Playing with Fire Read online

  Playing with Fire

  Jen Talty

  Contents

  Playing with Fire

  A Note from Jen Talty

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Epilogue

  Books by Jen Talty

  About the Author

  Playing with Fire

  book 1 in the Frist Responders series

  A crossover novella from the NY State Trooper Series

  JEN TALTY

  COPYRIGHT © 2018 by Jen Talty

  PUBLISHED BY JUPITER PRESS

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author or Jupiter press except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  Publishing History

  Originally published in Dallas Firefighters Kindle World 2018

  Published as part of the UNFORGETABLE PASSION boxset 2019

  Praise for Jen Talty

  "I positively loved In Two Weeks, and highly recommend it. The writing is wonderful, the story is fantastic, and the characters will keep you coming back for more. I can't wait to get my hands on future installments of the NYS Troopers series." Long and Short Reviews

  "In Two Weeks hooks the reader from page one. This is a fast paced story where the development of the romance grabs you emotionally and the suspense keeps you sitting on the edge of your chair. Great characters, great writing, and a believable plot that can be a warning to all of us." Desiree Holt, USA Today Bestseller

  "Dark Water delivers an engaging portrait of wounded hearts as the memorable characters take you on a healing journey of love. A mysterious death brings danger and intrigue into the drama, while sultry passions brew into a believable plot that melts the reader's heart. Jen Talty pens an entertaining romance that grips the heart as the colorful and dangerous story unfolds into a chilling ending." Night Owl Reviews

  "This is not the typical love story, nor is it the typical mystery. The characters are well rounded and interesting." You Gotta Read Reviews

  "Deadly Secrets is the best of romance and suspense in one hot read!" NYT Bestselling Author Jennifer Probst

  "A charming setting and a steamy couple heat up the pages in an suspenseful story I couldn't put down!" NY Times and USA today Bestselling Author Donna Grant

  "Murder in Paradise Bay is a fast-paced romantic thriller with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing until the end. You won't want to miss this one..." USA Today bestselling author Janice Maynard

  To all the men and women firefighters, paramedics, and other first responders who risk their lives every day to protect others.

  A Note from Jen Talty

  Playing with Fire, introduces the first responders from fictional Station House 29 in Lake George, New York. You will see characters from my NY State Trooper series pop up.

  Cade Nash, a fireman from the NY State Trooper series is the captain of Firehouse 29. This is Cade’s story!

  1

  CADE NASH pulled his fire-engine-red pickup truck into his driveway, squinting as the morning sun glared over the horizon. Summer’s in Lake George, New York seemed to be getting hotter and hotter. He didn’t mind the heat. It was a nice change from the frigid cold winters these parts were known for, but he could do with the humidity.

  Slamming the gear shift into park, he glanced at his new neighbor as she waltzed from her teal-colored front door to her older model, white cross-over vehicle parked neatly under the carport. He never understood why the previous owners hadn’t converted the covered spot into a garage. Having to brush the snow off a vehicle was brutal, especially with how long the winters lingered.

  His neighbor scurried across the pavement but didn’t really give him a second glance.

  He smiled, though wasn’t even sure that she’d seen it. Besides being dead-dog tired from a twenty-four shift at Station House 29, with two bad calls that had sucked the life out of him, Heather Holbrook was not only out of his league…

  She was a dentist.

  He hated dentists.

  He avoided them as much as possible, except for the occasional cleaning by a sweet older woman who understood his aversion, but unfortunately, she retired when his current dentist, that he didn’t see, even after his cleaning, had sold his practice to…

  Dr. Heather Holbrook.

  He groaned, rubbing the side of his mouth as he watched her pull open the driver's door with her dainty hands. Every morning he saw her she wore the same type of outfit. Dark slacks, a conservative top, flat shoes, and her long, dark hair pulled back in a ponytail at the nap of her neck, showing off sweet, kissable skin right under her earlobe.

  Her sun kissed complexion sent his senses into over drive.

  Stop!

  She certainly wasn’t interested in him anyway. Pretty easy to tell that considering the few times they had talked, she barely pulled together a couple of sentences.

  Of course, he hadn’t tried that hard to engage in conversation, for numerous reasons.

  He slid from the truck like a slug, his body feeling more like fifty than a thirty-six year-old-man.

  Working twenty-four hour shifts every three days for fourteen years will do that to a person.

  The sound of an engine trying to turn over, but lacking enough juice, reached his ears, awaking the best quality he had as a human: the desire to help people.

  That same trait had cost him a wife.

  “Um, excuse me,” Heather said, waving frantically. The smooth lift of her voice rolled across his skin like a wetsuit.

  He stepped around the hood of his pickup, knowing he could never say no to someone in need.

  Even if her hands caused pain to everyone who stepped into her office.

