“Family of five. Mom and daughter were transported, but released. I put them up at the hotel at 81 and 75 for three nights. Food, comfort kits, Dad had a few meds and we got those refilled. I’ll call on them after lunch.” Kurt pushed the folder of papers to his boss for her perusal.

“Did you meet the new chief?”

“I did. Blaine Anderson. Young for a chief; he’s my age. We had to treat him for heat exhaustion.”

“Where were the medics?”

“Taking the daughter and mom. He said man power was down – probably that damned failed levy in May.”

“Did you document it?”

“Yeah, it’s in there too. Just water, busted a comfort kit, kept him in the air for a bit. He was okay and off before most of his guys even noticed he was missing.”

“Good. No one else was down? The heat was horrible Saturday.”

“No, just him and they packed it in after he was stable, so we just had the family.”

“How’d Mandy do?”

“Nervous. She’ll be okay eventually. Almost wet herself when I took the chief’s turnout trousers off.”

Dot laughed. “Sometimes I think we need to do one of our preschool fire classes for the volunteers. This, boys and girls, is a fire fighter’s uniform. Oh, and don’t hide from him. He’s here to protect you…”

“Might not be a bad idea. I guess the little girl was hiding Saturday. He had to have been hunting for her for awhile with how wiped he was.”

“How old is she?” Dot looked at the papers and nodded. “Three. Makes sense. How were the other kids?”

“Seemed okay from what I could tell. I let Mandy handle them. You know how I am.”

“Yes, yes. I’ll do anything for you, Dot, just don’t make me have to deal with anyone under age 15. I remember your stipulations very clearly.”

Kurt pursed his lips and sighed. “I ask for one thing and you mock me.”

“Who doesn’t like children?”

“Me. Their heads are too big for their bodies, they snot on everything and they talk like drunken monkeys.”

Dot shook her head and chucked the folder on her desk. “I’ll get these into chapter. You did a great job. Now, I have to get out of here. Need to schmooze for sponsors.”

Kurt settled back at his desk to tackle his to-do list, waving at Dot as she scurried out. He hadn’t been able to get the family or the fire out of his mind since Saturday – it happened after every fire. But, he also couldn’t get that new chief out of his mind.

Angel in a red vest he’d said.

Sure, Kurt had been helping him out and was wearing the ever-so-stylish red and gray disaster vest when he did it. It could have been, for all intents and purposes, a truthful, observational statement from a guy who was probably 5ml of fluids away from passing out.

And yet.

And yet, Chief Blaine Anderson, with his thick, dark curls and caramel-colored eyes, his oh-god-fuck-me body, seriously his arms were too big for the sleeves of his shirt, and those lush lips…wrapped around that water bottle? Yeah, Chief Anderson had gotten under his skin.

And, after looking up to the sound of an opening door, Chief Anderson had also gotten into his office.

“Good morning. I thought a more formal introduction might be in order.”

***

“Well, hello Chief.” Kurt stood and reached out his hand hoping the hitch in his breath when the chief’s fingers touched his was only audible to himself.

“Sit down. I’m not that formal.”

Kurt offered the seat across from his desk as he sat back down trying to clear his head in light speed. “It’s nice to see you with some color.”

“Yeah, let’s just pretend that never happened, shall we?”

“I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”

“There we go. Wiped off the records.” They shared a friendly smile and yes, Kurt kept that hitched breath to himself. Probably. The man’s smile lit up his eyes even more, glowing amber orbs. Glowing amber orbs; I’m losing my mind. And now he’s talking. “Seriously, though. Thank you. For helping. For your discretion. I was an idiot.”

“You had a PASS device. Why didn’t it activate?”

“I didn’t stop moving until I’d handed her off and sat down where you found me.” Chief shook his head at his own stupidity. “It really didn’t hit me until I was outside.”

“Well, I’m glad everybody’s okay.” Kurt stopped and measured his words carefully. “I think the bigger hazard is you not having extra medics there. I mean, we can do CPR and standard First Aid – we’re just not equipped for more serious cases.”

“Nor should you be. Which is partially why I’m here. Are you the director here in Allen County?”

“No. No, no, no. I’m just a volunteer-ish…sort of thing. She’s out at the moment but should be back before long.” Kurt sifted through his desk drawer and pulled out a business card, handing it across the desk. “Here. Dot Morgan. She’s hard to catch.”

“Thank you.” Chief took the card and as he settled back into his seat, staring but saying nothing, a softening of demeanor and expression washing over him.

“Is, um…is there something else I can do for you?”

“Yes.” A blush crept up Blaine’s face as he smiled, his eyes darting away from Kurt’s gaze and back again. “Kurt, I actually came by for another reason.”

