Flames of Passion

Nya sipped her coffee before continuing. “Something happened last night. Something I didn’t get a chance to tell you. It’s no big deal, and clearly it was just a reaction to seeing Russell.”

“Still confused,” Sabrina said.

“When I saw Russell last night, he was heading toward me with Topaz. You remember Topaz?”

“The woman he cast in his film. The one you suspected he was sleeping with.”

“Yes,” Nya said. “Well, seeing Topaz on his arm...I kind of freaked out.”

“What does any of this have to do with Tyler?” Sabrina asked.

“Because I did something really stupid. When Russell was walking toward me, with Topaz practically all over him, I panicked. I didn’t know what to do, and all I could think about was the last time I’d spoken to Russell and how he’d humiliated me and acted as though I’d never get over him...” Nya knew she was rambling, and Sabrina’s look of confusion grew more intense. “I was at the bar to get a drink, and when I saw Russell, I—I just turned to the guy next to me and started kissing him.”

“What?” Sabrina’s eyes were bulging.

“I know, it was completely crazy.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,” Sabrina said, holding up a hand. “Are you telling me you kissed someone randomly? Literally just laid one on some guy at the bar? To what? Make a point to Russell?”

“Saying it like that makes me sound incredibly stupid. I wasn’t thinking. I just acted. Worst of all, it turns out that the man I kissed was that sexy firefighter, Tyler. He played along with the kiss...perhaps a little too well. Now Tyler and I are supposed to go to the film premiere on Friday night, but I don’t want to go. I can’t. And that’s why I need Mason.”

Sabrina drank more coffee. “There are a lot of blanks you’re not filling in for me, but that’s okay. Let’s start from the beginning. What film premiere?” But before Nya could answer, Sabrina continued, “Ohhhh. You mean Russell’s film? He finally finished it? And the premiere is on Friday night?”

“Yes. The world premiere is on Friday night, followed by an after party, and he said he wants me there. Probably just to rub his success in my face.”

“Why did you say yes if you don’t want to?”

“Russell produced two tickets and gave them to Tyler. I tried to decline, but for some reason Tyler told him we’d be there. Probably as a bit of payback for me kissing him the way I did. I didn’t want to force the issue and keep refusing when Tyler was pretending to be my boyfriend.”

“So you didn’t just kiss him. You guys pretended to be a couple.”

“There was no plan. As I said, it just happened. But the last thing I want to do is go to Russell’s movie premiere, and God only knows why Tyler wants to go. Maybe he actually wants to see the film, or just wants to go for the experience—”

“Or he wants to spend more time with you.”

The words caused Nya to swallow her breath and hold it. Did he? He had certainly kissed her back as though he’d been interested, but she had specifically told him to play along. Still, there had been undeniable heat between them as they’d shared that kiss.

Which was exactly why she didn’t want to go out with him on Friday night. Not now that she’d sworn off dating.

“I don’t want to spend more time with him,” Nya said, trying to push the memory of Tyler’s mouth out of her mind as she met Sabrina’s eyes again. “You know that I’ve sworn off dating for a year. It’s been four months, and I’ve been going strong with my commitment. I’m not going to waver. So can you please have Mason tell Tyler that I won’t be going on Friday night? Considering they work together, it shouldn’t be any trouble for him to pass the message along.”

“You sure you don’t want to go?” Sabrina asked. “Aren’t you curious about the film?”

“I can watch it whenever it’s released on DVD,” Nya said. “I just can’t stomach the idea of spending a night watching a project that Russell and I started working on when we were dating. It’s not about being hung up on him. It’s about not wanting my past to keep invading my personal space.”

Sabrina shrugged. “Sure. I’ll ask Mason to tell him.”

Nya’s shoulders drooped with relief. “Thank you.”

Sabrina’s eyes suddenly bulged. “Oh, heck. I’ve got to get some clothes on.” She jumped to her feet. “And take a quick shower before my ten o’clock appointment.

Nya also stood. “You’ve got twenty minutes.”

As Sabrina hurried out of the studio, Nya inhaled a deep, calming breath. She could finally de-stress. Mason was going to talk to Tyler and cancel the date.

And Nya could get back to enjoying her intentionally single life.

Chapter 4 (#ulink_061912b4-6723-528d-9681-257bb1ca1ca7)

“So?” Mason began, his eyebrows raised. “What’s going on with you and Nya?”

Tyler, Mason and the other firefighters had just returned to the firehouse from a vehicle fire on the Pacific Highway. An SUV had collided with a minivan, and the SUV had caught fire. Thankfully, they’d been able to get the woman and her son out of the car alive, but badly burned. It had been a scene of chaos and fear, after which the mood among the firefighters at Station Two had been dour. So it was an odd time for Mason to be bringing up the subject of Nya.

“Why are you asking me about Nya?” Tyler asked as he began to remove his turnout jacket.

“Sabrina,” Mason said. “I just checked my phone, and I missed a call and a text from her. She said she needed to convey an urgent message about your date with Nya on Friday night. Nya wants you to know that she’s canceling.” Mason flashed him a confused look. “I didn’t even know you knew Nya.”

Tyler hung his jacket on its hook, then began to take off his boots. So Nya was trying to cancel on him. After all the great points he had made about why they should go to the screening?

Tyler wasn’t about to let her off that easily. In fact, all last night he had remembered the shock—then excitement—when she’d kissed him.

“I met her last night,” Tyler said. “Well, I met her again I should say. Obviously, I met her when I went to the studio for my shoot.”

Tyler felt two strong hands press into his shoulders from behind then heard Omar ask, “Are you talking about that beautiful woman you were kissing last night?”

Mason’s eyes widened with surprise. Tyler tried not to show any reaction, though he hated that Omar had blurted that out. But what did Tyler expect? Firefighters were family, and families always teased each other about personal matters.

And when it came to women and dating, Omar was the biggest devil’s advocate. He seemed determined to keep some kind of score and to prove to everyone else that he could get any woman he wanted.

Omar had probably been waiting for the right moment to bring up last night’s incident, but the morning had been unusually busy with the carbon monoxide call, and now this vehicle fire on the freeway. But Omar had been standing next to him at the bar when Nya had suddenly kissed him. One minute, Omar was pointing out to Tyler a woman that he hoped to go home with. The next, Tyler was making out with Nya in the middle of the bar.

“What about you?” Tyler asked Omar. “Did you hook up with that woman you were checking out?”

“Forget about Omar,” Mason said. “He’s always getting action. You, on the other hand...you were kissing Nya?”

“Hell must have frozen over,” one of the other guys said, and a few of them started laughing.

“Very funny, guys,” Tyler said, and told himself not to be annoyed. The subject of his love life—or lack thereof—always brought about jokes. Yes, he had stayed with Carol months after their relationship had all but died—and the guys had known it—which was why they acted as though he was completely hung up on his ex. Was it really wrong to have tried to work things out with Carol after investing years with her?

Omar would definitely say yes. Had it been his relationship, he would have left a long time ago and found a new woman to keep him warm.

“You think every time I get some action I come here and gossip about it like a schoolgirl?” Tyler asked. “A real man knows how to keep certain things to himself.”

There were some “Ooohs,” and another firefighter elbowed Omar in the ribs playfully.

“Hey,” Omar began, “I know how much you all enjoy the details. That’s why I share.”

Tyler turned away from Omar and met Mason’s curious gaze. “Did you actually take Nya home for a one-night stand?” he asked, giving Tyler a look that said he would be less surprised if he had been abducted by aliens last night.