Jake might not realize how fast it’s moving, but I do. I can see it closing in, less than two minutes away from mowing down the man I love.

I see it, and it sets off every emergency mechanism in my body.

Adrenaline dumps into my bloodstream, banishing my awareness of the cold and the rocks digging into my bare feet as I kick off my heels and go after Jake, determined to pick him up and carry him off the tracks if I have to.

Right now, I feel strong enough to do it.

Terror has given me power and determination. There’s no way in hell I’m going to stand by and watch Jake make a deadly mistake.

No way I’m going to lose him. Not now. Not like this.

As I stumble onto the tracks, he spins my way, “What are you doing? I told you to stay—”

“I’m getting you off the tracks. Now!” I grab his arm and drag him back toward the embankment.

“Damn it, Naomi,” he says, resisting my efforts. “I thought I saw it, and now you made me—”

“Get off the tracks!” I scream, my voice high and thin. “Now, Jake, please!” I haul frantically on his arm, panic making my palms sweat and my fingers slip off the slick fabric of his tuxedo coat.

“Okay, okay,” he says as the wood slats beneath our feet begin to vibrate. “Come on, I’ll help you up the bank,” he says, following me off the tracks.

Thank. God.

He boosts me up the steep bank with his arms at my waist and climbs up after me. As soon as we’re on solid ground beside the bridge, I fling my trembling arms around his neck with a sob of relief and hold on tight, burying my face in his coat.

“It’s all right,” he says, running warm hands up and down my back. “It’s okay, babe. I’m fine.”

“I thought you were going to die,” I say, relief making my tears come faster. “I thought you were going to get run over. Right in front of me.”

“I wasn’t. I was fine,” he says with a laugh that makes me suddenly livid.

I pull back, punching his chest lightly with my fist. “Don’t laugh! It’s not funny! You were risking your life down there. You could have died!”

“I wasn’t risking my life.” He motions over his shoulder at the tracks. “We’ve been up here for at least a minute and it hasn’t reached the last turn yet. I still had plenty of time left to get to safety.”

“It doesn’t matter,” I say, refusing to feel stupid for being concerned. “There’s no good reason to stand on the tracks when you know a train’s coming. No matter how far away it is.”

“I don’t know,” he says with a sigh. “An engagement ring I spent half my life savings on seemed like a good reason at the time, but…you’re probably right.”

My jaw drops. “Wh-what?” I blink. “What did you say?”

He drags a hand through his hair. “I was planning to propose, but I… Well, I misunderstood what Jamison was trying to tell me. I thought…” He sighs and ducks his chin to his chest. “Well, you know what I thought…and I was so angry I threw your ring onto the tracks.” He glances up, his eyes meeting mine with a cautious hope that makes my heart squeeze in my chest. “But now I’m thinking I’d like to have it back.”

“You would?” I ask, smiling even as fresh tears slip down my cold cheeks. “So does that mean that you…forgive me?”

He brushes my tears away with his thumbs before cupping my face in his big hands. “It means I don’t think you need to be forgiven.”

My shoulders sag with relief. “You don’t?”

He shakes his head. “No, I don’t. I believe you about that night and I believe you were trying to do what you thought was best. For both of us. And I love you like you’re a part of me so…” He swallows, then raises his voice to be heard over the increasingly loud roar of the train’s engine. “I don’t want to lose you. Ever. Especially not over something like this.”

“I’m so glad,” I say, sniffing. “I swear, Jake, I’ll never make you regret this. I love you more than anything.”

“Me, too.” His fingers slide around to the back of my neck, threading into my hair. “But we still have some unfinished business…”

I frown. “What’s that?” I shout as the train rushes beneath the bridge, sending a gust of warm air up the side of the embankment, making Jake’s tuxedo coat fly up at the back as he sinks down on one knee.

My lips part, but my gasp of surprise is drowned out by the roar of the wheels.

“Will you marry me, Naomi Whitehouse?” he shouts, taking my hand in both of his. “I’m sure I’ll drive you crazy sometimes, but I’ll work my ass off to be the kind of husband you deserve. And hopefully you’d rather be crazy with me than sane without me.”

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All Fired Up (Hometown Heat 1) - Page 58