Page 87 of Fire

“Is there a problem?” he asked, cutting her off.

She closed her eyes, hiding Blake’s image from view. In all that had happened in the past couple days, she’d forgotten all about the job she’d accepted that would take her thousands of miles away from home for weeks at a time. “Um, no. No problem. Only that today won’t work for me.” She opened her eyes to find Blake’s questioning expression had morphed into a scowl. “Listen, can I call you back?”

Frank said something she didn’t comprehend as her sole focus was on Blake. But she felt it safe to say, “Thank you,” before she clicked off the phone and tossed it back onto the table.

“You want to tell me what that was about?” Carefree, playful Blake from the past twenty-four hours was gone, and in his stead was the guarded, intense Blake she knew so well.

“That was, um, Frank Evans.” When he didn’t reply but to raise a brow, she continued, “You remember when we were… apart, he offered me a job?” At his jerky nod, she finished, “Well… I sort of accepted it.”

He raised his other brow. “And you thought I’d be mad?” He studied her when she remained silent. “No. It’s something else.”

Sighing, she admitted, “The job requires travel to far-away places for long stretches at a time.” After everything he’d revealed to her, and the struggle she knew he’d been going through while they were apart, she hated laying a guilt trip at his doorstep, but they also had to be truthful with each other or their relationship would never work. “I was so hurt by what you did to me—to us—running away sounded like a good idea. The job is amazing, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but nothing,” she reached for his hand, and he latched on, squeezing hers tight, “and I meannothingis as important to me as you. I won’t risk losing you again now that I finally have you back. I’ll call Frank and tell him I’m backing out.”

Seconds stretched into a minute before he said, “Tell me more about it.”

As Blake listened to Gwen, it was hard not to notice the excitement and enthusiasm that slowly crept into her voice the longer she talked. No matter what she’d said, she wanted the job, and there was no way in hell he’d stand in her way.

“Call Frank and tell him we’ll be there in an hour to sign the contracts.”

She looked startled for a moment before she blurted, “What! No. I told you, I’m not taking the job.”

“Sweetheart, you should have seen your face when you talked about it. It’s something you want to do. And I’m telling you, you’re doing it.”

“Did you miss the part where I said I’d be gone for weeks at a time?”

“No, I heard that part. We’ll work with it.”

“We’ll work with it?” she repeated, and he couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at his lips at her indignation—the little line between her brow and the small pout that curved her lips. God, she was too fucking cute.

“I can promote my manager, take some time off to be with you, and when I need to be here, we can FaceTime. It’s only for a year unless the show is picked up for a second season, and even then, it’s up to you to decide if you liked the job enough to continue on.”

She went to argue further but he stopped her. “If you don’t do this, you may regret it and end up resenting me.” She shook her head and started to speak, but he, again, stopped her. “You will.” He scooted closer, taking her face in his hands and tilting it so she was looking directly at him. “I won’t be the guy who stands in your way, I want to be the one who gives you the world.”

Her eyes closed, and he saw defeat relax her features. “I’m scared of losing you again.”

“Sweetheart, it would take more than distance and time to lose me. That will only happen when I’m six-feet under.”

Her eyes snapped open, outrage burning in their depths. “Don’t say things like that.”

He chuckled, and she scowled further. “I didn’t say it would happen soon.”

“It better not happen at all.” He raised a brow, and she amended, “Well, at least not until we’re old and gray and have ten great-grandchildren.”

A fire filled his chest, but it wasn’t the kind that caused damage. Gwen had extinguished that fire that had burned in him. No, the flames that flared now were filled with hope.

Hope and want and love.

A whole lot of fucking love for the woman before him.

His voice was gruff when he said, “I never allowed myself the thought of having children, but the thought of having them with you,” he placed a soft kiss on her lips before continuing, “I can’t think of anything I want more.”

A smirk tipped her lips, “Not even what needs to be done to make those babies?”

He mimicked her expression. “That’s a happy bonus.”

She laughed, and he not only felt it in his heart, he felt it in his dick and knew if he didn’t get them back on track, they would spend the rest of the day trying to make all those babies she wanted.

Giving her another quick kiss, he demanded, “Now, call Frank.”

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