Page 148 of Falling for the Playboy Pilot

“It’s not funny.”

“But it kind of is.”

“Come on,” I said with a sigh. “We better get back. I don’t want everyone to think I’m some hussy who can’t keep her hands off you.”

“But you can’t.”

“You need to put on a damn shirt,” I snapped. “You woke up the ovaries of Mrs. Martin. She’s in her sixties!”

He took my hand, kissed the back of it, and we started back to the party.

“I cannot wait until the season is over,” he said. “I’m going to chain you to my bed and that’s where you’ll be all winter.”

“Promise?” I asked, grinning up at him.

“Cross my heart,” he said, making an X over his chest with his finger.

We rejoined the crowd, and I tried to focus on serving pie and refilling drinks, but my mind kept wandering to winter. To long, lazy mornings in bed with Dalton. To quiet evenings by the fire. To a life that didn’t revolve around the constant threat of being called away to fight another blaze.

I looked around the area and felt more at home than I ever had. They were my family and friends. My life felt complete. I’d finally found my place. I was supposed to be here. When I first came here, I wasn’t sure I would stay all year.

There was no way I was going to leave. These were my people.

“You’re glowing,” Laser observed, sidling up to me with a knowing look.

“I’m sweating. It’s hot.”

“That’s not sweat, that’s post-make-out glow. You two are worse than teenagers. Pickle told me he busted you guys.”

“Of course, he did.”

“We totally went in the bathroom at the hardware store,” she said with a cheesy grin. “We were sent to get screws and⁠—”

“That is not fair!”

“Gotta be smarter,” she said with a wink.

Chief’s radio crackled to life. The sound cut through the festive atmosphere like a knife, and everyone within earshot went quiet.

“Base to Chief, we have a situation developing.”

Chief stepped away from the crowd. Dalton stopped what he was doing and pulled on his shirt. “Go ahead, base.”

Wild Bill, Pickle, and a couple of the other guys were all kissing their loved ones goodbye.

“We’ve got reports of a new start about fifteen miles north of town. On the ridge.”

That meant it would be up to us.

“Showtime,” Laser said.

***