Page 9 of Where There’s Smoke (Fire House Omegas #2)

Melody

T iptoeing into the kitchen, I did my best to keep my footsteps light so that I wouldn't disturb anyone. The puppy was bundled up in my arms. She was definitely ready for a feed because she was nipping at me like she was looking for a bottle. I’d come to learn her cues well.

The firehouse late at night was quiet and peaceful, though if the alarm went off—something that still scared the crap out of me every time—that peace would be destroyed in an instant.

“Hey,” a warm, soft voice called out, making me jump.

“Holy heck!” I exclaimed, looking around. My eyes landed on Samson sitting in the corner of the kitchen, a book in hand. “I didn’t see you there!”

He was reading by lamplight, so I hadn't noticed him in the darkness of the firehouse.

“Sorry, I decided to come out and make some tea while I read,” he said, his voice deep and soft. “Is the baby due for another bottle?”

I nodded, chuckling a little, since it was very much like having a baby. “Every two to three hours.”

Samson frowned, putting his book down. “You need to get some rest as well, you know.”

“I will. In a few weeks, once she's a bit bigger,” I said as I walked over to him, my nerves settling some. “What are you reading?”

He glanced down at the book before smiling slightly. “It's a fantasy series I've been reading for a few weeks. There's like twelve books, so it's taking a while to get through them all, but I’m enjoying it. Even if each book is like six-hundred pages.”

“I had no idea you were such a bookworm.”

He shrugged. “I've always liked that kind of thing. There's something about fantasy that's a nice escape.”

“There is,” I agreed. “Is that your favorite genre to read?”

“Sometimes I’ll dip my toes into sci-fi. I tried reading a historical book once, but I couldn't get into it. Besides, half the fantasy books I read are rooted in historical events.”

“I know, but adding dragons to historical battles and coups makes everything so much better.”

He beamed. “See, you get it! My pack mates don't agree. Hey”—Samson nodded down at the puppy—“do you want me to hold her while you make the bottle?”

“Would you?” I asked thankfully. “She's starting to wiggle around, and I don’t want to drop her.”

“Well, we can't have that,” he said, plucking the puppy out of my arms with surprisingly gentle hands. “You’re so pretty, little lady,” he cooed.

There was something about watching a muscular man holding and doting on such a tiny puppy that made my brain temporarily short-circuit.

“I, uhhh… What was I doing?” I muttered.

Samson laughed. “You were getting a bottle. I think sleep deprivation is getting to you.”

“Yes, totally the sleep deprivation…” I agreed, nodding, even though I knew full well that wasn’t why my brain was going gooey. I would have rather jumped headfirst into a volcano than admit the real reason I was having trouble thinking straight, which was new for me. I was usually so clearheaded.

I was staying in a firehouse, though. I had to get used to there being lots of incredibly sexy firefighters around so that I could staunchly ignore them.

“How long have you been here?” I asked as I put the kettle on the burner, trying to hide how my hands shook.

“At Station Seventeen? Years. We worked over at another station for a few years once we graduated from the academy, but once Elliot got promoted to this station, of course, we followed him.”

“It's nice how close-knit packs are. Having someone who will always have your back must be wonderful.”

“Do I sense a bit of longing in that statement?” Samson asked, cocking his head to the side. Even though his attention was fully on me, he was still scratching the puppy’s ears and giving her attention.

He could even multitask. Could he get any hotter?

“Maybe. It would be nice to have someone,” I admitted. “My family isn't exactly close.”

“That sucks.”

“What is your family like?”

Samson smiled. “They’re amazing. I was raised by parents who had me in their later years, so now they're enjoying their retirement in Florida. They had eight sons, believe it or not. Most of them live closer to our folks, and I don't see them as much anymore, sadly.”

I stared at him in shock. “Your poor mother. Your house must have been so loud. Eight boys? God, think of the grocery bills.”

