The second Jackson’s gaze met Blaire’s, as she strode toward him in the brightly lit hospital lobby, his heart soared. His steps quickened, and he closed the gap with long-legged strides until he could wrap her in his arms.
She reciprocated, squeezing him tight.
The pressure made his burns sting.
“Crap,” he said wincing. “Sorry, baby, no contact with my back.”
She withdrew her hands, holding them in front of her.
“Not so far away,” he said, taking her hands and placing them on his sides. “Here’s fine.” He resumed his hard hold of her.
“Oh, my God, Jackson. I can’t believe I almost lost you,” she said into his neck.
Emotion clogged his throat, making it hard to speak. All he could do was hold her, feeling her warmth, her softness, her presence. When he finally eased back from her to gaze at her beautiful face, tears filled both of their eyes. He studied her, reacquainting himself with every inch of her face.
The too-bright lobby emphasized the lines and shadows falling under and around her eyes.
She blinked rapidly, and tears spilled along her cheeks.
“I’ve been so worried,” she said.
He cupped her face with his palms and wiped the tears away with his thumbs. “I’m so grateful to still be here…with you.”
“You’re a mess, Jackson,” she said, grinning, bringing her hands up to place them on his shoulders. “They don’t let you shower here?”
“They didn’t offer. The nurses cleaned up my back and dressed my wounds so that part’s clean. I made an attempt at my hands…” He lifted his hands and studied them before letting them fall by his sides. “But you know how us wildland firefighters are.”
He winked at her before hooking an arm around her shoulder and heading toward the exit, past the square brown plastic chairs placed side by side and out the large glass doors.
“Yeah, dirt and grime are worn as badges of glory,” she said, snaking her arm around his waist. “I’ll take the grime any day as long as it’s on you.”
They strode toward her SUV, saying nothing. The night air was cool and smelled of smoke. A sliver of moon split the sky.
“That fire’s still burning,” she said, glancing in the direction of the mountains. She fished in her pants pocket for her key fob and blipped the vehicle locks open.
“Yeah, but I can’t fight it.” He blew out a breath.
“I know, I know, you’ve been benched. How could you trust your instincts after what you’ve been through? Give it a rest, baby.”
When they reached the vehicle, he said, “Wait. Before you get in, I’ve got something that needs tending to.”
“What’s that?” she said, pivoting to look at him.
“This.” He cupped his hand behind her neck, drew her close, and lowered his face to hers. When their lips met, everything inside of him ignited. He thrust his tongue inside her mouth.
She sucked on it, drawing delicious aches of pain. Her fingers hooked his belt loops, tugging him into her.
He winced.
She jerked her head back. “Oh, no! Did I hurt you again?”
“A little. My ass is tender. I don’t care.” He started to lower his mouth again, but she interrupted him.
“Where is it safe to touch?”
“Anywhere but on my back, butt, or shoulders,” he said.
She grinned and dropped her palm to his growing erection, stroking him through his pants.
“How about here?” She laughed.
“Perfect,” he said. He brought his lips to hers for another searing kiss. When he eased back, he said, “Let’s head home.” Remembering Jake’s request, he scrunched up his face. “Damn it.”
“What?” she said.
“I’ve got some shit to tell you. Let’s get in the car.”
Frowning, she nodded and made her way to the driver’s seat.
He rounded the front of the vehicle and opened the passenger door.
Once they were both settled and Blaire backed out of her parking spot, she said, “Spill the news. Is it about Jake?”
“Oh, yes.” Shame took hold of his gut, squeezing tight. “I’m afraid there’s going to be some big stories about how a local firefighter’s brother started the Sun-a-Do firestorm.”
“Oh, no,” Blaire wailed, gripping the steering wheel.
“Oh, yes. When I found Jake in the woods, he was high on heroin.” Jackson’s jaw clenched.
“Shit.” Blaire shook her head as she exited the parking lot.
“And, he conveniently didn’t bring a needle to inject his dope as he didn’t want Chase to find it. Instead, he brought aluminum foil and a candle to cook it.”
“Oh, God. That asshole!” She gave him a side-eyed glance. “I’m sorry, but he is an ass.”
