Page 69 of Betrayed
“I really don’t know.”
“You weren’t home?”
“No, not long after I saw you, I decided to go for a walk to blow off steam. Glad I decided not to drink. If I had, I might have been passed out inside when the fire started.”
Will slapped him on the back. “I’m proud of you, man.”
Logan loosed a wry laugh. “I poured the glass …”
“But you walked away.” The pride on Will’s face almost made Logan laugh.
About twenty minutes later, AJ walked over to where the four of them were still standing. “It’s out. Still too hot to go in and see if anything is salvageable, but the fire is out.”
She looked exhausted, helmet hanging from her hand, soot streaking her damp face.
Yet she’d never looked more beautiful. She held his gaze, longing in her eyes.
He lifted his hands. He wanted to hug her but wasn’t a hundred percent sure she’d be okay with that.
She smacked her helmet into Will’s abdomen and, as soon as he took it, stepped toward Logan.
He closed the space and pulled her to him.
She encircled his waist with her arms, laying her head against his chest.
It felt so good to hold her, his wife, again.
He wiped away the hair plastered to her face. “Are you okay?”
She lifted her head. “As can be, but all of your things ...”
He shrugged. “It’s just stuff. I’m ready to talk, like really talk.”
Her eyes lit up. “Good.”
“AJ.” Ty called her.
Her countenance fell. “I guess I have to go back to work.”
“Until tomorrow morning?”
She nodded and let go of him.
Ty came over to them. “AJ, take the rest of the shift off. Be with Logan. I’ll call someone else in. Be with your husband.”
“Thank you, Ty. I need to get my shoes.”
Logan said, “I’ll take you. Thanks to whoever saved my motorcycle.”
Ty nodded toward AJ. “It was all AJ.” He took her helmet from Will.
She removed her turnout jacket and handed it to Ty. “Take this back too?”
“Of course.”
“It was my turn to make dinner.”
“Stop.” Ty pointed at her. “You are excused from firehouse duties.”
