Southern Heat 2

  Love’s Slow Burn

  When the confident, prim, and proper Casey Prentice returns to the Tar Heel state of North Carolina at the request of her Great Aunt, Jenna Hastings, she has every intention of swapping her fast-paced, New York City lifestyle in an effort to recapture the tranquil, unhurried, home-style flavor of her joyous childhood roots. What she didn't count on was running into a most sexy blast from her memorable past, Jake Martin. Along with his inviting, charming roommate, Dean Stark, the two irresistible, gorgeous, strapping firefighters give Casey a run for her money. They will stop at nothing to stake claim to Casey's heart and complete their dream of finding the perfect mate. What follows is a most scintillating journey into the world of ménage and a homecoming, the likes of which will ignite a tantalizing romance that is destined to blaze a smoking-hot trail straight through the county of Dalton.

  Genre: Contemporary, Ménage a Trois/Quatre

  Length: 26,823 words

  LOVE’S SLOW BURN

  Southern Heat 2

  Alexa Aaby

  MENAGE AMOUR

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

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  A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK

  IMPRINT: Ménage Amour

  LOVE’S SLOW BURN

  Copyright © 2014 by Alexa Aaby

  E-book ISBN: 978-1-63258-182-2

  First E-book Publication: August 2014

  Cover design by Harris Channing

  All art and logo copyright © 2014 by Siren Publishing, Inc.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.

  All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

  PUBLISHER

  Siren Publishing, Inc.

  www.SirenPublishing.com

  Letter to Readers

  Dear Readers,

  If you have purchased this copy of Love’s Slow Burn by Alexa Aaby from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

  Regarding E-book Piracy

  This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book.

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  This is Alexa Aaby’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Alexa Aaby’s right to earn a living from her work.

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  www.SirenPublishing.com

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  DEDICATION

  Here’s to you, my readers. Enjoy the continuing journey, and thank you for all of your support.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  About the Author

  LOVE’S SLOW BURN

  Southern Heat 2

  ALEXA AABY

  Copyright © 2014

  Chapter One

  The Dalton County Spring Fling celebration was held every year during the second Saturday in May. The community fair got under way around 1:00 p.m. and ran until 10:00 p.m. that evening. It was always one of the most anticipated events of the year, including amusement rides and games, local musical talent, a delicious bake-off sponsored by the Spouses of Local Veterans Committee, a livestock competition, and performances by schools from across the county. There was even a beauty contest to crown the new Miss Spring Fling.

  It was the place where Casey Prentice would encounter Jake Martin and his coworker, Dean Stark, for the second time since she returned to town after a long absence. The headstrong Casey never believed in love at first sight, but would she soon discover that it was indeed real?

  Jake was a local firefighter, born and raised in Dalton County, North Carolina. He was the first to spark a twinkle in Casey’s jade-green eyes. She had first reconnected with him on a cold afternoon five months before. He was tall, strapping, and incredibly sexy with dark hair and crystal-blue eyes. His good looks and strong demeanor were more than enough to capture her attention, but with him came his partner, Dean. Standing eye to eye with Jake, he was a chestnut-brown haired, dark-eyed, scrumptious hunk of a man, who hailed from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. In no time at all, the two firefighters had charmed their way into Casey’s heart.

  Like Jake, Casey was born in Dalton, but fourteen years ago, at the age of ten, she had moved with her parents and two older sisters to New York City.

  Growing weary of the never-ending fast pace of city life, when Casey received an invitation from Jenna Hastings, her great aunt, to come back to her hometown and become her live-in assistant, she didn’t hesitate in leaving her job as a mortgage officer for a major financial institution. In no time at all, she abandoned the hustle-bustle lifestyle of the big city for the much slower pace of living in the Tar Heel State.

  Since the death of her husband, Harold, the sixty-six-year-old Ms. Hastings had been a widow for the past five years. Harold Hastings left his wife well taken care of, but they never had any children. Now getting on in age, she needed someone to help her in maintaining her property and personal affairs. Of all her living relatives, she favored Casey the most. Jenna thought her choice would prove to be of mutual benefit for both herself and her young, restless grand-niece. Knowing just how independent Casey was and how strong-willed she could be, Jenna was sure she had made the right choice in seeking help from her quite capable relative. Casey had a knack for finance and an attention to detail, the likes of which Jenna was convinced her niece had directly inherited from her.

  * * * *

  Soon after Casey arrived, the town of Dalton was hit by a series of severe snow storms. It took five months for the powerful effects of the brutal winter to subside.

