Ignited Read online

  He rolled his eyes and groaned. “Cade wanted to go out with this really good looking girl, which she agreed to, as long as he could find a date for her friend.” He sighed. “The things a guy will do for his friends….”

  “You weren’t attracted to her?”

  “She was pretty. She just wasn’t my type, and I’ll leave it at that.”

  “And what is your type?”

  “You. You’re my type.”

  Thrilled by his confession, I grinned like a five-year-old who’d just been given a cookie. “I am?” I knew I was fishing, but I really wanted him to elaborate. Pleasure blossomed in my chest that this attentive, compassionate man thought there was something special about me. “You like lonely cat ladies?”

  He barked out a laugh, and at just the mention of cats, he rubbed his eyes. “Yeah, I guess I’m a glutton for punishment like that.” He lifted his hands in the air, palms upward. “What can I say? Other than the cat allergy, I think we’re compatible. You and I share a lot of the same ideologies.”

  Disappointed, my eyes dropped to my plate. “That sounds very…technical.”

  His smile faded. “There’s a lot more I want to say, but given everything you’ve been through, I don’t want to scare you away.”

  My eyes lifted to his face. “You won’t scare me away, Hawk. I like being near you too much. I’m not going to run…not from you.”

  “The truth is Amber that I’m not sure I could put into words what it is about you that appeals to me. I mean, I could list your attributes, and I’m sure there would be plenty of other women that I could say the same about. It’s really more about the way I feel when I’m with you. It’s the way you look at me. I’ll never forget the very first time I looked in your eyes….” He shook his head in disbelief. “I don’t know…it’s like somehow my soul linked to yours in that exact moment.” He rubbed his palm across the stubble that darkened his jaw. “Listen to me…I know you said you wouldn’t run…but with talk like that, I’m going to scare you away.”

  Touched by his words, I rose and walked around the table until I was standing behind him. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I bent down and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m glad you told me that,” I whispered. “I have to confess that I didn’t see it at first. I was too lost in my own misery.” I moved to his side, my hand gently turning his face toward me, so that my gaze could meet his. “But I see it now.”

  And I did. He was compassionate and kind, protective and generous, not to mention easy on the eyes, and the way he looked at me made me want to surrender everything I had to him, my heart, my body, my soul. And part of me was afraid that I would do exactly that.

  Chapter 14

  Grab

  Hawk

  I wasn’t sure which entranced me more, Amber’s soft touch or her admission that she felt our connection, too. Normally, I was much more controlled than many of my male friends. But as she stood next to me, her body close to mine, her hands cool against the heat that she created within me, I wanted nothing more than to scoop her in my arms and carry her to my bed.

  I wanted to see her beneath me, naked. I wanted to gaze into her soul as I made sweet love to her. I wanted to….

  My pager went off, and I was alerted to an apartment building fire.

  “Shit,” I whispered, my attention solely focused on the information that was spewing from the speaker.

  Amber took a step back. “What is it?”

  “Mason’s apartment building is on fire. I’ve got to go.” I quickly rose to my feet, my eyes sweeping my plate of half-eaten lasagna. “Sorry about dinner.”

  She shook her head. “It’s fine.”

  I quickly kissed her cheek. “Stay here. I’m not sure when I’ll be back, but make yourself at home, okay?”

  She gave me a brief nod. “I’ll be right here when you get back.”

  Grabbing my keys, I hurried toward my vehicle, wanting to stop by the station to get my turnout gear and get to the fire as quickly as possible. Since most emergencies could be handled with the people who were already manning the stations, calls that required extra personnel were rare in Creekview.

  This fire had probably started in a unit where no one was home and quickly spread to the units around it. Since the station was located directly across from the apartments, the response time would be minimal. I hoped my attendance was more of a precaution than an actual need.

