2 comments/ 15508 views/ 26 favorites Dinner at the Firehouse By: mattwatt43 She had gone to bed flat out tired. She managed a late night shower before turning in but tumbled into bed quickly after that, not bothering with a nightgown tonight, since it was warm; this was a panties only in bed night. Kate had worked long into the night on some new menu ideas and wanted to make sure that they were all set and properly backed up on her laptop. She was pleased with the work that she'd done, and by bed time was simply exhausted. Her dreams were strange and disturbed. She was in the kitchen, directing traffic as usual but someone had spilled something on one of the ranges and was causing a stink. Then the dream morphed to something more ominous that was all sounds and strangeness; it was the kind of dream that comes to get you during the night, leaving little or no explanation and little or no sense but only a vague feeling of unease in the morning, when it is remembered, if it is remembered at all. Lately, Kate Willman had been spending more and more time working evenings like this on ideas for the menu. She was the owner and executive chef of Morton's, a successful and popular local upscale eatery, and took all of it seriously. At 32 she was all energy and great ideas. She blessed her grandma and grandpa for the money that they left to her, that allowed her to realize her dream, Morton's, at such a young age. She even named it for them, Grandma and Grandpa Morton. She experimented with sauces and recipes on herself and a few good friends, who as often as not urged her to 'get a life'. Kate's immediate and usual response was that she indeed had a life and the one that she favored, thank you very much! The dream continued to be weird and suddenly in a strange and unaccountable way, piercing. It was then that Kate woke. She woke to the brash, startling sound of the smoke alarm somewhere in the house, outside of the bedroom door, she thought in a clear second. Then the realization came full upon her that the house was filled with smoke. At least her bedroom was filled with smoke. She heard from somewhere outside a great deal of clatter and realized that it was the sound of fire engines. Someone had apparently seen the smoke and had reported it. She decided instantaneously on two things. She grabbed her laptop from the desk in the bedroom corner, and then it was a robe she wanted--natural but foolish decisions. Taking time in a room, a house filled with smoke to get any 'extras' before crawling your way out was against any advice that was ever given. Kate had the laptop in her grasp, when she collapsed, the smoke getting to her and beginning to take its toll. For a bit then, she remembered nothing. She lay on the bedroom floor, rolled kind of into a little ball, clutching the laptop. The robe was nowhere in sight. She didn't see him come in; she didn't hear him come in. He was only suddenly there, speaking loudly into the built in mic at his helmet he called out: "I've found the occupant and she's down." He took a second only to take the air from his own mask and put it over Kate's face. Kate began to cough. It was the sign that he wanted. Then his professional instincts took over. He scooped her up, along with her laptop and began to carry her to the doorway. In the process he continued to share with her the air mask. Kate simply clung to him, with her arms around his neck. As he was struggling down the stairs with her, coughing as he went, and sharing his air with her, she spoke up to tell him something. Mike didn't right away understand what she was saying and then she repeated herself and he realized that she was saying: "I'm sorry that I'm not dressed!" He just grinned at her then, certain male instincts taking over. "Ms," he said, heading for the door, "You look just gorgeous the way you are." He got a muttered 'thank you' for his gallantry and she lay her head on his shoulder. She was speaking again, as he reached the door. This time it was: "Thank you for getting my laptop. It's important." He smiled at her then only, as soon as he got her through the door, he had help from all sides. They had a blanket for her and took her to the waiting ambulance, where she was loaded, covered with a sheet and whisked off to the hospital. The fire was an electrical one that had been discovered and extinguished but the smoke and water damage was considerable. They gave her oxygen immediately in the ambulance. She was woozy from having taken so much smoke. The attendant, a lovely young woman, stroked Kate's face and told her how lucky she was. Kate replied: "But his name; the fireman's name; I don't even know his name." She began to cry then, all of the tension of what had just happened finally crashing in on her. "They'll know at the station," the attendant, whose name tag said that she was 'Gail Robbins', said. "They will?" Kate asked between sobs. "They will," Gail assured her. By that time, the firemen were wrapping up their efforts at Kate's house. There was some good natured banter going on among them, as usual. "Hey, Schantz," someone said, "How did you get so lucky? She was a babe!" The comments were directed at fireman Mike Schantz, who was the one who'd brought Kate out of the building. He was a sturdy 5'11" and 190 lbs. He'd been a fireman for fifteen years, since coming out of the marines. His response to the comment was to give them all al huge grin! "Well," he said, "The pretty ones just know quality, when they see it!" "When they see it!" someone scoffed, "She was out cold and didn't see quality or anything else." They all laughed at that. It was then that the assistant chief came along and they stopped their raillery. "Good rescue, Mike!" he said, clapping Mike on the shoulder. Then he too remarked: "A pretty one too!" Mike grinned at him and nodded. They went about the business then of cleaning up and getting ready to go back to the fire house, where, as might be expected the kidding started again. "So, tell me, Mike," one of the lieutenants asked, "Was she already undressed or did you take her clothes off first?" There was general laughter. Mike good naturedly answered: "Lieutenant, I brought her out the way that I found her." "Hey, Schantz," another voice joined the fray, "How do you get to be so lucky? I never get to rescue a babe like that!" "It's good living," Mike said and went himself into a kind of coughing fit, while there was a general amount of hooting and such noises then. At the hospital, Kate was being looked over and had a rest. They told her that she could go home. She began to cry at that point: "I don't have any clothes," she wailed. The doctor in attendance was a surgeon named Jackie and asked Kate softly if she could call anyone for her. Kate gave her the name of a friend, Dee Dee, who also lived in the city. She told Dr. Jackie that she'd make the call, if she could have the use of a phone. Deedee answered after the second ring. "Hello," a sleepy voice said. "Dee Dee," Kate began, "It's Kate." Dee Dee could tell right away that something was wrong. She spoke quickly: "Kate, honey, what's wrong?" Kate began to cry again at that point, and finally calmed down enough to get the news out "Dee, I've had a fire at my house and. . ." she paused then with her crying. "I had. . .had to be rescued