Still, Laura felt better speaking to Sophie. Sophie had a way of always knowing what to say to cheer her up and today was no exception. Even after she'd put the phone down, Sophie's advice rang in her ears. The truth was, Laura was sick of the dullness of her love life. She didn't believe that being single should be able to drive a girl insane with boredom, but the cycle of first dates was mundane and predictable, to say the least. Even the guys who weren't complete nightmares still failed to excite or enthrall her. Laura had become bored with men.
The young woman sighed at the thought and lazily flicked her eyes to the window of her house as she carried on talking with her friend. Suddenly, she sat bolt upright when she noticed the smoke rising from the building across the street and the tall, dancing flames crackling just opposite her own home.
“Oh my God, Sophie, the house across the street is on fire!” she gasped. “I'll call you back.”
Laura immediately hung up the phone and dialed 911. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she rushed to the window to keep an eye on the fire across the street. All she could think about was Marie, who lived there with her little boy, Jacob, who would be asleep right now. What if they were both in their beds right now even as the flames grew higher?
The thought terrified Laura. Marie was a sweet woman who had been so kind to her when she'd first moved to this house with Connor. She'd talked to them about the area and invited them to her summer barbeque and when everything with Connor fell apart, she'd always had time for a smile and a chat over the garden fence.
Right now, that garden fence was about the only thing not burning. The light of the flames were brightest in the top right window. Laura knew that was Jacob's room and when at last she got through to the fire department, she practically screamed the address down the phone and then ran out into the street to stare up in horror at the flickering flames. Her eyes moved from window to window for any sign of movement within, and her ears strained to hear if anyone was crying out for help.
She couldn't see or hear anything and she prayed that this meant that both Marie and her little boy were out of the house somewhere, and safe. rather than trapped in the flames. The thought made her lungs tighten in fear. By now, other neighbors were gathering in the street and everyone was staring up at the flames. Nobody seemed to know what to do.
Fortunately, the sound of a siren rushing down from the end of the road and the sight of a big, red fire engine made the whole street breathe a collective sigh of relief. The fire crew was there. The big, crimson truck came screeching to a halt and several firefighters dressed in their heavy fireproof gear jumped out, running to the side of the truck to unravel the hose and pulling helmets over their faces ready to go inside.
One firefighter began asking the crowd if anyone was in the house, but nobody knew. A pair of the brave men entered the building and when they returned without bodies in their arms, Laura told herself that had to be a good sign. Hopefully Marie and Jacob were safe at Marie's mother's house just a few minutes away. Laura let out a sigh of relief and watched with less terror now, but still sadness for Marie and Jacob as the flames in their home were put out.
It didn't seem to take long for the firefighters to have the blaze beaten and when they were done, Laura realized that she was still standing around like a lemon and felt like she had to do something to show her gratitude to these men for saving Marie's home. She prepared a round of ice waters for the men and shyly went outside to pass them around as the men began packing away their equipment and winding up the hose.
Each of the firefighters flashed her a grin as they accepted a glass, but one man in particular held her gaze longer than the others and in such a way that it made Laura blush. Perhaps he was staring at her because she'd been staring at him first. Not that she could help it, of course. No hot-blooded woman could. He was the most stunning man she'd ever seen.
Chapter2
He had dark blonde hair made even darker by the ash that had settled over him during the fire and which was smudged across his face. His face itself was exactly as Laura thought a man's face should be. He had dark, brooding eyes which sparkled with something mischievous; and a definite awareness of the effect that he was having on her. His chin was chiseled and Laura was surprised to find herself attracted to the shadow of stubble on his face, as though he were too busy fighting fires, saving lives and being a hero, to shave.
Then there was his smile. Although he was probably in his mid to late thirties, he had a boyish charm in his grin that made Laura completely forget that she was only just out of her twenties. His shoulders were incredibly broad, but in a lean, athletic way, rather than making him seem bulky. His waist was slim and when Laura noted the ridges of taut muscles underneath his white shirt she almost swooned and dropped her tray. Covered in ash and a knowing smile, this wonder of a man took the last glass from her.