Taught by the firefighte.., p.1
Taught by the Firefighter, page 1
Taught by the Firefighter
First Times in Trout Creek #6
By Hazel J. North
Copyright
© Taught by the Firefighter by Hazel J. North
2023
All Rights Reserved
* * *
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Taught by the Firefighter
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Epilogue
Author’s note and free book
Taught by the Firefighter
Jules
I never thought I’d see the strong firefighter who carried me out of my burning bookstore again, until he shows up at the hospital. When he offers to drive me back home and assess the damage to my bookstore, I can hardly contain my burning desire for him.
But do I want to put my heart on the line for someone whose job makes it difficult to guarantee he’ll always return to me safe and sound?
Rafe
Fighting fires and rescuing people from burning buildings is nothing special to me. It’s my job, after all. But when I save a curvy bookstore owner from a raging fire, I know that this time it’s different. I burn for her with a fiery passion, and I vow never to let her go.
Can I get her to trust me, or will she run away and leave me brokenhearted?
Taught by the Firefighter is a steamy short instalove romance full of heat and heart with NO cliffhanger, NO cheating, and a Guaranteed HEA. This book is part of the series First Times in Trout Creek, a steamy romance series set in a small mountain town where every insanely hot guy finds a sweet & inexperienced curvy woman to love.
Chapter One
Jules
“See you next week, Jules,” Linda says.
“Enjoy your books,” I tell her.
Linda is one of my best customers and a super sweet woman. Every Saturday, she swings by One More Chapter—my bookstore—to get a new stack of reads. I have no clue how she manages to read this much when also caring for her five grandchildren after school’s out, but I’m happy she does. It’s so much fun to talk books with her every week.
As soon as she leaves, I feel a pang of relief. Don’t get me wrong, I love her and my other customers, and I’m passionate about helping them find the perfect read, but I’m dying to find out what happens to the main characters of the book I’m reading. Whenever there’s a lull in the shop, I immediately grab my e-reader and shut reality off for a while.
Today, it’s Maxine Quinn’s new book. She’s a bestselling author who lives in Trout Creek, of all places. She and her husband live up the mountain with their dog and kid, and I devour her books as soon as they release. That’s how good they are. She even held an author event here a while back. In my bookstore! To say I’m a fan would be an understatement.
Half a chapter later, the bell to the bookstore jingles again. I close my e-reader and greet my next customer.
“Good morning, and welcome to One More Chapter. Let me know if I can help you with anything,” I tell her.
She gives me a big smile and walks straight to the counter. “Hi, I’m Liv. I just moved two doors down.”
“Oh, how fun. I’m Jules. Nice to meet you. How are you liking it here?”
“Good. I mean, I love my place and the town, but the house sandwiched in between us? I don’t know what to think.”
I pull a face. “Yeah, I know. The neighbor we share isn’t exactly a gift to humanity, right?”
“Gosh, I’m relieved to hear you say that. I was starting to think I was overreacting or something.”
I shake my head. “You’re not. Please don’t let it dampen your joy of living in a new house, though. The neighborhood is pretty chill and fun.”
It’s true. People here are friendly and kind, except for Doug, our neighbor. The guy likes to party all weekend long, and he always throws his trash bags into the backyard, which stinks and attracts all kinds of critters. I shudder at the thought. I’m also pretty sure he’s a drug dealer. Or a mercenary. Whatever he does in that house, it’s shady.
One day, he’ll be gone. I hope. I and some other neighbors have called the police on him several times, but there’s not much they can do. He always keeps quiet for a week and then starts doing it again. The landlord doesn’t even care, so he’s no help. All he does is cash the rent.
When I found out the guy owned several guns, I stopped calling the cops on him. I mean, I’d rather not die yet.
“If you ever need any help, let me know. Us girls have got to stick together.” I scribble my phone number on the back of a bookmark and hand it to her.
“Thanks a lot,” Liv says as she pockets the bookmark. “I need some help, of the bookish kind, that is.”
“Sure, what are you looking for?”
“I’m looking for a couple of new books.”
“Romance?”
She grins. “You’re good at this. Yeah, romance, please.”
I love this part of my job. Browsing through shelves of books with my customers, recommending new authors to them, and seeing them light up when a book has all the tropes they love. I get an endorphin rush every time.
Forty-five minutes and arms full of books later, Liv offers me her credit card with a satisfied look. “Can you wrap them as a gift? They’re for my grandma.”
I freeze. “Your grandma?”
“Yup. She loves to read.”
I swallow. Am I really going to send her home with the steamiest of books to give to her sweet grandmother? “You should know that these stories are spicy.”
She arches an eyebrow. “Define spicy.”
