Chapter 6 Blaze
BLAZE
Serena is everywhere.
The mess hall. The parking lot. The walkway between buildings when I'm heading to morning PT. Every time I turn around, there she is with her hair pulled back, scrubs hugging her curves, and that serious expression on her face like she's carrying the weight of the world.
And every time she sees me, she looks away.
It's been a week of almost-encounters and near-misses. We’ve had a dozen moments where our eyes meet across a crowded room and I swear I can feel the air between us catch fire. It’s been pure torture.
"Reynolds. You with us?" Sergeant Cruz is staring at me from across the briefing table. One of his caterpillar eyebrows is raised in suspicion.
I blink. Shit, I’ve got to get my head back in the game.
The rest of my squad is pretending not to notice that I just zoned out in the middle of a mission debrief.
"Yeah." I clear my throat. "Sorry. What was the question?"
Cruz narrows his eyes, but must decide to let it slide. "I asked about the supply drop coordinates for next week's exercise."
"Grid reference four-seven-niner." The answer comes automatically, even though my brain is still stuck on the way Serena's lips parted when I touched her wrist. "Northwest ridge, fourteen hundred hours."
"Good." Cruz makes a note on his tablet. "That's it for today. Dismissed."
I let out a breath. The last thing I need is to make any kind of waves at work right now. The room clears out, but before I can make my escape, a hand lands on my shoulder.
"Alright, brother." Jackson drops into the chair next to me. He’s smiling like he knows something I don't.
Jackass.
Jackson kicks his boots up on the table. "You've been distracted all week. Missed two shots at the range yesterday. But I've seen you hit targets blindfolded."
"Thank you for the observation.”
He’s lucky he’s been my best friend since basic training. Most guys wouldn’t get away with hitting me with a shit-eating grin like that.
“What’s wrong with you?” He studies me for a moment, then his eyes go wide. "Holy shit... It's a chick."
"Fuck off." I glance at the door, but the hallway is empty. "And keep your voice down.”
Jackson leans forward, apparently delighted by my discomfort. "Well, who is she? Someone from town? Wait, is it that redhead from the bar last month? The one who was trying to hang on you? You didn’t even look at her. It was—"
"It's not the redhead."
"Then who?"
I shouldn't tell him or anyone else. If word gets out that I'm hung up on one of the nurses, it could blow back on Serena. The last thing I want is to make her life harder than it already is.
But Jackson is relentless. The dude has pulled me out of bar fights, talked me down from bad decisions, and once drove six hours to bail me out of a Mexican jail. If I can't trust him, I can't trust anyone.
I drop my voice to almost a whisper. "She works on base," I say carefully. "Medical staff."
Jackson's eyebrows shoot up. "A nurse?"
"Keep. Your voice. Down."
"Okay, damn dude." He holds up his hands. "A nurse. Yeah, that complicates things."
"Tell me about it."
"Does she know you're… doing all this moping around and being all, poor me?"
“Fuck off.”
I think about the exam room. The way her hands shook when she touched me. The way she said it meant something to me too like it was being torn out of her.
"Yeah," I say. "She knows."
"And?"
"And there are rules." I scrub a hand over my face. "Regulations. She could lose her job if anyone found out we were... involved. It’s not a great look for me either."
"So don't get involved." Jackson shrugs. "Find someone else. There are plenty of women out there who don't come with a career-ending asterisk. Maybe return a glance at a bar every now and then."
He's right. I know he's right. The smart thing would be to walk away and let Serena live her life. I should stick with someone uncomplicated. But the thought of having some other man wrap his hands around her body makes my jaw clench.
"I can't." The words come out rough. "I've tried. Every time I close my eyes, she's there. Every time I turn a corner, I'm hoping it's her. It’s sick and I can’t shake it.”
Jackson is quiet for a long moment. Then he lets out a low whistle.
"Damn, brother. You've got it bad."
"Yeah." I stare at the table. "I guess I do."
"You know what's wild?" He shakes his head slowly. "It's like someone flipped a switch. Like you're a whole different person."
I roll my eyes as I get to my feet. I’ve had enough of this bullshit. Jackson doesn’t stop. He talks at me relentlessly as I make my way to the door. I can’t hear him though, I’m too busy trying to make sense of what’s happening to me.
This thing with Serena is different. It's the kind of feeling that rewrites everything you thought you knew about yourself. It’s ridiculous. But it might be love. Love. The word surfaces in my mind, and I don't push it away.
Is that what this is? After one night? After a handful of conversations? It shouldn't be possible. It doesn't make any sense. But it is. And I have no fucking idea what to do about it.
