"Uh-huh." She felt like she was going to be sick.
At that moment she heard Mr. Fleas give a yelp of agony. The phone slipped from her hand and dropped to the carpet beside Chubby. She could hear Gideon yelling, but she didn't care. All that mattered was the pained squealing of her pet.
"Mr. Fleas," she cried in horror. If he was dead, she'd never forgive herself.
She rushed into the living room just in time to see Mr. Fleas limping toward her, his eyes wide. The animal was bleeding, but she couldn't see what had caused his injury. There was nobody in the room. At least, nobody she could see. When the dog reached her, she scooped him up and clutched him to her chest. He was shaking and his sides were damp with sweat. Blinding rage joined hands with her terror. She loved her pets. They were her family. Somebody could mess with her, but nobody could mess with Chubby and Mr. Fleas.
Shaking with anger and fear, she searched the room, certain Amon was behind this.
"You're a coward, Amon," she said. "A coward."
She heard something scrape against the tile, but she couldn't see what had caused the sound. Where the heck is he? Why can't I see him? She clutched the dog tighter and stole a glance at Chubby who was still cowering in the hallway.
"Why aren't you coming out?" she said. "Show yourself."
Though uttering the words frightened her, she had to know where the enemy was. After all, she didn't want Amon to attack from behind. Then again, she wasn't sure what she would do if she was assaulted. She had a dog in her arms and couldn't hurt somebody even if she wanted to.
Still she took a cautious step forward and heard yet another ominous scraping sound. Something orange glowed in her living room. The smell of fire permeated her nostrils, making her eyes widen in horror. She stared down at the cream colored carpet and watched as it went up in flames as if it had been soaked with gasoline. Even from a distance, the heat was overwhelming. Mr. Fleas gave a frightened yap and buried his face in her arm. Behind her, she heard Chubby yowl in terror.
At that moment, she realized she'd never truly known fear until she saw the fire rising in her own living room. She didn't know how the flames were spreading so fast, but that didn't matter. She had to escape, had to get her animals out of her apartment before they died. She rushed toward the door as smoke choked her with angry hands. Though her lungs burned, she screamed and pounded on the door.
"Somebody help me," she cried. "I'm in trouble."
She pounded on the door so hard her fists bled. Meanwhile, the fire devoured her living room, leaving nothing unscathed. She was so hot that her body was drenched in sweat and she found it hard to breathe. Already tears of terror were streaming down her cheeks. In the distance, she could hear somebody's voice. It was the neighbor. Thanks to the thin walls, the person must have heard her screaming.
"This had better be good," she heard somebody say in the hall.
It took her a moment to realize it was Henry from next-door.
"I'm being burned alive," she said. "Open the door."
Henry uttered a profanity and tried to twist the door knob.
"What the heck?" the man said. "It's stuck."
"I know it's stuck." She sobbed. "I can't get out of he—."
The dining room table went up in flames, stopping her mid-word. The fire was so close now that the heat scalded her skin. As she stared into the bright orange flames, she realized she was going to burn to death in her own apartment. A frightened sob burst from her lips before she could stop it. She wanted to fall to the ground and puke.
That was when Chubby meowed in fear and gazed up at her.
Good grief, what was she doing? She couldn't give up and let her animals burn to death. Even if her entire body was burning, she had to find a way to escape from this apartment.
"I'm going to try to break down the door," she said.
"And I'm calling 9-1-1," Henry said.
"What's going on in there?" A woman's voice joined Henry's. Nora realized the person talking was Margaret, the woman who lived down the hall.
"There's a fire in there," Henry said, clearly panicked.
Nora ignored their talking and flung herself at the door, trying to force it open. Her shoulder screamed in agony, but she ignored the pain. Still nothing worked. She was too weak to break down the door. When she sucked in air again, her breath caught in her throat. She started coughing and discovered that she couldn't stop. Before she knew it, she was on her knees. She tried to breathe, but she couldn't. Sucking in smoke was like trying to inhale acid.
