My Wild Irish Dragon (5 page)

She wielded the ax to obliterate another door and her fellow firefighter Ed used his foot to smash a larger hole. This time Chloe jumped through first. The smoke was much thicker here, but there was nothing apparent that would lead to an explosion.
Ah, the kitchen…

Chloe had seen a gas range explode before. Shannon hadn't realized the pilot light was out until the oven she was preheating remained cold. When she tried to relight it…
Boom!

Thank goodness dragons healed quickly. It took Shannon's eyebrows a couple of days to grow back, and Chloe couldn't help laughing at her sister's bald, red face as soon as she knew she was going to be all right.

Yup. A blackened dummy lay on the floor of the kitchen and the charred oven door was blown off its hinges.

She handed the ax to Ed and scooped up the badly burned “body” carefully. Carrying the heavy “woman” as if she were a baby, Chloe charged through the door Ed had opened wide and rushed down the stairs.

Ryan was headed back up. As she passed him their eyes met, and then the only thing that met her foot was air. Talk about being tripped up! She sailed over the last few steps and crashed onto the floor below. Dragons could defy gravity and fly, but not in human form.

Ryan whipped around and charged back down the steps where she was struggling to get up while still holding the body. He lifted both of them and charged out of the building.

Shite!
She looked like a total incompetent, having to be carried out by a fellow firefighter. And he looked like a huge hero, carrying not one, but two bodies to safety simultaneously!

He laid them on the gravel, and she struggled to get out from under the body. Of course, he wanted to help her up, but she popped up onto her own two sore feet of her own volition.

“Feck! What the hell did you do? Trip me?”

“What?” he yelled. “You're accusing me of putting you and an innocent victim in danger?”

The captain jogged over to them. “Do you think you could put your argument on hold until the victim receives emergency medical attention?”

“Shite,” Chloe muttered. She dropped to her knees and felt for a pulse while watching to see if the chest was rising and falling. Naturally it wasn't, so Chloe initiated CPR.

Meanwhile, Ryan located the firefighter paramedics and called them over.

Chloe reported what she'd seen in the last apartment and the captain seemed satisfied. He announced that the “gas” to the building had been shut off and returned to the scene to send in the men with a hose and observe how Ed was doing.

Chloe felt like a fool, but she should never have let her anger at Ryan interfere with the performance of her duties. She vowed it would never happen again. Then she cringed when she remembered there was another drill that afternoon.

* * *

The new recruits waited in a line after stripping off most of their turnout gear. Ryan wondered what had really happened. Was he somehow responsible for Chloe taking a header down the stairs? He certainly didn't do anything on purpose. He hadn't felt their bodies touch, but with all the adrenaline pumping, who knows…

The captain paced in front of the group, asking questions and sometimes adding information to their answers. When he stopped in front of Ryan and glared at him, he knew he was in trouble.

“Fierro, want to tell me what happened that caused you to carry two bodies out of the building simultaneously?”

Shit. What could he say? He didn't know?

“Is there some reason you're not answering my question?”

“No, sir. I—I assisted Firefighter Arish when she fell on the stairs.”

“Was Firefighter Arish unable to walk after you helped her up?”

“No.”

“Did she ask you to carry both her and the victim to safety?”

“No, but…”

“Stop.” The captain sighed. “I'm aware of the reputation your family has. Some call it the Boston Fierro Department…”

That was true. Ryan had heard it when three or four of his brothers were together at cookouts or on fishing trips with their buddies.

“But if you feel like trying to be a hero because you're holding yourself to some kind of higher standard to gain their approval, well, just forget it. I've had this conversation before and frankly, I'm getting a little tired of it.”

What the…
Was that what he was doing? Or was he trying to show up Chloe? Suddenly a new realization crossed his mind. Perhaps he was
showing off
for Chloe?

“Shit,” he muttered under his breath.

“What's that, Fierro?”

“Nothing, sir. I just hadn't thought of it that way.”

“Then how
did
you think of it? Tell me. I'm curious.”

He took a deep breath and tried to process possible answers and their consequences in those two seconds. Finally he bit his lower lip and shook his head.