“Oh?” Kurt tilted his head in question unable to hide his grin. Not only had Chief remembered his name, but the way he said it, as though it curled in his mouth like a ribbon of candy. Kur…t.

“I was wondering…if you would like to join me for dinner one night this week.”

Their eyes locked and Kurt no longer had to worry about hiding the hitches in his breath. He completely forgot how to breathe. But, he found his voice, if not his ability to speak properly. “Sure. That would…yes. I’d…I’d like that.” Smooth, Hummel.

“Good. I’ll um…I need a way to contact you?”

“Oh. That might help.”

They exchanged numbers, through their phones and Blaine pocketed his as he stood pausing in the frame of Kurt’s office door, another blush sweeping over his cheeks. “So. I’ll call soon?”

“That would be great. And, come back by. I know Dot wants to meet you.”

Blaine’s stance stiffened, zippering back up into Chief mode and he smiled tightly. “Will do.” He nodded and winked and disappeared out the door as swiftly as he’d come in.

And Kurt? Well, Kurt let out a whoosh of air, breathing properly for the first time in about ten minutes. “Oh. Mygod.”

He stared at his desk, the papers on it, his to-do list over and over again, not able to start on anything, irritated with his school boy behavior. Really now. It’s a date. You have dates. You even have dates with handsome men. What IS your problem?

And he couldn’t answer even himself; his face remaining heated and flushed until he finally pulled himself out and it and focused on his volunteer email list to announce an upcoming training.

And then the door opened again.

It was Blaine, rushed and unable to make eye contact.

“Hello again.”

“Yeah. Hi. So. I wimped out just like I promised I wouldn’t.”

“Pardon?”

“Look. I’m not normally this ridiculous, but um…” He stepped in all the way and leaned against the door frame, nervous and wide-eyed. “You entrance me, Kurt Hummel. What are you doing for lunch today?”

Kurt laughed. Hot and adorable was an amazing combination on any man and here it was, standing right in front of him. “I was just going to grab something up the road. Would you like to join me?”

“Yes. Please.”

“So, is this in addition to or instead of…?”

Blaine started to answer and stopped, measuring his words. “In addition? I just didn’t want to put it off and talk myself out of it.”

“Is that a habit of yours? Talking to yourself?”

“No. Yes? Probably.” Blaine blushed and stopped talking, looking away. He started and stopped two more times, finally giving up.

“Well.” Kurt looked down at his desk, collecting his thoughts that had scattered all over the place. “Shall I pick you up at the station?”

“No. My invitation; my ride.”

Kurt nodded and smiled. He’s even adorably polite. I might die. “Noon is fine.”

“I’ll…I’ll see you then.” Blaine grabbed for the door handle, missed, tried again and succeeded. “And, I won’t bother you again until then. Promise.”

“You’re most definitely not a bother.”

***

“… Farmer’s Bank and Kaval’s Print Shop on board. I just need to follow up with the laundro…” Dot’s words disappeared as she slipped into her office. Kurt had learned to just hang tight with Dot’s half conversations – if she said anything important, he would eventually get the meat of it.

Once she’d stopped rambling about fund raising sponsors, he peeked his head into her office. “Chief Anderson stopped by while you were out.”

“Oh, dammit. Will he be back?”

“Yeah, any minute now. He wanted to talk to you about being down a medic team? I’m not sure how that relates to us, but…”

“…can go to lunch. Get to know him. I’d like a better partnership with Lima City than we had with the last chief.”

“Well, he and I were going to…”

The door opened and Blaine came in. Kurt waved him further into the office and they shared a secret smile before the proper introductions. “Chief, this is Dot Morgan, our executive director.”

Kurt stepped out of the way as they greeted each other, Dot starting the conversation mid-thought as usual. “…thought we could do lunch. Does The Red Barn sound good?”

“Oh. Um…” Blaine shot a look to Kurt who offered an apologetic shrug.

“Dot, actually the chief and I were going to…”

“Excellent. Let’s head on out then, huh?” She grabbed her keys, grabbed Blaine by the elbow walked toward the door, leaving Kurt to stand in the middle of the hall.

Blaine glanced around behind him and mouthed it’s okay with a smile sweet enough to soften steel. Kurt huffed and followed them out all the while calculating how to gracefully tell his 70+ year old boss that she was a first class cock block.

***

“…and we could combine forces, each volunteer organization helping the other, but not duplicating their efforts. The auxiliary team works well in Columbus and…”

Kurt nibbled on a kettle chip, watching these two together. Blaine was charming as hell and had Dot dancing the watoozie right in the palm of his hand. She might as well have been stripping and catching dollar bills in her thong.

