Ultimatum

by Sally Wentworth

  A fireman ran over to them. 'Is anyone else inside?'

  'The caretaker; I don't know where he is,' Casey exclaimed, remembering.

  'He's all right. He wasn't even in there.'

  There was an ambulance standing by and they put Johnny inside to take him to hospital for burns to his hand and for shock. The ambulance man wanted her to go too, but Casey looked at Reid and shook her head. 'No, I'm all right. I'd rather go home.'

  So they took the boat back along the lake to the mooring below the house and Reid insisted on carrying her to the house and up to his bedroom. There he gently undressed her and bathed her with his own hands, washing off the smoke and smell of fire from her soft skin. He found her a pair of his pyjamas and put her in his bed, looking down at her for a long, tender moment before going to bathe himself.

  When he came back into the bedroom with a big bath towel wrapped round him, Casey was awake, waiting.

  Sitting down on the edge of the bed Reid picked up her hand to kiss her fingers. 'You should try and sleep.'

  'No, I had to thank you. For what you did for Johnny. And for—for coming.'

  'Oh, my darling! How could you possibly think I wouldn't come?' His grip on her hand tightened. 'But when I think of you trapped up there… It's made me see things a whole lot clearer. Maybe that's what I've needed; to feel what it's like when someone you love is in danger. I was going through all kinds of hell during that ride in the boat. If what you feel whenever I race is even the half of that, then I have no right to put you through such torment. I've never cared for myself, but if anything happened to you…' He gave a short laugh. 'I've been a selfish bastard, haven't I? Wanting the best of both worlds. But my last race really was my last; I won't race again. You don't have to be afraid any more, my love. You're all that matters to me.'

  'Oh, Reid.' Tears came to her eyes and Casey held his hand tightly against her cheek. 'I think that is the most wonderful thing you'll ever say to me. But maybe I learned something tonight, too,' she added huskily. 'If you hadn't been the brave, reckless kind of man you are, you'd never have gone up that rope, and Johnny would have died. I know that I can't change you, Reid, and now I know that I don't want to. I don't want you at home eating your heart out for the sport you love. I—I don't know that I'll ever be brave enough to watch you, but I want you to promise me that you'll go on racing until you're ready to give up.' She smiled. 'Oh, and you must promise to keep on winning, of course.'

  Reid stared at her. 'You really mean it, don't you?' She nodded and he hugged her happily. 'And you'll move back here tomorrow?'

  She looked rueful. 'Well, I don't think I'll be going into work.'

  'Not for some time, I'm afraid. But never mind, it will give us the opportunity to have that honeymoon we missed while you wait for the insurance money to come through.'

  Casey lay back on the pillows. 'I'd like that.'

  He stroked her hair. 'You'd better go to sleep. You've had quite a night.'

  He stood up, but Casey said, 'Do you have to go?'

  A great light shone in Reid's eyes. 'Are you saying what I think you're saying?'

  Pulling back the bedclothes, Casey said huskily, 'Why don't you come in and find out?'

  Reid took off the bath-towel and climbed in beside her, and lay looking at her for a long moment. 'I was right,' he said thickly. 'It is going to be quite a night.' And he reached out to start undoing the buttons of her pyjamas.

  'I thought you said you never wear pyjamas,' Casey remarked, her pulses already beginning to race.

  'I don't. Elaine made me buy them to take on honeymoon, in case————— ' a big grin spread over his face'—in case there was ever a fire!'

  They both laughed, until Reid's eyes darkened and he said, 'Come here, wife.'

  'Oh yes, please,' Casey agreed fervently and went happily into his arms at last.