A Flame To Bear (Fire Bear Shifters 4) Read online

Chapter Five

  Trevor forced himself to drive away from the Red Valley Inn’s parking lot, even though all he really wanted to do was sit there and stare at Bailey until she disappeared from view. He'd been a little surprised when he saw a woman hitchhiking on the side of the road outside of town. The road didn't lead anywhere except the smokejumper base and then a large forest of hiking trails beyond that, so he hadn't known where a hitchhiker would be coming from. He'd actually been a little concerned that the woman had been in some kind of trouble. When he realized that the beautiful woman he'd just picked up was the same woman he'd rescued from the hotel fire, he’d nearly run off the road.

  And, boy, was she ever beautiful. Her auburn hair looked like it had been pulled into a bun while damp, but he could still see that the color was rich with a reddish-brown sheen. As soon as she told him who she was, he recognized the outline of her face. She obviously looked different in the daylight and without a layer of soot on her cheeks, but he remembered thinking the night of the fire that he had never seen a face quite so perfect. The most striking thing about her, though, was her eyes, which he hadn’t gotten a good view of the night of the fire. He couldn't quite pinpoint the color. They were a mixture of brown, green and blue. He supposed he would technically call them hazel, but he had never seen eyes quite like hers, hazel or not. And even her baggy sweatpants and T-shirt couldn't hide the fact that her body had curves in all the right places.

  Trevor shook his head as he pulled back onto the main road out of town. What was he doing, thinking about Bailey in that way? She had been through so much in the last few days. The last thing she needed right now was some guy trying to make a move on her. If she decided to stay, his job was to be a good friend to her, and that was it. But the more Trevor tried to put Bailey out of his mind, the more he started to think that he might literally go crazy if he didn't get another chance to look into those stunning eyes of hers. He felt a restless stirring within him as his inner beast rose up at the thought of Bailey.

  “Down, Bear,” he muttered to himself. “I'm not so sure this girl's available.”

  But, as Trevor pulled back into the parking lot of the smokejumper base, he had already begun formulating a plan to find out whether the beautiful Bailey Webb was, in fact, available.

  After getting back to base, and forcing himself to wait one hour, Trevor couldn't hold back anymore. He didn't want to come across as a stalker, or creep Bailey out, but he had to convince her to spend more time with him. He called the Red Valley Inn, and when the receptionist answered, he asked to be connected to Bailey Webb's room. She answered on the second ring.

  “Hello?”

  “Bailey, it's Trevor.”

  “Trevor! I wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon,” Bailey said.

  “Yeah, I know,” Trevor said sheepishly. “But I had an idea and I couldn't wait to ask you. What are you doing tomorrow?”

  “Well, I haven't decided yet. But I'm willing to bet that you're about to make a suggestion.”

  Trevor laughed. “As a matter of fact, I do have an idea. But it's a surprise. Let me pick you up around nine tomorrow morning?”

  “Um, okay,” Bailey said. “But I don't have anything to wear except the super-fashionable sweatpants I had on when you picked me up today.”

  “Those are perfect for what I have in mind,” Trevor said. “Pick you up at nine then?”

  “Okay,” Bailey said. Her voice sounded uncertain, but at least she had agreed.

  Trevor told Bailey that he was looking forward to seeing her the next day, and then bid her farewell. He had some planning to do to get things ready for the next day.

  * * *

  The next morning at 9 a.m. sharp, Trevor pulled into the parking lot of the Red Valley Inn. Before he had even come to a complete stop, he saw Bailey walking out of the front entrance of the hotel. His heart skipped a beat as she walked toward his SUV. Somehow, she looked even lovelier today than she had yesterday. She must have finally had a good night's sleep, because her face glowed and her eyes looked brighter. She grinned as she hopped into the passenger seat next to him.

  “Are you sure you don't mind being seen with a woman wearing gross, baggy sweatpants?” Bailey asked.

  “You look fantastic,” Trevor said. “I'd be happy for the whole world to see you with me. But, at the place where we’re going, I don't think too many people are going to see us, anyway.”

  Bailey raised an eyebrow in Trevor's direction. “Now you've piqued my interest,” she said. “Do I get a hint?”

