Page 1 of Fireman Daddy’s Tempestuous Little

CHAPTER ONE

Miri

I stood in the driveway with my arms crossed and glared at the obnoxiously loud, obnoxiously large truck driving down the road toward the house. Its engine rumbled like a goddamn buffalo with an upset stomach, and I felt my anger begin to boil.

God, I hated that man!

The truck pulled into the driveway, and I stood my ground, staring at the driver as he slowly eased toward me, stopping inches from where I stood. The driver sighed and I felt a slight thrill as I saw he was tired. Good. That would make it easier for me to win this argument.

He stepped out and offered me a bright smile. “Afternoon, Miri. How is my favorite neighbor today?”

“Fuck you!” I shouted at him.

“Wonderful!” he said, still grinning as he walked past me toward the door. “I’m so glad to hear it.”

“Fuck you!” I repeated. “Your goddamned dog shit in my yard again!”

“Really?” he said. “That’s strange. I didn’t know my dog had opposable thumbs.”

“He—what?”

“Well,” he said as he walked up the porch steps. “My dog has been in my yard all day, so the only way his shit could have gotten into your yard would be if he threw it there himself. The only way he could do that is if he somehow grew thumbs on his paws so he could pick it up and throw it over the fence. Did he grow thumbs while I was gone?”

I ran in front of him and blocked his way to the door. He sighed and stared at me, still wearing that insufferable smile.

“Either pick up your dog’s shit or get the fuck out of my neighborhood!” I screamed at him.

A flash crossed his eyes and I felt another thrill as I saw his façade crack. “Miri,” he said calmly. “I’ve had a long day.”

“I don’t give a fuck about—” I began.

“Normally I would love to stand here and trade insults but I just pulled a family of three from a burning minivan and I’m tired and hungry.”

“Did you just interrupt—”

“So, I’m going to go inside my house and make myself some dinner. Then I’m going to watch a movie with my good dog who has not once shit in your driveway in the three years I’ve lived here. I’m going to do all of those things and I’m going to love every second of it. Now please get off of my property.”

I was so mad I could almost imagine steam coming from my ears like an old cartoon. “How fucking dare you!” I started. “You insufferable—What are you—Put me down!”

I flailed and kicked as he literally reached forward and picked me up off the ground. He turned around and set me on the ground behind him. “Good night, Miri,” he said.

He opened the door and walked inside and I was too stunned to stop him. When the door closed, my mind returned, and I rushed forward and started banging on the door. “Hey!” I called. “Asshole! I’m not done talking to you!”

I kept yelling and received no response. When I heard the tv come on, I stamped my foot and shouted, “We’re not done with this, Drew!” before storming back to my house.

As soon as I got inside, I put my head in my hands and shrieked, “Oh, that—that—prick!”

I stormed upstairs and fell forward onto my bed, burying my head into a pillow so I could scream some more.

How dare he?

How dare he pick me up like that with that smug grin, that insufferable calm demeanor, and those rippling, bulging arms—

Wait, what?

Well, there was nothing wrong with admitting that he was strong. I wasn’t a small girl and for him to pick me up off of the ground and move me like that after a strenuous day of firefighting was admittedly impressive.

Still, he was an asshole. A smug, self-important, sexy—

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