“I’m talking some truly explicit stuff. I’m sorry, if I’d known these were a gift for your grandmother, I wouldn’t have recommended them. I can curate a different set of books for you. I’ll even throw in a free one to make up for my mistake.”
“Are you kidding me? She’ll love them. She'd kill me if I handed her one of those closed-door romances. Grams is all about the naughty action, if you know what I mean,” she says with a wink.
I can’t help but snicker as I imagine her grandmother reading steamy books and openly enjoying them.
I hand Liv her receipt and a bag with her books. “Let me know how it goes with your grandma’s gift and the new house.”
“Thank you, Jules. I will. You should come by for a drink at my place soon. I’ll send you some dates.”
“Perfect, I’m looking forward to it. Have a great day.”
The delivery guy walks in right when she leaves, causing my heart to skip a beat.
“Delivery for Jules,” he says.
“That’s me.”
“Great. Sign here, please.”
I scribble my name and carefully place the package on the counter. The delivery guy steps out of the store, and I immediately attack the packing tape with scissors.
I fold the flaps of the box open and squeal. They are here! I gently pick up the precious cargo and turn it around to admire it.
I can hardly believe I’m holding these vintage special editions of three of Jane Austen’s books. A customer inquired about them three months ago, and last week, I was finally able to purchase these. The guy—Stuart—wants to gift them to his wife, Emma, as an anniversary present. How romantic is that? It’s something I can only dream of. I hardly ever get asked out on dates, nor do I ever approach guys to flirt. It’s sad but true. My dishtowel gets more action than I do. I don’t want to resort to dating apps or blind dates, so I keep the faith that my knight in shining armor will one day magically land on my doorstep. And buy me awesome presents like this.
I let my fingers trail over the gorgeous book covers. Thank goodness Stuart paid for them in advance because these three books alone cost more than two months of rent. The woman who’s going to get these books is unbelievably lucky.
Seeing how exclusive this package is, I carefully carry the box to the storage room and place it on the shelf against the wall. Then, I call Stuart to tell him his order has arrived. It goes straight to voicemail, just as I expected. Stuart’s a hotshot chef, and Saturdays are extremely busy for him. I’m sure he’ll pick up the books first thing on Monday.
I tidy up the bookstore and lock the doors before heading upstairs to my apartment. I’m dying for a hot bath, a glass of wine, and the remaining chapters of the book I’m reading, but I need some food first.
I warm up a leftover piece of lasagna and eat it in front of the television. Eating alone like this every day makes the lack of a man in my life even harder. How nice would it be to have dinner at the table and chat about your day with someone you love? Yeah, keep on dreaming, Jules. It’s not happening anytime soon.
As soon as I take the last bite of lasagna, I get up, put my bowl in the
Chapter Two
Rafe
The alarm blares through the station. I’m on my feet and ready to go in less than thirty seconds.
“Fire at 21 Mason Street in Trout Creek. Let’s go,” Liam, our fire chief, calls out.
Trout Creek is located right next to our town, Apple Blossom Valley. The ride over there will only take ten minutes, but every second counts when there’s a fire.
The guys and I get into the firetruck and gun it out of the station’s garage. Thankfully, it’s nighttime, so there isn’t a lot of traffic. Even with the sirens on, people sometimes don’t hear or see us approaching. I don’t know how that’s possible, but sadly, it’s true. It frustrates me to no end having to force people out of the way. They should know better. I’m sure they’d want us to have a clear passage if it was their house burning to the ground.
“Do we know what happened?” Clint asks.
“No idea. Police are on their way as well,” Liam says. “I hope it’s not too bad.”
We never know what we’re going to find when we arrive at the scene. Sometimes a fire is contained to one room; other times, it’s already spread to neighboring houses. Despite working as a firefighter for five years, I’m always nervous when we leave. Not about the fire itself but about possible victims. The burn unit is not a place you want to end up. It’s better than being dead, of course. Finding a lifeless person in a burning house cuts through my soul every time.
Being a firefighter remains a dream job for me, though. Most people run from fires. I’m the kind who runs into them. Preparing for this job asked a lot of me. Of all of us. Brutal physical training, learning how to make fast decisions, trusting your crew mates with your life... It’s not for everyone, but it is for me. I was born to fight fires.
I take on lots of extra shifts too. Not only because I love fighting fires but also because I hate being home alone. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy. I don’t sit around and mope. But having a woman to share this life with? Hell, that would be the cherry on top. My friends all tell me I’m way too picky. I disagree. They would settle for a girl with nothing but a pretty face. I want a woman with brains, humor, and preferably juicy curves. That’s what real beauty is to me. So yeah, I don’t think I’m picky at all. It’s just that the kind of woman I want doesn’t come around each day.
“Two minutes out,” Liam tells us.
