BLAZE WITHIN

to figure out where the hell I was and what was going on. Sterile cleaners burned my nose, along with what

r. No one was here to see me, no one concerned if I was dead or alive. It was

awake, honey. How

tly still lost within the fog of the fire. She was an older woman with gr

he logged onto a nearby computer and began typing. “I’ll

her for a moment. Did she know? Had she ca

gan sweating. My fingers fidgeted wit

la Wy

allowing her to take my blood pressure and temperature. She l

call?” she asked. “You’ll

hen he was high on drugs. It’s not like he could drive here

at all. Or you can contact someone yourself, if you prefer. I know you kids all have

ow pathetic was I that, out of the millions of people in the worl

lly discharged from the hospital and walked out the front door into the darkness of night with an impending medical bill that I had no money to pay for. I worked tw

lked over to the bus stop. I stared up at th

I applied make-up over my left bruised cheek. Somehow, I had become a bit of an expert at covering bruis

he pay sucked, but the tips normally made up for it. Today it seemed everyone was trying the little patience I had

I was still trying to adjust to the hot summers here in Florida after relocating here. Back home, the summer heat would feel good afte

ng up a good layer of sweat before reaching the fire house. This was the closest

, balding man asked as I

ire department’s assistance yesterday. I was stuck in a

e. He smiled back and stepped toward me, ta

e much appreciated. Is there a parti

n. I shook my head slowly. “I didn’t get his

ns to the best of us. You know

yes at myself. I was so awkward sometimes! “He had gr

lowly began to grow across his aging features. He turned

ong with my jeans and t-shirt with the restaurant name emblazoned across the front didn’t give me the most flattering first impression

t bolting. Why was I even concerned with my appe

new voiced asked with a Brit

had run his hands through it excessively throughout the day. He was tall, nearing six feet, and had a lean yet muscular build. His voice had a boyish charm yet he

I heard the older man say but my eyes were too focused on th

oted and pounded in my chest as those haunting green eyes wandered up and down my body. I felt utterly ex

s as I held my hand out and tried to con

a mouthful of perfect, white teeth and dimples upon his cheeks. “

kward. “Thank you.” I went to pull my hand away but his grip tightened and held onto me. I looked

re we

his gorgeous face. Those green eyes were gleaming with

oks. I tried to process a logical thought in my f

ng onto my hand. He spoke with a slight slowness, as

the other fireman had left. “I

voice lowering slightly. “There’

cheeks burning hot. Surely I h

th innocence as he let go of my hand and gl

his explanation as my eye

e meeting y

is British accent. “You’re not from around here?” I inte

ss?” he chuckl

ulders. “Lucky gu

ne more look at him b

ell

like an anxious s

ious, his green eyes dull and ha

e at my secret being

rs. He stopped within inches of me and raised his hand. I

ermission, before very slowly moving his hand to my face and tracing

e,” he whis

as I stared into

His voice had a rough

ce between us. “Of course not. I fell and hit the post on

em to work on him though. He stared at me with disb

or saving me. That’s

his face as his features lig

was smoking hot but his cockiness was ignitin

ch this weekend. You

rsation. He could switch gears so quickly an

othing professional but its

nching another human

ting punched,” he replied, his v

crets. Or perhaps he was undressing me with his eyes. The thought made my cheeks burn. I

I breathed out as

r number,” h

at him but he spo

n spread across his face like the first morning rays of su

I rattled off my number a

mirked as he finished typin

off balance as I slowl