Blazing Hot Christmas: A Blaze Family Romance Collection Read online

  Blazing Hot Christmas

  A Blaze Family Romance Collection

  Fiona Starr

  Steamy Starr Stories

  Blazing Hot Christmas: A Blaze Family Romance Collection

  featuring: His Christmas Dream and His Christmas Wish

  All titles Copyright © 2019 by Fiona Starr

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  A Note from the Author

  His Christmas Dream

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Epilogue

  His Christmas Wish

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Epilogue

  About Fiona Starr

  Also by Fiona Starr

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  ACADEMY OF ELEMENTAL MAGIC

  AVAILABLE NOW on AMAZON

  A shifter, three sexy mages, and an Elemental with magic thought to be extinct… what could possibly go wrong?

  I was born the day my parents died—talk about luck. I grew up bouncing around the foster system, never knowing when the rug would be pulled out from under me. Now, I’m twenty-two and while I’m free of the dangers of my childhood, life still isn’t easy.

  When a strange couple appears chanting in some weird language, I try to walk away, but the guy whips out a freaking fire lasso and starts making like he’s going to hogtie me right there on the street.

  That’s when all kinds of crazy breaks loose.

  Next thing I know, I’m strapped to a bed in what looks like a hospital, I can’t speak, and some woman is telling me I’m a Vox Elemental, which leaves me a choice between getting shipped off to a magic school to train my voice or be silenced forever.

  Of course I choose the school; who wouldn’t? Turns out my new home is a highly competitive, cut-throat academy where one wrong step could cost me everything. I promise myself that I’ll work hard and get free, which all goes out the window when I meet not one, not two, but four of the hottest guys I have ever seen, and they are definitely not part of the curriculum. As if juggling new relationships, a new school, and some rather testy mean girls weren’t enough, there’s also someone or something making a meal out of the student body—literally. Add that to the things I have to manage. Assuming I survive…

  Some luck, huh?

  Reverse Harem Academy fans will want to one-click this exciting reverse harem steamy paranormal romance.

  Upcoming release dates:

  January 23, 2020

  February 20, 2020

  March 26, 2020

  ACADEMY OF ELEMENTAL MAGIC

  AVAILABLE NOW on AMAZON

  His Christmas Dream

  Chapter One

  ADAM

  “Adam Blaze, Jess HQ.” My radio crackles as I am getting off the ski lift. It’s a call from Jess at Ski Patrol Headquarters looking for me. I push off the seat and glide down the small incline so I am clear of the off ramp. Once I’m in the open, I press the talk button on the radio clipped to my shoulder and respond with my location. “South Summit. Go ahead, Jess.”

  “Need a check on Jackhammer. Reports of big ice on the right side, below Widow Maker. May need a hazard marker.”

  Jackhammer is a tree-lined black diamond run with some serious moguls. The bump field is mostly on the right side of the run, formed naturally by skier traffic. It’s a spot we don’t groom often because many of our guests enjoy the moguls, but when the conditions are right, with just enough days of sun, and lots of wind, the bumps can get pretty icy. Once it becomes a hazard, we need to shut it down until it can get groomed.

  “Copy that. Clear,” I say.

  “Thank you. Clear.” Jess signs off.

  I glide across the summit to the Patrol House on the other side of the ski lift. The small cabin is decorated with colorful Christmas lights and sits back by the trees. It is home to hot coffee, lots of patrol gear, and a couple of well-worn recliners for the emergency response team on duty. The various teams hang out at each of the resort’s summit stations waiting for calls to help on the slopes with guest emergencies.

  I click out of my skis and step inside to find Lexi rifling through a hazard pack by the door of the patrol house. She’s wearing a red and white Santa hat and her navy-blue tee-shirt says, Snow Ho Ho across the chest.

  “Hey, Adam. Heard the call and was just pulling a pack for you. One of the pole sets is missing. One sec.” She opens one of the lockers in the entryway, then closes the door and checks the next one, searching through the equipment until she finds an extra pole set, which she zips into the pack. “There you go.”

  “Thanks, Lexi. I appreciate it.” I slip my patrol pack off, strap the hazard pack onto it and head out.

  The resort is booked solid for Christmas week, and the runs are pretty busy. I’d forgotten how busy it could get. But on the first day I arrived back in town and saw the crowds as I drove back to the family’s house, I offered to help.

  Which had been immediately accepted.

  Given the growing panic I feel now that the last of my friends is getting married, leaving me the lone single guy left… having something to do to take my mind off Greg’s wedding and all the grief coming my way is exactly what I need. I shove thoughts of everything but checking out the runs out of my head as I make my way through the pockets of people, following the beginner and intermediate trails that will take me to the more advanced runs.

