Bear The Burn (Firebear Brides 1) by Anya Nowlan

tan and his hair was bleached a sandy tone of golden blond by the sun, another characteristic of their mother, rather than their father.
    “Couldn’t let you sell off the family estate all on your own, big brother. Can’t trust you Boston yokels with any money, you know,” Redmond joked as Royce started walking back toward the house.
    The sticks and leaves pricked at his feet, but he didn’t notice it at all. His heart swelled happily, feeling the presence of his brother’s bear so close now. It had been much too long since any Hamiltons had been in the same place at the same time, let alone at a place that held such significance to them. He chose to brush off the comment about selling, though—there would be time to explain later. There was a lot Royce needed to tell Redmond, but he wanted to enjoy the happiness of meeting again for a second longer.
    “Why didn’t you come up to the house?” Royce asked, giving the leather jacket and ripped jeans-wearing little brother of his a questionable look.
    He’d certainly changed a lot from the scrawny, rebellious teen Royce remembered.
    “I was driving up there but something made me stop the car and get out. And one thing followed the other, and there I was standing at that lake. It was like some weird pull that I couldn’t ignore,” Redmond said, a note of seriousness entering into his voice and a frown marring his features.
    “Mm-hmm. I know about that,” Royce said with a chuckle as they broke through the crackling underbrush and soon emerged from the forest.
    Royce had gotten adept at maneuvering the path of forest closest to the house, so finding the small, barely noticeable path that provided the quickest way out was no problem at all. The sun beat down mercilessly and Royce could feel the burn of even the early morning sun already scorching his shoulders, making them ache. The sun was ruthless that summer and the firefighter in him worried.
    “This thing is one bad accident away from going up like Fourth of July fireworks,” Redmond commented dryly, stalking after Royce.
    “You feel it too, huh? It’s not good,” Royce said seriously, glancing over his shoulder and slowing his steps as they hit the clearing and could fall into step next to one another.
    Redmond shook his head thoughtfully, but whatever he was about to say caught in his chest as he saw the vision that was Hamilton House and the grounds around it. Royce grinned as Redmond’s step stuttered and he stopped for a second, staring slack-jawed at the old home.
    “Familiar, huh?” Royce teased, tugging at Redmond’s black leather jacket and making him walk again.
    “Fuck, Royce…. this is…”
    “Yeah. Home.”
    They walked the rest of the way in silence and Royce gave his brother time to take it all in. He remembered clear as day how he had felt the first time he’d laid eyes on it and he didn’t want to rob Redmond from the experience. Only when they climbed up the steps to the porch and Royce pushed through the screen door into the house did he feel that the revered moment had passed.
    He was about to quip about surprises and life’s odd twists and turns when hurried steps sounded from the left of him, heading down the stairs from the higher floors. Royce turned around in time to catch Tiana, who flung herself into his arms with a flurry of giggles, clamping her arms around his neck.
    “Where were you? I thought you’d run off alone to work, leaving me to sleep the day away! You bastard,” she hissed playfully as Royce swung her around with a big bear grin on his lips.
    Her dress hiked up her smooth thighs enough to make Royce strangle a growl of arousal in the back of his throat. If Redmond hadn’t been there, he probably would have put her down and fucked the daylights out of her right there on the hallway floor. Redmond cleared his throat and Royce put Tiana down. She only then noticed Redmond. She blushed the sweetest shade of pink, making her milk chocolate skin glow, and it