I do a final check of my gear and take a deep breath as we approach the scene of the fire. I need to be one hundred percent focused now.
The fire truck comes to a screeching halt, and we all jump out. We work like a well-oiled machine, so everyone knows where to go and what to do. The police and an ambulance are in position. Derek, Trout Creek’s sheriff, is already knocking on doors to wake people up. Even though the fire hasn’t spread to many houses, it’s unsafe for the neighbors to stay inside.
A crying girl runs toward me. She’s got a panicked look on her face. “You’ve got to help. There’s a girl inside. I think. I can’t reach her.”
“Slow down,” I say. “Tell me what you know.”
She uses her hand to wipe her tears away. “It’s Jules. She owns the bookstore and hasn’t come out of the building yet. I tried calling her, but she’s not picking up.”
“Got it.”
“What if she’s dead?” she wails.
“I’ll find her, don’t worry.”
I guide her toward the medic team to get checked out and run inside the blazing building while two cops set up a safety perimeter outside. The last thing we need is for untrained and panicked people to get near this fire.
As soon as I enter the building, thick smoke billows around me. I quickly pull my mask over my face and turn on my flashlight.
Lou and I sweep the building like we’re trained to do.
“Can anyone hear me?” I shout, hoping the girl who’s supposedly trapped inside will hear me.
Unfortunately, I don’t see any sign of life. Not a cough, not a cry for help, no whimpering.
The first floor is devoid of victims, and I start to worry. Time is of the essence here. My brothers will get the fire under control, but every second this girl is inside, her chances of getting out unscathed diminish.
I make it up the stairs to the apartment located above the bookstore. I kick the door in with my boot and go straight for what I believe is the bedroom. Most people are in bed at this hour of the night, so it makes sense to check the bedrooms before we check the living room. In the hallway, Lou takes a left, and I go right.
“Hello, this is the Fire Department. Can anyone hear me?” I call out again.
I cough as I take another step forward, my hand against the wall to guide me. I shout into the dark again, praying that this girl is still alive and able to hear me.
Then I hear a faint sound to my left. “I found someone,” I tell Lou through my walkie.
I burst into the room and let my flashlight sweep the area. My heart pounds in my chest as I spot a figure lying on the floor. I quickly check her vitals. She’s alive but barely conscious. I pick her up in my arms and fling her over my shoulder, feeling the weight of her body pressing against me as I rush outside.
While Lou finishes sweeping the building, I get outside and deliver her to the paramedics. “She’s got a pulse, but it’s weak. No visible burns, but I’m worried about smoke inhalation,” I tell them.
“We’ll take care of her,” one of them says.
They put her on a gurney, and I take a deep breath of fresh air. My job isn’t over yet. Even though the crying neighbor told me this girl lives alone, we can’t just believe her. What if the victim had someone over for the night? I head back into the burning building, ready to rescue whoever might still be in there.
Luckily, the building where the fire started and the adjacent bookstore are void of other victims. By the time I get back out again, the fire is under control. I run to the ambulance to check on the girl I rescued before. I let out a sigh of relief when I spot her. She’s hooked up to an oxygen tank, but at least she’s conscious again.
I take off my helmet and approach her. “Hi there, I’m Rafe. How are you feeling?”
She gives me a weak smile. “Are you the one who saved me?”
I nod. “Just doing my job, Miss.”
“It’s Jules. And thank you,” she says in between breaths. “I could’ve died in there.”
Tears pool in her eyes, and I give her a comforting pat on the arm.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cry in front of you.”
I shake my head. “Don’t apologize. It’s the adrenaline wearing off. Your body is reacting completely normally.”
“They want to take me to the hospital,” she says, tears streaming down her face. “I’m scared.”
“Hey, come on, look on the bright side. You’ll get to ride in this awesome rig and probably meet some hot doctors.”
She smiles, and fuck, now I’m the one who’s having trouble breathing. Her round face lights up beautifully. I take a moment to take her in completely. Her curvy body, her gorgeous smile, her vulnerable look. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before.
One of the paramedics steps inside the rig and tells us it’s time to go.
“Well, um, good luck.”
Shit, what a dumb thing to say. Why can’t I come up with something more compelling?
“Thank you. I mean it. You saved my life. You’re my hero.”
She gives me a small wave while the paramedic shuts the door of the ambulance.
As they drive her away, I can’t help but wonder if I’ll ever see her again. I sure as hell would love to.
“Hey, Chief, do you know where they’re taking the victim?” I ask.
“County Creek Grace. Why?”
I shake my head. “No reason.”
He gives me a confused look, but I pretend not to see it. I can’t exactly tell my boss that I can’t stop thinking about a girl I rescued from a burning building, can I?
Chapter Three
Jules
