Forest Gate Fire
"Firefighter Shayla doesn't just put out fires—she starts them too, especially when she rescues accountant Derek from a burning building and decides to keep what she saved."
The smoke alarm had barely started when Derek smelled it. Kitchen fire. He panicked.
Then Shayla crashed through, thick and powerful in her gear, commanding the chaos.
"Out! Now! Follow mi!"
He followed her through smoke and heat into clear air, where she checked him over with strong hands.
"Yuh okay?"
"Because of you."
"Just mi job." But her eyes lingered. "Come to the station tomorrow. Paperwork."
The paperwork took five minutes. The conversation took five hours.
"Yuh live alone?" she asked.
"My flat's destroyed, so... currently homeless."
"Not homeless." She stood. "Yuh coming to mi place."
"I couldn't—"
"I just saved yuh life. Now I'm making sure yuh have somewhere to stay. Caribbean hospitality."
Her flat smelled like incense and warmth. She cooked curry while he sat stunned.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Because yuh nice. And cute." She brought him food. "And I'm tired of eating alone."
"I'm not much—"
"Yuh enough." She sat close. "Trust mi."
Trusting her led to touching her. Touching led to tasting. Tasting led to her bedroom where that powerful body showed him different kinds of heat.
"Yes! Derek! Right there!"
A woman who ran into fires—she feared nothing. Including showing exactly what she wanted.
"Harder! I can take it!"
The insurance paid out. Derek could have moved. Didn't.
"Mi getting used to cooking for two," Shayla said.
"I'm getting used to having someone to come home to."
"Then stay."
He stayed. Forest Gate's firefighter found something worth saving.
And Derek found someone worth burning for.
Fire and rescue.
Love and keep.