Page 19 of Big Daddy Firemen

Daisy had eventually gone to the site of the fire, watching with the other citizens of Big Cedar as Walker, Cane, and Austin extinguished the flames and worked with Quinn to seal up the scene.

As always, she was relieved that the crisis was over and her guys weren’t hurt.

She smiled as she watched them walk back into the firehouse.

Herguys.

As if they really belonged to her.

“Are you all okay?” she asked, even though she already knew the answer.

“We’re just fine, darlin’,” Cane said as he hung his heavy turnout coat on a hook bolted into the garage’s wall. “All things considered, that was an easy one.”

“Yeah. The fire was easy to put out,” Austin said. “But it wasn’t so easy on me. Are these things getting harder or am I getting older?” He stretched his arms high into the air, wincing as stiffness jolted his aching joints.

“You really want to know the answer?” Walker shot back with a grin.

“Just keep it to yourself,” Austin told him.

The smell of smoke clung to the men, as usual, mixing with the scent of oil, gasoline, and rubber from the big engine they’d just pulled back into the garage.

Jean popped her head from the office and scowled at Daisy, apparently still worried the younger woman was there to steal her hours and snag a few extra dollars.

Daisy smiled. Jean just grunted and disappeared back inside, closing the door in not quite a slam but not exactly gently, either.

“We’re going to clean up,” Walker told Daisy. “Then we need to talk about this date of yours.”

“My date?” Daisy said.

Walker nodded.

“Why do you want to know about that?” she asked as they all walked through the door that led from the garage to the living quarters.

“To make sure you’re safe,” Walker replied.

“I’m—”

“No, little girl. You’re not getting out of this. You’re going to hang out right here while we clean up.” He stopped walking and grinned. “Or do you want to join us in there again?” His eyes darted toward their room.

She blushed hard and shook her head. “I’ll wait here.”

“Choice is yours,” Walker said.

“And for what it’s worth, I think you’re making the wrong one!” Cane told her with a wink.

“He speaks for me too,” Austin added.

She giggled and watched the men walk away.

Damn. They were beyond hot.

Thirty minutes later,the aroma of body wash had replaced the stench of smoke. The guys were all cleaned up, wearing clean gray sweatshorts and dark blue t-shirts. In those matching outfits, they looked like brothers, Daisy noted silently.

They were brothers, she then realized. Maybe not blood. But still brothers, nonetheless. They had a bond stronger than some families.

The three eased into the chairs around the kitchen table. Austin groaned. “Man, I’m sore.”

“We told you earlier,” Cane said. “It’s because you’re getting too damn old.”

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