Page 26 of Smokin’ Situation (Masked Men of Sage Springs #3)

Tristan

Sweat rolled down my temples, my muscles burning as I repeatedly swung the axe into the stump of the tree they’d just felled along the edge of the river. I hated we were having to destroy so much of the tree line, but we needed to remove the fuel source so it couldn’t spread past this point.

At least the wind wasn’t working against us, although it just made the sweltering heat that much more unbearable. We were all drenched with sweat as the sun rose, my long-sleeved soaked, but it was staying on because it’d keep me safe from the inferno burning in the not-so-distant tree line.

The Chief hadn’t protested me joining the ground crew, assigning me a few less experienced firefighters and letting me guide them through setting up the firebreak.

Most of them were trained for situations like this, but there was a big difference between simulation training and having to execute it outside of a controlled environment.

As far as I knew, there hadn’t been a fire like this in years anywhere near Sage Springs.

“Harding! Take a break!” The sound of the Chief’s voice from behind me was almost a relief, and I stood upright, arching my back to relieve the pressure that had been building.

This part of the job was grueling work, but there was something satisfying about harnessing the destruction of nature and stopping it in its tracks.

Fire wasn’t inherently bad for these ecosystems, often necessary for maintaining a healthy forest by purging the decay and unhealthy waste in the underbrush, but it could quickly become a destructive force that took out anything in its path .

While I’d been cleared medically for over a month, today was the first time I’d done anything truly strenuous. My skin felt tight, the sites of my grafts aching at the abuse. I knew my muscles would be sore, but it felt good to do something useful again.

Jogging back toward the supply truck, I guzzled the bottle of water that’d been shoved into my outside pocket.

It was hard to stay hydrated out here, but we all knew the consequences if we didn’t.

And we definitely didn’t need anyone passing out from dehydration like my girlfriend had a few days ago.

Fuck. I’d just thought of Rhey as my girlfriend.

It’d been a long fucking time since I had one of those, but I didn’t hate the idea.

In fact, it sounded pretty damn good. Maybe coming back home would be good for me in the long run.

For once, I looked forward to finding my way back into the community with a beautiful, supportive woman by my side.

We still had a lot to learn about each other, but I was willing to put in the hard work.

“Meal break,” Chief grunted, shoving a paper bag with the logo of a local barbecue restaurant into my hands once I was at his side.

“Thanks, appreciate it, Chief,” I sighed, peeking at the contents. The smell of savory roasted meat had my stomach growling, and I hoped the foil wrapped sandwich inside was one of their pulled pork sandwiches.

That was another thing about doing work like this in a small town, everyone wanted to help in some way.

Communities like this really came together and pitched in wherever they could when tragedy struck.

A warm, hearty meal was hands down much better than the prepackaged meals that the forestry service tried to convince us were nutritious when we were out in the field.

Mostly in situations like this one, I’d survive on protein shakes and power bars for days on end.

Chief Wilson patted the tailgate of the truck he was perched on, inviting me to join him.

“I know I’ve been tough on you since you started, Tristan, but I appreciate the way you’ve stepped up and done what you were asked without complaining. It takes a lot of character to take a demotion like this and still be respectful of the chain of command.”

“Of course, I know I need to prove myself to earn a spot. I never wanted you to just hand me a job,” I replied, holding back a groan as I unwrapped my sandwich. My eyes rolled back in my head when I took a bite, and the Chief laughed while I chewed.

“I know you’ve got years of experience on some of my guys, but I also know what kind of mental toll an injury like yours can take on a person.” I wasn’t sure what to say, so I nodded, feeling like he wasn’t done talking. “You’ve proven to me this week that you’re not ego-driven and I respect that.”

“Thank you, sir. That means a lot.”

He reached up, lightly squeezing my shoulder. “And while I was about to chew your ass out for that little stunt on horseback you pulled, I knew you wouldn’t have volunteered if you questioned your ability to respond to a situation like that.”

Biting my tongue, I refrained from telling him about the panic attack I’d had in the barn after I knew Rhey was safe. There were plenty of people I’d worked with before that had the occasional meltdown after a life-threatening situation. It didn’t mean you were weak; it meant you were human.

As long as you didn’t let yourself get caught up in that negative headspace, it happened from time to time. It was a natural response to the things we saw and did.

“Today, you’ve proven to me that your leadership skills are solid. You didn’t complain when I threw some inexperienced officers at you, and I’ve watched you working with them.”

I didn’t know where he was going with this, so I just patiently listened while he got to the point of pulling me aside.

“I want you to think about what you’d like your career to look like from now on. I’d like you to consider a position as a field training officer, if that’s something you’d be interested in.”

I’d been a training officer before, mentoring new jumpers in the specialist program.

It had been hard and rewarding work, but I wasn’t sure if that was what my future held.

It was a job that involved months of training, planning and mentoring before one of your trainees could go out on their own.

