Read Online Too Near the Fire by Lindsay McKenna - Free Book Online Page A

in them that most people haven’t taken the time to look for. No psychic ability, just plain watching on my part. Okay?”
    “I guess I have to start learning to trust someone again,” she admitted hesitantly.
    “I trusted you out there at the accident and you didn’t let me down. What we talk about between ourselves stays with us. I won’t say anything to the men at the station, I promise.”
    “You don’t know how hard it is for me to trust, Gil. Down at the academy I thought I could trust certain firemen and I found out the hard way that I couldn’t.”
    “Have you ever trusted any man?”
    The knife in her heart twisted and tears blurred her vision. “You have the damndest way of asking the right question,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
    “I can see the pain in your eyes. I figure you got hurt pretty bad by a man. Right?”
    “Right.”
    “And not too long ago, judging by your defensiveness.”
    She stared at him. “Isn’t anything hidden from you?” she demanded, awed by his insight.
    Gil grinned broadly. “Plenty, lady. But I’m going to enjoy making those little discoveries about you as time goes on,” he promised huskily.
    “How about my discovering a little bit about you?” she demanded, surprised at her audacity.
    He smiled. “Sure, anything you want to know.”
    Leah gave him a black look. “Must be nice to be an open book with everyone.”
    “Jealousy will get you nowhere. But don’t think I’m this way with everyone. Just certain special people.”
    She fought against the pleasure she took in his last comment. How could he be so sure that there was something special between them? It puzzled her and she lapsed into momentary silence.
    “Well?” Gil prompted. “Go ahead.”
    “I find it hard to believe you aren’t married. You’re good-looking, intelligent, and have a secure job.”
    His blue eyes sparkled. “And you’re wondering why the women aren’t knocking down the door, right?”
    “Right.”
    He shrugged. “Let’s put it this way, Leah, it takes a very special woman to fulfill certain requirements I’ve set.”
    “Such as?”
    He lost some of his merriment and drove for at least another mile before answering. “Not every woman has courage, Leah. Like I told you before, I admire that quality. I’m not looking for an aggressive, masculine type of woman. But someone who isn’t afraid to use her brains and talents.”
    Leah turned in the seat, resting her back against the door. “You’ve been married before.” It was a statement, not a question.
    Gil pursed his lips and nodded. “Yes…yes, I was,” he admitted softly.
    Leah gave him a strange look; she had the feeling that she was treading on very unstable ground with him. She couldn’t understand why any woman would divorce him. “She must have been crazy to leave you, then,” she said.
    The strained atmosphere in the cab became almost palpable. Leah felt her stomach knotting. Had she made a horrible gaffe? Anxiously, she searched his face. There was pain in his eyes as he regarded her through those thick black lashes. “I’m sorry,” she said quickly, “I shouldn’t have said that. I—”
    “It’s all right,” he soothed, reaching out and briefly covering her hand with his own. “It’s a pretty sad story, Leah, but I don’t mind telling you about it if you want to know.” His features were serious as he squeezed her hand.
    A pleasurable tingle fled up her arm and she was once again struck by the controlled strength of his fingers. “If you’re willing to share it with me, I would like to know.”
    “I got married when I was twenty-four, Leah. I had known Jenny two years before we decided to make a go of it. She wasn’t very happy about me doing fire fighting.”
    “Many wives aren’t,” Leah noted.
    “That was one of the things that kept us from getting married sooner,” he murmured, shaking his head. “Jenny was frail healthwise, but she had a backbone of steel.”