by Carol Lynne
A Total-E-Bound Publication
www.total-e-bound.com
Firehouse Heat
ISBN #978-0-85715-126-1
©Copyright Carol Lynne 2010
Cover Art by April Martinez ©Copyright April 2010
Edited by Claire Siemaszkiewicz
Total-E-Bound Publishing
This is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form, whether by printing, photocopying, scanning or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher, Total-E-Bound Publishing.
Applications should be addressed in the first instance, in writing, to Total-E-Bound Publishing. Unauthorised or restricted acts in relation to this publication may result in civil proceedings and/or criminal prosecution.
The author and illustrator have asserted their respective rights under the Copyright Designs and Patents Acts 1988 (as amended) to be identified as the author of this book and illustrator of the artwork.
Published in 2010 by Total-E-Bound Publishing, Think Tank, Ruston Way, Lincoln, LN6 7FL, United Kingdom
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Warning: This book contains sexually explicit content which is only suitable for mature readers. This story has been rated Total-e-burning.
Cattle Valley
FIREHOUSE HEAT
Carol Lynne
Dedication
In early April of 2007, shortly after my second book was released at Ellora’s Cave, I decided I wasn’t cut out to be a writer. I stopped writing for over a month, miserable and quickly sinking into a depression of epic proportions.
One day I received an email from Claire Siemaszkiewicz about a new epublishing company she was planning to launch. There was something about Claire that drew me in. For the first time in weeks I was able to see a light at the end of the tunnel.
I quickly agreed to write a short story for Total-E-Bound. To be honest, I wasn’t sure at that point I could even pull a short story off. I wrote Coach, book one in the Campus Cravings series, and Claire released it on Total-E-Bound’s opening day. It truly was the start of a new type of writing for me. To work with an owner/editor who seemed excited by my stories was like a breath of fresh air.
Firehouse Heat is my 50th book with Total-E-Bound, and I’m as happy working for Claire now as I was that first release back on July 2, 2007. I can’t explain what it is like to work for a publisher that truly seems to care about their authors and the stories they put out. A publishing house that doles out respect along with on-time payments and a cheerful attitude is not easy to find, and for me, Total-e-bound is one of the best.
Thank you, Claire. Without you, my life would not be what it is today. Here’s hoping for another 50!
Trademarks Acknowledgement
The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of the following wordmarks mentioned in this work of fiction:
Dr Pepper: Dr Pepper/Seven Up, Inc
Twister: Milton Bradley
Twilight: Summit Entertainment, LLC
Chapter One
Leo Burkowski lifted the barbell from its stand and began to do his normal set of fifty. He was getting into his zone when Sammy Lee popped into the room.
“Pirate’s Cove is about to start,” Sammy informed him.
“That’s okay. I’ve got other things on my mind today. You go ahead,” Leo replied. Hopefully Sammy would leave it at that.
“Want me to record it?”
“Naw, don’t worry about it.” Leo continued his workout without looking at Sammy.
“Well, okay then. I guess I can fill you in at supper.”
Leo heard the hurt tone in the other man’s voice, but didn’t acknowledge it. “Sure.”
Sammy left the small weight room, and Leo resettled the weights on the stand. He reached beside him and grabbed a towel to wipe his face and neck.
In the beginning, he’d enjoyed spending time with Sammy. The younger man liked to flirt and it was a nice feeling to know the handsome man was attracted to him. Over the winter things started to get out of control. Sammy became more obvious, and Leo became more tempted.
Leo sat up and braced his forearms on his knees as he looked out the window. The most recent deluge of snow was quickly melting under the unseasonably warm March temperatures. According to George, Cattle Valley didn’t normally dig out until well into April. Leo hoped they’d seen the last of the snow for a while, but he knew enough not to hold his breath.
Having been born and raised in Milwaukee, Leo was used to the snow, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. He’d much rather be outside, walking around town or swimming. Jogging used to be his passion, but with his busted-up knee, that particular activity was no longer an option.
Leo absently rubbed the small scars on his knee. If it hadn’t been for the injury he’d sustained on a call, he wouldn’t have been off work so long. If he hadn’t been off work, his partner, Randy, wouldn’t have had the chance to hook up with that young EMT at the station.
Leo grunted at his thoughts and stood. Thinking about Randy always put him in a funk. He walked to the treadmill and started a slow pace to warm up. Randy’s infidelity was the reason he refused to act on any attraction he may feel for Sammy. He’d seen first-hand what fucking a younger man looked like. Leo doubted he’d have ever noticed how old he and Randy were getting if it hadn’t been for walking in on Randy fucking the twenty-three year old. The contrast in their bodies alone was enough to make Randy look like a creepy old letch.
His cell phone started to ring, drawing Leo’s attention away from his workout and his libido. He shut down the treadmill and crossed the room to his phone.
“Hello?”
“Hi,” Neil greeted.
