Free Hot As Blazes by Dani Jace Page A

grandparents. Now my brother and I live there.”
    “Not married then.” Tami’s hazel eyes lightened.
    Jo shook her head while fiddling with her napkin.
    “Some guy’s got your attention, though.”
    More like her soul. “Maybe, what about you? Husband? Kids?”
    “Two kids.” She sipped her water. “The old man split when they were in diapers. Mom moved in after Dad passed.”
    Seemed like a hard profession for a single mom. “So, why firefighting?”
    “Decent pay and benefits. Plus I’m athletic.” She pointed a chip at Jo. “Rumor floating around is your dad used to be a captain in the county and you’re a pro-surfer.”
    No point in lying. She liked Tami. “Former on the pro. My big dream went bust.”
    “Honey, you’re preaching to the choir.”
    “Would you be interested in riding together? We’d save on gas.”
    “And one of us would get another hour of sleep.” Tami laughed.
    “Damn good point.”
    Back at home, Jo climbed the stairs on wobbly legs. A shiny bundle greeted her on the kitchen counter. A Mylar blanket tied with gauze for ribbon. She smiled at the innovative packaging.
    The odd shape had her guessing. Untying the ribbon tied around the Mylar blanket, she found a weighted vest. One of the weight slots held a small card.
     
    Jo,
    Wear in good health!
    Luv ya,
    Ray.
    P.S. Turn card in for free massage!
     
    So he still had his key to the house.
    A lump formed in her throat at his thoughtful, yet practical, and by no means cheap, gift. It was one less training item she’d need to purchase.
    She shrugged on the vest then added the shoulder weights. The seventy plus pounds simulated the weight of a firefighter’s gear. A quick sprint of the stairs warned her of a need for heavier squats. The real test, however, would be adding smoke and several hundred degrees of heat.
    She fired off a thank you text ending with XX’s and OO’s, and asked for a training session.
    The door opened and in walked Bobby still in uniform. “Wow. Sexy vest,” he teased as he hung up his hat.
    “There’s nothing hot about a woman gaining seventy pounds in a nanosecond.”
    “Black is slenderizing though.” He pulled a beer from the fridge.
    “Why aren’t you at Sarah’s?” She peeled free the Velcro straps and let what amounted to more than half her body weight drop onto the kitchen chair.
    “I wanted to see how your first day went. I’ll make dinner. You hit the books.” His serious dark brown eyes reminded of Dad’s.
    So now that she was doing what he wanted he’d forgive her for being mad at him. Brothers. “Yes, sir.” She saluted.
    He returned her salutation with an obscene finger gesture as she collected her study materials and headed for the sofa.
    * * * *
    By Friday Jo was tempted to beg off her shift at Papagayos. Every muscle in her body ached.
    “So how’s it going, Gimpy?” Harley watched her gingerly duck behind the bar. “You look rode hard and put away wet.”
    “And not in a good way. You might want to get some back up. This bod won’t handle full shifts on both Friday and Saturday while I’m in the academy.”
    “How about you work a partial on Friday and I’ll close? I need you here all night on Saturday.” He cocked a brow. “The customers love you, babe.”
    “What’ll it cost me?” Considering Ray’s statement about Harley’s dark tastes it might not be worth it. He didn’t answer, but his molten chocolate gaze almost ignited her clothes.
    By the end of the night, she’d forgotten her debt to Harley. Crawling into the cooler of ice with the beer looked more inviting than her bed. She tapped a text to Ray asking for the massage he’d promised.
     
     

Chapter 12
     
    A steady stream of smoke wafted skyward on the cloudy November day as Jo turned onto Sir Walter Raleigh Street heading to Manteo’s port area. The two-alarm fire had two engines and two trucks already on scene, tending a large schooner puffing black smoke.
    En route to her first