by Sarah Taylor
He turns, marching towards the door with me in his arms like he’s not afraid of anything at all.
The sunlight is blinding as we burst outside.
My arms loop around Cooper’s neck, head lolling against his strong shoulder while he rushes me towards a waiting ambulance. Carefully, he sets me down on a stretcher while a paramedic checks me over and gives me oxygen.
The entire time, Cooper stays at my side, clutching my hand.
“You came for me,” I whisper, still gasping for air.
He leans over me, his fingers sweeping my ash-coated cheek. “And now I never want to let you go. Lucy, forget our one night rule. I don’t want to only have had one night with you. I want every night with you. I want forever with you. I’ve had to watch you leave way too many times, and after almost losing you today... I just can’t imagine life without you. You’re not a rebound. You never have been. Since the moment I first saw you, everything in my heart changed for the better. You’ve made me a better person, Lucy. Let me prove that to you. Let me prove how badly I want to be at your side.”
“Cooper...” I whisper, joyous tears springing into my eyes. Everything I’d wanted — needed — to hear from him, he’d finally said. Now, I can give in to the desire of my heart to be with my firefighter from here on out. “Nothing would make me happier!”
He laughs with joy and tips my head up, his mouth capturing mine.
We embrace one another, more excited for our tomorrow together than we’d been for any of our yesterdays apart.
Epilogue
Cooper
In the blink of an eye, nearly a year has passed since the day I swept Lucy out of that burning building — and our love has never burned brighter than it does now.
Every day, I learn something new about her and myself. After my heartbreak from so long ago, I’d thought being committed to someone meant losing yourself in them only to eventually end up hurt and more alone than ever... but not one single moment of loving Lucy has been painful. She is patient and kind and good-natured, and she has brought out a softness in my heart that I never knew existed.
We moved in rather quickly with one another after the fire. We just couldn’t bear the idea of not sleeping together every night, and with her curled next to me and her soft breath on my neck, I'm sleeping better than ever.
She is, in every way, my soulmate.
It’s hard to believe now how terrified of love I was before she came into my life. The perfect mix of feisty, sassy, and sweet, Lucy is all I could ever want in a woman. Truth be told, I knew it the first moment I met her, and that’s probably why she terrified me so much — and why I wanted her so badly even though I had a one-night rule before her.
Everything I’d gone through in this life was just to prepare me to find her. I believe that fully now.
Nervously, my fingers brush my back pocket, feeling the small box there. I look carefully around the apartment, noting the coziness that Lucy has brought to the space. The apartment now feels like a real home. Photos of us and our families are on the walls, the furniture is finally broken in, and the fridge and pantry are actually stocked for once.
Lucy has grounded me in so many ways that I badly needed. Now is the time to finally repay her for that in some small way.
The door swings open as Lucy walks in, returning from yet another day at Davis Elementary. She’d been honored with a bravery reward after retreating into the school to make sure all the students were safe — an award I think she definitely deserved.
“Honey, I'm home!” she calls playfully.
A bright smile brightens her beautiful face, and my heart begins to race even faster.
She strides towards me, throwing her arms around my neck, and I lift her and spin her before setting her down. Cupping her face in mine, I press a deep kiss to her lips. She gives a soft moan, leaning into my chest. Her fingers slowly slip over my muscled pecs.
“What’s wrong, Cooper?” she asks after a moment. Her head tilts to the side as she searches my eyes with her own. “You’re trembling.”
“I'm just...” I take a deep breath, hold it in my lungs for a brief moment, and then let it whoosh free. “I just love you, Lucy. I love you more than myself. More than my job. More than anything. You are my other half — my better half...” I trail off, desperately trying to hear my thoughts over the pounding of my heart.
She giggles and presses a hot kiss against my cheek. “We’re each other’s better halves, Cooper. You make me feel brave and strong. You lift me up when I'm uncertain. You never fail to make me laugh... I love you too. I always have and always will.”
I can’t resist kissing her again. The kiss lingers, our tongues twining briefly before I slowly step back.
Gazing into her eyes, I ease down onto one knee while pulling the small velvet box out of my back pocket. I crack it open to expose a brilliant diamond ring surrounded by rubies.
Her hands fly to her face, her eyes going wide.
“Cooper!” she cries.
“The day of the fire, I told you I wanted to spend every single day with you from then on out, Lucy,” I whisper. “I meant that. I still do. I might have been afraid of commitment once upon a time, but with you, I'm just afraid of missing any second that I'm not with you. My whole heart belongs to you, and it will forever. Will you marry m—?”
“Yes!” she shrieks before I can even finish the speech I’d spent weeks practicing. Delighted tears spill down her face. She squeals with glee and throws herself at me, not even caring about the ring as she peppers my face with exuberant kisses. “Yes, yes, yes, Cooper! I’ll be your wife!”
We collapse back against the carpet, holding one another and kissing as I finally slide the ring onto her finger.
Every minute I’ve spent with Lucy has been amazing. I never thought I could be happier than I am right now... But I know in my heart that our happiest days are before us still.
Though I rescued her from that fire, it wasn’t me who saved Lucy. It was Lucy who saved me by showing me what true love and happiness really is.
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