1. Lux

1

LUX

T he soft morning light filtering through the blinds stirred Lux Valentine from her sleep. Her eyelids flickered open, slowly taking in the familiar sight in front of her: a powder-blue wall with abstract white designs streaking on it—her bedroom.

Lux stretched and blinked furiously again. The sheets felt warm against her bare skin, and she could feel them tease against her nipples.

A soft sigh caused her to turn. It was Phoebe, twisting and turning but still sound asleep. Lux turned her head slightly, taking in the peaceful sight of Phoebe—the gentle rise and fall of her breasts, the soft curve of her lips.

Phoebe always craved fiery, sensual lovemaking, and Lux wasn't a stranger to fire. She was chief pilot at the Phoenix Ridge Fire Department.

With a sigh, Lux slipped out of bed, the cool hardwood floor satisfying under her bare feet. The room was a jumble of discarded clothes and half-empty wine glasses.

Her eyes caught sight of the digital clock on the wall: 10:23 am. Being a helicopter pilot meant she had less free time on her hands. Phoenix Ridge was a forest fire hazard in summer, so firefighting from above was essential. Something none of her previous girlfriends ever understood.

Lux shrugged as she walked over to the wardrobe. What she shared with Phoebe was a fling, but it didn't mean they couldn't have a great time during it.

Her mind drifted aimlessly as she thought about her relationships in the last year. They've all been similar. No matter how much she tried to make it into a serious relationship, it never worked. They never saw how important working as a firefighter was to her. Lux felt like they never really saw her—the real her; they just liked the idea of her.

She had long decided to ignore relationships completely. What mattered to her was her job at the fire station, nothing more.

Lux slipped into her uniform.

As she pulled on her boots, the loneliness she kept tucked away floated to the surface. In the quiet moments, she wondered when— if —she'd ever find love. She managed to shrug off the thought and focus on getting dressed.

A sleepy voice called out from the bed, "Lux?"

Phoebe blinked, her eyes still heavy with sleep.

"Hey," Lux replied, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Someone looks like they had a great time."

"It's always a great time with you," Phoebe said. "I never want it to end."

Lux paused, then continued getting dressed. She walked over to the mirror in the corner and fixed her tie. She could still feel Phoebe's eyes following her intently.

"Leaving already?"

"Got to be at the station, Phoebe," Lux said. "You know how it is."

"Yeah, yeah. You show up, we make love, then you disappear."

"Make love?" Lux snorted. "We fuck, Phoebe. I don't make love." She turned around. Phoebe propped herself on one elbow, pushing her hair out of her face.

"Forgive me, Lux." Phoebe rolled her eyes. "I forget every time."

"We've talked about this a million times before." Lux turned back to the mirror. "I can't deal with a relationship right now."

"And why's that?"

Lux sighed. She had gone over this so many times with Phoebe. She just didn't have feelings like that for her. Yet, every single time, Phoebe always got clingy afterward.

"Phoebe, darling," Lux said, "I can't commit to anything serious right now. Maybe sometime in the future, but right now, I can't."

"Can't make it official, you mean?" Phoebe asked.

Lux paused, her hand freezing mid-air. "Official?" she echoed, her smile fading. "Did you hear anything I just said?"

Phoebe nodded, her gaze unwavering. "You know, like...a real couple."

Lux let out a laugh. "Come on, Phoebe. You know how I am. I'm not the relationship type. The only fires I don't fight are the ones that come with relationships."

"Maybe it's because there are no fires to fight."

Lux chuckled. "That's a nice one. See, you get it."

"I don't. I mean, why not?" Phoebe pressed. "What's so wrong with wanting something more?"

Lux sighed, running a hand through her hair. "It's not you, Phoebe. It's me. I-I can't do relationships. I've tried, but they never work out. They either distract me from my job or suffer because of it. Either way, it never works."

"Why not?" Phoebe said, her voice now tinged with anger. "Is it because you're afraid of getting hurt? Or is it because you don't care about anyone but yourself?"

Lux winced, the accusation hitting a nerve. "That's not fair, Phoebe. You know I care about you."

"Do you?" Phoebe retorted. "Or do you just care about what I can give you?"

The room fell silent. Lux turned back to the mirror and tugged her tie one last time. Talking about this with Phoebe wasn't worth it. She felt a pang in her chest.

"I've always felt sorry for you, Lux," Phoebe said. "You hide behind your humor and carefree attitude, but deep down, you're scared. Scared of letting anyone in, scared of getting hurt."

Lux's jaw tightened, her fists clenching at her sides. "You don't know anything about me."

"I know enough," Phoebe said. "I know you'll end up alone if you keep pushing everyone away. I know you'll never find happiness if you don't learn to open up and let someone in."

"You're only saying that to hurt me." Lux chuckled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "That's not fair, Phoebe."

"No, you're not being fair."

"You knew how things were with me before now. Why make it an issue now?"

"Because I'm not built for all this, Lux." Phoebe walked out from the bed, her breasts bare. "I know I agreed not to get attached and all that. It's just supposed to be sex and nothing more. But you're you, Lux. How could I not fall in?—"

"Just don't," Lux interrupted. "Trust me, you can't love me."

"And if I do already?"

"You won't be the first to say it," Lux said. "But trust me, you'll get over it."

"Is it that evil to let yourself love someone? Are you so certain you want to live the rest of your life alone?"

"I've got Mira, honey," Lux said, watching Phoebe's face squirm.

"Mira? Are you?—?"

"Mira is my favorite helicopter at the station," Lux clarified. "You don't even know that, and yet you think you love me?"

"You love your job more than you love me."

