AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Jake moves in close. We’re in each other’s faces, but Kraine does nothing. He only watches the two of us. I’m relying on his sense at the moment. I know he’ll take someone down to save me.
“Maitlyn, you go back there, and you will die.”
“What?” I step back as if he punches me in the gut, and my breathing picks up. “What do you mean? Is he here? Have you seen— Oh, God, he’s here, right? I knew…”
My senses twirl overwhelmed, and the world begins to cave in on me.
He found me. How did he find me? I’m not safe. No one is safe.
A loud thud makes my head turn sharply, and Jake’s bag drops and hits the ground. His calloused hands lift my chin, forcing our eyes to connect.
“Hey, hey. Up here. Focus on my face. Take a deep breath.” His other hand wraps around one of mine and plants it on the middle of his chest. “Breathe with me. In… out.”
The heat from his body scolds my hand, and I fight the urge to trap the fabric in my hold as his chest slowly rises and drops as I work to mimic the movement.
I cough a little.
“Shit, slowly. Fucking wildfire.” His eyes never leave mine, and for once, the onslaught of a panic attack slips away like a thief in the night. I’ve never had somebody hit through the panic so quickly and easily.
As soon as my breathing matches his, he moves closer and wraps me in his arms as the last of my shivers die. His body is so strong, and I lean against his strength as if it’s something I’ve done a thousand times before.
I don’t want to like it. I want to hate the connection, to hate what I’m feeling, but he’s so gentle and kind.
But so was Daniel when I first met him.
The thought weasels into my mind, and there’s no way of killing it off because it’s true. To keep myself safe, I must remember everything that led up to what Daniel did. It’s the only way to protect myself.
Backing away slowly from the man’s arms, I’m proud of how calmly I say, “I want to return to the cabin.”
Jake’s voice softens when he says, “The fire’s already too close to do that.”
“How do you know?” I eye him suspiciously, wondering if he’s spinning tales to get me where he wants me.
“Because I’m a Black Timber Peak Hot Shot.”
Tipping my head at him, I lift a brow. “Okay, you’re damn attractive, I’ll give you that. But man, do you have an ego and it isn’t pretty, mister.”
A loud barrel of a laugh with a hint of whiskey smoothness falls out of the man’s mouth, and parts of me tingle that haven’t in years. His laugh could save nations.
“No, a Hot Shot is someone who goes into the hottest fires to help get them under control. That’s my job.” The pristine smile he sports pours down on me, and the softness in his eyes makes me nervous but not sensing danger— almost a playfulness that I desire in a man. I also can’t help but notice the gold dappling in his green eyes. It’s easy to miss when afar, but up close like this. There’s no mistaking it. This man was made to perfection, and I don’t know how to handle it.
“Oh. So, you know Black Peak Timber?”
“Black TimberPeak, and yes, this is my home range.”
“Do you have a place we can go?” I bite my cheek as I don’t like how it sounds or how breathy it comes out of me.
Jake’s smile falls into a smirk, and my stomach clenches at his raw appeal. His full lips have me wanting to moan, and with how he holds my gaze, I stay perfectly still, not wanting to draw his attention. I can’t say if that’s because I want to maintain his gaze on me or if I want him to deepen it.
“I’ll take you somewhere safe. I promise, Maitlyn. You’re safe with me.”
Without realizing it, my body shakes both from the horrible memories of when I was last told those exact words and how much I crave to believe them now with this man.
I’m finding little reason not to trust him and that’s both confusing and concerning.
But trust is like the mountain, burned away when least expected.
And I’m not ready to be burned again.
