The Bradford Station

Chapter 9

Danny

I'm doing my best to keep calm as I walk her to her car. There are moments in time where you understand your life is about to change, and this one is mine. When we get to her car, she stops at the driver side door and turns around.

The streetlight casts an ethereal glow around her, making her look like some sort of angel fairy sent to earth from places unknown. "SoooÉ" I start off, getting as close as I dare, but not as close as I want. "Maybe we could do this again?"

She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, a ghost of a grin showing on the edge not clamped tight. "I think I'd like that."

"We'll have to figure out a time. I have to work tomorrow and then I'll be helping my dad for one of my days," I warn her. "Sometimes being with me isn't easy."

"Nothing worth having ever is, Danny."

"It's just, other women have gotten annoyed," I try to explain. It's been the hardest part of any relationship I've ever had. "Unfortunately, right now a lot of my time isn't my own."

"I'm not like other women."

"Good." I get slightly closer to her. "I'm not like other men."

"We'll figure this out?"

"Most definitely."

She licks her lips, tilting her head almost expectantly up toward me. "Thanks for the dinner tonight."

"It was my pleasure." I move in a little closer, placing my hands on her hips. "Can I kiss you?"

She tilts her head higher, scooting closer to my body. "I'd be really disappointed if you didn't."

This time, I do get all up in her business, pressing her against the car. One hand at her hip, the other behind her neck, I pull her close, lowering my mouth toward hers. It's all in slow motion as our lips touch. It's hesitant at first, but the spark that's been brewing between us ignites as we tentatively kiss one another, small pecks that build hotter and hotter. She melds into me as her lips finally open, allowing my tongue to sneak inside. A soft moan escapes the back of her throat and her hands, which had been at my elbows, travel up to my neck. Sharp fingernails rake against the skin, causing me to lose my sure footing. Taking my hand off the back of her neck, I brace it against the frame of the car and shove my thigh in between her legs.

My fingers grip her hip tighter and I'm not sure where she ends and I begin when a loud car horn startles us, making us jump apart. Turning my head, I see two cars have tried to leave the parking lot at the same time. They're arguing, but I forget about them, moving my attention back to her.

Her lips are dark and swollen, eyes big and bright. "I should be getting home," she whispers.

"Yeah, me too."

With a reluctant sigh, I let her go. Stepping back, I allow her room to turn. I open the door, waiting for her to get into the driver's seat. Once she does, I lean in, kissing her on the forehead. "Be safe, text me when you get home."

"You too. Oh, here." She passes what I realize is my jacket.

I close her in, watching until she backs out and drives away.

Looking up at the sky, I notice it's brighter than normal, stars dotting the dark inkiness. A few of them shine brighter than the others, reminding me of the sparkle in Hayden's eyes. "Fuck." I shake my head. "You've got it so bad."

*****

Getting out of my Jeep, I see Cameron Hines, our shift Lieutenant, walking across the parking lot to the firehouse.

"Ramirez," he greets, a yawn cracking his jaw. "How's it going?"

"Not bad, kinda wish we had more than two days though."

"Don't I know it? Trinity," he mentions his daughter, "had a hard time sleeping last night. With the big windstorm that came through."

"There was a windstorm?"

He chuckles. "You musta been tired, winds kicked up to fifty miles an hour. The tree branch outside her room kept scraping the window. Gonna have to get it fixed." He reaches behind his neck, scratching at his hairline.

"Lemme call my dad. They can do it for you, no problem."

"Really? That'd be great, and give me one less thing to worry about."

"I'll let you know when he can make it over today."

Cam holds his hand out. "Appreciate it, Ramirez. It's a big help."

For the first time since I came to Company One, I feel a part of the team, like I'm doing something that makes me special and important. "No problem, I'll let you know what he says."

"Keep me in the loop," Cam says as he drops back, waiting for his best friend Gauge.

There's a part of me that longs for the kind of friendship they have but, as a teenager, I was so involved in helping with dad's business I wasn't able to develop the type to last a lifetime. One of the hopes I have for my new role in the Company is to find a life for myself that doesn't revolve around my family.

"Morning Rook," Chief Hudson's voice reverberates through the hall as I walk into the building.

"Morning." Pulling my bag tighter up onto my shoulder, I stop to give him my full attention.

"How were your days off?"

"Same ole, same ole."

"Just making sure you didn't overdo it with the landscaping. You have a lot of training to do this week."

When I think maybe I've brushed past the tough outer edge of Chief, it's there again, ready to slap me back down. "No, I'm prepared for whatever you wanna throw at me."

"Once you get changed, come see me or LT and we'll have something for you to do."

"Copy that."

Sighing deeply, I head to the locker room. Trying my best not to think of what he's going to say when he realizes I've gone out on a date with his daughter. The room is loud as I enter. Everyone catching up on what they've done the last few days.

The group of us are close. Not because of what we've gone through, but because of how much time we spend together. It's more than we get with our families, so we become the family we choose.

"Saw you at Mountainside." Gauge hits me on the shoulder as I walk toward my locker. "Arms all around some hot piece of ass."

Fuck. Hopefully he didn't see who it was.

"Who was she?" He whistles. "Didn't recognize the car and it was too dark to see the face."

"Gentlemen don't kiss and tell." I store my bag in my locker before taking off my jeans and putting on my uniform pants.

Everyone is looking at me. "Gentleman, my ass." Gauge gives me a look. "You've always been willing to tell us who you've been f*****g around with. What makes this one different?"

Shrugging, I do my best to feign indifference. "Who knows? Just a feeling."

"Bullshit." Gauge laughs. "You and I both know you've never had a feeling about a woman before."

"How do you know?" My blood boils and hands shake as I do my best to not let him see. Typically, I'm okay with them making fun of me, but this? Her? It goes too far and I don't want them to get the wrong idea.

Gauge blinks, opening his mouth and then shutting it. "I don't know."

"Then shut the f**k up."

Everyone is quiet as they look at the two of us. There's a tension in the locker room we've never had and I hate that I'm partially the cause of it.

"You're right." He moves back, holding his hands up in surrender. "I should shut up about s**t I don't know. I'm sorry if I offended you."

It takes a lot for me to hold my hand out to him. "It's okay. You were joking."

"I didn't realize you were serious and I really am sorry, Danny. I like having fun, just like the rest of us, but I never wanna do it at the expense of one of you. We laugh with, not at. I went too far."

Nodding, I accept the apology. As hard as it is, I know that's what the guys expect from me. "I'm gonna go see what second shift left us to make breakfast with."

Walking to the kitchen gives me time to calm down. Being here is comfortable, a place that's been mine since I started a few months ago. Behind this stove is my spot. As I go through the cupboards and refrigerator, I make a list of the ingredients we need to keep us fed for the next few shifts. "I'm heading to the grocery." I hold the piece of paper up.

"Do you need help?" Chief Hudson asks.

"No, there's not a lot. I got this."

Truth of the matter is, I need the time to myself in order to get my head on straight. Keeping it together in the face of adversity is something I've always been able to do. It's a point of pride and losing it slightly is one of the more embarrassing things that's ever happened.

Getting into the firehouse SUV, I head for the grocery store, doing my best not to stop at the bank. Truth be told, that's where I'd much rather be going.