Chapter 49
Chapter Forty-Nine
Gabbi
Walking into the fire station wearing Bobby’s shirt was a calculated move.
It wasn’t just any shirt—it was one of his fire department T-shirts, the fabric worn and stretched just enough to hang loose on me, draping off my shoulder in a way I knew would drive him crazy.
I’d paired it with fitted shorts, the hem grazing mid-thigh, and my hair pulled into a casual bun, like I’d just rolled out of bed and thrown on the first thing I could find.
Which, technically, was true. But the effect? Absolutely intentional.
The station was alive with movement—firefighters checking equipment, drinking coffee, laughing between shifts.
The air smelled of smoke, leather, and something distinctly Bobby.
I spotted him near one of the trucks, his back turned to me, his stance effortlessly commanding as he spoke to a group of younger guys, one boot propped up on the step, arms crossed over his chest. His voice was steady, deep, authoritative.
He was in full work mode, focused, unaware of my presence.
For now.
I leaned against the doorway, waiting.
It took about five seconds.
Bobby turned slightly, mid-sentence, and his gaze landed on me.
His words faltered—just for a second—but I caught it.
His Adam’s apple bobbed, his grip on his belt shifted, his jaw locked just a little too tightly.
His mouth parted slightly like he wanted to say something but couldn’t quite remember how.
I bit back a smirk.
One of the rookies standing next to him followed Bobby’s gaze, then let out a low chuckle. "Uh… Cap? You okay?"
Bobby blinked, tearing his eyes away from me, clearing his throat like he could shake off whatever thoughts had just hijacked his brain. "Yeah. What was I saying?"
The group exchanged amused looks before Martinez, one of the older firefighters, smirked. "Something about proper hose maintenance, but honestly, we lost you a minute ago."
A few of them snickered, clearly enjoying Bobby’s moment of distraction.
Bobby exhaled sharply, shooting them a look. "Shut it."
I took that as my cue. Pushing off the doorway, I walked toward him, deliberately slow, making sure the sway of my hips was just noticeable enough. His fingers twitched at his sides as I stopped in front of him, tilting my head slightly. "You seem distracted, Fireman."
His jaw tightened, his gaze flicking down to where his shirt hung loosely off my frame, then back to my eyes. His voice was lower when he answered, "And you seem like you’re looking for trouble, Mason."
I stepped closer, just enough for my voice to drop to a whisper. "That sounds like a challenge."
His nostrils flared slightly, but instead of responding, he grabbed my wrist and turned sharply, leading me down the hallway.
I barely had time to register what was happening before he was pulling me past the lockers, past the bunk area, and straight into a storage closet.
The second the door shut, he spun me around, pressing me back against it, his body warm and solid against mine.
"You are gonna get me fired," he muttered against my ear, his hands already gripping my waist.
I grinned, tilting my head back slightly. "What, for kissing your fiancée in a storage closet?"
His lips brushed against my neck, just enough to make me shiver. "For looking like that," he growled, his fingers sliding lower, gripping the bare skin just below the hem of my shorts.
I laughed softly, wrapping my arms around his neck. "You like it?"
He exhaled sharply, dragging his hands up under the hem of his shirt I was wearing, his touch leaving trails of heat behind. "Yeah. I also like the idea of taking it off you."
My stomach tightened, my breath catching as his mouth crashed onto mine—deep, hungry, claiming. His hands slid lower, gripping the backs of my thighs before lifting me effortlessly, pressing me harder against the door.
"Bobby," I whispered against his lips, breathless.
He groaned, his mouth moving to my jaw, down my throat, his breath warm and uneven as he whispered, "You shouldn’t have come here wearing this."
I smirked, nipping at his bottom lip. "Then maybe you shouldn’t leave your clothes lying around for me to steal."
He chuckled, the sound rough and dangerous. "You really wanna test me right now?"
Before I could answer, a knock sounded at the door.
We both froze.
Bobby instantly clamped a hand over my mouth, his eyes widening slightly as he mouthed, "Are you kidding me?"
I bit my lip to keep from laughing.
"Norman?" a voice called from the other side. Martinez.
Bobby exhaled through his nose, his forehead dropping to my shoulder. "Yeah?" he called out, voice almost normal.
"You in there?"
Bobby’s fingers tightened slightly on my waist, his silent warning clear—if you make a sound, I swear to God.
I smiled against his palm.
"Yeah, Martinez," he answered, his voice clipped. "What do you want?"
A pause. Then, "Nothing, just… you good?"
Bobby squeezed his eyes shut briefly before muttering under his breath, "I’m gonna kill him."
I nodded in agreement, barely holding back my laughter.
"Fine," Bobby said through clenched teeth. "Get back to work."
Another pause. Then, "Copy that."
We waited.
Only when we heard footsteps retreating did Bobby slowly remove his hand from my mouth.
I immediately burst into quiet laughter, burying my face against his chest.
Bobby groaned, letting his head fall back against the door. "You are trouble."
I pulled back slightly, running my fingers through his hair, smirking up at him. "You love it."
His eyes darkened slightly. "Yeah. I do."
He kissed me again—slower this time, deeper.
I melted into him, already forgetting where we were.
We eventually made it out of the closet, walking back into the main hallway as if nothing happened.
Martinez and a few others were waiting.
Tanner raised a brow. "Took you long enough."
Bobby didn’t react, but I grinned, stepping past him as I muttered, "That’s what I told him when he proposed."
Laughter erupted.
Bobby groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "I hate all of you."
Martinez smirked, nudging him. "No, you don’t."
Bobby just sighed, shaking his head. But when I looked at him, his eyes were warm, full of something soft and real.