Smoulder (Montana Mountain Protectors #4)

1. Danny

1

DANNY

A soft smile spreads across my face as I watch Oz fawn over his wife Etta across the room. Honestly, I never thought I’d see the day that my bro was wifed up and tied down, but he fucking loves it, and I’m happy for him, even if I’m jealous as fuck.

When I took this job in Rockhead Point, Montana, all seven members of my team of smoke jumpers were young, free, and single. But one by one, they’re all finding their partners and settling down. Some of them believe that it was the Barnett family legacy that brought their women to them, but I just think they were lucky enough to find their person without any magical intervention involved.

Unlike some of my buddies who come from dysfunctional homes and messed-up families, my parents set a great example of how a happy marriage should look. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts, and they’re still fucking obsessed with each other all these years later.

My two older brothers are both happily married, and honestly, even though I’m only thirty, I’m more than ready to find my person and settle down too. Not that I’ve admitted that to anyone except my parents. As far as all my Montana friends and found family are concerned, I’m happily single and enjoying the mingle, and that’s because the women in this town are all kinds of crazy.

When the Barnetts started finding their wives, the entire town all drank the love at first sight Kool-Aid and everyone with a vagina in a ten-mile radius decided they wanted to be the next Mrs. Barnett.

Now that word has spread that the jumpers are finding wives too, the crazy train has come back to town. Suddenly the women who only wanted to ride some firefighter dick six months ago are now all clambering for a ring.

That’s not to say that I’m not keeping my options open. I date—occasionally. I fuck—sometimes. But I’m not any closer to finding someone who means something more than a sweaty release and empty balls. Part of the problem is that I already know exactly who and what I’m looking for, and she’s not in Rockhead Point.

I don’t have a type, or at least I don’t think I do. I like happy girls, the perky cheerleader types that are always smiling and excited to see you. I’m not the smartest guy in the world, so smart girls are a little above my pay grade, and I don’t want to spend the rest of my life not understanding a word my woman says.

I’m not picky about appearance. I like all women. Short, tall, skinny or curvy, blonde, brunette, or a redhead. I like them all, although I guess I tend to gravitate toward athletic girls, mainly because I spend a lot of time in the gym, and that’s where I find most of my dates.

My life in Montana is great. I love my job. I love my team. We have the best neighbors in the world, and this tiny town has a community spirit that draws you in and makes you part of the family whether you like it or not.

But I crave more. I live alone in an empty bachelor pad. I sleep alone unless I pass out at a date’s place, but even then, I never bring anyone home because we live on a cattle ranch halfway up a mountain.

The only consistent women in my life are my mom, my sisters-in-law, the wives of my friends, and Parker.