Page 46 of The One Who Risked it All

My heart ached for him. I’d always suspected this, but hearing him admit it was different. “Is that why you became a firefighter?” I asked gently.

Eli nodded. “At first, yeah. I thought maybe if I did something heroic enough, he’d finally see me. He was so proud of Nathan, I thought he’d be proud of me too. But then I realized I actually loved it. The adrenaline, the way it forces you to be present and make decisions in the moment... it’s like nothing else I’ve ever experienced.”

I could see the passion in his eyes as he talked about his work, and it made me fall for him all over again. But there was still a shadow there, a hint of the insecurity he usually hid so well.

“You’re not the only one being torn in two. I’m just… floating in the in-between,” he admitted. “Between what my dad wantsme to be and who I really am. Between my family’s expectations and...” he trailed off, his eyes meeting mine.

“And me?” I finished for him, my voice barely above a whisper.

I leaned closer, searching Eli’s face for any sign of doubt or hesitation. My heart was pounding so hard I was sure he could hear it. “Do you really think we can make this work?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly. “Us, I mean. With everything stacked against us?”

The question hung in the air between us, heavy with hope and uncertainty. I held my breath, waiting for his response. Part of me was terrified he’d say no, that he’d decide it wasn’t worth the risk. But another part, the part that had never stopped loving him, desperately wanted him to say yes.

Eli’s dark eyes locked onto mine, and I saw a flicker of that familiar determination. “I don’t want to make a life any other way, sweetheart,” he said softly. “I only want you.”

The conviction in his voice sent a shiver down my spine. “How can you be so sure?” I pressed, needing more reassurance.

A hint of that cocky grin I knew so well tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Because it’s us,” he said simply. “We’ve been fighting this for years, and look where we ended up. Right back here, together.”

I couldn’t help but smile at that. He had a point. No matter how hard we’d tried to stay apart, something always seemed to pull us back together.

The cool night air carried the scent of pine, wrapping around us like a promise. I took a deep breath, feeling lighter than I had in years. “Maybe we really can do this.”

Eli’s arm slipped around my shoulders, drawing me closer. “Of course we can,” he replied, his voice a mix of determination and that familiar cocky charm. “Wells and Putnam, taking on the world. Or at least, taking on Minden, Indiana.”

I laughed, nestling into his side.

The tension between us built, electric and undeniable. Eli’s gaze dropped to my lips, and I felt my breath catch. My mind raced. What about all the reasons we shouldn’t?

But as Eli leaned in, all those doubts faded away. His lips met mine in a kiss that was tender and passionate all at once. The warmth of his mouth against mine sent sparks through my entire body. I melted into him, my hands finding their way to his shoulders as his arms wrapped around my waist.

The world around us seemed to disappear. There was no porch, no feuding families, no complicated past. There was only Eli and me, finally letting ourselves have this moment we’d been denying for so long.

When we finally broke apart, I was breathless. “Wow,” I whispered, a little dazed.

Eli’s answering chuckle was low and warm. I felt it down to my toes. “Yeah,” he agreed. “Wow.”

As we pulled apart, I glanced up at the night sky. The stars twinkled above us, countless pinpricks of light piercing the darkness. It felt like they were bearing witness to this moment, this newfound resolve between Eli and me.

We fell into a comfortable silence then, savoring the peace of the moment. The gentle creaking of the porch swing mingled with the rustle of leaves in the breeze. Somewhere in the distance, a whip-poor-will called out, its haunting song a perfect backdrop to my swirling thoughts.

I couldn’t help but marvel at how right this felt, despite all the reasons it shouldn’t. My dad’s words echoed in my mind— “Stay away from those Wells boys” –but for once, I pushed them aside. This was our choice, our moment.

As if reading my thoughts, Eli spoke up. “Penny for your thoughts, teach?”

“I think I could get used to this,” I murmured.

Eli’s fingers traced lazy circles on my arm. “What’s that? My irresistible charm? My fire station muscles?”

I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn’t see it. “Your humility, obviously.”

We both chuckled, the sound melding with the night chorus of crickets and distant owl hoots. As our laughter faded, I found myself lost in thought again.

Love had always seemed like a battle to me, especially when it came to Eli. But now, wrapped in his arms, I realized it was more like... well, like a fire. Scary, unpredictable, but also exhilarating. And just like Eli rushing into a burning building, I knew I had to be brave enough to face the heat. I just wasn’t sure I was that brave.

“I’m scared,” I admitted.

“Of what, sweetheart?”

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