  When I arrived on the scene, smoke billowed out of several units. Assigned to a ground floor unit where it was believed an elderly gentleman could still be inside, I pulled on my face mask and attached the regulator that would connect me with the air tank strapped to my back. Mercury was already in the unit, fighting the flames.

  Entering the unit as black smoke roiled toward the door, I passed Mercury, his hose directed at the fire in the kitchen, and immediately dropped to my knees. Turbid atmospheres such as this one were dangerous, and mentally, I ensured that I was aware of my movement through the apartment.

  When I entered the bedroom, I could see a small shaft of light in the crack of the curtains. Smoke churned in front of the window, blocking the light intermittently like ominous clouds pushed by a strong current of wind might cloak the bright glow of the moon.

  Shining my flashlight through the haze, I inched my way forward, pausing long enough to sweep the light across the room until I finally spotted the victim lying unconscious on the floor, his cane strewn beside him. Announcing that I’d found the victim on the radio, I quickly followed procedures to drag him to safety. Once we were safely outside, I laid him on the manicured lawn, quickly pulling off my equipment as I felt for a pulse and leaned over him, positioning my ear over his mouth.

  “He’s not breathing,” I announced to the firefighters who were already running toward us.

  I immediately started chest compressions as another firefighter prepared for artificial breathing.

  “Come on!” I ordered, panic starting to set in. “Breathe!”

  Paramedics ran toward us, shifting him to the stretcher. As we wheeled him to the back of the ambulance, I continued the chest compressions.

  I heard frantic cries around us as I watched the ambulance race away, its sirens glaring, lights flashing.

  And the horror of another night in my early days of firefighting flooded my thoughts.

  Amber

  A loud noise yanked me from my slumber, sending adrenaline surging through my body. Realizing it was the front door, I pushed myself into a seated position on the couch, the soft glow of the muted television casting dim light into the room. Loud masculine voices filled the air. I focused on Hawk, realizing that I’d never heard him sound so angry.

  “You could’ve gotten yourself killed.”

  It dawned on me that it wasn’t Hawk who was angry. It was his brother.

  “What was I supposed to do?” Hawk asked quietly. “There was still someone trapped inside.”

  “I know what you don’t do,” Jace ground out between clenched teeth. “You don’t go in there when it isn’t safe.”

  “I had no way of knowing that the roof was about to collapse.”

  As the situation became clear to me, I heard my own sharp intake of breath. “What happened?”

  They both turned and looked at me, realizing for the first time that I was in the room.

  “Everything’s fine,” Hawk said, his voice calm and even.

  “My dear brother just about killed himself tonight,” Jace snapped. “The roof collapsed on him, pinning him to the floor. Thankfully, Mercury was nearby and able to help him. Or he’d be one toasty marshmallow about now.”

  “It would be worth the risk if I could’ve made another grab,” Hawk said.

  “You made one grab, Hawk. You can’t save everybody. Especially not if you’re dead.”

  Hawk flipped on the overhead light. My eyes widened as I realized he was wearing a neck brace.

  “How bad are you hurt?” I asked as I crossed the room, hoping that it wasn’t seri
ous.

  “It’s not that bad,” he assured me.

  “It could’ve been,” Jace said, glaring at Hawk. Jace rubbed the back of his own neck. “Dammit, Hawk, you scared the shit out of me. Seriously, don’t pull that crap again. I am not going to be the one to tell Mom and Dad that something happened to you.”

  Hawk lifted his arm in Jace’s direction and winced.

  “Amber, see if you can help him get comfortable. I’m going to get his prescription filled.”

  I nodded at Jace, and he glanced back at Hawk. “I’ll be back in a little while.”

  “It can wait until tomorrow,” Hawk said. “You need to get some sleep so you can go to work in the morning.”

  “Like I said, I’ll be back in a little while.” Jace walked out the door.

  “What happened?” I asked.

