Spark & Blaze (A Guns & Hoses Novel) by Brenda Cothern Page A

was sure that Malone’s sudden flight from the bar had something to do with him since the guy was fine before Flame suggested doubles. Considering the difference in Malone’s behavior in the truck bay yesterday, the man’s anger at the end of their shift, and what Evan had just witnessed, was extreme to say the least.
    “You two should play,” Flame’s voice broke Evan out of his contemplation about Malone’s odd behavior. “You both can both kick my ass, so I want to see who kicks who’s between the two of you.”
    Flame laughed and put his bar cue back in the rack before he walked back to the table where Tig, Simon, and Brostowski sat socializing and drinking.
    Evan played five games of pool with Austin before he called it a night. He was up by a game and took the ribbing that he and Malone always bailed when they were ahead. However, just like Malone, Evan promised to give Austin a chance to catch up the next time they played.
    “Thanks for inviting me out,” Evan said after he paid his tab and returned to the table where all the guys were still drinking.
    “You’re welcome to join us anytime,” Flame offered sincerely.
    “So, don’t be a stranger,” Austin added.
    “I’m sure you’re just saying that to get a rematch out of me,” Evan joked with Austin. “But, alright.”
    “See you next shift,” Flame said by way of goodbye.
    Evan drove back to his house and felt content. Neither Flame nor Brostowski treated him differently because of his freak out on the last shift. However, he still didn’t know what to make of Malone’s behavior. The large firefighter was back in his thoughts when he plugged in his cell to charge and climbed into bed.
    He was just drifting off to sleep when his cell phone binged to let him know he had a text message. Evan was going to ignore his phone. But, he gave Flame and Brostowski his number earlier, so there was a chance that the message could be from one of them. He didn’t bother to turn on the light before he picked up his cell, swiped the screen, and opened the message from an unknown number.
    You’re beautiful when you smile .
    “Wrong number, asshole,” Evan muttered and plumped his pillow before he thought of the similar text he had received that morning after his shift.
    The unknown number of the text was different from the unknown number of the earlier text, even though both messages seemed sentimental. Still, just like the last wrong number text, Evan didn’t bother to reply before he tossed his phone on his night table, rolled over, and went to sleep.
     

     
    Brett tossed and turned. Several times he woke up from strange dreams that revolved around closet doors being thrown wide open. Sometimes those doors were at work, sometimes they were at Bradley’s or Guns & Hoses, or sometimes they were just doors being battered down in burning buildings.
    After the last dream jolted him from his restless sleep, Brett gave up on sleep altogether. He pushed himself up and sat on the edge of the bed. The ceiling fan cooled the sweat that covered his naked body and Brett scrubbed his face with his hands. The panic he felt in his chest from this latest dream was subsiding. His heart rate was returning to normal, but not nearly fast enough as far as Brett was concerned.
    “Shit,” Brett cursed and stood abruptly.
    A glance at the digital clock on his dresser declared that it was 5:20. It was too late to bother getting any more sleep in too early to do much else.
    Regardless of the time, Brett walked into the bathroom and started the shower. After he stood under the hot spray for several minutes, Brett felt his muscles begin to relax. Relaxed muscles or not, his mind continued to spin and dissect what caused his panicked and fucked up dreams.
    He knew that the combination of Austin’s flirtatious words and seeing Carmichael were what sent him into the totally irrational panic that he felt at Guns & Hoses. But, he was pretty sure that it was his conversation with T,