They stood together as one in the rain. All thoughts of leaving, now or in the future, vanished from his mind.
He didn't know how long they stood there.
The people of Cedar Springs began to trickle back slowly, one by one, to watch as the rain put out the fire and washed the air clean.
Epilogue
LANA
”Lana?" Sookie leaned in over her shoulder. Lana could see her scrunched face reflected in the mirror as she analyzed the contents scattered across the vanity. "Can I borrow your lipstick? That one, there?"
Lana smiled. "Of course." She handed her soon-to-be sister-in-law the coral red tube.
"Thanks." Sookie withdrew like a furtive raccoon. Lana wanted to laugh at the other woman's behavior. Of course, she knew Sookie was almost a complete stranger to using makeup; that was partly why Lana had bought so much to choose from in the first place.
But maybe the raccoon comparison was unfair. Sookie looked radiant in her taffeta wedding dress; her dark hair was pulled back and pinned with gorgeous off-white lilies. Admittedly, she had looked like she was sporting two black eyes when she’d showed up to the wedding venue, until Lana gently dabbed away her overshadowed lids and helped her reapply a more flattering shade.
Alex leaned over from her own vanity. "Oh, Sookie, I don't know about that one." Alex was draped in an A-line gown a shade lighter—and several inches longer—than Sookie's.
"It's the one Lana used. It looks fine on her!"
Lana grinned and decided to stay out of this one for now. She enjoyed sitting back to watch her two best friends argue and waiting to lend a hand with putting the finishing touches on their makeup if required.
A year after the fire, and it was their wedding day. The three friends had agreed to be married on the exact anniversary of the wildfire being extinguished, and all three of their firefighting fiancés had agreed there would be no date more fitting.
And speaking of fiancés . . .
Lana glanced at the clock. "Come on, you two. Time to go. No sense in keeping the menfolk waiting." Lana dragged them both out of their chairs. They paused for only a moment, standing together, to admire the gradation of their gowns in the mirror. Lana, on the end, and getting married last in today's ceremony, was dressed in traditional white.
The three brides filed out of the tent and into the open summer air. A gorgeous yellow sun streamed down, and the blue sky was unmarred by haze or clouds. I almost wish it would storm, Lana mused, but pushed the thought quickly from her mind before it could become a reality. A summer rain would really drive home the memory of the date's significance, but it would get everything soaking wet as well.
And Sookie spent so long trying to perfect her makeup, and it would be a total waste, Lana thought as she glanced sideways, but it was already too late. Her future sister-in-law was already crying silently, her eyes fixed straight ahead. On her other side, Lana heard Alex choke a little. She watched as the nurse brushed, needlessly, at her already impeccable blonde locks.
Lana looked, and finally saw what they were seeing. Up ahead, the three grooms were ranged along the steps of the platform that had been brought into the park for their wedding. Behind them, the burned foliage was already starting to regrow. It was one reason they had chosen this spot in the park for their ceremony.
Lana's eyes locked with Hank's, and they barely looked away from one another. Even as Sookie and Chase stepped together, even as Landon and Alex traded rings and linked hands . . . Lana knew that all the while, her own moment crept closer to reality. Her heart beat like a wild bird in her chest. As Hank held his hand out to her, she lifted the hem of her dress a little higher and mounted the steps to join him.
The local fire chief presided over their vows. He spoke, but Lana barely heard him. Hank gazed into her eyes, and when the moment finally came, he gave her hands a gentle squeeze to let her know that they had arrived.
"I do." She could barely get the words out. Tears gushed down her face as she looked into Hank's eyes and saw that they were wet. It was the second time she had ever seen him cry.
"Then by the power vested in me by the State of California, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."
Hank swept her up in his arms, and Lana shared her first kiss with her husband. She heard the cheering of the guests only distantly. She lost herself in the strength and warmth of his arms, in the complete and utter perfection of the moment. It had been a rough road, finding their way back to each other . . . but she couldn't imagine a better finish.
They grabbed hands, both grinning from ear-to-ear, and ran back down the aisle as their friends and neighbors showered them with petals. Lana had never seen Hank Logan’s smile so big. She thought his joy was bright enough to blind them all.
And there was Dyna, already waiting for them, cradling their baby in her arms. Lana put her hands out, and the precious life traded hands from old friend to mother. "You're so good," Lana cooed as she rocked the baby back and forth. A few rose petals had landed on the blanket-bundled three-month-old; the boy struck out with a plump, pink hand, and Lana laughed gently as she brushed him clean again.
Hank bent, near enough to her ear that only she could hear him. "I think it's time we made another one. What do you think? Maybe a girl?"
Lana laughed and elbowed him playfully. "Take it easy there, Chief. How about we wait until this little guy is at least two. Let me catch my mommy breath, will you?"
Hank chuckled. "Deal. But just letting you know, I want at least five."
"Stop it!"
"You don't believe me?" His eyes smoldered with the look of intense, unrelenting love he reserved only for her. "Why don't you try me on our honeymoon? I intend to make up for lost time."
