Chapter 9 #4
Pyro couldn’t believe the satisfaction he felt listening to Bowie babble throughout dinner.
It was a huge relief that her first day had gone so well.
He wasn’t na?ve enough to believe every day of school would be so great, but he was more than glad her first experience was a good one.
Thank God for Abigail. For the other little girl being so welcoming and friendly.
Bowie’s day could’ve been a disaster if she’d been paired up with someone who wasn’t interested in helping the new kid get acclimated.
Zita arrived home after they’d eaten, and got the same enthusiastic rundown of her day by Bowie. And even though she looked tired, Zita gave the little girl her full attention. Asked lots of questions and seemed just as relieved and happy that Bowie had such a great first day at school.
When Bowie left to get ready for bed, Zita asked, “How did the job search go today, Penny?”
“Good. I think I have a good chance of getting that job I interviewed for the other day. The virtual health assistant? But I have a second interview in a few days.”
“Awesome,” Zita said with a huge smile.
“Congrats, Pen,” Pyro told her.
“I don’t have the job yet,” she said with a chuckle. “But yeah, I’m excited. I was fully prepared to have to apply to dozens of jobs before being hired somewhere, and working at a fast-food place wasn’t off the table. But if this works out, it’ll be perfect with Bowie’s schedule. How’s Obi-Wan?”
Pyro noticed Zita’s blush, and he did his best to hide his smile.
“He’s good. He wanted to come over and help me unpack some more.
As you know, most of my stuff from LA is still boxed up in my room.
But I told him not to bother. That I was just going to come home and sleep.
I’ve got a twenty-four-hour shift tomorrow, from six a.m. to six a.m., so I’m going to sleep as much as I can now.
Unpacking can wait. You good? You need anything? ”
“I’m perfect,” Penny told her. “And Pyro brought enough pizza home to feed us all for the next three days.”
“Leftover pizza is the best,” Zita said. “Mind if I grab a slice or two for breakfast?”
“Of course not! Help yourself.”
“Awesome. I probably won’t see you in the morning, since I’ll need to leave before you and Bowie get up. I’m going to go say good night to her now. Good to see you, Pyro. Later.”
And with that, she headed down the hallway toward the bedrooms.
“That’s really great about the job,” Pyro said, once she was gone.
“Yeah, it’s a huge relief. I’ll be able to start helping with rent sooner than I thought, which is important to me. Zita’s been more than generous, letting me and Bowie live here, but I want to pay my way.”
Pyro understood that. He figured it was just who she was, but also because as foster kids, they’d had to rely on others for their basic needs for most of their childhoods. Were often made to feel as if every dime spent on them was a burden.
He looked down the hall, heard Bowie singing to herself in the bathroom, so he knew she’d be occupied for another couple of minutes. He held out an arm to Penny. “Come here,” he said softly.
Without hesitation, she walked into his embrace, wrapping her arms around him.
Pyro returned the hug and said, “Today’s been a good day.”
“It sure has. Knowing Bowie is happy is a huge relief.”
“I bet.”
She looked up at him. “How was your day?” she asked softly.
Pyro shrugged. “Good. We had a flight check this morning that went well. Meetings all day. Skipped lunch because we were all too focused on the intel we were analyzing.”
“No wonder you ate almost an entire pizza by yourself,” she said with a grin.
“Casper will help work off the calories tomorrow morning at PT,” he told her. He brought a hand up and smoothed a lock of hair behind her ear. “Your hair is so soft. It’s like silk.”
“Thanks,” she whispered. “Pyro?”
“Yeah?”
“Are you going to kiss me again?”
He nearly sighed in relief that she seemed to feel the same connection between them that he did. “Didn’t want to overstep,” he told her honestly.
“You aren’t. Overstepping, that is,” she said. Then she snuggled closer, tilting her chin up.
Pyro didn’t hesitate, meeting her partway and tightening his hold around her, even as she did the same.
The kiss was just as powerful and intense as it had been that morning.
They were more comfortable with each other now, each learning what the other liked, and the kiss went from sweet to passionate in seconds.
Pyro felt like a changed man. His life had gone from being all about his job and flying, to being consumed by the woman in his arms and a little girl who had wrapped herself around his heart.
He’d worried about them both all day, constantly checking his phone during his breaks.
It was strange to have someone else occupying so much of his thoughts, but a good strange.
Bowie’s singing stopped, and Pyro pulled back.
Instinctively, he knew it was too soon to share their deepening feelings toward each other with Penny’s daughter.
It was a reminder that if things didn’t work out between them, Bowie would be collateral damage.
And the last thing he wanted was to hurt her.
“Mommy!” Bowie called out from the hallway. “I need help picking a book for tonight!”
Penny smiled up at Pyro. “I gotta go. I always read to her before she goes to sleep.”
Pyro nodded. “Okay. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. You and Bowie want to come over to my place for dinner? I can pick you up when I get off work.”
“We’d like that. Thank you.”
Looking at the hall, and not seeing Bowie, Pyro leaned down and kissed Penny once more. It was a fast kiss, but no less intimate.
Reluctantly, he stepped back and smiled at her.
“Mom!” Bowie called out.
“I’m coming,” Penny told her, then rolled her eyes.
Pyro chuckled. “Have a good night. As usual, let me know if you need anything.”
“I don’t know what I’d need, but I will.”
“Good. See you tomorrow evening. Tell Bowie to have a great day at school tomorrow.”
Penny nodded.
Pyro forced himself to turn around and head for the door. “Don’t forget to lock this behind me.”
“I will. Have a good day at work.”
He gave her a chin lift and walked out the door. After it closed behind him, he stood there like a stalker, listening for the sound of the dead bolts being thrown. Only after hearing them did he walk down the hall toward the stairs.
Leaving Bowie and Penny felt…wrong. He wanted the right to snuggle in bed with Bowie and read her a story. To watch TV with Penny and talk about their days after Bowie fell asleep.
Their apartment seemed more like a home than the one he’d been living in for years…simply because they were in it.
Pyro should be freaked out at the ever-increasing hold the woman and her child seemed to have on him, especially in such a short time.
But instead, he decided to embrace the experience.
After his friends fell in love and found themselves in such amazing relationships, he knew it was possible.
Being with a military man wasn’t easy, but he’d do whatever it took to ensure that, if she chose to be with him long term, Penny would never regret it.
He’d never lay a hand on Bowie in anger, and just like Penny did, would make sure not a day went by that the little girl didn’t know down to her bones she was loved and appreciated and wanted.
And Penny? She deserved the same assurances, and Pyro was more than ready to give them to her.
He just needed to take baby steps. They both had baggage they needed to work through.
Trust issues when it came to love and family.
But Pyro was more determined than ever to show Penny that he was a man she could count on. Someone who would put her first and respect the decisions she made about her life.
He wanted to shower her with money—he had more than enough—so she could get anything and everything her heart desired. But she was a proud woman, and would no sooner take a handout than he would’ve when he’d aged out of the foster system.
Getting that job she applied for would be the first step in her independence. He’d cheer her on and be there for her and Bowie whenever and however they needed him. He’d take their relationship as slow as necessary in order for her to truly believe he was someone she could open her heart to.
Because he had a feeling winning Penny, and Bowie, was one of the most important and worthwhile things he would do in his life. And Pyro was determined to give her whatever time and space she needed to feel the same way. And to know deep in her bones that she and her daughter were safe with him.
And they were. He’d do anything to keep them both protected. From anyone who dared try to harm them, take advantage of them, or in any other way treat them with anything other than respect.
Yes, he’d become that guy. The one who was overprotective and constantly worrying about the women in his life. And he was one hundred percent all right with that.