  When I get to the top of Jackhammer, I stop a moment to see if I can spot the ice. The left side of the trail was groomed recently, so it is mostly flat. The right side features some nice bumps that the groomers will ignore until they get to be a hazard and need to be mowed down. Perfect.

  The intersection where Widow Maker branches off Jackhammer is about halfway down this run, so I hop off the ledge and go. The wind whistles under my helmet as I make my way, bouncing and turning over the steep moguls. It feels good to be here, on the slopes where I grew up.

  Once I pass the turn off for Widow Maker, my plan is to slow down and inch forward so I can find the icy patch they called me to check. But just when I pick the mogul on which to pause, my skis hit the ice and I find myself airborne. I am launched off the wrong end of the bump and sailing into the air toward the trees, arms flailing and completely out of control.

  I land on my back and hit the ground hard. The packs I’m wearing prevent me from slamming into the mountain with my spine, and instead, force me to hyper-extend backward so my helmet crashes onto the hard pack, causing stars to explode in my vision. One of my skis disengages and flies off to my left as my momentum continues to carry me d
own, down, bouncing and sliding off the icy moguls.

  When I finally stop sliding, it takes a moment to get my bearings. I lay there, gasping, fighting for breath while trying to take inventory of my body. I hit my head pretty solid. My ears are ringing. I’m sprawled uncomfortably on my pack.

  I blink a few times and realize I can’t see through my goggles because they are covered in snow. I pull them off my face and squint in the bright sunlight. As I take in some fresh air, I feel my chest grow tight. Suddenly, it’s like an invisible avalanche has landed on me and is crushing the air out of my lungs. I fight for breath, but it’s like there is no room for my lungs to expand. I try to get my pack off my back, and as I shift my weight, the pressure on my chest increases. My heart is racing and I feel both sweaty and cold at the same time. I try to do an inventory of my body but I can’t focus on anything and it feels like I’m going to jump out of my skin. Oh my god, am I having a heart attack?

  Holy shit, I can’t breathe.

  Chapter Two

  KATIE

  I stop at the top of the ski run and take in the view. I’ve only been in town for a few days, but I can already tell that moving to Blaze, Colorado has been a good choice. The ski resort is gorgeous, the people I’ve met so far seem really nice, the apartment I’m in is adorable, and my boss at the restaurant loves everything I’ve cooked for him and his guests.

  Before I landed in Blaze, I wasn’t sure I’d ever get hired in another restaurant again. Hell, I wasn’t even sure I wanted to cook anymore. It’s amazing how one person can ruin everything, literally.

  I sigh and watch my breath puff into a frosty cloud and float away. I wish the memories of my past would disappear like that. The last thing I want to be doing right now is thinking about Florida and my ex—Jack Phillips. But, the wound is still fresh and my sister-the-psychologist’s advice rings through my head every time I want to block him out. Feel your feelings. Be angry. Then let it go.

  It sounds so easy to do, but the injustice of it all is what really kills me. Jack and I were in a relationship for six months. We were spending the night at each other’s places regularly. I could easily imagine a future for us together. Then the owner of the restaurant where we were both chefs started paying more attention to me and my cooking. Jack had worked there long before me and was used to being the center of attention. Then I came in, and was the golden child. It felt like the compliments and the write-ups were about my food and my menu changes.

  At first, Jack seemed fine with all the praise being sent my way. He didn’t seem to mind the light shining on me rather than him for a change. But when the owners started talking about opening a new place, and needing a head chef to bring their brand to the next level, everything changed. And I mean, everything.

  He stopped returning my calls. He was suddenly unable to make it to my place after work. He would work side-by-side with me in the kitchen and it felt like I was working with a stranger. I thought he’d met someone else, and didn’t have the balls to tell me. But not even close. Turns out, he was angling for the job as head chef of the new place and doing everything he could to sideline me. I can handle a cold shoulder. I can handle competition. I can even handle lying and rumors. But what I apparently can’t handle is sabotage.

  Jack Phillips made it his mission to spread the lie that I slept with him to get ahead. He told everyone—our bosses, our clients, and staff at other restaurants that I couldn’t be trusted. He said that the recipes and the changes coming out of our kitchen were actually his ideas, stolen by me. He played the naïve guy that had been fooled, and everyone bought it.

  I lost my job, my reputation, and almost lost my desire to cook. It’s impossible to work in a city where the word is that I’m a talentless hack who lied, cheated, and slept my way to the top. It was too much.

