Page 1 of Hot for the Fire Chief
Chapter 1
Lance
It’s too hot and the beach is too busy today. Glaring out at the beautiful blue water, I pace down the sand, trying to stay out of the way of all the families playing and yelling.
I know I shouldn’t have come out here but I’m sick to death of sitting alone in my little bungalow at the hotel. It’s nice enough. Don’t get me wrong.
But I hate vacations. There’s nothing to do. Or at least nothing I want to do. I’ve already gone up to the hotel and worked out in the gym. When I went back to my room, I took a hot soak in the jacuzzi to loosen up my stupid knee. It’s still fucked up.
I guess this means that I’m retired now. No big shocker there. They made sure after my surgery to repair my knee with pins and screws and who knows what the hell else that my odds of getting back to work were slim to none.
If only I hadn’t gone out that night on the call. But I did what I had to do. It’s my job to make the tough calls.
Itwasmy job. Dammit!
A little boy staggers up the beach and trips into me and I curse under my breath at the instant zip of pain that runs like an electric shock through my left leg.
“I’m sorry, mister.” The kid looks up at me with bright blue eyes and then his mother comes running and glares at me like I tripped him myself.
“Come on, Robbie. Leave the man alone.”
I notice she didn’t say the nice man. I shoot her a tired, tight grimace and she rolls her eyes and drags her son away.
Yeah. Today officially sucks.
Turning back, I head up the beach and towards the hotel property. It’s well-maintained and the little bungalows on the beach are air-conditioned, although I have mine turned off so I can leave my windows open and prop the patio door open as well to feel the salty breeze of the ocean cooling my skin.
“Oof!” Gritting my teeth, I fight the nausea welling up in my throat as I grasp the woman’s arms. The woman who just ran into me.
“Watch where you’re going,” I growl under my breath.
“You watch where you’re going. You ran into me.” Her husky voice makes my skin tingle and I lift my head, staring right into a pair of soft green eyes, like the cool grass of the mountains around Wildwood. It’s been what feels like a lifetime since I’ve been home. I moved away years ago to get a chance at a promotion that I wouldn’t get in Wildwood. I needed a bigger department for that opportunity to pan out.
Her green eyes widen and run down my body and for some reason there’s an electricity that seems to jump between us wherever her eyes touch my skin. It sizzles and burns and I gasp, pushing the feeling down.
I don’t know why I’m feeling like this but I don’t like it. At all.
My eyes drift down her soft curves in the red bikini she’s wearing and my dick immediately jumps up, slapping my zipper. She’s got curves for days and her lightly tanned skin and wild, caramel hair are eye catching as hell. I can’t seem to look away.
Until she clears her throat and then I look up into her glaring eyes. “You ran into me. And perhaps you could stop staring at me like some kind of perv.”
My brows lift and then I push my sunglasses up my head, the better to check out all those lush dips and valleys. “I’m sorry. Once again I think you’re confused. You ran into me. But that’s neither here nor there. My point is….maybe watch where you’re going. You’ll have a much better time of it if you don’t hurt somebody.”
Now it’s her turn for her soft brown brows to lift. “Wow! You’re kind of an asshole, aren’t you?”
My lips quirk at her seething tone. “You have no idea.”
Her full coral lips tilt up. “I actually think I have a pretty good idea. You’re a jerk. Ordinarily I’d say I’m sorry for running into you even if I didn’t. Just to keep the peace. But that’s always been my problem. I let people walk all over me and I’m working on that. So this time I’m just gonna say goodbye and hope that I don’t see you again.”
Grinning, I tip my ball cap to her as she flushes a pretty pink, her soft green eyes glaring at me. If looks could kill I think I’d be on the floor.
“It hasn’t been a pleasure, Miss…”. Like I can’t help myself I wait, anticipating her response.
“Jenny. Jenny Pierce. And who do I have the misfortune of talking to?”
“Lance. Lance McGuire.”
She nods her head and her little nose lifts in the air, her lips curling. “Well, goodbye, Lance McGuire. You’ll forgive me but I hope I don’t see you again.”
