Read Online Blaze (The Firefighters of Darling Bay Book 1) by Rachael Herron - Free Book Online

she’d been kissing him—almost a purring noise. That was cute. No, that was hot. Tox felt the summer sun breaking through the fog, hitting the back of his leather jacket. It would be too warm to wear it soon. 
    Or was that just him overheating, thinking of Grace? 
    Dang. She was a two-alarm fire, and he wasn’t planning on dumping water on that fire. He wanted to watch her blaze, and he wanted to burn along with her. 
    Inside the pound, John Skinner gave him a nod as he entered. “Got a dog for me?” He sounded displeased, and his long nose wrinkled the slightest bit. Tox had known Skinner since they were kids, and even back then he wouldn’t have given him a job dealing with animals. He was tall and painfully thin, with a perpetual frown on his face. He had a thin mustache that made him look as if he were about to tie a girl to the railroad tracks. The funny thing was that Tox knew he was a fighter—he really tried to save the animals under his care. He hated putting them down, and once Tox had seen him at the bar after a rough shift. After three martinis (two too many for a guy his size), he’d started weeping into his gin about the dog he’d had to put to sleep that day. 
    “Give it over.” Skinner gestured to the counter. 
    All Tox had to do was let the dog go. Just fill out the form. Walk out the door.
    Why then, was he having such a hard time doing it? He felt stupid for even admitting it to himself, but when he looked down, he could see Grace in this darn dog’s eyes. Was it that maple color? Was it that soft, welcoming look of trust? He hadn’t been looked at like that for a long time. 
    Now two girls in one day had looked at him that way. 
    “You gonna keep her or what?” Skinner crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Because I don’t got all day. I got two sick dogs in the back that might not make it. They’ll probably give this one what they have, even though doc’s got ’em on all the antibiotics already.” 
    Tox hesitated. “Don’t you always say it’s the puppies you can adopt out, no problem?” 
    Skinner raised one eyebrow so high it almost got lost in his combover. “Have you looked at that mangy little thing? She’s two breaths away from dead.” 
    Tox looked down. The puppy was shaking like she was caught in a rainstorm. She was matted fur and ribcage. Drool trailed from her mouth, and her eyes ran so that it looked like she was crying. And still that little tail gave a soft thump-thump-thump against the leather of his jacket. 
    “She’s a strong little pup.” The dog took the finger Tox gave her and chewed on it. “See? Friendly.” 
    “She’s so hungry she’s trying to eat your flesh, that’s all.” Skinner held out his hands. “Come on, Tox.” 
    The pup stopped chewing on his finger and looked up at him. She gave a soft whine and tilted her head to the side. She was ugly. Little. Sick. And Tox was totally in love with her. 
    “Well, heck.” 
    “Looks like you have a dog, my friend.” 
    Tox didn’t say anything, just held the puppy tight and barreled out the door he’d just come in. 
    He wondered if the dog would mind a short ride on a motorcycle. He held her up to his face and received another lick. 
    Seemed like she was pretty daring. She’d probably like it.

 
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER FOURTEEN
     
    “A date? Tomorrow night?” 
    “Well, at least you finally stopped laughing.” 
    Samantha rocked back on her heels and set down the African violet she was repotting on Grace’s back porch. “Where are you going?” 
    “I don’t know.” 
    “What time?” 
    “Six.” Grace brushed dark soil off her hands and looked with satisfaction at the fuchsia she was cutting back. The sharp, acrid scent pleased her nose. It smelled like dusty summer to her. Their mother had loved fuchsias. “I don’t know why I’m going out with him at all. His name is Tox, for Pete’s sake. I swore after the last guy—”
    “The last three