He chuffed out a sigh. “Don’t be sorry. I told him I’m done with him.” His resolve was at war with his sense of sibling obligation. Then, he thought about baking in that aluminum shelter, not knowing whether he and his fellow firefighters were going to make it. His resolve won. “It’s for the best.” He rolled his lips between his teeth. “I’m going to catch some hell for being the asshole who brought him to the woods in the first place.”
“I’m sorry, baby. I’m so sorry.” She reached out and placed her hand on his knee. “I’m furious with Jake. We all could have died. You and your teammates could have died. I could strangle him with my bare hands.” Her fingers white-knuckled the wheel.
“You’ll have to wait your turn.” He turned to stare out the window at the horizon, dotted with light from the stores, warehouses, and homes.
“No one’s going to blame you for the fire,” she said.
“Aren’t they?” he said, before working his jaw back and forth. “If you almost died, wouldn’t you be a wee bit pissed at the asshole who started the fire, as well as the asshole who brought him into the woods in the first place?”
“You couldn’t have known,” she said with conviction.
“I should have paid better attention,” he said.
“We’ll get through it,” she said, squeezing his thigh. “I’m one-hundred percent with you, all the way.”
He smiled. “Thank you, baby. That means a lot.”
Out on the highway, they were surrounded by cars, trucks, SUVs, and motorcycles, each zipping to their own moments of destiny and obligation. Once again, that accountability word flitted before his mind.
“I have to be as accountable as anyone,” he said.
“What? Where is this coming from?” she said, flipping on her turn signal to exit the airport expressway and merge onto I-5.
“You know how I’ve been preaching about people being accountable for the last few months?” He turned to study her profile.
“Yes, and…?”
“I was thinking about it. I’ve been enabling my brother. I thought I was doing the right thing, but now I see I wasn’t. I should have let him fall on his own face.”
“You already mentioned that, remember?” Blaire sighed. “As much as I hate to say it, I agree.”
He nodded, pressing his lips together.
“I have some news, too,” Blaire said, smiling.
“Wait. I have one more bit to get out about Jake.”
She flashed another side-eye. “Okay. Shoot.”
“I agreed to take care of his dog until he’s able to do it.”
“Jackson,” she said, her lips tight.
“I know, I know. But an innocent animal shouldn’t be held hostage because his owner is an addict. I’ll build him his own kennel next to the girls’.”
“I hope it’s a small dog.”
“Uh…” he said.
“Oh, no. Tell me.”
“It’s a Bloodhound,” he said, scrunching up his face as he looked at her.
She said nothing. Instead, she kept her gaze glued to the road as they whizzed along the highway. “What’s going to happen to Jake?”
“I don’t know. I insisted he contact the police. They’re probably questioning him as we speak.” He waited, tense, for her reaction.
She nodded. “Okay. We can take care of the big dog. Don’t they have those wrinkled faces?”
“Yep, that’s the one.”
“He might be cute. The girls’ might fall in love with him.” She smiled, affording a glance in his direction. “We can manage one more dog. I’ll enroll him in the agility course. He’ll have to do some catch-up but…” She shrugged.
“Thank you,” he said, gratitude and love filling his chest. He let his head fall back against the cool window, suddenly overcome with fatigue.
“We’ve got a long drive ahead if we have to swing by Port Coyote,” Blaire said. “You should sleep.”
“Thank you,” he said, letting his eyelids fall. He quickly opened them. “Wait. You said you had news.”
“Right,” she said. “It’s good news.”
“Bring it on. I could use some good news.”
“They caught Karlos.” She practically vibrated with glee.
“Did they? How do you know?” he said, sitting up in his seat. Relief flooded his every cell.
“That FBI guy contacted me. Agent Vogel. He said they caught him, and he’s being held on numerous charges here in the States. He was an international criminal, not just in Venezuela.” She frowned, biting her lower lip.
Jackson sat straighter. “Baby, that’s fantastic! If we weren’t driving, I’d give you a big, old squeeze. Justice is being served all over the place.”
“Right? I’m over the moon.” She grinned. “We’ve got a long road ahead of us, but maybe it will be smoother with the criminals out of the way.”
“Here’s hoping.” Jackson let his head fall again. He was so tired. They did have a long road ahead. But for the moment, sleep was what he craved. They would deal with everything, one step at a time.
Once they’d picked up Padre, he could be done with Port Coyote once and for all.