No Perfect Hero(108)

“Pull us up!”

It’s another terrifying minute as they drag our combined weight into reach. It takes everything Blake has, I hear him grinding his teeth, his old war wound acting up something fierce.

Finally, they’re both able to get two hands on me and haul us over the edge, and gravity no longer feels like a death sentence.

We’re collapsing in the dirt, utterly drained.

Tara tumbles into us, clinging like a baby monkey, everybody crying or swearing – including me.

I can’t fucking help myself. Wild, mad relief sweeps through me like a sword. We made it, and I'll never ask for anything else.

I kiss Haley’s gorgeous face again and again, clutching at her to remind myself she’s alive.

She’s alive, and Stewart didn’t take her away.

She’s clinging to me just as furiously, whispering “Warren, Warren, oh my God.”

She alternates between kissing me again and again and burying her face against Tara’s hair. I need to find a key and get these cuffs off her, but right now?

I need to hold her. Know she’s okay. Know I didn't lose her.

It's not long before we all hear sirens in the distance.

Good. The cops are coming, and maybe they can fish Stewart – dead or alive – out of the valley.

I don’t care. My girls need medical help, not knowing what that prick did to them.

Whatever it is won't ruin this. We're gonna be okay.

“Don’t ever leave,” I whisper, not even wholly sure what I’m saying, as I clutch at Hay and bury my face in her shoulder. “You almost went too soon, darlin'. I love you. Love you so fucking much.”

Hay swallows thickly, pulling back, her huge eyes sparkling.

Even bruised, even crying, she’s still so beautiful, this pristine slice of woman I can't believe I nearly lost.

God, she’s brave, smiling when she repeats shyly, “You...you love me?”

“Yeah. Tried to go over a cliff for you,” I tell her, “isn't it obvious?”

“Maybe. But I think you’d go over a cliff for anyone. You’re not nearly as bad as you pretend to be, Warren Ford.” She leans into me, grinning through her tears. “Which is probably why I’m insane enough to love you, too. Get ready. I'm not going anywhere.”

It’s too much. This volatile cocktail in my veins burns me the hell down when I hear her say those words.

This adrenaline, mingling with raw fear and rage at Stewart and then this sweet relief, this joy.

I capture her mouth, claim her again, sealing our love with a promise of what’s to come.

I'll never let any asshole hurt her again.

Won’t ever let anybody or anything take her away.

She's mine to hold, mine to keep happy, mine to fucking love.

Today, tomorrow, always.

Haley soon-to-be-Ford is my breath and my pulse and the reason I've finally realized why I'm on this wicked earth.

Smiling, I try to make her feel this glorious madness coursing through me with another brimstone kiss I dredge up from the deepest part of me, that dark secret place where I buried my heart till it could heal.

Till it was ready to love and to appreciate what she's given me.

By the time we break apart, we’re both laughing, breathless and tired, and she leans her brow against mine. We smile, listening to Doc, Blake, and Tara chatter away behind us.

“Hey, man, give her some room. She's scared,” Blake whispers.

“She's relieved in my considerable medical opinion.” Doc squeezes Tara's arm, the soft space by her elbow. “Here, lovely lady, any pain?”

Tara shakes her head. He moves to the other arm, then both legs, checking her over.

“She's in good hands,” I tell Hay. “This guy knows how to handle people.”

Might be another five minutes before the paramedics show up as the emergency vehicles rumble through the narrow mountain bends.

Blake snorts. “Aw, come on. Shouldn't we wait for a real doctor? You're just –”

“I'm more than a veterinarian, you clueless nugget. Let me do my job,” Doc growls, pulling a giggle from Tara.

Blake backs away, his hands up, running a relieved hand through his hair. His whole expression says it. The same mad joy we all feel.

“Hey, Warren?” Hay asks softly, and I hold her tighter, breathing in the scent of her, savoring her warmth.

“Yeah?”

“Next time I get it in my head to kick the driver of a moving vehicle in the face...” She grins wryly, then winces, licking her split lip. “Remind me not to.”

“Haley,” I say, unable to help my own grin, “the first thing I learned when I met you is you’re gonna do exactly what I tell you not to.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Then you should tell me not to kiss you.”

I chuckle, leaning in close to her. “Don’t kiss me, darlin'. Don't you dare.”

With another soul-melting smile, she's on me, pressing her mouth to mine, fierce and hot and giving my promise back to me.

We're still like that when the EMTs and cops show up, tearing off to the sides and running out of their vehicles with a million questions.

I take my sweet time answering.