Page 4 of Birchwood Burn (Black Timber Peak Hotshots #2)

FOUR

LARISSA

We’re standing on a cliff, and I don’t dare look down. Heights terrify me, and the helicopter forcing wind to wrap around us doesn’t help. It makes me imagine we’re going to be flung off this mountain and plummet to sudden death. The imagery is potent, and I choke down my fear as much as I’m able.

The coughing fits are more frequent, especially with all the cardio we’ve been doing.

Jace continues to watch over me, and I can tell he doesn’t like the sound of my cough.

I don’t either, but it’s a problem for later.

Hopefully, I can recover and no longer sound like I’ve smoked three packs a day for my entire life.

Jace secures me into a harness, and my body quakes as I piece everything together.

A hundred percent of my attention is on the most capable man I’ve ever met, with this raw attraction to him I can’t set aside.

Even in these moments of danger and petrifying fear, I’m captivated and can’t help wondering if he’s single.

Which is ridiculous. This man is more than a decade older than me, and why in the world would a man like him be single?

He has to have a gorgeous wife and beautiful children, and a happy American dream life.

The hyper focus I’m experiencing and placing on Jace helps me block out everything around me, and I’m okay with it.

Because with plummeting death to my left, raging inferno to my right, and the death-defying machine above us, Jace is a much better focus.

Who cares if I picture myself as the wife and the mother of his children?

This is something far better to think about.

He tugs on the harness around me, and I lose my balance, falling into him. “Sorry.”

He smiles. “You’re going to be fine. I’ll be with you for every second.” He straps himself into a harness and clips us together.

The fantasies of a life with Jace splinter away as we get closer to the reality of the situation. We’re going to be suspended in the air while flying over the mountain and wildfire. I’m no action flick chick. I love rom-coms and tear-jerking dramas with happily ever afters.

Jace wraps his arms around me and speaks directly into my ear, since it’s loud. “You’re going to be fine. I promise. Just hold on tight to me.”

I nod, even though my eyes have to be wide with panic, and I gaze at him with trepidation.

“I got you, Trouble. You’re safe with me.”

I gulp and let off another series of coughs. He runs his hands on my back as I try to clear my lungs. Once I’ve settled a bit, I let him know I’m ready.

“Let’s do this then.” He bends his knees and makes himself eye level with me. “Now wrap your legs around my waist.”

“What?”

“Come on, jump up and hold on to me like a monkey.”

A massive heat wave of lust rolls through my body.

Holding onto him like a monkey isn’t what I have in mind.

Surrounding him has my pulse racing. But before I question things further, I do what he says, because he’s the professional and our lives are on the line.

I jump up, and he holds me like I weigh nothing.

Insane.

Sure, the man is massive himself, but with everything we’ve been through, I’d think his muscles were straining. Not to mention the work he must’ve done before he came searching for me.

“Let’s get off this mountain, huh?” He yells.

I yell back. “Yes. Please!”

He tugs on the line three times, and in a second, my throat drops into my stomach as the ground beneath us gets smaller.

I slam my eyes shut and wrap my arms tighter around Jace’s neck as I bury my face against his.

His face rubs against mine, and his lips are right on my earlobe, causing me to shiver.

“You’re doing great.”

The fear of this stunt grips tightly and I can’t say a single word. I can only hold on tight and pray.

“Okay, Bradley is going to reach out for you. I want you to grab his hand.” Jace shouts.

I open my eyes and stifle a scream as the fire takes over a massive chunk of the mountain behind Jace.

All beneath us are miles of trees, and everywhere else is air.

I’m flying above the mountain with nothing but a harness and Jace to cling to.

What the hell?

“Trouble, grab Bradley’s hand.” He lifts his eyes, and I realize we’re at the feet of the helicopter, if that is what they’re even called. A man rests one foot on the bottom, as he leans down, holding onto an extended bar above him, his other hand reaching for me.

Knowing I need to do this and not wanting to put more strain on Jace, I stretch for the other man’s hand but miss it.

“That’s okay, try again,” Jace says.

I do, and this time, Bradley grabs my wrist and pulls me closer to him.

I squeal as I let go of the other arm around Jace and grasp the one hand Bradley has on me.

Jace’s hands are pushing on my ass, getting me closer to Bradley, and I’m able to get my feet on the legs of the helicopter.

Bradley lifts my hands to the outstretched bar and guides me into the helicopter.

He points to the other side of the helicopter, where the door is closed, and turns back to Jace. But I already see Jace climbing in.

Once he’s inside, Bradley does some maneuvering and gets the door closed. Jace moves over to me and puts headphones on both of us. He speaks, and his rich voice is clear through the gear.

