Fire

“Keep a close eye on the target area and ten yards beyond.Sparks can jump over our ditches with this low humidity.Eyes moving constantly,watch the ground,the trees,your team.Any questions?”Sandy Richter looked over the crew.

A half dozen Fire Academy trainees stood in a half-circle around the picnic table.Two women,four men,all around twenty.Firefighting was a youngster’s game;he didn’t see Academy troops his age schlepping hoses and carrying seventy pounds of gear.

An early December sun slanted through the Florida scrub oak andpine trees.A hawk cruised overhead and Sandy saw it settle on abranch,fluffing its wings in a swath of brown,red,and cream.

Cheryl raised her hand.“The cool front is on its way.How muchwill that drop the humidity?”

“Good question,”Sandy said.“Weather conditions for tomorrow are favorable.There might be brief showers tonight.It should drop the temps by about fifteen degrees so that will make working easier.And the humidity dropping?We’ll have the fire hot enough to take out the vegetation we want it to.”

Sandy heard a car door slam and the crunch of footsteps from theparking lot behind him.Probably Captain Stewart,coming to review the troops.Cheryl’s eyes widened and the troops’gaze eased away from Sandy.Odd.Maybe the Captain had brought one of his Rottweilers with him.Sandy continued.“I know you guys are training for the real deal but this is just as serious as a house fire in town.Even a controlled burn is a burn,and fire has a way of sneaking up on you.”

Sandy stepped behind the picnic table and gathered his papers.His quick sideways glance turned into a long look.

It wasn’t pear-shaped Captain Stewart leaning against an old Altima.Instead,a tall man wearing an Indianapolis Colts baseball cap.His broad chest stretched a basic white T-shirt and loose jeans eased down straight hips,long legs crossed.

What a hunk.

Probably just a lost camper.Sandy forced himself to focus.“I’ll be with you in a minute,sir.”

He turned back to his students.“All right,then.You’ll be paper tested after the exercise tomorrow,and the Captain and Iwill be reviewing your field techniques.So be ready.”Why didthat guy look so familiar?Beyond the buff bouncer-dude look,what was it that niggled at him?

One of the students piped up.“Full gear tomorrow?”

“Tanks,masks,asbestos.It’s probably not necessary for this small burn but you all need the practice.Plus,it’s good exercise.Burns off those Dairy Queen calories.”Sandy smiledand the crew laughed.

Sandy snapped his fingers to get their attention again.He raised his right arm,the short sleeved shirt revealing his scarred limb,his fused pinky and ring fingers,the lumps and keloids on his burned flesh.“Always take fire seriously.I sure do.”

His right arm,scarred,twisted.Uncovered as he stood naked infront of…

“Do you feel this?”A broad chest against his own,their bellies rubbing,cocks hard between them.

Is that…Tanner?

“That’s all,team.Report back here at ten hundred.”Sandy nodded,his throat tight,his belly tighter.

The group broke and headed towards their trucks.Sandy concentrated on the fluttering papers on the table.The rough wood snagged at his folder,the papers dropped onto the dirt,and Sandy swore as he bent down.Flustered.

A caramel-skinned forearm came into Sandy’s view,grabbing atthe papers.A prison-blue tattoo of barbed wire circled the wrist.

Sandy kept his head down for a second,then let his gaze wander to the thick shoulders,that bull neck,the unhandsome face.The two men stared at each other as blue jays screeched in the pine trees.

“Tanner,is that you?”

Tanner grinned.“I was hoping you’d be here.”His deep voicesent a delicious tingle along Sandy’s spine.That voice,saying those words,the storm dark around them,the night…

“How did you find me?”Stupid question.Who the hell cared?

“I know how to use a state parks website.”

Tanner had five inches on Sandy and forty pounds.Forty good pounds.Sandy looked over the other man’s chest—hours on a weight bench clear—legs and arms,back up to Tanner’s face with its full lips and sultry eyes.

Tanner accepted his gaze,his mouth turned,looking amused.“You checking me out?”

“Like a library book.”

“I’ll have to see your card,sir.”Tanner stepped closer,his body heat warming Sandy’s chest.“Do you have it in your wallet?Here?”Tanner’s hands fumbled at Sandy’s uniform khakis,broad fingers stroking across the front,feeling for Sandy’s cock.

Sandy had a split second vision of pushing Tanner back onto the table,fucking him in the afternoon’s cool sun,the table squeaking as they rocked away,Tanner’s long legs wrapped around Sandy’s hips.

Bad idea.Captain Stewart was due to visit this afternoon.

Sandy grabbed Tanner’s hand.“My boss is driving down for ourmonthly meeting.”Sandy’s fingers clasped around Tanner’s wrist.“Can you hang out?‘Til later?”

“Sure.”Tanner stayed close,though;Sandy smelled his skin.Tanner’s gaze held his,brown eyes deep and warmer somehow than the cold glint they had held three years earlier when they’d first met.

He’s lost his prisoner’s eyes.

A Florida Parks Department Suburban rolled into the parking lot.Sandy stepped back from Tanner.“Speak of the devil.Captain Stewart.”

Tanner gave back the manila folder.“Should I just walk some of the trails in the park?”

“No,go to my place.Back to the entrance booth,take the second right and follow that road to the trailer.It’s open.”

“Okay to shower?”

“Sure.Help yourself to the kitchen,too.”

Stewart heaved his bulk out of the truck,stopped and lit a cigarette.

Sandy kept his voice low.“We should be done around four.I’ll be home as quick as I can.”

“You do that.I’ll be waiting for you.”Tanner’s gaze was direct,hot.

Sandy’s chest and neck flushed.

****

At 4:50,Stewart finally shuffled his papers into his briefcase,shook Sandy’s hand,and the excruciating meeting was adjourned.Stewart’s agenda was hand-written on a McDonald’s napkin.

Cross-training with the county park service on bat nest boxes.

Maybe he’ll be stretched across the bed,ready for me when I walk in.

The upcoming departmental holiday party.

Tanner showering,water down his broad chest,his belly button,lower…

The January board meeting:Stewart wanted visitor figures and public contact reports.

Tanner propped against the headboard,Sandy straddling his chest..

Sandy drove the speed limit through the park.A trio of foxes—a mother and two kits—trotted across the road in front of him,their umber coats gleaming.Sandy stopped at the rangerstation up front,engine running.Darlene was just locking the doors.“I’ve got Girl Scouts tonight,”she reminded him.“You’ll do the front gates at six,right?”

“Sure thing.See you tomorrow.”

When he came around the curve into his drive,his mood dropped.Tanner’s Altima was nowhere to be seen.

Shit.Too good to be true.

But then a shadow from beyond the screen door moved and Tanner stepped onto the porch:bare-chested,a towel around his waist and holding Marty.The black and white cat squirmed in Tanner’s grasp and jumped down the steps to greet Sandy.

“Making me wait,”Tanner called.

“I thought the meeting would never end!”Sandy zipped up the stairs,Marty bounding beside him.Sandy stepped into the dimness of his cabin,and then Tanner grabbed him,slammed him against the wall,bruise hard,popping off the tan uniform likeit was paper.Tanner pressed against him,mouth easing over Sandy’s short hair.

They groaned together.