relieved and thankful her baby was unharmed she kept kissing him and
hugging him. Fully recovered from his adventure, Caleb squirmed and
wanted to get down and play.
Rebecca found the two of them in the crowd. My God, Jessica, you could
have been killed, " she cried out as she lifted the baby. "Are you all
right? " Jessica forced herself to stop crying long enough to answer
her friend.
"Yes, I'm fine, but Grace is hurt. A beam must have fallen on her
head, " she explained.
"The doctor's looking at her now, " Rebecca said. "She doesn't
remember anything? " "I don't know, " Jessica answered. "Will you
watch Caleb? Don't let him out of your sight. I have to find
someone.
" "Jessica, we need to cover you first. Where's your robe? " "It
caught on fire, " Jessica said as she turned to search the crowd for
Cole.
"I'll find something for you to put on, " Rebecca promised.
Jessica didn't hear her. She had finally spotted Cole and hurried
toward him. He stood well away from the crowd and was watching the
house being devoured by the fire. He looked exhausted and was covered
from head to toe in soot.
She thought he was the most beautiful man she had ever seen. "Cole? "
She stopped and simply stared at him. Suddenly he seemed bigger than
life to her. The fire blazing in the background enhanced the fantasy,
for Cole was silhouetted in a hazy, burnished gold glow. It was as
though God had blessed him because of the courage he had shown in the
face of such danger.
"Did you want something? " he asked, puzzled by the look of joy and
wonder on her face.
She hurried toward him once again with the intention of thanking him
for saving Caleb's life, but when she finally reached him, a simple
thank-you didn't seem sufficient. She threw herself into his arms.
He buckled under the impact and instinctively put his arms around
her.
Leaning up on tiptoe, she embraced his neck, whispered, "Thank you, "
and kissed him passionately.
It wasn't a chaste kiss by any means, and Cole wasn't about to let the
opportunity slip past without taking full advantage.
He would have kept right on kissing her if he hadn't felt her tremble
in his arms. He pulled back then and tried to move away, but she
tightened her grip, and that was all the provocation he needed. He
kissed her once again and held her close.
Her head dropped down to the crook of his neck, and she began to sob.
All the pent-up emotion inside of her seemed to erupt then. His chin
rested on top of her head as she whispered her thank-you again and
again.
He gently kissed her forehead. "You're welcome." The moment would
never be forgotten, for the photographer captured the couple embracing
so passionatelyţhe, covered in soot, and she, wearing only a thin