Burning Ambition Read Online Free Page B

mom said when they were almost finished eating, “you’re the one who initiated this dinner. I know you’re disappointed that your father walked out, but you could give me your full attention, anyway.” She smiled as she spoke, but Faith frowned.
    “I am giving you my attention.” She’d heard every word her mother had said, even if she wasn’t doing much of the talking.
    “Could’ve fooled me.” Her mom scooped up guacamole with a chip. “He’s attractive, I’ll give you that.”
    A flash of alarm had Faith straightening. “Who’s attractive?”
    “Come on. Who have you been staring at for the past twenty minutes? The captain.”
    “I’m not staring at him. Or if I am, it’s only because he happens to be sitting directly in my line of sight. He’s my officer, Mom.”
    “After watching how the fire department tore up your father’s and my marriage all these years, I would think you’d want to find someone with a different lifestyle, Faith.”
    “The ‘lifestyle’ is something I love,” Faith reminded her, picking up her glass to take a drink. “But I have no intention of dating anyone in the department.”
    Her mom shoveled a bit of enchilada onto her fork. “Although…you did say advancement is your goal. I imagine getting to know the captain better is one means to the desired end.” She chuckled, amused with herself.
    Faith set down her glass. Hard. “I don’t believe you just said that.”
    “I’m kidding. It’s a joke, honey.”
    “It may be a joke to you, but for me it’s my life.” She threw her napkin onto her half-finished meal. “I have enough trouble being taken seriously by the men I work with. I would think you, a female, my mom, for God’s sake, would see the importance of dispelling clichés that weaken women.”
    “I’m sorry, Faith,” Nita said quietly. “But the way you were staring at him, and the once-over he gave you when he was at our table—”
    “There’s nothing between us. There never will be. I may be ambitious and determined to advance, but that is something I would never do.” Faith strained to keep her volume down. “Ever.”





CHAPTER THREE
    “Y OU MAKE A LOT of the guys here look bad.” Evan Drake, an easy-to-like firefighter, was spotting for Faith as she did barbell squats. “I like that.”
    Trying not to smile, she closed her eyes and concentrated on the burn in her glutes and quads as she slowly straightened. When she nodded, Evan took the barbell from her and replaced it on the rack. Except for them, the workout room at the fire station was empty, though others had been in and out during the hour-plus Faith had been exercising.
    “Spotters aren’t supposed to make the lifter laugh,” she said, mopping sweat from her forehead with a towel.
    “Sorry. You can lift a lot, though.”
    “I have to. Not everyone is open-minded about women doing this job.” She’d started weight lifting in high school, already accustomed to doubts from her own mother.
    “You’ll run into some skeptics here, if you haven’t already,” Evan said. “Ready for the next set?”
    Faith nodded and got back into position, bracing herself for the weight.
    Halfway through the set, the door opened and Captain Mendoza and Nate Rottinghaus came in. Faith was just starting to push herself up to a stand when the captain caught her eye and nodded subtly. She floundered, lost her focus and had to stop for a second to regain her composure.
    Dammit. He was good-looking—especially in workout shorts that hinted at thigh muscles that didn’t quit—but that was no reason to be distracted.
    He was watching her, adjusting one of the weight machines, when she closed her eyes and tried to clear her thoughts so she could finish the stupid rep and not look like an idiot. Or a weak female.
    “Think you’re more than just a pretty face, huh?” Nate said once she was standing. He’d moved to the hand weights on the other side of her.
    Instead of ramming the barbell into