“You have no answer, do you?”

Chloe straightened her back. “Sir, may I speak?”

What the hell is she going to say?
Ryan eyed her curiously.

“Sure,” the captain said. “Why not? Maybe you can explain what your fellow firefighter was thinking.”

Was that sarcasm or not? Ryan wasn't sure, but he had a sinking feeling it was and would come with some kind of rude lesson.

“There's been some, uh…friendly competition between Firefighter Fierro and me, sir. I think it was his way of one-upping me.”

To Ryan's surprise, she added, “It's as much my fault as his.”

The captain stopped pacing in front of her and faced her squarely. “I was getting to you next, but let's talk about that now. I'm aware of the competition. I'm fairly sure I know the reason for it too, but we won't discuss that now. What I want to know from you is, how did you fall?”

She chewed her lower lip before she answered. “I don't know, sir. I guess my foot just missed the step.”

“So, you don't think you were tripped?”

“No. Not really.”

The trainer crossed his arms. “Not really? What does that mean?”

“It means I've had a chance to reflect on it, and I don't think I was tripped by Firefighter Fierro. I may have tripped over meself. I mean…
my
self.”

The captain just stood there, staring her down. To her credit, her posture and gaze didn't waver.

At last, the captain let out a snort and resumed pacing. “It happens. Although if it happens too much, you risk becoming a liability. Be aware that you could be sent for neurological testing to be sure there's no physical reason for being a klutz.”

Klutz
. Oh crap. If that story got back to the firehouse, she'd have a horrible nickname waiting for her. Even Ryan couldn't hate her enough to let that happen.

“Sir, if I may…”

“At last he has an explanation…”

Ryan launched into the least problematic truth he could think of. “As I passed her on the stairs, I may have coughed. She turned, possibly thinking I was going to say something to her. That's when she missed her step. I don't think she's a klutz.”

Instead of looking mollified, the captain appeared even angrier. “That brings me to another important point. Why did you remove your mask in the building?”

“To make sure the occupants heard us.” As an afterthought, he added, “sir.”

“Yeah, that wasn't smart. If you coughed after that, it may have been because you inhaled smoke or toxic gases. You won't last long if you keep breathing that crap.”

He nodded. “Understood.”

The rest of the trainees seemed to have done their jobs adequately and without incident. So much for having special powers.

The captain glanced between Ryan and Chloe and finally said, “For Christ's sake, don't fuck up this afternoon.”

* * *

During lunch in the classroom, Chloe spotted Ryan striding toward her. She thought everything had been hashed out. It was humiliating to be called a klutz in front of her fellow trainees, but she imagined this was the time to make mistakes—not as a probie in her own firehouse. What could he have to say to her now?

“Uh, Chloe… May I sit down?”

She hesitated, but didn't want to look like she was harboring a grudge. “Suit yerself.”

“I'm sorry about this morning.”

Her eyes grew wide and she whispered loudly, “So, you're admittin' you tripped me?”

“No!” He lowered his voice. “Not at all. I'm just sorry the whole situation took place. I still don't know how it happened. I hope we can strike a truce.”

She leaned away from him and said quietly, “I didn't know we were at war.”

“We're not. Whatever competition existed before, I think we'd both be better off to let it go. I want to extend an invitation. Some of us are going fishing on Sunday. Would you like to join us?”

She groaned. “I hate fishin' boats. There's probably no privacy for ladies, is there?”

“Oh. We can stay out of the way if you need to use the head.”

She laughed. “Sure you will.” She hoped her sarcasm came through loud and clear.

“Look. I may not have acted like it at times, but I really am mature enough to treat you properly.”

“What does that entail?”

“As an equal, but with dignity.”

She had to admit he was saying all the right things, but she still hated fishing boats. Being cast adrift on one with her brother and sister, then told by leprechauns they could never return to their native land, had left a bitter taste in her mouth.

“I'm sorry, but no. And it's not because I wouldn't be open to socializing with you and your mates. I just really do hate fishing.”

