Doss noticed him and waved. “O’Connor, good to see you.”
“How goes the battle, Dave?” Ryan shook his hand.
“Aw, you know, just when you think you have the sonofabitch, she blows up again. Thanks for kicking ass on the head yesterday. Prevented evacuation of the air force base.”
“We were lucky the wind changed.”
“Luck is a lot of this game, isn’t it? Who’s the firefighter you need to see on Aurora Crew?”
“Tara Waters. She was the fiancée of Travis McGuire, the Zulie jumper killed in Idaho. She’s a friend, so figured I’d tell her in person, rather than her hearing it elsewhere.” Ryan conveniently left off the “ex” connotation to make it seem urgent.
“Bad blow to the fire community when that shit happens.” Dave examined his watch. “Aurora should be back by now. Crew camps are down that way.” Doss pointed and rubbed his eyes with thumb and forefinger. “Been a long day.”
“Always are. Thanks.”
“Don’t envy you, delivering news like that.” Dave shook his head and ducked into the IC tent.
Ryan strode downhill to Aurora’s camp. Three firefighters came toward him, holding their hardhats. A blonde, a brunette, and a redhead. His redhead.
Liz and Angela were engrossed in an animated discussion. Tara lagged a little behind, her head down.
Angela saw him first. “Lord, love a duck—if it isn’t Ryan O’Connor!”
Tara snapped her head up and a big smile lit her face.
He continued toward her, grinning.
“It’s really you.” She threw her arms around him, nearly knocking him over. She hugged him hard and he liked it.
“It’s really me.” He was delighted with her happiness to see him. Good call, making the decision to come up here.
Tara drew back to look at him. “Why are you here?”
“I had to see you.”
Her expression changed to sheer joy. Unabashed, she planted a kiss on his mouth.
God, he loved it. He pulled back, not because he didn’t welcome her luscious lips, but they were out here in front of God and everyone else.
“Oh, that’s so romantic…geez, guys, get a room,” purred Liz, grinning.
Tara’s emerald eyes sparkled. “I can’t believe you’re here. I heard you on the radio yesterday when you jumped the fire. Are you working at Shackelford base camp now?”
“Not exactly.” He didn’t have much time. “I need to talk to you—alone.”
Tara glanced at Angela and Liz. “See you later, guys.”
“Buh-bye.” Angela winked at him, and she and Liz continued their way.
He scoped for a private place amid the flurry of activity with crews coming and going and people hauling equipment. “Come on.” He threaded his fingers through Tara’s, leading her through a dense stand of sun-dappled spruce.
Alder brushed Nomex and their boots crunched twigs as he practically pulled her along. Most of their serious talks had been in the woods except for their red-hot night together.
When he was satisfied with enough privacy, he stopped and pulled off his Ray Bans, letting them dangle to his chest. It took every ounce of will power not to ease her to the forest floor and make love to her, but his ride was waiting, and he had the unwelcome news to deliver.
Tara wasted no time. She reached around his neck and kissed him, forcing his lips open with her tongue. She tasted minty and he inhaled the smoke in her hair.
He returned the kiss, his tongue seeking hers. Her lips were warm and welcoming. Backing her into a birch, he pressed hard against her. Clearly aroused, he slid his hand between the buttons on her shirt. She untucked it and guided his hand under her shirt and tank top to give him access to a breast.
Tara explored his mouth with her tongue and whimpered. She slipped her hand down below his belt, massaging him.
He tensed and moaned, then ended the kiss, withdrawing his hand from under her shirt. “We’d better stop.” His voice was husky.
“Mmm, don’t want to,” she whispered, cradling his face, and kissing him again.
He didn’t want her to stop but the clock was ticking. “God, what you do to me.” He rested his hands on her shoulders and slid his palms down her yellow-shirted arms to hold her hands.
“I’ve missed you.” She seemed tired but she was still a beauty. That hadn’t changed.
“It’s only been one day,” he chuckled, stroking her hair. “But I can’t stay. I came to tell you something.”
“I’m glad you’re here. I so need to be with you right now.” She smiled up at him.
“I want to be with you, too, but don’t have much time. Mel is waiting with Juliet.” He brushed back strands from her messy ponytail and kissed the side of her neck. “And I’m expected back at the Jump Shack.”
“So good to see you. You have no idea.” She buried her face in his fire shirt and squeezed her arms around him.
He sensed something wrong. Something was off. Maybe she already knew about Travis. He moved back and cupped her cheeks. “Everything okay?”
She nodded, but her expression said otherwise. “What is it you have to tell me?”
He hungered to kiss her again but had to get on with it. He tenderly rubbed her shoulders. “There’s been an accident. Travis McGuire. He jumped the Lochsa Fire in Idaho…his chutes didn’t open…”
She took a step back and gave him an odd look. “Why are you talking about Travis?”
“I wanted to be the one to tell you. Didn’t want you hearing it in some random way.” He reached for her hand and stroked it with his thumb.
“Travis—is he dead?” Tara fixed on him, wide-eyed.
He squeezed her hand, nodding. “I’m sorry.”
“Oh, God.” She stumbled back against the birch and wiped a shaking hand across her mouth.
He moved close to comfort her. “No one knows why his reserve didn’t open after his primary chute didn’t work. It was a malfunction.”
“Travis jumped over a
