“Miss Collins, are we almost there?” Steven asks for the fifth time. For some reason, he needs an update every ten minutes despite us not moving very far. This is New York traffic, after all.

“Only ten minutes away,” I say, holding my best smile.

“Would you leave her alone,” Dwayne chirps up. “Can’t you see that we’ve barely moved since the last time you asked that question?” He was always my favorite Blaze Brigade recruit. I have to hold back laughter.

It takes another twenty minutes before we get there. And Steven asks about it at least four more times. Some days are harder than others, but I try to remind myself that I’m doing this for a good cause.

After the charity event, Station 69 offered to give us a tour of their fire station. Alex laughed her ass off when she found out the number. I can still hear her words: “Maybe, they can help you get laid.”

That is the furthest thing from my mind when it comes to the Blaze Brigade. And there was no way that I could turn this down. Especially when it was free and the kids have been asking for a field trip for months now. Anything to get them out of the school’s basement and show them around the city.

Lucky for us, Station 69 is downtown.

“Remember to be on your best behavior. I want us to get invited back next year,” I yell as the doors to the bus swing wide open. I give Larry, our bus driver, a nasty look as the kids rush out. I wasn’t finished with my spiel and all the kids are already out in front of the fire station. Larry shrugs his shoulders and goes back to reading his book. He’s probably tired of having us on the bus. It’s quieter that way and I don’t blame him.

There are two gigantic fire trucks out on display for the kids to see. An American flag waves from the front of them. The red paint pulls the kids in like mosquitos to a flame.  

“Don’t touch them,” I blurt them out as Dwayne gets a little too close to the firetruck. He shoots me a look and rolls his eyes.

Someone is supposed to be meeting us here. I’d forgotten to get the name from the secretary when I left. I doubt it’ll take long for someone to come out when there are ten kids running around and screaming in the station.

“Fancy meeting you here,” a voice says behind me. Chills run down my spine. It’s a deep and dark voice. One that pulls me instantly to him. I turn around and my heart almost stops.

Sergeant Max Johnson. I bring a hand to cover my gaping mouth. To say I am surprised to see him here was an understatement.

He looks around at the kids running and smiles. “Thought you guys could use a field trip. My bosses loved the idea of it,” he says. He’s not wearing his usual decorative uniform. Just a white dress shirt with a name tag and pin on his right breast pocket. Dark blue dress pants that hug his legs and a black leather belt that’s pulled back to the last loop.

“It’s not polite to stare, Miss Collins,” Jody blurts behind me and pulls on my hand.

I shake my head and bring myself back to reality. Thankful to have Jody break me out of Max’s spell and embarrass me at the same time. “You’re right, honey,” I say. The rush of heat to my face is much stronger than before.

All I can think of is the night of the charity. How he came to my rescue and asked for nothing in return. Alex’s voice chirps up in my head: “You should find a way to repay him.” I let my eyes roll down his body and I can almost make the outline of his shaft.

Max kneels next to Jody, throwing a smirk to me at his way down. “Do you want to see the inside of the fire truck, sweetie?” he asks.

Jody nods her head rapidly and the other kids fall in line at his words. He takes her hand from mine and opens the door to the truck. He hoists her inside and puts a headset on her tiny head. It slides down her head and onto her lap.

“Press that button right there,” Max says and Jody leans over and with all her strength pushes the big red button. The horn on top of the truck goes off and my hands fly up to my head. She holds it a little longer and when she lets go, the kids scream around me in excitement. At least a couple decibels higher than the truck’s horn.

“I hate you,” I mouth to Max who’s laughing his ass off. He shrugs his shoulders and tells Jody to move over as he picks Steven off the ground. It takes him at least ten minutes to go through all the kids, each of them wanting their own chance at blowing the horn. Never getting tired of the loud and strong sound that comes out. Always cheering together.

None of this bothers me. It gives me an opportunity to take Max in. He’s pretty good with kids, better than any other guy I’ve seen. Most guys I’ve seen run in the opposite direction when it comes to kids. Max seems to take it in stride. Almost like he’s enjoying it.

“Who here wants to see where the firemen sleep?”

All the kids shoot their hands up into the air and follow behind in a straight line. I can’t believe how well behaved they are. They are listening to everything that I’ve said, even though it seems like they could care less.

The tour of the firehouse takes bout an hour. When we are done, Max takes us to the back yard, where a bunch of firemen are grilling hot dogs and burgers for the kids. All their little eyes shine when they see the mountains and mountains of food.

“Is that for us?” Jody asks.

