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The acrid smell of smoke burned my nostrils as I stepped out of my truck. My boots crunched on charred grass and fallen branches as I surveyed the scene. The flames were spreading fast, licking up the bone-dry underbrush.
The heat from the flames was intense, even from a distance, causing beads of sweat to form on my brow.
As Assistant Chief, it was my job to stop these fires. But it was also my job to determine if they were acts of arson. And my gut told me that's exactly what they were.
This was the second fire in as many weeks since I'd moved to this tiny town nestled in the mountains. I thought back to the previous blaze and the unexpected appearance of Emmett Furbane. His knowledge of the area had impressed me, but his presence at both fires raised my suspicions.
Despite my role, I was still an outsider. Sometimes, it felt like the residents shared secrets they refused to let me in on. Not that I would let their reluctance stop me from doing my duty. I had every intention of unveiling the mysteries shrouding Silverpaw Hollow.
“Move the hose to the east, or we'll lose the whole grove!” I snapped. I brushed a stray lock of my red hair out of my face, the heat from the flames making it stick to my sweat-dampened skin.
Hendricks shot me a surly look but did as I ordered. As the only woman on my team, I constantly had to fight to be taken seriously. The guys resented taking orders from me. But I'd been fighting that battle my entire career as a firefighter. I wasn't about to back down now.
I checked the map again, confirming my decision. The fire had started right near the ridge on the west side. If we didn't stop it from cresting the hill, we'd lose the whole damn forest.
The roar of the flames filled my ears, almost drowning out the shouts of my team. Heat seared my skin, even through my protective gear.
I knew I was being harsh, but I couldn't afford any challenges to my authority. Not when I was the only woman in charge. Not when half the town already resented me for taking the Assistant Chief job from one of their own.
Fire Chief Anders, my new boss, had pulled me aside on my very first day on the job. He’d told me to report only to him because they needed to catch a potential arsonist.
Now, watching the flames dance before my eyes, I wondered if he was right. This was the second fire in two weeks, both deep in the state park that bordered the town. It seemed suspicious.
The crunch of tires on gravel made me turn. A dusty pickup truck pulled up, and a man hopped out. I’ve seen him before. Axel Furbane, one of five brothers, all park rangers who were also part of the local MC.
I’d only seen Axel, but apparently, the brothers were all strapping men who looked like lumberjacks with their untamed natures and burly frames.
I'd only glanced briefly at their records, but I knew they were part of a larger family that had been rangers here for decades. If someone was setting these fires, why would it be them? Yet Axel’s presence nagged at me. Arsonists sometimes couldn't resist watching their destructive work unfold.
A strange sensation prickled down my spine, and my head whipped to the right as if yanked by an invisible rope. My gaze collided with one of the most beautiful men I’d ever seen. My breath whooshed from my lungs, and my mouth dried up.
Holy hell, he was something to behold. Tall and muscular, with a wide chest and thighs like tree trunks, he dominated his surroundings. The man looked at me as if he wanted to devour me, his dark eyes igniting a fire in my core that no amount of water could quench.
For a moment, I forgot about the raging inferno behind me. I took a step toward him, my feet moving of their own volition before I realized. Shit, what was I doing? I shook my head. I had a damned fire to fight, and here I was, almost drooling on myself over a guy I’d never met.
And said guy was currently contradicting the orders I'd given my team about the fire retardant. I bristled. How dare he question my expertise?
I opened my mouth to put him in his place, but my words dried up as he approached. My heart raced, and it had nothing to do with the adrenaline of firefighting. Shit, he was even more breathtaking up close; high cheekbones, strong nose, his eyes deep brown pools I wanted to drown in.
He smelled amazing. How the hell I could smell him over the pungent smoke, I didn’t know. And that dimpled grin? Devastating. Yeah, he was easily the most beautiful man I'd ever seen.
“I’m a local forest ranger, and I have some experience with wildfires,” he said. “I've lived here my whole life. I grew up in these woods. I know them like the back of my hand. Trust me, the fire is spreading that way.”
Ah, so this was another of the Furbane brothers. Interesting.
“You seem to know an awful lot about these fires,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “Now you're telling me how to do my job.”
Emmett held up his hands in a placating gesture. “I'm not trying to step on your toes. I want to help. This forest is my home, and I'll do whatever it takes to protect it.”
His words rang with sincerity, and despite my suspicions, I wanted to trust him. Still, I hated being questioned, especially by someone I was supposed to be investigating. But this man knew the land better than me. He had decades of experience here versus my few weeks.
Could I afford to ignore his advice simply because it bruised my ego?
I swallowed my pride and took a slow breath. “You’re sure the ridge should be our priority?”
“Absolutely.” Emmett nodded.
I studied the map again. He had a point about the wind direction. And if the fire crested the ridge, we'd lose our window to contain it.