and would have died but for the fireman." "Oh, honey," Dee Dee said. "Where are you?" "He got me out and all I got out of the house was my laptop and. . ." she broke off again and cried until she was ready to go on again: "All that I have to wear is the panties that I was wearing to bed. . . " At that point Kate broke down altogether, and one of the nurses picked up the phone. She explained to Dee Dee that Kate'd had a fire at her house and only was wearing her panties, when she was brought out of the burning, smoke filled house by a fireman, who'd rescued her. Dee Dee woke totally immediately and said to the nurse that she'd be right there with some clothes for Kate. It relieved Kate's mind tremendously. Dee Dee was as good as her word; she was there in a very short time and had a set of running clothes for Kate to wear. They had Kate in a side room at the E R and had given her a hospital gown to wear. She fairly threw herself into Dee Dee's arms, when her friend came into the room. "Dee Dee!" Kate said, sobbing in her friend's arms. "It's okay, honey," Dee Dee cooed to her, holding her. It was then that the nurse came into the room. She smiled at the two of them and said: "Ms Willman?" "Yes," Kate said. "I, uh, just wanted to tell you that we have a fireman here; he had had a little too much smoke. His name is Schantz, and I believe that he's the one that brought you out of the house. It seems that sharing his oxygen with you got him into a little bit of breathing trouble." "Ohhhh," Kate wailed then, "Can I see him?" "Well, yes," the nurse said, "He's in #8. Why don't you get dressed and then I'll take you over there." Dee Dee had brought a tee shirt and some running pants, plus underwear for Kate, since they were both pretty much the same size. Kate and Dee Dee went eagerly with the nurse down the hall way. They could hear the occupant of #8 telling the attendants that he was fine and the spell was just a fluke. "Well, Mr Schantz," the doctor was saying, "We just want to look you over a bit; you took a bit of smoke in that one. It's only a routine kind of thing." The doctor came out of the room and the nurse spoke to her and asked if Kate could go in and see him. The doctor said that it was probably, at that point, the best thing for him. Kate went to the door with the nurse and tears began to flow immediately from her eyes. Mike Schantz looked up, smiled but didn't recognize Kate. She spoke up then and said: "Maybe you'd recognize me if I only had my undies on!" He got a smile on his face then and said: "You! How are you?" "Fine, thanks to you, you wonderful, lovely, brave man!" she said in a rush, and went across the room to put her arms around him. She said to him softly, as she held him, with her arms around his neck: "Sorry about the comment about my undies! I really wasn't trying to be smart." "Hey," Mike said, "It sounded like a great idea to me!" Kate giggled at that point, and was joined by Dee Dee and the nurse, who were still in the doorway. "I'm getting you all wet," Kate said finally, and stepped back. She realized then that she hadn't even introduced herself to him: "My name is Kate Willman!" she said, "You already know where I live!" "Well, I guess I do," Mike said. Mike Schantz was older than some of the firemen but had over the years rejected the possibility of higher command and a desk job. He loved the job of being a hose jockey too much. He was, at 40, still in great shape. Some gray curls were beginning to creep into his curly dark hair. They had him currently in a hospital gown too. Kate took it up at that point: "I don't know how to properly thank you for saving my life. I tried to get my laptop and then a robe. It was silly I know!" "Not silly, really," he said back to her, "You never know how you'll react to that kind of situation until you in the middle of it. Work and modesty are important items." "You're so nice to say so," she said, stroking his chin, "I almost got myself killed tonight but for you. Thank you . . ." "It's Mike," he answered, "Mike Schantz." "Thank you, Mike Schantz!" she said, and kissed him. It was the kind of kiss that you give to someone who's supremely important in your life, a mentor, a huge and wonderful influence, and, maybe, someone who saves your life. Mike Schantz was grinning at the end of the kiss. "No, thank you, Ms Willman," he answered. "It's Kate," she said, and in a low voice: "You've already seen my in my unmentionables!" She giggled and he grinned at her. "Made the job of grabbing you easier!" he quipped and Kate put her hand over her mouth and giggled again. "But it got you hurt!" she said ruefully then. "I'm fine," he said to her then. "Oh, I hope so!" she said. "I was wondering," she continued, "Could I come to the, uh, fire house some time to thank you properly?" "Sure," he said, "I'm scheduled the day after tomorrow. The shift begins in the morning at 8 AM and runs 24 hours until the next morning." "I'll plan to stop by then some time during the day," Kate said. She turned and looked at Dee Dee, who was still standing in the doorway and waiting for her. "Mike," she said, "This is my friend Dee Dee Schultz; she's come to rescue me also. She brought me clothes to wear." Mike nodded to Dee Dee. "I have to go now," Kate said, "Lots to do." Before she left, he said to her: "Contact Benson-Johnson; they do a great job at clean up. I know how much destruction the smoke and water do in a house. They'll get you right." "Will it be. . .much of a loss?" she asked him then quietly. "I'm afraid that it might be," he answered, " The fire originated, I guess, in the attic with some wiring. We had lots of smoke to deal with, and water. Don't know if you're going to be able to save the furniture and rugs. B & J can do a great job on the clean up with other stuff and help getting the smell out. They do it well." Then he added: "And I'm not related; I don't even work for them." She laughed and said: "Thank you again." Then following an impulse, she went to him again and hugged him. His arms went around her and she almost melted against the bulk of him. "Thank you," she whispered into his ear. "You're welcome, Kate," he answered. Then she whispered one more thing: "You look so cute in that gown!" He broke out into an all out laugh, which made her laugh too. Dee Dee was watching them and raised her brows at the laughter. Kate explained: "I just told him how cute he looks in that gown!" Dee Dee put her hands over her mouth and laughed also. "Well, he does!" Kate insisted. Then she turned away and blew Mike Schantz a kiss and went out of the room with Dee Dee. The nurse stopped in and said: "Nice to run into a person who is really appreciative!" "I guess!" Mike said, "And me here looking like my maiden aunt in this gown!" The nurse laughed and said: "Well she did say that you looked cute in it." Mike laughed and said: "Gee but 'cute' wasn't maybe what I needed in dealing with a lovely woman like that." "No," the nurse said, "Cute will get you a long way. And anyway the doctor says that you can get dressed and we can let you out of here now." "Too late," he said ruefully, "I've already done my maiden aunt impression for the lovely lady! So much for my luck!" But by the end of what he was saying, he was grinning to the nurse. Dee Dee took Kate home to