  “Cade? Right?” she asked as she crossed the property line.

  He nodded. “Dr. Holbrook.”

  “We’re neighbors, I think Heather is more appropriate.” Glancing over her shoulder, she pointed to her car. “I must have left a light on again or something, because my battery is dead.”

  “I can jump it for you.” He tried not to stare, but it was impossible the second he locked gazes with her. He swallowed. Her dark, rich eyes had a wary look, much like his had the first few months after he’d asked Kim to leave. “But I’ll need to drive across the yards so my hood butts up against yours.”

  “Oh, that’s fine,” she said, looking around, crossing her arms over her middle.

  “Pop the hood and I’ll be right over.” He climbed into the cab of his truck, biting back a yawn, while he eyed her ass.

  Looking was okay and that’s all he was doing.

  He maneuvered his vehicle across the yards. Thankfully it hadn’t rained in a while, so the damage from his tires would be minimal, if at all.

  Otherwise, his good-natured demeanor would have him doing her yard work, which reminded him that Mrs. Baker needed her lawn mowed, something he’d do as soon as he had a few hours of shut eye this morning.

  His truck dwarfed her car, much like his six-foot-two frame did standing next to her as she handed him her set of jumper cables. He smiled, taking them in his hands, avoiding hers, because if he touched her skin, he’d probably hit on her, and that would be bad because he’d taken a break on the dating scene. He’d thought after his divorce had been made final, he’d be ready, and he was.

  Only the women he ended up dating thought it sexy to be involved with a fireman, until they had to deal with the crazy schedule, which mostly was the need to catch up on sleep for the two day
s he had off between shifts.

  “Thanks,” he said, staring down at her. If she was five-five and a hundred-thirty pounds soaking wet it would be a miracle. He’d probably break her in half if they ever…

  STOP!

  He looked under the hood and frowned. “You mentioned the battery died before?”

  “Last night at work, and a few other times this week, but I’m notorious for leaving lights on.” She stood a few feet away, rocking side to side.

  He couldn’t figure out if the sway was because she was in a hurry and annoyed, or nervous and annoyed. “How old is this car?”

  “About eight years, why?”

  Damn honeysuckle voice made him want to forget why he’d never ask her out on a date.

  “Have you ever replaced the battery?” He leaned over, checking out how badly corroded the connections were.

  To say they were in bad shape was being kind.

  “I honestly don’t know,” she said with a soft voice.

  He hooked up the cables to her battery, then his. “Are the keys in the car?”

  She nodded, biting her fingernail.

  Stepping into her car, his knee smacked against the steering wheel. “Shit,” he muttered, searching for the lever to move the seat back.

  “You okay?”

  “My legs are a little longer than yours.” He rubbed his knee.

  “Oh, sorry,” she said, still chomping down on her thumb.

  He turned the key and the engine made a noise that sounded more like a dying sea cow. He tried again, but this time nothing. Didn’t even turn over once. “You need a new battery. That one is shot.”

  “Are you sure?” She dropped her hands to her side, letting out a long sigh.

  “Positive.” Gently, he lowered her hood, letting it catch and lock closed. When he turned, she stared at her watch, this time biting on her lip. “Do you need to get into work? I can give you a ride and pick up a new battery for you, and install—”

  “No. No. that’s okay. I’ll call an Uber and then maybe I can get a tow…” her voice trailed off as she poked at her phone.

  “I don’t mind.” Why couldn’t he keep his mouth shut? He needed a few hours of sleep considering he might have gotten a total of two hours at the station, and not consecutively. It seemed every time he put his head on the pillow in the sleeping quarters, another call came in. “Your office isn’t too far away and there is an automotive store a few blocks past that. No reason to waste your money when I’m more than happy to help.” He raised his hands. “What are neighbors for?”

  One of these days he’d learn to use the word no.

  She glanced at her phone, fingers hovering over the surface. “Um, well, are you sure? I mean, that’s a lot to ask.”

  He laughed, opening the passenger door to his truck, holding out his hand, wishing he could say it was inconvenient, only it wasn’t. “You didn’t ask. I offered.” Her small hand disappeared in his as he helped her step onto the running board. Her soft skin ticked his calluses, but her hands were used as weapons to grind through teeth until they taunted and tortured the roots, scarring patients for life.

  A thought he’d keep right in the forefront of his brain, just in case his body tried to take over, focusing on how cute she looked riding shot gun.

  Damn it. Stop.

  He pounded his knuckles against the hood before sliding behind the wheel, and backed out into the quiet neighborhood street. Living outside of the village of Lake George had its perks. He could walk into town for a bit to eat anytime he wanted and he was close to the station house, so if he were called in for an emergency, he’d be there in less than fifteen minutes.