"Finally, you're starting to see it."

"You're not getting any younger, Lux. You need to find someone to spend your forever with."

"Thanks, Mom. I never knew being thirty-four meant my life should end."

"I didn't say that."

"Of course, you didn't," Lux retorted. "Shut the door when you go. You know where to leave the key."

She turned and walked out of the room, not slowing down until she reached her white truck in the driveway. Her smile wore off the second the door thudded shut behind her.

Was Phoebe right? Would I die alone?

Phoebe's words echoed in her head as she started the truck's engine. Phoebe didn't understand it. No one ever did.

As much as she wanted to find love, she knew she'd never see it. Not while she's still tucked this deep in her job. She'd talk to her father about it, but then again, he wouldn't know. He had devoted most of his life to his job after Mom had died all those years ago.

Perhaps there's nothing wrong with me after all. It's just the deal with the job. You either give it your all or it takes yours.

Sam would understand, but he was working in the city. Besides, she wouldn't want to call him over anything as petty as a spat with someone she was not even in love with.

Love. Lux chuckled again.

"Oh, well." She eased her truck out of the driveway and headed for the station.

The sight from outside the window soon drowned the thoughts from Lux's mind. She drove just fast enough to get past the sights of houses lining either side of the road.

She smiled at the ragged forests sprawling in the distance. The rugged hills were always a beautiful sight, except, of course, when the fires began.

They scorched much of the greenery, but the town always won the fight against the fires every season. Even these very green expanses she drove past had thick smoke drifting from them about this time last year. Now, it's lush again.

Lux wondered if that was why the town was called Phoenix Ridge. It always rose from the ashes. A thin smile crossed her face. Hopefully, her love life would one day rise from the ashes too.

Soon, even the distant forests faded from her mind as she drove into the fire station parking lot, a sprawling complex of red brick and steel that hummed with activity.

Lux took a deep breath. The smell of burnt coffee and engine oil hung in the air.

Inside, the atmosphere was charged with a nervous energy. Everyone knew what season it was, and as much as they anticipated it, no one could say they loved it.

She parked her truck and looked around. The crew, a mix of seasoned veterans and eager rookies, was preparing for the day's drills.

"Another day, Lux," she said as she descended from the truck.

"Morning, Chief," a voice called out.

Lux turned to see Jay, one of her most experienced pilots, grinning at her from across the room. Her tangy-orange hair sat messy on her head.

"Jay," she replied, returning her smile. "How's the morning treating you?"

"Can't complain." She took a swig from her coffee mug.

"I can't say the same for your hair," Lux replied. "Get a hat or something."

"It's that bad?"

"Like a hornet's nest."

"Just another day in paradise." Jay patted her hair and fell in step with her.

Lux chuckled. "If you consider dodging wildfires paradise, you're right."

"It'll be fire season soon," Jay said. "Chief Thompson is already giving everyone hell down here."

"You think Becky Thompson is hell? Wait until the fires start."

"Trust me, I'm not eager for that," Jay said.

As Lux made her way toward her office. She caught her breath before going to the simulation room. She couldn't afford to have unprepared pilots with fire season so close.

"Alex thinks there might not be any fires this year," Jay said.

Alex, Jay's wife, was a beautiful woman with brown eyes, and Lux remembered meeting her on a few occasions at some town events.

"She thinks? She must be psychic." Lux raised her eyebrows.

"She hopes," she said. "She'd rather have me home with her, you know."

"How sad," Lux said. "She has to put up with your bland jokes for the rest of her life."

They both laughed.

"You sure have been having a great time yourself," Jay said. "I can see that look in your eyes."

Lux chuckled. "You kidding? Love's not on my agenda, Jay."

"And fires are?"

"You know it," Lux said. "Fire is where my real passion lies. Big, wild, aggressive, beautiful fire. That is my true love."

A flash of movement caught her eye.

A tall and athletic woman who Lux hadn't seen before stepped off a black truck, her dark hair pulled back in a tight ponytail. She wore the standard-issue navy blue fire department uniform, but an air of authority set her apart from the rest of the crew.

She looked around with the eyes of someone new to the environment, but her head was still held high with confidence.

Lux found herself staring, her breath catching in her throat. The woman's features were striking: high cheekbones, piercing brown eyes, and mouthful lips that hinted at a hidden sensuality. She moved with a grace that belied the strength in her muscles, her every step radiating confidence.

Lux's heart hammered in her chest, an unfamiliar flutter of attraction taking hold.

"She's new," Jay said, appearing at Lux's side. "A lieutenant, I think."

Lux snapped out of her daze. "Not bad. We could do with the addition."

"You think she's hot, don't you?"

"Don't be ridiculous," she retorted, regaining her composure. "The only thing hot around here is the fires we're going to fight."

Jay chuckled. "Oh, come on, Chief. It was written all over your face."

Lux rolled her eyes. "I was just...observing."

"Observing, huh?" Jay teased.

Lux shot her a warning glare. "Drop it, Jay."

Jay held up her hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll leave you to your...observations." She sauntered off, leaving Lux to grapple with the unexpected surge of attraction.

Lux glanced in the newcomer's direction again. But as she turned, the woman suddenly stopped and looked directly at her. Their eyes met, and Lux felt a jolt of electricity shoot through her. The woman's gaze was intense and unwavering, and Lux could not look away.

Time seemed to slow down as they held each other's gazes. Lux's cheeks flushed, and warmth spread through her body.

The woman's lips curved into a polite smile. Then, just as quickly as it had begun, the moment was over. She nodded and continued, leaving Lux standing there, her heart pounding.