9 1/2 Days

by Mia Zachary

  But her rejection felt too much like all of the times he’d reached out to his parents, only to find himself rebuffed or ignored. To keep from thinking about Jordan, Danny retreated to the straightforward demands of his job, even taking extra shifts on what were supposed to be his days off.

  It seemed that Tuesday night at the fire station might be quiet. There had been few calls during the day and the second shift was pretty relaxed as a result. Having spent the past two nights tossing and turning, Danny crashed out on one of the beds upstairs. Sleep eluded him for the longest time until he finally dropped into an exhausted slumber.

  Around seven o’clock he was awakened by the strident peal of the alarm bell. Instantly going from sleep to full alert, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and into his steel-toed rubber boots. In the same motion he pulled up his bunker pants and snapped the suspenders in place. Danny stuffed his arms into his turnout coat as he raced for the stairs. The thunderous rumbling of the diesel engines filled the station and the bay doors were already opening.

  The first rush of adrenaline hit his system as he jumped onto Ladder 24, listening to the dispatcher announce what they were facing. Fire in progress, commercial building, corner of Pratt and Howard streets. The second rush was a spiked fist in the gut. Oh, no. Had he heard the address right? No. Danny fumbled beneath his protective clothing for the cell phone in his trouser pocket.

  Mike Cornwall yelled at him over the sirens as the fire truck roared along Pratt Street past King Boulevard. “Who the hell are you calling?”

  “That address. It’s the CB&L building. Jordan works there.”

  Danny stuck his index finger in his ear, listening for the connection to go through. Her home phone rang and rang, with no answer. He knew David was out with friends, leaving him free of worry about his brother. But where was Jordan?

  Oh God, he hoped she wasn’t working late tonight. She’d said there was an important trial coming up, but she must have left the office by now. Please let her have left. He dialed the direct line to her office and got a busy signal. Shit!

  Danny banged his fist on the roof and yelled at the chauffer, the firefighter driving the big ladder truck. “Move this thing!”

  Mike leaned forward. “What’s up, L.T.?”

  He swallowed against the nausea, practically choking on the words. “Her office line is busy. I think she’s still in there.”

  Sirens screamed into the night, the sound reverberating off the skyscrapers and empty streets. Every fiber of his being hummed with dread as they got closer to the CB&L building. Through the tinted-glass windows, he could see the orange light of dancing flames on the middle floors.

  The law firm was on the fourteenth.

  Ladder 24 was the second company to arrive on the scene. Protocol dictated that they lay down supply lines to the first engine, which had only tank water to attack the fire. But Danny couldn’t wait for the third-on-scene company to perform the necessary search and rescue. He grabbed an SCBA tank from the equipment rack and donned his mask, then leaped off the truck and sprinted for the building.

  He had to find Jordan. Now.

  “You know we’re going to catch hell for this, don’t you?”

  Danny glanced over to see Mike running at his side. Too grateful to speak, he simply nodded his head and ran on.

  The lights were out, indicating that power had been lost. Several hoses snaked across the marble floor of the lobby. Mike almost tripped when the pressurized water rammed through the one and a half inch diameter line. Danny yanked the flashlight from his utility belt and turned it on.

  A firefighter from Engine 32 came out of the stairwell, helping a distraught woman and reassuring the three other civilians with him. Shit. There were still people in the building. Danny and Mike reached the bank of elevators and he frantically flipped through his ring until he found the right key. “Where’s the focal point, Stonewall?”

  Mike listened to the radio on his shoulder. “Twelfth floor. Some kind of office supply and photocopy business.”

  He overrode the elevator doors. As they stepped inside, Mike pulled his mask onto his face. Danny shoved the key into the slot marked Fire Service and pressed the call button for twelve. His stomach plummeted as the car ascended. It was an unspoken rule that firefighters never discussed their fears with anyone, not even each other. But Mike had been his friend and partner long enough to read his face in the golden glow of their flashlights.

  “Don’t sweat it, L.T. I’m sure she’s fine.”

