Chasing the Fire (Backdraft, Fully Involved, Flashover) by Kathryn Shay

unlocked it, and they stepped inside. “Nice,” she said when
he switched on lights. The sitting area sported a stone fireplace,
built-in shelving, hardwood floors and big stuffed furniture.
    “I’m glad you like it. I bought the place
with you in mind.”
    Exasperated with the comments, the
implications of his words, she turned to him and said, without
rancor, “Linc, please. Even if I believed you changed, I could
never trust you again.”
    “I won’t accept that. I spent seven years
trying to make myself believe I could live without you. When I
realized I couldn’t, I left everything and decided to woo you.”
    She shook her head. “I can’t be wooed.
Your actions won’t make any difference.”
    He propped himself up against the wall, and
she realized he was in pain. And probably exhausted. “Come on, I’ll
help you to bed, get you some ibuprofen and an ice pack, then I’m
out of here.”
    This time when she hooked his arm over hers,
he moved in as close as he could get. She remembered the times
they’d made love; it was as if they were trying to get into each
other’s skin. Right now, she missed that so much it hurt.
    When they reached the entrance to the
bedroom, she stopped short. “Oh, my God.”
    He didn’t say anything and just dropped down
onto a chair by the door. But she remembered…
    We’ll have a king-size bed.
    With a big quilt. I like dark green. Maybe
some stripes.
    How about teak furniture? One of my profs
has it in his living room. It’s cool.
    Teak it is.
    Skylights?
    Of course.
    A bathroom with a Jacuzzi.
    He’d kissed her nose. I think I can
accommodate you, m’lady.
    She sucked in a deep breath and stared at the
green comforter with yellow stripes, the teak headboard and
dressers, and three skylights above. She didn’t have to see the
bathroom to know what was in it. Overcome, she had to take a minute
to process her thoughts. Finally she came up with, “It’s a little
creepy, don’t you think?”
    “Ha. If you think this is creepy, look on the
shelves of the entertainment unit.”
    She should leave. But something drew her to
the wall facing the bed. A big TV, stereo, DVR in the middle
section. But on either side, there were framed photos…of her. Of
them. Together. She’d forgotten he was a camera buff and had taken
pictures of her all the time and asked others to photograph them
once in a while.
    There were shots of them kissing, of her in
bed looking as if they’d made love, of him half dressed. She felt
her eyes well. It was a minute before she realized he’d come up to
her. Grasped her shoulders. Once again, she felt encompassed by
him. For long seconds, she lost herself in his nearness, in the
safety and security his body made her feel.
    “I’m not giving up on you, Lisa Beth. This
ought to prove that.”
    Overcome, she wrenched out of his grasp,
hurried to the door, opened it and left. She couldn’t bear to be in
the room of living proof of what they’d lost.
    oOo
    “ REPEAT, FIREFIGHTERS ARE not to go
into the building until the police arrive.”
    “Roger that.” Lisa Beth spoke into the
two-way radio from her side of the Midi. Nearly a week after the
baseball game, she and Jackson had been called alone to a domestic
disturbance where the man inside had been seen through the window
wielding a knife. A neighbor had phoned in the incident.
    “It sucks sitting here,” Jackson said. They
both watched shadows cross the lightly draped window. “What do you
think? The smaller one’s the wife?”
    “Probably. According to previous reports, the
neighbors said they have these spats a lot. The police really
should do more about domestic violence.”
    “Yeah.”
    Silence. Then, “Shit, Jackson, did you see
that? A little shadow. Kid size.”
    “Damn it. Call the chief.”
    When she reached their battalion chief by
phone, Mitch Malvaso said, “No way are you to go inside until the
police arrive. You’re seasoned firefighters, you know that.”
    She glanced at