First Class Rescue (First Class Novels) Read Online Free Page A

crew from Engine 24
mocked.
    “The doggie hero!” laughed another.
    Tim just shook his head and grinned. He knew it was all in
fun, but two weeks had been long enough. The video from the local news had gone
viral on the internet and he was starting to get a bit tired of it all.
    “It’s good PR,” the Captain had said. “Great for the
department.” The good natured teasing had continued.
    Tim was drying the truck after it’d been washed. The garage doors
were open and the crisp fall air crept into the firehouse. Barking made him
look up and as he did, a German Shepherd wrenched itself from its owners’ grip
and came at him at a full run.   
    Stunned for half a second, Tim watched the dog flying
towards him. He dropped to his knee as Cleo pounced on him, licking him all
over, her tail wagging wildly.
    “Hello beautiful,” he grinned and rubbed her back.
    Cleo continued her love fest with her new best friend and
Tim chuckled as he accepted the wet kisses.
    “I’m sorry,” a voice said, making him look up. “Cleo! Down
girl!”
    Cleo pulled back and sat at the woman’s feet, her tail
sweeping back and forth, her tongue hanging from her mouth.
    “It’s fine,” Tim laughed as he stood. “I’m glad she’s doing
well.”
    “Me too,” came the reply. “And I have you to thank for
that.”
    He immediately recognized the accent. She was English. Not
Adele’s accent, but real English, like Mary Poppins, or Keira Knightly in
Pirates of the Caribbean.
    She stood with perfect posture and extended her right hand.
“I wanted to stop by and say thank you for rescuing Cleo.”
    Tim accepted the outstretched hand and smiled. “Just doing
my job, ma’am.”
    “Well, thank you. Here. Just a small token of our appreciation.”
    Tim took the small box she offered. It had a clear plastic
window in the top. Cupcakes. “Thank you,” he smiled again. “But it’s not
necessary.”
    “Of course it’s not necessary,” she replied. “But I wanted
to do…something.”
    “Well, thank you.”
    “I’m Beth Collins and you’ve already met Cleo.”
    “Tim.” He stepped forward and scratched Cleo between her
ears. “Yes. We’ve already met, haven’t we girl?” Cleo’s tail continued to wag.
“You’re English,” he looked at Beth.
    She smiled. “Yes.”
    “I really like Coldplay.”
    Beth nodded in agreement.
    “ And Snow Patrol,” he added.
    “Me too,” she grinned. “But they’re Irish.”
    “Really?”
    Beth pursed her lips, fighting a smile, and nodded.
    “Huh,” he said.
    “Well, I just wanted to say thanks. Bye.”
    “Bye,” he said as she turned and led Cleo from the firehouse
and onto the street.
    “Was that her?” Jeff asked, walking over to Tim.
    “Her?”
    “The woman and the dog from the fire?”
    “Yep.”
    “Damn! She’s hot!”
    “The women or the dog?”
    “Ha Ha!” Jeff smirked. “The woman!”
    “Yes she is.” Yes, she most certainly is!
    *****
    Beth led Cleo quickly back to her apartment. It was only a
few blocks. She’d just moved back in the day before. Her insurance agent had
arranged for the carpets and furniture to be professionally cleaned and a
cleaning service had come in and taken care of the rest of the apartment. She
had taken most of her clothes to the dry cleaners a block from her building and
the rest she was in the process of washing. Her washer and dryer would be
working overtime over the next couple of days.
    She closed the door behind her and let Cleo off the leash.
She leaned back against the wall and shut her eyes and sighed. It was one thing
to see the firemen in their full gear, helmets and all. It was completely
different seeing Tim in blue slacks and a white polo looking all, all…gorgeous.
Beth shook her head and tried to shake the image from her mind. She had taken
the cupcakes over and said thank you. She needed to forget about Fireman Tim
and concentrate on getting back to work. The upheaval of the past few weeks had
left her far