Heartburn (Love By Design 3)

The moment that fire threatened to take it all away.

Truth bomb, I fell for her the moment I gazed into her eyes on a dark and stormy night.

Time passed and I contemplated the hypotheticals of not having her in my life. It was an intolerable feeling that welled up inside my chest and made it ach like my heart had shattered to glass fragments cutting me over and over again. I couldn’t let another moment pass by without telling her what she meant to me. I tugged on her hair to tell her so.

“Whit?” Her voice was low and gravelly from lack of sleep and her eyes that peeked up filled with tears. Seeing the liquid pool in her eyes made me choke up. I didn’t want her to cry, to hurt, to be anything but my happy girl. She bit her bottom lip looking afraid to speak and I took the worry from her.

“I’m here baby. Not even a fire could take me from you.”

“Oh my god. I was so scared. I called everyone and looked all over. When I found your jeep, I lost it.” Tears streaked her cheeks. Old makeup darkened her eyes into twin bruises I wanted to kiss away. There was no comforting her like this. I needed to touch her, soothe her, and make sure she knew that nothing like this would ever happen again.

“Hey. Hey. Hey pretty baby, come here.” I made Lia get up from the chair and scooted over to make room for her little body in the bed next to me letting her cry it out. The fire dried me from the inside out while Lia clung to me like a wet rag. We tangled IV wires and I didn’t give a shit if they pulled out. “I’m okay. It’s okay.” I repeated it over and over trying to convince us both until her tears slowed down to hiccups.

“I was so scared. I saw the smoke and tied to call you, but I couldn’t get through. I saw the fire climb the ridge and I drove as close as I could and tried to find you.”

“I’m here. I’m okay.” The words we didn’t say resemble somethi

ng closer to; you never know what you have until it’s gone. I don’t even take her to task for getting close to an out of control forest fire. I’m thankful to be alive and that she’s okay. Somehow through all of this my jealously evaporated and love took over. I cupped her cheeks and kissed the salty tears away drinking her in. Lia was my everything.

“Don’t you ever do that to me again.” Her fist lightly tapped my chest and I closed my hand over hers holding it against my beating heart. She could hurt me in the worst way.

“You don’t want me to become a toasty campfire s’more?” I joked through a rough cough.

“That’s not even the least bit funny.” Her lips thinned and breathing hitched.

“Too soon?” I chuckled reaching out for her.

“How about never?” Her eyes were glassy chips of amethyst and I cradled her in my arms rocking her back and forth against my sore body. I’ll leave it to Damien to make crispy park ranger jokes if it makes her feel better that I’m okay.

“Knock. Knock. Is this a private party?” Hunter stood at the door, Taylor under his arm, and the crew behind him peeking in. I saw balloons and flowers flanking the cavalry. I would have liked a much different reason for my friends to gather than my almost demise.

“Dude, get in here.” I welcomed everyone in on the moment helping Lia sit up and pet her hair back over her shoulders keeping her close to me.

“Scared the shit out of us. Evan texted me when he heard it on the radio.” Hunter and I clasped hands as Lia attempted to slip off the bed. She was too quick for me to catch her escaping.

“Don’t go babe.” I watched her stand and reached for her hand squeezing it gently to give her a pep.

“Just going in the hall for a moment.” She murmured looking shy. I pulled her to me despite the discomfort in my body. She leaned down.

“What is it?” She asked.

“I need a kiss from my girl.” Her face blushed and she chastely kissed my cheek, but I move my face to capture her lips. Her eyes opened wide closing on a sigh. I kissed her forehead before letting her slip away.

“I’ll be right back.” She nodded ducking out avoiding everyone.

“We’ll go with you.” Taylor said as she pushed Kristen out of the room to follow Lia leaving me with the guys.

Two sets of eyes I’ve known most of life stared back with grim expressions. I cleared the junk from my throat as they stepped closer crowding my bed.

“I seriously thought you got in way over your head out there man.” Damien sat in the chair to my left, while Hunter stood behind him.

“Hey Smoky Bear!” Chase joined us tossing a bag of marshmallows on the nightstand. Hunter fake punched Chase in the stomach who pretended to lean over taking it.

“Cute. Do me a favor and hide those from Lia.” I pointed at Chase not sure if the appropriate feeling was annoyance or humor with the dismissal of the fact that I could have died out there.

“What’s wrong with her?” Damien asked.

Hunter smacked his cousin who managed to duck from the hit.