her house. She'd called her husband in advance and he was waiting for the women, and had some coffee ready. When the two women went into the house, he me them and gave Kate a hug. "Oh, sweetie," he said to her. She sobbed quietly and said: "Thank you, Rick." "Are you okay?" he wanted to know. "Now I am," she answered. "There's a lot of work to do beginning in the morning." "Well," Dee Dee said, "I have some time coming; so, I'm going to take the time off and we're going to get you straightened out." Kate hugged her saying: "You two are just the best!" They had some coffee then, and she went through what had happened in detail, beginning with the strange dream that she'd had. Once the story was related, they talked together and made some plans for what was to be done the next day. "Well have to see," Dee Dee said, "If we can rescue your clothes and get them cleaned up." It was, by that time, about 4 AM. Rick went back to bed, and Dee Dee took Kate to their guest room. When they were together in the guest room, Kate said, a bit hesitatingly: "Dee Dee, can I ask. . ." "Of course, I'll stay with you; we'll be fine here you and me." Kate cried again and hugged Dee Dee as the two of them settled down for the balance of the night. For a good long while, Dee Dee simply held her friend. Both Kate and Dee Dee were up and functioning well the next day. For Kate, at least, the shock had worn off and she was ready, in her usually efficient manner, to tackle the tasks that needed it. They breakfasted and went off to Kate's house, first calling B & J and making an appointment for a couple of hours later. The also made a call to Kate's insurance agent and got an appointment with him to come and talk to them about damages. Kate was stricken, when she saw the house and needed Dee Dee's comfort again, as the two of them looked on the mess. There were black smoke stains and blackened windows. It was a sad looking sight. "Ah, well,"Kate said eventually, "We'd better get at this and see what is salvageable." They did a general tour first and learned first hand what Mike Schantz had already told them, namely that the furniture was probably going to be a write off. Kate looked with sadness at the mess that had been her comfortable home. The main task that they involved themselves in was sorting through clothes. They ended up with a large pile of messy things to be taken to the cleaner, and an equally large pile of things to go through the washing machine. These latter included all of Kate's casual clothes. They divided the chores. Dee Dee took the casual things and went to her house to wash them. By then Kate had access to her car and took her other clothes, especially her professional laundry, off to the cleaners to be dealt with. She had enough time left, when doing that errand to also stop and buy a new set of work whites for her job at Morton's. By early afternoon, it was all sorted out. Kate got back to Dee Dees and they settled down for a cup of tea. The good news at that point was that Dee Dee had already done most of Kate's personal things, and Kate was able to change her clothes and wear her own. "Well," Kate began, "They have it under control. B & J will haul off the old furniture that can't be saved and will rehab the interior. The insurance people were very nice and will expedite the insurance check to make sure that it is all taken care of." She put her head in her hands for a moment and said: "I am so lucky! First, being saved by that. . .that. . ." "Say it!" Dee Dee said, smiling. "By that gorgeous man!" Kate said with a smile at her friend, "And then you being the best friend that anyone ever had in the world, and now getting the rehab all underway." Kate ended simply shaking her head with tears running down her cheeks. Dee Dee went over and held Kate's head to her stomach and stroked her hair. "We'll get through this, Kate," she said, "We just will!" They spent the balance of the afternoon working on Kate's clothes, and had these all taken care of by the time that Kate had to go to work. They had talked about it and Kate had merely indicated that it was very important to her to begin to get some order again in her life, and going to work would certainly do that. Dee Dee agreed at that point. "Will you and Rick please come to dinner tonight at Morton's?" Kate asked. "I want to at least do that to say 'thank you'!" "We'd be happy to," Dee Dee said and the plan was laid. The next day Kate was pleased that B & J were already on the job and beginning the process of cleaning up her house. By the time that she got to the house to simply look on and kind of inspect, they had already hauled away the refuse that the fire, smoke and water had destroyed, and were in the process of working on the smell and doing the general cleaning inside. Kate was emotional about it but also pleased. She and Dee Dee went shopping that day for the kitchen things that Kate was going to need. She had a favorite place, where they'd heard about her misfortune and were anxious to help her out. The arrangements were made for delivery at a time, when B & J was finished and the house was rehabbed. Dinner at the Firehouse It was Dee Dee that afternoon who spoke up: "And what about Mr Gorgeous?" "Oh, yes," Kate said, "I told him that I wanted to go to the fire house to say 'thank you' to him there, and the rest." After their lunch, Dee Dee and Kate went to the fire house. Mike was working. The fireman on the desk called out loudly, as Kate and Dee Dee entered: "Ladies on the floor!" Kate went to the him smiling and asked for Mike Schantz. "Schantz, front and center!" he called out loudly. "Lovely lady to see Schantz!" There was the sound of hooting and some razzing from the back of the fire house, where the firemen were having coffee. Mike appeared a few minutes later. In seeing him approaching, Kate was a bit overwhelmed again, and moved to where he was coming and threw her arms around his neck. The initial razzing about Mike's 'love' ceased, when they realized that she was indeed overcome and was sobbing on his shoulder. "Thank you," she said softly, when she released him from the hug. Then she added, in a voice even softer: "That felt so nice!" Mike turned to the rest of the shift and said: "Gentlemen, and I use the term loosely, this is Ms Kate Willman; it was her home that you guys wrecked a couple of days ago early in the morning." A voice from the back said, in a loud stage whisper, "The 'undies lady'!" "Hey!" Mike called out but Kate jumped in and said: "That's me! Figured it was the way to impress the fire men!" Mike grinned at her then and said: "Worked too!" Kate got serious then and said: "Guys, I really came over to thank Mike especially again and say 'thank you' to all of you for helping out, when I had my disaster. I'm hoping that there's a way that I can say 'thank you' to all of you." A voice called out: "You can, cook dinner tonight!' There was general laughter at that, and they went on: "Yeah," another voice added, "It's Schantz' turn to cook and he's terrible." Dee Dee grinned at the suggestion. "What time is dinner?" Kate wanted to know. "Usually, if we're not on a run," Mike explained, "6 PM." "Good," Kate said, "At 6 PM your dinner will be here; I'll make sure of it." "Cook lots," one of them called out. "It's my specialty!" she