Moth to a Flame Read Free

was really just trying to control my shaking hands. I thought secretly, deep down, that Pops knew that I need these types of outings to grow my self-confidence and shake some of my deep-seated fears. I tromped through the mud, ignoring the catcalls from the bored workers, and began my inspections.
    Once I finished with the last house, I noticed a red Chevy pickup in the last lot in the addition right next to where I’d been working. Instantly, I became hyperaware of my surroundings. Something about the empty truck in the vacant lot was causing bells to ring loud and clear with warning. Butterflies skittered in my stomach. Quickly, I began to make my way back to my car, mace ready to deliver a deadly concoction to any eyes that dare come near me.
    As I reached for the latch to open my car door, a hand grabbed my shoulder, making me spin wildly while viciously spraying my attacker with the mace. The man screamed.
    “What the fuck is wrong with you?” he growled, rubbing at his burning eyes.
    “Don’t touch me, you freak,” I hissed back at him while both retreating towards my car and keeping him in my line of vision.
    “What’s a girl even doing on a construction site anyway? The mall is that way.” He pointed in no direction at all, really.
    My fear subsided as anger took over.
    “You deserved that for sneaking up on me!” I retorted scathingly.
    As he continued to curse and wheeze, I looked him over. This was one of those “fine specimen of a man” types Anj was always talking about. He stood well over six feet tall and his broad shoulders made me think he was built like a linebacker. His tight, white T-shirt stretched over his extremely muscled chest, which made it difficult look away. The shirt looked every bit too small for him, because every time he raised his arms to ball his fists over his burning eyes, it revealed a sliver of skin just above the waistline of his jeans, which were already low on his hips. He had a sexy-looking tattoo on his right bicep that peeked out under the sleeve of his shirt. I had the urge to reach over and lift it up to see what hid underneath.
    Might it be wings of a bird?
    The fitted jeans were free of holes or dirt, looking quite expensive for this neck of the woods. The clean work boots didn’t seem to quite fit the look of a typical worker out in this area either. My eyes cursed at me when I finally peeled them away from his hard body.
    “You have to take me to have my eyes looked at,” he choked out. I refrained from overtly ogling him now that he was speaking to me.
    “What? No!” I replied quickly. “You brought this on yourself, so you can figure it out on your own.”
    I flung open my car door, ready to leave him standing there, when he stopped me with his next words. With a gentleness that was so opposite of his initial reaction to the mace, he pleaded, “Please. I’m new here. I wouldn’t even know where to go.”
    Against my better judgment, I caved.

THIS GIRL WAS absolutely batshit crazy, but there was no way in hell she was going to leave me here blind after she maced the hell out of me.
    “Please,” I asked again, managing to sound pretty pathetic. I ran both hands through my dark hair, worrying about how I might very well get left out here.
    But after a slight delay, she huffed out her resignation. “Fine, but the hospital is across town and I live just up the road. I’ll take you to my place and you wash up while I Google a remedy. Once you can see, I will bring you back to your truck. No funny business, mister, or so help me, I’ll spray you blind!” she threatened in her small voice, which tried desperately to sound tough. She was quite the spitfire.
    Her rehearsed ferocity had me holding back a chuckle.
    Who is this chick?
    “Miss, please call me Cale,” I said, reaching out to her blurry figure with one hand while furiously rubbing the other eye.
    She hesitated before sliding her tiny hand into mine. “Lia. Lia Finch,” she replied, shaking