For now, he’d like to keep things casual, uncomplicated. Maybe after making Battalion Chief he would give serious thought to settling down. But that wouldn’t or couldn’t include seeing someone he worked with.
“I see.” She glanced at Jared and Olivia. “I didn’t know you had children.”
Olivia giggled.
“This is my niece and nephew. They’re spending a couple of weeks with me while my sister and her husband are out of town. Sal, this is Jared and Olivia.”
Olivia gave her a curious look. “Your name is Sal? That’s a boy’s name.”
“That’s what your uncle calls me at work. My name is really Sally.”
His niece wrinkled her nose. “I like Sally better.”
Ross did too. It suited her. To think he had never really wondered what her full name was.
Sally looked down at Olivia and smiled. “You know, I do too.”
That was interesting. Why didn’t she ever correct anybody at the station?
Sally turned her attention to her food and the rest of them did as well. She handed over a napkin to Jared. Ross looked at him. He had barbecue sauce running down his chin.
The boy took it from her.
“Good sandwich?” Sally asked, smiling.
“Yes.” Jared grinned.
“I can tell. Mine’s good too.”
“Uncle Ross’s must be good too because it’s all over his face.” Olivia pointed to him.
They all laughed.
“He looks like a clown,” Olivia blurted out.
They all broke into laughter again.
“What?” He wiped his mouth and looked at the napkin. There was a lot of sauce on it.
“It’s still on there,” Jared stated.
Ross tried again to clean his face.
“It’s still on there,” Olivia said with a giggle.
“You guys are starting to hurt my feelings.” Ross liked the sound of Sally’s laughter—sweet and full-bodied.
“Here, let me see if I can help you.” Sally held up her napkin. “Lean toward me.”
Ross did as she suggested as she shifted toward him. Their eyes met and held for a moment. There was a flicker of something there. Awareness, curiosity, interest?
Sally blinked and her focus moved on. A moment later she rubbed a spot on his cheek and sat back.
“She got it,” Olivia announced.
However, she had left a warmth behind for him to think about.
“Jared,” Sally said a little too brightly, as if she had been affected as well. “How old are you?”
“Nine.”
“What do you like? Football? Baseball…?” Her attention remained on him as if she was truly interested.
“Soccer.”
“Soccer. I’ve watched a few games but I don’t know much about the rules.”
Ross grinned as Jared lapsed into a full monologue about soccer playing. It hadn’t taken long for Sal, uh, Sally to find the kid’s sweet spot.
When he ran out of steam Sally was quick to ask, “Olivia, do you have something special you like to do?”
“I like to draw.”
“Do you draw people, or animals or landscapes?” Sally took a bite of her sandwich while waiting for an answer.
Olivia wrinkled her forehead. “Landscapes? What’s that?”
“Pictures of trees and grass,” Jared offered.
“That’s right.” Sally gave him a smile of praise.
“No, I like to draw horses. I drew a picture of Uncle Ross’s horses.”
Sally’s attention turned to him. She seemed surprised. “You have horses?”
“I do. I own a few acres out west of town.”
“You need to come see Uncle Ross’s horses sometime. They’re beautiful.” Olivia let the last word trail out. “Their names are Romeo and Juliet.”
Sally smiled at her. “Are they, now?” She looked at him with a teasing grin on her lips. “Interesting names for horses.”
“Hey, they were already named when I bought them.”
She grinned. “So you say.”
They returned to eating their meals.
As they finished, Olivia asked, “Uncle Ross, can I go have my face painted now?”
Jared turned to him. “And I want to ride the pony.”
“We can’t do both at the same time. Who’s going first?”
Both their hands went up.
Sally covered her smile with a hand.
Ross looked at her and shook his head sadly. “I can handle a company of men at a fire with no problem but give me two kids.”
Her look met his. “I think you’re doing great.”
She did? For some reason he rather liked that idea.
Sally pushed her plate to the center of the table. “Maybe I can help. I can take Olivia to have her face painted while you take Jared to ride the pony. We can meet somewhere afterward.”
Ross looked at the children. “That sounds like a plan, doesn’t it, kids?”
They both nodded.
