Total Rush Read Online Free PDF Page B

exhibition game against the FDNY hockey team. The proceeds will benefit the Uniformed Firefighters Association Scholarship Fund. It’s for kids whose dads got badly burned, or, you know . . .”
    Died, Gemma supplied in her head. Kids whose dads died. Though it had been over four years since 9/11, it was still hard for New Yorkers to talk about it. Gemma nodded her understanding.
    â€œI had a little adventure with the fire department myself,” she said, trying to lighten the mood. She told Michael about the incense and the false alarm.
    His response was typical. “Well, if it was the same stuff you burn in the store, I’m not surprised someone called the fire department. You could clear the block with that crap.”
    Gemma clucked her tongue. “You’re an idiot, you know that?”
    â€œYeah, but you love me, anyway.” His eyes shot to the clock on the wall. “I gotta go get dressed. You know where to sit, right?”
    â€œOf course.” Gemma glanced around the green room. She recognized some of the players there. The rest, she assumed, were members of the players’ families, just like her. But why was she the only Dante present? “Theresa is coming, right?”
    â€œYeah, she’s just running behind. She’ll be here.”
    â€œAnd Anthony?”
    Anthony was Michael’s older brother, as well as the head chef and half owner of the family restaurant they owned in Brooklyn, Dante’s. Hearing Gemma’s question, Michael guffawed.
    â€œYeah, right. Like I could get him to leave his battle station at the stove on a Saturday night.” He launched into an imitation of his brother. “ ‘I run a business, Mikey. I can’t just drop my freakin’ ladle and run every time you shoot a puck down the friggin’ ice for some ubatz charity.’”
    The impersonation was so accurate Gemma erupted into appreciative laughter. “I guess that answers the question.” Rising up on tiptoes, she gave Michael a kiss on the cheek. “I’m kind of beat, so I don’t know if I’ll see you after the game. But good luck.”
    â€œThanks.” He went to leave, then turned back, eyes gleaming with mischief. “Oh, and Gem?”
    â€œYeah?”
    â€œWe’re the guys in blue and white with BLADES written on the front of our jerseys. Just so you know.”

CHAPTER 03
    Met Gar was packed. Gazing at the sea of exuberant faces as she took her seat behind the Blades’ bench, Gemma noticed most of the people were families, many wearing T-shirts and baseball caps bearing the FDNY logo. Watching a father ruffle his young daughter’s hair before rising to order a hot dog for each of them, Gemma ached with envy and longing. Though she adored her family, she was considered somewhat of a “black sheep.” Her eyes continued surveying the buzzing crowd, her attention drawn to the many children there. How many were fatherless? How many had lost cousins, uncles, sons, brothers? Like most New Yorkers, she’d pretty much taken firefighters and what they did for granted. That is, until over three hundred of them died trying to save others on a bright, clear morning in September. Ever since then, they’d been lauded as heroes and christened sex symbols. Gemma hadn’t thought about them being sexy until Blue Eyes and his cohorts came pounding on her door.
    Blue Eyes. Just picturing his handsome, rugged face made her run hot and cold all over. She wondered if he was here to cheer his buddies on, and if so, if their paths might cross.
    â€œThere you are!”
    At the sound of Theresa’s voice, Gemma turned. Silly though it was, she was feeling semiconspicuous sitting there alone, wondering if the surrounding families thought she was a puck bunny. She certainly didn’t dress like a hockey groupie; that much she knew for sure. Unless bunnies had taken to wearing chunky, silver earrings, flowing floral