Burned

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Burned Page 31

by Callie Bardot


  Blaire wore a white, satiny shift dress that draped loosely over her slightly swollen belly. She was eight weeks pregnant. The baby might slow her down a little in her duties with the department, but nothing could stop her from pursuing her dreams—she was a firefighter through and through.

  Her hair had grown out again and flowed around her shoulders. A few pink flowers had been woven through her hair by Cassandra, her new bestie, and her mother, Paulina, a kind, warm woman whom Jackson was starting to love in an unfamiliar but welcome way one shared a kinship with family.

  Blaire’s free hand was tucked into her father, Lucas’, elbow. Her other hand held a bouquet of white and pink roses.

  Her father wore a sharp, charcoal gray suit. His salt and pepper hair framed his dimpled grin.

  The brightest smile in the world shone from Blaire’s face.

  Jackson couldn’t turn away from her. Dressed in his best uniform, he clasped his hands tightly in front of him to keep them from shaking.

  Chief Andrés Menendez, who also had his marriage officiate license, stood at the small altar. His hands rested lightly on two books of poems Jackson and Blaire had chosen to read from.

  Jackson’s best man, Griffin, clutched the leash of Padre who sat by his side. Padre lifted his head and let out a mournful howl.

  Maxine and Midget, whose leashes were festooned with ribbons, sat by Cassandra, Blaire’s maid of honor. Hearing the howl, they began to bark in response.

  Everyone in the crowd laughed.

  Jackson chuckled nervously, glancing at the big Bloodhound who sported a pink ribbon on his collar.

  “She’s beautiful, right, Padre?” He stooped to pat the dog’s wrinkled head.

  Padre wagged his tail and let out another howl. He lunged toward Blaire, jerking his leash out from Griffin’s grip.

  Trotting toward her, he started to jump on Blaire’s pretty dress, but she held her hand out like a stop sign and said, “Sit.”

  Padre sat, looking up at Blaire adoringly.

  “Sorry,” Griffin said, his face bright-red. He hurried over, grasped Padre’s leash, and tugged him until he stood next to Jackson again.

  “This wedding’s gone to the dogs,” Mark Hubbard called from the crowd.

  More laughter ensued.

  “It’s perfect for firefighters,” Logan called.

  Blaire stepped toward Jackson. She released her father and beamed at him. “Thank you, Daddy.”

  Lucas leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “You look beautiful, sweetheart.”

  She kissed him back and then turned toward Jackson.

  “Are you ready?” she whispered so that only he could hear.

  “I’m so in love with you, I believe I’m floating. I’m about to soar into the universe,” he said in a low voice, his heart overflowing.

  Her smile broadened. She passed her bouquet to Cassandra and reached for Jackson’s hands.

  “Let’s do this, my super-hero lover.” She inclined her head toward the chief. “We’re ready,” she said softly.

  “Wait,” Zayden called out. A bright green streak dyed in his hair sparkled in the sun. “Share the story of your proposal so all can hear.”

  “Everyone already knows it,” Jackson said, grinning at his new almost brother-in-law.

  “I don’t know the story,” Danny Kowalski said. “Tell me.”

  “I asked her onstage at her brother Zayden’s concert in Seattle last fall,” Jackson said, turning to face his audience.

  “It was a packed house,” Zayden said. “It was an epic night. We’d done two encores. I called Jackson to the stage. I thought Blaire would explode in her seat. We had a camera on her to catch her expression and play it on a big overhead monitor. And the song I sang for them, ‘To the Moon, My Love,’ went viral the next day.”

  “Oh, I see. This is an endorsement for your band,” Jackson said.

  “Damn straight,” Zayden said.

  Chuckles broke out all around.

  Jackson gazed at all the onlookers. Most of his firefighter family gazed back at him. Blaire’s brothers and sisters were there, all smiling. He felt surrounded by love.

  He turned and beamed at Blaire. “That was the best day of my life next to this one.”

  “Every day with you is the best day of my life,” she breathed, her cheeks flushed.