He looked around. “Okay, we’ll meet over there by the flagpole.”
Sally stood. “Then we’ll see you in a little while. Olivia, bring your trash and we’ll put it in the garbage on the way.”
To his surprise Olivia made no argument about cleaning up. Instead she did as Sally asked. As they headed toward the face-painting booth, Olivia slipped her hand into Sally’s. She swung it between them.


Sally strolled with Olivia across the grassy area toward the activities. Ross’s niece and nephew were nice kids. They seemed to adore him and he them. Her ex-husband, Wade, had never really cared for children. He’d always said he wanted his own but he’d never liked others’, thought they were always dirty. More than once he’d worried they would get his clothes nasty when they were around. Thinking back, she didn’t understand what she’d seen in him. How she’d even thought herself in love.
Wade had been the local wonder boy. Everyone had loved him, thought he was great. She had too, which was why she’d given up almost everything she loved to make him happy. They hadn’t been married long when she’d learned he was having an affair. She’d tried to work it out but Wade wasn’t going to change his ways. How had she been so oblivious? What she had thought was real and special had all been a lie. Finally, she’d filed for divorce.
Her judgment where men were concerned was off. All her trust was gone. Never would she be taken in like that again. She mentally shook her head. She wasn’t going to ruin a nice day thinking about her ex-husband.
Half an hour later, she and Olivia were on their way to the flagpole. Olivia had a large fuchsia star on one cheek and smaller ones trailing away from it up across her forehead, along with a smile on her lips. Sally couldn’t help but smile as well at how proud the girl was.
As they approached the pole, Ross and Jared walked up. The grin on Ross’s face when he saw Olivia made Sally’s grow. He had such a nice smile. Wide, carefree and inviting. She’d really been missing out on something special by never having seen it before. Most of their interactions had been working ones where there had been no time for smiles.
Ross went down on one knee in front of Olivia. “I love your stars.”
Sally watched the similar-colored heads so close together. Ross would make a good father someday. “How was your pony ride, Jared?”
“It was fun, but not as much fun as riding Uncle Ross’s horses.”
“Can we go play in the jumping games?” Olivia pointed toward the inflatable games set up across the field.
“Yeah, Uncle Ross, can we?” Jared joined in.
Sally looked back at the crowd in line for food. Were Kody and Lucy here yet? She didn’t want Ross to think he had to entertain her as well.
“Sure we can.” Ross started that way with Jared and Olivia on either side of him. He glanced over his shoulder. “Sally, you coming?”
“Sure.” She hurried after them. If he didn’t mind, it would be nicer than just standing around waiting on Kody and his daughter to show up.
As Jared and Olivia played in the inflatable game with the net sides, she and Ross stood outside watching them dive and roll through the small multicolored balls.
After a few minutes of uncertain silence, she said, “Jared and Olivia are really sweet.”
“Yeah, I think they’re pretty great. Their mom and dad are raising them right.”
“Is your sister older or younger than you?” She was more curious than she should be about Ross.
“I’m older, but sometimes she treats me like I’m the younger one. She worries about me being a fireman, or not being married. I know she cares but it does get old.”
“I know the feeling. Kody likes to worry over me. My father encourages it as well. I don’t know what I’d do without Kody though. He’s the one who encouraged me to move out here. Best thing I’ve ever done.”
Kody had told her that she needed to get away from the memories. More than once he had talked about how much he and Lucy liked living here. He’d even tried to get their parents to move out west as well.
“That’s right, y’all aren’t from around here. You moved out here from North Carolina, isn’t that right?”
“Yeah, after my divorce Kody told me there was plenty of work for a paramedic out here. So I decided to come.”
“Kody said something about you having been in a bad marriage. I’m sorry.”
Sally was too. She didn’t take marriage lightly.
“Hey, Aunt Sally.”
She turned to see Lucy running toward her with Kody not far behind. Lucy reached her and wrapped her arms around her for a hug. Sally loved her niece. On Sally’s days off she often helped Kody with Lucy. Occasionally he needed Lucy to stay over at Sally’s while he worked his shift. Sally didn’t mind. She enjoyed spending time with her niece. “Hey there. I was starting to wonder where you were.”
