Heartfire: A Second Chance Romance

by Joanna Blake

Mark had the good grace to flush but Michael didn't even blink. He'd always been like that. Stubborn. A brick wall really. Danny cleared his throat loudly and stepped forward.

  "We- Michael wanted you to have this. It's from Ma. It was her mother's. It's- ah- it's real old. You need that right?"

  I glanced at them. My brothers were quiet for once. I took the paper and unwrapped it.

  A pair of delicate gold combs with pearls and sparkly stones were nestled in a square of faded tissue paper. I stared at the package in my hands, a lump forming in my throat. Jamie's hand closed over mine, gently taking them from me.

  She smiled at my shocked face.

  "Let me."

  I nodded wordlessly and held still while she added them to my hair. It was styled half up and half down, with cascading fairytale curls she'd painstakingly set for me. She just pushed them in behind the pins that were already there.

  Then she stepped back and nodded.

  "Perfect."

  Mark and Michael stepped forward to take my arm but I shook my head and held my hand out to Danny. Then we walked inside the church.

  We stood quietly in the dark, cool stone vestibule. It was so peaceful in that moment as we waited for the ceremony to start. Danny cleared his throat and stared straight ahead.

  "Ma would have been proud of you Neddy."

  I felt tears in my eyes as the music started. I watched as the flower girls and boys walked down the aisle. Then my cousin and Drew's sister and sister-in-law as bridesmaids. Finally, Danny and I made our way into the church. Dozens of eyes turned to face me.

  I saw the firemen from Drew's ladder house and his brothers. I saw the staff from the cafe and Laney's bar. I saw kids I'd grown up with, and even a few of the young mothers I'd met in the park.

  But they weren't just staring at me.

  I glanced over my shoulder and saw that all three of my brothers were indeed walking me down the aisle.

  If I hadn't been in church, I would have laughed out loud.

  As it was, I did my best to hide my mixed reaction. I was annoyed for sure. Touched, kind of. But mostly, I thought they were ridiculous.

  They looked like thugs, all big muscles and serious expressions. I shrugged mentally. It was what it was.

  When I turned to face the front of the church, I saw him and everything else fell away.

  Drew looked so handsome in his suit, he took my breath away. But it was his eyes that caught me off guard. He was staring at me with love in his eyes. So much love it made my heart swell with pride. But when I got close he subtly shook his head and rolled his eyes heavenward. Then I did laugh. A startled, soft burst of laughter that no one heard or noticed, except my groom.

  When Danny stepped forward to hand me over to Drew, he winked at me.

  Then the ceremony began.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Drew

  "I do!"

  I flinched at how loud my voice sounded in the old stone church. The place had great acoustics. Too good really.

  But that wasn't why I practically shouted my 'I do's.' I was excited. Amped up. To say I was enthusiastic about marrying the girl of my dreams would be an understatement.

  A massive understatement.

  Not to mention she was the future and present mother of my children.

  I gave Kennedy a look but she was listening to the Priest as he asked her the same question he'd just asked me.

  "Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, until death do you part?"

  I held my breath as she glanced at me and smiled.

  "I do."

  I exhaled loudly and someone laughed. Maybe I was a little nervous. But suddenly I wasn't nervous anymore. She'd said yes. It was done.

  Kennedy was mine.

  I barely waited for the Priest to give permission before yanking Kennedy into my arms and laying one on her. A big one. With tongue.

  Mine. Mine. Mine.

  The crowd went absolutely batshit as I finally lifted my head. I stared down at my beautiful bride, hardly able to believe my luck. If I could go back in time and whisper to my seventeen year-old self that this would happen... I would not believe it.

  The most beautiful girl in Windsor Terrace was my wife.

  My wife.

  Mine.

  I grinned and lifted her up, making her squeal. I carried her down the aisle in my arms, smiling and nodding to everyone. I realized that people were laughing at me but I didn't care. I was carrying my bride out of the church dammit.

  It was tradition.

  "Drew! What are you doing?"

  "Carrying you over the threshold."

  "Not of the church! Of our home!"

  I stared at her, standing on the top of the church steps. Someone threw a handful of confetti at us. Kennedy had insisted on no rice because it was bad for the birds. Squirrels too apparently. I lowered her to the ground and shrugged sheepishly.

  "Well, it's our tradition. Anyway, I like carrying you. It makes me feel strong and manly."

  She blinked at me and her cheeks got pink. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my cheek.

  "Alright then. Knock yourself out."

  I grinned at her proudly and lifted her into my arms again. The crowd threw confetti as I carefully carried her down the stairs and all four blocks to the firehouse for the reception.

  When I finally put her down again, she was smiling ear to ear.

  Kennedy

  I was smiling into space as wellwishers surrounded me for what felt like the hundredth time. My cheeks actually hurt from smiling so hard and so long. I had a feeling my face would be sore tomorrow. Maybe longer. But I didn't mind.

