Her Firefighter Hero by Leigh Bale

you like some chips and salsa?” he asked, indicating the colorful bowls Connie had set out for her guests.
    â€œSure.”
    He accompanied her over to the table nearby. His voice was deep and warm. He bumped against her arm and the feel of his fingers against her bare skin made her entire body thrum with reaction. Megan glanced up in time to see Tessa playfully swat Sean on the shoulder. He said something that made her laugh. In response, Sean gave her a hug and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Tessa snuggled in close against his chest. They were engaged to be married in December and seemed so natural and happy together. And Megan envied the love they shared.
    â€œThey’re a cute couple, aren’t they?” Jared said, noticing her gaze.
    â€œYes, they are. They deserve to be happy.”
    â€œThey definitely do. Where are your kids tonight?” Jared asked.
    â€œHome with a babysitter.”
    â€œIt must be nice to have a night off.”
    â€œIt is,” she said.
    She looked up, meeting his eyes. He stood close enough for her to feel his warmth. To catch his scent. She stared at him, mesmerized. Frozen in time. For several quiet moments, nothing existed in the world except him. An insane notion, considering they were standing in Connie’s backyard and surrounded by lots of other people. Then, Megan came to her senses and stepped away.
    But she was still speechless. Think! What should she say? Something to appear ordinary and unaffected. To regain her composure and fight off this emotional assault.
    â€œHow long have you been here in Minoa?” she asked.
    There. That was good. Something normal and logical.
    â€œNot quite a month. This is my first job as a fire management officer.” He picked up a tortilla chip, scooped up some salsa and popped it into his mouth.
    â€œWhat did you do before this assignment?”
    â€œI was the superintendent of a hotshot crew in Arizona. Tim and I used to work together back in the day. We’ve been friends for a long time, so I was happy to accept this job,” he said.
    She wasn’t surprised. The world of wildfire fighting could be quite small. “So, I guess you’re pretty good at fighting wildfires.”
    He shrugged. “I like to think so, but I’m cautious, too. I don’t take any unnecessary risks that might endanger my crew. Their safety always comes first with me.”
    Blaine had been cautious, too, but it hadn’t stopped a firestorm from rolling right over the top of him with very little notice. When the forest supervisor had brought her the news of her husband’s death, he’d told her that Blaine hadn’t suffered much. Which Megan knew was code for he’d died in a fiery inferno that had killed him very fast.
    Tears burned the backs of her eyes, and she looked away so Jared wouldn’t see. Shaking her head, she tried not to think about that now.
    â€œDid you know my husband?” she asked.
    â€œWhat was his name again?”
    â€œBlaine Rocklin. Before coming to Nevada, he worked on a hotshot crew in Colorado. But over the years, he worked on quite a few fires in Arizona and Idaho.”
    Jared shook his head. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I ever met him.”
    At the mention of Blaine, warning bells jangled inside her head, and she stepped farther away. Jared was exactly the kind of man she’d vowed never to love. And yet, a sudden jolt of longing speared her. She felt so comfortable being with him. It was kind of nice to be a couple again. To feel as if she belonged. Especially when Jared was so easy to talk to. But knowing what he did for a living, she told herself it would never work. She had to think about her kids. To think about their future. No more sitting at home worrying that she might receive a dreaded phone call. Or the Forest Service supervisor might show up on her doorstep to bring her the horrifying news that the man she loved was badly