Page 7 of The Fire Captain's Unexpected Baby
Everyday life. Everyday situations. Maybe Iwantto get handcuffed to another bed and need rescuing.
I need to come to terms with these feelings because Aaron is staying in Crown Hill. It’s inevitable that our paths will cross. I already had to turn down lunch with Levi at the station today to avoid him.
I just need a little bit of time before I have to face him—and the feelings he stirs up in me. Part of me dreads seeing him, the man who had to come to my embarrassing rescue.
But I hadn’t planned for the way his gaze drifted lower when he set to work over me, his touch gentle. And it seemed like he had a harder time forcing himself to look me in the eye—and it wasn’t all embarrassment.
I want those eyes on me again for however long he wants to look.
“You know, I forgot that I have to pick up my dress for the wedding this weekend,” I tell Megan when I can’t shake those thoughts loose. “I’ll make it up to you next time. I promise.”
“It’svolunteerwork, Paige,” she laughs. “Go. Get your dress.”
Noah and I head out to the boutique where Summer insisted I order the bridesmaid’s dress. The seamstress has me put it on one last time before I take it home.
“I’ll keep an eye on this one.” The old lady smiles at Noah as she hands me the dress. She takes his hand and lets him lead her to the bright green velvet poufs outside the dressing rooms. Noah happily climbs up.
The stretchy fabric pulls over my head and drapes over my curves as it falls in place. Summer was right when she picked this one. It skims my hips and covers the softness of my tummy.
It’s shorter than what I would choose, but with a pair of heels, it will make my legs look incredible.
And Summer made Zachary invite a certain captain.
If I had to choose what he sees me in next, this dress definitely tops the list.
The seamstress pins it in a few key places, promises to make the alterations as soon as possible, and then we leave.
“The dress is perfect,” I report to Summer as we leave. “One more thing off your wedding checklist.”
“Now, all we have to do is make sure you get noticed,” she laughs. “I doubt that will be a problem for you in that dress.”
Chapter Three
Aaron
There aren’t many places to hide at a wedding as intimate as this one. When I arrive, I try my best to find a place where I would be as hidden as possible. The rest of the guests surge ahead of me toward the seating arrangements, waiting for the ceremony to begin.
It doesn’t hurt that this gives me the best vantage point in the room. Every exit, every movement, every entrance—I can see it all from the back of the ceremony in Zachary’s backyard.
The ceremony is admittedly beautiful, with paper lanterns and fresh flowers scattered around the yard. Green and luscious, you can tell that they put a lot of effort into making this feel high-end while surviving on an admittedly small firefighter’s salary.
I appreciate the invitation to the wedding, an attempt to make me feel more welcome in a tight-knit station. But this might be one of the last places I want to be.
In this particular crowd, it’s obvious that I’m a bit of a loner. That I’m the new guy in town, on the outskirts of every conversation.
I’m more of a fixture here at the wedding than I am a guest.
With a sigh, I remind myself that I knew taking this position would come with challenges. Of course, I knew that I would need to get to know a new crew of firefighters. One day, they would become like family to me, too.
The music starts, signaling the ceremony’s beginning. I make a deliberate effort to uncross my arms, but I don’t move from the tree I’m leaning against, out of the way.
My attention follows along with the crowd’s as they turn back to the end of the aisle, where the bridesmaid steps out of the house. She has a bright, jewel-toned dress on that makes her skin look like fresh cream, the kind I used to dollop on a bowl of sweetened strawberries as a kid.
The fabric hugs her in all the right places, pulling tight around her hips and dipping low to display her ample cleavage.
I don’t want to stare. Ogling a woman is rude, even if she’s meant to be the center of attention at the moment.
My eyes draw away from her curves to the hem of her dress, skimming her thighs. The smooth expanse of her exposed skin makes my skin feel hot under this ill-fitting suit jacket.