“You did so good, Trouble. Are you okay?”

I nod a couple of times and then shake my head no before falling into Jace. He hugs me close. “You’re safe.” He rubs his hands down my back again, and chills seize me.

“Thanks for getting us out of there, guys.”

“Glad to see you’re safe. But do me a favor, don’t do that again,” Bradley says.

“Seriously? Do you always have to be the hero? I mean, come on, you were cutting it close.” The other guy must be Coop, the pilot.

Jace chuckles.

“How’s she doing?” Bradley comes over with a first aid kit, and I realize how I’m hanging onto Jace, and get embarrassed. I sit up and give him an awkward smile of thanks. He lifts his brow and tips his head to the side as he’s trying to piece something together.

Before either of us can answer him, he has an oxygen mask going over my mouth and nose, and I suck it all in as best as I can. My chest hurts like no other, and I continue to cough into the mask.

Bradley and Jace share a concerned gaze at each other, but both turn to me and smile like everything is fine when it’s obvious something isn’t.

“We’re only a few minutes out from the post. An ambulance is there waiting to take her to the hospital.”

This is all great news, and I’m happy to hear it, but is it crazy that it makes me a little sad knowing I won’t ever see Jace again? It stings in such a way that it hurts deeper than watching my ex with the other woman. This is crazy, and I have no way of explaining it, but it’s there.

We stare at each other, and I don’t know about him, but I’m learning every one of his features.

His bright blue eyes, black short hair, and a five o’clock shadow that is more like ten o’clock.

He has soot all over, and sweat streaks down his face, creating a dirty appeal that makes him embody the hero aesthetic.

I’m soaking it all in, because I’m going to be imagining this face for a long time, and I want to make sure I get it right.

“Close your eyes and get some rest, Trouble. You need it.” His voice is edgier than it’s been before, and it’s sexy, but it hurts a little because it doesn’t sound the nicest. I wish I knew him better so I could gauge the meaning behind it, because nobody will ever be able to tell me this isn’t the sweetest man ever. He just might have a hard shell.

Sighing, I continue to inhale the oxygen and lean my head back because he’s right. I’m exhausted. Since meeting him, I’ve been running on pure adrenaline, and every inch of my body aches or hurts. The crash is going to hit hard and fast, and I can already sense it coming over me.

Resting proves to be difficult as I continue to cough, but I try. It also doesn’t help that I can't get comfortable in the helicopter. Nothing on this thing is made to do anything but transport people and rescue them. It’s made to fit as many people as possible, but I’m not complaining.

The whopping sound of the blades becomes soothing and helps me to focus on something more relaxing than life-changing heroics or a hot-as-sin firefighter who is raising my blood pressure just by being sexy.

Several minutes later, the pilot says, “We’re getting ready to land.”

I open my eyes and find Jace sitting across from me, watching me, and I blush.

Not realizing he moved and how revolting I must appear to be right now.

I turn to the window and watch as we drop lower and lower.

Several canopies are all around the area.

Slews of people are running around, working to make sure all the firefighters are supplied with essentials, animals are being tended to, and food and supplies are given out.

It’s one huge operation, looking well-maintained.

The helicopter lands, and I let out a sigh of relief. There’s a group of EMTs running to the helicopter, and Jace takes all the equipment off me. Bradley opens the door while the pilot talks into his radio.

Jace and I stare at each other once more, and we’re both taking last second we have to appraise each other.

I open my mouth to say something, but before I can, another man and woman step in with an emergency kit and start asking me a million questions about how I’m feeling and what needs to be looked over.

Jace moves to the side, and my shoulders slump as he names off everything they need to check me over for, and what to tell the doctor.

It’s fast and chaotic, then before I know it, I’m on a stretcher, and Jace walks me to the ambulance.

He holds my hand, and I want to cry because this is our goodbye.

I mouth to him, ‘thank you’, and he mouths back, ‘you’re welcome’ and gives me a hundred-watt smile that makes my heart want to leap out of my chest.

“Oh my God, Larissa. Larissa!” Someone is screaming my name, and it jars enough to distract me. I turn to find two of my friends running toward me. I frown when I notice there are only two. Where’s Beth?

The EMTs load me into the ambulance, while my friends apologize and tell me they love me.

They will follow me to the hospital. Selfishly, I peer beyond them for one last glimpse of my hero, but he’s already walking away, talking to a few very important-looking people.

My energy drops. The ambulance door closes, and I drop my head onto the pillow on the stretcher and close my eyes. I’m exhausted and sad.