A Flame To Bear (Fire Bear Shifters 4) Read Online Free PDF Page B

found funny. This guy might be a hero, and gorgeous to boot, but he was a little on the strange side. Bailey didn’t know how to respond, so she sat in silence and stared at the empty road ahead. Trevor did the same thing, and for several long moments the only sound in the SUV was the whirring of the engine.
    Just when the silence was beginning to get truly awkward, Trevor exhaled loudly and looked over at Bailey. “So,” he asked, his expression somber. “Was Conner your…boyfriend?”
    Bailey chuckled. Although there was nothing funny about Conner dying, the idea of any kind of romantic relationship with Conner was laughable. He had not been her type at all.
    “Oh, god, no. I guess it probably looked that way since we were in the same hotel room when you found us, but we were just friends. I worked with him for several years, and we knew each other pretty well. But that was it. I’ve actually been single for what feels like forever. No time for love when you’re a slave to your job, you know?”
    “I don't know, actually,” Trevor said. “I really like my job. The people who work with me are my best friends. They’re basically my family, and I guess I'm pretty lucky with that. But I am actually thinking about quitting my job as a volunteer firefighter.”
    “Really?” Bailey asked. “I hope it's not because of me, or Conner. I'm sure rescuing us felt traumatic, but Conner’s death is not your fault.”
    “No, it's not that. It's just that I need to be active physically, or I go a little crazy. But that fire a few nights ago was actually the first action that we've had in a while. The Red Valley Fire Department doesn't get many calls other than minor medical emergencies. Which, I guess is a good thing. But I don’t think the fire department really needs me, and the job doesn't meet my goal of staying physically active. The wildfire season only lasts for the summer. During that time we’re really busy, but the rest of the year not much happens,” Trevor said, and shrugged. “What about you, though? You just quit your job. It sounds like you'd worked there for a long time? What's next?”
    Bailey sighed. “I'm not exactly sure. It's been years since I've had time to think about what I really want. I guess the first step is to go back home, and try to get my life in order there. But, after that, I don't know.”
    “Where's home?” Trevor asked.
    “Washington D.C.”
    “Wow, you're a long way from home,” Trevor said. “What kind of work are you doing out here?”
    “I'm a journalist. During college, I thought it's what I really wanted to do. Once I got into it, though, I didn't like it as much as I thought I would. By that time, though, I didn't know what else to do. So I just kept at it. But almost dying in a fire made me realize that life is too short and precious to just do something because you don't know what else to do. It sounds cliché, but it's true. Life-and-death moments really make you think. Besides, my boss acted like the biggest jerk when I talked to him this morning. Basically, he only cares about getting the story he wants. He barely even acknowledged that Conner died, or that I almost died. After what I went through, I just can't work for someone like that anymore.”
    “I don't blame you for that. He sounds like a real winner,” Trevor said, sarcasm dripping in his voice.
    “Yeah. Telling him I quit felt pretty awesome. But realizing that I have no idea what the next step is doesn't feel so awesome.”
    “Why do you have to go back to D.C. right away? You're already all the way out here, and it might be nice to have some space from your everyday life to think about what your next step will be,” Trevor said.
    “I don't know,” Bailey said. “It never even occurred to me to stay here. My whole life and all of my stuff is back in D.C. Now that Conner's gone, I don't know a single soul out here. Well, actually, that's not entirely true. I do know a nurse named Mindy. She