“Maybe,” he says, his smirk softening into something almost... tender.
The fire crackles between us, and for the first time all day, the silence feels comfortable. I lean back, watching the flames dance, and steal a glance at Flint. His profile is sharp against the firelight, his expression unreadable as he stares into the flames.
“Do you ever think about leaving?” I ask, the question slipping out before I can stop it.
“Leaving Devil’s Peak?”
“Yeah. Starting over somewhere new.”
He shakes his head, his gaze fixed on the fire. “This is where I belong.”
I nod, understanding more than I expected to. “I guess that’s why Barron asked you to keep an eye on me. He knew you wouldn’t let me get lost.”
Flint looks at me then, his eyes dark and intense. “You’re not lost, Juniper. Some people even find themselves on this mountain.”
The weight of his words settles over me, and for once, I don’t have a snarky comeback. Instead, I hold his gaze, the air between us thick with something I can’t name.
And for the first time, I don’t want to.
Chapter Six
Flint
The thick smell of smoke burns my nostrils before I even step out of the tent. The sky is an angry shade of orange, flickering with the occasional flare of crimson as the fire consumes the forest I’ve spent my life protecting.
“Stay here,” I bark at Juniper, not bothering to glance back as I grab my gear.
“Not a chance,” she calls, jogging to keep up with me.
Of course, she’s not going to listen. She never does.
I whirl on her, stopping her dead in her tracks. “This isn’t some documentary you can edit in post. You don’t belong here, not when it’s this dangerous.”
Her jaw tightens, defiance flaring in her eyes. “I belong wherever the story is, Flint. People need to see what’s happening. They need to understand.”
“Understand what? You could get yourself killed?” My voice rises over the crackle of the distant fire, and I can feel my team’s eyes on us, but I don’t care. “This isn’t a debate, Juniper. Stay. Here.”
She crosses her arms, glaring up at me like I’m the most unreasonable man on the planet. “You’re wasting time arguing with me when you could be fighting the fire.”
I clench my fists, taking a deep breath to stop myself from throwing her over my shoulder and heading back for my truck–but it’s parked an hour away off the nearest two-track access road. I settle for a warning glare. “Fine. But if you’re coming, you stick to me like glue. You step out of line, and I’ll drag you back myself. Got it?”
Her lips twitch, like she’s holding back a smirk. “Got it, boss.”
The heat is relentless as we get closer to the blaze, radiating off the flames as my team digs trenches and sprays water in a desperate attempt to control the fire. Juniper trails behind me, her camera clicking occasionally, but for once, she’s quiet.
“Stay close,” I remind her, my voice gruff.
“I am,” she mutters, her tone softer than usual.
Despite my irritation, I can’t help but glance back at her. Her cheeks are flushed from the heat, strands of her hair sticking to her damp forehead, but her determination is unmistakable.
“Why do you always have to make everything so difficult?” I ask, not really expecting an answer.
She huffs out a laugh. “Maybe I like watching you get all bossy. It’s kind of hot.”
I whip my head around, glaring at her. “This isn’t a joke, Juniper.”
Her smile fades, but there’s a glint of something else in her eyes. “I know it’s not. But I also know you wouldn’t let anything happen to me.”
