Lights to My Siren by Lani Lynn Vale Page B

job, do you?”
    I burst out laughing. “To be honest, I’ve been thinking about a change in pace. I’m tired. Sounds to me, though, that you’re looking for someone to put that much effort in on a daily basis. This body isn’t up to too many more days like this.”
    Thirty-four wasn’t old, per say, but it wasn’t nineteen either. Not that I didn’t love my job, but I didn’t want to die doing it, either.
    He nodded in understanding. “Well, if you’re ever interested in one, let me know.”
    He shook my hand one more time before walking away into the smoke-filled night.
    Hopping down myself, I shucked my bunker gear, stowing all of it in the tool box in the back of my truck. It was good that I had that, because I reeked of smoke to high heaven.
    Even the noise of stowing my belongings didn’t rouse Baylee; so, instead, I scooped her up as if she were a child, and stashed her in the passenger seat, belting the seatbelt, and closed the door as quietly as I could.
    The ride to her house was quiet and soothing. There weren’t many people out on the road, and I didn’t have to deal with any road raged idiots trying to fight me for the fast lane.
    When I pulled up, I shook her gently awake; she groaned. “What?” She croaked.
    “Where’re your keys, darlin.” I asked quietly.
    “Bag.” She told me.
    I laughed. She sounded cute when she was grumpy.
    “Where’s your bag?” I chuckled.
    “Dunno.” She mumbled before falling back to sleep.
    After ten more minutes of trying to find the elusive bag, I gave up and pulled out of her driveway. I remembered her taking it into James’ place when she went to change. She’d wanted to get out of her swimsuit, and must’ve left it there in the process; that was why I was driving us back to my place. It was too late to worry about it now.
    When I pulled up outside of my house, I cajoled her awake, and practically carried her inside, even though her feet were on the ground.
    Her feet shuffled like a zombie, but then again, I wasn’t feeling much better myself.
    “Will you be okay to take a shower?” I asked her.
    “Mmm-hmmm.” She agreed, head resting on my shoulder.
    I decided that maybe it would be best to just go ahead and put her into the shower in my own bathroom. While she was doing that, I’d go to the one that my son used, and rinse off quickly in there.
    I turned the water on, stripped her down to her bra and panties, and sent her into the shower with a tiny shove to get her moving.
    She moaned as the steaming water hit her flesh, and I shot out of there like my ass was on fire. I didn’t get out fast enough, however. I did happen to notice that when she was wet, her bra and underwear became transparent. Which, in turn, made me see the dusty brown areolas of her nipples, and the dirty blonde thatch of hair at the apex of her thighs, before I could get out of the door.
    Dammit.
    I grabbed a pair of underwear, a pair of flannel pants, and hurried to the other bathroom, less I get tempted to go back in there and do something we both definitely were not ready for.
    I made quick work of my shower, using my son’s baby shampoo to wash off before quickly drying off and dressing. I might’ve had ideas of lingering to take care of my little...big problem, if it hadn’t been for all the creepy as shit Dory and Nemo memorabilia staring at me as soon as I made it through the door.
    I’d hated it when Shiloh had done it, and hated it even more so now. I’d have to make a mental note to never come in here with those kind of intentions. Nemo and Dory would cock-block me again for sure.
    Slipping on my underwear and pants up slightly damp legs, I opened the door, flicked off the light, and headed back to my bedroom. My mind was working on overdrive thinking about where exactly I’d stash her for the night. That was taken out of my hands, however, when I came into my room and stopped dead in the doorway.
    “Fuck,” I hissed.
    Baylee was lying on the bed, face