I see her again at lunch.
She's sitting with a group of nurses in the corner of the mess hall, picking at a salad and laughing at something one of them said. The sound hits me like a punch to the chest. It’s light and warm. It sounds distinctly different from the serious woman I've been chasing all week.
She should laugh more. I want to be the reason she laughs.
As if she can feel me watching, her eyes lift and find mine across the room. Everything else disappears in an instant. The noise, the people, and the risks dissolve. It's just her and me and the electricity crackling between us like a live wire. But then the laughter dies on her lips.
One of the other nurses leans in and says something to her. A guy. Young, decent-looking, with the kind of easy smile that probably works on most women. Something hot and ugly twists in my gut.
Don't even think about it.
Serena nods politely at whatever he said. But her eyes flick back to me, just for a second, and I see it flash across her face. It’s the same pull I’m feeling.
She's mine, and she knows it.
The male nurse says something else leaning closer. I watch his hand drift toward her arm. My vision narrows and my fingers curl into fists under the table.
Touch her. I dare you. Give me a reason.
But Serena shifts away putting space between them without making a scene. It’s subtle and instinctive. She gathers her tray and stands. There’s a polite smile to the group and then she heads for the exit.
She doesn't look back at the nurse. But she looks back at me. It’s only for one heartbeat, but I notice the corner of her mouth twitch.
She knows exactly what she's doing to me. And she likes it.
Serena disappears through the doors, and I force myself to stay seated and breathe.
But I'm already counting the hours until I can see her again. Then I'm on my feet before I realize what I'm doing.
"Reynolds?" Jackson calls after me. "Where are you going?"
"Forgot something."
I push through the doors and scan the hallway like the obsessed lunatic I’ve become. She's already twenty feet ahead.
"Serena."
She freezes, but doesn't turn around.
"We can't do this here." Her voice is low. Strained. "Someone will see."
"Then let's find somewhere they won't."
She turns toward me and the look on her face is equal parts frustration and longing. "Blaze—"
"One conversation." I take a step closer and keep my voice down. "That's all I'm asking. Somewhere off base, somewhere private. Just... let me talk to you. Please."
"Why?" She folds her arms over her chest like she's trying to hold herself together. "What could you possibly say that would change anything?"
That I haven't slept in a week. That I think about you every second. That I'd transfer to another base or another country if it meant I could hold you again.
"I don't know," I admit. "But I need to try. And I think you need it too."
Her jaw tightens and her voice is soft. "You don't know what I need."
"Then tell me." I close the distance between us until I can see the flecks of gold in her eyes. Until I can smell that vanilla scent that's been haunting my dreams. "Tell me what you need, Serena. And I swear to God, I'll find a way to give it to you."
A smile slips through, but she shakes it away. “Who says things like that? You can’t be real. I…” She stares at me for a long moment.
I can see the battle happening behind her eyes and my chest tightens.
"There's a hiking trail," she says finally. "Eagles Crest. Nobody from base goes there, at least not for anything above board."
She lets out a laugh and my heart slams against my ribs.
"Okay, let’s go to Eagles Crest. When?"
"I’m off Saturday." She glances down the hallway, checking for witnesses. "Maybe in the morning, ten? There's a parking lot at the trailhead. I'll meet you there."
"I'll be there."
She nods once. It’s sharp and quick, then she turns to leave. But I catch her hand before she can go. I squeeze it just for a second. She pulls away immediately but it’s long enough to feel her pulse racing under my fingers.
"Serena."
She looks back.
"Thank you." I brush my thumb across her knuckles. "For giving me a chance."
Something softens in her expression. Just a flicker, there and gone.
I stand there for a long time with my heart pounding and my mind racing. Saturday. Eagles Crest. I can survive until then. Probably.
The rest of the week is torture.
It’s impossible to keep her out of my head because I see Serena everywhere.
She’s walking with a group of nurses in the distance.
She’s carrying a bag of groceries outside of the commissary.
She’s across the gym walking on a treadmill in pants that show off every delicious curve.
It’s like the woman is trying to kill me.
By Friday night, I decide to get off base. I head out to my cabin instead of the barracks. It's rustic, bare bones, and a twenty-minute drive. But when the noise of base housing feels suffocating, it’s a quiet space to think. I bought the place two years ago specifically for nights like this.
Despite the silence, I barely sleep. But for the first time in a long time, it's anticipation keeping me awake instead of regret.
I get to see her tomorrow. Now I just need to figure out how to keep her.