Flashback Read Online Free Page B

forced himself to move, to get back to the job at hand, and it was a big one. The explosions had caught the boats on either side of Blake’s Girl, escalating the danger and damages. They had the dock evacuated, and as the sun streaked the sky, they were working past containment, working to get the flames one-hundred-percent out.
    With one last look at Kenzie, Aidan entered the fray.
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    I T TOOK HOURS .
    Aidan and his crew piled into their rigs just as the lunch crowd began to clutter the streets of Santa Rey. If he closed his eyes, he could still feel the imprint of Kenzie in his arms. He’d held onto her for what, three minutes tops? And yet she’d filled his head and his senses, and for those one-hundred-and-eighty seconds, time had slipped away, making him feel like that twenty-four-year-old punk he’d once been.
    He’d been with Kenzie for one glorious summer, and she’d wanted to stay with him, which should have been flattering. She’d wanted to wear his ring and have a house and a white picket fence.
    And his children.
    But it hadn’t been flattering at all. It’d been terrifying.
    So he’d acted like a stupid, shortsighted guy. There was no prettying that up, or changing the memory. Fact was fact. He’d gotten a great job, and he’d had the world at his feet, including, he’d discovered, lots of women who found his chosen profession incredibly sexy.
    He’d not been mature enough to realize what he already had; he’d been a first-class asshole. He’d sent Kenzie away, pretended not to look back and had filled his life with firefighting, women, basketball, woodworking, more women…
    A hand clasped his shoulder. “Hey, Mr. 2008. Home sweet home.”
    â€œShut up.” They’d pulled into the station. He hopped out of the rig and went straight to Dustin, who was cleaning out the ambulance. “The victim? How is she?”
    Cristina poked her head out from the station kitchen. “Hey, guys, there’s food—” At the sight of Dustin, who she’d gone out with several times before unceremoniously discarding him without explanation, she broke off. “Oh. You’re here.”
    Dustin looked at her drily. “What, is the food only for the staff that you haven’t slept with and dumped?”
    Aidan winced at the awkward silence, and if he wasn’t in such a desperate hurry to hear about Kenzie, he might have refereed for the two of them, because if anyone needed refereeing, it was these two. “The vic,” he said again to Dustin.
    â€œSorry,” Dustin said, turning back to him. “She’s not bad, thanks to your quick thinking. A few second-degree burns, possible broken wrist, some lacerations.”
    â€œHer head trauma—”
    â€œNo concussion.”
    â€œStitches?” he demanded, causing Dustin to take a quick glance at Cristina, who raised an eyebrow.
    Aidan knew he was bad off when the two of them could share a worried look over him.
    â€œNo stitches,” Dustin said. “You okay?”
    â€œYeah.” Aidan took his first deep breath in hours, which prompted another long look between Dustin and Cristina.
    â€œYou sure?” Cristina asked.
    Jesus. “Yes.” Leaving them alone to work through their issues, he headed inside the station. After he’d showered, cleaned up and clocked out, he got into his truck and debated with himself.
    Home and oblivion were attractive choices.
    Or he could go to the hospital, see Kenzie and get a question or two answered.
    Not quite as attractive, because nothing about sitting with Kenzie and looking into her soulful eyes was going to be simple. Nope, that was a guaranteed trip to Heartbreak City.
    Home, then, where he wouldn’t have to do anything but fall facedown into his bed. Yeah, sounded good. He put his truck in gear.
    And drove to the hospital.
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    K ENZIE OPENED HER EYES and stared at a white ceiling.