Burning Desire by Marie Harte

Chapter One

Eight months ago

Seattle, Washington

It was one of those lulls in the surrounding noise that happen right before a most embarrassing discussion fills the silence. The firefighters in the station house had been talking and laughing, cooking in the kitchen, and coming in from the weight room to check out the kitchen’s good smells. Then suddenly, everything seemed to stop, as if the world slowed down in time to hear Mack shoot off his big mouth.

“So, let me get this straight. On your big date last night, the chick straight up tossed a glass of water in your face?”

All eyes turned to the conversation happening a stone’s throw away in the television area.

“Would you keep your voice down, damn it?” Tex McGovern glared at his buddy and prayed the others on B shift kept their big noses out of his business. He tossed the rest of them a scowl until they finally went back to their own boring lives.

Mack grinned then had the nerve to laugh. A lot.

Texan, firefighter, and former U.S. Marine, Tex sank deeper into the reclining chair, not seeing the game on TV as he relived his pitiful date. He reached for the comfort of his cowboy hat but tugged down the brim of a Seattle FD ballcap instead.

“Yeah, my life sucks.” His twang sounded more pronounced, and he did his best to regroup, not wanting the others to know how much he hated what had gone down with a woman he’d grown to like way too much.

“Your life never sucks. You just move on to the next honey.” Mack paused. “Why’d she throw water all over you? What did you do?”

Tex glared at his partner, a guy who should have had his back. “Why is this my fault?”

Mack raised a brow.

“I did nothin’. Not a thing. And it wasn’t my date that splashed me, moron. It was the girl I broke up with two freaking months ago that drenched me. I finally got that date with Bree—”

“Bree of the sunny-blond hair, heavenly blue eyes, and body worshipped by men everywhere? That Bree?”

Tex frowned. Mack sure seemed to have memorized her picture from one shot on Tex’s phone. “Yeah, she—”

“The woman you’ve been dying to go out with finally said yes? I thought she had better taste than that.”

Tex flipped him off but lowered his voice when he saw two guys he’d rather not talk to right now glancing over at him. “Yeah, well, after the stunt my ex pulled, I doubt I’ll ever see Bree again.” He was miserable. “Mack, I’m tellin’ ya, I broke it off with that woman two months ago. I had to block her from calling and texting me just last week. I didn’t want to, but she wouldn’t leave me alone.”

Mack shook his head. “Tough being so tall, dark, and dynamic, eh?”

“It really is.”

Mack rolled his eyes.

“Woman just wouldn’t take no for an answer. Then she shows up outta nowhere at a place it took me weeks to get reservations at and loses it. She calls me a two-timer and a whore and throws my own glass of water on me! All while Bree is watching—”

“In shock and horror.”

“—from right across our cozy little table.”

Mack shook his head. “Man, that is just… Man.”

Tex groaned. “I know. The ex takes off. Then Bree looks at me and tells me I should feel ashamed of myself. She left without letting me explain.”

Mack coughed but didn’t quite hide his laughter.

“It ain’t funny!” Tex wished the rest of his crew could hear him. He knew they’d have given him the compassion and pity he deserved. “I mean, I’ve been trying to get Bree to go out with me forever. We texted and talked, but I had to beg her to meet in person. She has a thing against firefighters, for some reason. And now she probably thinks she was right when she was so wrong.”

Mack opened his mouth to respond, but closed it when two of the other guys on their eight-man shift beat him to it. Hell, the two approaching were idiots Tex rarely had patience for on a good day.

The ringleader, a guy they called Narc because he never kept anything to himself, smirked. “So, Tex, I hear you blew it with the chief’s daughter.” Next to him, Narc Jr., a guy who shadowed Narc’s every move, laughed like the giant goon he was.

Tex blinked. “What?”

“You know, Brianna Gilchrist, hot as fuck, blue eyes, blond hair, big, ah, dimples?” Narc cleared his throat and looked around. Not seeing their lieutenant, he leaned in closer. “You had my respect for getting a date. God knows we’ve all wanted to. Couldn’t close the deal, though, could you?” He held his phone to Tex, who watched a video of himself getting doused.

Tex leaned forward. “Motherfu—”

“What are you all doing over there? Slacking off?” their lieutenant boomed.

They all jumped. The LT had a mouth that didn’t know the meaning of the word “whisper.”

Narc turned with a smile. “Not much, LT. Just bonding with the second-best unit in our squad.”

“Suck it, Narc.” Mack glared.

