Page 143 of First Chance

“Nothing is going to happen to you. Do you hear me?” I demand, and she whimpers again, burying her head against my neck.

“I know you fix everything for everyone, me included, but you can’t fix this. I’m still trapped here.”

“I’m going to fix this.”

The fire crackles through the dry brush around us as I try to fulfill my promise to her.

“Lochlan, can I ask you something selfish?”

“You can ask me anything.”

“If I die, will you bury me here with your family? I don’t want to go back to my family, but I don’t want to be alone for eternity either.”

“Stop. Stop it, don’t say shit like that.”

“And, maybe you could visit me every once in a while,” she murmurs in my ear as I clutch her body to mine.

“JoAnna Montgomery, shut the hell up. You’re not dying.”

“And, if you don’t mind dragging out the fake engagement thing… Will you put Jo Dane on my headstone… So I don’t have to carry their last name forever. I like your family better than mine.”

“Don’t, baby.”

“Please,” she begs, wiping the sweat off my face. The fire is close, the heat of it is heavy on my back, but the flames are still far enough that we’re not in danger of burning. Yet.

“Jo Dane has a nice ring to it.”

She smiles, “I should have convinced you to fake marry me weeks ago so I could have gotten rid of my family name faster.”

“If anyone could convince me to do it, it’d be you.”

“Thank you for taking care of me all summer.” She wraps her fingers around the back of my neck, tangling into my hair like she loves to do.

“You probably regret accepting the job right about now.”

She shakes her head. “No, I think this was the big adventure I was looking for,” she whispers against my lips, kissing me softly. “Do you regret falling in love with me?”

She uttered the words so softly I hardly heard her.

But I did hear her, loud and clear.

With a wildfire burning at our heels, and her eyes pleading for comfort from my words, I can’t be anything other than honest.

“I have many regrets in my life, darlin’. That willnever be one.”

She laughs, but it’s only joyful for the briefest moment before it turns sad. “Thank you for saying that.” She nuzzles against me, hugging me tightly. “Now, please, go.”

“No.”

“Lochlan, please.”

“We’ve been through this. I’m not leaving you here.”

“The entire sanctuary is going to be destroyed if you don’t get help. The bears will suffer.”

“They’re smart animals. They’ll figure it out.”

“You don’t believe that. This is your life, your legacy. You need to save it.”

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