Page 90 of Wild Fires

“I didn't mean it like that,” Andrew protested. “I just know how dedicated you are here and how dedicated he is to his job. For both of you, it's your entire lives, so where do you fit in together?”

“It's called evolving and growing,” Dan said. “Something Andrew clearly knows nothing about.”

We all cracked up laughing.

“Nah, don’t get me wrong. I like Ryan. He's like a brother, we're family.”

“Family?” Guffy asked.

“That's taking it a bit far, don't you think?” Rodney joined in.

“Have you even met Ryan? I mean really. Elias sure, but the rest of the Davenports?” Dan teased.

“They have family game night every week,” Big Dick surprised us by saying. “Ryan doesn't always make it, but most of the time. Right, Andrew?”

“Exactly. It's always been Dad's thing, but turns out he grew up with their mom and she's just as crazy competitive as Dad. So his parents and Dad banded together to declare family game night. We all get together, order pizza, and play board games once a week—including Mr. Mayor.”

I didn't know that. He hadn't been to a game night since we met, at least not that I was aware of, and last week we'd been pretty inseparable.

I flushed at the memories of all the times and ways we'd made love. I missed the sex. No, I missed Ryan. I craved my mate in what was probably an unhealthy way sure to get my heart trampled on once more. Because Andrew was right. We didn't make sense.

The adrenaline of the fire was waning as we pulled into the station and got out to tend to the truck and our gear.

After I'd left Ryan at the high school and stubbornly flown away while my raven demanded we go back to him, I'd come to the station for fresh clothes and another suit. It had been empty and lonely at the time, but now it was brimming with excitement and silly antics as we teased and played as much as we worked.

When the job was done, I was the first to rush to the bathroom. I desperately needed a shower. But I'd thought about Ryan being naked and the images were still playing out in my mind.

The smart thing would have been to go home. We shared a communal bathroom, and while the shower stalls were individuals, it wasn't the type of place I was going to touch myself and give some relief to the physical sensations even thinking about Ryan seemed to cause. That would have to be reserved for later.

As I was stepping out, the alarm went off.

I groaned. I was past the point of exhaustion and ready for some downtime. Plus, I knew I needed to really talk with Ryan once and for all.

But all that would have to wait.

I dressed quickly and ran to the bay.

“Seven fires,” Clarence was saying. “We're not staffed to fight so many at once.”

A dispatcher was on the radio. “Make that ten. Three more were just reported. They're all over town, sir.”

“We're going to have to divide and conquer quickly. These are small but we don’t want to risk any getting out of control.”

We were issued assignments. All units were brought back in as well as some of the volunteers. Andrew and I were paired together this time.

We took his truck with as many supplies as possible because we didn't have enough fire trucks to support ten different locations. Our fire was back at the cliffs, the one that had started me to begin thinking we were having a serial problem. It felt a bit like déjà vu driving up to it.

“What the hell is going on around here?” Andrew asked.

But I was too shook up as I stood there staring down at what I had to believe was now his calling card. A black feather lay on the ground with the match right on top of it this time.

“It's our arsonist. I think he's actually trying to burn Ravenden down. The forest fire didn't do it, so he's upping his game.”

While Andrew used his own water powers to douse the small fire, I grabbed my phone and called Ryan.

“Ryan Davenport.”

“Ryan, it's Gracie.”