Flare-up by Laura Harner

Author:Laura Harner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: gay romance, wildfire, fire fighters, gay steamy romance, wild land fire fighter
Publisher: Laura Harner

Chapter Four

Scott was running. Even in the tight boots laced up to his calf, the uneven ground tested the strength of his ankles. Branches slapped at his face and arms, and he realized he’d forgotten his turnout gear. Fuck…must go faster. His heart hammered as his lungs pumped oxygen and his leg muscles burned with the abuse of running so fast for so long. Must go faster. People were counting on him.

With a final surge, Scott broke through the dried brush, tumbling into the small clearing. All he had was his sleeping bag, and he knew it wouldn’t be enough. Pulling his pack off his back, he started to rummage through his supplies. First-aid kit. Granola bars. Magnifying glass. Hatchet. iPod. Tape measure. Matches. Danny’s driver’s license. Diamondbacks ball cap. Robby’s address card. It was like Hermione Granger’s bottomless bag in Harry Potter. Every time he reached inside, there was something new to discover. Everything except what he needed. Where was the fire retardant? He needed to hold them off, they were coming. Coming. Must go faster.

When the forest behind him burst into a wall of flames, Scott looked at his sleeping bag once more. It wouldn’t help. Nothing could help. He was going to lose it all…let everybody down. Turning slowly, he faced the fire, and felt the impact of her beauty. The flames twisted into familiar faces. Finn and Cannon. Rowen and Mick. Charlie, Amos, and Damon. Jillian and Maddie. The last man standing turned to face him. Robby. His hands clutched Sam and Kat, his face so disappointed. Scott had let them all down. In a shimmering flare of reds and yellows, the flames twisted and turned in this private dance—they were coming for him. Calling him home.

“I’m coming,” he whispered, stepping forward, completing the circle. He screamed.

“Scott! Scotty—wake up, honey. It’s me…it’s Rob. You’re safe now, I have you.”

The words seemed to come from far away, familiar, yet faint. Like a favorite song playing on the radio of a passing car. There, then gone.

“Scotty, come on. Come back to me…” The song returned, the sweet music dragging him back as his shoulders were clamped between two strong hands and he was roughly shaken. The movement jarred his stiff back, and Scott gasped as he came fully awake.

“I—I’m here.” His voice was scratchy, throat raw from yelling. Shit. As if things aren’t bad enough without terrifying Sam and Kat in the middle of the night with his nightmares. “Did I scare the kids?” he asked, his stomach tight as if to ward off the blow.

“Shh…no, honey, they’re asleep. Come on, I want you to come upstairs with me—I want to talk but I need to be able to hear them if they do wake up.”

Scott dragged a hand over his face, trying to brush away the disturbing images from his dream. “Yeah. I need some ibuprofen. And maybe a drink.”

They walked upstairs together and took a few minutes to get the drinks and pain pills. Standing in the kitchen, Robby brushed his hand over Scott’s shoulders.

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