Leo grinned. He’d been working with Neil Peters as a grief counsellor since he’d arrived in town. Neil refused to talk to a psychologist regarding his feelings about the death of his boyfriend Gavin, and since Leo had a fair amount of training, he’d offered to befriend the younger man to help him out. There were a lot of people in Cattle Valley still trying to cope with the horrific grandstand collapse earlier in the year. Leo didn’t do anything special with Neil. They usually just rode around the EZ Does It ranch and talked. Leo thought more than anything, Neil just needed a friend.
“I was wondering if you’d like to go for a ride this evening?” Neil said.
“Can’t tonight. I’m on shift, but I can come out tomorrow night.”
“Okay, that sounds good. I’ll pick up a six-pack.”
Leo’s smile grew. Since Neil’s twenty-first birthday, the guy rarely missed out on an opportunity to drink beer. “None of that light crap.”
Neil laughed. “I remember.”
“See ya then,” Leo said before hanging up.
He picked up his towel and headed towards the showers. Maybe he should get Sammy interested in Neil. At barely thirty-years old, Sammy was closer to Neil’s age than Leo’s forty-eight.
Leo shook his head and rolled his eyes. He needed to stop worrying about Sammy. If he tried to push the younger man onto someone else, it would only cause trouble around the station. Living and working together would be hell if he pissed the guy off.
* * * *
“Dinner’s on,” Leo called.
Sammy walked into the dining room and took a seat. “Smells good.”
Leo glanced to the door. “Where’s Zac?”
“Terry’s here. He brought Zac some tacos from O’Brien’s.”
Leo looked at the big pot of spaghetti. “Guess we’ll have leftovers to take home tomorrow.”
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Leo set the garlic and cheese bread on the table before sitting across from Sammy. He didn’t begrudge Zac spending his supper break with Terry, but it meant he’d be alone with Sammy, which was never a good idea. Maybe if he could get Sammy talking he could eat his meal without holding an actual conversation. “So what happened on Pirate’s Cove?”
Sammy’s face lit up as he swallowed his bite of pasta. “Oh, you missed a good one today. Allison came on to Jesse again, only this time he told her flat out he wasn’t interested.”
Sammy winked at Leo. “Of course he didn’t tell her why he wasn’t interested. Needless to say, Allison didn’t take the news so well. She raced out of Jesse’s restaurant and immediately went to see Colt, but of course, Colt wasn’t alone.”
Leo’s brows lifted in surprise. “You mean?”
Sammy laughed. “Yep. Dex was there.”
“Did she see them?” Leo asked with a forkful of spaghetti poised at his mouth.
“No.” Sammy shook his head. “But Colt tried to get rid of her, and I think she suspects something’s going on.”
Leo whistled. “Guess I should’ve watched after all.”
Sammy tore apart a piece of garlic bread and popped a bite into his mouth. “Told ya.”
Leo chuckled. Despite not wanting an intimate relationship with Sammy, he really did enjoy the man’s company. No matter what, Sammy seemed to be in a good mood. Leo found himself smiling more when he was in the same room with the younger man.
“Next time I’ll have you record it,” Leo mused.
Sammy shrugged and finished his piece of bread. “Or you could just take the time to sit and watch it with me.”
Leo stared at his plate. “Yeah, guess I could.”
* * * *
Leo rode up the bluff to Neil’s favourite spot. “I never get tired of this view.”
Neil dismounted and tied his horse, Footloose, to a nearby tree. Leo sat atop Buddy for a few more moments before climbing down. His legs usually felt rubbery after a ride. He wasn’t used to being on the back of a horse like Neil. Of course it could also have something to do with his age.
“You okay?” Neil asked, untying a soft-sided cooler from behind his saddle.
“Yeah. Just feeling old lately,” Leo answered. He settled Buddy next to Footloose before joining Neil on the ‘thinking rock’ as Neil called it.
Neil grinned. “You’re only as old as you feel.”
Leo couldn’t help but laugh. It was the kind of thing someone only twenty-one would say. “Then I must be ready for retirement.”
Neil handed Leo a can of beer. “So why’re you feeling so old?”
“I don’t know. Hey, aren’t we supposed to be talking about you?” Leo asked, trying to draw attention away from himself.
“We always talk about me.”
“That’s because I’m boring,” Leo joked. He didn’t like to talk about himself. What was there to say? He’d spent eighteen years with the same man, only to find out Randy never considered himself in a monogamous relationship.
Neil sighed and laid back on the smooth boulder. “You know it’s pretty hard to keep opening up to a man I realise I barely know.”
Leo took a sip of his beer. “Okay. I’m forty-eight, born in Milwaukee. I’ve got two younger brothers and a big sister. My mom died of cancer six years ago, but my dad’s still alive and well. Oh, and I had a dog named Pork Chop growing up.”
Neil shielded his eyes from the late afternoon sun. “That’s great, but you still haven’t told me why you feel old.”
“Yeah I did. I’m forty-eight. Isn’t that reason enough?”
“Nope. Besides that fucked up knee of yours, you’re in better shape than most men half your age, so I figure it must be something else.”
Leo playfully reached over and punched Neil on the arm. Neil shot straight up and scurried off the rock before Leo could even pull his hand back. Shit. “I’m sorry. I forgot.”