said. They all cheered at that point. Kate was smiling at the prospect and gave Mike another hug and kiss, which called forth more hoots and razzes from the guys, before leaving. "This is so exciting," Kate said to Dee Dee outside. "Dinner at the fire house." She and Dee Dee made great progress again that day but she went in to work at Morton's early, to give herself time to get everything ready. She herself provided the things that she needed for the firemen's dinner. She got things up and running and made sure that they were on track for the long dinner crowd that was expected, and then she turned her special attention to fixing dinner for the firemen. She fixed two items for their main course; it was a German 'Jaegerbraten' and special lamb roulades, for which she made a fruit chutney sauce. She accompanied these with special new potatoes with tarragon and braised fresh asparagus spears. She prepared a greek salad to go with these and had time to prepare three apple pies. She worked with a will throughout the late afternoon and was ready to take it all to the firehouse at 5:30 PM. She arrived and walked into the fire house to the now familiar: "Lady on the floor!' cry from the dispatcher. They gathered from the back, as they had that morning, and this time were surprised to see her in her starched whites. Mike hung back with the rest of them this time but Kate would have none of it. She held her arms out and Mike walked into them with a smile, and the various cat calls and hoots of his mates. "You look so different," he said. "Yah," someone said, "More on than her undies, so you didn't recognize her." "Okay, wise guys," Mike said, "Can't you see that the lady is going to feed us." She reacted then to his statement about how she looked: "I'm the chef at Morton's!" "Struck it rich!" someone called out. "We get real food instead of Schantz' chili mess tonight." He turned and grinned at them. "Hope you all like what I brought," she said. "If it's food, it's got to be better than his swill!" someone said and there was general laughter. "I need help fetching the food from the car," she said then and had a plethora of help immediately. She set out the dinner and indicated what it was that she'd brought. They were over the wall with their thanks. Mike insisted that she eat with them, and Kate was pleased. She sat next to him for the dinner. "If we get a call," he said softly, "You just stay here and let us do our thing." "Oh," she said softly to him, "That sounds so sexy!" "You'd better not start with this crowd!" he said to her in an undertone. "Sorry," she said and grinned. "It's okay with me though; we know each other. After all, I've seen you in your. . ." Kate blushed then, and he went on: "And a really exciting sight it was too!" "Thank you," she said. "Hey, Schantz," one of the others said, "Do you want us to clear out the truck hose bed so that you two can have some privacy?" Kate blushed all the way to her ears. "Nice thought!" Mike said, "But to many on-lookers!" When dinner was finished, and the last piece of pie disappeared, Kate reluctantly got up and said: "Sorry, guys, I've got to get back to work to make sure that Morton's is on track!" Their thanks were profuse. They insisted on keeping the pots and pans so that they could clean them. "Schantz can bring them to you in the morning," someone said. "Yeah," another chimed in, "See if you need to be carried out of your house." "And what you're wearing!" a third voice chimed in. At that point, Kate faced them and simply took a bow. Their cheer was thunderous, and it left her grinning at them. As she turned to go, someone asked: "Hey, Kate, Schantz is supposed to cook every Wednesday; can you help us out?" "Well," she answered, smiling at Mike, "I do owe you guys. I'll give you a month and then we'll re-evaluate. You might be tired of my cooking by then." Their hooting then was at her, and she took it with a grin. Mike walked her to her car then. They stopped, once they were at the car, and Kate turned to him. He was ready for her this time. He pulled her into his arms and she went there with a contented sigh. "Oh, this is nice!" she said into his ear. "I'll be there in the morning with your gear, if we aren't busy at a fire," he said. "Oh wonderful," she said, "How about breakfast?" "Super!" was his response. He said then, in a determined voice: "Kate, I'm going to kiss you." "Oh, I wish you would," she said softly, and he did. She greeted his kiss with her lips and her tongue, and found it was sweet and soft and sexy. She was breathing a little hard at the end of it. But they were forced back to earth suddenly by the hooting and cheering of the rest of the men standing and watching them from the door of the fire house. Mike and Kate grinned at them and bowed their heads, getting yet another cheer. Once she left, she called Dee Dee to tell her about it. Dee Dee was excited to hear about the connection that was growing between Kate and Mike. She said, with decision: "In the morning, honey, Rick and I will be out of your hair. I'll see to that." Kate said over the phone: "I'm blushing now!" "'Bout time!" Dee Dee said with a laugh. "You just make the most of your fireman!" "I intend to do just that," Kate said. She went back to work then and was in a chirpy mood that whole evening, doing things and organizing things with equilibrium and a grand attitude. She slept soundly that night, after a late night drink with Dee Dee. In the morning, she found a note that told her that Dee Dee and Rick were already gone, and she had the run of the place. She found herself excited by the prospect of Mike's visit. With her own clothes now, she wore a pair of running shorts and a tee shirt, as she set about getting the breakfast ready for Mike. She also felt like being a 'siren', so she wore the tee shirt, a red one, with no bra on beneath, letting her magnificent 36c breasts poke against the tee shirt. She tempered the effect a little by wearing an apron. She was in a brash and sexy mood, all anticipation. He called just as he was about to leave the fire house for Dee Dee's. She gave him directions and went on with her preparations. In only a few minutes, she heard the doorbell ring. She hustled to answer the door, beaming at him, when she opened the door. "Look at the cook!" he said, and took a step towards her. She anticipated him, moving to meet him and giving herself up to his kiss eagerly. It was a number of minutes before they broke the kiss. "My can you kiss!" she said short of breath. He stepped back, smiling at her and said: "For a moment, I thought that you were greeting me, beneath that apron, wearing the same clothes that you wore when I first saw you." Kate was equal to his challenge. Without a word, she had the apron off, then the tee shirt up over her head and off and finally, the shorts down and off, as he just watched, grinning. "You mean like this?" she asked. "Precisely and not conked out by smoke!" he said. "No, thanks to my fireman alive and well," she said. "And almost naked!" he said. "Yes, that too; do you like, fireman Mike Schantz?" she asked in a coy fashion. "Turn and show me from every angle!" he said. "Your wish is my command!" was her response. "That's a very dangerous thing to say to me!" Mike said. She went to him and put her arms