Kody joined them. “Sorry, the birthday party Lucy was at went longer than I expected.” He reached out a hand and spoke to Ross. “Hey, man.”
Ross gave Kody’s hand a hardy shake. “Glad you made it. Have you tried the ribs yet? They’re great.”
“Yeah, we just ate, then saw y’all down here. Thanks for taking care of my sister.”
Heat went through Sally. She didn’t need taking care of. She gave her brother a quelling look. “Kody!”
He acted as if she hadn’t said anything as Ross said, “We saw each other and I invited her to eat with us. No big deal.” Ross made it sound as if he was trying to explain keeping her out too late to her father.
“Daddy, can I jump?” Lucy pulled on Kody’s hand.
“Sure, honey.”
Lucy kicked off her shoes and entered the box. Soon she was busy having fun with Jared and Olivia and the other children.
A few minutes later the man monitoring the game told the children inside that it was time to give others a chance. The kids climbed out, put their shoes on and joined them.
Sally put her hand on Lucy’s shoulder. “Lucy, I’d like for you to meet Jared and Olivia. Jared and Olivia, this is Lucy. She’s my niece.”
“Like Uncle Ross is our uncle,” Olivia chirped.
Sally smiled at her. “That’s right.”
A man announcing over a microphone the relay games were about to begin interrupted their conversation.
“Can we go watch, Uncle Ross?” Jared asked.
“Sure. You guys going?” He looked from her to Kody.
“Why not?” Kody responded for them both.
They walked toward the field that had been set up as a relay course. A crowd was already lining up along each side of the area marked with lanes.
“The first race is the egg carry. Children only. Get your spoon and egg and line up.”
All three of the kids wanted to participate.
Jared and Olivia were in lanes next to each other. Ross stood behind them. Lucy, with Kody doing the same, was in the lane next to them. Sally stood on the sidelines to cheer them on. The children put the handle of a plastic spoon in their mouth and sat the boiled egg in the other end.
The man said, “You have to go down and around the barrel with the egg in the spoon. First one back wins. Go on three. One, two, three.”
The children took off. Olivia only made it a short distance before her egg fell out. She hurried to pick it up and place it in the spoon again. Lucy and Jared were already at the barrel. Not getting far, Olivia lost hers again. She looked at Ross, her face twisted as if she was about to sob.
With what looked like no hesitation, Ross hurried to her. He went down on one knee and said something to Olivia. He offered her the spoon. She looked unsure but placed it in her mouth. Ross added the egg, then wrapped his arms around Olivia’s waist and lifted her. He walked with a slow steady pace toward the barrel. Sally’s heart expanded. Ross Lawson was a good uncle. They were way behind the others but the crowd cheered as Ross and Olivia rounded the barrel and headed for the finish line.
They were the last to cross the line but the people acted as if she was the first. Ross placed Olivia’s feet on the ground and went down on a knee. The little girl dropped her spoon and egg, and turned around, beaming at Ross. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a hug. What could have been a horrible memory for his niece, Ross had turned into one of joy.
Ross and Olivia joined their little group once more and they watched more of the races, cheering on people they knew.
A little while later the man with the microphone said, “Okay, it’s time for the three-legged race. We’re going to do something a little different this year to start out with. We need a male and female to represent each fire station. We’re going to have a little friendly house-to-house competition. Pick your partner, and come to the line.”
“Uncle Ross, you and Sally need to go,” Jared said.
“Yeah, you need to,” the girls agreed.
“I don’t think so.” Sally looked around for an excuse not to participate. She received no help from Kody, who just grinned at her.
“Someone does need to represent our station.” Ross studied her.
“Go, Aunt Sally.” Lucy gave her a little push.
She returned Ross’s assessing look. Surely he wouldn’t want to do it.
He said with far more enthusiasm than she felt, “Come on. Let’s win this thing.”
It figured Ross was competitive.
They hurried to a lane. Ross quickly tied the strip of cloth lying on the ground around their ankles. The entire time she tried not to touch him any more than necessary. She wasn’t very successful. They met all the way up the length of their legs. Her nerves went into a frenzy when Ross’s arm came around her waist. He felt so solid and secure. What was going on with her?
