Embracing Today, a firefighter romance: (The Trading Yesterday Series, #3), Kahlen Aymes [essential reading txt] 📗

dabbed at my eyes. She seemed close to my age and I felt a pang that she was so established in her life and I wasn’t.

Gina smiled warmly. “It’s my pleasure. I’ll let my replacement know you’re waiting for me to come back during our shift change.”

“Thank you, Gina. I really appreciate it.”

As she was leaving, a large masculine frame appeared in the doorway, hovering.

“Hey,” he said gently. I recognized his eyes from the night before. In the harsh light of the back of the ambulance, the cornflower blue color had been striking against his soot and dirt covered skin. I couldn’t help the way my heart leapt inside my chest. He was so good-looking my breath caught. Tall, with a muscular frame that had been hidden by his bulky gear, and dark blonde hair that was short in back and on the sides, but a tad longer on top.

“Oh, hey…” I felt a small smile settle on my mouth. I wasn’t expecting him to drop by the hospital, and thought I’d have to go by the several fire stations in Jackson Hole, to find the one where he worked, in order to get Gem back.

“How are you doing?” his deep voice reverberated in the small, stark room.

I felt self-conscious of my surroundings and the hospital gown that I wore. I nervously began to fiddle with the edge of the rough cotton blanket that covered me to the waist.

“I’m a little sore, I guess. How is Gemmy? Did she keep you up all night?”

“She did a little, I can’t lie, but… she’s amazing.” One side of his sensuous mouth tugged into a lopsided grin. He was so disarming. “I don’t think I want to give her back,” he teased. “She had some warm milk last night and then we had oatmeal and peanut butter toast for breakfast.”

“We?” I smiled gently.

“Oh, yeah. I shared mine with her. You should have seen the way she went to work on it.” He stood, towering over me at the foot of the bed. “Sorry, she didn’t seem to like the puppy food I grabbed from your house.”

“I’m sure she loved it. Thank you, again, for taking care of her; I don’t know what I would have done without you. Would you like to sit down? Forgive my lack of manners.”

“You’ve been through an ordeal,” he said, understanding lacing his voice. “I can’t stay long.”

He was right, I had. “But, still, after everything you’ve done to help me, I should be more thoughtful.”

It felt weird to be equally intrigued and yet have the inherent fear of the male sex which Carter had instilled into me over the past several months. The man’s face twisted ironically, as if to say he didn’t consider me in anyway rude.

“I’m glad to be of help’. He eased his long body into the one reclining chair next to the window after he moved a pillow from it. “So, you’re getting out of here today, then?”

“Yes. As soon as my nurse comes back with some street clothes.” I felt embarrassed by my pathetic circumstances.

“Ah.” His amazing eyes seemed to look right into my soul. I could sense the questions behind the blue depths. Surely, he was wondering why I had no friends or family who could take care of my dog or bring me clothes. “I went out to your ranch this morning to feed the horses, but the puppy cried when I put her in the house and in her kennel. I figured the same thing would happen at my place; strange place and all. So, I thought I’d take her with me to the firehouse for the day, if that’s okay?”

“Oh, I don’t want to burden you. I’ll be home in a couple of hours.”

He nodded his understanding, but his brow wrinkled as if he were pained. “Yeah, but they say an hour to a dog is like an entire day to a person, and I just can’t stand leaving the little thing alone that long. Or… at all,” he said with a sheepish grin. “She’ll get to run around, and everyone will love her. I promise I’ll take good care of her.”

I was looking forward to seeing my fur baby, for that’s what she’d become in the short time I’d had her, and it was sweet that in one night this big, tough fireman had fallen under her spell as well. “It’s so nice of you, but you’ve already done so much. I can see if Gina can bring me to the station to pick her up on the way home.”

“I can bring her out to your place tonight after my shift. I only have a partial day today. I picked it up for some extra cash. Then, I can take care of the horses, too.”

“Oh, Ben, you don’t have to do that,” I protested. I felt like I was sliding down in the bed and tried to shift up to get a better position but winced at the pain that shot through my mid-section. “I’ll be home by then.”

His expression was concerned. “Marin,” he said in mock sternness, proving he’d remembered my name as well. “By the looks of things, you’re in no shape to do chores just yet.”

I’d done chores in worse shape than this, but I was ashamed of the situation with Carter and I didn’t want to tell him I was used to working with injuries. “I’m okay,” I said, instead. “I’ll be fine.”

He stood up, shaking his head. “You’re dealing with a lot, and probably not just physically. Let me help you out for a few days until you get back on your feet. It’s the least you can do in exchange for your pooch keeping me up all night.” Ben offered a wink.

I could feel my skin flush at his teasing. I had a rush of guilt that I found him so charming, but I couldn’t help it. “Well, since you put it that way,” I agreed, a warm blush of happiness