Night quiet. Breath steady. Hoodie sleeves and warm hands.
The night stretched long and close — not with sex, but with something deeper. A held breath. A whispered name. The kind of closeness that builds trust where there used to be silence. Jake didn’t push. Logan didn’t flinch. And somewhere in the quiet, they remembered how to be soft together.
Morning found them still wrapped in that quiet, wrapped in each other. And when Bryce joined them at Sunny’s — second mug already waiting — it wasn’t to fix anything. It was just to hold the space. A team, again. Not perfect. But present.
In this Chapter:
The warmth of sharing a bed without pressure
A middle-of-the-night confession that lands
Quiet morning intimacy (and one cold-ass foot)
Bryce holding space without asking questions
A toast to starting, staying, and not running
📬 Chapters drop in real time. Expect slow burn, fast hands, and emotional fallout.
📝 Author Note:
Yeah. I know it’s slower. Heavier.
But this chapter needed space.
Sometimes the quiet hurts more than the heat.
More is coming. The story will find light again. But for now… they’re all sitting in it.
Thanks for staying with them.
– Riley
Read more from Riley Thorne
Backdraft Burn is a slow-burn queer firehouse drama told in tension, smoke, and the spaces between words. Set in a small Kansas town, it follows Ash Mercer, a sharp-eyed rookie with something to prove, and Gage, the seasoned firefighter who’s been running from his own past — and feelings — for years.
Every shift brings heat. Every silence, a choice. And in a place where reputation matters more than truth, desire has to stay hidden... until it doesn't.
This is a story for readers who crave emotional slow burn, charged glances across the bay, and the kind of intimacy that sneaks up like a flame you thought you’d put out.
No need to pay — just become a free member to read every chapter.
patreon.com/TheThorneDispatch
About the author:
Riley Thorne writes emotionally intelligent queer erotica focused on intimacy, character growth, and the power of restraint. His stories blend heat with heart — built for readers who want more than just a quick release.
💌 Want more? Follow Riley or reach out anytime: [email protected]