  So when a friend of mine suggested I crash in her apartment while she’s visiting her family out west for Christmas, it felt like a lifeline. From the moment I arrived in Blaze, everything has fallen into place. The apartment is at the base of one of the mountains and walking distance to everything. Due to the crush of the holiday season, I got hired right away when I interviewed at one of the resort’s restaurants. And two of the women who work in the restaurant invited me to join them at some parties so I can meet people.

  I refuse to wallow in the past. If ever there was a situation that felt like it was meant to be, this is it.

  I take in a deep breath and this time I feel a smile spread across my face as I exhale. I won’t give any more of my energy to the negative things. Instead, I am going to keep my eyes forward, work hard, and appreciate the fact that everything that felt like doom was actually a blessing in disguise. I am going to enjoy the free ski pass that comes with the job, and take time to appreciate the gorgeous place I find myself planted in as a result.

  As if on cue, a lone skier descends over the lip of the run and bounces along the moguls like he was born to do exactly that. He moves like an athlete, smooth and strong, his body twisting and bending with each curve of the mountain. I watch as he passes me, the clouds of snow sparkling in his wake. Then, he hits a patch of ice and goes flying.

  He comes down so hard I can hear the crack of his helmet on the ground all the way up here.

  “Oh shit,” I whisper.

  He’s lucky he’s wearing a helmet.

  I hurry down to him, careful to avoid the patch of ice that caught him off guard. When I get to him, he’s on his back, grasping at the zipper at his neck.

  I click out of my skis and crouch down next to him. He’s blinking furiously and gasping for breath as he fights to open his parka.

  “Are you all right?” I move his hands aside and open his coat for him. He stares at me, his green eyes wide with panic. His face is wet from melted snow and snowflakes stand bright against his dark brows. “You hit pretty hard.”

  He’s swallowing fast and he keeps gasping for air. I can’t tell if he’s badly hurt but I know that if he doesn’t calm down he’s going to hyperventilate.

  I undo the chin strap on his helmet, hoping to loosen it around his jaw and help him relax.

  He pushes his hands into his helmet, trying to get it off but he’s still so all over the place he can’t get a hold of it.

  “It’s okay. I’ll get it. Try not to move.” I can’t tell if he hears me as I slide his helmet off for him, gently, taking extra care not to move his head in case he has a neck injury. I have no idea if it’s smart to let the frigid air at his sweaty hair or not. I don’t know what to do.

  He’s gulping for air now and I can see his pulse throbbing in his neck. Jesus, he’s in panic mode.

  I place my hand on his chest, and that’s when I see the logo on his shirt. He’s Ski Patrol. I sit up and look him over once more and realize that he’s got a tiny black radio strapped on his shoulder and his parka also has the patrol insignia. Holy hell, I have no idea how I missed that.

  I pull the radio off his shoulder and press one of the buttons. The tiny speaker squawks. I’m not sure how to use the thing. I release the button.

  “Jess HQ. Anyone there?” the woman’s voice asks.

  I press the button again and speak into the radio. “Hi. Um. I need help.” I let go of the button and wait, glad to hear a voice right away.

  “Copy that. What’s your name?”

  “This is Katie. I am with one of your ski patrol guys. He hit his head pretty hard, and is having trouble breathing.”

  “Katie, what is your location?”

  Shit. This is only my second day skiing here. I don’t know the names of all the runs. I glance around and spot a sign for a different run branching off to the left. “I don’t know which run I am on, but it’s a black diamond run and I can see a sign for Widow Maker just above me.”

  “Copy that, Katie. Please put the radio down to keep the channel open. Help is on the way.”

  I clip the radio back to the guy’s shoulder as the woman’s voice calls out over the air.

 
“This is Jess HQ. Assistance needed. Ski patroller injured on Jackhammer below Widow Maker. Be advised, we’ve had reports of big ice.”

  The radio pops a second later. “Topher and Lexi, South Summit. Grabbing a toboggan. On our way.”

  I place my hands on his cheeks and position myself so I am right above his face. “Hey, you hear that? Help is on the way.”

  Chapter Three

  ADAM

  I am leaving the doctor’s office the following afternoon when my phone buzzes in my pocket. I tap to take the call. “Hi, Mom.”

  “Adam, what did the doctor say?” She sounds worried.

  I stop on the sidewalk and turn to face the sun, closing my eyes and letting it warm my face. I didn’t sleep much last night, and I feel like a zombie today. “I’ve got a mild concussion and a bruised lung. The doctor said no skiing for at least a week, but I am going to be fine.”

  “Oh, what a relief.”

  “No kidding. I’ll take that over a heart attack any day.” I’m being sarcastic, but the relief I feel is bone-deep. When the doctor explained that a bruised lung could cause chest tightness, shortness of breath, and many symptoms that feel a whole lot like cardiac arrest, the sense of dread I’d been carrying disappeared.