  He tapped his chest with his forefinger in tune with his heart as he rolled to a four-way stop. Three little girls and their mother crossed the street. The girls waved frantically. He smiled, nodding, trying to forget the real reason he’d bought the house.

  Kids.

  But when your wife up and leaves you for another man, well, kids weren’t in the forecast.

  That was two years ago and he’d given up on the idea. The women he ended up dating either couldn’t deal with his profession, or, like his ex-wife, Kim, thought he was too kind to the world.

  Who could be too kind?

  Hence, the no dating.

  “Do you like the neighborhood?” he asked, easing out on to the main road. “I know it’s not very big and while we don’t have our own private docks, having a shared waterfront makes it nice and easy to get to know the neighbors.

  “I thought it was a little odd that we have a pool so close to the lake, but I love the area, even in the winter.” She stared out the window, holding her purse tight against her chest.

  “Where did you move from?”

  She glanced in his direction. Those dark chocolate eyes making his blood pump a little faster to places it should be avoiding in the presence of a lady.

  Who drilled teeth for a living.

  All he had to do was keep reminding himself of that and the good doctor would have no effect on him at all.

  Right.

  “Albany,” she said.

  He waited a long moment for her to elaborate, but she didn’t.

  Like pulling teeth.

  He rubbed the side of his mouth.

  “Are you originally from Albany?”

  She shook her head. “Not really from anywhere. My dad was in the Army and we moved a lot, like almost every year a lot.”

  “I can’t imagine,” he said, smiling, finally getting a complete sentence. “I’ve never lived anywhere else but here. I’ve barely traveled outside of Lake George, much less New York.”

  “The longest I’ve lived anywhere was Albany. It’s where I went to medical school and worked in my first practice.” Her voice had a natural sultry tone to it and he wondered if she could belt out a few tunes.

  An image of her singing in the shower with a mix of soapy water covering her body slammed into his brain. He blinked, trying to erase that visual.

  “So, if you don’t mind me asking, why the change to Lake George?”

  “Opportunity to have my own dental practice,” she said with a wide smile, finally letting her guard down.

  That smile filled his gut with the warmth of sunshine and the burn from whiskey.

  “I didn’t like working for a large dental practice. It felt so impersonal and I want to know my patients.”

  “Sounds like a good plan.” He was one patient she wouldn’t be getting to know, at least in her office. “Have you had a chance to explore the at all?” Don’t say it! “I could show you around if you’d like.” He glanced at her as he made the turn onto the street where her dental office was located. “Your own personal tour guide.”

  Her smile faded.

  Yeah. Dude, she’s just not that into you.

  And she carries torture devices.

  “Thank you, but I’m still so busy unpacking and getting to know those in the office that I’m constantly crunched for time. I still need to hire a few new employees to replace the ones that left and I want to hire a contractor to turn the car port into a garage before the first snowfall.”

  “I can give you the names of some reputable contractors. Actually, a state trooper friend of mine, her husband and father are partners in one of the best in town.” He pulled into the parking lot of her office building, which was really an old house turned office, easing to a stop near the front door.

  “I’d really appreciate it.”

  Before he had the chance to race around the front of the truck to help her down, she’d already stepped onto the pavement and slammed the vehicle door. “What time do you want me to pick you up?”

  “Oh. No.” She shook her head. “You’ve done enough with bringing me here and taking care of the battery.” She ran her fingers through her long ponytail, twirling it at the end. “Can I give you some money now?”

  As if he would take her money. “I’ll let you know what it costs.”

  She nodded,
glancing over her shoulder. “Thanks. And really, I don’t know when I’ll be done, so I’ll just take an Uber.”

  “You could text me when you’re ready. I really don’t mind.” He jutted his chin toward the front door. “You can find my number in your patient data base.”

  Her brows rose, surprise registering on her sweet face. “It’s not necessary.”

  “True, but it’s what neighbors are for, and in our neck of the woods, we all watch out for each other.” He’d grown up in a tight knit community and wanted that for his family, another reason he’d bought the house. He kept it out of spite when he and Kim divorced. Some days he thought about selling, but that would be a pain in the ass. “If you call, I’ll come get you. If you don’t, just knock on my door so I can return your car keys.” He leaned against his truck, resting his hands on his hips, trying not to ogle her too much.

  She glanced over her shoulder, then back at him, catching his gaze. Her dark eyes burned into his, sending a spark across his body. He held her stare, trying not to let his eyes dart over her sexy body with her tiny waist, small breasts that would get lost in his hands, and curvy hips that he wouldn’t mind curling his fingers around.

  He remembered the sound of his mother’s hand smacking upside his head, which made him shiver. She’d raised him to be a gentleman, and he was, but Heather turned him into a horny teenager.

  “Thank you. I’ll be in touch after work.” She reached out, holding her hand in front of him.