After a long talk with her friend and producer, Ellen, they both agreed that Dianna wasn’t ready to go back and host West Coast Update yet. Not without a long vacation first. So when Sam had asked her to go back to Lake Tahoe with him, she’d immediately agreed.

And then they’d gotten the good news from the Rocky Mountain police. The Forest Service wasn’t going to press charges against Sam, the explanation being that the now-defunct meth lab he’d helped shut down was a far greater threat of wildfire than a handful of flares in the hands of a celebrated hotshot.

Feeling content as she held Sam’s hand on the stick shift and looked out the window, Lake Tahoe had never seemed more beautiful. As a child, Dianna hadn’t been blind to its beauty, but the only time she’d experienced all the scenic town had to offer was while dating Sam.

After their breakup, she’d avoided the Sierras whenever possible to avoid coming face-to-face with her memories. Now, she simply couldn’t wait to spend some time rediscovering her childhood home with her true love at her side.

Once upon a time, there’d been walks through the forests, sitting on the beach and talking, roasting marsh-mallows in front of a roaring fire. Letting the warm breeze through the open window rush across her skin, she simply couldn’t wait to continue her new life with Sam.

Sam could see that Dianna was exhausted. There were dark smudges under her eyes, and her collarbones were protruding slightly from beneath her shirt.

He was going to spend every hour, every minute for the rest of his life taking care of her. Even if he had to go work for an urban station to live in the city, giving up wildfires would be worth it. Dianna was worth any sacrifice.

He parked in front of his rental house and Dianna woke up. Grabbing their bags, he suddenly saw his house through her eyes.

Basic furniture, white walls, a kitchen that stayed spotless because no one used it.

It wasn’t that he didn’t have enough money to buy his own place. Due to some good investments over the years, he had plenty. He’d even bought a plot of land with a killer view that was ready to be built on.

But he hadn’t seen the point, not when he didn’t have a family to share it with. He hadn’t spent much time in his house apart from sleeping and eating. Wildfires had been his life and he’d been perfectly happy with that. At least he thought he was.

Now, he was ready for a wife. For kids.

But before he put their bags down his cell phone started ringing. He knew who it was and didn’t want to answer it.

But Dianna wouldn’t let him off the hook. “That’s Logan, isn’t it? There’s a fire.”

Silently cursing out his squad boss, he reached for her and pulled her close.

“Probably. But I’m not going to fight this one. I’m going to stay here with you. You need me more. I wasn’t here for you ten years ago. I’m not going to make that same mistake again.”

Her gentle kiss told him he was making the right decision, but then she surprised him by saying, “You don’t have to prove to me that I come first. I already know it. Just as I know that being a firefighter means answering the call, no matter how inconvenient.” Another kiss. “So go, Sam. With my blessing. You’ll always have my blessing.”

Sam had stuck by her through the hardest ordeal of her life. And she would stick by him for the rest of their lives, through every wildfire, no matter how long he was away, no matter how much she missed him.

And when he came home, there’d be love, laughter, and sharing. And plenty of hot sex.

Love at first sight had grown into a bigger love than she’d ever dreamed was possible.

Two days later, after enjoying a day on the beach with a great book, she was just about to make some dinner when she heard a car pull up in the driveway. Her heart started pounding and she threw the blanket off, leapt off the couch, ran out the front door, and threw her arms and legs around Sam while showering him with kisses.

“You’re back,” she said softly and his answering grin knocked all of the air from her lungs.

“I missed you,” he said simply, cupping her face in his hands and kissing her, slowly, sweetly.

Her eyes were still closed when the kiss ended. Being with Sam again felt like a dream. The best dream she’d ever had. He pressed soft kisses to her eyelids, her forehead, her cheekbones, before finding his way back to her mouth.

“You smell like sunshine,” he said against her lips.

He smelled like smoke and the clean sweat of a man who’d, yet again, smashed straight through the boundaries of human strength.

“You smell good, too,” she said.

He chuckled, a warm, rumbling sound that made her toes curl.

“I’m pretty sure I need a shower.”

But she didn’t want him to go, so she brushed her fingers across his chin, the beginnings of a beard lightly scratching against her fingertips.

“You’re perfect just like this. I always thought so.”

She met his eyes and she was startled by the intensity in the blue depths.

“I knew you were mine from the minute I saw you, Dianna,” he said softly. “Getting pregnant only speeded things up. I love you. I’ve always loved you. And I always will.”

“I love you, too,” she whispered. “Forever. Always.” She pushed his jacket off. “Take me inside and make love to me, Sam.”

His eyes flashed with desire so intense that her skin almost felt singed. “I’ve never been able to turn down a damsel in distress.”

“I was banking on it,” Dianna said before pressing her lips against his.