  I was married.

  I was a wife.

  I was Drew's wife.

  To say that I was happy was a massive understatement. I felt like I was floating. Walking on air. Actually, all the sudden I was.

  Drew had picked me up.

  Again.

  "Come on, love. It's time for photos."

  I waved to Jamie, who was dancing with Kyle in her arms. Lowe was snapping pictures of them together. It was so cute, that I decided I liked them together. Not just that. I saw them together. Jamie might look wild but she had a huge heart. And Lowe was calm and quiet. Just like us, even though they were different, they fit.

  They'd make adorable babies together too.

  I mouthed two words to her that made her face go pale.

  You're next.

  She followed us out front to take family pictures. We posed with both sides of the family. Even my brother Danny stood in for a few pictures. Then it was just the two of us, taking our official wedding portrait. We walked down the street and posed in front of the firehouse. We even did a shot leaning against the truck.

  Suddenly, I was getting pulled back inside. But not to the party. The photographer held up his hands in confusion, clearly not done with his shots.

  "Where are you going?"

  Drew smiled gently.

  "That's enough pictures for now. I need a moment alone with my bride."

  He held my hand and pulled me to the back. Then he led me into the second story of the firehouse. I glanced down the hole with the firepole and back at Drew.

  "More than a moment, actually."

  He grinned at me, pulling his pants off.

  "I've always wanted to do this."

  "Drew!"

  He pushed me into the bunkroom and onto a bed.

  "Just lift your skirt up, sweetheart..."

  "Oh my God Drew! What are you doing?"

  "What does it look like? I want a quickie with my bride!"

  I shook my head but he didn't see me. He was too busy under my dress. His head disappeared beneath all the layers of tulle.

  That's when I felt his lips on mine. Not my mouth. My other lips.

  The really sensitive ones.

  "Oh! Drew..."

  I leaned back and stared at the ceiling, praying no one would come in while he started
doing that spelling thing with his tongue again. I tried to make out the words. I got the words 'wife' and 'mine' and 'day' but I couldn't concentrate after that. I bit my lip to keep quiet when the pleasure started to mount.

  Just when I was about to peak he stopped, popping his head out from under my skirt.

  He grinned at me, looking very pleased with himself.

  "Don't you want to know what I was saying?"

  I nodded, even though it was the last thing on my mind at that exact moment.

  "You are mine forever wife. This is the first day of the rest of your life."

  I gave him a weak thumbs up and he laughed at me, his lips glistening with my juices. He got me so excited, I was still getting past my shyness.

  "I love you, wife."

  "I love you, husband."

  Then he got back to work.

  Remembrance ~ Drew

  I stood with my fellow firemen, watching as the new plaque was added to the wall outside the station. We were shoulder to shoulder, waiting until the last screw was in place. Then we all applauded, clasping shoulders and shaking hands.

  The plaque wasn't for the dead this time.

  It was for the living.

  The Mayor of New York City had bestowed it on us for bravery during the warehouse fire. Lowe and I had gotten medals too. But this was something we all shared in. We were brothers, dammit.

  It was a day to celebrate that.

  And now it was time to party.

  Some of the wives and other firefighters were already in the park, setting up for a massive barbecue. But my wife, and my family, they were here.

  I scooped Kyle up into my arms and started walking down 7th avenue towards Prospect Park. He was getting big and starting to talk. Well, if 'mama' and 'dada' counted. I pressed a kiss to his soft waves. My heart had just about burst open when I heard him call me that the first time.

  My wife was distracted by her phone but I made her put it down when she walked. She was checking online sales for her new line of baby clothes. When people had seen the tux she'd made Kyle for our wedding, they had gone nuts and begged for more.

  My brilliant, beautiful, extremely pregnant wife had a bona fide hit on her hands. And I couldn't be prouder. I held her elbow firmly while I carried the kid with one arm.

  We passed a bodega and I nodded to Coop.

  "Grab some extra propane tanks."

  "No coals?"

  "Nah, Lewis' kid has asthma. Coal's no good. Besides, we inhale enough smoke as it is."

  "See you there."

  He ran inside. We kept going. I didn't want Kennedy standing on her feet too long.

  My gorgeous, genius, very round wife was about ready to pop.

  Any day now, we were gonna get to meet the newest Callaway. And I could barely wait.

  We got to the spot and were immediately surrounded by friends and family. It wasn't summer but the park was packed. It was a good thing we'd staked this area out early.

  I nodded to Kennedy's brothers.

  Having a few cops in the family didn't hurt. They'd set up police barricades the night before so no one would snag our spot on the hill. It was great location with room for the kids to go wild.

  I rolled out a blanket and helped Kennedy sink down onto it. Kyle was bouncing up and down in my arms as I made my rounds, saying hello to our extended fireman family.

  It was a big ass family, that was for sure.

