Burning Up Read Online Free PDF

damned thing about lavender. Hell, she hadn’t known a damned thing about gardening. She hadn’t been home enough to keep a potted plant alive. The farm was more than money—those fields were a future she’d literally built for herself. Each plant she set into the ground was a promise. No one was running her off.
    Not again.
    â€œYou’re sitting in the middle of a firetrap, Lily.” He leaned back where he was sitting on her porch railing, folding his arms over his chest. As if he wasn’t going anywhere, even if she hadn’t had the decency to invite him inside.
    â€œThanks for the heads-up.” She turned and walked inside, trying to ignore the man on her heels, and tossed the pamphlets onto the coffee table. “Consider me well warned.”
    He ignored her, of course. The Donovan brothers had always been stubborn. “You need to cut back your grass, for one thing.”
    She knew that, but her farm crew didn’t really get started for a couple more weeks, and she’d been nervous about hiring anyone new to help. There was only so much she could do by herself. “You volunteering to cut my grass?”
    â€œThat canyon out there is dry.” He came up directly behind her. She hated herself, but she froze. His hands settled on her shoulders, turning her toward the screen door. “Look out there, and tell me what you see.”
    Most of the farm was planted with thick, mature bushes of Grosso lavender. From where she stood, she had a clear view of the spike-laden plants marching north-south, the tidy rows of plants blurring into rich sweeps of purple. The green and violet flower buds were picture-perfect, curving up into the June sunshine. Dreamy. Otherworldly. The heated press of the sun against her skin and the thick blanket of scent drowned out all other sensations. Almost enough to drown out Jack. That was her farm. Her dreams. The contents of her 401K.
    Her lips curved. “Wildfires have been happening all our lives, Jack. What makes this summer any different?”
    Pointing to her beautiful lavender gardens, where they came right up to the house, he growled, “There shouldn’t be so many fires this early in the season, and you’ve got a lot of fuel right there. Fire is going to jump from those bushes to here before you can blink. You’ve given it everything it needs. Food. Opportunity.”
    â€œYou’re not suggesting I lose my fields, are you? This is a business, Jack. Believe it or not, those gardens aren’t there because I like picking flowers.” She hated how her voice shook. He’d always managed to get under her skin. “Those plants represent an investment.”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter if you think you can make a living growing this stuff. Fire’s going to go straight up that damned lavender and into the trees.” He indicated the elm trees lining the edges of the field with a strong, tanned hand. “You’ve planted a damned ladder, Lily. Fire goes up and hops into the trees. From that point, there’s nothing between the fire and the house. You’re uphill, and that will make the spread even faster. You’ll lose the place before you can finish dialing 9-1-1.” His breath whispered against her ear. “I can’t let that happen. Not on my watch.”
    â€œI bet you feel like you’re doing me a favor.” She eyed him. “I know what fire season is, Jack. I can take care of myself, and I’m not going anywhere. This is my home.” Now .
    â€œYou’re not staying here if it’s not safe.” His voice was implacable.
    â€œI’m not going anywhere. Back off, Jack.”
    He moved fast, backing her into the screen door so quickly, she didn’t have a chance to protest. Part of her wondered if she would have. Trapped between his hard arms and the door, she gave in to her curiosity. Resting her head against screen, she stared up at him.
    â€œYou