Read Online Home Fires by Kathleen Irene Paterka - Free Book Online
Authors: Kathleen Irene Paterka
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glanced down at his khaki slacks and short-sleeved shirt, then back at her with a sudden doubtful look. “Guess I should have gotten more dressed up. You look so pretty, and I don’t think I… well…”
“You don’t have to change, not for me,” she hastily replied. “You look perfect just the way you are.”
He did look perfect. Perfectly wonderful.
Their eyes met, held and locked, and for one brief moment, she saw the hint of something in his gaze—a vulnerable, uncertain look she couldn’t name or place. She tried to inhale, but it was hard to breathe. A shiver snaked up her spine. It felt as if the hot summer air had been sucked away by some strange eternal vortex. Something about this fireman left her unsettled and shy in a way she hadn’t felt for a very long time. He was different than any of the other men she knew. He didn’t carry a briefcase and he didn’t wear a suit… unless you counted the heavy yellow fire coat, suspender pants, and big black boots with steel toes that were part of his regular ensemble whenever duty called.
They headed down the porch steps. Tommy Gilbert still hadn’t started up the mower. He stood in the driveway, checking out the interior of Mike’s truck through the open window.
“Nice truck,” he said as they joined him near the driver’s door. “How big is the engine?”
“V-8,” Mike replied.
“Man, this thing is loaded.” Tommy Gilbert whistled in admiration as he scanned the interior. “Check it out, Cecil. Air conditioning, four-wheel drive… hey, what’s that?” He pointed to a large interior console with a microphone mounted directly to the right of the steering wheel.
“A two-way radio,” Mike replied.
“Mike is a fireman,” Rose informed him.
Tommy’s eyes widened. He gazed up at the emergency lights fixed atop the truck. “That explains the light bar. You’re with the fire department.”
Mike nodded.
Tommy stroked the hood with a reverent hand. “Are you on call? Like, right now?”
“Twenty-four seven,” Mike replied.
Rose shifted on her feet. Mike’s admission seemed to have fired up her young neighbor’s enthusiasm. The look on Tommy’s face rang a warning bell in her mind. If she and Mike didn’t leave soon, she’d find herself trapped in man talk and lengthy explanations of how the truck’s various pieces of emergency equipment worked.
But Mike already seemed to have noticed her discomfort. “I’ll be glad to drive.” His gaze skimmed briefly over her short summer dress. “That is, if you don’t mind riding in a truck.”
She’d never given a thought as to which of them would drive. After the fender bender with his truck, her mother’s sedan was still at the repair shop, which left only her own little sports car. With low bucket seats and cramped coupe conditions, it wouldn’t exactly be a comfortable ride for someone built like him.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve ridden in a truck, but why not? I’m game.” She wiggled her fingers at Tommy and skirted around the hood to the passenger side, but Mike beat her to the door. He opened it with a flourish.
“After you, Miss Gallagher.”
“Thank you, Mr. Gallagher.” The unexpected chivalrous gesture gave rise to a sweet, heady rush of pure feminine pleasure that had long been forgotten, tucked away somewhere deep inside until this moment. Rose took Mike’s hand and accepted the boost he offered with a grateful smile. Someone had taught him beautiful manners.
He slid behind the driver’s wheel and turned the key in the ignition. Rose couldn’t hide her growing delight as the truck rumbled to life. She’d forgotten how much fun it was to be in a truck, perched high in your seat, looking down on the world as you passed it by. Being in a pickup wasn’t anything like driving in her little roadster, which neatly hugged every narrow curve and shoulder of the highway.
Tonight promised to be lots of fun.
“Remember what I said, Tommy,” she called
“You don’t have to change, not for me,” she hastily replied. “You look perfect just the way you are.”
He did look perfect. Perfectly wonderful.
Their eyes met, held and locked, and for one brief moment, she saw the hint of something in his gaze—a vulnerable, uncertain look she couldn’t name or place. She tried to inhale, but it was hard to breathe. A shiver snaked up her spine. It felt as if the hot summer air had been sucked away by some strange eternal vortex. Something about this fireman left her unsettled and shy in a way she hadn’t felt for a very long time. He was different than any of the other men she knew. He didn’t carry a briefcase and he didn’t wear a suit… unless you counted the heavy yellow fire coat, suspender pants, and big black boots with steel toes that were part of his regular ensemble whenever duty called.
They headed down the porch steps. Tommy Gilbert still hadn’t started up the mower. He stood in the driveway, checking out the interior of Mike’s truck through the open window.
“Nice truck,” he said as they joined him near the driver’s door. “How big is the engine?”
“V-8,” Mike replied.
“Man, this thing is loaded.” Tommy Gilbert whistled in admiration as he scanned the interior. “Check it out, Cecil. Air conditioning, four-wheel drive… hey, what’s that?” He pointed to a large interior console with a microphone mounted directly to the right of the steering wheel.
“A two-way radio,” Mike replied.
“Mike is a fireman,” Rose informed him.
Tommy’s eyes widened. He gazed up at the emergency lights fixed atop the truck. “That explains the light bar. You’re with the fire department.”
Mike nodded.
Tommy stroked the hood with a reverent hand. “Are you on call? Like, right now?”
“Twenty-four seven,” Mike replied.
Rose shifted on her feet. Mike’s admission seemed to have fired up her young neighbor’s enthusiasm. The look on Tommy’s face rang a warning bell in her mind. If she and Mike didn’t leave soon, she’d find herself trapped in man talk and lengthy explanations of how the truck’s various pieces of emergency equipment worked.
But Mike already seemed to have noticed her discomfort. “I’ll be glad to drive.” His gaze skimmed briefly over her short summer dress. “That is, if you don’t mind riding in a truck.”
She’d never given a thought as to which of them would drive. After the fender bender with his truck, her mother’s sedan was still at the repair shop, which left only her own little sports car. With low bucket seats and cramped coupe conditions, it wouldn’t exactly be a comfortable ride for someone built like him.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve ridden in a truck, but why not? I’m game.” She wiggled her fingers at Tommy and skirted around the hood to the passenger side, but Mike beat her to the door. He opened it with a flourish.
“After you, Miss Gallagher.”
“Thank you, Mr. Gallagher.” The unexpected chivalrous gesture gave rise to a sweet, heady rush of pure feminine pleasure that had long been forgotten, tucked away somewhere deep inside until this moment. Rose took Mike’s hand and accepted the boost he offered with a grateful smile. Someone had taught him beautiful manners.
He slid behind the driver’s wheel and turned the key in the ignition. Rose couldn’t hide her growing delight as the truck rumbled to life. She’d forgotten how much fun it was to be in a truck, perched high in your seat, looking down on the world as you passed it by. Being in a pickup wasn’t anything like driving in her little roadster, which neatly hugged every narrow curve and shoulder of the highway.
Tonight promised to be lots of fun.
“Remember what I said, Tommy,” she called
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