“Put your arm around me,” Ross commanded.
With heart thumping harder than normal, Sally did as he requested. Her fingers clutched his shirt.
“Not my shirt, me.” His words were teasing almost, but demanding, drawing her gaze to his face, which was fierce with concentration and determination. She bit back a laugh as her fingers gripped the well-founded muscle of his side.
“You really do want to win?” she murmured.
He glanced at her with disbelief. “Don’t you? We start with our outside leg. You ready?”
“Uh, yeah?” She wanted to run for her car.
The man asked, “Runners ready?”
“Okay, here we go.” Ross’s voice was intense.
“Go!” the man said.
Ross called, “Outside, inside…”
They were on their way. He was matching the length of his stride to hers. Ross continued to keep the cadence as they hurried up the lane. She tried to concentrate on what they were doing but the physical contact kept slipping in to ruin it. When she tripped, his grip on her waist tightened.
“Outside, inside…” He helped her to get back in sync.
As they made the turn around the barrel, he lifted her against his body as if she weighed nothing. After they had swung around, he let her down and said, “Inside.”
Her fingertips dug into his side. Ross grunted, but didn’t slow down. His ribs must still be tender. She eased her grip and concentrated on their rhythm again.
The crowd yelled and Ross held her tighter, plastering her against him. They picked up speed.
Between breaths Ross said, “Come on, we’re almost there.”
Sally put all the effort she had into walking fast. They were near the line when Ross lifted her again and swung her forward with him. The crowd roared as they crossed the finish line. They stumbled hard and went down. Ross landed over her. They were a tangle of arms and legs and laughter.
Ross’s breath was hot against her cheek. Her hands were fanned out across his chest. His arms were under her as if he had tried to protect her from the fall. As he looked at her, his eyes held a flicker of masculine awareness. Her stomach fluttered with a feminine response.
“Stay still. I’ll untie us.” His breath brushed over her lips.
“Well, folks, that was a close one,” the man said.
“Aunt Sally, you won! You won!” Lucy’s voice came from above her.
“We did?” she grunted as she and Ross worked to untangle themselves from each other.
Ross finally released their legs and stood. He had that beautiful smile on his face again as he offered her a hand. She put hers in his. He pulled her up into his arms and swung her around. “We sure did!”
“Oh.” Her arms wrapped around his neck as she hung on. Just as quickly, he let her go. It took her a moment to regain her balance.
Lucy hugged her and Kody slapped Ross on the back. Jared and Olivia circled them, jumping up and down.
“You were great.” Ross grinned at her with satisfaction.
She brushed herself off. “Thanks. You did most of the work.”
“Okay, everyone,” the man said. “There’s ice cream for everyone before we have the stations’ tug-of-war events.”
“I don’t know about you guys but I think Sal and I earned some ice cream,” Ross said to their group.
“It’s Sally, Uncle Ross,” Olivia corrected him.
Ross looked at her. “Sally and I, then.”
“I’ve always called her Sweet Pea,” Kody quipped.
Sally groaned.
Ross glanced at her and beamed mischievously.
Sally started walking. The three kids joined her. She might never live this day down.


Ross spooned another bite of ice cream into his mouth. He, Kody and Sally were sitting at a table finishing their food while they watched the kids playing on the park playground equipment. The kids had become fast friends.
He looked at Sally. Her concentration remained on her bowl. She’d really been a trouper during their race. Yet by her expression he’d gathered she hadn’t wanted anything to do with it. Was her silent objection to the race or running it with him?
His reaction to having her bound to him had been unexpected. That response had grown and hung like a cloud over them when they had been tangled in each other’s arms. There had been a smoldering moment when she had looked at him with, what? Surprise? Interest? Desire? He was male enough to recognize her interest but smart enough to know that she was off-limits, for a number of reasons.
Sally was the sister of a friend. She worked with him. From what he understood she wasn’t yet over her divorce and had no interest in dating. More to the point, she didn’t strike him as someone who would settle for a fling. As for himself, he couldn’t afford to have his mind or emotions anywhere but on his job right now. A real relationship would be a distraction, and something about Sally made him believe that she would be the definition of distraction.