  “Agreed,” he said.

  “Carry on,” Zayden said as he waved his hand with a flourish. Then, he threw his arm around the shoulders of the pretty redhead at his side.

  Andrés cleared his throat.

  The crowd stilled. The gentle crashing of waves provided a soothing backdrop of sound.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” Andrés began. “When two individuals fight hard to overcome adversity and polish the shared heart between them to a radiant shine, it’s a wondrous thing. The couple who stands before you, Blaire Edwards and Jackson O’Halloran, are two such individuals. Not only have they forged a bright diamond love that’s so palpable it touches the hearts of all around them, but they’ve also chosen to serve the community as firefighters and medics. We’re fortunate to have them.”

  A wolf whistle pierced the air, and everyone cheered and clapped.

  Once quiet hung in the air again, Andrés continued. “Let’s celebrate the love of Blaire and Jackson. They’d each like to share a poem which holds special meaning for them. Blaire, would you like to begin?”

  She nodded and took the book he held out to her. With shaking hands, she flipped it to one of the bookmarked pages, and said, “This is an excerpt of a poem called Raw with Love by a poet named Charles Bukowski. It’s how I picture thinking of you when we’re old and gray, rocking on the front porch.”

  “Oh, we’ll be rocking all right,” he murmured to her in a barely audible whisper. “But not in a damn chair.”

  Her gaze flitted to the onlookers, and a deep crimson stained her cheeks.

  She turned her head and met Jackson’s gaze.

  He swallowed, allowing himself to be engulfed by his feelings for her.

  She cleared her throat and began to read.

  “i will remember the kisses

  our lips raw with love

  and how you gave me

  everything you had

  and how I

  offered you what was left of me,

  and I will remember your small room

  the feel of you

  the light in the window

  your records

  your books

  our morning coffee

  our noons

  our nights

  our bodies spilled together

  sleeping”

  She bit her lip and looked up at him through her lashes.

  His blood began to heat and pool in his groin. Sweet Jesus, let’s get this part over with, so I can make love to her for hours.

  Her gaze flitted to his trousers, and she grinned.

  “the tiny flowing currents

  immediate and forever

  your leg my leg

  your arm my arm

  your smile and the warmth

  of you

  who made me laugh again.”

  She let out a small giggle. “That’s it, my love.”

  He couldn’t stop grinning. His body vibrated with nerves and joy, and so much sensation he could hardly contain it.

  “It’s perfect,” he said.

  “Jackson,” Andrés said, handing him the other book.

  Jackson clutched it and opened to the bookmarked page. “Sweetheart,” he said in a voice so husky he barely recognized it. “I searched and searched for the right poem. Everything seemed pale compared to what I feel for you. And then I found this one, by Pablo Neruda.”

  Her eyes moistened with tears.

  Jackson began to read.

  “I don’t love you as if you were a rose of salt, topaz,

  or arrow of carnations that propagate fire:

  I love you as one loves certain obscure things,


  secretly, between the shadow and the soul.

  I love you as the plant that doesn’t bloom but carries

  the light of those flowers, hidden, within itself,

  and thanks to your love the tight aroma that arose

  from the earth lives dimly in my body.

  I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where,

  I love you directly without problems or pride:

  I love you like this because I don’t know any other way to love,

  except in this form in which I am not nor are you,

  so close that your hand upon my chest is mine,

  so close that your eyes close with my dreams.”

  A lone tear slid down her cheek.

  “Oh my God,” she whispered. “It’s beautiful.”

  “May I have the rings, please?” Andrés said.

  Cassandra and Griffin each passed a ring to him.

  Andrés placed them on a small pillow. He extended the pillow to Blaire.

  With delicate fingers, she took the gold band in her fingers.

  “Repeat after me, dear,” Andrés said. “Jackson O’Halloran, with this ring, a promise of my eternal love, I thee wed.”

  “Jackson O’Halloran, with this ring, a promise of my eternal love, I thee wed,” she repeated, sliding the band over his ring finger.

