CHAPTER 5

"What about the weekend of the 13th?"

"Sorry baby….I'm working that Sunday."

"You're working on Valentine's Day? How did that happen?"

"The city of Chicago needs firefighters every day of the year, Maddy….even on Hallmark holidays."

"Don't give me that crap about it being a Hallmark holiday, Matthew Allen Casey! It's a day to show each other how much we care."

"Baby...you and I don't need a special day to do that. We do it every day." He spoke in a deep, low voice that always managed to knock me to my knees.

"True."

"I do my best to show you that I love you every day."

"Yes, you do. It's just…" He interrupted me before I could finish.

"I already know what you're thinking, Maddy. You don't have to say it."

Since I had returned to work, it had been next to impossible for Matt and me to schedule a weekend away. I worked Monday through Friday. He worked 24 hours on and 48 hours off, but no matter when he was off shift lately it never seemed to fall on the weekends. Operation Pregnancy was temporarily being put on the back burner by circumstances out of our control and we both knew it.

"Being in the same room increases our chances of getting pregnant, you know….especially when my temperature is in the optimal range."

'I know, baby...but I'm still a man down on truck and until that position is filled, I'm sort of stuck. As their Lieutenant, I have to set the example." I could hear the frustration in his voice despite his overwhelming sense of duty to his brothers.

"I know...I know...and I love you for that. You're an amazing officer." I'm sure he could hear the frustration in my own voice now.

"Maddy, we will make time for this and we will get pregnant."

"Yeah...and the sun will rise in the east and the Cubs will win the division and best of all, we'll get to see each other for five whole minutes tomorrow morning before I have to leave for work."

"Maddy, don't…." I was feeling sorry for myself. I can admit that much.

"It just feels better sometimes to go off for a few seconds. I get it out of my system and then I can function as usual again."

"I love you, Maddy."

"I love you too, Matt...and I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. You're allowed. Why don't you come to dinner tonight? At least we'll get to see each other for longer than five minutes. Besides, Herrmann is making his special turkey tetrazzini and you don't want to miss that." I couldn't help but smile at the obvious sarcasm in his voice. "OK, Lieutenant...I'll think about it." I hung up my office phone, took a bite from a bagel and washed it down with a sip of my coffee which was now cold and tasted like mud. They had been sitting on my desk since 8:00 this morning and it was now after 1:00 PM. Unfortunately, I hadn't remembered that until the combination of food and drink hit my stomach. Within seconds, I knew it wasn't going to stay down long. I pushed myself back from the desk and bolted into my bathroom. I lifted the lid on the toilet just in time. I ran some water in the sink to rinse out my mouth, then splashed some on my face before walking back out into the office.

"You look like shit. Coffee?" Em said as she walked through the open door into my office holding two cups from Starbucks. I caught a whiff of a caramel latte as she held it out to me and ran straight back into the bathroom.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" said Em, standing in the bathroom doorway and still holding the two coffees.

"My stomach's in knots and add old cream cheese on an onion bagel washed down with cold coffee to it. That's what's wrong."

"Oh shit...I'm sorry, Mads. I didn't know."

"It's my own fault. I get myself upset, then make it worse by eating crap. I'll survive."

"Upset? Upset about what? What did Casey do?"

"Reign it in there, Mike Tyson. He didn't do anything. We just can't seem to get our schedules to jive. He's off shift when I'm working lately and we haven't had a full weekend off together since I came back to work. According to the almighty ovulation chart, my temperature is due to spike tonight and he's on shift. It makes trying to make a baby rather difficult."

"You're overthinking this, Madster. If you can't be together at home, then be together at the firehouse. Simples."

"He did ask me to come to dinner tonight."

"That's not exactly what I meant, Mads…"

"You're not suggesting what I think you're suggesting, are you?" As soon as the sly grin broke across her face, she didn't have to answer...but she did anyway.

"Yep...a fuck at the firehouse." I could picture my inner voice shaking her head.

"But...but...isn't that sort of risky? I'm sure Chief Boden wouldn't like it."

"Yeah, but that makes it even more exciting! Besides, what Boden doesn't know won't hurt him. Kelly and I…" I broke her off before she could finish that sentence to check the rest of my day's schedule on the computer.

"Are you okay covering for me for the rest of the day? There are no meetings scheduled and no more admissions today, unless they come through the ER before 4:00 PM. Katie will be on call after that. I want to take off early." She smiled and nodded her head. "Go, Madster...get out of here." I gave her a quick hug before dashing out the door of my office.

