Page 11 of Curvy Girl and the Firefighter Chief

The smell of burning hits my nose, followed by Danny's distinctive yelp of surprise.

At least some things never change.

I push open the kitchen door after a quick knock.

"Danny? Everything okay in here?"

The scene that greets me is pure chaos—Danny wielding a fork over a smoking pan while flames leap up around what appear to be expensive cuts of meat.

"Chief! Come in, come in," Danny grins, utterly unfazed by the minor inferno he's creating. "It might look like a disaster, but trust me, this meat is top-notch. Bought it special since we have a guest upstairs."

I shake my head, watching him battle with the pan. "Looks more like you're about to burn down the whole station."

"A firefighter can't be afraid of a little fire," Danny waves dismissively. "When this is done, you'll all be thanking me. It'll be worth it."

"It better be worth it," Ashton's voice booms as he rises from one of our circular dining tables. "If you ruin this meat, I'm punching you in the arm. That shit was expensive as hell, and I paid for it."

"First of all," Danny points the fork at him, "you owed me for being your wingman for a whole week at that goddamn biker bar. I earned this meat with my excellent backup skills."

Damon chuckles from his spot at the table. "You guys don't get it. The single life seems great until you meet the one. After that?" He shakes his head. "Nothing else matters."

"Damn straight," Shane adds, looking dreamy. "Loving someone feels better than saving the whole world."

Max lets out an exaggerated groan. "You guys are so lame when you're in love." He turns to Kane, who's lurking in the corner. "Back me up here, man."

Kane responds with a noncommittal "Hmm," which makes everyone laugh.

"Just wait," Damon grins. "You'll eat those words when you meet the right girl."

"Yeah, right," Max snorts. "Like I'm going to find a bombshell blonde with endless curves, green eyes, and a sassy mouth in this small town."

Danny keeps working the pan, which is finally starting to smoke less.

"Hey, you never know. I mean, look at the Chief – found his love in the middle of a house fire."

I clear my throat loudly, caught completely off guard.

"That's enough," I say firmly. "I'm just being nice to Stella. Once she's back on her feet, that's it. End of story." I fix them all with my best Chief glare. "Danny, focus on not burning down our kitchen. I'm going to ask Sadie to help Stella down for dinner."

I turn and leave before they can say anything else, but I hear their muffled laughter behind me. I could go up and help Stella myself – should go up, really.

It's my responsibility, but right now, I need distance. Being near her is like standing too close to a fire—intoxicating and dangerous.

The way she looks at me with those green eyes, how her full lips part when she talks, the soft curves of her body in my station's clothes... No. I need to stop this train of thought right now.

Professional distance is the only way forward. Anything else would be taking advantage of her vulnerable state.

But as I head to find Sadie, I can't help but wonder how long I can keep pretending that Stella Morrison isn't affecting me in ways no woman ever has before.

Chapter 6 - Stella

I stare at the ceiling, my mind replaying every interaction with Luke. How is it possible to feel so connected to someone I just met? Yet here I am, unable to stop thinking about his broad shoulders, the way his beard frames his strong jaw, and how his massive hands dwarf mine.

Those deep blue eyes that seem to see right through me. I huff in frustration, gripping the sheets tightly. This is ridiculous.

A knock interrupts my spiraling thoughts. "Stella? Can I come in?"

"Come in, Sadie," I call out, recognizing her voice. "Is everything okay?"

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