Read Hope Falls: Hearts Afire (Kindle Worlds Novella) for Free Online Page A

what?”
    “Your pace.”
    Casey let out a husky chuckle that rattled her core. Holy hell, she had no idea a man’s laughter could do that to her.
    “This works for me,” he said, shaking her from her wild imagination.
    They continued on in silence until they reached the resting area where they took a break the last time.
    “Want to sit?” he asked her, gesturing to the bench.
    She nodded, then pressed a button on her smart watch to pause her time. She loved getting back to her room and tracking her progress. In just a week, her clothes were starting to feel better. Another week or two and she wouldn’t have to suck it in anymore to button her jeans.
    Besides the chirping birds, it was fairly quiet on the trail. It seemed that Katie and Casey were all alone in the woods. Warning signs flashed in her mind, making her hope that Casey wasn’t really an axe murderer. She could easily be chopped up in a million pieces and buried on the side of the road and no one would ever know.
    “You enjoying your stay so far?” Casey asked, a welcome distraction from the crazy train she was just about to board.
    “I am.” She looked around, taking in the scenery. “The view is gorgeous, the food is delicious, and the beer couldn’t be better. What’s not to like?”
    “Cocky firefighters?”
    Once again, Katie’s jaw dropped. That was becoming quite a habit in Hope Falls. People seemed to like the shock factor here.
    When Katie didn’t say anything, Casey continued, “I’m usually not that much of an asshole.”
    “You weren’t—” Katie started to say, but he cut her off.
    “Yes, I was. I’m sorry. Can I get a do-over?”
    Katie looked up, not meaning to gaze into his eyes, but it was a lost cause. They were there and she was lost in the blue orbs as if they had a force field of their own, and they were sucking her right in.
    “I believe this is it,” she said, looking away while she still had some semblance of control. When she was able to gather her composure, she looked at him again and held out her hand. “Hi, I’m Katie.”

CHAPTER FIVE
     
     

CASEY
     
    On his way to the lodge, Casey spotted Katherine—er, Katie—on the side of the road. She was decked out in her workout gear, so he knew she was headed to the same place he was. He pulled over a few feet in front of her and waited for her to get closer. In his rearview mirror, he watched as she approached him. She was quite the beauty in all black with a bright blue scarf wrapped around her neck. She needed a pair of gloves, though. Her hands were probably frozen.
    “Hey, want a ride?” he said as she passed him.
    She did a double-take, before she turned back to him and smiled.
    “Sure, why not?” She walked around to the passenger side while he hit the button to unlock the door. As soon as she opened the door, she started talking again. “I usually walk to the trails for my warmup, but it’s cold as balls outside.”
    He was pretty sure his boys were shriveled up tight as can be, so he could see her point. “The snow might be gone, but it sure doesn’t feel any warmer out.”
    Casey pulled out into the road and they continued to talk the rest of the way.
    “I wish I would have been here for the snow. We have to drive at least an hour for the experience back home.”
    Casey volleyed his gaze between the road and Katie. She was looking out the window, smiling. Her hair wasn’t in a ponytail today. Instead, two braids lined each side of her head. It was cute. All she needed was a pair of overalls and freckles to complete the look. He didn’t mention it though. It would be adorable, but he had no idea how she’d take it. While he’d never been in a long-term relationship with a woman, he’d learned a lot from Nicole, his stepmom, and sister over the years. He’d already put his foot in his mouth once with Katie, and he wasn’t going to do it again.
    “Snow is overrated. I grew up living through snowstorms so I never got to experience the