  Brothers, sisters, wives, parents, aunts, uncles and especially kids were running around and eating. Talking. Being a family.

  I even let Kennedy's brothers hold Kyle for a minute. I still wasn't talking to them or pretending I liked them. I tolerated them. We were 'civilly coexisting.'

  Kennedy was taking her time deciding how exactly she wanted to handle her brothers. And that was alright. She was too kind to tell them to go to hell, but if she ever wanted to, I would be more than happy to do the honors.

  Still, they doted on Kyle. That had to count for something. He was pretty irresistiable though.

  I smiled and nodded, showing Kyle off to everyone. I checked in on my woman every two minutes with a look or a wave, making sure she was alright. She was surrounded by her friends, having fit right in with the rest of the wives.

  Hell, they all loved her.

  Everyone did.

  I saw her touch her belly and frown. I handed Kyle to Lowe and ran across the field in two seconds flat.

  "Are you okay, sweetie?"

  "More or less."

  I stared at her, trying not to panic as her face twisted in pain and she bent forward.

  "What the hell does that mean, Neddy?"

  Kennedy gave me a wry smile.

  "It means it's time."

  We were rushed to the hospital with a police escort. And a fireman escort. Hell, half of Windsor Terrace escorted us to the maternity ward.

  Everything was normal they said. I still hated it when Kennedy was in pain. And the pains came quicker and quicker. I felt a pang, realizing she'd gone through this without me the first time.

  Six hours later and I was staring down at an angel. A perfect, sweet, beautiful little angel. She looked up at me, her blue eyes sparkling just like her mother's.

  That's when I smelled it. The nurse did too. She gave me a funny look.

  "I think she needs to be changed."

  "Changed? What do you mean? She's not even wearing a diaper!"

  The nurse pulled the baby away from me and I saw my shirtsleeve was a little bit soiled. Guess those hospital baby blankets weren't too absorbent. I laughed and tugged my shirt off. My wife was looking on with an exhausted smile. Only Kennedy could look beautiful after what she'd been through.

  But she did. I winked at her and flexed, standing there in my undershirt.

  "I'm the one who needs to be changed."

  She smiled and told me to get a shirt out of the bag Janine had brought over. She'd been prepared for everything I guess. As soon as I was decent, she told me I could let the rest of the family in to meet the new addition.

  That's what we two were now.

  No- we four.

  We were a family.

  I pressed a kiss to her forehead and smiled down at her.

  "You ready for this?"

  She smiled at me.

  "Always."

  STOP!

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  Bound To Me

  The Delancey Brothers Trilogy

  Joanna Blake

  #

  Note about the Delancey Brothers Books

  Bound To Me is the second part in the Delancey Brothers Trilogy. This is only available here at this time! It will soon be rereleased in a special Christmas edition titled: Pheonix Rising: The Delancey Brothers Trilogy!

  Stay tuned!

  Xoxox,

  Joanna

  Chapters

  Note about the Delancey Brothers Books

  Chapter One - Mistaken

  Chapter Two - Seduction

  Chapter Three - Explosion

  Chapter Four - Premonition

  Chapter Five - Infatuation

  Chapter Six - Distortion

  Chapter Seven - Flirtation

  Chapter Eight - Rebellion

  Chapter Nine - Submission

  Chapter Ten - Distraction

  Chapter Eleven - Abduction

  C
hapter Twelve - Retribution

  Two Weeks Later

  Chapter One

  Daniel

  I pushed Black Jack to his limits, riding the stallion over the entire course. I did this nearly every morning now before his afternoon training session. Ever since the wild young horse had arrived.

  It kept him from injuring himself or the trainers.

  I was the only one the damned horse would listen to.

  I rode into the paddock and dismounted, tossing the reins to McDermott, the head stable master.

  "Your appointment is waiting for you Daniel."

  He winked at me.

  "What appointment?"

  "She was supposed to be here last week, remember?"

  I cursed. A rich city girl was here to breed her horse with one of ours. She'd been carefully instructed that the sooner in the mare's season she came, the better the chances that the mare would quicken.

  But the prearranged date had come and gone without a word.

  I'd had the staff call. I'd emailed. And then I'd written it off.

  I was inclined to ignore the matter entirely. Just to teach the lady a lesson in manners. Leave the horse unbred.

  But I couldn't.

  Jackson had personally tasked me with this client.

  Dammit.

  "Personally, I'd say she was worth the wait."

  I glanced at McDermott sardonically.

  "The mare or the woman?"

  He chuckled.

  "Both!"

  I smiled at his joke and patted Black Jack's flank.

  "Cool him down and clean him off. It's time for him to meet his first girlfriend."

  "What about you?"

  He gestured to my riding clothes. I'd been out for hours, sweating in the Texas sun. I looked down at myself.

  I pulled out a handkerchief and wiped my face.

  "That's as good as the lady is going to get. Where is she?"