HEARTS AFIRE: iGNITE!
Fireman. Firestarter. When the two come together, their world
ignites!
Pete Santori is a New York City fireman, who is committed to
his job and doesn’t take any time for personal relationships.
That all changes one night when he saves a man from a fire that
the victim appears to have started. As the man in his arms makes
a confession, a strange connection passes between them.
Alan Delaine is a firestarter, not an arsonist. He manifests
powerful energy when he experiences strong emotion and things
in his vicinity ignite. He’s been held captive in an unidentified
facility, where he was tested physically and psychologically.
When he meets Pete, he’s been living on the run after
escaping the lab.
As the two men come together, each has qualities the other
needs. Physical attraction grows into something deeper. When
the pair is kidnapped, can they make it out alive and build
a future in which Alan can live a normal life?
Reviews
Fallen Angel Reviews - 4 angels,
Reviewer Whitney
Alan triggers in Pete the ability to deal with the heat he generates,
otherwise this story would give a whole new bent to the idea
of a “combustible” love scene. The burst of action
at the end of this story is very entertaining and makes the
story well worth reading.
Romance Junkies Blue Ribbon Review,
4 1/2, Reviewer Jhayboy
A must read, you certainly won’t regret IGNITE. If HEARTS
AFIRE: JANUARY is an example of what will be coming through
the year – sign me up.
Mrs. Giggles - 60
Both stories featuring firemen who like to use their big hoses
on hot hunks that they encounter in the line of duty.
Literary Nymphs Reviews - 4 stars
If you enjoy gay firefighters, who aren’t scared of love
and commitments, then you won’t want to miss reading this
story. Action, suspense, romance and enticing male loving are
a part of both stories.
Rainbow Reviews - Reviewer Kassa,
3 1/2 stars
Both stories highlight the allure and appeal that firefighters
have, with their sexy demeanors and protective instincts; however
it was the other men in the stories that stole the scenes and
charmed with their flaws, quirks, and passion.
excerpt
“Is anyone hurt? I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”
The man’s almond-shaped eyes were as black as coal with
sparks flickering in their dark depths. He clutched the front
of Pete’s jacket and his soot-streaked face was close
enough that his breath brushed Pete’s cheek. “I
was trying to end it.”
Despite the sweat drenching his hot body, a chill made the
hair on the fireman’s nape rise. “Whoa, buddy. What
are you saying?”
“The fire; it was my fault.”
Pete felt like all the air had been sucked from his body. Was
this a confession of arson from the man whose life he’d
just saved? He glanced at the organized chaos of the scene:
the pump crew still extinguishing the last of the flames while
other firefighters continued to search the damaged building
for survivors, the paramedics, the cops, the media; actually,
only a couple of reporters. Since the blaze had taken place
in an abandoned building, it was hardly newsworthy. Red lights
flashed and emergency beams illuminated the dark night, reflecting
off the pall of smoke shrouding the area.
“You saying you set this?”
The guy shook his head, long black hair falling over his eyes.
“It’s not like that.”
“What is it like?” Irrationally, Pete wanted to
smooth the furrow between the man’s slanting brows, but
settled for squeezing his shoulder, offering comfort while coaxing
a confession.
“I can’t help it. It’s out of my control.”
The dark gaze fixed on his so intently he couldn’t have
moved if he tried.
“Starting fires?” Pete clarified. It was worse
than he’d thought. The guy was a firebug, a psycho who
thrived on the sight of flames and the destruction they caused.
“Yes.” The man’s eyes drifted closed, dark
smudges beneath his lashes stark against his pale face. “It
doesn’t matter. You won’t believe me.”
“Try me. Tell me the truth.”
“Fires start when I’m around. You know, like in
that old Stephen King story. I don’t set them. They just
happen. So, I thought I could...” His eyes opened and
he seized Pete’s coat again. “I can’t live
like this any more.”
Silence surrounded them. It was as if the noise and bustle
of the world had faded away. Pete could only hear his own breathing
and that of the man who lay on the muddy ground.
“Hey, Santori, we could use your help over here,”
Mroczek called, snapping the silent connection and bringing
back noise and confusion. “Is that some guy you pulled
out?” He waved an arm at the paramedics. “Over here!
We’ve got a live one.”
Pete locked gazes with the man once more. “The police
are going to talk to you. Unless you want to end up in the psych
ward, don’t tell that story.”
The man’s eyes closed, cutting off the strange connection
between them once more, then there was no time to talk as the
emergency team took over, surrounding the stranger and blocking
him from Pete’s sight.
He returned to his duties, helping his crew douse the smoking
building to prevent another flare-up. As he tramped through
the jumble of charred beams and collapsed walls, checking to
make sure the fire was completely extinguished, he thought of
what the man had said. Firestarter. Spontaneous combustion.
Crazy talk.
He should report this to the fire marshal who’d be investigating
the scene right away. Knowing what combustible substance the
man had used and where and how he’d started the blaze
would save a lot of time. Yet Pete kept the man’s insane
tale to himself. There was something about the guy that was
so melancholy, so vulnerable Pete didn’t want to cause
him further pain. In fact, he found himself wanting to protect
the man he’d carried through blinding black smoke from
the burning building.
