3. Ella
THREE
ELLA
E lla tried to focus as Mayor Winslow guided her through the firehouse, explaining where the food drive tables would go and how they would organize donations. She nodded at the right moments, took mental notes, and even managed to ask a few intelligent questions. But if she were honest, she only absorbed about half of what was being said.
The other half of her attention? Completely tangled up in thoughts of King.
The name suited him for some reason. He had a commanding presence. But it wasn’t just his name that had left an impression. It was everything . The deep reassurance of his voice, the rough warmth of his hands as he cleaned her palm, the contrast of inked skin and a gentle touch.
She had never reacted to a man like that before.
Sure, she’d been attracted to men in passing, admired them just like she’d noticed them admiring her. But this? This was different.
This was a wildfire in her veins and heat between her legs.
King was intimidating in the kind of way that made her pulse flutter unpredictably. The tattoos that peeked out from beneath his sleeves, the sheer size of him. Tall, broad, powerful. He was nothing like the polished men in pressed suits she was used to working with or that she’d grown up around. He was different, which she liked. It was the exact reason she’d moved to Shadowridge. To experience something new in her life. She just hadn’t expected it to be a hot fireman who got her all flustered and fidgety.
And yet, it wasn’t only physical attraction that had her mind spinning.
It was the way he’d taken care of her so effortlessly. He hadn’t laughed when she tripped. He hadn’t made her feel small or ridiculous. He had simply helped her, steady and unshaken, cleaning her wound like it was the most natural thing in the world while trying to reassure her that it wasn’t a big deal. That had made her heart react in a way she wasn’t sure she was ready to admit.
She stole another glance at King as they moved through the bay doors at the end of the tour.
He was standing near one of the engines, talking with a few of the other firefighters. The navy-blue fire department T-shirt stretched over his chest, his arms crossed over his broad torso, muscles flexing as he shifted. Compared to her, he was so big. The contrast made something warm and unfamiliar coil low in her stomach. Ella had been aroused before, but this was on a whole other level. She was pretty sure she was going to need to change her panties when she returned to the office. Too bad she didn’t have a spare pair with her. At least the ladies’ room at City Hall had a blow dryer in the cabinet. She may not be drying her hair with it, but it would definitely be useful.
She tore her gaze away quickly, hoping no one had noticed her staring.
The mayor gestured toward the car waiting out front, and Ella smiled, smoothing down the front of her dress.
All right, time to go. Stop thinking about tattooed firefighters and get back to work.
But just as she stepped toward the car, King moved. In a blink, he was there, striding toward her with long, purposeful steps. Before she could even think to fumble with the handle, he pulled the door open.
His gaze flicked down to her feet, then back up, the hint of a smirk tugging at his lips. “Figured I’d make sure you didn’t trip this time.”
Ella’s breath caught. The teasing warmth in his voice sent a fresh wave of heat to her cheeks and between her legs.
“I—thank you,” she managed.
Brilliant.
He held out a hand, an unspoken offer. She hesitated for half a second, then placed her fingers in his palm. His grip was warm, steady, completely surrounding her uninjured hand as he helped her step into the car without incident.
She settled into her seat, her pulse still erratic as he shut the door behind her.
The car pulled away, and she exhaled slowly, willing her heartbeat to settle.
“Good man, that one,” Mayor Winslow remarked, pulling her from her thoughts.
She turned her head, raising a brow. “King?”
The mayor grunted. “One of the best in Shadowridge. Reliable, solid, good in a crisis. Always willing to help anyone in need.”
Ella bit her lip, unsure why that made her feel warm.
The mayor glanced at her with a knowing smile. “Pretty sure he’s single, too.”
Her stomach flipped.
She turned quickly toward the window, hiding the blush crawling up her neck.
She wasn’t looking for anything. At least, she didn’t think she was. Then again, being in King’s presence for a short amount of time had her questioning all kinds of things.
Ella hummed softly as she bounced down the snack aisle, her white Converse squeaking against the polished tile. She glanced into her basket, satisfied with her haul. Gummy bears, a rainbow assortment of chips, sugary cereal, boxed macaroni, cupcakes, and a six-pack of root beer.
All the essentials.
Dressed in her favorite pink leggings and an oversized lime-green sweater, she felt extra cozy, her high ponytail swishing with each step. The bow tied neatly at the top of her head was the cherry on top. Shopping like this, picking out whatever looked good without worrying about anything else, was fun. She couldn’t understand why her mother always hated grocery shopping. As an adult, you could literally buy anything you wanted, and nobody could say no .
As she rounded the corner, she nearly ran straight into a broad chest. One covered in navy-blue fabric, decorated with a firefighter’s emblem.
King .
