When Gideon arrived at the address—which he had no problem finding with the flames shooting up into the sky—he found Trip Hunter on site, along with another local squad car, firetruck, and a handful of volunteer firefighters, as well as an ambulance. He headed there first to let the EMTs know he was here to help. Next, he searched out Trip, not seeing any sign of Kennadee.

“Trip, where’s Kennadee?” Somehow, he already knew the answer to the question. If she was anywhere, she would be inside the burning log structure. His heart pounded and sweat broke out over his body as Trip confirmed his suspicions.

“Ryder’s inside, pinned under a fallen log. She’s in there with two others trying to free him.”

“Is he…”

“He’s conscious and swearing up a storm, but he’s injured. We don’t know how bad yet. It’s good that you’re here.” Someone hollered Trip’s name. “Sorry, Gideon, I need to—”

“Yes, go. I’ll be right here.” Being worried out of my mind and praying. He gazed up at the log structure being consumed by the greedy flames.

There was something macabre but beautiful about the fire. The flames danced to a terrifying musical score. Mozart’s Lacrimosa came to mind as he took in the horrific scene. He’d never witnessed a fire up close and personal. He’d only seen what Hollywood had portrayed on screen.

Safe in a theater, one didn’t choke on the smoke, feel the intense heat, or hear the deafening thunder of the thirsty flames. A battle unfolded before him between the roaring flames and the high-pressure arcs of water attempting to lash them into submission. The flames hissed and spit, screeched and bellowed, refusing to be dominated. Swords of flames shot into the air, stabbing through the roof, crackling greedily at the vain antics of the attacking firemen.

It was a war between man and fire, and the fire was winning.

A log exploded, sending sparks into the air, the breeze picking them up and winging them into the surrounding trees. One of the firemen directed the water hose toward the trees in an attempt to prevent the sparks from catching and licking through the surrounding forests.

Vaguely, he thought he heard the buzzing of a chainsaw.

He felt helpless standing there, while Trip and the other police officers barked orders to the spectators to stay back. Firefighters fought with hoses swollen with water, shovels, axes, and saws, while he and the EMTs stood back waiting their turn.

It would come, he knew, and prayed that their services wouldn’t be exhausted with many injured. He’d seen results of fires when he’d worked his residency in the ER, the devastating damage it could do to human flesh.

The woman he loved was in there being assaulted by the inferno, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to protect her.

He turned, numbly, when a hand clamped down on his shoulder. “She knows what she’s doing,” his dad said. “This isn’t her first rodeo, son. That girl has been at war with fire for years. What she needs now, more than anything, is your support.”

He swallowed down his fears, giving his dad a nod of understanding. Logically, he knew this. Emotionally, it was another struggle he needed to overcome to be mated to a firefighter.

A scuffle sounded behind him. He turned to see Trip trying to keep Jack from running into the burning building.

“Shit,” his dad said. “Come on.”

They rushed to help Trip. It took all three of them to restrain Jack.

“Two of my kids are inside there!” Jack struggled in their hold.

“Dad!” Dare hollered, arriving and getting into Jack’s face. “You aren’t helping anyone acting this way. Put it aside.”

“I can’t lose my kids too,” he cried. They all knew he referred to his wife that he’d loved to distraction and had barely survived her loss.

“And you aren’t going to,” Dare said, his voice more soothing, yet formidable. “Ryder’s hurt, but he’s alive. Kennadee will get him out safely.”

“How do you know that?” Jack grabbed onto Dare, his eyes wild.

“I just do. You know Ryder and I have a special connection. He’s pissed, but he’s okay.”

Jack stared at Dare for a long moment and then struggled to gather himself, straightening his shoulders. “I need my family around me. God, I wish your brother Brey were here.”

Catriona appeared with Avery, followed by a worried Zoe. “We’re here, Dad. Sorene and Ash are coming too.” She indicated them hurrying toward them.

“What do we know?” Ash asked Trip.

Trip caught them up, informing them that Ryder had arrived on the job site to find the fire and called it in.

“Why the hell is he in there then?” Jack asked.

“We don’t know,” Trip said. There was squawking over the radio clipped to his shoulder. “Stay here.” He turned and rushed away.

Jack faced Gideon. “You were supposed to make her love you so she’d settle down and not fight fires anymore.”

“Now, Jack—” Gideon began only to be interrupted by Zoe.

“That isn’t fair, Dad. You know Kennadee. She’s always been a risk taker. Falling in love isn’t going to change that about her.”

Jack rubbed his face. “I know. Damn her, my little Wild Fire.” His voice broke on the last words, and Catriona wrapped her arms around him, trying to soothe him.

“Someone’s coming out!” Pete yelled, pointing toward the charred maw that used to be the front door.

Gideon rushed forward, followed by the others. Two burly firemen carried Ryder, who cussed up a storm, pain bracketing his mouth, his face black with soot.

The firemen set him down on the waiting gurney and the EMTs huddled around him. Gideon glanced frantically for a sign of Kennadee, torn between needing her and needing to see to Ryder. “Where’s Kennadee?” he asked one of the firemen.

“She’s right here,” Kennadee said, setting down a chainsaw, dressed in firefighter gear, a helmet covering her head.

Gideon yanked her into his arms. She smelled like wood smoke, sweat, and water. “Are you hurt? Injured anywhere? How’s your shoulder?”

“I’m fine. It’s Ryder you need to see to. I have to get back to work.”

He didn’t want to let her go, but she was jerked out of his arms by Jack, who wrapped her in a bear hug, burying his face in her neck.

“Dad, you need to let me go,” Kennadee said, her voice steady and reassuring.

“Just give me a damn minute.” There were tears in Jack’s voice.

