Page 43 of My Three Hometown Firefighters (Aspen Springs #2)
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Sienna
I hear the bell chime over the door a second before several sets of footsteps pound down the hallway. I step out of the storage room.
Tucker, Warren, and Grayson are all here. Their expressions convey they’re all far from okay.
Grayson steps right into my personal space, wrapping me tightly in his arms. I stand there, stunned, with my arms hanging at my sides.
I don’t understand what’s going on, but his need for me to hug him back is evident with the tension lining every inch of his body. My arms circle his waist, and I feel him relaxing against me.
What the hell is going on?
He kisses the top of my head before reluctantly pulling back.
Grayson hasn’t even fully stepped away before Warren is right in front of me. His hands press to either side of my face, and his forehead rests against mine.
My hands grip his forearms. We stand there, just breathing each other in.
I have no idea what happened, but all of them seem to need something from me right now.
Warren presses a slow kiss to my forehead and releases me. My eyes roam over to Tucker, and I realize that he’s holding Nacho in his arms.
“Is he okay?” I ask, reaching for him. Nacho jumps down, bolting for my office.
“He’s fine, but he might have some smoke inhalation,” Tucker says.
“Wait, what?” I ask, thoroughly confused.
“There was a fire at your apartment complex,” Tucker says. His exhaustion and worry are apparent. “Can I please hug you first? Then you can ask the million questions I’m sure you’re burning to ask.”
I nod, and he pulls me against him. My head rests against his chest. The longer we stand there wrapped around each other, the more his heart rate evens out. He bends a little, kissing my cheek.
“Okay, I’m better now,” he says.
“Are you guys okay?” I ask. My eyes roam across all of them.
“We’re fine, love,” Grayson says.
I exhale heavily. “What happened?”
Grayson answers. “There was a fire in your apartment complex.”
“Was anyone hurt?” I ask, thinking about all my neighbors.
“Just some minor smoke inhalation, but everyone’s going to be fine,” Warren says. His voice eases some of my worry.
“Did you guys think I was there when you got the call?” I ask, realizing why they acted the way they did when they stormed in here.
They all nod.
“Realistically, we could have guessed you’d be at work, but it didn’t matter. The possibility was enough to rattle all of us,” Grayson says.
Hearing this from the man who is strength personified is enough to shake me, too.
“I’m fine. I swear.” I make an effort to lock eyes with each of them, attempting to show them just how fine I am, even if I do feel a bit off-kilter.
A silent stretch passes before I dive into the next question. “Is my apartment ruined?”
“It didn’t catch fire, but the entire building has smoke damage,” Tucker says. His expression conveys how sorry he is.
I nod.
“No one is going to be able to live in the building for a while,” Grayson says.
Oh, okay.
Fuck. Where am I going to stay?
I guess I could stay with Gram, but she only has a one-bedroom house. That would be challenging, to say the least.
I could stay in a hotel or maybe a short-term rental, but that would be difficult to find with such short notice. There aren’t many options in Aspen Springs.
“You’re welcome to stay with any of us,” Warren says.
Tucker and Grayson both voice their agreement.
I’m pretty sure Tucker’s apartment only has a single bedroom, so that’s out. That leaves Grayson and Warren’s homes.
“I’d love to have you at my place,” Grayson says, “but Warren’s house is probably a better option.”
“Like when I was sick,” I say, smiling.
“Exactly.” Tucker laughs. “It’ll be like a sleepover. Jackson will be pumped about it, I’m sure.”
A small smile curves up the corners of Warren’s mouth.
Am I really considering this? Moving in with one of the men I’ve been hell bent on keeping my distance from?
What other choice do I have, though?
“It only has to be for now,” Grayson says. “Probably until the little one gets here. We can figure out what works best after that.”
I sigh, letting my head hang low between my shoulders. “I don’t want to be a burden,” I whisper. It probably isn’t even loud enough for them to make out.
Fingers tilt my chin up until I’m staring up into a pair of chocolate-brown eyes. “Having you in my home is anything but a burden,” Warren says quietly.
Even with the largest part of my brain battling against me, I find myself whispering, “Okay.”