The Fire Inside Read Free Page A

the
request.
    For some reason, she hesitated. Hmm. Couldn’t
she climb the rope? Jack doubted that. She was definitely fit, not
too thin, no fat on her, and she sported a strong set of
muscles—everywhere. He’d noticed how she’d filled out those jeans
the night she’d called him into her office.
    “Fine.” She toed the mound of mats. “Note
there’s padding if you fall. You could still get hurt if you go
down fast, but you won’t die.”
    A gasp from the small girl, Mae. Hell!
    Jack asked, “What if we get partway up and
can’t finish?”
    “Come back down. But you won’t pass your
practical test until you can go all the way up and down.”
    “Today’s our first time,” he added.
    She looked up. Seemed to think about it.
“Yeah, okay. Go only halfway today.” She scanned the group. “But
remember what I said. You’ll have to climb the whole thing
eventually. Like this.”
    After she donned gloves, Tess grabbed on to
the rope and hauled herself up until her feet also touched the
hemp. Putting one hand over the other, she began the climb. From
his viewpoint, he saw her wince after she got about a third of the
way up. But she continued her ascent. Sensing something—a
firefighter’s best weapon against the Red Devil was his
intuition—Jack moved closer to the rope. The thing didn’t sway
because it was rooted to the ground. Still…
    After she made it to the top, her descent was
slow, and he could see the pain on her face as she reached the
halfway point. She kept going. At about three body lengths above
the ground, her foot slipped. She cried out and fell. Jack caught
her and fell backward onto the mats. She sprawled on top of him,
every single inch of her aligning with his body. And holy hell, if
he didn’t get…aroused. Trying to ignore his reaction, he held her
and whispered, “You okay?”
    “No.”
    “You can lie here awhile. I don’t mind.”
    “Can’t.” She rolled off him and onto her back
on the mats. “Everybody, come over here.”
    Now the recruits were white-faced. “Listen
up. What happened to me just now is due in part to arrogance, the
fatal enemy of a firefighter. I wanted to show you how it’s done,
but I should have called in someone else to do the exercise. I
fractured my ankle a year ago, and apparently rope climbing is too
stressful for it.”
    The damn fool woman.
    “I should have been more careful today. So
take that lesson from me. If you’re hurt, tell someone. And don’t
overdo it.”
    Jack thought of the time he’d broken his hand
in a fire but didn’t exit the building. It still ached sometimes.
She gave good advice and he was surprised at her candor, her
humility. Admired it.
    Rolling to his feet, he took control. Someone
had to. “I’m going to help Captain Righetti to the training office.
Here’s what the rest of you can do. Get your firefighting text and,
as a group, review the rope-climbing techniques. Someone will be
back to conduct the drill before you finish.”
    It said volumes that Tess didn’t balk. Until
he went to pick her up. “No! Just get me up and I’ll walk.”
    He understood she didn’t want to appear
weaker than she already had. “Hanley, come give me a hand so we can
help Captain Righetti to the office.”
    Her look was grateful. Warm. Feminine. Huh!
He liked it. A lot.
    o0o
    “Sit down, Captain Righetti.”
    Furious at herself for showing off for the
recruits, Tess did as she was told. Damn it all, she should have
paid attention to her ankle. It had begun to ache partway up. But,
she’d been too proud to quit and she was going to pay dearly for
it.
    Mason said, “Thanks, Hanley. I’ll take it
from here.” The recruit nodded and left; he must sense Mason’s
authoritative attitude, too. She remembered his words the other
day.
    In my other life, I was the boss. I know how
to treat people who work for me or who I’m training.
    “You don’t have to stay.” Her voice was low,
whispery.
    After he dragged a stool from the