  One bitterly cold afternoon in late February, while Casey was out grocery shopping, Aunt Jenna decided to carry in some lumber from the backyard woodshed and start up the fireplace. Forty-five minutes later, after taking a relaxing bath, Jenna sat down in her favorite recliner and fell asleep. Forgetting to secure the fireplace screen, a log rolled onto the antique Persian rug and ignited flames that quickly spread across the living room. Luckily, Casey walked through the front door in time to wake her aunt and get her out of the house safely. Afterward, Casey dialed 9-1-1 for help.

  Engine Company 65, located less than ten minutes away, answered the call. Though the damage was minimal, both Jenna and Casey were apparently shaken by the potential deadly event. More than that, it was the day the former New Yorker would ignite a spark of passion strong enough to set off a blazing trail through Dalton County.

  After working with the other firefighters to put out the flames, Jake Martin and Dean Stark approached Casey and Jenna, who were being examined by the EMTs. Removing their fire hats, the two men looked stern but caring.

  Jake Martin was the first to speak. “Ladies, I’m glad you both are OK, but you need to know this situation could have been a lot worse.”

  Still wearing her lavender terrycloth housecoat, Jenna said, “Thank you for all your help. My niece was out running errands. I’m afraid this was my fault. The fire was so comforting. I fell asleep before I set the screen in place.”

  “You should always remember to do that. It’s been a bad winter, Ms. Hastings. That being said, you have got to be careful. This time it was just your living room, but the next time, it could be you,” Dean Stark told her.

  “We are thankful for your help and your quick response,” Casey said, prefacing her statement, speaking up quickly with a slight toss of her long, thick blonde hair. “My aunt realizes she made a mistake, but we’re no worse for wear. We’re OK. Why don’t we just leave it at that?”

  Dean w

rinkled his brow. “Listen, Ms.—”

  “I’m Casey Prentice,” she interrupted. “Jenna is my great-aunt.”

  “You’re Casey Prentice?” Jake uttered, staring at the sprinkle of freckles displayed atop her forehead and the bridge of her nose. “Wow, I thought you looked familiar. I remember you. You attended Lee Elementary. I went to school with your sister, Margo. I didn’t know you had returned to town.”

  “Why should you?” Casey questioned, causing Jenna to nudge her in the side. “I mean…Well, I’ve only been back for three months.”

  Ignoring her intentionally rude comment, Jake continued, “News around here usually travels fast. Well, I must say, Ms. Prentice, you’ve grown into quite a lovely young lady.”

  His comment caught her off-guard. Casey felt her cheeks begin to warm with embarrassment, but in spite of that, she managed to say, “Thank you.”

  “Oh, this is my partner and best bud, Dean Stark.”

  “Pleased to meet you,” Dean said, shaking Casey’s hand.

  With a sparkle in her light-brown eyes and smiling widely, Jenna said, “You two young men are a couple of guardian angels, don’t you agree, Casey?”

  Looking into Jake’s soothing baby blues, she nodded her head. “Yes, we’re so thankful you both arrived when you did.”

  “Margo’s little sister…I can’t believe it,” Jake said, staring into Casey’s big, beautiful green eyes. Suddenly, he laughed, displaying a charming set of white teeth. “The past fourteen years have certainly been good to you.”

  “I’ll say,” Dean added, revealing an equally bright smile, eyeing Casey intensely. “I must say I like the accent. It’s so New York.”

  “So, how does it feel to be back?” Jake asked.

  Relaxing a bit, she said, “Honestly, it feels good, almost like I never left.”

  “That’s life in a small town for you. Time goes by, but things seldom change.” Placing his hat upon his head, he said, “Maybe we’ll see each other again sometime.”

  “I guess we should be rolling out. You two have a good day now, Ms. Hastings, Ms. Prentice,” Dean offered, walking off toward the ladder truck.

  “You ladies take care. Casey, I hope to see you again real soon,” Jake said, before leaving to join his partner.

  A month later, the remnants of the fire were gone. Casey found a reputable contractor, and Jenna hired the company to make the necessary repairs. Afterward, the living room looked better than ever.

  With life returning to normal, Jenna started to focus attention on her niece. She was concerned about Casey and her lack of a social life. One early spring morning in April, as they had breakfast out on the verandah, Jenna decided to tackle the subject head-on.