around his neck and said: "Mike Schantz, lovely, handsome rescuer, I mean every word." She was speaking into his ear right then and she said: "Now hear it again; here's the chef, the woman you rescued, wearing what you want her to wear right now, pink panties, who's about to give you a show because you said that you want it. Your wish, Mike, my command!" "My god, the guys should see me now!" he said with amazement and appreciation. Kate giggle and whispered into his ear: "Gang bang!" "Nope," was his answer, "All for me; only for me!" "Goodie!" she said, "Precisely what I want but the fireman wants a display, and a display is what he gets." She stood back a number of paces and said: "Sit back, beautiful Man, beautiful Mike and look over the goods!" She stuck her hands up in the air and slowly twirled around in front of him. Then she backed up to him and bent over from the waist, sticking her pink panty covered ass cheeks in his direction. "Sensational!" Mike said, "Sensational!" Kate giggled and turned. Next she bent from the waist but closer to where Mike was sitting, so that her nipples were right in front of his eyes. "Ohhhh, look at this!" he said, his voice getting hoarse from the effect she was having. She moved her shoulders then and he laughed, as her breasts began to sway in front of him. "Hypnotize me?" he asked. "You are under my power, fireman!" she chanted, and then giggled; Mike laughed too. "But I am," he said. "You are so hot, so wanton! What a woman! Have you always been this way?" She went to her knees in front of him; the question obviously making her think. "Oh, Mike," she said, "I just thought that I had it all! Just all! My Mom died, when I was young, very young, and my father never did stick around. But I had the world's greatest grandma and grandpa. They raised me; they loved me; they encouraged me, especially when I began to show a love of cooking." She was leaning against his knee, as she said this,with him stroking her hair. "They died, first grandma and then grandpa; I spent a few years studying my craft, my cooking and taking care of those wonderful people. There was no time for anything else, and I didn't want anything else, at the time. But you see, they had friends and influence and enough money that they left to me, that I was able to realize my dream, Morton's. It was their name, Ben and Ady Morton. I had enough to tied me over for a number of years until we started showing a profit, and now we are, and it's just fine." She paused and put her cheek on his knee and then continued: "Mike, I thought I had all that I wanted, and then the fire, and I almost died, and it taught me a new lesson about living and loving, and. . ." here she looked up at him with a soft smile, "And it brought you into my life! And I want more." She heaved a great sigh and said: "To answer your question directly, no, I haven't always been this way. But I'm determined now to give myself chances that I haven't before. I don't care if you are in this only for a piece of ass. If that's the case, then Mike, you're gonna be as lucky as you want, as long as you want." She brightened then and said: "Now, fireman, the rest of the show." She got up then and wiggled her hips in front of his smiling face. She turned and pulled at the waist band of the pink panties, forcing them into the crack of her ass. She grinned at him as she turned and wiggled at him. Then it was turn around again and this time the pulled panties highlighted her pubic hair and the lips of her vagina. Mike was grinning from ear to ear at her. "Fireman likes?" she asked. "Fireman likes very much," he answered and stood up, putting his arms around her. "What do you want now, Mike Schantz?" she asked. He whispered into her ear: "All of you, Kate, just all of you." She looked at him then with tears in her eyes, and he went on: "I want you to dress. This is so important to me, since seeing you on that bedroom floor, terribly afraid that you weren't alive, and since getting to know you, and the way you are, and the way you care. This is important, and, I think, too important to be done quickly because we're in someone else's house. When I come for you, and I get you, I might be getting the nicest 'piece of ass' that I've ever been involved with but I want the whole package and I want that at a time a place where interruptions are just not a part of the scene at all, and, honey, I can wait for that." He grinned at her then and said: "Especially if you flash that booty at me now and again!" "Oh, Mike," she said fervently, "I'll come and flash my booty at you at the fire house!" "Hell, no," he said, laughing, "That would certainly cause a riot! And any fires that came into the house at that time would go begging." She giggled and said, in a tiny voice: "You want me dressed?" "No, I want you naked but I want you mine and no other encumbrances, I mean the right time and place and circumstances." "Oh, Mike," she said, tears making tracks down her face, "That's so wonderful! Here's what I'm going to do; you get these." As she said that, she took off her panties and gave them to him. "My favorites," she said, "I get them back to wear, when our times begins with the right place and circumstances." "Wonderful!" He said, taking the panties and tucking them in his pocket. "Now I want a kiss from my fireman, while I'm his and all naked,"she said, grabbing on to him, and while they kissed, his hands roamed down her back and onto her ass cheeks, which she managed to wiggle for him, as they kissed. "My Mom and Dad are coming to town soon; I'd like you to meet them," he said to her then. She grinned and said: "Oh my, serious, meet the parents." "Yep," he said, "The farm couple coming to town." "Oh, I'd love it," Kate said. "And now, I hate it, but I'm going to dress because you're absolutely right about what you said, and I owe my fireman breakfast." "Gee," he said with a sigh, "Thought I'd never get to eat." "You almost did, big boy," she said, licking his lips, "I was all naked and edible!" "I guess!" he said, as she, dressed now but with no panties, led him to the kitchen for his breakfast. It was that morning that Mike explained to Kate that he lived in a kind of bachelor apartment. Then there was history that she wasn't aware of. His wife had the bi-polar condition and had committed suicide years ago. They had one son, who had moved away years ago across country but had gotten into some kind of trouble that resulted in Mike selling his house to bail him out of it. He said that he was explaining that so that Kate would realize why going to 'his place' was not one of the options for them. He said it apologetically, and she just went to him, from the stove where she was working, and pulled his head to her stomach and kissed the top of his head. "Our time and place are coming!" she said quietly. "I hope so," was his answer, given softly. The two of them settled for the next few weeks into a rhythm in their relating. Kate was still at Dee Dee and Rick's. During those weeks, she provided the fire house meal once a week, when it was Mike's turn to cook. One week it was a hearty steak chili accompanied by corn bread and a carrot cake, while another it was a pot roast, and Boston Cream Pie. She got accolades from the whole group, when she showed up with it, still striking