“Come on, Jack,” Gideon said, laying his hand on his shoulder. “Let Kennadee do her thing. We both need to trust she’ll take every precaution and return safe to us.”

Kennadee gave him a radiant look from over Jack’s shoulder and mouthed, “Thank you.”

Jack reluctantly released her, wiping his eyes. “You’d better be safe, Wild Fire.”

“Always, Dad. Don’t worry.”

“Goddammit, it’s my job to worry,” he croaked out.

“Ryder needs you more than I do right now. He’s got a broken leg and his temper is burning as hot as this blaze. He thinks the fire was set intentionally. Go. Be with him.” She pushed Jack toward where the EMTs worked to stabilize Ryder’s leg. They’d already fixed an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth, though it didn’t muffle the angry words spewing from him.

“Kennadee,” Gideon called, striding up to her, cupping her cheek. “Keep my fireman safe.” He kissed her hard and fast. “I love you.”

“I know,” she said with a wink, and then swaggered away to help finish putting out what was left of the fire.

Gideon smiled, appreciating the sexy, competent, skilled woman he’d fallen in love with. He turned his attention to Ryder.

Ryder whipped off the oxygen mask. “I don’t want to be bussed to Fairbanks. Tell me you can fix this broken leg at the clinic,” he demanded.

“I highly suggest we take you to Fairbanks to be fully checked out.”

“That isn’t what I asked. Can you do it or not?”

He looked Ryder over, saw the temper that couldn’t be missed, the superficial burns on his face and hands, and the broken leg. “We’ll take you to the clinic and I’ll examine you, but if I find any reason that you need to be seen in Fairbanks you’ll go without complaint. Understood?”

“Fine. Let’s get out of here. Trip!” he hollered, when he saw him.

Trip jogged over. “I’ll need a statement from you when you feel up to it.”

“I feel up to it now. Follow us to the clinic,” Ryder demanded.

“You should be seen at Fairbanks Memorial,” Trip said, and then added, “No offense, Gideon.”

“No offense taken, and he will be taken to the hospital if I think he needs to regardless of how much he blusters.”

“I don’t bluster,” Ryder barked. His siblings laughed at him, the laughter peppered with relief.

Gideon consulted with the EMTs who filled him in on Ryder’s vitals. Gideon told them that he’d follow the ambulance to the clinic.

Arriving at the clinic with his dad in tow as well as the Wilde Clan, he set them up in the waiting room, among protests from Jack and Dare. Gideon agreed to allow Dare to accompany him as he didn’t have a nurse on staff today, and out of all the family members, Dare and Ryder were twins, and Gideon had seen firsthand the otherworldly connection twins had.

Dare would be useful.

He could use Kennadee, but she was still back cleaning up the remains of the blaze with her volunteer fire mates. The EMTs headed back to the fire to treat the firefighters who might need aid and agreed to return for Ryder if Gideon deemed he should be transported to Fairbanks.

The next few hours were spent with him examining, x-raying, and setting the simple break in Ryder’s leg, casting it in fiberglass, and treating the superficial burns he’d received while chasing after what he’d thought was an arsonist. That would have to be determined later.

Gideon returned to the waiting room to report to the waiting Wilde Clan.

Afterward, Jack took him aside. “I need an update on you and Kennadee,” Jack said. “I know she spent the night here with you last night. Tell me she loves you and agreed to marry you?”

“Jack, she needs time. We can’t rush things. She did admit to loving me, and that is a huge step for her. Any mention of marriage right now would send her back a few steps. But don’t worry. Eventually, I’ll get her to agree to marry me.”

“Excuse me?” Kennadee said appearing dressed in her fireman gear, smelling of smoke, her face covered in soot. “Did I overhear you correctly? I need time to get used to the fact that I love you before you ask me to marry you? I’m not someone you need to treat with kid gloves and, while yes, admitting I love your sorry ass is a big step for me, you better reinforce that my love isn’t in vain. A marriage proposal would go a long way in proving it.”

“You want me to ask you to marry me?” Gideon asked, more stunned than if a moose had walked into his clinic asking for treatment on his antlers.

“Actually, now that I think about it, why do women need to wait around for the man to ask? So, I’m asking. Will you marry me?”

He smiled a crooked smile, loving this woman more right now than he thought possible. “Not going to get down on bended knee?”

She growled a warning and he laughed, yanking her into his arms. “Yes, I’ll marry you, Kennadee Wilde. Thanks for asking.”

Jack and Pete shared a crafty smile and gave each other a low fist bump. Gideon turned Kennadee in his arms, trying to prevent her from seeing their conspiring fathers. The last thing he needed was for Kennadee to realize their dads had a hand in their romance.

Now if only he could figure out a way to get rid of everyone so that he could be alone with the woman he loved to distraction.

“All right, everyone,” Kennadee addressed the crowd. “You need to get Ryder home, and I need time alone with my fiancé. So, get.”

Amid half-hearted grumbles, they filed out, taking a crutch-walking Ryder with them, and Gideon was left blessedly alone with Kennadee.

“I’m in badly need of a shower,” she said with a twinkle in her green eyes.

“And I’m in badly need of getting you naked,” he replied. “After all, I should examine you thoroughly to make sure you didn’t sustain any injuries.”

“Well, then, isn’t it nice that we’re on the same page. Plus, playing doctor does appeal to me in the naughtiest way.”

She took his hand and led him into his studio apartment where they proceeded to start their new life together. A life Gideon knew would be fraught with delicious tension and constant risk.

He wouldn’t have it any other way.

* * *

Continue reading for a preview of Wild Card the fourth book in the Alaska Wild Nights Series, featuring Zoe Wilde and Alaska State Trooper Trip Hunter.