A Novella in the Delectable Series A week before Christmas, Alex Bancroft's bakery goes up in flames. When he runs back inside after a dog, firefighter Kevin Flint has to rescue Alex—and Quincy—from the smoldering building, endangering them and inflaming Kevin's resentment. Now Alex can't create the elaborate gingerbread house he donates to a foster-kids charity each year. Fire Station 7 again comes to his rescue, offering their kitchen and their manpower. Everyone but Kevin Flint, that is. A third-generation firefighter, he's fearful of stepping too far out of the closet. So when his powerful physical attraction for Alex ends in a sizzling secret encounter in the firehouse, Kevin can't push Alex far enough away, and Alex returns the cold shoulder. After a change of heart, Kevin risks his life to prove he's worthy of Alex's affection, but without a Christmas miracle, their chances at sweet romance might go up in smoke. Like all Delectable stories, Gingerbread Palace includes recipes used in the book.