"She's dying in there," Margaret said. "We have to get her out."
The door rattled on its hinges and Henry cursed.
"It's no good," Henry said. "The door is too strong. I need to find an axe."
"There's no time," Margaret said.
No, don't give up…Don't…give…up…
She found it hard to see. Now she understood what it was like to be baked alive. The heat was not only roasting her skin, it was climbing inside of her and making her blood boil. As she groaned, Mr. Fleas licked her hand. His tongue was dry and cracked, but that didn't matter. Even now when they were all dying, her pets still loved her enough to remain at her side. She wished she could have done more for them.
"I'm sorry I couldn't save you," she whispered hoarsely.
She was so dizzy she could no longer sit upright. As she curled up in the fetal position, she tangled her fingers in Chubby's fur. Fear attacked her heart, leaving her quivering. She had so much left to do with her life. Even though she'd never realized it, she had big dreams. She longed for a husband and kids. If she died now, she would never have any of that.
The thought made her shiver. As anguish attacked, she didn't think of Robert or her mom. No, she thought of Gideon. His face filled her mind, even as the fire licked the carpet mere feet away from her.
"Help me, Gideon," she said. "I don't want to die."
The door crashed open. She stared up into a pair of caramel eyes. It was Gideon. How had he known she'd just called him? It was a miracle, she realized. God had saved her—and so had Gideon.
"You heard me." Her vision was fuzzy. "You came."
Gideon picked her up and rushed into the hall. She sucked in clean air and vaguely noticed that she was being showered with water. Her confusion made everything worse. Where is the water coming from? And what is that high-pitched noise? Then she realized it didn't matter why she was wet. Mr. Fleas and Chubby were still in the apartment. She flailed in Gideon's arms, about to charge right into the fire again to save her pets.
"It's okay, Nora." Gideon clutched her tighter. "It's me."
"Mr. Fleas and Chubby," she said. "They're going to burn. I have to save them."
"I have them," Margaret announced, holding out two wet animals. "They ran out as soon as the door opened."
She stopped thrashing as relief washed over her.
Suddenly, her mind began to clear. Everything was okay. She was with Gideon who was holding her tight. The reason why she was wet was because the apartment sensors had detected the fire and the emergency showers had turned on. The fire alarm was going off, which was what was causing the high-pitched noises. Nothing was going to kill her now. At least, not for the moment.
For some reason that was when the tears really started flowing. A sob burst from her mouth that was only halted by a hacking cough. She held onto Gideon, shaking so hard she was surprised he could still carry her in his arms.
Gideon groaned and started walking, but she was so busy crying and coughing that she didn't even realize that he was taking her outside until they were out the door. The other tenants followed them. Once they were in the parking lot, Gideon whispered her name so softly she almost thought she'd imagined it.
"I thought I was going to die." She buried her head in his chest. "I was so scared."
"I know." Gideon sounded as pained as she felt. "But you're okay now. I'm here."
She dug her fingers into his skin, desperate to hold onto him.
Gideon rocked her back and forth, not responding to her questions. She coughed between sobs, but she was speaking again within seconds.
"There's a fire alarm in my bedroom, but it never went off," she said. "Mr. Fleas was hurt, but there was nobody there to hurt him. And the fire…Gideon, what could have started it? I didn't see anyone. A fire couldn't have been started by nothing."
Her teeth chattered, even though she wasn't cold.
"You're going into shock." Gideon carried her over to a patch of grass in front of the building and lowered her onto it. He shrugged off his jacket and tugged it over her shoulders. "Here. Maybe this will help."
The second he was done helping her with the jacket, she held onto him and didn't let go. She needed Gideon more than she'd ever needed somebody in her entire life.
"Don't let me go." She knew she was practically choking him, but he didn't seem to care. "I need you."
