Vortex: A Steamy Grumpy Sunshine Firefighter Romance

Firefighter Casey Jensen is having the worst week of his life when he discovers that his ex-girlfriend has moved on to his boss. Dealing with heartbreak and a bruised ego, the last thing Casey wants is another woman complicating his life.

But fate has other plans when Bianca, the academy's newest graduate, is assigned to his firehouse. With her vibrant personality and infectious positivity, Bianca becomes the unexpected ray of sunshine in Casey's grumpy world. Every time he lays eyes on her, he almost forgets what he already knows about dating another firefighter.

Once burned twice shy, so it'll take an act of God to convince Casey otherwise. . . wait, is that a tornado?

PS: This book occurs during the climax of Inferno and Compromised. As usual, you can expect sizzling grumpy sunshine firefighter-on-firefighter naughtiness. It DOES end open-ended because I'm dying to write a sequel for Bianca and Casey...

“Is this Firehouse 19?” Bianca Lincoln asked the pair of eyes peeking out the door when she knocked.

“Yes, yes, it is,” the man said. “You’re several hours late.”

“I am?” she asked. “I mean, I am, but that’s because I went to four other fire houses, and two of them were closed, and the other one said they didn’t need my help. I’m the—”

“We know who you are. Come on in, rookie.”

The man opened the door, and she entered the firetruck’s garage, also called the barn.

Heads turned as she entered, and she guessed why.

Bianca’s graduation ceremony from fire academy had been canceled on account of the two massive fires that occurred on the same day, resulting in multiple firefighter injuries and the death of one firefighter and several civilians.

The department was reeling with so many people out, so they had turned to the newly graduated forty rookies and offered them the opportunity to fill in some gaps early.

“They sent her?” one of the guys said, dressed in the same navy-blue uniform Bianca wore with the same black piece of tape over their badge from the funeral.

Unlike Bianca, he was limping.

Someone shushed him. “At least she’s breathing.” That guy sported a shiner.

Now that she thought about it, these guys looked like they’d gone twelve rounds with Muhammad Ali.

“I’m Lieutenant Pasquale,” the man who let her in said. “We’re going to drop you off with the rest of the volunteers.”

That confused her. “I thought I was the only rookie coming here.” 

According to the email she’d gotten, which had led her from firehouse to firehouse like a firefighting pied piper, less than half of the rookies had volunteered. And there were about sixty firehouses to cover.

“Other shifts volunteered to stay over. They’re smart enough to get paid overtime,” the lieutenant said.

Of course. It also implied that she wasn’t getting overtime.

Too bad. He wasn’t going to rain on her parade. This was her first day as an official firefighter. “I’m sure they deserve it for working a double.”

He twisted up his face as if he wasn’t sure what to make of her. 

It wasn’t the first time and wouldn’t be the last that someone would give her that look. Women were coming to the firehouses, whether the men were ready or not.

“That’s true,” he said. “They don’t let you do overtime for a year. They need to protect the delicate little babies.”

He let her into the bowels of the firehouse, passing what appeared to be the first-floor crew quarters and headed through a door into a slightly dilapidated gym.

“Hey, dumb and dumber,” he knocked on the door. “I got you some fresh meat. Don’t break it.”

The door opened up and on the other side was the most beautiful White guy Bianca had ever seen.

Not only did he have a full head of golden hair and eyes so dark gray they were practically purple, but he was shirtless.

Six-pack, beautiful definition, blonde happy trail, sweaty, lickable shirtless.

“That is a girl,” the man stated, frowning. He backed away from the door. 

“Yes, Meathead. It’s a girl. Glad you noticed,” the lieutenant said. Everyone entered, and Bianca couldn’t help but blink at the man-bonanza ahead of her. Hot guy wasn’t by himself. There was a redhead smaller than him, but that was guy covered with a wide array of tattoos, though equally cut.

What were they putting in the water at this firehouse? The guys in the barn hadn’t seemed this hot. Maybe it was just these two guys.

She couldn’t help but smile and forced her mind back onto the issue at hand. She had seen crazy fit guys before. In fact, there were plenty of similar guys in her class. You didn’t become a firefighter without working out till you were in tiptop form.

Still, these guys were definitely dedicated.

“This is your rookie for today. What firehouse are you really assigned to?” the lieutenant asked.

“Firehouse 33,” she said, trying to shove her eyeballs back into her head. The month after graduation was supposed to be spent getting her affairs in order, moving if needed.

“Lucky them,” Pasquale said dryly, “This here is Lieutenant-to-be Royce Murphy and Casey Jensen.”

“It’s a pleasure.” Bianca shook hands first with Royce and then with tall, blonde, gorgeous, somewhat reluctant Casey. The simple contact of his roughened hand in hers sent shivers up her spine. “Hi, I’m—”

She faltered because his gray eyes were on her light brown ones, and she forgot her own name.

“Yes, yes. Very nice.” Lieutenant Pasquale hurried them along. “This is Rookie Luis. Please figure your shit out and how you’re dividing the Medic 19 ambulance today.”

His words penetrated her brain fog. “Wait. What?”

Unfortunately, the lieutenant was already gone.

“That’s not right,” she said.

“What’s not right?” Murphy asked her.

“My name. I’m Bianca,” she said, and mistakenly squeezed Casey’s hand a little bit harder. He winced and pulled away, still frowning.

His action turned him sideways, and Bianca saw the problem. His back was bruised, including the outline of a complete footprint.

Now that she looked closer, he and Royce both had multiple shadows of bruises. While she’d assumed they were from firefighting, the shapes matched a brawl.

“What happened here?” she asked.