Then there were his scars. More than once they had turned a woman off. A number of women he’d dated had expected a big, strong firefighter would be flawless, would look like a subject of a calendar. They had been disappointed by him.
Thankfully Kody asking him a question directed his mind to a safer topic. A few minutes later the announcer called the tug-of-war teams to the field.
Ross said to Kody, “Well, it’s time for the fun to begin. We need to win this thing. I’ve heard about all I want to about how strong the Twos are.” He raised his voice. “Come on, Jared and Olivia, it’s time for the contest.”
The kids stopped playing and started toward them.
Sally chuckled. “You’re really looking forward to this, aren’t you?”
“Oh, yeah. All I’ve heard from Station Two is how they won last year. I’m ready for payback. Do you mind watching Jared and Olivia while I’m pulling?”
“Not at all.”
“Lucy too?” Kody added.
“Sure. I’ve got them all. You guys go on. I’ll bring the kids.”
He and Kody loped across the field to join the other members of the station. When they reached the part of the field where the tug-of-war would take place, Ross raised his hand. “House Twelve. Here.”
Other station captains were doing the same. There was a great deal of commotion as everyone located their fellow companies.
The announcer came on again. “Firefighters and first responders may I have your attention?”
The crowd quieted.
“This is how the competition is going to work. We’ve set up brackets by pulling station numbers out of a hat. Those will pull against each other. The winner will continue on to the next bracket until we have a winner. Now each house needs to huddle up and decide which six people from your station will be pulling. There must be at least one woman on the team. If your house doesn’t have enough people present, then you may recruit from your family members. If you have any questions you need to see Chief Curtis up here. As always, he’s our final word.”
Using his “at a fire” voice, Ross spoke to the people around him. “Okay, Erickson, Smith, Hart, Kody and me. Rogers, you’ll be our designated woman. Does that work for everyone?”
“Ten-four, Captain!” they cheered.
“Great. Now, get into position and get ready to give it all you’ve got.”
Those who weren’t chosen went to join those lining the tug-of-war area. Ross and his team moved to the large-diameter rope lying on the ground. A piece of cloth was tied in the middle of it. A chalk line had been drawn across the pulling area.
He glanced over to see Sally and the kids standing near the line. There was excitement on their faces. They all hollered, “Go, Twelves!”
Each team member picked up a section of the rope. Ross anchored at the back where a knot was tied.
The announcer said, “We have our first two teams. The Twelves and the Thirty-Fives. On the word go I want you to start pulling. You must keep pulling until the last man is over the line. Is everyone ready?”
“Ten-four!” both teams shouted.
Ross called, “Dig in, firefighters. Let’s win this thing.” He grabbed the rope tighter.
When the announcer yelled, “Go!” Ross pulled as hard as he could. The grunts of the others ahead of him joined his as they slowly walked backward. The shouts of the crowd encouraging them grew louder. Suddenly there was slack in the rope and he staggered to keep himself upright. They had won. The crowd cheered as his team turned to each other, giving each other high fives.
He would be in pain before the day was done with that much exertion. His ribs had objected when Sally had gripped his side during the three-legged race. With the pulling, they had spoken up loudly again. Still, he was going to do his part to win the tug-of-war. His team needed him. The key was not to let on he was hurting.
Sally and the kids joined him and Kody, giving them their excited congratulations.
Sal said, “Hey, kids, how about helping me get some bottled water for our team?”
“Okay!” all three of the kids agreed.
Sally and the kids hurried away and soon returned with arms filled with bottles. Those standing around took one. Ross finished his in two large gulps. With the next competition about to begin, they moved to the side to watch as the next two teams took the field.
Soon it was time to compete again. They won the next three pulls and were now in the final facing Station Two.
Ross lined up again with his team.
“Go, Uncle Ross, go!” Olivia yelled.
“Go, Twelves! You can do this!” Sally called.
Ross’s heart pounded in anticipation as the announcer said, “Go!” On that word he dug his heels into the ground and pulled with all of his might. His hands, arms and shoulders strained. The muscles in his legs trembled with the effort to move backward. Sweat ran into his eyes and still he pulled. His side burned. Clenching his teeth, he tried not to think about it. Concentrate was what he had to do.
