Burning for the Bravest

He's reckless. She's hiding behind a lie. They seem destined to be, but could easily crash and burn. Dylan His past made him notoriously reckless and, as a New York City fireman, that could prove fatal. After barely escaping a burning building with a victim, Autumn's beautiful face was the last thing he expected to see, and their instant connection intrigued but terrified him. Around her, he felt alive for the first time in over a decade. If he wanted to learn how to love again though, he'd have to let go of his past, and that was much easier said than done. Autumn She was still licking her wounds from her previous relationship when Dylan Hogan crashed into her life, doing things to her heart (and her body) that she never thought possible. He made her feel like the person she'd always wanted to be, though she feared he'd run if he knew the truth. She had to let him go before her past destroyed them both, but she didn't want to extinguish their fire. What he didn't know couldn't hurt him, right? Dylan might be the savior that Autumn never knew she needed, but first she'll have to save him from himself. Contains mature themes.

Lana She's dated her fair share of New York City firemen, but after having been burned one too many times, she swore she'd never date another one. Enter Jesse Hogan-tempting her to bend her rules for one night. He was just a volunteer fireman, that had to be a loophole, right? Wrong. He was also a lieutenant in the FDNY. A fireman twice over. So she told herself to forget about that feeling in her chest (and that mind-blowing orgasm) and move on before he bulldozed her heart. Easy, right? Wrong. Jesse One nighters were his specialty. After meeting Lana though, he was left wanting more. Except she refused to date him. But he was determined to wear her down. His "let's be friends" routine seemed to be working. Great, right? Wrong. He discovered something that threatened to not only destroy his chances with the only woman to ever make him want to settle down, but also send his career up in smoke. He could keep that secret from getting out though, right? Wrong. Contains mature themes.

He'd never had a problem getting what he'd wanted . . . until her. Ryan: As the baby of the family-and being blessed with heart-stopping good looks-Ryan Hogan was used to getting what he wanted, especially women, and his career as a New York City fireman only made him more of a chick magnet. Until one day on the job changed everything. He found himself in a hospital bed, and his nurse captivated him, but she seemed to be the only woman to ever be impervious to his charm. One thing to know about Ryan Hogan, though: He doesn't give up. Zoe: Her job as an emergency room nurse provided more than enough excitement to keep her distracted from the anchor around her ankles. So when one of her patients, a sexy fireman, seems determined to make her his, she fights against her attraction with everything she's got. Because the last time she allowed a man to distract her, her life went up in flames. She wouldn't make that mistake again. She left North Carolina for a fresh start in New York City, and that's what she was going to get. One thing about the past, though: It always catches up. Contains mature themes.

Jace: After having been burned by a woman in his past, fireman Jace Palmer avoided heartbreak at all costs and played the field as though it was his profession. One night, he accidentally called a hookup by the wrong name in the middle of . . . hooking up. He didn't have the space in his life for that kind of drama, so he decided to move on, even though he'd actually liked her. When he shows up for his best friend's wedding weekend a few months later, he discovers that life was delivering him a cruel twist of fate. Britt: As a sex and dating writer for Contemporary Magazine, Britt has seen and heard it all. Convinced that true love was a Hollywood construct, she kept her relationships casual. When she arrives at her best friend's wedding rehearsal and finds out that she's walking down the aisle with a former hookup gone bad, she is less than thrilled. In an attempt to hold onto her dignity, Britt invites her celebrity crush, who she'd interviewed for the magazine earlier that day, to be her date. While she's worried about surviving a weekend with her enemy, fate has other plans. Plans that involve a happily ever after with the one person she's determined to hate. Contains mature themes.

Kyle: I was four when I met Allie Dupree. Ten when I stopped thinking she had cooties. Fourteen when I realized I was in love with her. And eighteen when I finally told her. Then I never saw her again. I also never forgot her. And my heart never let her go. Sixteen years after she'd disappeared without a word, she's back and there's no way in hell I'm letting her get away again. Especially because there are still burning embers of what we had. And, at the very least, I think I deserve some answers. Allie: Returning to New York had never been a part of my plan. But having to watch my ex-husband move on with his pregnant fiancee before the ink had even dried on our divorce papers had made staying in Michigan impossible. The odds of running into Kyle Hogan in Manhattan were one in three million. But sure enough, my first month back, I came face-to-face with the one person I'd never wanted to see again. What had happened sixteen years ago had ruined my life, and Kyle can never find out that secret. I won't let it destroy him, too. Contains mature themes.

Can the good girl and the bad boy really be destined for love? Declan: Everything about Declan Murphy screamed bad boy. He didn't just look the part, he owned it with his tattoos, cut up knuckles, and that scar in his eyebrow he refuses to talk about. After spending a night with the ultimate 'good girl,' he can't seem to forget about her. Six months later, the woman he'd dubbed Princess reappears and while he's no good for her, he can't stay away. This New York City fireman works out his frustrations by fighting in the MMA cage, but when he finds himself in the fire after a fight goes wrong, his princess gets caught in the crosshairs and he'll do anything to protect her. Gwen: Gwendolyn Roth has always been a good girl. As the heiress to her family's billion-dollar real estate fortune, she'd never questioned the expectations she must uphold . . . until she'd found herself in bed with Declan Murphy for her one and only one night stand. They have no business being together, but the heart wants what the heart wants . . . though, that doesn't mean they can have it. Contains mature themes.

Mack: Bryce "Mack" McNamara has been caught in a pity party for one ever since his wife cheated on him, causing their nine-year marriage to end in divorce. He wants to move on but can't seem to figure out how to. That is, until Victoria Masters waltzes into Ladder 171 as the company's newest member. Mack is Tori's lieutenant so dating her is forbidden, but she manages to breathe life back into him and keeping his distance is proving to be the hardest thing he's ever done. Tori: Tori has busted her behind to prove herself as a female firefighter in the FDNY. Earning the respect of the men she works with hasn't come easily. When her grandmother's Alzheimer's takes a turn for the worse, Tori transfers firehouses to be closer to the woman who raised her. Unfortunately, that means starting over with a new crew. Tori loves her career, and she won't let anything stand in her way of moving up the ladder, but when she gets to know her new lieutenant, keeping that resolve proves to be much easier said than done. Will Mack and Tori risk losing their careers for a shot at love? Or will they figure out a way to have their cake and eat it too? Contains mature themes.