She stumbled backward, gripping her basket, her heart giving a traitorous little flutter.
He stood there in his uniform, sleeves pushed over his inked forearms, the radio clipped to his shoulder, a half-smirk playing at his lips. He wasn’t alone. Two other firefighters from the station were tossing things into a cart nearby, but Ella only had eyes for him.
King’s gaze flickered down to her basket. His smirk deepened.
“Where’s the real food?” he asked.
Ella frowned, then glanced at her collection of sugar and carbs. “It’s right here.”
King huffed out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. “No protein? No vegetables?”
She wrinkled her nose. “For your information, there is protein in cheese, and there is cheese in the macaroni. Also, I got potato chips, which are made of potatoes, and I’m pretty sure potatoes are considered vegetables. And sugar, well, sugar is made from canes, which you have to grow, and let’s face it, if you have to grow it, it’s a vegetable.”
He folded his arms, studying her like she was some kind of strange, new discovery that he was intrigued by. “Uh-huh. And what’re you eating for dinner?”
Ella blinked, then looked at her basket.
Good question.
She bit her lip, realizing she hadn’t actually thought that far ahead. “Umm…”
His brows lifted, clearly waiting for an answer.
She shifted on her feet. “Mac and cheese.”
King let out a low chuckle, and the sound did something ridiculous to her insides.
“Do you always shop like this?”
Ella hesitated, then shrugged. “I’ve never shopped before.”
That made him pause. His expression flickered with what looked like a mix of curiosity and confusion, but before he could press her on it, his radio crackled to life.
“Station Twelve, we’ve got a structure fire on Oak Street. All available units respond.”
King’s jaw tightened.
“Gotta go,” he said, already stepping back.
Ella nodded as he headed toward the exit with his crew.
But before he disappeared through the sliding doors, he looked back at her.
And smiled.
It wasn’t just any smile. It was the kind that sent warmth curling through her stomach, made her knees feel weak, and had her forgetting how tothink properly.
It was a good thing she’d already gotten all the groceries she needed for the day.
Ella settled into her temporary desk at the firehouse, smoothing out the stack of papers she had to copy before the afternoon meeting with all the department heads hosting the food drive in their buildings. It had been a whirlwind of a morning: emails, calls, and figuring out how to use the ancient filing system the station apparently still relied on. But despite the chaos, she loved being here.
The firehouse was a hub of energy, filled with the sounds of laughter, boots against tile and the constant hum of radio chatter. The people felt relatable and real. It was so different from New York, and she already knew she never wanted to go back. She had no idea if Shadowridge was going to be her permanent home, but she kind of hoped it would be. Everyone was so nice here.
She grabbed the stack of papers and made her way to the copy machine, humming to herself as she pressed the buttons and waited for the clunky machine to do its thing. Or take off into outer space. With the noises it was making, it was possible either could happen.
But when she returned to her desk, she stopped short.
Sitting neatly on top of her paperwork was a black plastic container, the kind used for meal prep, with a folded note tucked under it.
Curious, she picked it up, unfolding the paper.
I’ll sleep better knowing you eat at least one healthy meal today. - King
Ella’s stomach did a little flip.
She bit her lip as she lifted the lid, and the second she did, the most mouthwatering scent hit her. The meal inside lookeddelicious. Grilled chicken, seasoned rice, and a mix of perfectly roasted vegetables that didn’t look at all icky like the ones her family’s cook had always made. She blinked, stunned.
He had done this? For her? Why?
A warmth spread through her chest as she closed the container and pushed to her feet. She needed to find King.
After checking the usual places, the kitchen, the bay, the break room, she finally found him in the back lot, checking one of the smaller emergency response vehicles. He glanced up as she approached, straightening from where he’d been inspecting the gear in the back.
She held up the container. “King.”
His lips quirked slightly. “Ella.”
She huffed a little laugh. “You made me lunch.”
“I made the station lunch, and it seemed like a good idea to make sure you had some nutrients.” He shut the compartment door, leaning casually against the truck. “Can’t have you living off gummy bears and macaroni and cheese.”
She stared at him, her heart still doing that ridiculous fluttering thing.
“I don’t know how to thank you,” she admitted. “This was so thoughtful. Although I don’t know why you have such a hatred for macaroni and cheese. It’s like the superior cheesy food.”
King chuckled, then tilted his head, eyes dark and steady as he held her gaze.
“You can thank me by eating lunch with me.”
Ella blinked, her fingers tightening around the container.
Oh.
A rush of something warm went through her, but she found herself agreeing before she could even think to stop herself.
“Okay,” she said softly.
King smirked, that slow, devastating curve of his lips that sent her stomach into free-fall.
“Good,” he murmured. “Let’s eat. I’m starving.”