Firestorm Read Online Free Page B

decided to sell.
    The house, a dream come true, was built within six months.
This is home
, Reyne thought happily, gazing at her friends as they chatted.
I am so happy here
.
    A high-pitched whirring distracted her from her reverie. She rose, looking out across town to the airstrip. “That’s odd,” she mumbled.
    “What?” Rachel asked, rising beside her.
    “That small plane. Taking off. I didn’t think there were any exercises scheduled this weekend.”
    “Well, it’s the first clear day we’ve had in weeks. Maybe it’s a visitor. Or those new smokejumpers—”
    “No,” Reyne interrupted softly. “Nobody’s at the airstrip yet. Very strange,” she said, shrugging and turning her back to thewindow. “But I am
not
working today, so I won’t worry about it.”
    “Still struggling with the working-from-home-so-I-never-get-away-from-it syndrome?” Rachel asked her.
    “You of all people should understand.”
    “I do,” Rachel returned, who had done advertising work from her home since leaving San Francisco to marry Dirk. “You have to get hard-core. Set your hours. Don’t answer the phone unless it’s during those hours. Leave your paperwork at your desk. Never let it get to the dining room.
Or
your bed. Let everyone know your rules. And don’t let anyone break them.”
    Reyne nodded in agreement, then cocked her head as the Cessna sang overhead.
They never fly flight patterns in this direction
. She stood and walked to the front porch, watching in amazement as a technicolor parachute opened up high above, then slowly angled down toward the cottage.
    Beth and Rachel joined her on the porch, watching the artful descent. The man landed not fifteen feet from Reyne’s house. “You’ve gotta be kidding,” she mumbled. “You! What are
you
doing here?” she asked him, fighting to keep her voice calm.
    “So what do you think?” Beth said to Rachel impishly. “Should she run inside and shut the door in his face? ’Cause he’s definitely not dropping in during business hours.”
    “No,” Reyne heard Rachel say quietly. “He’s too cute to turn away—and there’s no wedding ring in sight. As I was saying, you have to bend the rules once in a while. Besides, he’s obviously skydiving, not smokejumping. So technically, it’s
not
work.” She ignored Reyne’s tight-lipped grimace and stepped off the porch, reaching out her hand. “Hi, I’m Rachel Tanner. Reyne didn’t tell us she was expecting company.”
    The handsome, tall man stopped unclipping gear and flashed her a brilliant smile. “Logan McCabe,” he said. “I’m pleased to meet you. I’ve just been detailed to Elk Horn to head up the timber company’s private firefighting force as a backup for Missoula. And when I have some extra time, I’m supposed to work closely with this woman on a research project.” He nodded at Reyne, ignoring her sputter and look of confusion.
    Beth made her way around Reyne and went to meet the man too. Reyne looked at them both with disbelief, feeling betrayed. Then she caught herself. They had no idea what Logan had done. They only saw him as a handsome, apparently eligible guy dropping in on her—literally—during a glorious spring day. It
was
kind of romantic when she thought about it.
Wait a minute, did I just call him handsome? And think this might be romantic? Reyne, get a grip
.
    She glared at Logan, who was charming her friends with another lame joke. Yes, she had to admit it. He
was
handsome, with tightly cropped, dark brown hair that waved close to his head. Dazzling blue eyes, she noted as he looked toward her, eyes the color of a Montana sky on a hot day. He was striking, strong …
    Not that it was going to get him an inch farther with her. Reyne had worked with dozens of handsome, adventurous men in her years fighting fire. And this particular man had almost certainly cost her the research and development money she had worked for months to get.
    She resolutely stepped from the porch and