Page 14 of Curvy Girl and the Firefighter Chief

"Children's books, mainly," I reply, grateful for the distraction. "I was actually working on a series about firefighting animals when..." I trail off, remembering my lost work.

"That sounds amazing," Sadie jumps in. "Maybe you could use these guys as inspiration for your next project. Though I'm not sure which animals would suit them."

"Oh, that's easy," Shane grins. "Chief's definitely a grizzly bear."

"Hey now," Luke protests, but he's smiling.

"No, no. The Chief is definitely a grizzly," Shane insists. "Big, protective, and grumpy most of the time."

"I am not grumpy," Luke grumbles beside me, proving Shane's point and making everyone laugh.

I have to bite my lip to keep from giggling.

"Ooh, what about me?" Danny asks, practically bouncing in his seat.

Before I can stop myself, I'm speaking. "A golden retriever." When everyone turns to look at me, I shrug. "What? Enthusiastic, eager to please, occasionally destructive but with the best intentions."

"She's got you," Ashton howls with laughter. "Remember when you tried to 'help' that kid get his kite from the tree and ended up needing rescue yourself?"

Danny points his fork accusingly. "We agreed never to speak of that again!"

"What about Kane?" Sadie asks, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.

I hide my smile behind my water glass, noting how Kane's posture straightens slightly at Sadie's voice.

"Wolf," Max says immediately.

"Falcon," Damon counters.

"Definitely a wolf," I chime in. "Lone wolf type, but secretly protective of his pack."

Kane's expression doesn't change, but I notice a slight softening around his eyes, making me think I might have hit closer to home than expected.

"Damon's a horse," Max declares. "Reliable, hardworking—"

"Whinnies when he sees his girlfriend," Ashton interrupts, making everyone snort.

"I do not whinny!" Damon protests.

"You kind of do, man," Shane says sympathetically. "It's this high-pitched thing you do—"

"Moving on!" Damon cuts in. "Ashton's clearly a monkey. Always climbing things he shouldn't, making mischief."

"I take offense to that," Ashton says, then pauses. "Actually, no, that's pretty accurate."

"Max is a bulldog," Luke adds unexpectedly, his deep voice sending shivers down my spine. "Stubborn as hell, but loyal to a fault."

"What about me?" Sadie asks, looking at her father.

"Hummingbird," Luke says softly, and the tenderness in his voice makes my heart ache. "Always moving, bringing life wherever you go."

There's a moment of tender silence before Danny breaks it. "Shane's definitely a penguin."

"A penguin?" Shane looks offended. "How am I a penguin?"

"You waddle when you're tired," Danny shrugs. "Plus, you're always formally dressed even off-duty."

"I do not waddle!"

---