in her whites. When she arrived the familiar call of 'lady on the floor' rang out but on that particular night they all knew what that meant, and they gathered to help her bring the food in. As they were gathering to eat, one of the men said loudly: "Hey, Schantz, why don't you marry this wonderful lady, or else the rest of us will!" It sent Kate into a spate of giggles and made Mike blush too, and then was taken up as a general comment by all of them. It was a bit later, about a week later, Kate was working and things were going well at Morton's, the evening was in full swing but she and her staff had it well under control, as usual. One of the waitresses brought a card to the kitchen and gave it to Kate. The card said simply: "Me, Mom and Dad". It was signed 'Mike'. Kate went out to the restaurant smiling broadly. She was greeted by many of the clientele and found Mike and his parents right away. She approached their table with a grin on her face. Mike stood to greet her, looking spiffy and turned out tonight. "How's my fireman?" Kate asked. "All cleaned up and polite!" he said. "He'd better be," the white haired woman sitting at the table said quickly. Then Mike and Kate turned to the older couple and Mike introduced Kate to his Mom and Dad. "It's such a treat to meet you, dear," Mike's Mom said, "I'm so glad that there is someone to take care of him here now." Kate giggled at that and sat with them. "Got time?" Mike asked. "Yes, a little," Kate said, "We're running fine in there just now; they'll come for me, if they need me, kind of like ringing a fire bell and I'll jump to it." Mike's Mom spoke up then and asked with some concern: "Dear, you won't get in trouble with the management sitting here and chatting during work time?" Kate laughed and it was Mike that said: "Mom, she is the management; she own's Morton's." "Oh, dear!" Mrs. Schantz said, "How lovely." "It was named for my grandma and grandpa!" Kate said, and told them about her grandparents and getting her life in such good order. They talked for a little bit, when Kate asked them what they wanted for dinner. They made their selections and she went to the kitchen to oversee the preparation. She also suggested to Mike that he take them to her private office, after dinner and they'd be able to talk there. Mr & Mrs Schantz were full of praise for the meal that they'd had, when Kate joined them a bit later, telling them that things were winding down and she had time now. Mrs. Schantz wanted to know how the two of them met, and that caused both Mike and Kate to laugh. She told the story. When she got to the part about what she'd been wearing, Mrs. Schantz put her hand over her mouth and laughed and Mr Schantz's eyebrows shot up in the air. Dinner at the Firehouse "He's just my hero!" Kate said, putting a hand on his hand. "He is such a good man," Mrs Schantz said fiercely with both pride and some tears. "Mom," Mike said, "Don't go into all of it." But Mrs. Schantz insisted that she tell Kate about Mike's wife and her sickness, which their son Michael had also gotten, and all the pain that Mike had had dealing with first his wife and then his son. "And he's lost to us," Mrs. Schantz said in a weepy voice. Kate put a hand over the older woman's hand and received a grateful look from her. Mrs. Schantz went on to say: "You are such a wonderful girl! I hope you're good to my Mikie!" Kate smiled and moved to kiss the older woman on the cheek, and said: "I certainly am trying." Mike went on then, to lighten the atmosphere by telling them about how popular Kate was at the firehouse, with her cooking instead of him every week these days. They ended up having a lovely evening. At the end of the evening, when Kate was ushering them to the door, she said to Mike: "Good news!" "What's that?" he asked. "My house is to be finished this week; I can move back in. Care to furniture shop with me; there are all sorts of things that I need?" "Lovely idea!" was his response, as they kissed good night. It was finally ready, and Kate was excited. She made arrangements first of all for new carpeting throughout. It was an older home but one that she loved, and now rehabbed it was a joy. She and Mike met for some furniture shopping on a Thursday. He was off and she didn't have to work until the evening. She asked him to stop at Morton's first. When they got there she said that she wanted to fix him breakfast before they went out. Entering the building she found the day cleaners were there too. Kate knew them well, and appreciated the way the women did the job of cleaning. She invited them for breakfast also. Over breakfast, when they were alone, she decided it was time to speak out to Mike: "Mike, honey," she said, "There's a reason why I want you to furniture shop with me." He just smiled at her and nodded. "I, uh, I want you to live with me! Will you? Please?" she asked softly. He was surprised by the request. "Wow!" he said, "I. . . I. . .well, yes!" he said after stammering a bit. She went to him and threw her arms around him for a kiss. They heard a giggle, during their kiss and noticed that the cleaning ladies were watching them. Kate grinned at them and said: "Mike's my toy boy!" They giggled louder at that. "Let me get these things cleaned up," she said, but the cleaners insisted that they would do the clean up, to say 'thank you' for the marvelous breakfast. "Come on, sexy," Mike said then, "We have furniture to look for especially a bed." "Oh, king size?" she enthused. "More play room!" he said, grinning at her. The arranged for the furniture to be delivered and went to the house themselves. The new carpeting had been installed the day before. They sat in the driveway for a moment, after getting to the house. "I want to talk to you," Mike said. She faced him, not knowing what was coming. "You don't have to do this," he said quietly. "I appreciate the offer but. . ." He never finished because she was in his arms kissing him immediately. "It's got to be this way, Mike; please. Live with me. I want that so badly, so badly!" He smiled at her and said: "Of all the burning buildings in the world, why was it that I happened to wander into yours." She grinned at him and licked his lips; then she said: "Let's go see our home." As they got to the door, he bent down and scooped her up in his arms. She squealed in delight, as he carried her over the threshold. She looked around and, as if there were ghosts to encounter, she shivered. He held her tightly, while she whispered in his ear: "It's almost as if it's haunted by what almost happened. Help me, Mike; help me here to make it different, to make it ours, really ours. Please." She clung to him, as she talked. He held her and said then decisively: "First order of business for you, clothes off!" "Yahoo!" she shouted, threw her arms up into the air and wiggled her hips. "Dance later, chef," he said, "Strip now!" She leaned against him and said: "Should I strip or do you want to unwrap the package yourself?" "This time, you do it; another time, I will," he said decisively. "Naked?" she asked softly. "Naked," he said. "Naked it is!" she said gladly and began the process of stripping her clothes off for him. "Here's what I want," he said, "Each article of clothing that you take off, I want put on the kitchen counter in the