  “I was looking for someone trapped in the fire, and the roof collapsed on me. I think it must’ve been a big beam or something that hit me across my neck and shoulders. I called to Mercury, and he was able to help me out. My neck was killing me, so Jace came and took me to the hospital. The doctor said nothing was broken. He gave me a couple of prescriptions, sent me home, and told me I should feel better in a few days. So, everything’s fine. Whatever you do, don’t mention it to my parents.”

  “Why not?”

  “My mother’s a worrier. Since we both have potentially dangerous jobs, Jace and I have an agreement that we call each other if it’s not life-threatening. My dad would be fine with it, but he’d tell my mother. And she would freak out. Trust me. It’s much easier to do it this way.”

  “Are you in pain?” I asked, worried that he was downplaying his injury.

  “A little bit.”

  “What can I do to help you?”

  He gritted his teeth, and I knew he was in more pain than he admitted.

  “I can manage. Why don’t you go to bed? I’ll stretch out on the couch.”

  “I’m not taking your bed.”

  Ignoring me, he walked over to the couch. It took him much longer than usual to sit down, and I could tell from his facial expressions that his pain was even worse than I suspected.

  “I’m not taking your bed,” I reiterated.

  “You’re going to have to because there’s no way I’m going to get back up now.”

  I frowned at him. “Are you going to be able to lay down?”

  “I hope so,” he said, his movements stiff. “Could you grab the spare pillows and blanket that’s in the top of my closet?”

  I did as he asked, fluffing the pillows and positioning them at one end of the couch.

  “Anything else?”

  “You go on to bed. I’ll have Jace help me when he comes back.”

  “I don’t mind.”

  “I know,” he said, “but there’s no need in you staying up any later. I need to wait on Jace, anyway.”

  I had the odd sensation of feeling like I was being dismissed, but I sat on the couch beside him. “I’ll wait with you.”

  “I appreciate it, Amber. I do. But I’d really like a few minutes alone. Jace can help me get settled when he gets back.”

  Respecting his need for privacy and thinking he might be more comfortable with Jace helping him, I went to bed. And when I heard Jace come back, not wanting to invade Hawk’s privacy, I fought the urge to go back in the living room. When the house quieted, I finally fell back asleep.

  ***

  I was woken from sleep once again in the early morning hours before sunrise. Sure that I’d heard shouting, I slid from the bed and quietly went to check on Hawk.

  After flipping on the hall light, I entered the living room. Still asleep, he was propped up on pillows with a thin blanket pooled at his waist. Sweat beaded on his forehead despite the fact that he was shirtless. The brace was still securely fastened around his neck.

  He groaned softly, and afraid that he was in immense pain, I gently shook him. “Hawk?”

  His brows furrowed, but he didn’t open his eyes. I shook him again. “Hawk, wake up.”

  Opening his eyes, he lay quietly while he focused on me.

  “Do you need more pain medicine?”

  A look of relief crossed his features, and he closed his eyes again, exhaling a ragged breath.

  “Hawk?”

  “I was just dreaming,” he whispered, not yet fully awake.

  I touched his forehead. “You’re sweating, but you don’t feel like you have a fever.”

  “I don’t need more medicine, Amber. I’m fine. You can go back to bed.”

  Pursing my lips, I stood silently while I took in his appearance. “You don’t look fine.”

  “And here I thought you found me attractive.” He reached toward my face, but the pain that ripped through his body caused him to lower his arm back to the couch.

  “You look fine,” I said, drawing out the word while I gave him my sexiest look. “But you don’t look fine.”

  Lowering myself to my knees beside him, I placed my hand on his arm. “Tell me what I can do to help.”

  “I told you that I have trouble sleeping sometimes.” He tried to reposition himself on the couch, but moved no more than a fraction. “It’s just one of those things I have to deal with.”

  “You have trouble going to sleep, or you have trouble staying asleep?”

  He gave me a small smile. “I have trouble staying asleep.”

  “Bad dreams?”

  “Freaking nightmares.”

  “What about?”