  “No hints,” Trevor said. “But you do get coffee and bagels.”

  Trevor reached into the back seat of the SUV and carefully pulled forward a travel tray with two to-go cups of coffee in it. Then he reached back to grab a paper sack and hand it to Bailey.

  “I got an assortment of a half dozen different kinds of bagels,” he said. “So, if there isn’t at least one in there that you like, then you're officially the world's pickiest eater. And I didn't know how you like your coffee, so I just left it black. But there are sugar and creamer packets in there if you want.”

  “I'm so hungry that I don't think there is a type of bagel that I wouldn't eat right now,” Bailey said. “And, for future reference, I like my coffee black.”

  “Simple and strong,” Trevor said. “My kind of girl.”

  Bailey gave Trevor a huge smile as she pulled out a blueberry bagel and started to spread cream cheese on it. Trevor felt his heart do another flip-flop, and he told himself to calm down. He couldn't let his heart run away with him just yet. It was too early for that. But he had a feeling that if he spent much longer around Bailey Webb, his heart was going to make a run for it whether he liked it or not.

  He tried to concentrate on the road ahead as he drove. Thankfully, Bailey seemed content to munch on her bagel and watch the scenery. She commented now and then about a particularly beautiful sight, but, as far as he could tell, she didn’t notice his nervousness.

  After an hour of driving, they arrived at a small parking lot next to a trailhead marked only by a small sign warning of poison oak in the area. Trevor parked his vehicle and hopped out, then ran around the car to open Bailey’s door for her.

  “You weren’t kidding when you said that we probably wouldn’t see very many people,” Bailey said, looking around. “This place doesn’t look too popular.”

  Trevor smiled. “There’s no shortage of hiking trails around here, and this is one of the lesser-known ones. But it’s one of my favorites, and I think you’ll like it. I come here a lot when life gets too heavy, and I need some peace and quiet to reset.”

  “You didn’t tell me that today was going to involve hard physical labor,” she teased.

  Trevor rolled his eyes as he took a large backpack out of the trunk of the SUV. “It’s not too strenuous of a hike. Besides, you look like you’re not in bad shape.”

  Bailey shrugged. “I try to make time to work out several times a week. But it’s hard when you’re on the road a lot, which I always was for work. Plus, I like chocolate. Not just a little bit, either. I like it a lot. And chocolate and skinny don’t mix very well.”

  “You’re perfect,” Trevor said softly, letting his eyes run up and down Bailey’s body appreciatively. He knew he was taking a risk by giving Bailey such an obvious hint that his feelings for her were more than just friendly. But he felt powerless to stop himself. Her beauty was simple, pure, and overwhelming. His heart ached for her, and what she’d been through. He hoped that he could help her find some peace, and, for a moment, he dared to hope that she might find that peace here, in Northern California. He had only known her a few days, and he already felt his stomach tighten at the thought of her leaving to go back to her life on the east coast. He wanted her here. He needed her here.

  Bailey looked down at the ground, her cheeks taking on a slight tinge of pink at Trevor’s praise. “I’m not so sure I’d call myself perfect,” she said. “But thanks for the vote of confidence.”
<
br />   Trevor took his finger and tipped Bailey’s chin up so she was looking at him again. “Perfect,” he repeated, holding her gaze. Her hazel eyes burned with uncertainty, but she didn’t look away. Trevor felt his body warming at her proximity, and he forced himself to break the moment. If they didn’t get moving, they wouldn’t make it to their destination in time for lunch. He adjusted the straps of his backpack and then used the palm of his hand to give Bailey a little nudge on the small of her back.

  “Come on,” he said. “Let’s get going.”

  Once they passed the sign marking the trailhead, Trevor stepped in front of Bailey to lead the way down the overgrown path. He had walked this path hundreds of times, and he could count on one hand the number of times he’d seen someone else out here. He hoped the trail would be as deserted as usual today—he wanted some alone time with Bailey.