  When the elevator opened onto the twelfth floor, Danny saw that it was fully engaged. Flames licked the walls and spread up across the ceiling. Thick smoke billowed throughout this floor, giving the fire scene a murky, ethereal appearance. Hose crews from another company were already battling the blaze. Mike looked over at him and, by unspoken agreement, he punched the button to shut the elevator doors again.

  “Fourteen, Mike. Head straight for fourteen.”

  The smoke was thick up here, too, making an already dark area completely obscure. Playing their flashlights over the floor in front of them, they found the reception desk. Danny knew that Chase, Behr & Lily took up the whole floor, but he had no idea where Jordan’s office was located.

  “Split up. You take this hallway. I’ll take the other.”

  Mike nodded. “Let’s do it, L.T. We’ve only got another fifteen minutes of air.”

  His pulse stuttered along his veins as he jogged down the passageway, flinging open doors to look for Jordan or anyone else that might have been overcome by the smoke. His hope grew with each empty office he found, but there were still too many left to check. He fervently prayed that Jordan wasn’t anywhere in here. Every moment that slipped away could mean a moment off of her life.

  Then he heard it. The ominous whistling noise. The shrill sound warning him that he only had a quarter tank of air left. Fear as he’d never known it before slammed into him like a freight train. He couldn’t leave, not yet, not until he was sure. He began panting into his mask to conserve precious oxygen as he rushed toward yet another closed office door.

  But the exertion was too much. Darkness crept along the edge of his consciousness. No. Not yet, damn it. Not now. He…had to…find… Fairy lights danced in front of his eyes and Danny knew he was in danger of blacking out. His strength ebbed and he felt himself sinking…

  He couldn’t see. He could barely breathe. But he knew there were bodies all around him, trapped in the wreckage of the building and the plane, and he was helpless to save them.

  Jordan. He had to save Jordan. His heart thundered in his chest and in his mind he cried out to her.

  It was a nightmare of intense heat and unrelenting fear. Oily black smoke filled the air, surrounding him. Oh God, he couldn’t breathe.

  Danny struggled against the terror. He couldn’t give in, not this time. He had to be strong. If he got a second chance, he wouldn’t waste it, he wouldn’t take it for granted. He’d been wrong, so wrong. Jordan had offered him the gift of her love and he’d been too afraid to reach for it, too afraid of it slipping through his hands. He couldn’t lose himself in the fear. He wouldn’t lose her.

  There was no way out. Fires raged in a seething inferno of boiling smoke. They’d already lost four in that warehouse. He was out of air. Tears welled in his eyes. The darkness was coming and he couldn’t find the light…

  Jordan.

  As if from a great distance, he heard a voice yelling for him. “There’s nobody here! We have to get out. L.T.? L.T.!”

  Mike dragged him to his feet. Then he hazily realized his partner had him in a fireman’s carry. Somehow he held on until they made it back to the elevator. Mike overrode the doors and tossed him inside. Danny propped himself against the wall and ripped the shield off his face. Mike replaced it with his mask. Danny gasped for breath as the pure, sweet oxygen filled his starving lungs.

  Stonewall looked at him with a combination of humor and concern. “Man, the dumb-assed things we do f
or love.”

  From behind the air mask, Danny managed a weak grin. By the time the elevator reached the lobby, he felt steadier on his feet. Again a silent look of understanding passed between him and his partner so that Danny walked outside unassisted. As they approached the nearest fire engines, the Battalion Chief came gunning for them.

  “I told you we’d catch hell,” Mike muttered.

  Danny leaned against the bumper of the truck, his eyes scanning the onlookers huddled behind the police barricade. Suddenly, through the crowd, the darkness and the commotion, he saw her. His relief at knowing Jordan was all right almost brought him to his knees.

  He shoved past the Bat Chief in mid-harangue and ran toward Jordan. She cried out his name when he reached for her. As her hands cupped his cheeks, he felt her love touch his soul. Overwhelmed by the intensity of his feelings, Danny buried his face in her shoulder and held on, knowing he’d never again let her go.