It was nearly 2:00 by the time I got home. I made a beeline for the refrigerator, gathering the ingredients to make some potato chowder, Matt's favorite soup. I chopped the onions and carrots while the bacon was frying and filled a stock pot with frozen hash browns and chicken stock and let it simmer. I pulled the bacon out of the frying pan and tossed in the vegetables to let them soften before adding them to the stock pot. As everything was cooking, I began to assemble a few sandwiches with roast turkey, lettuce, tomato and cranberry mayonnaise on artisan bread. I wrapped them up and put them in a picnic basket I had taken out of the pantry. I put on a pot of coffee before running upstairs to change into something easy to take off for a sneaky little sexcapade with my husband.

It was late January and Chicago was already in the throes of a record cold winter. I definitely wanted to look enticing, but I didn't want to freeze either so I chose a black cashmere sweater with pearl buttons, a mid-knee black wool pencil skirt, thigh high nude stockings and black dress boots. I gathered my black lace garter belt out of my lingerie drawer, but decided not the wear the matching undies and bra. Oh yes, I was definitely going to be a very bad girl. I showered quickly, reapplied my make-up and twisted my hair up into a chignon. I dabbed some of Matt's favorite perfume of mine on my throat, wrists, between my breasts and behind my knees. I put on my provocative ensemble, grabbed the paraphernalia we needed for Operation Pregnancy and headed back downstairs. By the time I finished putting everything into the picnic basket, it was after 4:00 PM. I packed everything into the trunk of my car and headed out to make the twenty minute drive to the station. My heart was pounding out of my chest as I pulled out of our driveway. I was nervous and excited all at the same time. Most of all, I hoped Matt would be receptive to the idea. He could be a naughty boy, but I knew full well that he took his job and his responsibilities, especially as a role model, very seriously.

I parked along the west side of the firehouse and walked around to the front entrance. The large overhead doors were closed and the small windows in each of them sported a thick coating of ice and snow on the bottom of each one. It may have been winter in Chicago, but it was definitely summer underneath my long wool coat. My heels made a loud clicking noise that echoed across the apparatus floor as I made my way towards the day room. I pushed open the door to see Herrmann busying himself at the stove and Mouch in his usual position on the couch in front of the television. Stella was putting plates on the table when she suddenly saw me out of the corner of her eye.

"Maddy! How nice to see you! Don't you look nice! Are you looking for Casey?" I nodded my head, suddenly feeling very vulnerable and unable to speak.

"He's in the meeting room with Severide. I'll go tell him you're here." She patted my arm and walked out the side door near the kitchen.

"Hey there, Mrs. Casey! How goes it? Did you come for some spectacular chow or to see your husband?" Herrmann called from behind the cooktop. I held up the picnic basket for him to see as the others from House 51 gathered in a loose circle around me to say hello or give me a hug. I felt like a deer in the headlights and could feel tears beginning to prick at the corner of my eyes. I knew it was the result of the hormone shots, but right now I was not able to think reasonably about it. Right now, all I wanted was Matt. Among the chatter, I finally heard his voice cut through the noise.

"Hey, baby! What a nice surprise! You decided to come for dinner after all!" He kissed me on the forehead and pulled me in close to him. "I brought dinner...for you and me...if that's okay." I held up the picnic basket again.

"Of course it's okay. Do you want to go to my office?" Matt had sensed my feelings of being overwhelmed by suddenly being the center of attention. I slowly nodded my head while trying to hold back tears. He took my hand and led me through the day room and up the stairs to the sleeping quarters. Matt's office was in the back along the wall, right next to Kelly's. He unlocked the door and held it open for me. I walked inside and set the basket down on his desk while he pulled another chair inside.

"Are you okay, Maddy? You look upset." I took off my coat and hung it on the coatrack in the corner of his office next to his desk. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just needed to see my husband, that's all." I smoothed my skirt and adjusted my sweater before turning around.

"Wow, baby...you look amazing! You got all dressed up for me or is it one of those weird anniversaries...like the anniversary of our first kiss or something?" I couldn't help but grin at the total maleness of his comment.

"No, Matthew...there's no obscure anniversary involved. I only wanted a private little dinner with my husband and I wanted to look nice for him. That's all." I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him soft and deep. I could feel my toes tingling as his tongue grappled with mine in a tangled little dance. His eyes looked a little glazed over as I slowly pulled back from his mouth.

"Jesus...Maddie..." He wiped off the beads of sweat that had formed on his brow as he exhaled. I grinned at his obvious arousal. "Shall we eat?" I asked, digging into the basket and laying things out on Matt's desk.