  They walked along in an easy, companionable silence for the better part of an hour. Trevor let his eyes wander over the familiar Redwoods that towered over the path. Ferns of all shapes and sizes grew up in the damp shade of the Redwoods’ shadows, and the sunlight that did seep through treetops lit up everything it touched into a brilliant shade of green.

  Magic seemed to ooze into the atmosphere out here. Trevor sometimes came here to shift. He would let his bear loose and run through the forest, breathing in deeply all of the fresh, earthy smells that surrounded him. He hadn’t told anyone else in his clan about this place. Normally, he shared everything with them—especially prime shifting locations. But somehow this place had always felt sacred to him. It was his special, secret place.

  As they continued hiking, Bailey started commenting when they passed a particularly large or beautiful tree. Which, out here, happened frequently. Trevor smiled as he watched Bailey’s face lighting up with wonder. This place had a way of healing Trevor’s heart when life became too much to take, and he hoped it would do the same for Bailey. He hoped that being away from the noise of civilization would bring her some clarity.

  As the sun rose high in the sky, and the time displayed on Trevor’s digital watch flipped over to 12:00, the trail began to follow the upstream path of a small stream. A faint roar slowly grew louder and louder, until Trevor and Bailey rounded a corner and came face to face with a large waterfall. Crystal clear water cascaded from rocks high above them, catching sunlight to create a dazzling display of sparkling droplets on the way down. A small pool of water at the bottom of the waterfall formed a lagoon in the shape of a perfect half-circle.

  “Wow,” Bailey whispered. “This is incredible.” She slowly stepped toward the lagoon and took in the beauty surrounding them. Trevor held back, letting her enjoy the magnificence of what might possibly be his favorite place in the world. She paused for a moment in one of the sunbeams streaming through the treetops, and the light set the silhouette of her hair aglow.

  When she turned around and the sunlight hit her face, Trevor felt his dick stiffening, and his bear clawing at his insides. He told himself to remain calm. They’d only spent one morning together so far, and he didn’t want to scare her off. To get his mind off of how much he wanted Bailey, he shrugged off his backpack and started pulling out Tupperware containers.

  “What’s that?” Bailey asked.

  “Lunch,” Trevor said. “Are you hungry?”

  “Starving! All that hiking has definitely made me work up an appetite.”

  “Good, let’s eat.”

  Trevor sat on the soft, grassy area near the lagoon, and Bailey joined him. He noticed she was shivering a bit, and he pulled off his sweatshirt. “Here, take this,” he said, handing it to her. “I know even this mild California winter starts to feel a little chilly when you sit still in the shade.”

  Bailey gave him a grateful look and took the sweatshirt from him. Trevor had to look away for a moment when he first saw her wearing it. He felt himself growing hard again at the sight of his sweatshirt draped over her curves. He focused his attention on opening the Tupperware containers that held their lunch. He had packed grapes, sliced strawberries, and sliced apples, along with an assortment of crackers and cheeses.

  “Trevor, this looks amazing,” Bailey said, popping a slice of Brie into her mouth. I had no idea you were so fancy.”

  “I’m not sure I’d call packaging artisanal cheeses in Tupperware ‘fancy,’ but I’m glad you like it,” Trevor said. “And I saved the best part for last.”

  Trevor pulled a bottle of sparkling wine out of the backpack, along with two plastic cups.

  “You’re kidding me! How did you know I like champagne?”

  “Lucky guess,” Trevor said with a wink. “I’m not a huge fan of wine myself, but my buddies’ girls all seem to love it.” He popped the cork on the bottle and poured generous servings into each glass. With a flourish, he grabbed a few strawberry slices and threw them into Bailey’s. The wine fizzed around the fruit, and Bailey smiled down at the golden liquid.

  “Cheers,” she said, lifting her cup up to Trevor.

  “Cheers,” he replied. “Don’t be shy about getting yourself a refill, either. Whatever we don’t finish up I have to dump out, because I can’t really carry an open bottle of wine back with us.”