Building a relationship with a recruit was vital and time-consuming.

Looking around the field we were in, at the rolling hills south, to the barn in the distance where I knew Rhey was working hard inside right now, and I wasn’t sure what path to take.

Did I build a future that led back to me being a full-time firefighter?

Or did I stay on at the ranch and forge a fresh path?

“Don’t decide anything right now,” he said, patting my shoulder again before he pressed a bottle of electrolyte drink into my hand. “But the position is there if you want it. And we can even make it a contract position for when we get new officers if you’d like to stay on at the ranch.”

“I’m honored, really, Chief, but—”

He held up a hand, interrupting me. “I won’t take a no today. Sit with it for a while. The offer will still be there when you’re ready to decide.”

His words lingered long after I returned to my crew, well after we ran the burn line and put it out, hoping it’d be enough to stop the fire that’d slowed down significantly.

They were in the back of my mind as I helped pack the gear back into the department trucks and gathered my equipment and headed back to my truck.

The purpose in my career that had been illusive for months suddenly felt like it might spark back to life, but I still needed to think about what I really wanted in my future. And I knew one person who would help me gather my thoughts and talk through it without judgement.

With her in mind, I loaded my gear back into the truck bed and headed toward the lodge, breathing easier in more than one way as the smoke thinned out on my way to her.

Since Jay had offered to let me stay at his place while I was recovering, I’d never actually stayed at the lodge, my new place a short walk down a path behind the building, tucked into the forest. But that wasn’t where I wanted to go right now.

I needed to see her .

Feel her again.

Remind myself that my developing feelings weren’t crazy.

That it wasn’t insane to be half in love with a woman I’d known for a few days.

“She’s upstairs in 206.” Marty didn’t even look up from his seat at the reception desk, the grin on his face the only indicator that my situation was providing him with a certain amount of entertainment.

“Not sure if I should pretend I don’t know who you’re referring to, but I feel like you’re on to me, old man.”

“Not so old that I forgot what it was like to fall hard for a beautiful woman, Tristan. But my daughter will have words with you if you step out of line,” he warned, glancing up with an arched eyebrow.

“And I would not fuck with that girl if I were you. I made her and she still scares the shit outta me sometimes.”

“Noted,” I replied, fighting back a grin when he shook his head and returned his attention to the papers spread out across the desk.

I knew he was probably trying to figure out how this fire was going to affect the ranch, and I hoped I’d still have a job here once this was all over.

Because he was going to be missing at least a few weeks of tourist income because of the cancelations falling during our peak season.

I didn’t know Charley, since she was almost a decade younger than me, but from the brief impression I’d gotten when I’d left Rhey with her at the barn earlier, you could tell she cared about her friends.

“Nelly took up a tray of food earlier, but Annie was passed out cold when she checked on her. All the guests who hadn’t left yet checked out this morning, and bookings are light this week,” he said with a heavy sigh.

“If you’re hungry, the chef left some prepared meals in the staff refrigerator.

Anything else you need, I’m sure you can find it on your own.

I’ll probably head out in a bit, but the place is yours tonight. ”

Pulling off my dirty boots, I left them on a tray by the front doors, taking the steps two at a time until I reached the second floor.

The sun had dipped below the horizon, the back windows lit up in a kaleidoscope of oranges, pinks and purples, the peaks of the distant mountains barely visible above the haze of the lingering fire.

Soft snores greeted my ears as I slowly swung the door to suite 206 inward, the room cast in shadows. The curtains were still open, so her slight form curled up under the blankets wasn’t hard to make out, her chaotic hair fanning across the pillow she was half tucked around.

Watching her sleep, I wanted to do nothing more than climb into that big bed and curl myself around her, blocking out the rest of the world, but I smelled like sweat, sawdust and smoke, so I reluctantly made my way into the attached bathroom.

The scent of whatever shampoo she’d used in here while I was gone and something that was uniquely her lingered in the air. I closed my eyes, breathing it in before I tiredly stripped out of the rest of my clothing, my filthy, soot covered shirt and jeans discarded into the oversized bathtub.

Turning on the spray in the walk-in shower, I winced, pulling my hand back at the scalding temperature, knowing that’d have to be the first thing we addressed as a couple.

I couldn’t bathe in hellfire like she clearly could, so we’d have to come to a compromise, because after having a taste of a wet, soapy, pliable Rhey in the hot spring, I was not willing to give up shared bath time.

Visions of her in my much smaller shower in the cabin, our bodies pressed tightly together, sliding effortlessly as the soap bubbles multiplied between us, my lips on her neck and my hand in between her thighs had my cock thinking it was playtime again, rising to thoughts of her.

But I didn’t want to settle for an unsatisfying shower tug.

And when a warm body settled against my back, Rhey’s cheek pressed against my shoulders, her lips grazing the battered skin of my back, I knew I wouldn’t have to.