  “Casey, darlin’, you’ve been here for five months. I must admit, you are the perfect assistant, but it’s high time you get out of this house and start mingling,” Jenna said, patting the blonde French twist at the back of her head.

  “Auntie, I’m fine,” Casey replied, tossing her hair to her back. “I’ve spent a lot of time running the streets of New York. It feels good to take a break from all that. To tell you the truth, I like the solitude, the tranquility.”

  Pursing her lips, Jenna said, “You’re a beautiful, young girl, Casey. You need to keep company with people your own age. Besides, there are so many eligible, young bachelors in Dalton County. A girl like yourself could do quite well if she only put her mind to it.”

  “Auntie, this is 2014 for goodness sake. Are you trying to fix me up?” Casey asked suspiciously, taking a sip from her coffee cup.

  “So what if I am?” Jenna questioned, tightening her lips a little. “You’re absolutely gorgeous. Such beauty should not go to waste.”

  “I’m only twenty-four, Aunt Jen. I’ve got plenty of time to settle down.”

  “Who’s talkin’ about settling? You need to go out and have some fun. Don’t get me wrong, I love the company, child, but spending all your time with old Aunt Jen is not what you should be doing. I asked you to come here to be my personal assistant, not to mope around this house all day and night. Look at me. I have an active social life. May I suggest you get one for yourself?”

  “Your point is well taken. Tell you what, now that the renovation work is done, I’ll take some time to rediscover all that the town of Dalton has to offer,” Casey replied with an undertone of reluctance.

  “You don’t sound very convincing. Do you promise?” Jenna asked.

  Casey smiled at her. “Yes, I promise.”

  Jenna was pleased that she had made some leeway with Casey in getting her to explore her social possibilities, but she had no idea of what she was awakening inside of her niece.

  Chapter Two

  Being a woman of her word, Casey Prentice kept her promise to her aunt, Jenna Hastings. Over the next several weeks she went out on dates with some of the most eligible bachelors in and around Dalton County. Her effort netted her no real results. It was futile. Although the young men considered Casey quite pleasing and very sexy, she found every one of them to be either boring or too self-absorbed. She had almost lost hope when she and her aunt spotted a poster in town promoting the Dalton County Spring Fling.

  Referring to the yearly event, Casey commented, “It doesn’t seem like it’s changed all that much. The last one I attended was a couple of days before we left for New York.”

  “As I recall, later that night, your mother had to pour a few doses of antacid into you when you arrived home. You ate a ton of junk food that day. You made yourself sick. She thought you might have to see a doctor,” Jenna recalled.

  “You’re right, I remember that. But in spite of it all, it was one of the best fairs I ever attended, even to this day.”

  “I make it a point to attend every year. This year, I’ll have my lovely niece once again at my side accompanying me.”

  “Finally, something to look forward to,” Casey said with a sigh. “Maybe my luck will take a turn for the better.”

  “Now that’s my girl. Chin up, my darling, you’ll find exactly what and who you need at the right time. I just know it.”

  “Aunt Jen, you make it sound as though I’m desperate. Remember, it was your idea that I start dating. I was content to take my time. I’m getting accustomed to this slow, easy pace. I’m in no hurry to get into a relationship.”

  “Casey, I love all of my family, I truly do, but you are my absolute favorite,” Jenna said.

  “Well, yes, I suppose I am,” Casey confirmed.

  “Good…now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, I want you to know, since the death of my dearly departed Harold, I’ve yearned for a close sense of family again. You’ve given me a new beginning, darling. Your happiness is very important to me.”

  “But, Auntie, I’m only twenty-four. I’ve got plenty of time to find Mr. Right.”

  “I can’t argue that point. I’m just saying I want you to be as happy as you possibly can be. It’s the greatest gift I can wish for my sweet pea.”

  “Aunt Jen, you haven’t called me that nickname in years,” Casey said, thinking back to the past.

  “Come on, dear, we’ve got some shopping to do,” Jenna told her.

  * * * *

  On Saturday, May 10th, Casey awoke at 9:00 a.m. to the smell of sugar-cured bacon, French toast, and scrambled eggs. Aunt Jen had been up since the crack of dawn, and she was raring to go.

  Walking into the country-style kitchen, Casey stretched her slender yet curvy body, hidden beneath her striped pink and white nightshirt, before taking a big whiff of the delectable aromas that filled the air.

  “You could tempt the devil himself with this delicious-smelling breakfast. I can’t wait to dig into it,” Casey said, placing a quick peck upon her aunt’s cheek.

 

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