The crowd shouted, voices mixing into a roar of encouragement.
Despite the pain he continued to tug. His legs quivered from the effort. Once, twice, three times the team was pulled forward. Only with strength of will did they remain steady and reverse the movement.
He dug deep within himself and called, “Let’s take these guys.”
With a burst of energy, Ross pulled harder. The others must have done so as well. They made steady steps backward.
Not soon enough for him the announcer said, “And the winner is Station Twelve.”
A cheer went up. Ross put his hands on his knees and gulped deep breaths. The other members of the station surrounded them. A bottle of water appeared before his face. He looked up. Sally held it. She gave him a happy smile that made his already racing heart thump harder. All his efforts were worth it for that alone.
“You were great.” Her voice was full of excitement.
Ross returned her smile. “Thanks. It wasn’t just me. We did it as a team.”
“Yeah, but you got them to give their all.”
His ego expanded. He had to admit he liked her praise.
Others coming to congratulate him on the victory separated him and Sally.
As everything settled down, the announcer said, “Well, that’s all for this year’s picnic, folks. We look forward to seeing you next year. Be safe on your drive home.”
Everyone slowly drifted off. Their party started toward the parking lot.
“Can I ride piggyback, Uncle Ross?” Olivia asked.
He didn’t think his body could tolerate it, but didn’t want to disappoint her.
Before he could say anything, Sally suggested, “How about holding my hand?” Lucy already had one of them. “I think your uncle Ross is tired after all that pulling.” She gave him a knowing smile.
“Okay.” Olivia took it.
Thank you, he mouthed to her.
She nodded.
“We’re down this way.” Kody nodded, indicating the other end of the parking lot. He gave Sally a quick hug. “See you soon.”
Lucy did the same. “Bye, Aunt Sally.”
“I better head to my car too.” Looking unsure, Sally let go of Olivia’s hand. “It was nice to meet you, Olivia and Jared. I enjoyed the day.” She started off.
“Hey, wait up, we’re going that way too,” Ross called.
Sally paused. Olivia took her hand again.
“We’ll walk you to your car.” Why he’d decided that was a good idea, he didn’t know. Sally was fully capable of getting to her car by herself.
“Uh, okay.”
He grinned. “You thought you’d get rid of us easier than that, didn’t you?”
“I’m not looking to get rid of you.” She glanced at him. Her cheeks were pink. “You know what I mean.”
He chuckled, then immediately winced.
Her face turned concerned. “Are your ribs still bothering you?”
“You’re not going to get all up in my face if I tell you yes, are you?”
Her lips drew into a thin line. “I might.”
“Yeah, today’s activity didn’t help much.” He didn’t like people seeing weakness in him and for some reason it really mattered that she didn’t.
“Have you been taking it easy, until today, that is?” She studied him.
He couldn’t meet her gaze. “Well, I’ve been trying. How’s that for an answer?”
She quirked her mouth to one side in disappointment. “When you get home, run a hot bath and soak. It’ll help. You do know someone else could have taken your place in the tug-of-war?” There was a bite to her words. She wasn’t happy with him.
He grinned. “Yeah, but what fun would that have been?”
She shook her head. “Men. Here’s my car. Bye, Olivia and Jared. See you later, Ross.”
He and the kids called goodbye and continued on.
Why did he miss her already?
As he was about to start the truck, there was a knock on his window. He jumped. It was Sally. She motioned for him to roll down the glass.
“Hold out your hand.”
He did. She deposited some capsules.
“These’ll help with the pain. Bye, Ross.” She said the last softly.
Something sweet lingered as she walked away. Something better left alone.

CHAPTER THREE (#u4eea8e4c-1cde-5bf1-84b5-d0aa85b53b7d)
TWO DAYS LATER Ross was in his chair in the office doing paperwork when the ambulance backed into the bay. He watched out the window as Sally came around to the rear of the ambulance. She looked tired. They had already made twice as many runs as the fire side had during the shift.