He nodded. “Okay. Well, if we do something else sometime, I'll be sure you're invited.”

“Thank you kindly.” She smiled to let him know she appreciated his effort to make peace.

Maybe Ryan wasn't the backstabber she should be wary of. She glanced around the room but didn't notice anyone else paying special attention to her.

Maybe Morgaine had been wrong. After all, psychic predictions weren't an exact science. Hell, psy ability was called a pseudoscience. She didn't think she could relax yet, though.

The afternoon went a lot better. Chloe was glad she and Ryan seemed able to work together without any more mishaps. The trainer seemed relieved too.

At the end of their last day, the captain shook everyone's hand and wished them luck in their new assignments or EMT training if they were continuing on. As they were about to walk out to the parking lot, the trainer called, “Fierro. Arish. Wait a minute.”

Ryan glanced at Chloe and she looked as perplexed as he was. Were they going to get another talking-to? Hadn't they been thoroughly chastised?

They waited until the last guy was gone and the door had slammed after him. Then the captain stood in front of them with his arms folded.

When no one said a word for several seconds, Ryan cleared his throat. “Is everything all right, captain?”

“Yes and no,” he said. “You two are going to be working together in the same house.”

“Yeah… Not for a while though. We still have EMT training to finish.”

Chloe interjected, “We were told we'd probably be on different shifts either way though.”

The captain's mouth formed a straight line. It may have been a smile, but it was hard to tell. “That's what I thought too. But I just got the word that a couple of guys used this opportunity to change their shifts and now you'll be on the same one.”

Chloe's jaw dropped, and she stared at him with what could be interpreted as fear or surprise. Ryan tried to school his features, but it may have been too late. The captain was snickering.

“What's so funny?” Chloe asked.

The captain scratched his thinning scalp and hesitated. Finally he said, “I don't usually get involved in these things, but I can tell you two are like oil and water. You admitted there was competition between you, and I'm aware that at one time you were competing for the same job. That's not the case anymore. You both have jobs, and if you want to keep them, you're going to have to find a way to work together as a team. On the
same
team.”

Ryan nodded. “Got it, Cap'n.”

The older gentleman chuckled. “I don't think you've got a clue, Fierro.”

That stung. He straightened and waited for the guy to explain himself. All he did was stand there, glancing from one probie to the other.

Chloe narrowed her eyes. “I feel like there's somethin' you're not sayin'. If you want us to hear it, perhaps you should speak plain.”

Uh-oh. Her Irish accent's coming out.

The guy started to pace and shake his head. Finally he stopped and tossed his hands in the air. “I give up. If you two are so thick you can't see it, I'll just have to make it simple. You're attracted to each other. And you're about as subtle as seagulls following fishing boats.”

Chloe gasped, then burst out laughing.

Ryan's first reaction was to protest, vehemently, but would that help? It might just prove the old man's point.

By the time Chloe was able to calm herself to the point of mere giggling, her eyes were leaking tears. “Sir. I mean no disrespect, but maybe you should have your eyes checked.”

“There's nothing wrong with my eyes. I have five teenagers. I know what I'm looking at.”

She slapped a hand over her mouth and tried to hide the smile that remained.

Ryan felt like a complete idiot. Should he argue with the guy and back up Chloe? He had a feeling no matter what he said it wouldn't make any difference. The captain thought he knew what he knew and saw what he saw. But standing there with his thumb up his ass wasn't helping either.

“Sir. I'm not one hundred percent in agreement with you, but I'm sure that Arish and I will keep our working together on a professional level.”

He nodded slowly and seemed satisfied. “Okay. I just wanted to get that out in the open. Things come up in a house that change the balance sometimes. I'm not maligning your gender, Arish, but a woman on the crew is one of those factors.”

“I was told I'm going to a house that has had a woman in it before.”

“Yes, and I'm glad. That should help. But if any of the guys want to test you, try not to take it personally.” Then he whirled on Ryan and jabbed a finger into his chest. “And you let her fight her own battles.”

He backed up a step. “Of course. Why wouldn't I?”