next room." "Ohhh," she cooed, "The fireman wants a show!" "Yes, he does," Mike said, "And I bet it'll be a good one." "What do I get, if I'm a good girl?" she asked in a coy fashion. "Whatever the good girl wants!" he said, and she threw herself at him: "Oh, Mike, that's the right answer, the right answer! I'm gonna take good care of you; please let me, please!" "You're on, chef," he said and then got a serious look on his face: "Kate, you are seriously beautiful! Just seriously beautiful! And I want you to be mine. We're going to mark our house now." "Doin' dirty things?" she asked. "Exactly," he replied. "Okay, here we go," she said, beginning. She unbuttoned her blouse first, keeping her eyes on him and took it off with a flourish, and arms spread wide in a theatrical gesture, the blouse held out in her left hand. She smiled, turned and stalked out to the kitchen, where he'd indicated that the clothes should be left. Then she came back. "Next?" she asked softly with a smile. "Skirt, I think," he said, watching and grinning. She unzipped her skirt and let it flutter down to the floor, stepping out of it, and picking it up, folding it carefully. She held the skirt in her arms and then slowly turned around to let him see all of her. "Like?" she asked. "Oh, yes," he said. "Very much!" Off she went again, hips swinging and humming a tune, to the kitchen to deposit the skirt. "Next?" she asked. "Bra next," he said, and she reached around to unhook the bra. It came off easily and she let it slide down her arms. She took the bra to the kitchen, placing it on the pile of clothes and then was back. She twirled slowly in a circle for him again. When she had her back to him, she bent over from the waist. "Lovely and lively!" was his comment. "Want the panties, big boy?" she asked then, as she pushed them, via the waist band, down past the swell of her hips. She stopped, when they were far enough off to show her curly pubic hair. She pulled them back up and then down again, doing that a few times. It made him laugh. "You're more fun than a pornographic movie!" he said. "Good," was her comment, "Then you'll stay at home!" "I guess I will!" was his next comment. "Okay, fireman, here they go, revelation now! Pussy coming into view!" "Do it, gorgeous!" he ordered and she pushed the panties down and off, tossing them lightly to him. He caught them and put the gusset in his mouth, grinning at her, and beginning to move in her direction. She went to him with arms wide open. "Panties on the pile," he said. "Yes, Mr Bossy!" she said, taking the panties from his mouth and putting them in her mouth so that she could take them to the kitchen and put the on the counter. She came back and said softly: "What's next, Mike?" "Something special!" he said, "Something that has been in the back of my mind ever since I saw you lying on the floor of your bedroom, passed out from smoke." Having said this, he grabbed her up into his arms and carried her to the kitchen, ignoring her initial shriek, when he picked her up. She cradled her head against his shoulder and simply sighed. He got to the kitchen and put her on the counter. "Want to show you, show the chef, that a kitchen counter can be used for other things as well as cooking," he said to her pushing her a bit back from the edge of the counter. Then he put his hands under her thighs; this had the effect of raising her thighs up and, leaning forward, he brought his mouth into contact with the hair on her pussy lips. "Ohhhhhhhhhhh!" she squealed, "This has never happened to me in a kitchen before." "Get used to it, Chef!" he said, looking up at her and smiling. "Can I, can I?" she said with excitement in her voice, and squealed again, as his tongue rasped along the edge of her pussy lips. He elicited even more of a response from her, when he pushed his tongue inside of the lips of her vagina. "Ohhhhhhhh, Mike, honey!" she said losing her head to him and his manipulations. She erupted then: "Hold on, hold on, hold on, Mike! Hold on, honey!" she wailed as she began to cum, clutching his head now with her thighs, as he grasped her thighs tighter and ate through her orgasm. Kate lay back against the counter and simply sighed, as her shaking calmed down. She raised her head then and grinned at him. She could see Mike's smiling face, as she gazed down her body and saw his face raised just a bit above her pussy hair. "You can do that in every kitchen, every kitchen!" she said, her voice still a bit shaken. She looked around then and said: "Gives the kitchen a whole new aspect, doesn't it?" "Precisely the point," Mike said, "Makes it our kitchen!" "Oh, yes, our kitchen!" she said. "Is there a next?" she said hopefully. "Next?" he asked, "Here comes the fireman!" She watched gleefully, as he took his own clothes off. "Look at the muscles on you!" she said, "I want time soon to lick those muscles. First, I think you have something else in mind!" "Sue do!" he said, taking hold of her again and spinning her around so that she was now hanging off of the counter, her feet barely touching the floor. His stiff cock was inside of her wetness immediately. She was more than ready for him and he was worked up from what had just happened. He pushed into her bringing her to another orgasm, as he came himself. They didn't move for many minutes. "Oh, that was just what I wanted, just what. . ." she said softly but he finished: "We wanted!" "Oh yes!" she said. "Now let's inspect the house, and you wear these!" He said to her, fetching from his pants pocket the panties that she'd given him to hold, which were the ones that she'd been wearing, when he rescued her from the fire. He put his clothes back on but insisted, with her giggling about it, that she wear only the panties. He said to her, in the course of the inspection: "I think that we need new wiring." "Oh, yes," she said, "the fire was an electrical one." She turned to him and said: "Do you know anyone who does that kind of work?" "Yes," he said, "Me!" She smiled her delight and said: "Do you, Mike? Can I help?" "Yep, as long as I get to do the technical stuff!" was his answer. "I'll be the apprentice!" she said joyfully. Mike began the work a few days later and spent a good deal of his off time doing the wiring. It was a Saturday, he was working at the wiring in the attic on a ladder. The attic door opened as Mike was talking on the phone to Wiley Kennedy, their assistant chief, who was in charge of Mike's shift. "Yes, Wiley," Mike was saying, "That's the way the wiring looks. So, yes, I'll do it that way . . ." He broke off then as Kate sang out: "Snack time!" "Oops" Mike said into the phone as Kate appeared up the attic stairs. "Wiley, I have to go, my assistant is coming with a snack." He paused and said into the phone: "Oh, damn, she's wearing a hard hat, work boots and a tool belt!" "I'm smiling too!" Kate protested, "And I'm bringing a snack." "Wiley says 'hello'," Mike said. "Did you tell him that that's all that I'm wearing?" she asked pleasantly. "Hi, Wiley!" Kate called out, as she put the tray down and went to the ladder that Mike was on. "See you, Wiley, this assistant is getting. . .I'll see you!" Mike said, as at this point Kate was getting onto the bottom rung of the ladder. "Turn around and take your medicine, firman," she cooed in a