Blazing Hotter (Love Under Fire Book 2) Read Online Free

time. Did you get enough to eat?”
    He felt as though his smile couldn’t hold out much longer. How long until Cassie and Thayne would relent and take him back to the rehab center? “It was delicious, Laura. Thank you.”
    She grinned. “If you ever accepted any of Thayne’s invitations to come to our house for dinner, you’d get this treatment more often.”
    “I promise I’ll come over sometime soon.”
    “Good. I’m glad to hear you’re going to get out more.” Laura’s smile grew wider. “By the way, we need to get you fitted for your tux soon. The wedding is happening before the end of the summer, no matter what I have to do to make it work.”
    Frankie wanted to protest that he couldn’t be in their wedding, especially not within the next month. While he’d originally wanted to be the best man, he had expected to stand next to Thayne, watching happily as his partner married the love of his life. Instead, he was still in this damn chair. He knew Laura wanted a wedding on a beach against the water. How was Frankie supposed to attend something like that? He didn’t want her giving up her dream wedding just so the place was wheelchair accessible.
    “Laura, about me being your best man—”
    “Attention, everyone,” Thayne called from the doorway toward the ambulance and fire truck bay, cutting off Frankie’s words. “The present we bought is too big to wrap, so gather around here.”
    Cassie stood, quickly flipping the locking mechanism off Frankie’s chair and pushing him across the thin brown carpet. “I hope you like it,” she whispered when they came to a stop.
    “Now,” Thayne continued once everyone stood around him in a half-circle, “we’ve all missed Hernandez being here with us and have wished him a speedy recovery, but Cassie Flick has done the real work.”
    The others gave a polite cheer.
    “Frankie.” Thayne turned his attention to him. “We were partners for such a short time, but I feel like you’re the little brother I always wanted.”
    Carlos laughed. “The annoying brother, for sure, eh, Thayne?”
    Thayne chuckled and the other guys clapped Frankie’s arms and shoulders in good-natured teasing.
    “Sometimes,” Thayne agreed. “What I’m trying to say is, Frankie, you’re not only an important part of the firehouse and the men here but of my own family. We’ve worked around the clock getting donations for your gift, and Cassie spent hours and hours making phone calls and fighting the insurance company. I think this is going to make your life so much easier.” He turned toward the doors and yelled, “Bring it in.”
    Sterling Jefferson came in through the doors, riding an electric wheelchair. The smile on his wrinkled dark face made him look like a kid at Christmas.
    Around Frankie, all the men hooted and congratulated him, happy commotion taking over the room.
    A large red bow partially obscured the controlling mechanism on the right-hand side of the chair, and Frankie kept staring at it, dumbfounded. They bought him a mechanical wheelchair? Even if the insurance covered part of the cost, Frankie couldn’t begin to imagine what that must have set them all back.
    It also meant Cassie didn’t expect his legs to get any better than they were now.
    His hand muscles screamed in protest, and Frankie realized he tried to grip the arms on his wheelchair. Making a conscious effort to relax and attempt another smile, he watched as Thayne’s triumphant grin shifted, fading as a frown took over.
    “What’s wrong, Frank?”
    “You have to send it back.” Frankie was proud that his voice barely shook. He could handle this.
    “Send it back?” Thayne looked over Frankie’s head, staring at Cassie as though asking her to do something.
    “I can’t use it,” Frankie clarified, deciding it would be better to get this over with now. They might as well know and the mass pity that he knew they’d give him could start. “I met with a surgeon today. There are no further