Page 111 of Let it Burn
“Looking forward to it.” He said as he bent down to nip my lip. We lost ourselves in each other, making love until the early hours of the morning.
Soft lips pressedagainst my shoulder, waking me. I snuggled deeper into his hold, earning a groan.
“Good morning,” I said, pressing a kiss to the arm wrapped around me.
“Good morning, baby girl,” he said in a raspy voice, pressing another kiss to my neck.
I looked out the balcony window that gave us a direct view of the ocean and sighed. “This place is perfect.”
“I love this house. We used to come here a lot as kids during the summer. It was kind of a tradition. Parker stroked my hair as we spoke.
“Maybe we can make it a new tradition.”
“I’d like that.” He squeezed me tighter to him, I relished the feeling of his bare skin against mine.
“Are you excited to start working at the new firehouse?”
Tomorrow, Parker will start his first shift at the Oakland Ridge Fire Department. After going through training again, they had offered him a position. Their chief was retiring, and despite the rift in Chief Bradden and Parker’s relationship, he had given him a glowing recommendation.
“Nervous but mostly excited. I can’t wait to get back out there.”
“You’ll be fine. I believe in you. You’ve been working towards this for a while, and you deserve the position.” I turned in his arms to look into his eyes. “I’m so proud of you.”
“I couldn’t have done all of this without you. You put up with me during recovery, and you kept me sane on the days I really wanted to throw in the towel. This is as much of your win as it is mine.”
“We're partners, that's what I’m here for. You never gave up on me, and I don’t plan to give up on you.”
Parker kissed me passionately, unhurried, his hands roaming my body.
“You’re mine, Evelyn Howard, and I don’t plan on letting you go.”
“It’s a good thing that I don't want you to.”
He smiled that full, beautiful smile, the one that left me breathless most days.
“I was hoping you would say that.”
Releasing me and rolling from the bed, Parker went to his bag, returning with a box.
My eyes shot from the box to his face as he sat down on the bed beside me. Placing the box between us, he grabs my hands, placing one over his heart.
Tears start to form in my eyes, and I meet his gaze.
“I’m not sure how I survived almost thirty years on this Earth without knowing you. You have been the best and the greatest gift I’ve ever received, and I thank the universe every day that you came into my life. I didn’t know that one call would change the course of my life, let alone my career, but I’m so happy it did.”
I felt like my heart might burst inside my chest as I listened to his words.
“I’ve seen you at every stage of your journey, and I can say with certainty that I’ve never met a stronger person than you.You are beautiful, intelligent, witty, and clever. Your strength and your kindness inspire me. I want to wake up with you every day for the rest of my life. I never want to stop being on this journey with you. The love I feel for you grows stronger every day, and I would be so proud and honored if you would be my wife, Evelyn Maxine Howard.”
His voice shook as emotion overcame him. I couldn’t hold back any longer, I jumped up, throwing my arms around Parker, almost knocking us off the bed.
I pulled back and held his face, peppering it with kisses. He laughed and kissed me back enthusiastically.
Parker used his thumb to wipe the tears away from under my eyes.
“Well? Will you be Mrs. Evelyn Woods?”
I shouted, “Yes, a thousand times yes!” before melding my lips with his.
I was excited about my future, and the man I would be spending it with. I had found a family and friends who would be there for me when times got hard. I felt rich in life and love.
I knew Momma and Cellie were smiling down on me right now. I felt their love, too.
“I’m glad it was you that saved me that day.” I whispered into the crook of his neck.
“Me too,” he replied, hugging me tighter. “I can’t wait for forever with you.”
There was a time when I thought I was undeserving of a love like this. I was scared and afraid of getting lost in another person and giving my heart to them. Then he asked me to let him in, and he showed me what true love looked like. Our love was forged in fire—strong and resilient in the face of adversity. We had survived so much already, I knew that whatever the universe decided to throw our way, we’d land on our feet.
