Guns & Hoses by Brenda Cothern

 Tigger Flint and Thomas Flame shared an instant mutual hate for one another from the day they met in sixth grade. Their dislike grew into competition and rivalry throughout high school as they were stuck in the same honors classes and played the same sports. That hatred and rivalry followed them into adulthood as one became a cop and the other a fireman.

Sharing the same haunt, Guns & Hoses, gave everyone from both departments plenty of opportunity to witness their personal war. Being forced back onto the football field for charity gave both men another venue for their hatred and rivalry to make an appearance.
But those feelings weren't the only emotions in attendance and the winner of game could just be both of them.

This book contains m/m sexual situations and is intended for readers of legal age in the country in which they reside.

There's a fine line between love and hate and Guns & Hoses illustrates that saying perfectly. Tig and Flame met as children and struck an instant rivalry that has developed into an antagonistic and taunt-filled feud as adults. Their animosity is furthered by the natural rivalry between the Tampa Police Department (where Tig works) and Tampa Fire & Rescue (where Flame works). And I must say that I was delighted that Ms. Cothern went and named her fire fighter Flame.

Due to the hostile nature of the relationship between Flame and Tig, it seemed there was no hope in sight. But thanks to a case of right place, wrong time, Flame learns that Tig is gay. Interestingly, neither man is out at work and has no idea that the other is gay. Tig expects his sexuality to become fuel on the fire that Flame spews at him, so he understandably shocked when Flame's behavior seems more like a come-on than the verbal assault he expected. As Flame makes flag football sinfully sexy, Tig realizes that Flame isn't the homophobe he expected. When they finally hook-up, with Tig intending it to be one night only, it is hot. Hot. HOT! Even hotter is Flame's pursuit of Tig when he decides that one night isn't enough for him. As both Tig and Flame are big, built men, this makes for some rather aggressive behavior in the bedroom and living room and kitchen and bar and you get the point. Their chemistry is intense and this translates into scorchingly hot sex scenes. Ms. Cothern writes great sex.

When complications arise between Flame and his work partner, it jeopardizes his relationship with Tig and it takes a life and death situation to get Tig to talk to him again. I enjoyed Guns & Hoses immensely and hope that Ms. Cothern plans to expand it to a series centered around the bar that is the book's namesake and keeps us up to speed on Flame and Tig's relationship.

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