sticking out almost like someone had set it up on purpose. Regina took a lot of pictures but…” Her babbling came to a halt. “Regina, where’s your camera?”
Regina looked down at where the camera had hung around her neck, then stared for several moments in disbelief before saying, “Well, damn.” She glared at Riley as if it might be his fault. “It’s gone!”
Rosie scowled. “I bet the man who carried Regina out took it. He did seem mad that she was using the camera. I don’t know where he went but I did see him leave with her.”
“You said you went upstairs?” Riley didn’t seem in any hurry to put Red down.
Rosie nodded, sending her frazzled hair to bounce around her face. “I climbed out a window, into that big tree behind the building. The fire blocked the alley so I had to go two buildings over to cut back to the street.”
The firefighter touched her arm. “Thanks. I’ll want to talk to both you ladies later. In the meantime, if you see that man, let me know right away, okay?” He waited for her nod, then headed off to once again force on-lookers back.
Rosie lifted her face and touched Ethan’s mouth. Her fingers were trembling, her eyes a little red. “I’m so sorry if I scared you.”
“Scared me? I was more than scared, Rosie.” He kissed her gently. “I love you, damn it.”
“I don’t want a big wedding.”
Not sure he’d heard her right, Ethan frowned. “What?”
She fisted her hands in his shirt and tried toshake him. “We’re getting married at a justice of the peace as soon as possible, and that’s that. Do you understand me?”
Ethan looked at Riley, who raised both brows and shrugged. Against his throat, Red murmured, “They’re in love. They’re getting married.”
“I see.” Riley kissed her ear. “Let’s let the paramedics take a look at you, okay?”
“But I’m fine.”
“We’ll do it anyway.”
Disgruntled, she said, “All right, but at least let me walk.”
“No.” Riley headed for the ambulance that had just pulled up.
Ethan watched him carry her off, a little surprised though he didn’t know why. Riley was…well, he was more dangerous than any modern man should be. He’d joined their group after they all met on a fishing trip. Since then, they’d been good friends, but Ethan was always aware of Riley’s sharper edge and thinly veiled civility. He hid it well, but there were times, such as now, when his primitive instincts shone loud and clear.
Ethan had seen hints of it with the way Riley fought, how he remained alert at all times, the precise gentleness he utilized in his everyday life,as if he had to concentrate on that because it didn’t come naturally.
This was the first time he’d seen his armor crack around a woman. Interesting.
Shrugging away those thoughts, he gave his attention back to Rosie. “Honey, we can get married any way you want. It was stupid of me to—”
“You heard me, Ethan Winters.” The rest of the roof caved in with a thunderous crash. Rosie jumped, gripped him tighter and raised her voice accordingly. “It’ll be a small wedding, damn it, just us and the guys and well…maybe Regina.” She looked worried, and watched him with a frown. “You won’t mind that, will you? I like her and I kind of think Riley does, too.”
“You kind of think, huh?” Ethan glanced over at the ambulance where a paramedic tried to convince Riley to set Red down. Ethan grinned, knowing Riley had just claimed a woman in the most elemental way known to man. No way would he relinquish his hold on her. “I’d kind of say you’re right.”
“I do love you, Ethan.”
He sat—or rather his knees gave out—but he caught Rosie on his lap. “As long as I get you and the house and the dog and the kids, nothing else matters to me.”
She beamed at him. Ethan pushed her singed hair away from her face and kissed her. “You’re making me old before my time.”
She sighed. “Well, as long as I’m the only one
Regina looked down at where the camera had hung around her neck, then stared for several moments in disbelief before saying, “Well, damn.” She glared at Riley as if it might be his fault. “It’s gone!”
Rosie scowled. “I bet the man who carried Regina out took it. He did seem mad that she was using the camera. I don’t know where he went but I did see him leave with her.”
“You said you went upstairs?” Riley didn’t seem in any hurry to put Red down.
Rosie nodded, sending her frazzled hair to bounce around her face. “I climbed out a window, into that big tree behind the building. The fire blocked the alley so I had to go two buildings over to cut back to the street.”
The firefighter touched her arm. “Thanks. I’ll want to talk to both you ladies later. In the meantime, if you see that man, let me know right away, okay?” He waited for her nod, then headed off to once again force on-lookers back.
Rosie lifted her face and touched Ethan’s mouth. Her fingers were trembling, her eyes a little red. “I’m so sorry if I scared you.”
“Scared me? I was more than scared, Rosie.” He kissed her gently. “I love you, damn it.”
“I don’t want a big wedding.”
Not sure he’d heard her right, Ethan frowned. “What?”
She fisted her hands in his shirt and tried toshake him. “We’re getting married at a justice of the peace as soon as possible, and that’s that. Do you understand me?”
Ethan looked at Riley, who raised both brows and shrugged. Against his throat, Red murmured, “They’re in love. They’re getting married.”
“I see.” Riley kissed her ear. “Let’s let the paramedics take a look at you, okay?”
“But I’m fine.”
“We’ll do it anyway.”
Disgruntled, she said, “All right, but at least let me walk.”
“No.” Riley headed for the ambulance that had just pulled up.
Ethan watched him carry her off, a little surprised though he didn’t know why. Riley was…well, he was more dangerous than any modern man should be. He’d joined their group after they all met on a fishing trip. Since then, they’d been good friends, but Ethan was always aware of Riley’s sharper edge and thinly veiled civility. He hid it well, but there were times, such as now, when his primitive instincts shone loud and clear.
Ethan had seen hints of it with the way Riley fought, how he remained alert at all times, the precise gentleness he utilized in his everyday life,as if he had to concentrate on that because it didn’t come naturally.
This was the first time he’d seen his armor crack around a woman. Interesting.
Shrugging away those thoughts, he gave his attention back to Rosie. “Honey, we can get married any way you want. It was stupid of me to—”
“You heard me, Ethan Winters.” The rest of the roof caved in with a thunderous crash. Rosie jumped, gripped him tighter and raised her voice accordingly. “It’ll be a small wedding, damn it, just us and the guys and well…maybe Regina.” She looked worried, and watched him with a frown. “You won’t mind that, will you? I like her and I kind of think Riley does, too.”
“You kind of think, huh?” Ethan glanced over at the ambulance where a paramedic tried to convince Riley to set Red down. Ethan grinned, knowing Riley had just claimed a woman in the most elemental way known to man. No way would he relinquish his hold on her. “I’d kind of say you’re right.”
“I do love you, Ethan.”
He sat—or rather his knees gave out—but he caught Rosie on his lap. “As long as I get you and the house and the dog and the kids, nothing else matters to me.”
She beamed at him. Ethan pushed her singed hair away from her face and kissed her. “You’re making me old before my time.”
She sighed. “Well, as long as I’m the only one
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