Lana tried to elbow him again, but he wedged her arm beneath his own. He drew their family into an embrace, and kissed her just above the baby's head.
Their baby, Michael, giggled.
End of Burning Flame
Californian Wildfire Fighters Book Three
PS: Do you love alpha males in uniform? Then keep reading for exclusive extracts from Ride with the SEAL.
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About Leslie
Leslie North is the USA Today Bestselling pen name for a critically-acclaimed author of women's contemporary romance and fiction. The anonymity gives her the perfect opportunity to paint with her full artistic palette, especially in the romance and erotic fantasy genres.
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BLURB
When ex-SEAL Camden Thursday enters the garage at two in the morning, he’s intent on grand theft auto. Instead he’s confronted with more than a hot car—there’s a sexy mechanic too. His high school crush, wrench in hand, projects a “Dangerous Curves Ahead” warning far more tempting than any joy ride, but Camden isn’t here to try the road less traveled. He’s here to jack a car and prove he can do more than manipulate computer code for the black ops service he works for: Norse Security. So while Camden is looking to get physical on this job, he was hoping for someone to punch, not someone to plunder...
Everly Knight is the baddest bad girl in town. As the daughter of a mobster and a name in the auto industry for hot cars, she could rest on her laurels and let her reputation proceed her. However, Everly has a deep dark secret: she wants nothing more than a shiny, new, legal garage all of her own. She’s just a few thousand away from cashing in and figures that one last illegal car theft coul
d finance her legal dreams. That is until the geek from her past shows up as a hunky hero; letting Everly see that it’s possible to become more than just a tough girl.
Camden may be all muscle, but it’s Everly who can stall the entire operation. She holds him hostage and offers an ultimatum: Take her on the ride or find himself a sitting duck for the mob. It’s not a hard choice when the bombshell revs his engine. But with warring goals and secret missions, they’ll find themselves fighting for their futures and racing toward a love they never saw coming.
Grab your copy of Ride With The SEAL (Norse Security Book One) from
www.LeslieNorthBooks.com
* * *
SNEAK PEEK
CHAPTER 1
Camden Thursday was over-prepared, as usual.
Still, despite hours of memorizing code and enough binary hacks to make his eyeballs explode, nothing could have prepared him for what he was looking at now. Sure, he’d expected the tech in the Aeon Turbo G90 to be mind-blowingly impressive—given it was the most advanced vehicle on the roadways today and the federal government had the only prototype in the world. Or at least they had until the damned thing had been stolen and ended up here at Knight’s Body and Repair—quite possibly the seediest garage in Washington, D.C. What he hadn’t expected, however, was the female mechanic apparently trying to hijack the thing out from under his nose at two in the morning.
Luckily, Cam wasn’t just a computer whiz Brainiac—as the other guys at Norse Security seemed to think. He was also a former Navy SEAL with the brawn and physical training to handle any situation. Breaking himself out of that geek hacker box they’d put him in was the main reason why he was here. Well, that and this was his first mission for his new employer, a chance to prove to himself and the other guys he was just as GI Joe as the rest of them, that he was more than the resident “tech guy” on their team, more than a brain on legs.
Silently, he waited until the woman was busy fiddling with something under the vehicle’s hood, then crept over to grab her from behind in a bear hold, preventing her from using that nasty looking wrench in her hand on his skull.
“What the fuck?” she gasped, struggling to escape from his hold. “Let me go!”
He managed to corral her kicking legs between his own muscled thighs and pinned her against the car, holding both the woman’s wrists behind her back in one hand while reaching for her utility light with the other. Cam aimed the light at her face to see her better and—
Holy shit!
Of all the people to run into tonight, it would have to be his high school crush.
Everly Knight still looked as beautiful as he remembered—all long, thick dark hair and big, brown doe eyes. She seemed to recognize him too, if her disdainful once-over was any indication. That surprised Cam, since he looked a lot different than he had twelve years ago. Adding one hundred pounds of new muscle would do that to a guy.
“Well, if it isn’t Geek Squad. All grown up and looking for trouble,” she said, her gaze narrowing. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“The name’s Camden. Camden Thursday.” He stared down at her, noticing a slight bump on the bridge of her nose that hadn’t been there before, like maybe she’d been in a fight or broken it. He frowned. “And I can ask you the same thing. This doesn’t belong to you.”
“Not yours either.” She squirmed against him and damn if it didn’t set off an array of interesting sparks through his bloodstream. He’d been without a woman for too long, that had to be it. The last thing he needed right know was to starting thinking with his cock instead of his brain. He was more than capable of handling a mission on his own, same as Kevin and Hunter. And he wouldn’t prove his point by screwing an old flame. Even if she’d been up for it, which judging from the glare she was shooting him right now, she wasn’t.
Cam took the wrench from her hand, just in case she got any ideas about whacking him with it, then released her. He stepped back but still kept a wary eye on Everly. From her grease stained jeans and rumpled black T-shirt, it was pretty apparent she’d been working on the Aeon, but why? There’d been nothing wrong with it when it was stolen. At least that’s what he’d been told. “What do you want with that car?”
