www.millsandboon.co.uk

      To Barbara Zeiger.

       I was determined to give you a second firefighter to fall in love with, and here he is. Enjoy! With love and thanks, for the years of friendship.

      Contents

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Chapter Fourteen

      Chapter Fifteen

      Chapter Sixteen

      Epilogue

      Chapter One

      The woman sitting next to him clung to his hand as if she were afraid he would bolt. Her eyes were closed, and her lips moved in silent conversation. Long blond hair tumbled over her shoulders and brushed against their joined fingers.

      Jordan Haynes recognized the sights and smells of the hospital. He recognized that the faint blurring at the edges of his mind meant he’d been given a strong painkiller. But he didn’t recognize the woman. Still, it was damn nice of her to be so concerned, whoever she was.

      She dropped her head slightly, and her hair slipped onto his wrist. Cool silk, he thought, wishing he had the strength to raise his free hand and touch the pale strands. His arm felt as if it had been pinned down by an elephant, although he knew it was just weakness that made him unable to move. So instead of touching her hair, he turned his attention to her face.

      She had freckles across the tops of her cheeks and on her nose. Freckles. He grimaced. Her wide mouth tilted up at the corners. Except for the mascara darkening her lashes, she didn’t wear makeup. He would bet fifty bucks that her eyes were blue and that she’d been a cheerleader in high school. She looked wholesome enough to be in a milk commercial. So what was she doing in his hospital room?

      Her hair continued to stroke his skin. The soft, erotic touch had his mind producing fantasies his weakened body had no chance of fulfilling. At least not any time in the near future.

      He tugged his hand free of her grasp. Instantly her eyes opened. Yup. Dark blue. He owed himself fifty bucks. As soon as he got out of here, he would pay up.

      The woman smiled. Her pink lips parted, exposing white teeth and a smile so pleased, she might have just won the lottery.

      “You’re awake,” she said, then took hold of his fingers again. The smile broadened. “I’m thrilled. The nurse said you were going to be fine, but I was worried. How do you feel? Any pain? Do you want some water?”

      He tried to speak and realized his throat was scratchy. He coughed. Before he was done, the woman had stood up, reached for a small plastic pitcher and poured some water into a glass. She slipped one arm behind his shoulders, then raised the glass to his lips.

      “Sip slowly,” she said.

      He obliged. When he’d finished half the cup, he nodded to indicate he was done. She set the glass on the table beside his bed, then returned to her seat. This time she clasped his hand in both of hers. Before he could extricate himself, she leaned forward and pressed their joined hands against her chest.

      That got his attention. While she’d been standing, he’d gathered a quick impression of curves. Awe-inspiring curves. She had the kind of breasts that made up every adolescent boy’s fantasies. Right now his wrist nestled between them while the knuckle of his index finger brushed against the base of her throat. It didn’t matter that her loose sweatshirt was hardly seductive. As far as he was concerned, they could spend the rest of the day in this position.

      Then he noticed her blue eyes darkening with emotion, and he had the uncomfortable feeling she might be fighting tears. Dear God, anything but that.

      “Who are you?” he asked gruffly.

      The woman stopped blinking and smiled again. “I’m Holly Garrett.” She made the announcement as if that cleared up everything.

      He didn’t know any Holly Garrett, although judging by the way she was staring at him—as if he’d single-handedly saved the world—she obviously knew him.

      Great. Either the painkillers were doing strange things to him, or he was losing his mind.

      “And?” he prompted.

      She stared blankly for a moment, then laughed. He felt the vibration of the sound against the back of his hand, which was still pressed against her chest. Friendly, he thought. A charming trait in an attractive woman.

      “There was a storm,” she said. “You saved my cat.”

      The memories flooded him, and he groaned. The high winds had blown over a tree, sending it crashing through a single apartment above a detached garage. Not only had the unit been partially crushed, but the pipes had broken and flooded the place. When his men had arrived, there hadn’t been much left to save. He recalled a frantic woman trying to get through a stuck door. Water had been everywhere. The two-story structure looked as if it was about to collapse. Jordan had grabbed her around the waist and hauled her to safety. She’d been screaming about her damn cat. Like a fool he’d gone after the animal. And look what it had gotten him. He’d been back in Glenwood less than six months, and already he was in the hospital. Damn.

      “You were wonderful,” Holly said, her voice thick with emotion. “I don’t know what I would have done if something had happened t-to…” Her voice gave out.

      “Ah, yeah, well, nothing did, right?”

      She sniffed. “Thank you,” she murmured, and squeezed his fingers.

      “Just doing my job,” he muttered. And a poor job at that. He was going to take some well-deserved teasing when he went back to the station.

      Judging from the throbbing in his legs and back, he wouldn’t be returning to work any time soon. Everyone had seen what had happened, too.