Heat of the Moment Read Online Free PDF Page B

sorry.”
    â€œThanks, it was a long, long time ago. In any case, we’re fourth-generation firefighters. It runs in the family.”
    â€œAnd you’re all single?”
    â€œYup, even my old man—although it sounds like his on-again/off-again relationship is on again. Lolly made the corned beef and cabbage and soda bread that’s in the fridge. She’s a great cook if you’re hungry. I think there’s at least a little left over.”
    â€œI’m fine.” She stood. “You go. And please don’t worry about Janie. I can handle just about anything.”
    He gave her one more close look to make sure she felt comfortable and realized he could probably stare at her all night. The light from overhead highlighted the different colors in her hair—strands of red glowed like a hot fire, the gold gleamed, and the darker hints of brown kind of shimmered. “Okay, lock the dead bolt behind me. I have my keys.”
    Cam stepped into the cool night air and took a deep breath, knowing he’d spend the rest of the night fighting smoke. He usually loved going out on a call, but tonight was different. He told himself it was because Janie had just come home. That was probably it. But then again, it wasn’t every day he said good-bye to a beautiful woman before leaving for work. It wasn’t every day he met a woman he’d rather spend time with than search out the cause of a fire. And it wasn’t every day he got a call and didn’t hit the front porch on a run.
    He expelled the breath he’d taken and tried to shake off the premonition crawling up his spine like a spider up a web. He couldn’t shake off the feeling that danger was just waiting to strike, and that her name was Erin Crosby.
    But damned if he didn’t look forward to it.

Chapter Three
    It took Erin less time to unpack than it did to pack—amazing, considering she had to fold all the clothes she’d just stuffed into a bag. She still had to put away the pile she’d dumped unceremoniously by the door, but decided she’d deal with that in the morning.
    She’d been so rattled when Cam showed her around the house the day before, she couldn’t remember if there was a place where she and Janie could work. If there was, she’d probably just keep her school and knitting supplies there.
    With that settled, she gave herself the rest of the night off. It was half past eleven, so she stripped out of her clothes, using her empty duffel bag to hold dirty laundry.
    Since she always had a difficult time sleeping in a new environment, she decided that maybe a nice hot shower would relax her. Lord knew, she’d been so keyed up since meeting Cam that she hadn’t slept well the night before. She wasn’t sure if it was due to nerves or excitement. She told herself it was excitement, but couldn’t quite make herself believe it.
    Erin was a master of avoidance, so she grabbed her toiletries and took them into the bathroom. The bathroom, like the closet and dresser drawers, was empty. She’d half expected Janie’s nanny would have left at least part of her wardrobe, but there was no sign of her. Had she completely moved out or had Cam packed her things? Talk about awkward.
    Erin couldn’t help but wonder how long Mrs. Truman had been gone, if she’d visited Janie in the hospital, and whether or not Janie missed her. She made a mental note to ask Cam about it the next time she saw him. The last thing she wanted to do was say the wrong thing.
    Erin put her toiletries away and debated whether to take a shower or try out the Jacuzzi tub. The tub won out. She set the water to scalding, tied her hair in a knot at the top of her head, and tossed bubbles into the stream of water. She wasn’t sure how to use the Jacuzzi and was afraid to even try, but she didn’t need jets of hot water massage to relax; her lavender bubble bath always did the trick.
    Two hours