Series: Fever Falls Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 85157 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85157 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Ash: Wow…you must really like me, Campbell.
Me: Who is this? I think I have the wrong number.
Ash: :/
“Pretty sure your face is about to split open, you’re smiling so big. You must have either had a good time with someone, or you really want to.” I fumbled my phone, hiding the screen as Jace plopped down beside me on one of the fire-station couches. “That good?”
“Sex isn’t the only reason to smile.”
“It is for the way you just smiled.”
Did I still need to continue thinking, fucking Ash? He didn’t even have to be there to shake my life up. I opened my mouth to reply just as the alarm went off. Jace and I shoved to our feet, everything else forgotten as the team rushed to get our gear, which hung on hooks on the wall, before running to the engine.
My heart slammed against my chest, adrenaline surging through my body the way it always did when I went out on a call. The sound of the sirens echoed through my head, a familiar song I knew by heart.
Smoke billowed in front of us as Langston pulled up at the house, and we jumped out.
“Please!” a woman shouted. “Please save our home!” Flames licked up the side of the house.
“Is there anyone inside?”
She shook her head. “No one. Not even animals.”
It was exactly what I needed to hear. I reacted. I’d done this so many times that there wasn’t any thought. Ladders were pulled, hoses hooked up. Everyone had a job, and we did it, all with the same goal—to put the fire out as soon as possible.
It was later as I stood under the shower at the station, coming down from the rush of a fire, that I thought about Ash and the fact that I’d left him hanging earlier. I was mentally and physically exhausted, my bones and muscles feeling too heavy as I turned the water off. I wrapped a towel around my waist and went into the locker room to grab my phone.
Sorry about that. We had a call.
My phone rang a second later, Ash’s name on the screen. “Hey.”
“You fought a fucking fire today?” he asked.
“Um…yeah. That’s what I do.”
“That’s strangely hot and uncomfortably scary at the same time. I mean, I knew about your career, but I didn’t think about it until now… You fight fires, Campbell. When people run out, you run in. That’s some crazy shit.”
My pulse thumped wildly against my skin. I didn’t know what it was about that statement that made the reality of Ash and me—if there was an Ash and me…and did I want there to be an Ash and me?—slam home. One night…all it took was one night for me to stumble into something with him. Something that would likely end with Ash walking away again. “It’s fine, Carmichael. I know what I’m doing. So, do you want me to pick you up for practice, or what?”
“That felt awfully close to a diversion.”
“You’re imagining things.”
“You’re speaking to the king of subject change here, but I’ll let it go. Yes, you can pick me up. It sounds like you’re taking me on a date.”
“Pfft, you wish,” I teased. “I’ll be there in an hour. Then we have to go get Kenny.”
“An hour? How am I supposed to get ready that fast? Give a guy some time.”
“And you’re just admitting you’re gay?” I said playfully.
“And that sounded suspiciously like a stereotype. I’m ashamed of you.”
“You’re the one who said gay dry-humping earlier. We don’t put gay in front of everything, you know.”
“Hey! I’m new at this!”
And he was taking it surprisingly well. At least on the surface. “I’m giving you shit. I’ll see you in fifty-five minutes.”
I went to my locker, put on a pair of boxer trunks and deodorant. After I put on my pants, T-shirt, socks, shoes, and another cap I’d gotten from the station, since Ash stole my other one, I was on my way out of the station and heading for my truck.
I made a quick stop at my house for some equipment I’d forgotten, then headed out to Ash’s place. I’d hardly pulled into the driveway before he was coming outside, wearing a pair of shorts and a tee.
I could see the muscles in his calves when he jogged, remembered the feel of his weight on top of me and the taste of him on my tongue. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit I wanted more of him. He was too damn tempting for me not to.
“Hey,” Ash said as he climbed in.
“Hey.”
“I didn’t have time to do my hair, so I need this.” He again plucked my cap off my head and put it on.
“I know you have hats of your own, and if you don’t, you sure as shit have the money to buy one. Plus, you happen to have my old one. Do you like driving me crazy?”