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Once burned, twice shy
Lola Whittaker can’t remember a time when she didn’t want smoke jumper Erik McKnight—those stormy gray eyes, that rock-hard bod... But once burned, twice shy, and Lola swore she would never make the same mistake again. But that won’t stop her from making a new one. Like getting into the wrong bunk and having the hottest night of her life—with Erik.
Erik knows Lola will never forgive him for what happened that disastrous night six years ago—he sure as hell hasn’t forgiven himself. But when the woman he’s dreamed about every night since climbs into his bed, it’s impossible to turn her away.
It’s just one night, right? Except now Lola’s pregnant...
Were they ever going to be able to be in the same room together without striking sparks off each other?
Maybe Lola just needed to let go, give in and let fate take control.
“What exactly do you think is the right thing, Erik? Because I don’t know anymore. What I do know is that being this close to you and not having the right to touch you makes me ache.”
He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them. The heat that engulfed her left her skin feeling too tight to hold her in. “You always have the right to touch me, Lo. Any time. Any way.”
Reaching out, Lola pressed her hand against the hard planes of his chest. The heat of his skin burned straight through her. Cool droplets clung to him, sparkling in the sunlight. And she was done denying what she wanted.
Leaning forward, Lola ran her tongue across his skin, collecting the droplets and savoring the taste of him.
“Lola,” he groaned deep in his throat. The rumble of her name rolling off his tongue pulled any last resistance out from under her.
This was what she wanted. Erik was what she wanted.
And she was strong enough to take what was in front of her.
She’d worry about the aftermath later...
I’m so lucky to count several firefighters among my personal friends. They’re the most honorable, dedicated and brave men and women I’ve ever met. As you can imagine, it was easy to envision a hero that possessed these same qualities. A man no one—including my heroine—could help but fall for...twice.
Erik McKnight definitely fits that bill, risking his own life over and over to save others. So what if he’s got a reckless streak and a guilty conscience no sacrifice can seem to assuage? That is, until he returns home and finally confronts the chain of events that cost him everything—including the only woman he’s ever loved.
In the course of writing Up in Flames I had the honor of accompanying several local firefighters on a ride-along. The guys were more than willing to share all the aspects of their job, giving me an amazing glimpse into the reality of their lives. We won’t talk about how the jacket absolutely swallowed me whole! Or how inadequate I felt watching them move like a well-oiled machine to help someone with a serious medical issue. But we can talk about how that experience solidified for me just how much we all owe these men and women who sacrifice time from their families in order to protect others.
I’ve been privileged over the past few years to support a charity that provides financial support to local firefighters who are sick or injured. If you’d like to donate, please feel free to visit www.imathlete.com/donate/brothersforlifebenefitfund.
I hope you enjoy reading Erik and Lola’s story! I’d love to hear from you at kirasinclair.com, or come chat with me on Twitter, @KiraSinclair.
Best wishes,
Kira
Up in Flames
Kira Sinclair
KIRA SINCLAIR writes emotional, passionate contemporary romances. A double winner of the National Readers’ Choice Award, her first foray into writing fiction was for a high school English assignment. Nothing could dampen her enthusiasm...not even being forced to read the love story aloud to the class. Writing about sexy heroes and strong women has always excited her. She lives with her two beautiful daughters in North Alabama. Kira loves to hear from readers at kirasinclair.com.
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I’d like to dedicate Up In Flames to all the men and women who serve the Decatur, Alabama, fire and rescue department, especially Brandon Strickland. Thank you all for your service and sacrifice.
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