"I won't." He returned her embrace and rubbed her back in soothing circles. "I'll take care of you."
"You won't leave?" She sighed against his shoulder, relieved to hear the words.
"I won't leave." He kissed her hair, even though it must have tasted like smoke. "I promise I'll protect you. I won't let anything happen."
"I'm glad." She shivered despite her attempt to stop. "And thank you for saving me. If it wasn't for you, I would have died in that fire."
"I would never let you die." He spoke with such desperation that she knew he meant the words. "By the way, when I broke through the door, I heard you say something odd. You said, 'You heard me.' What did you mean by that?"
She was too overwrought to care about being embarrassed.
"I called your name right before you rescued me," she said. "When I was terrified, the one I wanted the most was you."
Gideon pulled back enough to study her face. The man ran his fingers over her water dampened cheek, smudging the remaining soot that covered her skin.
"I'm honored," he said.
The man gently captured her lips. She could taste fire—probably it was due to the soot on her own lips—but she didn't care. Instead she shut her eyes, allowing herself to be comforted by his kiss. His embrace was tender and loving, comforting and secure. When she was in his arms like this, her fear wasn't quite as pressing. She sighed against his lips.
He pulled back and searched her face.
"Are you going to be okay?" His voice dripped with concern. "You were coughing a lot."
"I think I'll be alright." Her bottom lip trembled. "I think my heart is more damaged than my lungs."
"I'm so sorry." He shook his head, looking disgusted with himself.
"You didn't start the fire." She wiped a tear from her face. "Don't apologize."
Gideon held her closer and didn't reply. As she calmed down, she saw flashing lights in the distance.
"The police are here," she said.
As she watched, police cars, a fire truck, and an ambulance drew nearer. She knew that she would be the one receiving the most attention and groaned. The thought of being poked and prodded was stressful. She stiffened in Gideon's arms.
"Everything's going to be okay," he soothed.
At the moment, she wasn't so sure.
****
Time passed, but Nora wasn't certain how much. She'd been examined by a doctor at the hospital and had given her statement to the police. Thankfully, she now sat at Gideon's side in his truck, staring out the window. Both of her pets, who were too exhausted after their near-death experience to remember how much they hated Gideon, were sleeping in the backseat. Even though she was in a safe place with a man she trusted, she shivered, wishing she could reach the same level of relaxation as her pets. Right now, she was so nervous a bird flying by the window made her flinch.
Like usual, Gideon was astute enough to notice. He touched her hand, making warmth spread through her limbs. Somehow even that small action comforted her despite the size of her woes. She wondered why he was the only one who could soothe her aching heart when nobody else could. As she sighed and watched him, Gideon managed a pained smile.
"I think you need some rest," Gideon said. "You look exhausted."
"I guess." She shrugged.
"Let's go back to my place." Gideon placed the key in the ignition and started the truck. "I want you to stay with me until I figure out how to put an end to this mess."
She glanced at him warily, recalling the heated embrace they'd shared the night before. Despite what had happened, she decided she had no reason to worry. If he respected her enough to back off once, then he'd do so again. She could trust him.
"That's fine," she said.
"You must be scared if you agree with me so easily." Gideon pulled onto the road.
"I almost died today. Of course I'm scared." She barely managed to keep her voice steady. "To be honest, I never even knew how much I wanted to live until the fire happened."
"That's only natural." Gideon sighed.
"I suppose so. During that moment, I not only wanted to live but also realized what I want in life," she said. "It's strange, isn't it?"
"I don't think it's strange. You aren't the first person to have a moment like that." Gideon shrugged. "But I'm curious now. What is it that you want?"
At first Nora wasn't sure what to say. To him, her wish for a husband and children would probably sound laughable. Still she'd trusted Gideon with much more before this. She didn't think there was much point in concealing anything now.
"A family," she said. "I want a family. I've never had one. I keep imagining what it would be like, having a home and people to love."