“Of course,” Max laughs. I can’t believe that Max has gone so much out of his way to help them out. Some of these kids don’t even get dinner at the end of day. A little bit of me wonders if he knows that.

The more time I spend with Max the more I liked about him. He is nice, caring, strong, and isn’t freaked out by kids.

“You didn’t have to do all that for them,” I say. I take a bite of my hot dog and my eyes light up at how good it tastes. Better than anything I could ever cook.

“I wanted to. I know how it feels to be in their shoes,” he answers, smiling as his eyes hover over the kids.

“You do?”

“Of course.” He digs his hand into his pocket and pulls out a bronze medallion. He holds it out in front of me. “I was part of the first Blaze groups back when I was a kid. One of the reasons why I became a firefighter.” He gets a little closer to me and puts the medallion in my hand. I run it through my fingers, and it reminds me of the memory card.

“I wanted to thank you again for the other night. I really appreciate what you did for me.” I place the medallion into his hand, letting my finger linger for a moment longer than necessary. Max smiles down at me but doesn’t say anything. Just closes the distance between us until his shoulders brush against mine.

“Think nothing of it. Anyone would’ve done the same,” he answers matter-of-factly.

I shake my head. “That’s the thing. I don’t think anyone would have done the same. I hate to say it but I think pictures of me naked would sell pretty nicely.” The thought of my naked pictures being on the internet sickens me. All because I was too careless not to lock the door.

Max’s blue eyes look down at me. “Is that so?” He rubs two fingers at his chin. “You’re starting to make me regret my decision.” He shoots me a smirk and laughs. His chest bounces and tightens a little harder and I almost want to lean in and take a bite of him. Play out a little of the naughty thoughts that I’ve had about him lately.

I slap my hand against his arm, feeling the solidness of his bicep. I bite down on my lip at the feel of his skin, electricity shooting down my spine and stopping between my legs. I rub my thighs together and try to get myself together.

Max looks at my hand and then down at me. “How about you let me take you to dinner?” I open my mouth to object when his hand slips behind my back and pulls me in a little closer, forcing my hand on his chest. “Your way of thanking me,” he mumbles as his eyes fall from my lips down the side of my neck. He bites on his lips as if he’s ready to devour me right then and there.

Before I can stop myself, I find myself nodding to his words. “Okay,” I mumble out. “That sounds like a good idea.” My heart is beating at a million miles per hour as I press myself a little on him. He holds me there and we look into each other’s eyes a little too long.

“Miss Collins, are you okay?” Steven asks. “Your face is very, very red. Like a tomato.” Max’s hand falls from my back. The second it leaves, I miss its warmth. The hard touch on my body. Something that I’ve been missing for ages.

“I’m fine, Steven,” I answer and clear my throat. I turn to face Steven, who has ketchup and mustard all over his face. He pushes the last of the hot dog into his mouth and smiles at Max.

“Thanks for the hot dogs.”

“Not a problem.” Max holds out his fist and Steven pounds it. Steven grabs another hot dog off the tray and walks back out of sight. “Cock blocker he is,” Max laughs.

I nod at his words. The flush on my face returning. Steven has a way of showing up at the worst times.

“So, where do you live?” Max asks, turning his attention back to me. His eyes move down my body and I can’t help but turn my head to the side, trying to hide the blush on my face.

What the hell is wrong with me? I don’t know what the hell is coming over me. Something about this man is making me blush like a school girl. I haven’t felt like this in a long time. Scratch that. I’m positive I’ve never felt like this before.

“Oh, it’s a little apartment complex on the West Side. Sherwood Oaks Apartments.”

“No shit,” Max says, turning his head and making sure that none of the kids heard him swear. “That’s where I live.”

My mouth practically drops. “You’re shitting me,” I laugh. This can’t be true.

“Yeah, I’m on the 38th floor. Room 3825.”

My heart seizes up and the ground seems far away. My hand flies up to my head and Max is quick to grab me. This can’t be happening.

“Rose? Rose, are you ok?”

The world spins a little and Max takes me into his arms. My body pushes against his chest and he takes me over to a bench.

What the hell is with me and fainting every time I’m near a hot guy? Alex is not going to find out about this. She’ll never let me live it down.

“I’m fine,” I answer and sit upright. “Are you sure it’s Room 3825?”

“Pretty positive. I’ve been living there with my roommates for the last couple years.”

My stomach lurches.

Roommate.

This can’t be happening.

“My best friend Blake and I have been there for a while.”

And there it is. The world grows dark and the last thing I remember is falling into Max’s arms.