“What do you want with it?” she countered, crossing her arms over her chest and highlighting her magnificent rack.
“You gonna answer all my questions with more questions?” Cam slapped her wrench against his palm, hoping to dispel some of his nervous energy. “It’s two in the damned morning.”
“Maybe.” She picked up a nearby rag and wiped her hands. “And thanks for update.”
Cam exhaled slow and prayed for patience. They’d grown up in the same tough neighborhood, both from the wrong side of the tracks. Her dad had owned this auto body shop back then too, Cam remembered. Rumor had it he had ties to the mob and they ran a chop shop on the side out of this hole in the wall garage. Cam glanced around the grungy place, through the stacks of ragged tires and used vehicle parts scattered about and noticed the crooked, rusted metal sign tacked to the wall proclaiming “Knight’s Body and Repair. We pay for scrap metal.”
He’d bet good money they were still in the “salvage” business now, if Everly’s peeved glare was any indication. She gave a dismissive sigh then tossed her towel aside and went back to poking around under the hood of the Aeon. Was she stripping it for parts already? He couldn’t let that happen. Norse Security’s contract with the feds was for the car returned intact and in good working order. And with the software working, of course. For that’s where the Aeon’s real value was—the high-tech computer chips inside the car. Which made this the perfect mission for Cam.
“Funny seeing you again after all these years?” Everly said, her tone as flat as her stare.
“Hmm.” Cam set the thick, steel wrench aside and determinedly kept his gaze from roaming over Everly’s well-formed ass sticking out from beneath the hood as she worked. What he needed to concentrate on was getting inside the car and driving it the hell out of here, but he couldn’t do that with Everly tinkering around under the hood. There had to be a way to get her to move. And if there wasn’t, then dammit, he’d move her. He wasn’t a man who typically got handsy with women, unless they specifically asked him to. His momma, single and poor as she’d been, had still raised him right. But Cam was on a tight schedule and Everly seemed in no hurry whatsoever to finish up whatever the fuck she was doing with the Aeon’s engine. It occurred to him that she was stalling for time, same as him, and that if this place was a front for the mob and she was after this stolen vehicle too, then most likely she wouldn’t let him take it without a fight.
He looked around again, wondered how long it would be until the mob showed up to claim their prize. Not long, he guessed, based on the fact the car was sitting out in the open with no attempt to hide it. Best to make his move fast.
Cam’s gaze darted back to the hood and he found Everly watching him now too, the gleam in her dark eyes calculating, whip smart. He remembered that about her too. He’d always been a sucker for intelligent women.
In the end, they both made a dash for the drivers’ side door handle at the same time, then wrestled awkwardly to get into the vehicle. So much for avoiding confrontation. Once the door was open, they battled to claim the drivers’ seat. Somehow, Cam managed to beat her into it, but that didn’t stop Everly from sitting down on top of him, right in his goddamned lap.
Man, good thing the guys couldn’t see him now. Getting turned on by a squirming suspect trying to jack him out of his mission goal. No way would Everly get this car.
No. Fucking. Way.
And yeah, maybe she did feel good, her sweet curves rubbing against him in all the right places. Didn’t mean he was giving up this fight anytime soon. Hell, no. He was a SEAL for fuck’s sake. He’d trained to endure the harshest torture, the most brutal conditions. Bumping and grinding against Everly Knight in a stolen, top-secret vehicle was a walk in the park compared to that shit. Nothing on ea
rth would keep him from getting this vehicle under his control and getting it back to the Norse Security Offices as soon as possible. And no one—not God, and certainly not beautiful, bewildering Everly Knight—was going to stop him.
Cam wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned forward to hiss in her ear. “You trying to drive this car or ride me ‘til I cum, sweetness?”
She gave an angry snarl. “Get your fucking hands off me and get out of my car!”
“Your car?” He snorted. “Last time I checked, this vehicle wasn’t registered to you. It’s the property of the United States of America.”
“Yeah? Well, that means it isn’t yours either.” Everly dug her nails into his forearm, teeth bared, and Cam growled. “I’m not going anywhere,” she said. “And I wouldn’t sleep with you if you were the last man on earth, asshole.”
“Want to bet?”
They wrestled some more until it started feeling way too good and Cam’s body reacted in kind. Everly too seemed to be breathing a bit harder than before and her skin looked flushed. Cam rested his forehead against her back and caught her scent—cinnamon and vanilla and a hint of motor oil. She stopped struggling for a moment. He smiled and took advantage, giving Everly one last hard shove and managed to push her out the door before he slammed it shut behind her. The locks slid into place with a satisfying click.
Cam took a moment to gloat as a stunned Everly wheeled around to face him. He had to admit the air tight seals on the vehicle were excellent. He couldn’t hear a single one of the furious curses she was hurling his way, though her furious expression and obscene finger gestures were easy to interpret. Cam just grinned then focused on studying the electronic control panels lighting up the dashboard.
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