Bayou With Benefits

<p><em style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>They are friends. </em><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Without</span><em style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)> benefits. Unfortunately.</em></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Michael LeClaire is small-town Louisiana. A firefighter. A single dad.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>And Amelia Landry is New York City. A social media influencer. A </span><em style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>model</em><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Sure she's his son's favorite person on the planet.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>And yeah their families spend so much time together it's hard to remember who shares DNA and who just shares secrets inside jokes and a sincere lack of boundaries.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>And okay he's seen her nerdy side. Her sweet side. Her funny self-deprecating side. </span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Fine yes resisting this woman has taken a saint's share of willpower.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>But he has to. He just cannot do long-distance. And he can't have a casual fling with someone he's known-and </span><em style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>will know-</em><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>forever.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Thankfully he only has to hide his feelings a few times a year when she visits.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>And then he slips. One time. One spontaneous I-knew-it-would-be-everything kiss and he's a goner.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Now every time they see each other it's harder and harder to ignore the heat.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>And when she shows up on his</span><em style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)> </em><span style=background-color: rgba(0 0 0 0); color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>doorstep after a car accident changes her entire life there's no way he can resist the chance to see if this can last...or if they'll finally flame out.  </span></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>