Only Her Smokejumper Firefighter - Cami Checketts Page 0,31

with his hands. “Mave,” he murmured. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to scare you away. All I want is you in my life.”

She stared up at him. Her green eyes grew soft. “Oh, Ren,” she said on a sigh.

He was afraid she was going to push him away again, but instead she clasped his biceps, pulled herself onto her toes, and kissed him.

The kiss was full of desperation and need but he also felt a love that he believed they could build on. It could be possible for them to grow together, trust each other, and build a life. It might take years and lots of patience, but this was Mavyn. Any price he had to pay would be worth being with her.

He tilted her head with his palms and the kisses grew fiery and full of the passion he felt for her but also the protectiveness. He would be there for her. He’d never let anyone hurt her again, not on his watch.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. He ignored it and kept kissing her. It buzzed again and Mavyn lifted her head, looking irresistible with her lips all plump and kissable and her green eyes giving him an appealing look. “Do you need to get that?”

“Probably just Grams or Iris. They wouldn’t want to break this up.” He winked at her.

Mavyn smiled, but it was tight. The phone didn’t stop buzzing.

“I think you’d better get it.” Mavyn stepped back.

He hated to do it when they were finally connecting. At least he hoped they were. Maybe she simply liked to kiss him and was going to run away as soon as he turned his head.

He forced himself to yank his phone out. His brow furrowed as he looked at the contact. His base manager. It stopped buzzing and he clicked on the phone app and saw the chief had called multiple times. He glanced at Mavyn. How was she going to feel about him leaving her on Christmas Eve? Guaranteed his supervisor wasn’t calling to wish him Merry Christmas.

“You okay?” she asked.

He shook his head and showed her the phone. “It’s the base manager.”

The phone started buzzing again.

“I have to answer this,” he said.

Mavyn stood as straight as her small form would allow. “Answer it, Ren.”

Frustration swirled through him when he should be appreciative of her support. It seemed as if she was happy for the break. He kept begging her to love him and she wasn’t returning the favor. He’d never acted the wimp for anyone before, but he would grovel for this woman.

He swiped the phone on. “Chadwick.”

“I know you had leave for Christmas, but the fire’s on home turf. How quick can you get here?”

Ren loved what he did. He felt fear at times, they all did, but he was well-trained. Wildland firefighting and especially becoming a smokejumper was his calling in life. He knew the Lord had protected and inspired him as Ren protected others. He couldn’t turn his back on his calling, no matter how badly he wanted to stay with Mavyn and somehow make things work between them.

For the first time in his life, he wanted to tell his boss he quit and throw his phone in the lake. He needed to be here, with Mavyn. If he let her go, he might not catch her again. His patience and faith were both lacking.

“I’m in Montana, but my brother has a private jet,” he admitted.

“Mobilize as many on your team as you can, then give me a headcount. It’s north of Redding. A new blaze but it’s moving fast. See you soon.”

“Copy.” Redding was his home turf as the manager had indicated. Even on Christmas, his men would want to come. There was a sense of pride in defending their own rather than having the too-cocky McCall Smokejumpers do it.

Ren hung up the phone and stared down at Mavyn.

“You have to go,” she said simply.

He nodded. “I don’t want to. For the first time in my life, I don’t want to go conquer the next hot spot. I just want to stay with you.”

She studied him, giving him nothing.

“Do you want me to stay?” he asked, feeling like the softie he’d never allowed himself to be, but he would do about anything for her.

She looked away and said quietly, “You can’t stay, so it’s a moot point.”

He hated that. It wasn’t a moot point for her to admit she wanted him here, that she wanted him with her.

“You wouldn’t be who you are