Samson laughed, a loud, rumbly, belly laugh that had my pulse fluttering.

“It certainly was. My mother thrives off that, though. If anything, I was the one who struggled with how busy our house was. My brothers always wanted to be outside, playing sports or whatever mischief they could get up to, whereas I just wanted to stay in my room, reading or playing a video game.”

“There's nothing wrong with that,” I said, shaking the bottle and walking back over to him. “Did your dad also love the chaos?”

“Actually, I take after him. While my brothers and mother were planning adventures in the backyard or building treehouses, my dad and I were the ones who much preferred reading and board games. By the time I was six, I could kick my brothers’ asses at Scrabble, and it was one of the most satisfying things ever.

I was a scrawny kid back then, so my brain was all I had. ”

I glanced over his form now. He was definitely not scrawny anymore. He had large, defined muscles, even for an alpha. Something I was sure he had to work hard to maintain, and damn, that work was paying off. In spades.

“Scrawny? You?” I asked in disbelief.

“I discovered a love of the gym,” he said. “Also, audiobooks while doing cardio? Makes doing it so much easier.”

I grimaced. “As much as I love a good book, nothing will make me enjoy cardio.”

“You could go for a run with me,” he said, his smile so inviting, I was tempted to say yes, even though I had no athletic skill to speak of.

“Uhhh… as tempting as that offer is, I can’t run to save my life. I could always put on a pair of skates and hold on to you as you run.”

He laughed. “Well, that sounds like a recipe for disaster and like something Fitz would do, but I’m down to try it.”

“It’s a date,” I said, before thinking my words through. Realizing what I’d said, I blushed, focusing on the bottle in my hand.

“Can I try feeding her?” he asked, looking between the puppy in his hands and the bottle.

Without a word, I handed over the bottle. “Just be careful. She can get a bit nippy if she's excited for food.”

He looked down adoringly at the puppy. “That's okay, I don't mind a little bit of biting,” he said before looking up at me with a smirk.

His words made my core clench, and I quickly distracted myself with turning back to the counter and cleaning up from where I had made the bottle.

“Good girl,” he cooed as the puppy latched on to the bottle with ease.

His use of the phrase “good girl” had my head spinning. I had read one too many pack romance books, and that phrase instantly turned my insides to goo. That was not what Samson was going for, though. He was an alpha, after all, and I was just me.

“What audiobook or book would you recommend?” I asked, trying to hide my strangled tone of voice. “I could use something to pass the time.”

“I’ve got a whole bookshelf in my room. You’re welcome to raid it. I’ve read most of them several times, so I won’t miss any of them. You can go in whenever you want, even if I’m on a call. Be warned, Fitz is a heathen and leaves his boxers everywhere.”

I shuddered playfully. “Well, I will do my best to avoid the boxers.”

“Maybe it’s a blessing you don’t have your sense of smell at the moment.” He nodded seriously, making me laugh. “If you go in to find a book, you’ll have to deal with ‘The Funk.’”

Laughing, I turned around and giggled even more when I saw Samson’s exaggerated expression. God, he was adorable.

“Well, that is a silver lining,” I agreed.

“You know we don’t bite, you can come out more. You’ve spent the last two days locked up in your room as much as possible. Have you been eating?” he asked, brow furrowing.

“Sunny gave me tons of protein bars and granola bars, so I’ve been nibbling on those,” I admitted sheepishly.

Samson shook his head. “You can’t live on that. Use the kitchen whenever you want, eat whatever you want. There’s plenty of food.”

“I’m already imposing enough with the constant bottles,” I said softly.

“You’re a guest here, take anything you need. We have plenty of food, considering we all eat constantly. We were going to order pizza today but got dragged out on a call. Next time, I’ll grab one for you. Just let me know what kind you like.”

“Oh, you don’t have to!”

He leveled me with a serious look. “I want to.”

That declaration shouldn't have made me feel all warm and mushy inside, but by God, it did.