BAKED
LOVE BURNS SERIES BOOK THREE
When danger comes to the small town of Woodvalley Pines, Hunter vows to become the protector of local bakery owner, Rachel. But when things heat up, can this firefighter handle the burn?
Rachel was finally happy. She had a place to call home, amazing friends, and a successful bakery. Then her past found her. Now Hunter Campbell was in her kitchen, acting like a caveman. After months of only grunting at her, one little incident, and he has the audacity to tell her she’s not allowed out without him. She couldn’t decide what terrified her more about her new bodyguard – the giant hulk scaring off her customers, or the fire in her belly that made her heart race every time he was near.
Local firefighter Hunter was a man of few words. But if ever there was a time to talk, it was now. Rachel was in danger and there was no way he was going to let anything happen to his stubborn little fairy. It didn’t matter that he’d spent months keeping his distance. Or that she had the power to shatter his heart and then stab him to death with the shards. This was happening. She could bang as many baking pans as she liked. He wasn’t going anywhere. She was stuck with him.
Fighting fires was nothing new to Rachel or Hunter, but surrendering to the heat of the flames was a battle neither of them were prepared for.
Excerpt
Striding down the terracotta cobbles like a man on a mission, Hunter knew what most people saw as they crossed the street to avoid him. But just because most people compared his physical build to the Hulk, it didn’t mean he also had the whole wrath thing going on too. Although, if he was ever going to suddenly develop anger issues, this week would have done it.
He was p*ssed as hell. Nine months he’d stayed away. Kept his distance. Damn well tortured himself. And all for nothing. Because now? Now he didn’t have a choice. There would be no staying away anymore. Not while Rachel was in danger. It changed everything.
What kind of man would he be if he let something happen to the woman he’d not been able to stop thinking about since he first laid eyes on her, just because he couldn’t get over himself?
A sh*t one.
Exactly. He was fine being many things. A man of few words. A man most people had to stretch their necks to see fully. He was even fine being a man who tipped the loneliness scale a bit too enthusiastically. But he drew the line at being a sh*t one.
That being said, he knew what going to her meant. He wasn’t dense. There had been a reason he’d stayed away. A good one. And now he was willingly throwing himself into the fire.
It meant he was done running. Done fighting his feelings. It was time to claim his honeybun. It was time to claim Rachel. And that’s exactly what he was on his way to do.
Stopping outside the pastel pink storefront, his eyes went to the even pinker neon sign that hung above the window display. The name Fairy Baked was flashing above a line of pretty cupcakes that had been sprinkled with assorted candy.
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You’ve got this. Just go inside and calmly explain that starting from today, she is not to go anywhere without an escort.
Easy.