sexy voice. "Shit, Kate, you're gonna make me fall off this damn ladder," he said with a laugh, as he turned around. "No, I won't," she said, "My Mikie knows about ladders; he won't fall off!" She said this as she began to unzip his shorts. "What are you doin', crazy woman?" he asked, laughing now. "Gonna suck my Mikie's dickie!" she said pleasantly. "Call Wiley, tell him that Kate's gonna suck Mikie's dickie!" Mike was laughing hard now, as Kate finally fished his erection out of his shorts!" "Call the fire department, Mikie," she said, "Tell them that you're stuck on a ladder and need rescue! Or don't you need rescue?" As she said this, she began to lick at the head of his erection. "Noooooooo! I don't," he said, and then let out a loud "Yessssssssss!" "You do?" she asked pleasantly. "No!" he wailed then and finally barked the order: "Suck my cock, woman!" "Tell me that you love me forever!" she said, scraping her teeth along the cock's surface. "Forever! Kate, just forever!" he said through clenched teeth. "Mean it, mean it, now suck my cock!" "Yes, sir! Love you too forever!" she said taking the whole head of his erection into her mouth. Then she sang out: "I've got my snack.You get yours later." "Ohhh," Mike moaned, as she went about the business of blowing him, never letting up until, clinging to the ladder, Mike began to cum into her mouth. "Mmmmm good!" she said, as she backed off a bit but Mike was already off the ladder and hustling her up the ladder, moving the tools of the tool belt out of the way and starting to push his renewed erection into Kate's pussy from behind. "Call Wiley!" she bellowed, "Tell him you're fucking me now!" "Quiet, woman, or you'll have the cops on us!" he said, laughing. "Kate Willman screws firemen!" she yelled next. Mike was laughing, as he reached around and grabbed one of Kate's stiff nipples, turning her sentence into just a kind of crooned wail, as he finished his fucking and orgasmed, remaining stiff behind her on the ladder. "You are a handful!" he said, kissing her neck. "I've saved up for you, Mike Schantz!" she said sweetly. It was a Wednesday evening about a week or more later. Kate had sent dinner to the firehouse with one of her assistants. She was having a busy day and early evening. She had agreed to meet Mike at the fire house as soon as she could get away from the dinner rush to be there. When she got there, the men were pleased to see her, once the call of "Lady on the Floor" rang out from the dispatcher. The group of firemen from Mike's shift came forward first and only after they were there did Mike appear. Kate didn't know what to make of it at first. Then she gasped. He was carrying a bouquet of roses and a ring box. He looked terribly solemn. "Ohhhhhh," she said breathlessly as the men all smiled and, right in the middle of them, Mike got down on one knee. "Kate . . ." he began. Then the phone rang. All of their movements stopped immediately and sure enough the voice of the dispatcher rang out: "113 Williams, house fire; all equipment, go." The dispatcher was out of his cubby hole in no time and took Kate by the arm and took her back to his console, while the furious activity of a fire house getting ready for a call swirled around them. Kate watched as Mike took his shoes off and jumped into his quick hitch pants, pulling them up and pulling the suspenders in place. "Mike Schantz," she yelled, getting only a quick smile from him. "You be careful, damn it!" He nodded and just before they zoomed out the door, she yelled again, the tears streaming down her face: "The answer's 'yes'!" She wasn't sure she heard him and she turned to Jason the dispatcher and threw her arms around his neck and sobbed. "I'll call you, when they're done. He's one of the best; he'll be fine, knows what he's doing." "Please do call me, when I can come back," she said, still hanging on to Jason. "It doesn't matter what time it is, I'm coming back. I know that it takes them time to clean up, after a fire. Please promise." "You've got it, sweet lady," Jason said. "I'll call." Kate had to do something to keep herself busy; she went back to Morton's, where things had calmed down and they were finishing up. She baked three apple pies to take to the fire house later, and finally went home but rested only lightly. Jason's call came at 1:15 AM. "Hello," Kate said softly. "Ms Willman," the voice said, "It's Jason at the firehouse." "Oh, thank you for calling," she said. "They're back in and will be cleaned up in about 45 minutes." "I'm on my way," she said, "Please don't mention it to Mike." "Mum's the word," he said, and hung up. Kate had already showered and had to fix her hair and some makeup to be ready. She was determined to make a show of it for Mike. She wore a deep burgundy cocktail dress, that was in the closet for ever and waiting for its moment, which seemed to be now. The dress had a hem that came a good 4 to 5 inches above Kate's knees. It also had a scoop neck that allowed her to display a nice bit of cleavage. She accompanied this with a pair of red shoes with four inch heels. She looked in the mirror and said to herself: "Watch out, Fireman, here comes Kate." It was 2 AM and the men were having coffee in the kitchen as the cry rang out from the dispatcher: "Woman on the floor!" They went to the kitchen door and the first to actually see Kate in her finery, simply gave a low whistle. "Schantz," he said, "Look at this!" Then they all saw her and she grinned at them: "We were interrupted, Mike honey," she said. She held out the basket that she was carrying and said: "No one gets any of these pies until our business is done." "Hurry, Schantz!" someone said to general laughter. He went up to her again and she called across the fire house: "Jason, no damn calls or no pie for you!" They laughed and then Mike was in front of her again, on one knee with the flowers and the ring box." "Kate, love," he began, "I'm not an eloquent man but I love you immensely! Will you please marry me?" "Oh god yes!" She said, "Yes, yes, yes! Get up here and grab me before I begin to make a fool of myself by crying." He made the move to her and they embraced and the kiss that followed the embrace caused all sorts of noises and hoots from the on-lookers. "Does this mean that you'll continue to cook for us once a week?" a voice said, and she answered through tears: "It certainly does." They cheered at the news. (As a matter of fact, the experiment worked extremely well. Kate became the darling of the fire house, and soon enough Morton's was cooking for the fire house shifts every day. It made fairly little trouble for Kate to factor in the five man shift at the fire house in the day's preparations.) Epilogue: The wedding was spectacular. DeeDee stood up with Kate. But, when the ceremony started, the scene that ensued was what made the wedding so special. Kate was preceded down the aisle, after her matron of honor, by the men of Mike's shift. She came in on the arm of Assistant Chief Wiley Kennedy. They finished the electrical work on the house and settled into it, making it their dream house. It wasn't long after the wedding and settling in that Kate told Mike that she was pregnant, pregnant this time with little Mike junior, followed in the ensuing years by little Ben and lovely little Ady. The End