Trial by Fire Read Free Page A

dizziness winning out, the mountainous man disappearing. Oh, no!
    In spite of her best efforts, Kat did something she’d never done in her twenty-nine years.
    She collapsed into a total stranger’s arms.
    “Whoa!”
    Howard lunged, catching the woman as her knees buckled. He scooped her up with little effort, cradling her soft body against his chest. Fear spiked, along with irritation. Jesus, when would people learn to leave the dangerous stuff to the professionals?
    Her cheek lay against his coat as he carried her quickly to the back of the ambulance, her hair tickling his nose and chin. She wore the silky blond mass on top of her head in some little scrunchie doodad, the hair a fountain sprouting every which way, slapping his face with every step, making him want to sneeze. And nuzzle it, too.
    He loved blond hair. And lush, curvy bodies like hers. No bony, starving skeletons allowed. A big guy like him required a woman you could get a firm grip on. A real woman. Plenty of cushion for the—
    You’re such a pathetic loser, Six-Pack. Focus.
    Very carefully, he lowered her to the ground on her back. Taking her wrist between his thumb and forefingers, he forced himself to concentrate on her pulse. Not on the hourglass flare of her hips in skintight low-rise jeans.
    Shazaaam!
    Or the killer breasts proudly swelling against the ribbed tank top.
    Ka-pow!
    Or the teensy little diamond belly button stud peeking from under the edge of her hitched-up shirt. He groaned low in his throat, his starved libido sending fervent signals of appreciation to his groin.
    Kill me now.
    God, this had been a long frigging shift. They hadn’t even exchanged a hello and he was already thinking with his sex-starved anatomy. The lady had been injured, for cryin’ out loud. His job was to provide aid, not ogle the poor girl while she died of smoke inhalation.
    He retrieved an oxygen mask and stethoscope from the ambulance, knelt at her side again, and listened to her lungs. Not totally clear, but not bad.
    Concluding that her vitals were much steadier than his own, he pressed the mask over her mouth and nose, anxiety forming a cold, hard knot in his gut. Why, he didn’t understand. As a trained paramedic, he’d done this hundreds of times and knew when a victim was in danger of going south. This one wasn’t.
    But he watched her intently, studying for signs of revival. Long, tawny lashes rested against cheeks like porcelain, smudged with black here and there. Delicate matching eyebrows arched over her lids, accenting a high, smooth forehead. Guessing, he placed her age as several years younger than his own. Fresh and lovely even with a bit of soot on her face, but no kid by any stretch.
    Tanner, who’d been scouting the perimeter of the house, keeping track of everyone’s position and the progress on subduing the blaze, jogged over.
    “How is she?” the captain asked, pushing back his hat.
    “She’ll be okay. Ought to come around any second.” He hoped. His jaw clenched.
    “Any idea who she is?”
    “Not a clue. Neighbor, Good Samaritan?” Bet your bippy he’d find out, though.
    “Probably belongs to that car parked in the driveway across the street. Driver’s door is standing open,” Tanner observed.
    Howard tore his gaze away from his blond goddess long enough to cast a sideways look at the little red Beamer. He’d never fit into that sardine can in a million years. Shaking off the weird thought, he looked up at Tanner.
    “How’s things going inside the house?”
    “Eve and Tommy are working up to the second floor. Downstairs fire is out, but the damage is heavy. The battalion chief and the engine companies from Stations Three and Four are on the way. We’re going to have to call in the arson division on this one, my friend.” Sean’s expression was grim.
    The girl stirred, and he frowned, trying to divide his attention between her and Tanner. “Yeah? What’s up?”
    “Nobody’s home, but the point of origin appears to