The Fire Inside Read Online Free Page A

wanted to see how you are. What the
diagnosis is.”
    “I bruised my ankle bone, the one that had
just healed. Ordinarily, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but because I
broke the bone once, this is a problem.”
    “May I sit?”
    “Yeah, go ahead.”
    Pulling a chair around, he focused on her.
“How big of a problem?”
    “It’s going to take a lot longer to get back
on the line.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “If ever.” Her voice came out in that hoarse
whisper. Again, he got a glimpse of her vulnerability.
    “Don’t live the trouble before it comes.”
    Her brows knitted. He hadn’t noticed how
delicate they were before, how fine boned she was. “You sound like
a shrink.”
    “Just a concerned friend.”
    “We’ve only known each other seven days. I’m
your instructor. We’re definitely not friends.”
    “Back to your ankle. You’ll be more careful,
train wisely, and maybe you’ll only lose six months on the
line.”
    “You think so?”
    “It’s a strong possibility.”
    She eyed him as if he were an enemy
combatant. “You’re a good guy, too. I saw that before.”
    “My bet is you’re a whole different person
when you’re not yelling at the recruits.”
    “I am.” She sat up straighter. “Let’s not
talk about recruits, or it’ll remind me I shouldn’t be with you
right now.”
    “It’s a deal.”
    He checked his watch.
    “If you have to go, I understand.” Her voice
had taken on an edge.
    “Go? Hell no. Cleveland Fire is on
tonight.”
    “Ah, my fav.”
    “Mine, too.” He picked up the remote. “Shall
I?”
    “Yep.”
    They watched for thirty minutes, commenting
on what was real, what was so outlandish, it’d never happen in a
firehouse. Halfway through the program, though, Tess dozed off.
Jack watched her, admiring the delicate sweep of her dark lashes on
her face. Tonight, she had a loveliness about her that he’d not
seen before. Then again, his reaction to having her plastered all
over him might have changed the way he was looking at her.
    He had to smile. He hadn’t lived like a monk
after Elizabeth died, except pretty much for those first few years
when he was trying to raise twins on his own and get his degree,
then hold down a full-time job. Thank God for his grandmother,
who’d still been young enough to move in with him and watch the
kids. Since then, he’d dated, but nothing serious had developed
between him and any of the women he saw. Today, he’d had a
surprisingly strong physical reaction to Tess Righetti, and
tonight, something inside of him shifted. Hmm, could there be
something between him and this woman? The question was, did he want
it?
    o0o
    Tess awoke with a start. The room was dark,
and it took her a few seconds to realize where she was. Something
moved off to the side, frightening her even more than her fuzzy
brain.
    “Tess?” A deep male voice came out of the
shadows. “It’s me, John. Are you all right?”
    Her heart beating at a clip, she managed,
“Yeah, bad dream.”
    Some rustling, the he switched on a small
light off to the right. He moved to the bed and sat down on the
side of the mattress, facing her. He seemed bigger, stronger…and
safe. “Was it about the fire you got hurt in?”
    “Uh-huh. How’d you know?”
    “Common reaction after an injury. Your
unconscious is remembering what happened to you previously as it
tries to deal with this latest blow.”
    She leaned back on the pillows. Her eyes had
adjusted to the dimness and she could see his hair was askew and
his shirt rumpled. “What time is it?”
    He glanced at his wrist. “Around four.”
    “In the morning ?”
    “Yeah, you fell asleep during Cleveland
Fire.”
    “And you stayed?”
    “Not intentionally. I dozed off in that
lounger.” He gave a self-effacing chuckle. “Must be climbing that
rope tuckered me out.”
    “How far did you get?”
    “Two-thirds up.”
    “How’d the rest of them do?”
    “Hanley starred. The blonds about the same as
me. Mick didn’t do