As Gideon stopped at a red light, he glanced at her, his eyes glowing.
"That's a beautiful wish," Gideon said.
"Do you think so?" She was glad he didn't think it was ridiculous.
He touched her cheek again.
"Yeah, I really do," he said.
The same strange force was pulling them together again, making her long to rest her head on his shoulder. She wondered if it was like that for everyone who cared for someone. Was it normal to yearn to reach out and touch Gideon, if only to know he was still there? That was how she felt at that second.
Unfortunately, the moment was broken when the person behind them honked. Gideon looked away and paid attention to the road again.
"Where do you live, anyway?" she asked.
"In an apartment on Montgomery Street," he said.
"Montgomery Street?" Only rich people lived on Montgomery Street.
"You sound surprised," he said.
"I am." She nodded. "That's where the rich people live."
"I told you I'm not hurting for money," he said.
"Yet I've never once seen you work," she muttered.
The man chuckled.
"What?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Nothing." He managed a small smile. "I'm just glad you're being yourself again. You were so quiet for a while there it scared me. I like it better when you have your spunk back."
"Really?" She stared at him, flabbergasted. "You like it when I'm temperamental and stubborn?"
"I wouldn't put it that way, but in a sense, yes." He nodded.
"Oh." She fell silent and stared at her fingers.
Gideon pulled onto Montgomery Street.
"That's it?" He studied her. "Just, 'oh?' I expected you to argue or something."
"I'm not in my top form today." Her head was pounding, after all.
"Still not feeling well, huh?" He sighed and pulled into an apartment parking lot.
"Uh-huh." She nodded, rubbing the space between her eyes.
"Then I'll wait patiently for you to feel better." Gideon nodded as he parked.
Once they came to a stop, she jumped out of the truck. Despite her migraine, she still managed to appreciate the landscaping. A pond was surrounded by pine trees. A cobblestone walkaway led around the main building. A wrought
iron fence encompassed the area, protecting the tenants from unfavorable visitors. She knew a place of this quality had to have a swimming pool too. At her apartment, the closest thing they had to a pool was a ditch that filled with slime when it rained too much.
"Do you like it?" Gideon noted her appreciative expression.
"Well, it sure beats my apartment." Especially now that her unit had been lit on fire. "I'm surprised you can afford to live here."
Gideon shrugged and didn't comment.
With a frown, she opened the backdoor to grab her pets. She picked up Chubby and placed him on her shoulder. The cat looked at her sleepily and gave a soft meow.
"Do you want me to carry him?" Gideon asked. "Two animals may be a lot for you to handle."
She nodded. Chubby was heavy. Unfortunately, when she tried to give Gideon the cat, the animal clawed him. Gideon immediately withdrew as the feline hissed. The dog perked up and growled, making his displeasure known as well.
"I guess I'll carry them both." It wasn't like she hadn't carried them before. "I just don't understand why they don't like you. Heck, you saved us today."
"I suppose that's the life of an unsung hero." Gideon feigned disappointment.
"Uh-huh." She snorted. "I'm sorry you haven't reaped proper rewards for all of your courageous deeds."
"Well, you could give me a reward." Gideon grinned at her. "I saved your life too, after all."
"A reward?" She didn't like where this conversation was headed.
"I believe it's standard procedure for the hero to kiss the one he rescued," Gideon said.
She looked at Chubby and then at Gideon.
"You know what, I do believe you're right," she said.
"You do?" The man did a double-take.
"Yep." She nodded. "How about a kiss?"
"Right now?" He looked as if he couldn't believe his ears.
She nodded.
"Wow." He grinned. "Maybe this playing hero stuff isn't so bad."
The man stepped forward to kiss her, but she shoved Chubby in his face. She knew it was mean to include the poor cat in their bantering, but the horrified look on Gideon's face made it well worth it.
"What are you doing?" He started at the scrunched face of the feline.
Tempting Nora Page 20