That earned a scowl, followed by a mean grin. “Say, LT.” Narc and Narc Jr. approached the lieutenant and a few lingering guys who gathered to see what the fuss was about. “Check this out.” Tex heard him play the video.

Mack shook his head and in a lower voice said, “Seriously, Tex? The battalion chief’s daughter?”

Tex felt ill. “I didn’t know who she was! Hell, I never even got her last name! I swear. We’d just met in person for the first time last night.” First time and last time. Tex swore under his breath. As pathetic as it was, he wanted another shot at Bree Gilchrist. He’d had the hots for her since first seeing her picture on a dating app. She’d been sweet and funny online, their conversations never boring. But she’d been even better in person, as brief as their date had been. Just thinking about her made his heart race.

Too bad a petty ex had screwed him over. God, he should have blocked her as soon as he broke off with her.

His LT scowled at him.

Shit.

“McGovern, let’s have a talk in my office.”

Narc and Narc Jr. laughed at him. The others offered their condolences.

“It won’t be so bad,” Mack murmured. “Just tell him you’re done with her.”

Tex stood and sighed. “Not like I’d even started with her to begin with.”

He hoped this would all blow over without any major repercussions from his chain of command. And that he’d manage to get over his small infatuation.

Even after the ass-chewing he got from the lieutenant to make better decisions, he still regretted that he’d never gotten a chance to show Bree how charming he could be. But her dad—the battalion chief? He shuddered, knowing his track record with women.

Better that it ended way before it had a chance to begin.

***

Five months ago

The Lava Lounge, Seattle

Hanging with the guys at a bar in Belltown, Tex enjoyed a cool pineapple margarita while his buddies Mack and Reggie razzed him for drinking something fruity. But come on, it was a tiki bar. How could Tex not have something with pineapple somewhere in the title? Brad sipped from a concoction mixed with rum and coconut milk and didn’t say much.

The crew of four got plenty of second looks, some friendly and others not so friendly.

As firefighters, they had to stay in shape. But Tex and the guys liked to take it to another level. All prior military men, they knew the value of a good piece of gear on a mission. Hauling around equipment while wearing the fireproof suits and self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBAs) that helped them breathe through smoke and ash had shown that having a fit body could mean the difference between life and death. For them as well as the public they served.

While they had bonded as brothers, both as firefighters and ex-military, they certainly had their differences. Tex and Brad had served in the Marines, Reggie in the Navy, and Mack in the Air Force. Tex did best with women, though Brad and Mack never seemed to be hurting. For two years Reggie had been in a long-term relationship with a woman. But recently things had grown rocky between them, so they’d gathered for a morale booster for the sarcastic bastard.

They were their own small family, supporting one another through everything, good and bad.

Which made it difficult to remember the good when the idiots continued to throw up to his face the fact that he’d dissed the battalion commander’s precious daughter. Damn, but he’d thought that might have died down by now.

“Imagine,” Brad said, a grin on his stupid face as he swirled his coconut mambo, or whatever the hell he’d ordered. “In an alternate universe, Tex gets her to go out with him. She ends up bringing him home to meet the parents and he’s all, oh, hey, Chief Gilchrist, how’s it hangin’?”

Mack chuckled. “So pleased to meet you and the missus. Oh, and I’m sleeping with your daughter. She really is the hottest woman in town. And did I mention I brought my own raincoat to protect my hose? No worries on that score, chief.”

Tex glared at Mack. “That was disgusting.” To the others he said, “Can we let it go already? How about instead we talk about—” Brad and all the women he’s not dating? Reggie and his ballbuster of a gal? Tex paused, hearing all that in his head, and knew they needed to change the conversation from women to something else. Reggie didn’t look so happy.

Brad must have sensed the same thing, because he slapped Mack in the back of the head. “Idiot.”

“What? Oh, come on. I’m kidding.” Mack nodded at Tex. “He’s been moping for months and needs to get over it.”

Brad changed the subject. “You guys still okay with moving to the new station?”

Tex nodded. “Station 44 will be manned by the best and brightest our city has to offer. Of course they wanted us in the new place.”

Mack agreed. “Well, that’s true. I photograph well.”

Tex saw Reggie’s look of disgust and agreed. “I still don’t know how your ugly face got on all the media stuff for Station 44.”

Mack sipped from his beer. “What can I say? The public loves me.”

“I mean, I’m much better lookin’.” Tex flexed and tilted back his cowboy hat. He liked to think his bronze skin, a shade darker than Brad and Mack’s but lighter than Reggie’s medium-brown, glowed with sex appeal. His muscles clearly overpowered his buddies’… Well, if he ignored Reggie’s huge neck, arms, and chest on account of all his obsessive weight lifting.

