Burn it Down: Texas Heat, #4

By Octavia McKenzie

Felicity Camden chaperons the prom with gorgeous Navy Seal, Seth McClain. She buries their explosive love after a tragic accident, only to find her man won't give her up without a fight.  

• Language: English
• Publisher: Octavia McKenzie
• Release date: Feb 18, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201444730

Book preview

Books by Octavia McKenzie

Historical Romance

She Walks in Gold Dust

She Walks in Gun Smoke

Pride and Prejudice and Pirates

Texas Heat Novels in Order

Blaze

Slow Burn

Where There’s Smoke

Burn it Down

Wild Fire

Chapter 1

Felicity loved to run , feel the wind in her hair, the sun on her face, the sheer freedom and power in her arms and legs. She had her best eureka ideas with the sound of her feet pounding the pavement and the rush of crisp air in her lungs.

Pace yourself babe, her dad called.

Michael Camden checked his watch. Scale it back, speed racer, eight minute mile.

Felicity nodded. They ran up and down the lush hills of Aberdeen. Father and daughter ran side by side, one black, one white.

Michael’s silver ginger hair rippled in the breeze. His green eyes shined upon her with love. Hey, what does a drunk bee get?

Oh Lord, Felicity smiled, What?

A buzz, get it?

Her dad told the worst jokes. Bless him! Michael elbowed her. Come on, that was funny.

Felicity rolled her big brown eyes.

There’s this amazing kid I want you to meet, you heard of the McClain boys?

Which ones? Rich? Richer? Or Mega rich?

Mega rich, Michael huffed, Their dad died overseas, he was in the military.

Felicity grunted. Poor kids. She knew how it felt to lose someone beloved. Her parents died in a car accident years ago. Michael Camden and her father were best buds and business partners. They had a vision of opening themed hotels all over the world. Joel Thomas died before they could set their plan in motion. Felicity had an aunt on the west coast who didn’t want the responsibility of a six year old girl. She signed over any rights to her, indifferent if Felicity ended up in foster care.

Michael and Deena Camden jumped at the chance to adopt her even though they had two young boys of their own. Felicity doted on her younger siblings and they adored her in return.

So this kid is extraordinary, Michael puffed. He’s raised over a million dollars for charity.

Felicity whistled. How old is wonder boy?

Fourteen.

Wow. She could tell her dad was really impressed.

He runs marathons while pushing his disabled brother in a special chair.

Aww, Felicity said. She read about these boys in the Aberdeen Gazette. Now I feel like a slacker, she smiled ruefully. Can’t wait to meet the little tike.

They’ve done 5Ks, 10Ks, a few half marathons.

Cool.

So this kid walks right up to me in town square and asks me to train him and his brother for their first marathon.

Guts, I like him already, Felicity said.

They rounded a curve. He registered for The Austin Marathon, do you mind running with them?

Felicity glanced at her dad, I’d love to.

Seth McClain brushed his younger brother’s hair. They were only fifteen months apart but Seth assumed the role of father figure long ago. When their dad died, he had to grow up overnight. He checked his brother’s wheelchair before the test run. How does the head and neck support feel?

Toby’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down when he swallowed. Even with intense speech therapy, it took a huge effort for Toby to speak. Meh, a little lower.

Seth made the adjustment. The new light weight wheelchair was built for athletic performance and speed. It was a lot lower to the ground than a regular chair. The wheels were huge and the seat reclining. Seth adjusted the wedge cushions to support his brother’s gangly limbs.

Are you comfortable?

Toby gave a big thumbs up. Seth clicked the seat belt. Too tight?

Toby nodded.

Seth loosened the strap a bit. Toby grinned from ear to ear. The sight of his smile melted Seth every time. To a lot of people, Toby was a flawed human being, a genetic mistake. Some of their own relatives either stared rudely or ignored Toby completely at family gatherings.  

To Seth, his brother was perfect. Cerebral Palsy may have robbed Toby of muscle control of his arms and legs but his mind was sharp as a tack and his heart was beautiful. The brothers wore matching navy blue sweat suits.

Seth stood up and did their pre-run ritual. Vogue baby, Seth struck a pose. Toby laughed. He rolled his head to the side with attitude.

Yeah! Seth said with a fist pump. Come on Madonna, we got some runnin’ to do.

Toby alerted Seth with a grunting sound. Oh Oh so pr-pretty, his brother said.

Seth turned around and forgot to breathe. She looked like an exotic goddess send to tempt men. Every dormant hormone in his fourteen year old body roared to life. He stiffened. Unfamiliar with the powerful surges of hunger that gripped him by the throat, tightened his chest and quivered in his gut.

Jesus, he whispered.

Running coach, Michael Camden and the goddess sprinted towards them on the high school track. Seth stood up. Toby’s eyes went wide and darted to Seth’s visible erection. Seth cursed under his breath, he’d never had a hard on in his life. 

How do I make it go down? he whispered urgently.

Toby shrugged as if to say – how the hell should I know? Seth scooted around the wheelchair and stood behind it, gripping the handles. Thank God the chair hid his obvious arousal. Toby’s shoulders shook with mirth.

Cut it out, Seth said under his breath.

The Camdens reached them. Felicity wore a powder blue Nike tee shirt and matching shorts. Her chocolate legs went on for miles. Seth’s mouth actually watered. He hoped to God he wasn’t drooling. She had what looked like tiny braids in her swirling hair that framed a face sculptured by something divine. Her brown eyes shined with dazzling hints of amber and a radiant inner beauty, high cheek bones and full juicy lips quick to smile.

Seth, Toby, this is my daughter Felicity, she’ll be training and running the marathon with us, Michael said proudly.

Hi, she said to Seth.

He tried to speak but his brain stalled. He cleared his throat.

Hi. The high pitched croak didn’t sound like his voice at all. Felicity