He pulls me toward him and slams his mouth against mine in a rough kiss. “I love you, sweetheart. Do you feel it?”
Tears spring to my eyes because I feel his love with my entire body. “I do.”
“Everything is going to be okay.” He cups my cheek with his big, strong hand. “Do you know how I know?”
I swallow hard and stare at him unable to answer.
“Because I know that you and me are meant to be together and now that I’ve found you, there isnothingthat will stop us from being together.”
I suck a breath into my lungs and bite my bottom lip a little. “I love you, too, Griff.”
“Fuck ya you do.” He kisses me hard and pulls away to once more put the truck in gear.
“I need you to hold on, sweetheart. This is going to be fast.”
Fast was an understatement. I do as he asks and brace myself in the front seat as Griff flies down the gravel road, straight into the flames of the fire.
It’s just like I imagine it must be to drive through hell. All around us trees are burning. The smoke is impossibly thick. How Griff can even see to stay on the road in front of us, I’ll never know. The roar of the fire is deafening and for an instant if feels as all my sensations have been taken away from me.
And then as quickly as it began, it’s over. The truck bursts through the smoke and onto the highway. All at once my senses return to me but Griff doesn’t slow down until we see the sign announcing our arrival into the town limits of Rock Creek.
Griff pulls the truck into the parking lot of The Den, throws the truck in park and a moment later scoops me up from the front seat of the truck.
He kisses me quickly when I wrap my arms around his neck and let him carry me inside where he settles me into a booth before disappearing into the kitchen leaving me alone.
CHAPTER TEN
Griffin
Ineed a second to pull myself together after what just happened.
At the sink in the kitchen I splash cold water on my face ignoring the voices around me for the time being.
Fuck.
I just drove right through the fire. There hadn’t been any other choice. I needed to protect my girl and I’d meant it when I told her it would all be okay because now that I’ve found her I’m not going to let anything bad happen to her. To us.
She’s mine. It’s my job to protect her and the family we were going to have together. I’d die for my girl. Thank goodness today wasn’t going to be that day. We were safe.
“Griff! Son.” My father’s arms pull me into a strong hug. “You’re safe. Briggs said the wind shifted and?—”
“I’m fine.” I stand back and rub a hand over my face. “William?”
“He’s fine. We were never in any danger. As soon I saw the smoke this morning, we headed in,” my father explains. “Ran into Ryder on the road coming to get us. Gran’s been feeding him ice cream since we got back.”
“Thanks, Pa.”
“Of course. We’re just glad you’re okay. Briggs mentioned you weren’t alone? Is?—”
“Later.” I give him a curt nod. I’ve been away from her long enough.
As the main hub in town, The Den was a busy place at the best of times. But in an emergency it was packed. For the first time when I emerge from the kitchen, I notice all the people gathered there. The place is packed. But my eyes go straight to my girl.
And my son.
Who has crawled up into Sophie’s lap.
I scrub a hand over my face to be sure my eyes are working properly.
