Fires are blazing across southern Utah, and Aaron Meyers, volunteer firefighter, knows he should be concentrating on the flames. Unfortunately, he's too distracted by former crush, and current New York City fireman, Xander Wescott.<br><br>Xander returns to Utah to help battle the flames threatening his hometown. He remembers Aaron as the gangly kid who used to follow him around, and he's unprepared for just how much he wants to know the man Aaron has become.

Scorched

Though he didn’t respond, Xander couldn’t hold back his smile as they walked out and met up with the tech. Aaron might feel like the afternoon would take forever, but the world had just gotten a lot lighter for Xander. He didn’t have to worry for the next five hours about whether or not Aaron was only interested in no strings sex, or satisfying a longtime infatuation, or done with him entirely. He’d couched the suggestion as a means of helping Aaron know what a real date could feel like, and while that was definitely part of his rationale, the reality of having a date with him had Xander flying.


There might have been more smoke that afternoon. There were definitely higher temperatures. He remembered a few minor blazes, but when they pulled back into the station, all Xander could think about was the night to come ahead.


“Quick showers, and then we’re out of here.” He winked. “Unless you’ve changed your mind about dinner.”


Chapter 14