Liam rubbed the back of his neck. “I thought maybe the girls and I could show up at the station for lunch. What time do you guys usually eat?”
She turned and leaned against the cabinet. “That’s not necessary. I’m sure you’ve got lots of work to do.”
“Actually, it is necessary. I need to keep an eye on everyone, and since we are, quote-unquote, ‘dating,’ lunch is the best opportunity to check in.”
“What about your job?”
“You are my job, remember?” He stood up and placed his cup in the sink. “If you’d prefer, you can take some time off and we can all hang out here.”
“As tempting as that is, I’d rather work.” This wasn’t her home. She would be more comfortable at the station, where she could be doing things that needed to be done. “Unless you think it’s necessary. I’m sure Captain Bennett will be able to find a replacement.”
“I figured you’d want to keep working. We don’t have a lot to go on, so I don’t know that taking time off and holing up is the answer. I also don’t know that it’s not the answer. The drive-by was the first physical attack. And if it was related to the boy that was following you at the outlet mall, then I think the girls might be the target, not you.”
Should she be relieved? “That makes sense.”
“Which means the girls will be with me twenty-four seven until this is resolved. Let me go wake them up.”
Sam looked at her watch. “Have you seen what time it is?”
“Apology pancakes always work with Sophia.” He grinned and started to leave. “Oh. Should you be the one to wake them up? I mean, I know Sophia sleeps in pajama pants and a shirt. I don’t want to—” He rubbed the back of his neck.
“Isabella too. But I’ll go wake them up.”
She flipped on the light and told the girls to get up and get dressed. They moaned and groaned until they buckled into the SUV, then they leaned against the doors and closed their eyes.
Liam pulled the SUV up to the fire station and put it in Park.
Sam grabbed the door handle. “Thanks for the ride. I’ll see you about noon?” The station tried to keep a regular schedule as much as possible. Of course, emergencies didn’t have a schedule. “I’ll let you know if we get called out.”
She opened the door and hopped out, tossing the duffel bag over her shoulder. Liam’s door clicked shut, and he met her at the hood of his SUV.
Heat climbed her neck. “I can walk myself inside.”
“I know you can, but can’t a guy get out and tell his girlfriend goodbye?” He slipped the duffel bag off her shoulder with one hand and grabbed her hand in his other.
She stared down at their joined hands. Such a strange feeling. She liked it. She hadn’t held hands with anyone lately but Bella. Warmth spread from his hand to her stomach.
“Ready.” He squeezed her hand.
“I’m quite capable of carrying my bag. I could actually carry you with ease.” She trained for that exact scenario. “What are the guys going to think when they see this? They’re not going to trust that I can rescue them if the need arises.”
“I highly doubt me carrying your bag one time is going to erase six years of working with you and witnessing what you’re capable of from their minds.”
“True.” They walked hand in hand to the station lobby, the girls leading the way so they weren’t alone even for a few minutes while he walked Sam in.
“We’ll let you go from here.” He handed her bag over and she took it.
Then he leaned forward. She held her breath. He placed a soft kiss on her cheek, then leaned into her ear. “We have an audience.”
Her cheeks flamed. Of course it was all for show. This wasn’t real.
He pulled back. “See you at lunch.” He turned and walked back out to the SUV with the girls. She watched as they drove off before walking into the dayroom.
Greer gasped. “It’s true. You’re fraternizing with the enemy.” He bit his knuckle and turned to the group gathered around the kitchen island. “Sam has gone to the dark side. This calls for an intervention!”
“Why settle for the donut patrol when you could have a real man like me?” Ryan Calloway, the ladder engineer from the night shift, flexed his bicep and waggled his eyebrows.
Sam dropped her chin to her chest and held in her laugh. These guys were too much sometimes.
