Page 31 of Stuck with my Brother's Firefighter Besties

I just wasn’t sure if I was grateful or not.

“Get back here, you little thief!” Colt growled, though he was clearly more amused than angry.

Jaxon rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide the faint twitch of a smile. Ryan just stood by the kitchen counter, shaking his head as Biscuit looped around him.

The sight of Colt, all six-foot-something of him, crawling on the floor trying to grab a tiny corgi was too much. I doubled over laughing, the kind of laugh that made my stomach hurt and tears prick my eyes.

Realizing he had the upper hand, Biscuit leaped onto the couch, sock still dangling from his mouth, and barked triumphantly.

“Unbelievable,” Colt muttered, collapsing onto the rug in defeat.

Ryan finally stepped in, holding out a treat from the bakery bag. “Trade, Biscuit?”

Biscuit dropped the sock immediately, tail wagging as he accepted the treat like a king accepting tribute.

“I’m never getting that sock back,” Colt grumbled, but there was no real venom in his voice.

The laughter eventually settled, replaced by the quiet crackle of the fire. Biscuit curled up on his new makeshift bed, happily gnawing on his bakery treat.

Colt plopped into one of the armchairs, tugging at his other sock as if daring Biscuit to make a move.

Ryan handed me a steaming mug of hot chocolate, the scent of peppermint and cocoa curling in the air. I took it gratefully, my fingers brushing his. His hands were warm and rough, a reminder of how much he worked with them.

“Thanks,” I murmured, holding the mug close to my chest.

He gave me a small smile, one that reached his green eyes, before returning to the kitchen to grab his own cup.

Jaxon, meanwhile, had claimed the couch, stretching out with the confidence of someone who didn’t care about personal space. He propped his feet up on the coffee table and gestured toward the blanket he’d thrown earlier.

“You should use that before you freeze. No sense in suffering just to look polite.”

I hesitated, but the chill in the room won out. Wrapping the blanket around my shoulders, I sank into the other armchair, the warmth from the fire and the cocoa working to thaw more than just the cold. I listened as the guys bantered back and forth about past ski trips.

“Remember that time Nate wiped out and took half the fence with him?” Ryan asked, his face lit with amusement.

“Or when Colt tried to snowboard and ate it so hard he cracked the board in two?” Jaxon added with a laugh.

Colt tossed a pillow at him, which Jaxon dodged easily. “You’re just jealous I’m better at literally everything else.”

“Sure, if we’re counting arm wrestling and beer pong,” Jaxon shot back.

I found myself smiling despite my best efforts. The ease between them was contagious, and for a moment, I forgot how complicated everything felt.

Then Jaxon turned to me, his grin sharp and mischievous, almost as if hewantedme to be uneasy.

“You ever been on a plane, Lila?”

I blinked at the sudden change in topic. “Uh, yeah. A few times. Why?”

He leaned back against the couch, his eyes glinting in the firelight. “Ever heard of the Mile-High Club?”

My cheeks went up in flames. “I… what?”

What the hell was he doing?

Ryan groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. “Seriously, man?”

Jaxon ignored him, his smirk widening. “I’m just saying, it’s an experience. Highly recommend.”

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