  “Jackson,” Andrés said, extending the satin pillow in his direction.

  Jackson gripped the dainty ring between his thumb and forefinger.

  “Blaire Edwards, with this ring, a promise of my eternal love, I thee wed.”

  Jackson’s breath caught in his throat. “Blaire Edwards, love of my life, mother of our child, my breathtaking heart song, with this ring, a promise of my eternal love, I thee wed.”

  When he slid the ring onto her soft finger, he swore flames licked at his heart.

  “I now pronounce you husband and wife,” Andrés said. “Kiss her!”

  Jackson reached for her, wrapping his arms around her. He kissed her deeply, madly, utterly in love with her.

  A cheer rose from the crowd.

  Jackson eased away from her. He extended his elbow to her, and she tucked her hand in the crook of his arm. Then, they walked back down the aisle, amid celebratory cries, whistles, and loving murmurs, to begin the next chapter of their life. This one promised health, harmony, and a commitment to lasting love.

  They’d done it. He and Blaire had forged a path together, leaving their pasts where they were meant to be so they could walk into their future anew.

  About the Author

  Give me a gritty story, pushing through obstacles, followed by a chance at true love and I’m a happy woman. I fought for love, long and hard, and found it. Along the way, I had a lot of fun, figuring if something exists to be explored, I may as well explore it. How else can you figure out what you like?

  My books have won awards like Romance Reviews Reader’s Choice New Adult Erotic (Blurred Lines under the pen name Calinda B) and have landed on the NY Times and USA Today Bestseller’s list (Sugar Baby under the pen name Calinda B). If I’m not writing, you can find me under the water, scuba diving, or on land, hiking, saving lives as an EMT, or exploring my breathtaking surroundings in the Pacific Northwest, alongside my sexy, firefighting guy.

  Like fantasy and sci-fi? Look for my books under the pen name Calinda B. http://www.calindab.com/

  * * *

  Books by Callie Bardot:

  * * *

  Scorching Heat

  •Burned

  * * *

  Bad Boys Need Love, Too

  •Looks Like Trouble to Me, Uncut

  •Trouble Times Two, Uncut

  •Tracked by Trouble

  * * *

  Point of Contact

  •Blurred Lines

  •Sassy Aphrodite and her Sweet Dirty Mouth

  •Riding the Edge

  * * *

  Adrenaline Series

  •Crazy Love

  •Twist of Love

  •Sugar Love

  * * *

  Standalones

  •Fire

  * * *

  Books under the name Calinda B:

  * * *

  The Blood Stone Trilogy:

  •Grave Stones: Book 1

  •Heart’s Blood: Book 2

  •Iron and Blood: Book 3

  * * *

  The Charming Shifter Mysteries:

  •Storm Shift: Book 1

  •Power Shift: Book 2

  •Blood Shift: Book 3

  •Soul Shift: Book 4

  •Star Shift: Book 5

  * * *

  Standalones:

  •Night Whispers

  •Red Rex: Blood Echoes

  •Headspace

  •Meeting with My Maker

  * * *

  All books can be viewed on this page: https://authorcalliebardot.com/hot-romance-books/

  With umpteen books roaming the universe and more in her head, you can find her at www.calindab.com. Or, if you want to stay connected, join the exclusive mailing list! https://authorcalliebardot.com/hot-contemporary-romance-newsletter/

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  Also by Callie Bardot

  Adrenaline

  Crazy Love: A Rock Star Romance

  A Twist of Love: A Rock Star Romance

  Sugar Love

  The Key to Love

  Bad Boys Need Love, Too

  Looks Like Trouble to Me - Uncut

  Trouble Times Two

  Tracked by Trouble

  Point of Contact

  Blurred Lines

  Sassy Aphrodite

  Riding the Edge of Darkness

  Scorching Heat

  Burned

  The Diamond Club

  Fire

  Standalone

  Boxed Set: Bad Boys Need Love, too, Books 1 & 2

  Boxed Set: Point of Contact Series, Books 1 & 2

 

 

 


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