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

left his heart behind in her grasp.
    Judging by tonight, he still had the ability to lose a little more of himself every time he got near her. By the end of the summer, he might not have anything left.
    She simply didn’t get it. Of course Jock didn’t want her to jump—and it only got worse after their near-death fight on the Porcupine River basin.
    Sometimes, in the subsequent years, listening to the stories of her so-called bravery, jumping into fires under conditions that a sane man would run from, Jed went somewhere private and lost it.
    Simply sank down, his head between his knees, a hand on a garbage can, a cold sweat shaking through him.
    Then he’d drive up to Jock’s place to find the man staring glassy-eyed at the stars, going through his own personal trial and execution.
    A part of Jed truly believed that deep down inside, Kate had a death wish. And for that, yes, he wanted to reach out and shake her, good.
    Or just pull her to himself and never let go.
    Probably what he should have done seven years ago instead of shoving her out of his life.
    Coward, indeed.
    Jed pulled into the gravel drive, parked the bike, and climbed off. The tiny three-bedroom, ranch-style house, a log cabin once upon a time provided by the Forest Service, sat only a half block from the fire base, facing the runway.
    If he turned, he could spot Jock’s silver Airstream a half mile away on the cliff overlooking the base, watch the lights wink out or blaze into the night, a come-hither beacon.
    Not for him.
    He pocketed the keys, headed up the driveway. Clearly his roommate, Reuben had returned. With company. Conner’s black Ford 150 sat next to Reuben’s Silverado.
    The absence of Pete’s Charger only slightly niggled at him.
    “You know, Pete Brooks said that he was in love with me.”
    He strode up the walk and banged open his door a little harder than he intended.
    Stifled a curse.
    Reuben and Conner stood in the middle of his living room—his empty living room—holding his Wii controllers like golf clubs. A game of Wii Sports-Golf flashed on his new flat screen.
    His other furniture, however, hadn’t simply been pushed out of the way. Oh no, like a good hand-crew, Conner and Rube had completely emptied the room of anything that could cause trouble, like they might if they were digging a fire line right down to the mineral soil.
    “Where is my sofa?” Jed asked just as Reuben took his swing.
    “Ah! Crap. It went wide.” He turned to Jed. “Really? Don’t you know the rules of golf? No talking while someone is taking a shot.”
    Jed glared at the six-foot-two bull rider. “My end table? My coffee table? My recliner?”
    Conner slid off his perch on the dining room table, stepped up for his swing. “We moved them.”
    “I see that. Where?”
    “Pete’s room. They’re stacked on his bed.”
    “Stacked...”
    Conner lifted a shoulder, along with the hint of a grin. “His fault for trying to come onto Gilly tonight.” He glanced at Reuben who nodded, didn’t smile.
    Ah. Right. Still...
    Jed turned, walked down the hall past Reuben’s room to Pete’s, the larger one with the king bed. Sure enough—the sofa, recliner, and coffee table lay on the bed, as if exhausted from their labor in the family room. The end table perched on Pete’s dresser.
    Jed stood there, picturing the ensuing battle between Pete and Reuben. “I’m not amused!”
    Nothing.
    He returned to the family room where Reuben stepped up for his next shot, his stance wide, holding the controller like a driver.
    Jed leaned on the door frame, shook his head. “Tell me again why I agreed to rent you a room?”
    Reuben looked up, glanced at Jed, raised an eyebrow. “Quiet on the green.”
    Jed launched himself at him.
    Reuben’s shot went off the screen as he threw up a hand to ward off Jed’s tackle.
    They landed with a thump near the dining room table. Conner moved out of the way, watching.
    “Yo! Bro—!” Reuben hooked his leg around Jed’s