His company had spent the last few hours washing the trucks, checking the supplies and making sure the station was in pristine order. Now some of the men were in the exercise room working out while others were watching a movie in the TV room.
One of his men stopped at the open door and looked in. “Hey, Ross, it’s your turn to cook tonight. Do we need to make a run to the grocery store or do you have what you need?”
Each shift shared kitchen duty. Some stations had one person who liked to do the cooking, while others had a revolving schedule and the crew took turns. His station shared the duty. They assigned two people per shift to handle the meal. His turn had come up. He wasn’t a great cook but he could produce simple meals. Mostly he hoped to have someone more skilled than him as his partner.
“I’ll check. Who’s on with me?”
“Sal.”
He’d planned to stay out of her circle as much as possible, spooked as he was by his over-the-top reaction to their time together at the picnic. Cooking a meal with Sally wouldn’t accomplish that, but how could he get out of it without causing a lot of questions or hurting her feelings? No solution occurred to him, so he resigned himself to spending time with her. Surely he was capable of that.
During the last few weeks it seemed as if they had seen more of each other than they had in months. In spite of their one day on and two off schedules, he was aware she often worked extra hours in order to have extended time off. What did she do during that time? Why that suddenly mattered to him, he had no idea. He huffed. It wasn’t his business anyway.
Ross again glanced into the bay, then back to the man. “They’re just rolling in. I’ll give her time to clean up, then go see what she thinks. They’ve already made a couple of runs this afternoon. I don’t know for how much I can depend on her.”
“Ten-four.”
A few minutes later Ross crossed the bay to the door of the medical area. Sally was going through a drawer. “Hey.”
She turned. “Hey.”
“Tough shift?”
“You could say that. Two big calls back-to-back.” She shrugged. “But you know how that goes.”
She was right, he’d had those days as well. “I hate to add to it but we have KP duty tonight. I’d say I’d handle it, but I’m not a great cook.”
Sally grinned. “You’re not one of those stereotypical firemen who has his own cookbook?”
Ross chuckled. “No, Trent who works over at Tens does. I bought his cookbook to be supportive but that doesn’t mean I know how to use it. I could see if one of the other guys wants to help.”
“What gives you the idea I’m not any good either?”
He wasn’t used to people putting him on the spot and gave her a speculative look. “Are you?”
Her eyes twinkled. “Yeah, I’m a good cook.”
Ross wiped the back of his hand across his forehead. “Woo, that’s a relief. If we need something, my crew can make a run to the grocery store.”
“I have a couple more things to do here, so I’ll meet you in the kitchen in a few minutes and we’ll see what we’ve got available. Surely you can open some cans if I’m called out.”
“That I can do.” He left and headed toward the kitchen.
This was the first time they’d been partnered in any real way. They had each done their jobs during runs but had never really interacted until the picnic. He rather liked Sally. She challenged him even at creating a meal. He wouldn’t have thought he would appreciate that kind of confrontation but he did.
He was already in the kitchen area when she showed up. “Any ideas?”
“Let’s see what’s in the pantry.” She opened the oversize door off to the side and propped it open with a crate, despite the fact the closet was large enough to hold both of them with ease. Was she fearful of being in a closed space with a man, with him in particular, or was there something else? It was just as well he wouldn’t ever take a chance on being caught in a suggestive situation with a female at the station. Having that on his record would ruin any chance for advancement. This promotion was important to him, his opportunity to make a real difference.
It had been while he was in the hospital after the fire that he’d decided one day he would help people as that firefighter had helped his grandpa. As soon as Ross had graduated from high school, he’d joined the same volunteer fire department that had saved them. He’d continued to do so while he was in college. After that, he’d joined the Austin Fire Department. He loved everything about being a fireman.
In some odd way, he was determined to outdo fire. To be smarter than it. Learn to anticipate its next move. He wanted to control, conquer it so no one else would ever have to live through those moments of fear he’d had.
Sally ran her fingers down the canned goods stacked on a shelf. “Yeah, I think we have enough here for vegetable soup. Corn, beans, chopped potatoes and tomato juice. Two tins of each should do it and we can always make grilled cheese sandwiches.”

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