I stepped out of the shower, fully intending to talk to Tyler about where he saw our benefriends relationship going, but a stranger was standing in the doorway, stunned but not at all trying to shield his eyes from my bare skin.

“Does this outfit have sheilas, or are the Alpines allowin’ conjugal visits?” he said.

I pulled my robe from the hook and wrapped it around me. “I’m the photographer. Who the fuck are you?”

He laughed, delighted with my answer. “I’m Liam. This wog is Jack.” Liam was at least six feet two inches, but Jack was taller, and very blond.

“What the hell is a wog?” I asked.

“Ow ya goin’?” Jack said. “We’re just in from Oz.”

“Great,” I said, knotting the robe belt and pulling it tight.

Tyler padded in, glowering at the two men. I’d never seen his expression so severe.

Liam held out his hand to Tyler. His bicep was as big around as my head, and I wondered how he carried all that muscle mass on a hike to a fire.

Tyler stared at Liam’s hand until he took it back, but the Australian didn’t seem fazed.

“There’s an undressed woman in your midst, gentlemen. I suggest you excuse yourself to another room until she’s otherwise.”

Jack slapped Liam on the shoulder. “They’re a bit uptight about nudity. Let’s not piss off the crew on our first day.”

Liam didn’t take his gaze from Tyler’s, but he wasn’t challenging him. With his unrelenting stare and amused grin, Liam was letting Tyler know he was far from intimidated, which only pissed off Tyler more.

The Aussies left, and Tyler joined me at the sink. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” I said, waving my hand dismissively. “You’re no longer the only Alpine hotshot crewmember who’s seen me naked.”

Tyler clenched his teeth. “We should have just had them go straight to Colorado Springs.”

“Then we wouldn’t have had last night.”

He smiled, gently pinching a few strands of my hair. “It’s a political fire. They need all hands on deck. Maybe you should stay.”

I frowned. “And what the hell am I going to do here? Take pictures of flowers? The barracks? Jojo will be pissed if I don’t go.”

“There’s a different TAC team. It’s not just Chief making the decisions. They might not let you up there.”

“I have a press badge. I can go wherever I want.”

Tyler breathed out a laugh. “That’s not exactly accurate.”

I pulled a brush through my wet hair.

“My God, you’re beautiful in the morning.”

“No longer strangely appealing?”

“I never said that about you. I was talking about how much I liked that you smelled like a wild fire.”