Spark & Blaze (A Guns & Hoses Novel) by Brenda Cothern

then come hang. If you don’t, then don’t”
    The grip on his arm disappeared and Evan watched Brostowski walk down the stairs. He didn’t know what to make of the invitation when he turned back to pick up his duffel.
    Thoughts of Flame, then Brostowski’s invitation to hang out at Guns & Hoses evaporated from his mind when he shouldered his bag and met Malone’s eyes when he turned back toward the stairs.
    Malone had his own bag slung over his shoulder and his gaze was settled firmly on Evan. The guy’s expression was neutral, just like it had been at the beginning of the shift when he came out of the shower area and Evan had intended to apologize.
    An apology was the furthest thing from Evan’s mind when he was slammed with the memories of severely attacking the man in the truck bay. He had no idea why he had molested Malone. Why he had felt the need to taste the man by kissing the ever living fuck out of him. The why was something he would put under a microscope later because now was definitely not the time.
    Malone didn’t look pissed that he had laid a lip lock on him, but Evan wasn’t sure if apologizing for his temporary lack of sanity was the right thing to do or not. If the guy wanted to forget that kiss ever happened, then Evan was on board with that. Still, he owed Malone an apology for running to Stevenson after the Shadows’ fire.
    “Sorry I ran to Stevenson over our disagreement in Shadows,” Evan said quickly before looking away from Malone’s deep chocolate eyes and heading toward the stairs.
    Malone didn’t say anything and Evan really hadn’t expected him to comment. However, before he stepped onto the stairs that would get him out of the building and put an end to a hellacious shift, Evan had to address the elephant that was his breakdown. Not only his breakdown, but his sexual assault.
    “I’m sorry about yesterday, too,” Evan knew that he didn’t have to clarify what about the day before he was talking about. “I’ll understand if you want to press charges.”
    Evan cringed as the words left his lips. Malone had every right to press assault charges against him. His behavior was a result of dealing with traumatic shit, but that didn’t excuse the fact that he had molested the guy.
    Hell, if he was in Malone’s shoes and some guy threw a lip lock that included some tonsil hockey, he would probably press charges regardless of the situation.
    Silence surrounded them and after a moment, Evan knew Malone wasn’t going to reply so he headed down the stairs. He was halfway down when he thought he heard Malone say ‘shit.’
     

     
    Brett had watched the rookie come up the stairs and gather his things. Carmichael looked pissed off and Brett had no idea what could have sparked the guy’s anger so damn early in the morning.
    Flame was the only person who had already gone below, but he was so laid-back that Brett doubted his co-worker could’ve said anything to put that expression on the rookie’s face.
    However, the moment Brostowski stepped up to the rookie and grabbed Carmichael’s arm, Brett knew Flame was involved somehow. Brostowski and Flame were tighter than tight and by the look on Brostowski’s face while he talked quietly to Carmichael, the rookie did something to Flame that pissed Brostowski off.
    Whatever had happened between Carmichael and Flame that now involved Brostowski, wasn’t his business. Hell, anything surrounding the rookie wasn’t his business unless it was work related. After Brostowski walked off, Brett watched Carmichael follow.
    Brett was surprised when the rookie stopped before going downstairs and apologized for the shit at Shadows. His surprise shifted to pure fucking shock when Carmichael mentioned him pressing charges. He was utterly fucking speechless that Carmichael thought he would press sexual assault charges over the kiss that happen down in the bay.
    Hell, even if he wasn’t gay, even if he didn’t find Evan Carmichael attractive, no one in