“I don't know. Why wouldn't you let her complete a botched carry on her own two feet?”

He dropped his gaze to the floor and shuffled his boots. The captain was much too shrewd. The protective side of Ryan's personality came out, yet he thought he was hiding it in competition.

“I thought he was tryin' to make me look bad, sir,” Chloe said.

The captain smirked. “Not at all. He was trying to
take care of
you.”

Chloe gazed at him with rounded eyes. Now she knew the truth too
. Damn it.

She turned on her heel and marched toward the door. “I can take care o' meself.” Before either of them could comment, she strutted through it and let it slam behind her.

“Should I go after her, sir?”

“Nah. Let her go. That fighting spirit may help her deal with a lot of shit. You're going to have to figure out another way to handle it though.”

“Handle what? The probie teasing?”

“Yeah. That and…if you get involved with her, teasing will be the least of your worries.”

* * *

Chloe immediately spotted Ryan on their first day of EMT training. It was as if her radar was automatically attuned to the man. Or maybe it was just because he was the tallest of the few trainees who were earning their EMT certificate. His luscious backside was right in her line of sight as he faced the ambulance in the hospital parking lot.

When he turned around, she wondered if he could sense her too.

The guy with the clipboard glanced up. “As soon as the last trainee arrives, we're going into the classroom. Meanwhile, feel free to take turns climbing into the back of the ambulance. As first responders you'll be responsible for knowing what and where everything is on your particular vehicles, but you can get an idea of how most ambulances are set up.”

As soon as the first two trainees exited, Chloe approached the open doors. Ryan extended his hand.

“Can I offer you some assistance, m'lady?”

She rolled her eyes and hopped into the ambulance, ignoring his “kind” gesture. She still wasn't quite sure where he was coming from when he called her princess or some version of that, but it wasn't the worst nickname in the world—especially since it was true.

The last trainee arrived and the group moved to a meeting room inside the hospital. Ryan plunked his awesome butt in the chair right next to her. When she glanced over at him, he winked. She really didn't know how to react to him anymore, but her body was reacting to him whether she liked it or not.

She forced herself to ignore him and concentrate on their instructor, who was handing out pamphlets on CPR and first aid.

“You'll be expected to know everything in these booklets for the certification. Oh, and by the way, your first test is tomorrow.”

Some of the trainees groaned. Chloe imagined that many had prior obligations or busy lives and might have difficulty finding the time to read all that information overnight. However, she had no life, so she welcomed the challenge.

“Before you stress about it,” the instructor added, “this test is just a baseline to see what you already know. You don't have to choke down all this information at once. I have a video to show you. Give me a minute to get it going.”

Chloe glanced over at Ryan. He was already reading the booklet—like he didn't have enough of an advantage coming from a large firefighting family. Some of them must be EMTs.

“Well, I know what you'll be doing tonight,” he said without looking over at her.

“Do you now?”

“I'm pretty sure you'll be cramming for this test. Your competitive nature practically demands it.”

Feck. When did he become such an expert on me?

Before she had a chance to come up with a verbal response, he smiled at her. “Maybe we could study together.”

Well, that's a surprise.
“I, uh…I'm afraid I have something I can't get out of.”
Like this crazy attraction to you.
If she were a normal young woman, Ryan's attention would be flattering and probably welcome. But she wasn't normal. She was a dragon—more used to setting fires than extinguishing them. Imagine his surprise if he came down one morning to find her reheating his coffee with her breath.

The video was ready and the instructor shut off the lights.

Ryan leaned close. He smelled like the great outdoors. Trees, grass, rain… He smelled good. Too good.

“Come on, Arish,” he whispered. “We're going to have to find a way to work together eventually…”

“Shhh…” was all she had time to say before the video started.

This attraction was not only inconvenient, it was potentially tragic. Her grandmother's predictions were never wrong. She remembered her mother telling everyone about her father's aquamarine matching her eyes and her uncle's fluorite matching her aunt's eyes. If she had indeed received a diamond at birth, it couldn't be any clearer—no man had eyes for her.

