Liz Talley

Dear Reader,

I’m going to confess that tossing a hot firefighter, a woman who’s been crushing on him for years and a bottle of tequila into a cabin during a snowstorm is my personal catnip in a romance. Needless to say, writing Emma and Erik’s adventure was a treat for me. In fact, the story flew out of my fingertips. And working with Kimberly Van Meter was the cherry on top of a pretty sweet book.

I hope you enjoy reading these fun stories of two best friends finding the perfect guys for them. And that they’re both sexy firefighters? Well, that’s your cherry on top.

Happy reading!

Liz

For Ike, Georgia and Deacon—my constant muses. Thank you for the cold nose nudges, the occasional doggy kisses and reminding me life is fun.

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

1

ERIK MATHESON HAD fought a lot of fires, but he’d never been so damn tired before. Of course, a three-alarm blaze in an apartment complex was a rarity in the small town an hour north of Denver. And he was usually better rested before hitting his shift. Multiple late nights moving his sister back to Pine Ridge paired with accidental smoke inhalation had taken a toll. After knocking out the blaze, he could hardly stand on his own two feet.

“You okay, man?” Layton Davis asked, glancing over at him as they turned into the subdivision where Erik had bought a house a few months before. Layton shared a shift with him at the fire department.

“Yeah, I’m still kicking. But damn if I’m not beat.”

“That’s ’cause you’re getting old,” Layton said, ever the smart-ass.

“I’ve got five years on you. Not twenty.” Erik rubbed his eyes. They still stung from the intense heat.

“Dude, I’ve never been to your place. Which way?” Layton asked, slowing the truck, his voice weary. They’d been about to end their shift when the call came in. Being on their feet actively engaged in fighting the fully involved fire for over six hours had been brutal. Erik figured he’d sweated away the extra calories he’d packed on from all the Christmas cookies Alexis had been baking. His sister was a traditionalist when it came to the holidays, even forcing him to buy a Christmas tree and silly stockings to hang on his mantel. Since it was the first house he’d actually owned and his parents were currently in Scotland, he hadn’t made too much of a fuss about his sister’s attempt at an old-fashioned family Christmas.

“Take a left, then a right on Timber Ridge Drive.”

Layton followed his directives. His younger friend was a solid guy, a little too pretty—a request from the Colorado firefighters’ calendar project manager for Layton to model in the 2016 charity calendar had arrived last week. Poor dude had endured plenty of ribbing from the guys at the station. Good thing Alexis and her friend Emma were on their way to Colorado Springs and not still at his place. Alexis could never resist a pretty face, and she didn’t need heartbreak on her menu.

“Right here,” Erik said, pointing to the house with stacked stone columns and a wide front porch. His new place had plenty of room, which was a good thing, because the roads had already started icing up. No doubt his friend would have to stay the night.

“Nice place,” Layton said, nosing the truck up the slippery driveway. The tires spun a bit, before catching and shooting them forward. “Damn, it’s slick out.”

“Which is why you’re staying,” Erik said, his words sounding oddly slurred. Hell, he was more tired than he thought.

“Naw. I can make it back to my place. I’ll swing by and get you tomorrow once the roads are clear and take you back to the station to get your truck.”

“Dude, it’s past one o’clock in the morning and the roads are shit. I have an extra bedroom.”

“Thought your sister was staying with you for a while.”

“She’s in Colorado Springs spending the weekend with her best friend from high school.” Her very grown and very hot best friend. Emma had stopped by yesterday as he was leaving for his shift. He hadn’t seen her since she’d been in high school and he’d damn near choked on his hello. She was stunning, no longer leggy and awkward with braces. Emma Brent had grown into a full-fledged woman.

Tags: Kimberly Van Meter Billionaire Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net