Page 5 of Sizzling In the Mountains

It’s been too long since we’ve had a good blaze and I’m itching to get in there.

I burst out of the truck before Graham can even throw it into park.

“Is anyone inside?” I shout to the lady holding the hose. She might as well be trying to fight an erupting volcano with a water pistol. That little thing isn’t going to do anything to stop that inferno. Still, she’s brave for trying.

“No!” she shouts. “It’s empty.”

I know I should be happy that no one is in danger, but a part of me wanted to rush in there and save the day. Oh well. I’ll just have to settle for this.

Doug unravels the pipe and Mason hooks it up to the fire hydrant. I drag it over to the burning building as it fills with water. My muscles get tight as the pipe tries to escape my hands like an angry snake. I flex my inked-up arms and hold it in place.

“Ready!” Mason shouts and I let it rip.

A tsunami of water surges out and blasts the flames.

“You don’t have to do that anymore,” I say to the lady beside me.

I turn to her and all the strength leaves my body when I see her gorgeous face. It’s just for a second, but it’s long enough for the hose to jerk to the side. The fierce stream of water blasts Doug full-on, drenching him instantly before I regain control and turn it back onto the fire.

“What the fuck, James?” he shouts, spurting out water.

I don’t pay any attention to him. I can’t. All of my focus is on her.

Where did she come from? How could she be in my town without me knowing?

“The water!” she screams, pointing at the fire. I look and curse under my breath when I see the stream from the hose blasting the garden instead of the flames. I turn it back onto the blaze and try to stop these obsessive thoughts from forming in my head.

Keep your focus on the fire, I tell myself. She’s not going anywhere.

We put out the flames and turn off the water before we do any more damage to the structure. Half of it is fine, but the other half is a smoking, dripping wreck. The large brick chimney collapses and a cloud of dust and ash fills the air.

Now that the fire is out, I turn my attention back to the angel by my side.

She’s stunning. I can’t believe it. My lungs stop pumping air. My whole body is still as I stare at her in awe. I’m afraid to say anything for fear she’ll disappear.

Her slim shoulders are heaving up and down with quick breaths as she stares at the smoking building in horror. She’s drenched. Her brown hair is clinging to her face and there are little droplets of water on the lenses of her black-rimmed glasses. Her white sweater is open and her white shirt underneath is soaked through. I swallow hard when I see the outline of her bra over her perky breasts.

My heart pounds as I run my ravenous eyes down her long tight skirt, the dark wet material molded to her slim sensuous curves.

But it’s her gorgeous face that really captures and ensnares me. Those soft lips, her adorable little ears, her sexy chin that I just want to take in my hand to tilt her face up until she’s gazing into my eyes.

I’m falling for her hard and she barely knows I exist. She’s staring at the building with a stunned look on her face. I think she may be in shock.

My hands are shaking as I step up to her, and my hands never shake. I’ve ran into burning buildings and stepped into fighting cages with the biggest, meanest men you’d never want to meet, and my hands never shook. But standing in front of this angel, my whole body is trembling.

I don’t even know her name, but I know she’s the one for me.

“Are you okay?” I ask with a deep throatiness in my voice that usually isn’t there.

It pulls her out of the daze she’s in. She turns to me and it’s like someone is twisting my pounding heart when those beautiful hazel eyes meet mine.

All I can do is stare at her in awe. She’s… perfect.

She looks at me for a long moment, then turns back to the building and bursts into tears.

“Oh shit,” I whisper as I look around for help. The boys are heading inside.

I don’t know what to do here. Crying women always make me uncomfortable. I was raised with three brothers and the toughest mom in the world, so I’m not used to this.

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