Blaine was an idea man and a great listener. Even better, while the ideas had originally been his, the way he listened – his eye contact, his ability to ask questions that he clearly already knew the answers to – made his ideas hop right out of his mouth and into Dot’s virtual to-do list. It was genius, really.

They were discussing a program, a partnership really, where an auxiliary volunteer force with the fire department would work on aiding fire fighters – misting stations for summer, heaters in the winter, water, light meals if necessary and most importantly, stations to fill O2 tanks. C-DRT would continue with their client assistance, communicating with the fire departments as necessary. The partnership happened by sharing volunteers, bolstering each organization, stretching training opportunities for both organizations and keeping volunteers active, happy and eager because they would be utilized more often. The auxiliary, or Box 15, was successful in Columbus and adding the C-DRT partnership in the smaller town of Lima could expand resources of both. Win-win.

Dot was beaming, Blaine was charming and Kurt tried to keep up with their inexhaustible energy. It was refreshing to see a chief who was at the beginning of his career, raring to go, full of hope, innovation and with muscular, masculine arms that kept brushing up against Kurt’s as they reached into the chip basket.

“…don’t you agree, Kurt?”

“Huh? Oh. Yes. I’m sure I do…or will. Eventually…”

Dot looked at him like he’d grown a second head and excused herself to use the restroom. Kurt traced the designs of the napkin lining the basket, feeling Blaine’s eyes on him. He finally looked over and all they could do was laugh.

“I am so sorry, Blaine. She’s…”

“She’s fantastic, are you kidding me?”

“Well, she is, but…”

“But nothing. I know this isn’t quite what I had in mind for lunch, but…”

“And you, Chief Anderson…” Kurt faked a feminine, heart-sick sigh. “….are so completely charming. It’s almost sick-making, really.”

“Hey now. I’m just doing my job.”

“Your job is schmoozing the old ladies in town?”

“If that’s what it takes, yes. And…you don’t think I’m being sincere?” Blaine popped a chip in his mouth and chewed, smiling around the crumbs.

“Oh for god’s…” Kurt shook his head at the contrast from the very sick, very wimpy man he’d met only 48 hours prior and now this…this impish, hot devil-man. “I’m still trying to figure you out. I have a feeling your sincerity and bullshit live very close to one another.”

“I’m offended.”

“The thing is…you’re not.”

“I thought you were still trying to figure me out.”

“I’m a quick study.”

Dot came back to the table and paid the bill as the men continued ribbing each other. “Well, Chief, this has been great. I can’t wait to move forward with some of this. We have a training coming up next week. We’d love to have you there. The team needs to meet you and you can talk about the opportunities with the auxiliary.”

“I’d be happy to. Just let me know when.”

Blah, blah, schmooze, blah, he was fucking perfect. Kurt wanted to throw up. And to kill Dot. And then kiss her for making their “date” a lot less stressful.

Once they got back to the office, Dot continued the conversation that had already begun in her head. Status quo, really. “…going out to see the fire clients this afternoon, Kurt?”

“Yes. Headed out there shortly.”

“Okay. Don’t forget to stop by the property to get a damage assessment first.”

“Got it.”

“Oh, and gentlemen…” Dot looked at both men pointedly. “Next time you two want to go on a personal lunch date, just tell me. I do not like playing the role of awkward mother hen.”

She winked and turned on her heel to go inside leaving Kurt and Blaine to stand in the middle of the parking lot with their mouths hanging open.

Blaine cleared his throat and blushed. “And here I thought I was being super professional.”

“She’s a wizard. Sees the invisible.”

Blaine leaned against the side of his station truck and crossed his arms looking to Kurt with a shy smile. “Maybe it was the magical kettle chips.”

“Maybe. You are awfully cute when you schmooze the old ladies.”

“Mmm…speaking of the boss,” Blaine pulled away from his truck and stood, a curtain of detachment and professionalism falling over his eyes. “…I haven’t cleared the property yet for you guys to enter.”

“How soon can that be done? We need to get in there so I can justify the aid we gave – non-profit bureaucracy and all that.”

“It was minor damage…I just haven’t checked the stability of that second floor yet.”

“I’m sure it is, but we use different levels of assessment than you do – I need to see it, if possible.”

Blaine sighed and squinted, calculating. “You headed there now?”

“After I gather the paperwork and our truck, yeah.”

“How about we ride together?”

“Sure…meet you at the station in about 15?”

Chief nodded and moved to get into his truck, but Kurt stopped him with a hand on his arm, trying to lift that curtain back up. “Thanks for being good to my boss. She’s a pain in the ass, but will do anything for you.”

Blaine put his hand on Kurt’s and squeezed, his eyes warming to a smile. “I’ll see you in a few.”