CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
GEMMA
All my life I thought that the story was over when the hero and heroine were safely engaged—after all, what’s good enough for Jane Austen ought to be good enough for anyone. But it’s a lie. The story is about to begin, and every day will be a new piece of the plot.
—MARYANNSHAFFER
Ithought I’d already fallen for Karson. It’s nothing compared to the way my right heel slips out from underneath me, and when I try to yank it to a stop, I topple to the cement floor, jabbing my opposite shin with the stiletto heel.
Fire burns up my leg, but it could be worse. There could be a real fire. My students could be in it. I’m grateful they’re safe, and I’m sharing this moment with my real-life hero who just professed his love. Only a man in love would look at me, a drowned clown, and call me gorgeous.
I kick off the very same sandals that got me in trouble on driving day of safety academy and roll over to my hands and knees to crawl toward the door. I don’t trust myself not to slip again, and also my shin stings as if it just got hit with a baseball bat.
Karson drops to the ground beside me. “You’re bleeding.”
“Of course I am.”
His eyes flick up to mine. “Don’t say cute things. I don’t have time to kiss you right now.”
I’m about to ask,Why not?Kissing in the rain worked for Noah and Allie inThe Notebook. Who cares if we’re getting drenched by fire sprinklers and our lives are in danger?
But then Karson rips his shirt off, and I fall back onto my rear, speechless.
I’ve never seen his abs before. Hello, six-pack. Maybe the reason police don’t take off their shirts before rescuing a victim is so that the victim doesn’t swoon and cause more problems.
He rolls the shirt up, then wraps the material around my leg and ties it. Blood seeps through the material quickly at first, then the trail slows.
I hadn’t realized how bad my injury was, but now my shin pulses with pressure. “Thank you.”
The door is still pretty far away, but crawling will have to work. Strong arms scoop me up.
I squeal in surprise and wrap my arms around Karson’s neck. I am literally being carried to safety by a man without a shirt. The very man who lectured me on ever writing a scene with this kind of rescue.
I study his face up close. Rivers of water drip off points of hair. His chilled skin is pale against the darker stubble along his jaw. But most importantly, his cornflower-blue eyes hold intensity without the steely flecks of fury. They meet my gaze, and I see my contentment reflected.
“You know I’m going to have to write this scene as the ending of my screenplay now. It’s going to be your fault the police officer takes off his shirt before rescuing the damsel in distress.”
His full lips twitch. “Go ahead and tease me about this. I guarantee you can’t possibly tease me as much as those guys will.”
I look out the window to where a fire truck is pulling to the curb, red lights flashing in the dimming night. Blue lights follow, announcing a police cruiser joining our party.
Karson pushes through the door, the onslaught of water replaced with an icy breeze that stings more than the gash on my shin. Students cheer from across the street.
I shiver and wave. I may not have been homecoming queen, but once upon a time, I practiced my princess skills. I finally get to use them. Elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist.
This will be a homecoming they never forget. Most importantly, they’ll all be going home safe tonight.
“Hey, there.”
I recognize the confident tone.
Thad jumps from the fire truck. “Had to show me up, huh, Zellner?”
“Whoa, boy.” Another familiar voice hoots in laughter. Drew claps his hands as he circles his cruiser toward us. “Too bad the students don’t know about the lecture you gave Gemma on her first day of safety academy.”
Karson’s gaze holds mine even as he speaks to his old partner. “Let’s not tell your old safety academy classmates about this.”
Kai pops out of Drew’s cruiser with his camera in hand, as if he came back from getting engaged in Africa just for this moment. “Nobody has to tell them. I’ve got it all on film.”
