Page 295 of Her Reluctant Hero
Jesus, not that. “Kim, no!” Time stretched. Splinters dug into the bottoms of his feet as he hurtled himself toward her, hit her arm as hard as he could, twisted it back and felt the bone snap just as the gun went off.
Peyton jerked at the sound of a gunshot, and her insides melted together. Not again, God, not again! She reached for the door handle of the rented sedan, only to find none. Stupid child locks. She rolled into the front seat and shoved out of the car, dropping to her knees in the dirt.
Devlin and Simpson ran toward the cabin, one on either side of the door. Okay, smart, stay out of the line of fire. But get to Gabe. Get to Gabe.
Devlin nodded to Simpson, who kicked in the door, and Devlin went in first, low. Peyton saw him relax, pull his gun up.
“Where’s the other one?”
He had to be asking Gabe. Gabe was all right. Thank God. She hurried forward, only to have Simpson swing on her, his gun pointed right at her head. Terror constricted her breathing, instinct froze her before recognition lit his eyes.
“Miss Michaels!”
Gabe’s head went up at the sound of Peyton’s name. He pried the gun from Kim’s slack hand—he’d broken her arm before she shot the hell out of the wall—and held it up by the grip for Devlin to take, but the agent was moving toward the front door.
“I told you to stay in the car.”
Then Peyton was in the doorway, ignoring the cop, of course, and heading straight toward Gabe. She dropped to the floor beside him. Elation at seeing her battled with wariness, and he caught her shoulders before she kissed him. Over the past few hours, he’d alternated between crippling hurt that she’d left him, and consuming anger. Neither of those emotions was present now, only a numbness, like a shield had come down in him.
Like after Jen left.
“What are you doing here?” He had trouble forcing the words out. “Finishing up your story?”
“No, it’s done.” She tried for a smile. “Is she okay?” She looked down at Kim, who lay glassy eyed on the floor.
“They’ll both be okay.” But he didn’t want to talk about that. He watched her, waited for her to look at him again. Needed her to.
She did, her dark eyes watery, pleading. “I know I hurt you,” she said, swallowing hard but not backing down. “I know I hurt you,” she repeated. “I was a coward. I was selfish. And I don’t deserve another chance. I freaked out, I know I did. Being in the hospital, being so scared—it brought everything back so clearly and it hurt so much and I had to get away before it could happen again. It was weird and it was stupid and it was not heroic at all. But you love me. If I’m right, I hope you can give me another shot.” Her words tumbled over each other, as if stopping for breath would give him the excuse to interrupt, send her on her way. Suddenly unable to meet his eyes, she studied her hands. “I wouldn’t trade a day Dan and I had together, no matter how it hurt when he died.” She turned back at him now. “Realizing it made me realize you and I deserve the same chance. Will you give it to us?”
She’d closed her hands over his arm as she spoke, her palms no longer as soft and smooth as they’d been when he met her. Tougher hands, tougher heart, tougher woman. And she wanted to be his. And damn it, as much as she’d hurt him, he wanted it too.
He couldn’t believe he was having this conversation with her on his knees in a crummy cabin, while he was wearing a hospital gown. Candles—and at least underwear—should be required for declarations like this. “I left the fire service,” he told her quietly. “I gave Jen my resignation at the hospital. I was coming to Chicago tomorrow.”
She went as white as if he’d struck her. “You were coming to Chicago? Wait. You left the fire service?”
“Well, yeah. I knew you worried—”
“Gabe, you can’t do that!” Her voice was shrill in the small room, and drew the attention of the cops.
He held up a soothing hand. “Peyton—”
“You are not going to change who you are for me. You are the man I love, just as you are.” Tears streamed down her face, and she couldn’t seem to work her tongue around the words. “I don’t want you to quit.”
“I don’t want to be away from you for the summer,” he said, his own voice thick.
“You won’t be away from me. I’m going to get my red card renewed. I’m coming with you.”
His heart tripped at the words, and he couldn’t stop himself from touching her another minute. He smoothed her hair against her head, feeling the strands catch on his calluses. “Are you out of your mind? Your writing—”
“I can write anywhere, Chicago, a tent, Albuquerque. You tell me where, and that’s where.”
“You’ve lost your mind.” Emotion choked him as he pulled her close and pressed his face into her hair. “Jesus, we’ve both lost our minds.”
“Just kiss me,” she murmured against his throat. “And then it will be all right.” He eased back just enough so her mouth found his, hopeful, seeking, happy.
“Too bad Kim couldn’t have found a better man to love,” Gabe murmured, his arm around Peyton as he watched Devlin guide the girl into the car, careful of her broken arm. “Someone who could have loved her back, given her what she needed. All this wouldn’t have happened.”
Peyton nestled against him. “She found the best man she knew.”
