He breaks rules to save lives. She writes the rules to keep them alive. When an arsonist turns the city into a chessboard, they're forced to play as partners?and as bait.

Firefighter Rhett Maddox thrives on instinct and heat; Fire Inspector Emery Blake is precision in a tailored suit. Their sparks start as clashes?write-ups, smart-mouths, and near-misses?until a string of warehouse fires reveals a signature only they can decode. Ordered to work together, they chase a calculated pattern through smoke, false alarms, and traps designed to separate the team...and study them.

As the city teeters and the next blaze nears home, Emery must decide what she'll risk to stop a hunter who knows her moves, and Rhett must choose between protocol and the one woman he can't leave behind. Banter sharpens into chemistry, enemies into partners, and every decision could be the one that burns it all down?or forges something fierce and forever. A high-heat, high-stakes romantic suspense for readers who love grumpy firefighter × by-the-book inspector, forced proximity, and a relentless arson hunt with a hard-won HEA.