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  Her jaw trembled and she nodded. “Yes. Oh God, yes, Deiter, I’ll marry you.”

  He pulled the ring free and slipped it on her finger. As he got to his feet, she stared at the ring. The ring centre was a faceted amethyst set in a starburst pattern, flanked by four rows of brilliant diamonds on each side. The band was a braided design in white gold.

  “It’s absolutely beautiful, Deiter,” she whispered in awe.

  “Yes, you are,” he said, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her.

  With a groan of surrender, she gave herself up to her German. The road may have been bumpy but things were now going great. To top it all off, this man holding and kissing her as if she was his world was the best thing yet.

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  Through the Fire

  Aliyah Burke

  Excerpt

  Chapter One

  Strong masculine hands moved over her naked, soapy body. The warm solid flesh of pure man pushed against her back. Soaped chest hair, a chiselled torso, and a rock-hard erection only heightened her pleasure as the smooth shower tiles supplied her overly sensitive breasts with another sensation.

  He lifted her, murmuring words of pure seduction in her ear, and impaled her upon his rigid cock with one powerful stroke. Her body convulsed as he speared her. Her legs twisting back to hook around his legs. His body was her sole support of her weight and that allowed maximum depth for him.

  Powerful arms moved her up and down his cock, using gravity to his advantage for the intense thrusts. She moaned in pleasure, her cheek plastered against the wall of the shower. Her skin tingled where his fingers touched her sides, each of his calluses bringing more eroticism.

  Breathing was more and more difficult as she soared closer to the euphoria the mere touch of this man brought her to. The intensity of his strokes increased as he drove into her over and over again.

  Eyes closed, she felt her body tingle with the feelings he created within her. Pants grew to moans which turned into screams of unadulterated pleasure. His fingers dug into her sides as her internal muscles tightened around him—

  “Welcome back to the beautiful Pac Norwest.”

  Erin Watford jumped as her friend Tinker’s deep voice shattered the images her mind had woven. The loud engine of the cargo plane they rode in reminded her they should be landing soon. Then there would be no time for dreams, for harsh reality faced them on the ground of the Pacific Northwest where there was a battle against a raging wildfire.

  “Damn you, Tinker,” she snarled in an aroused voice as she desperately tried to hold onto her dream man and his magical, sinful touch. While Tinker was extremely handsome with his inch over six feet high body filled with lean muscles, dark blond hair cut in a crew cut, and blue eyes that were made for the bedroom, she had no romantic feelings for him. He was a friend, a very good friend, but still only a friend.

  The blond man beside her leaned in close. “Sorry, Mongoose,” he whispered, using her nickname. “I had to wake you. Your moans, despite being very lovely, were getting much louder.”

  She felt the flush of embarrassment creep over her dark cheeks. Thank God for my darker skin. “Shut up,” she ground out. The harsh words were belied by the smile that crept across her face.

  Positioning his mouth by her ear, he muttered, “When are you gonna moan like that for me?”

  Without missing a beat, Erin turned her head so their mouths were scant millimetres apart and breathed huskily, “As soon as,” her eyes fluttered, “you abstain for a month.”

  Tinker’s eyes grew wide before he erupted with laughter. “That’s not fair,” he protested as the plane slowed to a stop.

  “Guess I’m just not worth losing the hordes of women you sleep with.” Erin had no animosity in her voice. Tinker was a confirmed bachelor, he loved women and never seemed to be lacking for feminine companionship. He flirted nonstop, heavily and outrageously with her, but he also respected that they were members of the same fire fighting team and would never share the same bed.

  “Damn,” he complained. “You know, you’re the only woman who turns me down. Not to mention the only one I keep chasing.”

  “Flyboys do love the chase.” Erin unbuckled herself, stood and tapped a finger on the end of his nose. She stepped past him and grabbed her bag as she headed for the rear hatch of the plane which had been lowered. Two steps were taken before she looked back. “Besides, you don’t want me. The first time you pissed me off, I’d knock you on your ass.”

  Leaving him, she walked off the plane with her good friend, Harriet, another mechanic. Her eyes took in the area where her team’s planes and choppers were located. It was a makeshift hanger, but considering they had been asked to assist, it was expected. She inhaled deeply and smiled as the familiar scent of jet fuel drifted to her then frowned as she picked up the smell of smoke from the fires.

  “Check in at base ops once you stow your gear. Our tents are number three and four,” the crew chief yelled to them as they disembarked. “Mess hall is in the fixed building. Ops is in the tower.”

  “Look at all these tents and planes, Harriet. Things must be really bad if there are this many here,” Erin said as they headed into a military-green tent.

  “I know. Let’s get going.” They put their things in supplied lock boxes and slapped their own locks on them.

  Walking across the compound with Harriet, Erin slipped her key into her front pocket. The roar of planes grabbed her attention one more time before she walked into base ops at the observation tower.

  The women checked in, were assigned radios and left to grab some chow, famished after the five-hour flight from home. As they stood on the porch of the mess building, a pair of extraction helicopters landed. The doors opened, and six bodies left each one.

  The disembarking figures still wore all their fire fighting gear, so it was impossible to tell their sex. Some limped, and those who didn’t assisted them. With a single mind, the group headed for the green tent with a medical cross sign before the entrance. Both helos lifted off again the moment all personnel were clear.

  The women were silent as they watched the parade of yellow disappear into the tent. Then they continued on to the only fixed structure aside from the hanger and tower.