Behind him, a few women tittered.

Reggie finished off his beer. “You two make me want to drink.”

“Right? God, I feel ill.” Brad shook his head at Mack and Tex.

“Probably ’cause you’re drinking all that sugar.” Tex finished off his margarita and decided to slow down. “I’m with you though. This thing was good but way too strong.”

“It’s the tequila.” Reggie nodded. “We should go work out and burn this off.”

“Relax, fun-killer.” Mack dodged the play swipe Reggie made. “It’s Friday, and—”

“—trouble has once again found us.” Brad sighed. “Bridal party, six o’clock.”

They turned, and Tex saw what Brad meant. A group of six women wearing feathery boas and a mishmash of headbands showcasing tiaras and one set of demon horns had gotten into a verbal altercation with three large, aggressive men.

Tex could hear the suggestive comments across the bar from the three guys, and as if that weren’t bad enough, the bouncer was dealing with two of their friends as well.

“Ah, hell.” Tex decided to take one for the team. “I’ll do it. Brad, you got into trouble last time.”

“By all means.” Brad waved him toward the mess.

“I’ll go along to help if you need it, lightweight.” Reggie smirked.

“This is why no one likes you.” Tex walked through the crowd growing around the troublemaking jocks and bridal revelers. “What’s up with all the noise?” he asked the woman closest to him.

The bride-to-be—who wore a Bride-to-Be sash that hugged her ample chest—was a sexy redhead who looked livid. “These assholes keep trying to take us home. I’m just here with my girlfriends to celebrate my upcoming wedding. Giving blow jobs is not on tonight’s agenda.”

At the word blow job, the bar erupted into whistles and shouts of encouraging men, while several of the women in attendance shouted their support for the bridal party.

“I take it a blow job ain’t a reference for a drink?”

The redhead scowled. “No, it is not.”

Tex turned to the nearest asshole smelling like a brewery. “Look, man, it’s obvious the ladies want you to leave them alone.” He crossed his arms over his chest, saw the three inebriated fools eyeballing his biceps, and wondered if common sense would win out over lust and alcohol, always a poor mix.

The biggest drunk, a beady-eyed, bald guy who seemed the most vocal of the bunch, shook his head. He either worked out for a living or did some major steroids. He was huge. “Look, hayseed, nobody asked what you thought. Fuck off.”

“Yeah, fuck off,” one of his gym rat buddies seconded.

“You heard ’im,” said the third.

A husky, feminine voice swore. “Oh, hell.”

He turned to see a familiar blond demon. She wore tiny, red horns in her hair and sported a red feather boa.

Tex smiled widely. “Hey, Bree.”

“This is not going to go well,” Reggie muttered.

“I said get lost,” Bald Guy said again. “Oh, I like red better than white.” He goggled at Bree.

“No, you fuck off,” the bride-to-be said, poking the big guy in his chest. Not exactly a smart move, because the man wrapped his arms around her and tried to get a kiss.

Before Tex could separate them, Reggie was there and shoved the inebriated man from the bride-to-be while steadying her. Tex quickly put himself between Bald Guy’s buddies and the ladies before anyone could even think to grab Bree.

“Fellas, I really think you should reconsider,” Tex advised in a polite voice, his arms loose, his fists clenched in warning. “Because I have no problem putting you down if you don’t.”

Fortunately, they seemed to have more sense than their friend. They took a good look at him, at Reggie, then at their friend swaying on his feet and swearing, and left.

“I could have taken him,” Bree said, breathless, as she adjusted her horns.

“I’m sure you would have, darlin’.”

“My name is Bree, Romeo, not darlin’. Or don’t you remember?”

She was talking to him. He felt light-headed with joy. “I—”

A scuffle sounded behind him. When he turned to investigate, he saw Mack muscling Bald Guy to the floor, facedown, jerking the drunk’s arm behind his back.

Reggie held his hands up in surrender. “It’s all Mack. I’m just here looking out for the lovely lady getting married soon.”

“Aw, aren’t you cute.” The bride-to-be had a hold on Reggie’s thick forearm and watched him with adoration.

Tex grinned and said to Mack, “Go for it, MP.” Take the military out of the cop, but you can’t take the cop out of civvy life.

Mack sighed. “That’s SF, for Security Force. I was Air Force, not a damn… Never mind.” He turned to the crowd. “Can someone get the cops over here?”

