Page 61 of Light My Fire

“Daddy. You’re the one who taught me to be tough.”

He shook his head. “That was just in case something happened and I wasn’t around. I didn’t want to fail you.”

“You never failed me, Dad. I failed you—”

He caught his hand around her neck, pulled her down, and kissed her forehead, met her eyes when she drew back. “You saved me that night when you arrested me. That was the right thing to do.”

She swallowed. “I shouldn’t have been with Chad—”

“No. Chad shouldn’t have been with you. And he knew it. And that’s what I told him that night. And before that, too. He was going to hurt you someday, and I couldn’t wait for that.”

“You don’t have to protect me all the time—”

“Says who? I’m your father. That’s what fathers do. Don’t take the privilege away from me. It doesn’t mean you aren’t capable. It just means…” He gave a wry smile, looked away.

“I love you too, Dad,” she said and kissed his leathery cheek.

A man pulled up in an SUV, one of the campers. He got out and ran over to them, carrying a first aid kit. Blond, solidly built, his hair nearly shaved off. “I’m a navy medic. I’m on leave—but maybe I can help.”

Stevie moved away, and he bent over her father, taking his pulse, then examining the wound in his side. “The bleeding has slowed, and it looks like it hit right above his hipbone. No broken bones. I’ll pack the wound, and we’ll get him into an ER, get him stitched up.” He grabbed his bag and pulled out gauze and packing. Blake worked alongside him, examining his foot.

Tucker’s hands curled over Stevie’s shoulders, and he pulled her to himself.

“You should get that knee looked at,” she said.

Newt came back. “There’s a small clinic near Denali Lodge. We’ll meet an ambulance there.”

They began to pack her father up, to load him into the SUV.

“Go,” Tucker said.

She turned. “Not without you.”

“I have a fire to fight,” he said, touching her face.

She caught his hand, wove her fingers through his. “You certainly lit my fire, hotshot.”

He grinned, one eyebrow raised. The words were awful and corny. She wrinkled her nose, her face heating as she looked away.

And then he laughed, the tenor of it sneaking under her skin, warm and rugged.

“Oh yeah, baby.” Then he lifted her chin and kissed her.

And so what that they were standing in the middle of a crime scene, the forest on fire behind them? So what that she hadn’t a clue what tomorrow might bring, if she’d ever see Tucker again.

She’d take right now, this moment in his arms as they closed around her. His mouth sweet on hers, gentle, just a hint of flame in the way he deepened his kiss, quick and delicious. He smelled of adventure, fire, and trouble.

Just what she was looking for.

He eased away from her, met her eyes. “Fun date. Let’s do it again.”

“Maybe without the shooting? The runaway prisoners?”

“Speaking of prisoners…”

Skye.

She’d come up behind them and now Tucker let Stevie go.

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