Free Hot As Blazes by Dani Jace Page B

volunteer call since she and Tami had attended volunteer orientation at one of the stations on OBX. The mobile nine-one-one call application she’d downloaded to her phone had alerted her.
    She slid the Broncosaurus to a halt and grabbed her gear. Running in the bulky bunker pants and heavy boots made her feel like a big, yellow Pillsbury dough girl.
    An attack hose line already snaked onto the watercraft while the second engine kept water lines aimed at neighboring boats. Thankfully, the Elizabeth II, a replica of the ship that brought the first colonists, sat on the opposite side of the harbor.
    A tap on Jo’s shoulder nearly had her jumping out of her skin.
    “Dang, Jo. Jumpy?” Tami hee-hawed like a donkey.
    “What are we supposed to do? The exposures are being handled, unless they start throwing shit off.”
    A blackened frying pan burst through an open window. It splashed into brackish water below with a sizzle. More smoke spewed from the opening. The boat’s bilge pump didn’t match the water volume from the fire hose. The ship sank deeper into the water.
    “Once it’s out, unhook and suction,” the captain radioed. “Let’s wrap this up.”
    In a couple of minutes, the firefighters exited and left the craft floating at its normal waterline.
    “Rack the hoses.” The captain motioned to Jo and Tami.
    “Make sure you lay it straight, vollys,” a firefighter called to Jo with a grin.
    Tami frowned.
    “Get used to it,” Jo warned. “They’re the pros, not us, not yet.”
    By the time she finished, Jo’s T-shirt was soaked beneath her turnout coat, despite the cool wind. After returning to her truck, she dropped the back gate, opened a case of water and proceeded to offer a bottle to each of the firefighters.
    Captain Grady thanked her. “Aren’t you Cappy Mercer’s daughter, Joann?”
    “Yes, sir.”
    “That was a long walk,” The barrel-chested officer said through teeth that had seen their fair share of tobacco.
    “Sir?” She frowned. What the fuck did that mean?
    “Four years of college and pro surfing, only to come back and take up where your old man left off.”
    If he meant to offend her, she refused the bait. “My dad was an excellent firefighter. I will never compare to him.”
    “You started off right, volly. You thought to have water on hand.” He patted the top of her helmet then headed to his crew. “Got his spunk too, kid,” he said over his shoulder.
    Clouds stretched like dark fingers claiming the remaining daylight. The Broncosaurus lumbered home as Jo digested the call and the captain’s comment. A message left at the house invited her to dinner with Bobby and Sarah. She politely declined, preferring a hot shower.
    She built a Caesar salad and poured a Jack on the rocks before hitting the couch in front of the big screen with her EMT study guide. Her cell phone startled her to the tune of Fire . Her heart started a mad gallop. “Hey.”
    “How was your first call?” Ray asked.
    “Who’s your informer?”
    “Tommy. He’s the driver on our truck. Today he had a swing shift at Roanoke Island. He remembered me loaning you my coat at the bike incident. Now he knows you’re Bobby’s sister.”
    “Word travels fast.”
    “The water was a nice touch. Just so you know, next time they’re expecting cookies, too.” His light exhale sounded like a smile.
    “I’m still waiting for a massage,” she said saucily.
    “Hmm…Are you sure you’re ready?”
    “Are you?” She pushed the envelope, with whiskey courage sweeping through her limbs like her desire for him.
    Ray growled low in his throat.
    Taking advantage of the silence, she brought up Thanksgiving. “You may already have plans, but Sarah’s cooking Thanksgiving dinner next week. There’ll be plenty to eat. We’d love to have you.”
    “You’re only helping, right?”
    He’d never trust her cooking skills. “Yeah, like taking stuff out of the can.”
    “I may have to work. I’ll check the schedule and