  DANNY HAD TO GO BACK and help battle the fire, so Jordan had been left to come home alone with only concern to keep her company. That was hours ago. She’d fallen asleep on the sofa, not waking until well after midnight.

  She got up and changed out of her suit into an old pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. It didn’t matter anymore if Danny saw her looking less than perfect. She knew now that she didn’t have to be perfect for him, that she was beautiful in his eyes. Jordan paced the living room of her row house, anxiously waiting for him to show up. The thick carpeting bore the imprint of her bare feet as she wandered the house.

  As though her thoughts conjured his presence, the doorbell rang. She ran to answer it. Danny stood on her doorstep, simply gazing at her with an expression of tenderness and longing. He’d showered and changed clothes, but the specter of tonight’s fire still enveloped him.

  Jordan wrapped her arms around him, sensing that he needed comfort and reassurance. “It’s all right, Danny. I’m okay.”

  “I thought you were still in the office.” His rich voice was husky with emotion. “I thought I would lose you.”

  “It’s okay now. Come inside.”

  Holding hands, they moved to the sofa where Danny settled her onto his lap. She slipped one arm behind his neck while he hugged her around the waist and nuzzled her cheek. They sat in silence, simply touching and physically expressing their joy at being together again. Jordan brushed a kiss over his temple and heard his soft intake of breath.

  Danny tightened his arms around her. He closed his eyes and she noticed his lower lip quiver before he pressed them into a firm line. When he sighed again, she felt some of the tension ease from his muscles. Without relinquishing his hold, Danny finally spoke.

  “I didn’t realize how empty my life was before you came into it. I’ve never let myself get close to any woman, always pushing them away before they could disappoint or hurt me. I didn’t let myself care when it was over. I made sure I was the one to walk away.”

  Jordan caressed his upper back, encouraging him to continue. When he looked at her, there were shadows in his eyes.

  “I withdrew even more after September eleventh. That day made me realize how fragile life is, how quickly someone you love could be lost. I refused to take a chance on any relationship, knowing that the pain would be unbearable. But I’ve learned the hard way that you can’t go through life without taking the biggest risk of all. That’s not really living.”

  Danny’s voice broke, breaking her heart along with it. The emotion evident on his face mirrored everything she was feeling. “So, I’m taking the chance. I’m saying it out loud, without hesitation and without fear. I love you, Jordan. With all my heart, I love you and I always will.”

  This was everything she’d hoped for, all that she’d once wanted. To be part of a couple, to have someone in her life as a friend and a partner. She’d always believed that having a man accept and love her would make her whole. But instead, she’d discovered that giving love was what made her complete.

  “I love you, Danny. I love you so much.”

  Danny held on to her, gently rocking and whispering words of comfort in her ear. After a moment she stopped crying and he brushed the tears from her face. Jordan leaned closer and pressed her mouth to his in a slow, sensual kiss.

  “You may not have realized, Danny, or wanted to admit it, but you’ve shown me your love in so many ways. It’s in the way you look at me, the way you smile, the way you touch me. And now it’s my turn to show you.”

  Jordan smiled gently as she stood up and took his hand to lead him toward the stairs. In her bedroom, she walked over to the night table and switched on the small bedside lamp. Returning to stand proudly before Danny, she stripped off her clothes, knowing that her flaws were exposed, but not caring.

  He gathered her into his arms, holding her tightly in his embrace. She could feel his heart beating in time with her own. She kissed him hungrily and he opened to her. His tongue traced sensual patterns inside her mouth as he glided his hands over her body.

  Jordan broke the kiss and went over to lie down on her bed. Danny quickly shed his clothes and joined her, easing her back onto the smooth linen sheets before covering her body with his own. He claimed her mouth as she stroked her palms along the muscles of his bare back.

  Heat, warm and penetrating, increased the fierce desire arcing between them until the kiss became eager and urgent. When Danny positioned himself between her legs, she spread her thighs, draping her calves over his, urging him to claim her completely. He began thrusting heavily and she lifted her body to meet him. The slow, insistent throb became a deep pulsating need until the orgasm shuddered through her. A moment later Danny’s body tensed and he cried out his release.

