Page 99 of Her Silver Fox Firefighters

“Congratulations, Captain,” I tell him. “These men are lucky to have you leading them. You know that, right?”

“Fair enough, but we’re still the luckiest men in the world to have you as our wife,” Dax replies, his hands resting on my hips.

I wonder if he can tell.

Not yet. It’s too early.

“You know he’s going to get the traditional hazing, right?” Beck warns, stifling a devilish grin. “Every captain has to go through it, even the interim ones.”

“Again with that?” Dax rolls his eyes.

Leo laughs. “It’ll be over quick if you go with the flow.”

“Should I be worried?” I ask.

They chuckle in mischievous unison.

“Not at all, my love,” Dax says. “It’s a silly tradition. The part that sucks is that I’ll never see it coming. I’m not supposed to.”

“That’s half the fun,” Beck replies. “It could happen tomorrow, two weeks from now, or a year from now. He’ll never know when to expect it.”

“What’s it about?”

Leo shakes his head. “We can’t tell you. It’s a fire station secret.”

“I’myour wife.”

“But you’re not a firefighter. We love you, but some things are sacred. We have to respect Ember Ridge’s long-standing traditions,” Beck insists.

“You look gorgeous, by the way,” Leo says, measuring me from head to toe. “It’s giving me all sorts of ideas.”

That was the whole point of the summer dress I’m wearing. It flows in delicate shades of pink, hugging my figure in all the right places. The cleavage is a deep V, made all the more flattering by the string of pearls around my neck. My hair flows freely over one shoulder.

I chose this dress because I know how much Dax loves me in it.

It’s his special day, and I wanted to make every moment of it worth remembering. I know he knows it. I can see it in his eyes as he looks at me.

“Well done, Captain,” Carlos says as he comes over for a quick handshake. I move to the side and lean into Dax, loving the feeling of safety I get from his tall, muscular figure. My men are aging like fine wine. They keep saying they’re the luckiest on earth to have me, but I insist that I’m the lucky one. “I look forward to working with you on behalf of the sheriff’s office,” Carlos adds. “Though I hope we see as little of each other as possible under official circumstances.”

“Bold words just as wildfire season is about to start,” Dax replies with a bitter smile. “But thank you, Carlos. Sorry, I mean, thank you, Sheriff.”

The star does look good pinned to Carlos’s chest. He wears it with great distinction, serving proudly and righteously, day in and day out, never complaining. I can’t think of a better man to lead the local police force.

“Right back at you, Captain,” he says with a playful wink.

Chloe stands nearby with the stroller. Carlos looks at her, his expression morphing into one of anxiety.

“Dude, you’re sweating bullets,” Beck tells him.

“What?”

“Out with it already.”

“Out with what?” Chloe asks, completely oblivious and looking absolutely adorable in her pale green skater dress and lime-green stiletto heels.

“Dammit,” Carlos says and turns around to face Chloe. “Here goes nothing,” he says with a sigh, then takes out a red velvet box as he bends down on one knee.

I see the color drain from Chloe’s face.