Page 7 of The Heat Between Us

"I'll have to try both," I say. "Conduct a thorough investigation."

"Very lawyerly of you," he teases.

Another beam gives way, this one just feet from where we're huddled. The crash sends embers flying in our direction, and Lewis shields me with his body, his arms tightening around me.

When the dust settles, I look up to find his face inches from mine. Even covered in soot and sweat, he's handsome in a rugged way I've never been drawn to before. His eyes, surprisingly clear despite the smoke, hold mine.

"Why did you really become a firefighter?" I ask, the question slipping out before I can stop it. "You said you followed your brother, but there has to be more to it than that."

"You don't waste time, do you?"

"We might not have much left," I point out.

He concedes with a slight nod. "Fair enough. The truth is, I was always in Ollis's shadow growing up. He was the star athlete, thestraight-A student. I was just... Lewis. The screw-up. The one who couldn't seem to stick with anything."

I stay quiet, sensing there's more.

"When he became a firefighter, I thought it was just one more thing he'd be better at than me," Lewis continues. "When I returned from college, I joined the department partly to prove I could do it too, and partly because I didn't know what else to do with my life."

"And?" I prompt gently.

"And I found out I was good at it. Really good." There's no arrogance in his voice, just simple acknowledgment. "There's something about running toward danger when everyone else is running away... it quiets all the noise in my head. For the first time in my life, I knew exactly who I was and what I was supposed to be doing."

"I get that," I say. "That's how I feel about practicing law. Not the fancy corporate stuff my parents do, but actually helping people navigate a system that's stacked against them. It's the only thing that ever made sense to me."

Lewis nods, understanding in his eyes. "Sounds like we both found our callings."

"And now we might die following them," I say, the reality of our situation crashing back as another section of ceiling gives way.

"We're not dying today," Lewis says firmly. "I refuse to let the first interesting woman I've met in years perish before I can buy her one of those burgers."

Despite everything, I feel a flutter in my chest at his words. "Interesting, huh?"

"Very," he confirms, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "How many lawyers do you know who would start over in a small town?"

"You don't know any?" I ask, surprised.

"Zero, and it's not just that," he says, his eyes never leaving mine. "I noticed how you didn't panic when I told you the rest of my team was across town. Or how you keep thinking about solutions instead of problems. That's rare."

"You're pretty observant for someone who claims to be a screw-up."

"Former screw-up," he corrects with a slight smile. "I'm reformed now. Mostly."

Something in his tone makes me wonder what that "mostly" entails, but before I can ask, a voice calls out from somewhere beyond the flames.

"Lewis! Are you in there?"

Hope surges through me as Lewis calls back, his voice stronger than I would have thought possible. "In here! Northwest corner! Two of us!"

We hear movement, the sound of debris being shifted. The firefighters are close, but the flames between us and them are still intense.

"Hold on!" the voice calls again. "We're coming to you!"

Lewis turns to me, "See? I told you we'd make it."

I want to believe him, but the fire has nearly reached our corner now. The air is almost unbreathable, and the heat is blistering against my skin.

"Lewis," I say, my voice barely audible even to my own ears. "I'm scared."

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