Red-faced, Neil climbed back onto the boulder. “Not your fault. I hate that I do that.”
“From what you’ve told me about your childhood, I reckon it’s just a natural reflex.” Neil hadn’t gone into a lot of detail, but he’d made it pretty clear he’d grown up in an abusive household with no father and a string of ‘uncles’ as his mom liked to call them.
“Maybe, but I haven’t had to live like that for going on five years. You’d think I’d get over it.” Neil emptied his can and reached for another.
Leo leaned his head back and closed his eyes. The warmth of the sun on his face felt good. If he concentrated hard enough, he might almost believe it was spring. “I think there are some things you never fully get over.”
“Yeah? Are you speaking from personal experience?”
Leo sighed. He hated to open his soul for inspection, but Neil was right. He really couldn’t continue to ask the man to pour out his darkest secrets without getting a little in return. “Just over a year ago, I found out my partner of eighteen years was fucking around on me.”
“Shit. I’m sorry.”
“Thanks, but it gets worse. Evidently Randy had a thing for the young ones and always had. Come to find out he’d been fucking twinks on the side for the majority of our relationship. I’m just the asshole who didn’t have a clue.”
Neil looked over at Leo. “So did you beat the shit out of him when you found out?”
“Nope. I quit my job, moved in with my baby brother and moped around for about seven months before I took the job here in Cattle Valley.” Leo crushed the can in his hand and blindly reached for a replacement.
“That sucks,” Neil commented.
“Yep,” Leo agreed.
“So is that why you’re feeling old?”
What would Neil think of him if he knew about Leo’s unwanted attraction to a man eighteen years his junior? But Sammy wasn’t just any man. He was the most gorgeous man Leo had ever laid eyes on, with eyes so dark brown they looked black and lashes that would make any woman envious. Aaah, and Leo wouldn’t even get into the deep dimples that tore his insides up every time Sammy granted him with a smile. “Partly, I guess.”
“Partly?” Neil prodded.
Leo rolled to his side. The hard surface of the rock dug into his ribs, but he figured that’s what he got for lounging on a fucking boulder. “Sammy’s been coming on to me pretty strong lately.”
Neil grinned. “So? Do you like him?”
Leo shook his head. “Whether I do or don’t isn’t the issue. He’s too young for me.”
Neil’s face went red. In the blink of an eye the normally quiet, sad man in front of him was pissed. “What the hell is it with older men? Do you think anyone younger is just stupid or something?”
Leo sat up and held up his hands in surrender. “I didn’t say that…” he started, but Neil cut him off.
“I mean, if you’re both adults, and you both want it, what’s the problem? How come what I want doesn’t matter? Why do you have to protect me just because you’re older? I know what I want, dammit!”
Leo blinked several times. He’d never, in all the months they’d hung around together, seen Neil go off the deep-end. It was obvious Neil had become so angry he’d transferred Leo’s situation with his own. Maybe it was the first real bit of information he’d gotten out of the younger man.
“I know you’re not talking about me, so what? Is there someone you want who’s older?” Leo asked.
Neil tipped his beer can up and guzzled the remainder. “Doesn’t matter. It was a long time ago, before I got to Cattle Valley. I’m just trying to make you understand that if you think you’re protecting Sammy, you’re not. I can only assume the guy can take care of himself.”
Leo slid off the rock and stood at the edge of the bluff, looking out over the EZ Does It. “Maybe I’m protecting myself. Regardless, getting involved with Sammy isn’t in the cards. Besides, we work together.”
Leo glanced over his shoulder. “Didn’t mean to upset you.”
Neil waved away the apology. “Sensitive subject. Don’t worry about it.”
After another look at the landscape below, dotted with patches of melting snow, Leo turned back and rested against the boulder. He hated to push Neil, but a few things had become painfully obvious.
“You’re still in love with this older man from your past,” Leo stated. “Do you think it would help to talk about it?”
“No.”
Leo hated to push further. It was obvious that although Neil had come to terms with his feelings, or lack thereof, for Gavin, he still hadn’t dealt with his past. Leo glanced at Neil. The younger man had shut himself off from further discussion.
With a sigh, Leo climbed back up on the rock. Delving into Neil’s past would have to wait for another day. “Pass me another one of those beers.”
* * * *
“I need you to take the City Council meeting for me on Wednesday,” George informed Leo at shift change.
“Why?” Leo asked.
George grinned. “I’m going to Vegas. Trick’s up for a couple of awards. With Carol only a month away from her due date, we really don’t want her to fly. I’ll only be gone overnight, so other than leaving the station to attend the meeting, nothing else should change as far as your schedule.”
Leo rolled his eyes and nodded. “Sure. Have fun in Vegas while I try to stay awake through a long, dull meeting.”
George chuckled. “You haven’t been to one of Nate’s meetings. They’re rarely boring. Especially when it’s a topic that involves the Sheriff’s Department. There’s nothing hotter than watching Nate and Ryan go at it. I think it must be some sort of foreplay because the meetings usually break up shortly after.”
“Good to know.” Leo pounded George on the back. “Wish Trick luck for me.”
