Lighting Her Fire – Annie Wiest

They laced slowly through hers, grip uncertain at first, then firmer. Holding on. Kiona made herself stay. Just be present. The radio crackled. They both startled, the moment breaking. Aiden reached for the handset, still holding her other hand, and Kiona noticed they didn’t let go. “Cabin team, you there?” June’s voice, tinged with tension. Aiden keyed the handset. “We’re here. Go ahead.” “Got bad news. Secondary slide hit the access road about an hour ago. Took out the switchback section. Chief’s assessment says…”

A pause. Rustling. “Earliest they can get up there is seventy-two hours. Maybe ninety-six if the weather doesn’t cooperate. We’re fine down here, lower trails are closed but the lodge is solid.” Three to four more days. Kiona’s brain immediately overlaid grids and counts over that number. Wood. Food. Battery percentages. And underneath all the logistics, a quieter thought: being stranded with Aiden feels less like disaster than adventure. “Copy that,” Aiden said, steady. “We’re good. We’ll run the numbers.” “Stay safe, both of you.

June out.” The radio went silent. Aiden looked at Kiona. She squeezed their hand once before letting go. Cold crept under the door, reminding her of what waited outside the circle of warmth they were rationing. “We’re tight on wood,” Aiden said. “Twenty hours, maybe twenty-four.” “Ninety-six is our window.”

“Yeah.” Aiden paused, looked at her. “I’m sorry you’re stuck here because of my call.” Kiona straightened. “Your call?” “I pushed for staging here instead of heading back. I should have pushed to get you safe back to the lodge. If I’d read the forecast differently…” “I chose to go up with you. To secure the material, the sources. I chose to stay. I’d choose it again.” She held their gaze. “You don’t get to carry me like cargo, Aiden.

I’m not a passenger in this.” “Okay,” they said softly. “Okay.” Kiona gestured to the room. “We can burn the chair. And the table,” she said. “If we have to.” Aiden followed her gaze. “That’s…” “Practical. It’s just furniture. We’re people. The math isn’t complicated.” Objects were meant to serve lives, not the other way around.

“Chair and table first, then possibly the crate slats. Bed platform is last resort.” “Agreed.” They ate in companionable silence, stretching the canned soup with extra water. Thin and bland. The portions were smaller now, but neither of them commented on it. Just another variable to manage. At one point, Kiona looked up from her notes to find Aiden watching her. “What?” “Your handwriting,” Aiden said. “It’s almost as messy as in your field notes.”

Kiona laughed, surprised. “Says the person whose numbers look like serial killer code.” Aiden gave a half-smile, tension bleeding away. Outside, darkness had fallen completely. When they climbed into bed, the gap between them was smaller than the night before. Kiona didn’t overthink it.

Copyright © 2026 by Annie Wiest Lighting Her Fire. A Sapphic Ranch Romance (Sacred Peaks Ranch Series, Book 4) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. First Edition: 2026 ISBN of the print version: 9798243790949 Cover Design: Annie Wiest OceanofPDF.com For everyone who’s been told they’re “too much” or “too cautious”: you’re exactly the right amount.

OceanofPDF.com OceanofPDF.com GET A FREE EXCLUSIVE BONUS STORY An unexpected blizzard. A warm cabin. A love worth slowing down for. In Storm-Bound, June and Stevie get snowed in at Sacred Peaks Ranch— and rediscover what their busy hearts have been missing: quiet moments, laughter, and the joy of being exactly where they are. A cozy, steamy bonus story proving love’s sweetest moments happen when the world stands still. Tap Here to Download for Free (Delivered instantly to any device) P.S.

You’ll also get first looks at new releases and exclusive bonus content from Sacred Peaks Ranch. OceanofPDF.com Author’s Welcome Welcome back to Sacred Peaks Ranch! If you’ve been following June & Stevie, Lily & Kemi, or Emily & Alex, you already know this mountain has a way of bringing the right people together at exactly the right moment. New to the ranch? You are in the right place. Jump right in, each book stands alone, but stick around and you’ll catch wonderful references to our growing found family.

Lighting Her Fire is about what happens when a protocol-driven firefighter meets a passionate archaeologist in the middle of a Colorado winter storm. Think forced proximity meets competence kink, with an avalanche that traps them together just long enough to melt the armor they’ve both been wearing for years. Aiden (they/them) has spent a career keeping people safe, always the one holding everything together.

Kiona (she/her) has fought to prove her worth in a field that’s tried to diminish her brilliance and her heritage. When they’re stranded in a remote cabin with nothing but each other, a woodstove, and their conflicting approaches to risk, something unexpected ignites. What you can look forward to: Thoughtful nonbinary representation (Aiden is dear to my heart). Deeply researched Hopi and Ute cultural history (with gratitude to my consultants). Competence kink for days. Two people discovering that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is let someone else keep the fire lit.

This is a short excerpt from the opening of “” by Unknown, quoted for review and introduction purposes. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

Book Information

• Unique ID: 1e5c42ab5d1a14b5
• File Extension: .pdf
• File Size: 2,556,003 bytes (2.438 MB)
• Title: –
• Author: Unknown
• ISBN: 9798243790949
• Pages: 133
• Language: English (en)

Reading & Word Statistics

• Estimated Reading Time: 174.66 minutes
• Total Words: 34,932
• Total Characters: 209,180
• Average Words per Page: 262.65
• Average Characters per Page: 1572.78

Most Frequent Words

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