Page 76 of Her Braun
You couldn't work in Fire House Twenty-Nine and not know who she was after a few short weeks. While Vitalia was also a firefighter, she didn't work at her father's fire house.
It wasn't that it was completely against the rules but if family did work together at one house there were hoops that they needed to jump through to keep the white-shirts happy, but Vitalia knew she wanted her own identity without having to play limbo with the expectations of the brass at CCFD headquarters.
That didn't mean that anyone who worked within the walls of House Twenty-Nine considered her an outsider.
To them, Vitalia Campanelli would always be the princess of the house.
"How are things working with your schedules?"
He appreciated Gloria's no-nonsense questions.
She cared, but she wasn't going to tip toe around the point.
"So far, it's okay. My apartment was closer to the firehouse than her home, but I've been keeping myself busy during the day when she's at work."
She nodded. "With the break ins I'm sure you put up cameras and outdoor lights."
He smiled at how easily she understood. "It's the same system I set up for you and the chief at your house."
"You're a good man, Braun."
"I'm trying to be the best man for her."
Gloria pressed a hand to her chest and gave him a smiling sigh. "That's so sweet."
Sweet.
Not a lot of his feelings for Kay were sweet.
Quite a few of the things that he did to her and with her were definitelynotsweet.
Her husband stepped into the room and looked at them both.
"Really, Glo?"
The look on her face was priceless.
She was still smiling but the way one brow bowed up as she turned to look over at her husband spoke volumes. "Yes, Aldo?"
Gibson's Chief pressed his lips together, forming a thin line.
His wife prompted him to continue on. "You had something to say,dear?"
Gibson cleared his throat. "I should go-"
Gloria swung her gaze back to him and he froze like a deer in headlights.
"You, Mister Braun," oh shit, "will stay right there."
Then she turned back to her husband. "You were saying?"
Gibson saw his chief straighten his spine and put a loving smile on his face as he stepped into the room and wrapped his arms around his wife.
He gave her a kiss on her cheek and then leaned back to look in her narrowed eyes. "Sorry, honey. I was just trying to give Braun some breathing room."
Gibson tensed up at his words as Gloria gave her husband a big, broad smile. "Braun seems to be breathing just find,dear."
Oh, boy.
