Chasing Fire

fight was finished, they packed out, all but asleep on their feet, shouldering tools and gear. Nobody spoke on the short flight back to base; most were too busy snoring. Some thirty-eight hours after the siren sounded, Gull dragged himself into the barracks, dumped his gear. On the way to his quarters he bumped into Rowan.
    “How about a nightcap?”
    She snorted out a laugh. He imagined she’d braced a hand on the wall just to stay on her feet. “While a cold beer might go down good, I believe that’s your clever code for sex. Even if my brain was fried enough to say sure, I don’t believe you could get it up tonight—today—this morning.”
    “I strongly disagree, and would be willing to back that up with a demonstration.”
    “Sweet.” She gave him a light slap on his grimy face. “Pass. ’Night.”
    She slipped into her room, and he continued on to his. Once he stripped off his stinking shirt, pants, and fell facedown and filthy on top of his bed, he had time to think thank God she hadn’t taken him up on it before he zeroed out.
     
     
    IN THE BUNK in his office, where he habitually stayed when Rowan caught a fire at night, Lucas heard the transport plane go out. Heard it come back. Still, he didn’t fully relax until his cell phone signaled a text.
     
    Got nasty, but we put her down. I’m A-OK. Love, Ro
     
    He put the phone aside, settled down, and slid into the first easy sleep since the siren sounded.
     
     
    LUCAS JUMPED with an early-morning group of eight, posed for pictures, signed brochures, then took the time to discuss moving up to accelerated free fall with two of the group.
    When he walked them in to Marcie to sign them up, his brain went wonky on him. Ella Frazier of the red hair and forest-green eyes turned to smile at him.
    With dimples.
    “Hello again.”
    “Ah . . . again,” he managed, flustered. “Um, Marcie will take you through the rest, get you scheduled,” he told the couple with him.
    “I watched your skydive.” Ella turned her smile on them. “I just did my first tandem the other day. It’s amazing, isn’t it?”
    He stood, struggling not to shuffle his feet while Ella chatted with his newest students.
    “Have you got a minute for me?” she asked him.
    “Sure. Sure. My office—”
    “Could we walk outside? Marcie tells me you’ve got two more tandems coming in. I’d love to watch.”
    “Okay.” He held the door open for her, then wondered what to do with his hands. In his pockets? At his sides? He wished he had a clipboard with him to keep them occupied.
    “I know you’re busy today, and I probably should’ve called.”
    “It’s no problem.”
    “How’s your daughter? I followed the fire on the news,” she added.
    “She’s fine. Back on base, safe and sound. Did I tell you about Rowan?”
    “Not exactly.” She tucked her hair behind her ear as she angled her face toward his. “I Googled you before I signed up. I love my son, but I wasn’t about to jump out of an airplane unless I knew something about who I was hooked to.”
    “Can’t blame you.” See, he told himself, sensible. Any man should be able to relax around a sensible woman. A grandmother, he reminded himself. An educator .
    He managed to unknot his shoulders.
    “Your experience and reputation turned the trick for me. So, Lucas, I was wondering if I could buy you a drink.”
    And his shoulders tensed like overwound springs while his brain went to sloppy mush. “Sorry?”
    “To thank you for the experience, and giving me the chance to show off to my grandchildren.”
    “Oh, well.” There went that flush of heat up the back of his neck. “You don’t have to . . . I mean to say—”
    “I caught you off-guard, and probably sounded like half the women who come through here, hitting on you.”
    “No, they . . . you—”
    “I wasn’t. Hitting on you,” she added with a big, bright smile. “But now I have to confess to a secondary purpose. I have a project I’d love to speak to you about, and if I could buy you a drink, soften you up, I’m hoping you’ll get on board. If you’re in a relationship, you’re welcome to bring your lady with you.”
    “No, I’m not. I mean, there isn’t any lady. Especially.”
    “Would you be free tonight? I could meet you about seven, at the bar at Open Range. I could thank you, soften you up, and you can tell me more about training for the AFF.”
    Business, he told himself. Friendly business. He discussed friendly business