She went silent, only a hiccup escaping her when she evidently tried to swallow back another sob.

When he was finished undressing her, he hurriedly divested himself of clothing as well and climbed into the bed with her, pulling her flush against his body so his heat would warm her.

She gave a drowsy sigh then yawned broadly as she nuzzled her face into his chest. He hoped the medicine was taking effect and that she’d soon drift off to sleep.

“Caleb?” she whispered.

“What, baby?”

“I realized something today.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

She hesitated a moment, her cheek resting on his bare chest, her soft breaths blowing over his skin.

“That I love you.”

His heart surged and his pulse began racing.

A fresh torrent of tears wet his chest.

“Ramie? Baby, why does that upset you? Hey,” he said, nudging her chin up with his fingers. Her eyes were glossy wet. Not exactly the reaction he’d hoped for when she made such an admission. “What’s wrong? Why does that upset you? You have to know that I’m pretty damn happy about the fact that you love me. I’d sure hate to be in this alone.”

“Because it scares me,” she said baldly. “If you don’t love anyone then you can’t be hurt. If something happened to you I couldn’t bear it, Caleb. I’ve never loved anyone before and I have to tell you it sucks.”

He laughed softly at her mournful tone and then he gathered her up in his arms, squeezing her tightly against him. He kissed the top of her head, smiling against her hair.

“I agree. It totally sucks,” he said, still grinning.

“If I didn’t hurt so bad I’d so jump your bones so I’m going to hang on to the sorry-honey-I’ve-got-a-headache line from last night.”

“I’ll let you get by. Just this once.”

“Caleb?”

“Yes, baby?”

“I really do love you.”

He squeezed her again, unable to control the urge to hold her as tightly as possible.

“I love you too, Ramie.”

“Caleb?”

He chuckled. “What, you imp?”

“That medicine you gave me made me loopy.”

“I see that,” he observed dryly. “Go to sleep, baby. I’ll be here when you wake up. I promise.”

“I’m afraid to close my eyes,” she whispered.

“Why is that?” he queried.

“What if I wake up and you’re not here and this was all just a dream?”

Again he nudged her chin upward and then fused his mouth to hers in a deep kiss. For several long moments, he did nothing but kiss her. It wasn’t overtly sexual and that was what he liked about it. It was just a sweet and innocent kiss, one shared by two lovers who were both in need of comforting.

“Does that feel like it’s all just a dream?” he whispered against her mouth.

“If it is then I never want to wake up.”

“Me either, baby. Me either.”

He held her in silence, simply stroking his hand up and down her slender spine. She made a deep sound of contentment and went limp against him. He continued his slow caressing until he was certain she slept.

Long after she had fallen into deep and dreamless sleep, Caleb lay there, awake, her in his arms, her soft body molded to his.

“Keep the people I love safe,” he whispered. “It’s all I’ll ever ask for.”

THIRTY-ONE

THE explosion rocked the entire house, yanking Caleb from deep slumber. He jackknifed up from bed, his pulse hammering in his neck and wrists.

“What the ever-loving f**k?”

He shook the fog of sleep from his mind, positive that he’d been having his own nightmare about losing Ramie in the explosion. But no. It was too loud. Too real.

Panic slithered up his spine and he reached desperately for Ramie, trying to rouse her from her drug-induced sleep.

His bedroom door flew open and Beau burst in.

“Get up!” Beau yelled. “You have to get out. The house is on fire.”

Caleb scrambled up, dragging Ramie’s limp body with him.

“Come on, baby. I need you to wake up. Come on, Ramie. Wake up!”

“Where are Quinn and Tori?” Caleb demanded. “What the f**k is going on, Beau!”

“We don’t have time for questions,” Beau yelled. “We have to get out now! Quinn’s getting Tori.”

Caleb threw Ramie over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry and surged into the hallway to see Quinn herding Tori toward the stairs. Quinn quickly recoiled, thrusting Tori behind him and then shoving her in the direction of Caleb’s bedroom, which was at the very end of the hall.

“Stairs and the safe room are out!” Quinn hollered. “We’ll have to go out a window.”

“We’re on the second f**king story,” Beau bit out.

Caleb didn’t waste time going over the logistics. Already he could see flames licking up the stairway. To his horror the ceiling collapsed at the other end of the hall where Quinn’s and Tori’s bedrooms were, and smoke came billowing up through the opening.

“Son of a bitch,” Caleb swore. “Everyone in my room. Now!”

Beau herded his younger brother and sister into Caleb’s room. Tori was obviously shell-shocked, her eyes wide and haunted.

“Get the window, Quinn,” Beau ordered. “Caleb’s got his arms full. We’ll have to do the best we can and hope we don’t break our damn necks getting out.”