“Already on it.” The bartender gave a thumbs-up, his phone at his ear.

“I just wanted the demon, to be honest,” Bald Guy was slurring from the floor. “But the bitchy bride would have been okay too.”

She’smy demon. Tex glared at the dick on the ground. “Want me to hold him till the cops come?”

Mack shook his head. “Hell no. We are not having any more trouble. We are here to drink and find women. Period.” He smiled at the crowd gathered around them. “Anyone free for a beer?”

The bar erupted in cheers as many congratulated them for stepping in. Then talk turned to them being firefighters at the new station.

Tex had been watching Bree, wondering if she’d try to make a break for it before letting him talk to her. As she started to edge away with her friends, he planted himself like a tree in front of her. “Hey, Bree. Can I talk to you for a sec?”

“If you don’t want him, I’ll keep him busy,” a sexy woman with a sparkling, pink tiara offered.

Bree gave him a disdainful once-over. “Trust me, he’s no good for you.”

“Says you.”

Tex winked at Bree. “Well, I say—”

Bree dragged him away before he could finish his sentence, into a quieter area apart from the fracas.

She planted her hands on her trim hips, and he couldn’t help noticing her nails matched the horns poking through her honey-blond hair. “Okay, Tex. What do you want?”

He felt suddenly tongue-tied, unable to speak as he drank her in. Damn, but she was pretty, her hair loose and flowing down her back, jeans painted on, T-shirt clinging to her curvy top. The woman was just so tall and toned. Her light-blue eyes shot sparks as she watched him watching her, and he thought the devil horns appropriate.

“Sorry,” he said, not meaning it. “But you are rockin’ that outfit.”

She blushed. “Oh, stop. What do you want?”

“I want a chance. What happened last time wasn’t my fault.”

“Oh?”

“Darlin’—Bree,” he hurried to correct, “I’d broken up with Vanessa two months before we went to dinner. I swear.” He crossed his heart, pleased to see her looking at his buff chest. But that didn’t seem to impress her enough. She still looked annoyed. “She was stalking me online, so I blocked her. Then she followed me to dinner! That ain’t right.”

He swore her lips curled into a smile before they flattened. “Okay, so you’re not a cheater. You’re still a firefighter and serial dater.”

“Hey, I never lied. I told you that before we went out.” He frowned. “But you never mentioned who your dad was.”

“Because I didn’t want anyone using me to get up the ladder. You know, in the fire department?”

“Ha ha. Ladder. Funny.” He did his best to keep his gaze on her face and not her heaving breasts. Because the girl was breathing pretty heavily, and only a dead man wouldn’t notice. “Come on, Bree. I like you. I mean, we connected when we were messaging and talking on the phone, right? I like your looks, sure. You’re gorgeous. But you made me laugh, and I thought you liked me.”

“I did,” she grudgingly conceded.

“Then why not go out for a real date?”

“I’ve been busy lately.”

“With your photography. I know.”

“Stalk much?” She raised a brow.

He flushed. “Nah. I just… I looked you up after I found out your name. Same as you did me. Trust me, dating you would not make me popular at the station. I just want to be with you, not your dad.”

“Oh, so sex then we move on?” She looked him over. “Sure. When and where?”

“I… Wait.” He scowled. “Nope. We aren’t gonna just have sex.” He felt his face heating and had no idea why, though she seemed fascinated by his discomfort. “Damn it. I just want a chance to get to know you. Is that wrong?”

“I guess not.” She still didn’t seem sure of him. “We can try again next week, if you want.”

“I do.” Did he.

Her slow smile mesmerized him. “Okay. I’ll unblock you on my phone and message you the details.”

“Perfect. See you then.”

***

Four weeks ago

Bree gritted her teeth as she worked the Pets Fur Life calendar shoot, using members of the new Fire Station 44 to make money for the financially challenged charity. She could totally get behind helping strays find good homes. If it took biting back her scathing commentary about Tex McGovern being a no-good liar capable of grinding up a woman’s emotions, then so be it.

He lingered near the others, shooting her side-glances but not saying much. Smart of him. She hated to admit it, but in a sea of man candy, Mr. December stood out as the sexiest lollipop of the bunch. She loved his looks and wasn’t too superficial to say it. For the shoot, he wore faded jeans, a black T-shirt plastered to his chest, and that stupid cowboy hat that looked way too sexy on him. He might as well have held up a Ride this Cowboy sign. Sadly, she’d have to fight herself not to volunteer.