"Wow, this is quite a spread. How'd you manage all of this in an hour?"

"I didn't. I got off work a few hours early. Em covered for me. In fact, it was Em's idea...sort of."

"Sometimes, that Morrison really comes through, doesn't she." A sheepish grin broke out on his handsome face, exposing that adorable dimple in his left cheek. "I've been telling you that for years, Lieutenant." Matt ate quickly and like a ravenous wildebeest. I watched in amazement while my nerves hardly allowed me to swallow normally.

"Sorry, baby...eating fast comes with the territory. You never know when that bell is going to ring." My heart swelled with pride at his dedication and knowledge as a firefighter. He was an amazing role model for the candidates and even the more seasoned firefighters at House 51 and there was no question in my mind that my husband would make a great father as well.

"Did you bring dessert?" asked Matt as he swallowed the last of the coffee in his cup. "Actually, I did...but it's a little unconventional. I hope your mind's open enough to try something new, Lieutenant."

"I'll try anything you want to give me, baby." A wicked little grin crossed my face as I thought about what is was I was going to give him. "Good." I said as I got up from my chair and walked over to the door and locked it. Matt cocked his head slightly as he watched me closing the blinds on the office windows.

"Baby...what are you up to?" He spoke husky and low, barely above a whisper. I knew he was already aroused just by the tone of his voice. "Just this…" I hiked my skirt up slightly, straddled his lap, cupped his face in my hands and kissed him soft, slow, deep and wet.

"Maddy…" he gurgled as I pulled my mouth away from his and slowly unbuttoned my sweater. I left the last button buttoned and draped the sweater off my shoulders, revealing my breasts. Instinctively, his hands moved up, caressing my nipples with his thumbs for a moment before pulling the left one into his mouth. I dropped my head back, eliciting a few throaty sounds as his warm wet tongue circled around the delicate flesh. I pulled his shirt over his head and ran my hands across his chest. My mouth found his as my fingers unbuckled his belt and unzipped his pants.

"Baby, everyone I work with is ten steps below us….we can't, can we…?"

"My temperature is up, so we sure as hell can…." I said as I lowered myself down on his rock hard cock. "You still wanna quibble over details, Lieutenant?" I let out a squeal as he cupped my behind and stood up from the chair, clumsily walking to his cot with his pants around his ankles. He set me down on the floor in front of him and started to unzip my skirt.

"Our special equipment is in the picnic basket." I gestured behind him as stepped out of the crumpled pile of wool that had puddled at my feet.

Oh,no...if you're naughty enough to start a fire right here in my own station, we're gonna do things my way." He popped the last button on my sweater and lifted me up, then down onto the cot.

"But, Matt...my temp…" He covered my mouth with his hand before I could finish the sentence. "Lay down, baby."

"Should I do everything the nice fireman with the big hose tells me to do?"

"Oh, yes...everything." I started to unzip one of my boots, when Matt stopped me. "Leave them on," he growled. A wicked little grin broke out on my face as I hooked the heels of my boots into the sides of his cot. He hovered over me, stabilizing his arms against the metal frame of the bed. He leaned down and kissed me tenderly before pushing himself back inside me. He buried his face in the side of my neck, kissing and licking the skin just below my ear. A quiver ran down the length of my body and back up between my legs. I arched my back and dug my nails into his flesh as my orgasm rocketed through me and around him. Matt's neck muscles tightened, his face quietly contorted as he came. He laid his head down between my breasts and collapsed his body between my legs. I lightly stroked his hair until he lifted his head up and kissed me.

"Does our making love turning into a quickie also come with the territory?" I giggled as I spoke.

"It does when I'm on shift, baby. Sorry." As he leaned in for a kiss, the alarm squawked throughout the firehouse. "Truck 81, Squad 3, Ambo 61...respond to an arcing wire...10400 W Manheim Road…"

"Christ, baby...I gotta go!" I giggled as Matt jumped up off of the cot and hurriedly pulled on his pants and searched for his shirt. I put his pillows underneath my rump, elevating my hips and extending my legs up against the wall. I buttoned up my sweater and covered my lower half with the blanket. Not much science had been utilized in this session of Operation Pregnant, so I was trying to do my part.

"I've gotta stay like this for at least a half hour, but I'll probably be gone by the time you get back." I said as he scrambled around the office looking for his shoes.

"OK, well... thanks for dinner, baby….and the amazing dessert. Sorry to come...and go..love you." He kissed my forehead and then flew out his quarters in a swirling flash of blue. As I lay there in my post-coitus glow, I prayed that this little surprise had done its job.