  Afterward, she lay cuddled against his side, her head resting on his chest, his arm draped over her back. She planted a kiss on his warm skin then raised her head to look at him. “Thank you for loving me, Danny. And thank you for helping me learn to love myself.”

  “My pleasure. The homework assignments have been a lot of fun.” He wiggled his brows suggestively, then his expression softened. His rich voice was hoarse with feeling. “I love you very much, Jordan.”

  His kiss was gentle and sweet. As she began to drift off to sleep, Danny reached over for the lamp and turned out the light.

  Epilogue

  “HEY, PRETTY LADY.”

  Jordan smiled as she heard Danny’s voice on the other end of the phone. “Hi, sweetheart.”

  “Go do the hair-and-makeup thing and put on a dressy outfit. I’ll come pick you up in about thirty minutes.”

  She looked down at the hole in the right knee of her jeans, then at the yellow latex glove on her left hand. Her Saturday morning had been spent on routine housecleaning. When the phone rang, she’d been scrubbing the grout between the kitchen tiles.

  “I need more than a half hour to get ready.”

  “Sorry, you can’t have it. I’m initiating our anytime agreement. See you in thirty.”

  “Danny—”

  He’d already hung up. Jordan set down the receiver and smiled. Anytime, huh? She pulled off her glove and quickly put away the cleaning supplies. Although the agreement she and Danny made was supposed to have ended over a month ago, they still took pleasure in being spontaneous and acting out the occasional fantasy.

  She glanced at her watch and made a dash for the stairs. They were more than halfway through the Fifty Fast Fantasies book. Which one had he chosen this time and why did she have to dress up? Could it be A Rise from the Boss? Or maybe it was Dropping His Legal Briefs? Her pulse fluttered in anticipation. Whatever the fantasy, it would be acted out with the man she loved.

  Exactly thirty minutes and twenty seconds later, Jordan opened the door for Danny. She grinned when he whistled appreciatively. Turning in a circle, she modeled her cream wool sweater dress and the purple boots Sheris had given to her. She’d left her hair down the way he liked it and kept her makeup to a minimum.

  “You look beautiful, Jordan. Love the boots.”
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  “You’re looking pretty fabulous yourself.” She eyed the muted pin-striped charcoal suit that fit his broad shoulders and lean build like a second skin. “So, where are we going and what happens when we get there?”

  Danny reached into his jacket pocket. When she saw the items he removed, she burst into giggles. He grinned at her as he held up a silk necktie and a medium-sized banana. “You know the routine, darling. Stay quiet and walk toward the Jeep.”

  “You’re kidnapping me?”

  He closed the front door behind them and brandished the fruit at her. “No funny business, lady. I don’t want to have to use this.”

  Danny helped her into the vehicle and then he carefully secured his necktie over her eyes. Jordan heard him open the other door, slide into the driver’s seat and start the engine. Though she couldn’t tell how far they traveled, the time passed quickly with laughter and flirting and kisses at traffic lights. Before she knew it, Danny had stopped the Jeep.

  “Where are we?”

  “This fantasy is different from anything we’ve done before. And, I have to admit, I’m a little nervous.”

  “Really? Ooh, must be kinky.” Jordan wiggled her brows beneath the necktie. “What’s this one called?”

  She felt Danny take her left hand and suddenly her heart fluttered when he slipped a ring onto the third finger. Omigod. Jordan ripped off the blindfold and stared. The square-cut solitaire nestled between two rows of smaller diamonds glittering in the October sunlight.

  “Oh. My. God.”

  “The name of this fantasy is Be My Bride. No more faking, Jordan. This ring is real and so is my love. Will you marry me?”

  “Yes. Absolutely. Yes, yes, yes!”

  A wide smile spread across her face as she felt tears sting her eyes. In his gaze she saw all the love she felt reflected. Jordan reached over the gearshift to give him a hard, passionate kiss. Danny leaned back a moment later and looked at her with a tender expression.