I stopped breathing when she tugged her sweater over her head to reveal an ivory lace camisole. “You haven’t seen every single bit of me.”
I was a hell of a lot closer than I’d been five seconds ago.
Reaching out, I drew a line with my index finger from her bottom lip to the button on her jeans. “Taking your memories of that day feels so personal. Taking something that important to you away, and then giving it back, it was even more intense than I expected. It reminded me of …”
“Kaleb.” A skip of desire.
“You know, making love has always sounded so lame to me. Maybe because I’ve never done anything like that, either. But I think I understand now.”
She tilted her head to the side. “I didn’t think … you’re not a—”
“Um … no.” I kissed her again to soften the words. I couldn’t tell exactly how much that mattered to her. “But everything is different with you. I’m closer to you than I’ve ever been to anyone.”
She leaned over and put her lips right next to my ear.
“Get closer.”
I opened my ability as wide as I could, staring into her eyes.
She wanted this as much as I did.
When I didn’t respond immediately, she turned away. “I’m sorry. The timing is … so wrong. I shouldn’t have—”
“Don’t.” I put my hands on her hips, sliding her close, flipping our positions. I eased her back onto the pillows and traced the line of her cheekbones with my thumbs. “I only hesitated because I wanted to feel what you felt. Know you were sure about me. Us.”
“I am.” She slid her hands into my hair and arched her back, pressing into me. Tightened her legs, pulling me closer.
“I know.”
I directed every ounce of focus I had to Lily. I knew exactly how to kiss her, to touch her. Not because of her sighs, or the way her muscles tensed and relaxed in response to me, but because I was wrapped in her emotions. Everything I gave, she returned.
Pleasing her pleased me. I stopped the second she was unsure.
“Tiger,” I said, pulling away, “I’m not in a hurry.”
Her cheeks were flushed, her hair dark and tangled against the pillowcase. Exhaling shakily, she said, “I know.”
“Do you?”
She nodded.
“People underestimate the benefits of taking their time. Slow is just as good as fast.” I grinned, running my fingertips across the exposed skin between her jeans and the bottom of the camisole. “Usually, it’s better.”
I saw the sadness in her eyes as much as I felt it.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Taking our time.” She traced the outer edge of the tattoo on my bicep. Her touch was warm. “I wonder how much we have.”
I didn’t want to think about that.
Leaning over, I kissed her forehead. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Trusting me enough to let me in. With Cuba, your parents. With this.” I gently placed my hand just above her heart. “I know how many risks you’ve taken, how hard it is for you to trust me. Why do you?”
“I’ve watched you go from stumbling to sure, and you’re getting even stronger. You consistently take risks for people you care about.” She covered my hand with hers. “Also, maybe I’m in love with you a little. But that doesn’t mean I like you.”
This girl was a miracle. A miracle in love with me.“I don’t like you, either. But I’m a little in love myself.”
“We’ll find Jack. You’ll take your parents’ memories back, and then we’ll turn him in to Teague. We just have to—” Light flickered across her face, and she sat up quickly, pointing out the window.
Shock.
Ivy Springs was going up in flames.
Chapter 45
The sound of sirens bounced off the buildings lining the corridor of Main Street.
“We need to get out of here.” I scooped Lily’s sweater up and handed it to her along with her boots. “There’s too much smoke to see well, and I don’t like being on the second floor when I don’t know where the fire is.”
Lily pushed her arms into her sweater sleeves as she took off for the door. “I have to check on the shop.”
“Wait for me.” I shoved my feet into my shoes and pulled on my shirt as I followed her.
I felt the back of the door. It wasn’t hot, but when I opened it the acrid smell of smoke billowed through. It burned the inside of my nose. Lily started coughing immediately, and I slammed the door shut.
“We need towels.”
In the kitchen, she pulled open the drawer beside the stove and took a handful of dish towels. I turned on the water, and she held them under the faucet until they were soaked.
This time, we covered our noses and mouths before we went out the door. We hurried down the back steps, and I watched as Lily fumbled to unlock the back door of the coffee shop. “My key won’t work.”
She handed it to me and I tried.
“Something’s wrong,” I yelled. “It won’t even slide into the lock.”
“I don’t know. Go to the front. I’ll be okay once I know there’s no fire inside.”
We rounded the corner to the front of Murphy’s Law, but then we stopped dead.
The whole north side of town was on fire. Main Street burned with complete abandon.
Even from two blocks away, the heat pushed across the pavement with a physical force. Closer to the blaze, the asphalt became pliable again. The glass in storefront windows popped, cracked, and then exploded.
“How? This couldn’t have happened this fast.” Lily was shouting, but I could barely hear her. The roar of the flames sounded like a waterfall. “We would have heard something, smelled something.”
“Where are the fire trucks?” I took her hand and drew her close, assessing the situation. “I don’t even hear them now.”
“I don’t, either. Where did they go?”
“Lily! Kaleb!”
Tires squealed as Michael pulled over to the curb in front of Murphy’s Law. Emerson jumped out of the car and flew toward us at top speed, with Michael right behind her. She launched herself into Lily’s arms. “Where have you been? We haven’t heard from Kaleb since this morning, and neither one of you was answering your cell.”
“We drove down here to look for you,” Michael said, pushing down his fear, choosing concern instead. “And now … the fire….”
“I can’t get in touch with my brother.” Flames reflected in Em’s tears, and two escaped to roll down her cheeks. “This is everything he’s ever worked for, and it’s literally going up in flames. He and Dru both worked tonight—there was a party for the community theater troupe. Thomas always keeps his phone on him.”
“Thomas and Dru are at the Phone Company?” I asked, looking from Em to Michael. His frown deepened as he looked north.
Shock.
Em’s fear had become so familiar to me that I knew the second it came.
The Phone Company was on the north side of town.
“Emerson, no!”
Michael wasn’t quick enough. She’d already started racing toward the smoke. We followed.