Free Blaze (The Firefighters of Darling Bay Book 1) by Rachael Herron Page A

thought to wonder why he’d done that. “I have no idea.” 
    “Men will say anything to get laid,” he said. 
    The sand was cool and damp between her toes. “Is that true, do you think?” 
    Tox’s eyebrows raised as he took off his own shoes. They left them in a companionable pile at the edge of the iceplant, safely out of the waves’ way. “ Oh , yeah.” 
    “I don’t think you’re supposed to admit that on a date,” said Grace. 
    He looked rueful. “Probably not.” 
    Something that resembled daring filled Grace’s spine. “What’s the worst thing you’ve ever said? To get laid?” 
    “Oh, man. I really don’t think I should go there.” 
    Her heart beat rapidly. “I’ll tell you the worst thing I ever said.” Grace could only think of something she’d heard her sister say at a bar. 
    Tox laughed. “Girls do it, too?” 
    Samantha’s bar line tripped off her tongue. “I told a guy that I could tie a knot in a cherry stem with my tongue.” 
    “I’m intrigued. You can?” 
    “Sure. Who can’t?” Grace had never even tried. The lie burned a path into her stomach. 
    Tox tugged on the leash. The puppy ran toward a seagull, pretending she wasn’t on leash, her short legs scrabbling at the wet sand. “Wow. But if it was the truth, then I don’t think that counts as a bad thing. It’s only morally reprehensible if you’re making it up, just to get some action.” 
    “A man with a conscience.” Grace tried to will her blush to stop. “That’s admirable.” 
    “Don’t say that yet. I once told a girl I’d run a baker’s dozen marathons.” 
    “And you hadn’t?” 
    “I don’t run unless it’s from a bear.” 
    A wave darted at them, and they dodged it. A young woman wearing headphones race-walked past them, arms pumping. Grace said, “What kind of exercise do you do then?” 
    Tox looked at her with a leer. 
    She blushed harder. “Never mind, don’t answer that. Just get some exercise sometime, would you? It’s good for you.”
    “And you’re all about the healthy stuff, right?” 
    “Right.” 
    He gave a nod and whistled to the dog who gave no sign of hearing him. “Green shakes and oatmeal?” 
    “The best.” 
    “Hmmm.” 
    There was a pause. Grace considered filling it, but she was thrown. Everything about this man threw her. His casual good looks, his confidence, his jokes. The way she wanted desperately to brush against him. Casually. Or more. 
    Then Tox said, “Which is what makes you so interesting to me. That I’m so attracted to you.” 
    Dang, he just put it out there, didn’t he? Grace felt a warmth flood her. “Oh.” 
    “You seem normal. Healthy. I’m looking for your crazy.” 
    She laughed, turning her face to the last of the sunlight. It would drop behind the rapidly advancing fog bank soon, and the air would cool rapidly. Three different couples wandered the same way they did, dodging into and away from the waves. “It’s there.” The dog ran up and planted a wet paw on her jeans. 
    Tox looked over his shoulder. “This far enough? Ready to head back to the pier?” 
    Grace nodded. Her crazy. Her crazy might be the fact that this red-hot firefighter seemed to be interested in her and she had no idea what to do next with that fact. But she had to say something. “You’ve seen me in two different crisis modes, so you’re closer than most to knowing what my crazy is like.” 
    “And in both cases, you were trying to take care of someone else and not yourself.” 
    “What? No, I wasn’t. Not the second time. I was just trying to breathe.” 
    He raised an eyebrow. “You were taking care of your sister, doing everything you could do make her think you were okay. Then you were helping me, getting the guys out to me with the baby. That’s not crazy. That’s crazy-responsible.” 
    So sexy. Gah. “Hey,” said Grace, remembering. “Why did that firefighter call you the Angel of Death? Doesn’t seem like