Read Online Where There's Smoke: inspirational romantic suspense (Montana Fire Book 1) by Susan May Warren - Free Book Online Page B

know, Pete Brooks said that he was in love with me. Maybe you need to head down to the Hotline, see if he’s still there. Maybe you can take him out back, work him over a little before he succumbs to my powers.”
    “Okay, that’s enough.” He came toward her, and she couldn’t help it.
    Her hand went up in a slap.
    He caught it before it hit his cheek but jerked back, his eyes hard. “What’s wrong with you?”
    She was shaking even as she ripped her hand from his grip. Didn’t apologize. Then, tightly, “I’m not to blame for your broken leg or the fact that you dropped out of smokejumping after Alaska. Or even the fact that you kissed me. I will, however, take the blame for calling you a coward. That one’s on me.”
    He flinched then, just slightly.
    “What you haven’t figured out yet is that you and Dad both failed. Epically. Because I’m one of the best smokejumpers you’ve ever met—”
    “I know.”
    “No, actually, you don’t. But you will. Oh, you will.” She walked past him, off the deck.
    When she didn’t hear movement, she turned. “I need to get my Jeep.”
    “Kate, don’t leave it like this. C’mon, let’s talk—”
    “We’re so done talking. I don’t know what I thought—maybe that bringing you up here and talking about Dad, we might find answers or something.” She gave a harsh laugh, and it threatened to rip away the fine veil of her control, push out the burn from her eyes. “Boy howdy, did we.”
    He came off the deck toward her, but she put up her hand. “You said it right, Jed. I promise to stay way, way out of your way.” She turned and stalked out to the bike. “By the way, you’d better keep your distance. I’d hate for my presence to make you lose control.”

    Jed watched Kate drive away in her lemon-toned, soft-top Jeep, dread lining his throat as a cloud of dust from the Hotline parking lot rose in her wake.
    Somehow he’d made it worse. When he’d told her about Jock and Jock sending him up to Alaska, he’d only meant for her to see how much the man loved her. After everything, he thought she needed that.
    He hadn’t meant to ignite her fury.
    You will. Oh, you will.
    Words to turn him cold, despite the heat slicking down his back. Kate trying to prove herself could only mean that this might be the summer her luck ran out.
    Right before his eyes.
    The Hotline still hosted a few late-night revelers, the music spilling out in the gravel drive. He had no desire to go back inside, his instincts confirming her words.
    There will be fire tonight.
    Indeed, the night had turned deadly, the crackle of lightning occasionally shattering the dark sky over the nearby rumple of mountains.
    He gunned his bike and pulled out onto the road, headed back to the ranch house he’d finally purchased just off base.
    He couldn’t believe she’d nearly slapped him.
    I can’t wait to find out what else you are going to protect me from.
    Maybe herself.
    The worst of it was, for the most part, she’d guessed correctly.
    The guilt he’d felt when he realized that he just might have ensured her fiery death on a mountain.
    He still couldn’t explain why he’d passed her that day.
    Or, later, why he’d muscled away the likes of her teammates, like Gus or Donut, for his right to dance with her.
    But the minute her arms curled around his neck, the minute she leaned her head against his chest, he stopped caring why he’d come to Alaska. He’d lost himself a little when she kissed him, tasting of french fries and the salty tang of her beer, and even that hadn’t warned him off or stopped him from kissing her back and surrendering without a thought to tomorrow.
    Who knows what might have happened when he dragged her outside of Grizzly’s that night if she hadn’t whispered Jock’s old nickname for him. I thought you’d never come around, Cubby.
    A jolt of reality. Jock’s voice ignited like a blaze in his head. He’d jerked away, disentangled himself, pretty sure he’d