Maybe I should have become a nurse or a teacher…
That annoying thought was quickly squashed when she pictured working with a bunch of bitchy females. She hadn't been raised like most kids, that was true, but whenever the opportunity to interact with girls presented itself, the results were puzzling. Instead of making friends, she was treated as a threat. Her brother thought it was because she was too brash, so she tried adjusting her behavior to fit in, but it never worked.

Finally, a young woman who was just passing through the village noticed the way she had been ignored after one of their musical sessions at the pub. Her brother and sister were being treated to pats on the back and free pints. Chloe was by herself, breaking down her flute and packing up the other instruments.

The stranger invited her for a walk and they got to talking. Apparently it took an outsider to spot something she and her siblings might never have noticed: Chloe was beautiful. “Drop-dead gorgeous” were the words the stranger used. A pretty blonde with a willowy figure, she was indeed a threat to insecure women.

All Chloe saw were her faults. She thought her limbs were too thin, her hair was too straight, and her freckles marred her ivory complexion. She envied her sister's curly red hair and barely-there freckles that added a touch of warmth to her peach skin.

The woman laughed. She was older than the girls Chloe tried to befriend, so maybe she was more mature too. She offered Chloe sympathy. Sympathy! For her beauty! It was a crazy idea to her at the time, but she understood better as she thought about it. Boys wanted to “date” her—code for get into her pants—until she showed her assertive side. Girls just wanted to drown her. She wrestled her mind back to the moment.

After the video they had a short break. In the EMT class there was only one other woman, and she was wearing a wedding ring. Chloe might be able to find a friend and put some distance between herself and Ryan. She'd try anything at this point.

She strode over to the woman and introduced herself. “Hi. I'm Chloe Arish.” She stuck out her hand.

The woman glanced at it and said, “Hi. I'm Beverly. Excuse me. I have to find the ladies room.”

The woman took off and left Chloe feeling rejected. Ryan strolled over to her. As much as she hated to admit it, male friends were better than no friends. She offered him a smile.

“Pretty inspiring video, wasn't it?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah.”

“I guess they figured they'd appeal to our hero complexes first, and then get into the nitty-gritty of how it's done later.”

Chloe had barely watched the video. It consisted of a succession of clips showing ambulances responding to desperate people, and the quick, efficient workers doing their jobs. EMTs were never thanked for their efforts, but the broad grins on their faces afterward said it all.

If there had been pertinent information given, she could have concentrated on that. She didn't need her “hero complex,” as Ryan called it, stroked or inspired. But it was nice to know that someday she might be greeted like a savior instead of a pariah.

“Was there something you wanted?” she asked him.

He laughed.

What the feck was so funny?

“Sorry…” He shook his head, but the smile remained.

“Is there some kind of private joke being had between you and yourself?”

“No.” He blew out a frustrated breath and the smile disappeared. “Look. I'm trying. We can be friends or not. I'd like it if we could work together as friends, but it's your call.” He turned and strode away. Oh God. She knew that feeling. She knew that stride of shame.

She followed. “I'm sorry,” she said when she caught up to him.

“What are you sorry for?”

She threw her hands in the air. “I don't know. Bein' a bitch. Treatin' you crappy. I don't know what to call it, but I know what it feels like…and I'm sorry.”

He stood still and the smile returned.

Oh, please don't tell me I just made a big mistake.

He strolled over to her. “Thank you. You haven't been a bitch though. You've been…private. Soon, you'll discover how little privacy firefighters have. I think I'll give you your space for a while and let you get used to the idea of living and working with a bunch of guys, day in and day out. It's what we'll do—until you quit, get promoted, or retire.”

Shite.

* * *

Chloe had dinner plans with Rory and Amber. They wanted to take her out to celebrate the end of her training, but she didn't feel like going anywhere.

She had changed into her little black dress and waited on their stoop before ringing the doorbell. When she looked down the street, it appeared as if nothing had changed since the nineteenth century. Well, electric streetlamps and cars instead of horses and buggies, naturally, but other than that, this place seemed like stepping back in time. It could be a residential street in long-ago Dublin.