  He tilted his face slightly toward me, watching me. “A rescue that didn’t work out the way I’d hoped,” he said softly, pain etched in his voice. “I guess last night kind of brought it all back to the surface, although it’s never far from the surface anyway.”

  “Have you been injured before?” I asked.

  “No. And I’m not referring to my injury.” His fingers twitched, and he drummed them against his sheet-covered leg. “I tried to save a girl from a house fire. She was reaching for me, begging me to help her.” He took a deep breath. “The roof collapsed, forcing me to get out of the building.”

  “And the girl?”

  He shook his head, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. “She didn’t make it.”

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered, taking his hand in mine.

  “It’s part of the job, but I promised myself that I would never let it happen again.”

  “You know that’s a promise that you probably won’t be able to keep, don’t you?”

  “Maybe, but I’m sure as hell going to try.”

  I placed my hand on his chest and realized he was covered in a sheen of sweat. Rising to my feet, I fetched a washcloth and a bowl of tepid water.

  Kneeling back at his side, I wet the cloth and wrung it out. Gently, I wiped his face. After rinsing the cloth, I wiped his chest, and I could feel his eyes on me as I concentrated on the task. Meeting his gaze, I paused. “Promise me something.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Promise me that you won’t do anything that will put you in danger like that again.”

  “I wouldn’t be a very good firefighter if I never put myself in danger.”

  I frowned because he had a point. “Then take calculated risks.”

  He breathed in deeply and exhaled, his eyes never leaving my face.

  I leaned in closer, brushing my lips across his chest and then returning his gaze. “I don’t want you to die.”

  “I’m not going to leave you, Amber.”

  I nodded, reassured by his words.

  “This injury sucks because I really want to hug you right now.”

  Leaning in closer, I gently laid my head on his chest and wrapped my arms around him without putting too much pressure on him. “You can make it up to me when you’re better.”

  He rested his hand on my hip. “Damn neck. It seems like no matter how I move, it hurts.”

  “Then don’t move,” I whispered playfully, sitting back up.

  “That’
s very helpful advice,” he teased. “I feel better already.”

  I giggled. “What can I do to make you feel better?”

  “Now there’s a loaded question.”

  “How so?”

  “Because there’re a lot of things I want to say.”

  “Then say them.”

  His fingers grasped my palm, and he grimaced. “I’ll just settle on a fresh ice pack. Can you pull this one out from behind my neck?”

  I saw a small towel that had been rolled up and tucked at the base of his neck. Gently removing it while he tried to lift up, I unrolled it and found a baggie filled with water. I went to the kitchen to replace the water with fresh ice, rolled the baggie back into the towel, and carefully arranged it beneath him. “Is that better?”

  “Yes. Thank you.”

  I cupped my palm around his arm.

  “I think I’m going to try to rest. Why don’t you go back to bed for a while?”

  “All right.” I kissed him, knowing he was tired as his eyes began to flutter. I imagined the pain meds were causing him to be drowsy. “Let me know if you need anything.”

  “I will,” he barely whispered as he closed his eyes.

  Flipping off the overhead light, I checked on him one more time.

  Pausing as I stood over him, I gazed at Hawk in the soft flickering light that emanated from the television. Since he was drifting to sleep, it gave me the chance to peruse him without being self-conscious. Even now while he wasn’t looking his best, he was still handsome. Not only was his face pleasant to look at it, but his muscular build with his pumped biceps and washboard abs made him look like a specimen from a fitness magazine. But his physical beauty wasn’t his greatest asset. It was his soul.

  As exquisite as he was on the outside, he was even more appealing on the inside. I was lucky that he found me, and my heart began to swell with feelings for him. I’d had no idea how fortunate I was the night I was telling him to leave me in the burning car.

  I wasn’t familiar with firefighter lingo, but I’d picked up enough to know that making a grab meant saving someone.

  His chest moved slowly as he inhaled, and I was glad that he was asleep because at least now, he wasn’t in pain.