Page 19 of Redwood Blaze
“I promise.” I cross my heart, holding onto my necklace afterwards. I’m hoping it is a good luck talisman.
“And you have to check in every hour.”
“I’ll do that.” I can see the care and caution in his face. He’s really thinking about what to do. “Rusty… Callum…”
He stops pacing.
I stand and meet him the middle of the floor, his arms wrapping me before I could even know to want it. I look up into his eyes, they almost make me change my mind, but I won’t. He’s needed.
But when do I get to need him like the forest does?
“Honey, I’ll be okay. You know I don’t want to be anywhere near him. I’m sure that Sheriff Dunning is looking out for that vehicle he stole. They’ll get him.”
His mouth opens and closes five times before he shrugs. “Okay. The guys probably need the help and if you’re just here chilling out. I want to be out there.”
And there it is.
He’s a fighter… a firefighter… a hotshot. An elite member of a brother— and sister— hood of firefighters with a purpose and passion in his blood, from his family to his training, to want to be in the thick of the action. It’s an adrenaline rush like no other.
He sits next to me on the couch. “Last night was fucking… well, itwasfucking… but it was also fucking amazing.”
My chest bounces with amusement. “It really was. Callum, I think you’ve been building me back brick by brick, piece by piece without me realizing it. I’m truly feeling like my old self again.” I hold up a hand. “Well, without the crazy ex still being a pain in my ass shit.”
Rusty smiles that crooked, cocky smirk. “I knew you would be worth the wait, Millie. You’re special and I’ll always treat you with the respect whether it’s at work, around town, or in the privacy of our own bedroom.”
I slide a hand down his neck and over his solid chest, just feeling what I dreamed of touching for so long. “Let’s plan to take a real vacation with each other.”
He kisses the tip of my nose. “That’s a deal.” And then he sighs, long and hard. “Okay, I gotta go.”
And he does.
NINE
RUSTY
Not even thethought of battling a blaze for seventy-two hours can take away my happiness.
“We need more men on the south side!” I call over the coms.
“Heard!” comes back three-fold.
Men scramble toward me to help take care of what’s almost under control, but that’s the thing about forest fires. You can never let your guard down.
Never.
Ever.
If we do, it’s bound to go the opposite way we think it will. The three guys start clearing brush and laying down a fire line with drip torches, lighting the ground on fire. If the earth is already scorched, there’s nothing left to combust so the fire must either jump the charcoal area or fail. They take down trees into the line of the fire to stop the spread, too.
I catch sight of a figure barreling through the smoke and chaos, a silhouette against the embers glowing in the dimming light. He’s a tall guy, clad in firefighting gear that looks fresh out of the packaging— far too pristine for someone who’s beenon the front lines for any amount of time. Something about him sends a flicker of unease through my gut, but he’s moving with confidence, swinging a chainsaw as he approaches with an exuberant grin.
“Hey there!” he shouts, his voice bold, cutting through the crackling of nearby flames. “I’m Blake, Blake Weston. I’m the new guy from Diamond Ridge. Thought I’d come up and lend a hand.”
“I’m Rusty Phoenix, Team Lead, I mean, Assistant Superintendent,” I reply tersely, eyeing him as he steps closer, his face illuminated intermittently by the flickers of orange and yellow. “Are you cleared by Sup to be here?”
He tilts his head, flashing an easy-going smile that seems rehearsed. “You mean Millie? Oh, yeah. All cleared. Just got my badge last week. Figured I’d jump right into the fire, right?”
“Mhm,” I respond, not fully convinced. “What’s your unit?”