  Erin followed Harriet inside and smiled. The interior of the old log building was open with cathedral ceilings. Her nose was assaulted with the smell of greasy but filling food, and her ears by the hustle and bustle of the people who milled around.

  Erin took in the familiar faces, and as Harriet inhaled sharply, she immediately homed in on what, or rather who, her friend had seen. Knowing full well that Harriet would take off in the opposite direction, Erin patted her hand in silent reassurance and went to say hello.

  “Heard the Hellcats had been asked to come,” a tall burly man said as he picked up Erin and hugged her tightly.

  She laughed as she kissed his bearded cheek. “Good to see you, Darwin. Wish it was under different circumstances, although this bushy look is new and intriguing.”

  He set her down, his six-seven figure dwarfing her five-seven frame. “Very true. I thought it was time for a change.” He shrugged. “You, on the other hand, look better and better every time I see you.” Darwin looked across the room to where Harriet glowered at him as she spoke with other people. “Is she still mad at me?”

  “You’d have to ask Harriet that, but I’d go with a yes.”

  Darwin sighed. “I didn’t mean to hurt her. Is she seeing anyone?”

  Holding up her hands, Erin shook her head. “Don’t start. I’m staying neutral in this, I love both of you and this is between the two of you, so kindly keep me out of it. But I have to say, if she was seeing someone…you do remember that you two are divorced, right? So it really wouldn’t be any of your business.”

  “Sorry. Didn’t mean to put you in an awkward position. I’m glad you’re still friends with me.” Even as he spoke, his blue eyes cut back across the room
where Harriet now stood with three men. A low rumble grew in his throat. “Is she seeing anyone?” he bit out, not looking away from the blonde woman.

  “This is between you all. You and Harriet. Not me.” Erin grabbed an apple from the table and tossed it up twice. Pulling a Swiss Army knife out of her jeans pocket, she cut a chunk off and ate it. “Washington apples, nothing like ‘em.”

  The man beside her grunted.

  “Any place to get a workout here?” Erin asked calmly although well aware of Darwin’s increasing agitation.

  “Yeah,” he responded. “I’ll take you.”

  Eating another piece off her knife, she nodded while simultaneously frowning across the room at Harriet. “Thank you.”

  He placed his large hand on her back and guided her to a doorway in the back. He spoke as they walked into the hallway. “Thanks for not interfering.”

  That time she smiled, albeit a little sadly. They’d made such an awesome couple. “You’re welcome. You know me. I like to mind my own business.”

  He snorted in disbelief but remained otherwise silent. He took her to a room with exercise equipment, weights, and in the centre, a makeshift boxing ring.

  I can’t believe they have one. “All right,” she murmured with immense approval.

  “Thought you’d like that.”

  Currently, there were two men in the ring. Erin knew them both. The first one, she glossed over with her gaze. The other man was different. The white sleeveless tee contrasted perfectly with his dark mocha skin, and his blue shorts accentuated the muscles in his strong legs and firm ass, catching her attention in many ways.

  His head was shaved, and Erin knew his medium brown eyes could wipe away any resistance she might attempt against him. TJ. Her body shuddered with longing. This man put LL Cool J to shame with the amount of raw sexuality he oozed.

  Six feet and one inch of raw masculine power stood in that ring. One of the most athletic men she knew in this world. And her eyes saw beneath the clothes, few that there were, and travelled over the tight eight-pack of rippling abdominals, sinful pectorals and the nearly hairless chest.

  Erin saw him, how she preferred to see him. Naked. She had loved this man just today in her dreams on the flight out and now he was before her, in all his dark glory.

  Erin walked closer to the ring, absently cutting another piece of fruit. The second the crisp apple touch her full dusky lips, his eyes met hers. The next moment, a left hook levelled him to the mat.

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  About the Author

  McKenna Jeffries has loved the written word from time she picked up her first book. Soon she was creating tales of love and family. Although McKenna used to make up stories, she never thought to put them on paper until…she realised the stories would keep filling her until they were written.

  Since then she’s been writing and sharing her books. There is always some new story floating around her head. An itchy feeling in her fingers fills her until she can get a piece of paper to write it down. She writes because it’s a love affair. Writing is in her blood and she enjoys taking readers on a journey. With so many ideas filling her, McKenna is always hard at work.

  Email: [email protected]

  Aliyah Burke is an avid reader and is never far from pen and paper (or the computer).

  She is married to a career military man, they have a German Shepherd, two Borzoi, and a DSH cat. Her days are spent sharing her time between work, writing, and dog training.

  Email: [email protected]

  McKenna and Aliyah love to hear from readers. You can find their contact information, websites and author biographies at http://www.total-e-bound.com.

  Also by McKenna Jeffries and Aliyah Burke

  McKingley: All the Wright Moves

  Also by Aliyah Burke

  Through The Fire

  Seducing Damian

  Code of Honour: A Marriage Of Convenience

  Code of Honour: The Lieutenant’s Ex-Wife

  Code of Honour: A Man Like No Other

  Code of Honour: When Stars Collide

  In Aeternum: Casanova in Training

  In Aeternum: Harbour of Refuge

  Interludes: Temporary Home

  Kemet Uncovered: Talios

  Kemet Uncovered: Devi

  Kemet Uncovered: Linc

  Kemet Uncovered: Saffron

  Kemet Uncovered: Taber

  Kemet Uncovered: Ashia

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