Becca Jameson - Fire in the Smokies

What did it matter really? Either way, she was fucked. None of the choices really made any sense, so what could it hurt to get away from the smoke? She’d either died in the fire, died in the cave or lost her mind.

Wait, there was still the possibility she was dreaming. Brianna smiled as she followed the stranger deeper into the cave. That she could live with.

The haziness of the smoke was nothing compared to the darkness that enveloped them as soon as they turned a corner.

Brianna would have grabbed her flashlight from her pocket, but Jaxon stopped abruptly anyway and tugged her to sit on the ground.

“I think we’re okay here for the time being.” He coughed. In fact, he started a fit of coughing that wouldn’t stop for several seconds.

Well, that shoots that idea out of the water . She couldn’t be dead. No way would a ghost react to smoke like that.

“Sorry. Between the smoke I ran through and the smoke filling the entrance, I think I’ve reached my limit.” He coughed again.

“Are you okay?” It was her turn to be concerned.

She couldn’t see him, not even a glimpse, but she held on to his arm like a lifeline. “Stay low.” The smoke didn’t seem to be reaching this far inside.

“What’s your name?”

“Brianna.” She let her hand rest on his forearm, but he untangled himself from her grasp and took her hand in his.

“Nice to meet you, Brianna. You must be extremely confused.”

“Nope. This shit happens to me every day,” she lied.

“I don’t mean about the fire. I’m talking about me shifting in front of you like that.”

“Pardon?” Shifting?

“I know you watched me shift. I could feel your fear. In fact, you are still trembling.” Jaxon laid his free hand on her knee and squeezed. “I’m a shapeshifter. It’s a long story, but I swear I won’t hurt you. Please don’t be afraid.”

“Shapeshifter?” This guy was crazy. A crazy ghost in her own personal crazy hell. Shit . That must be it. She wasn’t in heaven at all.

“I can shift into wolf form. That’s how I dodged the flames. I came in here in my animal form.” Jaxon reached for her face, though she had no idea how he could so specifically lay his palm on her cheek in this darkness.

His touch soothed. It shouldn’t, but it did.

Brianna leaned into his hand against her better judgment. No matter what the hell was happening, she felt no fear of him. One of them was delusional, but she didn’t think he was harmful.

“You are far too calm.” He chuckled, the vibrations radiating through his fingers to send a chill down her spine. “Your pulse isn’t even accelerated anymore.” He grazed his thumb across the vein in her neck.

“Why wouldn’t I be? It won’t change anything. I’m either dead and you are one freaky-ass ghost, or I’m unconscious and you are the best wet dream a girl could conjure up in even her wildest imagination.” Brianna bit her lip. Why’d she have to go and admit all that?

Jaxon laughed hard, so hard he started coughing again. When he finally caught his breath, he pulled her head against his chest. His bare chest. Warm…smooth…hard…bare chest. She inhaled his masculine scent and the soap he’d used long before racing through the flames to get to her.

She couldn’t believe she’d been so brazen.

Jaxon pulled her into the V between his legs and wrapped his arms around her. She was burning. The cave was getting hotter by the minute and she had on way too many clothes.

Brianna wiggled free of his embrace, leaned forward and tugged her fire coat off. She dropped the jacket on the ground beside them and leaned back into Jaxon’s embrace. Why not? “It’s getting hot in here.”

“I’m not complaining.” He chuckled again and leaned his chin against her shoulder. His breath came in short pants against her neck, so close she thought he would kiss her.

Jaxon ran his hands up and down her arms. His fingertips sent sparks up her arms and then down her torso. She only had her thermal shirt on now. It hadn’t occurred to her until then how exposed she’d be to his touch when she removed the jacket.

Shit, she wasn’t even wearing a bra. Women couldn’t wear any underwires in a fire for fear of burns, and she hadn’t bothered with a sports bra this time. She’d been in a hurry. And lately she’d been so damn fit, her body weight so low, she was more muscle than fat. She didn’t exactly have flabby breasts hanging down that needed to be lifted.

Suddenly she felt rather naked. As though her thoughts alone had caused the next event, Jaxon’s fingers grazed the edge of her breasts. He froze, sucked in a breath and stayed right in that position with the tips of his fingers ever so lightly resting against her chest.

Brianna’s breathing, in contrast, came in heavy pants. Her nipples jumped to attention. She wanted him to reach around and grasp them with both palms so badly she willed it. It was her dream, after all. If she wanted the man in question to fondle her tits, he would.

But he didn’t. Goose bumps rose all over her skin.

“God, you’re sexy.” Jaxon’s words came out on his exhale. His breath blew across her neck and sent a new shiver down her body. This time she physically shook.

She reached with her own hands to grasp his on her biceps. Did she mean to keep him there? Push him away? Tug him around to continue this dream?

She had no idea.

Jaxon kissed her neck, sweet little nibbles that made a path to her ear. “I’m one lucky wolf. Thank God for female firefighters.”

“What if I had been a man?” she joked. “Would you have left me for dead?”

“No…but I was worried.”

“About what?” What difference did it make?

“When I scented you as soon as I entered the cave, I knew—”

“Knew what?” she interrupted. He wasn’t making any sense.

“Knew you were my…mate.” He leaned his chin on her shoulder again. “It’s complicated. But I’ll try to explain.”

“Please do.” She spoke in jest, uneasy with this line of discussion, but somehow not afraid. No matter what weird stuff he said, she still felt some sort of draw to him. And why not humor the man? She had nothing but time. Might as well enjoy her dream, her death or her concussion to its fullest. The man’s voice was deep and warm and sexy. She could listen to him all day.

“Wolves mate for life. When we find the one, we instinctively know it. We don’t normally spill all our cards quite like this—shifting and blurting out all the details so quickly. After all, most women would run screaming.” He kissed her neck again.

“I don’t presently have any place to be.” Nor could I if I wanted to .

“Love your sense of humor.” He grinned against her neck. “Anyway, I guess the smoke and your suit masked your scent enough that I knew you were my mate, but I still assumed you were a man.” He squeezed her arms, his fingers so close to her chest. “No offense. I have nothing against female firefighters, I just…”

“None taken.” She wanted to hear the rest of this. Was her mind spinning this tale?

“I wasn’t exactly doing jumping jacks when I found I’d met my mate and it was a man.” He took a deep cleansing breath. “I’m over-the-top relieved to find you are actually as female as they come.”

A pause filled the smoky air. Was the smoke penetrating their new spot too?

“So let me get this straight. You are actually a wolf. And you believe I’m somehow your destiny?”

“Exactly. Well, except for the part about me believing it to be true. There’s no doubt. You’re mine, Brianna.”

He said her name like she was the sexiest creature on earth, and for a moment she let the word ring through her head.