  They munched on the ample spread that Trevor had brought, enjoying the exceptional food and view. Despite his assertion that he wasn’t a big wine fan, each time Bailey requested a refill, Trevor poured himself a refill as well. He could feel the alcohol starting to lower his inhibitions, and, as their meal continued, he found himself increasingly unable to focus on anything other than how much he wanted to kiss her. She chattered away, seemingly oblivious to his internal struggle. She spent a lot of time telling him about the job she had just left behind. From her stories, it sounded like she hadn’t been kidding when she’d said all she’d ever done was work. It didn’t seem like there had been much sparkle in her life. She asked Trevor about his job, and he shrugged.

  “It sounds glamorous, but it’s pretty straightforward. You jump out of an airplane wearing about a million pounds of gear, and try not to hit a tree when you land. Then you spend the next few days basically being a glorified lumberjack. We clear a fire break in the forest, and then set a back fire to burn into the main fire’s path so that they burn each other out. Most of the time, once we’re done with that we have to hike out. And since these fires are during the summer, it’s usually hot as hell. Especially when you’re wearing a heavy jumpsuit and hauling a bunch of gear around. So, basically, it’s one brief, exhilarating moment of jumping out of a plane followed by several sweaty, grimy days of hard physical labor.”

  Bailey’s eyes had grown into wide, incredulous circles. “But, still! You get to jump out of a plane.”

  Trevor chuckled. “If all you want is to jump out of a plane, you don’t have to be a smokejumper to do that. There are lots of skydiving centers where you can go get your fix.”

  “I could never be that brave,” Bailey said.

  “I thought that, too. But due to circumstances beyond my control, my only choice if I wanted to continue firefighting was to become a smokejumper. So I sucked it up and learned to jump out of planes. The whole ride up the first time is terrifying. But once you jump and you’re out in all that open air, it’s actually quite an amazing feeling. Almost addictive. Now I love it.”

  Bailey shook her head. “You’re so brave.”

  “I’m brave? You survived a hotel fire and the death of a friend. Then you told your boss to shove it and basically decided to start your life over. And you’re still sitting here smiling and laughing. I think you’re the brave one.”

  Bailey laughed. “Well, thanks. I’m not sure I agree with you, but I’ll admit it’s nice to be complimented by you.”

  “Oh, really? Why’s that?” Trevor asked in a flirtatious tone, narrowing his eyes in Bailey’s direction.

  She batted her eyelashes at him. “It’s always nice to be complimented by a brave firefighter who saved your life and just so happens to be the sexiest speci
men of a man you’ve ever seen.”

  Trevor swallowed hard. She was giving him an invitation. Should he take it? His rational side told him to slow things down. They didn’t really know each other, and she had been through so much this week. But looking at the smooth skin of her face shimmering in the sunlight made it difficult to listen to anything resembling rationality.

  “Bailey,” he said, his voice barely more than a whisper. Her face grew serious at his pleading tone, and she locked her gaze with his. She parted her lips ever so slightly, and Trevor’s breath caught in his throat. Was she giving him an invitation to kiss her?

  He leaned in slowly, and deliberately, giving her plenty of time to pull away if he had misread her signals and this wasn’t what she wanted. But she didn’t pull away. In fact, she leaned in closer to meet him halfway. His lips touched hers, and he felt a thousand tiny sparks of electricity shooting through his body. Her lips were warm and soft, and she closed her eyes against his touch. He kissed her tenderly at first, and then started to increase the fervor of his lips moving against hers. He slipped his tongue into her mouth, and she moaned as he began to stroke her tongue with his. For what felt like an eternity, they kissed. Connected at the lips by passion and desire, they both took in the feeling of sweet yearning that swelled over them.

  Trevor could have kept kissing her forever. He would have loved to undress her right there, taking off his sweatshirt and the sweatpants that hid her naked curves from him. But he managed to maintain a tiny bit of his resolve not to rush things.

  “Come on, beautiful,” he said, pulling away from her gently. “Let’s head back to the parking area. I’ve got more surprises planned for the day.”

  Bailey grinned at Trevor. “Well, well. Aren’t you a mysterious one,” she said.

  “Oh you have no idea,” Trevor said. He gave her a quick wink and then started packing up the Tupperware for the hike back.

  Chapter Six

  Around three-thirty in the afternoon, Trevor and Bailey made it back to the SUV.