But Bree knew what many didn’t—the rest of him didn’t match up to the outward hero.

Several inches taller than her own five-eleven, his muscular frame was one anyone would envy. He had shaggy, black hair and light-gray eyes, a square jaw and stubborn tilt to his head. His bronze skin tone only highlighted the brightness of his eyes. She couldn’t define one thing she disliked about his looks.

Which she hated.

The blasted man had made her go back on her principles to give him a second chance. She’d let that alleged womanizer back into her life, only for him to show out as someone not worth her time yet again.

She might have believed his ex-girlfriend had set him up on their first date, but Tex standing Bree up on their second date? No warning or explanation of his absence until two days later? Who did that? No way she believed that lame excuse that he’d tried to call her and had phone problems.

“Bree?” A pretty woman with bright-blue eyes sidled up to her. “I just wanted to thank you for doing all this. I’m Avery, by the way. I’m doing the pet segment on Searching the Needle Weekly.”

“Oh, right. I love your Friday morning show. You and Brad are hilarious together.” The pair argued with each other and tried to set each other up on a popular streaming channel, as if playing an evil dating game. “And a little more than friends, hmm?” She hadn’t missed the kiss Brad had plastered on Avery a few minutes ago. A hop step from beating his chest and proclaiming her his possession, Bree thought, though Avery wasn’t complaining.

Avery blushed. “Ah, well, that’s new.”

“Hey, good for you. But don’t stop giving him crap on the show. You ask me, it’s good to see a hot fireman taken down a notch.”

“You’re telling me. Brad’s responsible, nice, and handsome. He’s a firefighter, a natural-born hero. I’m just a nosy reporter.” Avery shrugged. “It’s tough going up against Mr. Perfect.”

“I’m behind you. Heck, I’d love to adopt one of your strays, that’s if I can ever get my schedule under control.” Bree had been photographing people and events nonstop for a year. She needed a break, though she couldn’t complain the money hadn’t been good. “Then again, once the animals appear on your show, they’re adopted out pretty quickly. Or is that just made up to look good?”

“No, the animals really are adopted that fast.” Avery nodded. “I’m so glad we’re helping to find them good homes. I know Pets Fur Life appreciates it. I also know they’re thrilled you gave up your time for this. I don’t think they could afford to do the calendar without you.”

“When Tex mentioned it, I had to help.”

Avery studied her. “I didn’t realize you knew Tex.”

“What gave it away?”

“The way you clenched your jaw when you said his name.”

“Ah, that.” Bree didn’t say any more, and Avery didn’t ask.

“Well, I just wanted to come over and thank you for letting me stay through the shoot. It was amazing watching you work.”

“It didn’t hurt that all my subjects were either cute and furry or handsome, did it?” Bree nodded to the hair stylists busy flirting with several of the guys. She waved at the stylists, who smiled and waved back before turning to the shirtless firemen standing close by.

“Let me add my thanks, boss,” her assistant said as she passed. “I love weddings and portraits, but this is why I went into photography. Half-naked men and puppies.”

Bree rolled her eyes.

Avery grinned. “I have to agree. Well, I’m taking off. Just wanted to say hi now that you’re winding down. Oh, and…”

“Yeah?”

Avery cleared her throat. “This is none of my business. I have no idea what happened between you and Tex before. But he’s a great guy. He’s genuine.”

Bree sighed. “Another one drinking the Kool-Aid.”

“I said my piece. And no, he didn’t pay me to say that.” Avery laughed. “So, now that I’ve annoyed you by mentioning Tex, how about agreeing to an interview? I don’t just do the pet part at Searching the Needle Weekly. I run local stories about our community too, and I know our readers would love to know more about you.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. And with the positive buzz we’ve been getting, the publicity can only help.”

“Sign me up.”

They agreed to a time the following week.

Avery left, and once everyone else had cleared out, Bree took one last look around before leaving as well.

The hour had grown dark, but in the parking lot, she spied Tex leaning against his truck, looking at his phone. Her car was the only other vehicle in the lot.

As agreed for doing the shoot, Tex kept his distance. He didn’t flirt, and she treated him like a professional model. She’d said the bare minimum, all in regard to the photoshoot, and had been pleasant, if aloof.

In the growing dark, he didn’t look at her, and she didn’t say anything, just got in her car and left. But in her rearview, she saw him head out after she’d pulled away, turning at the stoplight when she went through.

Huh. What did that mean? And why did it make her heart race that he’d cared enough to see her safely into her car?