The Fireman's Ready-Made Family
THE HOMETOWN HERO'S MISSIONFor days, burn unit nurse Marly Haskins has noticed a handsome firefighter visiting patients, sitting vigil at bedsides. Chief Drake St. John’s concern touches the single mother deeply. But despite the warmth in Drake’s cobalt-blue eyes, tall, strong, powerful men only remind Marly of the abusive ex-husband on her trail . . . and the dreams she's long since given up on.With his own harrowing past, Drake recognizes that Marly is running scared. His life and career are about saving others from harm, but there’s something about Marly that makes his protective instincts more…personal. Helping Marly and her daughter feel safe in Stonerock is his new mission—one that might heal his own burned heart . . .
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âDo I scare you?â Drake asked.
âA little,â Marly murmured. âBut itâs nothing you did. Itâs just ⦠Thereâs a lot of stuff Iâm working through,â she told him. âSometimes it hits me harder than others.â
Drake knew all too well about painful memories creeping up at random times, cutting you off at the knees when you least expected it. But heâd learned to conquer those demons when they threatened him. He was stronger than heâd been a year ago, and he wanted to help Marly build on her strength.
âIâm a pretty good listener,â he said.
Drake stepped closer, fully aware that he was teetering on a thin line with her emotions. But that damn pull between them crackled in the air, making him want to hold her, to offer some sort of comfort.
âSometimes it only looks like thereâs no hope,â he told her. âTrust me.â
Damp eyes came up to meet his and the punch to the gut was swift and unexpected.
The St. Johns of Stonerock: Three rebellious brothers come home to stay.
Award-winning author JULES BENNETT is no stranger to romanceâshe met her husband when she was only fourteen. After dating through high school, the two married. He encouraged her to chase her dream of becoming an author. Jules has now published nearly thirty novels. She and her husband are living their own happily-ever-after while raising two girls. Jules loves to hear from readers through her website, julesbennett.com, her Facebook fan page or on Twitter.
I dedicate this book to all the real-life heroes who shine a light into someoneâs darkened world.
May you ever be blessed.
Contents
The firefighter was back.
Once again dressed in his blue cargo pants and matching blue polo with the Stonerock, Tennessee, fire departmentâs seal embroidered on the left side of his chest...a chest that really maxed out the material of his shirt.
But muscles meant something entirely different now. A few years ago the well-sculpted body of a man would have had her appreciating the view. Unfortunately, her world had been vastly changed six months earlier, and now muscles, power and strength only reminded her of the scars sheâd be wearing forever.
Pediatric nurse Marly Haskins moved farther into the private room of her six-year-old patient. The young boy had been badly burned in a house fire only a few days ago. The doctors were waiting to see how the wounds healed and pumping him full of antibiotics to ward off infection before discussing the use of skin grafts on his arm and torso.
Marlyâs heart ached for the boy, who had started kindergarten with her daughter, Willow, just a few weeks ago. This little guy should be at school running around on the playground, not recovering from a fire that had claimed his home.
As Marly approached the side of the bed, the firefighter raised his gaze to her. Those piercing blue eyes shouldnât make her belly do flips, but she couldnât control her bodyâs reaction. Her mind, though... Her mind knew better than to be impressed by beauty, brawn and silent allure.
âLet me know if Iâm in your way,â he told her as his eyes drifted back down to the sleeping boy. âI just wanted to see him before my shift.â
Other than family, no one had been by to see Jeremy. Marly had been told by Jeremyâs parents that the fire chief was a close friend of the family and he would be visiting often. Marly didnât know his name, just that he was the chiefâanother man in a powerful position. A man whose physical appeal had her wishing she wasnât so cynical and jaded. Would she always look at muscles and power as a bad thing?
âIâm just giving him another round of antibiotics,â she told him, hoping he didnât want small talk and thankful that he stood on the other side of the bed.
Marly wiped the boyâs port with an alcohol pad and injected the medicine before slipping the needle into the biohazard bin on the wall.
Jeremy slept peacefully, due in part to the pain medication he was on. This was the hard part of her job. The part where she imagined how easily this could be her daughter lying here and how fortunate Marly was that Willow was in school right now, safe and having fun with her friends...just as any five-year-old child should.
âIâm Drake, by the way.â
Marly turned her attention back to the imposing man. With wide shoulders stretching his polo, his tall, lean build and those captivating baby blues, the mesmerizing stranger silently demanded attention. Her pulse kicked up whenever they made eye contact, and she hated the thread of fear that niggled at her.
He reminded her too much of her past lifeâa life she was still trying to escape. A life she was privately rebuilding one day at a time.
