Page 12 of Four Firemen For Christmas

Emma’s mention of being tied had the man hot and bothered. Well, he’d have to get in line behind me and Derek.

It was an interesting thought. I’d never done anything like that, but I wasn’t opposed as long as the woman was willing.

Henry planted both palms on the desk and leaned toward Emma. She matched his posture, putting them nose to nose.

Tension filled Henry’s small office space. The open blinds on the door gave everyone outside a perfect view of what was happening, but their voices were too low to carry. I considered closing the blinds but there was no reason.

It wasn’t like Henry was going to fuck her right here in the office. Especially not with me around. If anyone was getting into Emma’s panties today, it was going to be me. “Henry,” I started.

He held up a hand in my direction and the implication was clear.

This was not my area, and I was supposed to shut the fuck up. My jaw hardened and I gritted my teeth to keep from dragging Emma back.

She never looked away from Henry. She didn’t know it, but he took that look as a challenge to his authority. That was going to go over like a fucking lead balloon.

“Why did you leave your last job?” Henry asked.

Emma blinked. “They were downsizing. Which turned into them shutting down the entire office. They told me yesterday, which was why I was in the coffee shop when it caught fire.”

“Why didn’t you get out of the coffee shop? Did you want to die?” Henry’s voice was quiet and tightly controlled. He leaned closer to Emma across the desk. “Why did my guys have to rescue you?”

“That’s enough. Emma, you don’t have to answer that.” I grabbed Henry’s shoulder and tried to pull him back. I was stronger than him, but he was a man on a mission.

“I was busy looking for another job. I had my earbuds up so loud I didn’t hear the fire alarm. I need a job so I can help my grandma pay rent. Christmas is in three weeks. I don’t want her struggling.” Emma tipped her head to the side without breaking eye contact. “I’m not suicidal, and my mental health is excellent. It was a case of wrong place, wrong time.” She licked her lips and raised one shoulder. “Or right place, right time depending on how you look at it.”

I watched their stare-down with rabid fascination. No one treated Henry this way, but he was letting her get away with it.

Not just get away with it, he was enjoying it. This was shaping up to be an interesting day.

Emma waited for Henry to break the silence. I didn’t know if he would since he might consider it submitting to her.

Henry never backed down. He always had to come out on top and be the one giving orders.

“Oh, come on Henry.” I shoved his shoulder to break his concentration. “Stop being a hard ass and give her the job.”

Emma pulled in a shuddering breath when I hopped onto the desk between them. Papers flew in every direction. Henry would make me regret it later, but I enjoyed being the one throwing him off his game right now.

His fingers gripped the edge of the desk, and his gaze heated as it took Emma in one last time before he turned away and blinked. A frown caused creases in his cheeks, and I followed his line of sight to the office door and the space beyond the blinds.

Derek and Alex stood outside the office. Both were pretending to clean up the fire truck, but the only progress they’d made was to stand there with rags in their hands.

They startled when Henry snapped his fingers and pointed, then got to work scrubbing the truck.

I grinned at Derek when he risked a glance back into the office a second later. He flipped me the bird and I reciprocated.

Derek was a cocky upstart who thought he needed to run headlong into every burning building. He’d learn, and it was up to me to teach him. I enjoyed putting him in his place every now and then.

“So, do I get the job?” Emma dropped her hands into her pockets and looked from Henry to me and back to Henry.

Having her here every day would be a blessing and a curse. I silently cursed Henry for taking so long to think it over. If I interfered again, he’d say no on principle.

Emma waited just as quietly. She seemed sure of herself, but every now and then, her gaze flicked over to me like she needed reassurance. I remembered what she’d said when I asked what was wrong. She’d mentioned not having a place to live.

I opened my mouth to ask her about that when Henry stalked around the desk toward Emma.

She tipped her head back to meet his gaze.

He stopped with less than a foot separating them. “You’ll be working with me every day. Right here in this office. Think you can handle that?”

---