Page 37 of Hearts on Fire

Her heart thudded and her breath came in heavy puffs. But she knew all of the emotions weren't merely adrenaline from the moment. It was worry, for Naomi, and passion and awe for the woman Scotti was willing to protect with her whole life.

When she sighted a weak ceiling beam about to hit Naomi, Scotti shot to the front and pulled Naomi aside.

The exit was no longer too far. She could hear the announcements being made.

“The building is going down in seconds! Evacuate the building now!”

It was the captain speaking. Scotti wondered how long they'd stayed in there seeing as the captain had arrived on this scene.

The ceiling was falling on the steps in large thuds.

“Jump, Naomi! Jump out entirely!”

Naomi gave her best leap and came rolling down to the ground.

A second later, the building came down in a large crash of wood and stone.

It took Scotti another second to realize that she was alive and had made it just in time.

Her chest rose and fell in a heavy pants. The kid rolled weakly aside from where she had curled him up into her.

His mother and the medics ran to them, wailing and sniffling. She picked him up in a bear hug, thanking Scotti profusely. As soon as Scotti could stand without wobbling, she dusted herself and looked for Naomi.

There was only one thought throbbing in her head. It wasn't about the fact that she'd narrowly escaped death.

Rather, it was the realization that she had risked her life because Naomi had risked hers. It was the fact that both their lives were at stake when she kept watching over Naomi, sparing barely a thought for herself.

She realized she had never really felt this way toward someone.

It wasn't about the fact that they had been intimate with each other a few times and had amazing sex.

She knew what this was, even if she wanted to deny it to herself. Whatever this was, blooming between them, scared the hell out of her. Too many undefined relationships that she'd poured herself into had scarred her and taken her months, even a year, to recover.

Now wasn't the time to walk blindly into one of them again.

Yet, the way she'd thrown herself over Naomi moments ago only made one realization surface before her eyes.

The absolute fear she had felt that she never had before in dangerous situations solidified it for her.

She loved Naomi. Not just loved but true love. Naomi was The One.

Scotti shook her head as if to make the thought fall out.

She couldn't feel that way. She wasn't permitted to.

Even though their argument over Scotti's profession was in the past, they hadn’t really come to any conclusion.

Naomi never said that she wouldn't freak out if Scotti ever came back wounded again. Naomi never said she accepted Scotti's profession. And Scotti wasn't willing to give it up. Was she?

Scotti wasn't allowed to go crazy over Naomi.

And she knew that it was best she did something about this now.

Scotti saw Naomi as she came out of the ambulance. Naomi, on seeing Scotti, broke into a run. She threw her arm over Scotti and kissed her neck.

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,” Naomi said into Scotti's shoulder.

“I know, Naomi. I know what it felt like when you had to run in there.”

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