Freed by Fire

by Christine, Ashley

  I pressed against the door, trying to hear what she was saying to him, but I couldn’t. The music was too loud, and my pulse throbbed so loudly in my head that it hurt to open my eyes.

  Go! Maggie’s text chimed in. And I opened the door, peaked out, and bolted for the exit.

  ***

  Thursday, July 4 — 1:42 pm

  “Eat me” was written on a small piece of pink paper with two tablets placed on it.

  “Drink me” was written on another piece of pink paper, taped to a water bottle.

  Both were placed on my nightstand, and I sat up and tossed the pills in my mouth. “Thank you, Mags.”

  Stepping out into the living room, I found Maggie sprawled out on the couch, flipping channels on the TV.

  “Hey, thanks for the pills. I really shouldn’t drink anymore.”

  “No prob, Em. How are you feeling?” She asked, her brow crinkled from her frown.

  “Not bad, actually. My head feels a little numb.” I plunked down beside her and leaned my head on the back of the couch. “I told him I liked his hands…”

  Maggie giggled. “I remember, it was really funny…and really cute.”

  “What do you know about him?” I asked, sinking deeper, getting more comfortable.

  “Well, not much, actually. I’ve only ever seen him at Leland’s pub. From what I’ve heard, they both moved here a long time ago, Leland’s the older one—obviously, and Caid works for CFD. I can ask Ellie to dig up some dirt for ya.”

  Laughing, I let out a long sigh. “No, it’s okay. I’m mortified. I acted like an idiot.”

  “You acted like a young, carefree woman who let loose for once in her fucking life. You weren’t an idiot, you think he’s hot. Nothing wrong with that.”

  “I wanted to have sex with him right there, Mags.”

  “That wasn’t obvious…” Maggie smirked. “I’m pretty sure he was diggin’ you too, I have never once seen him dance with anyone. He always just sits and drinks with the guys.”

  I let my mind wander a little, remembering how his strong hands felt on my body, the way his fingers and thumbs grazed over my skin like a hot poker fresh from the fire. I sucked in a deep breath and forced the thoughts away. “What’s the plan for today? What does Chicago do on the fourth of July?”

  “Party. But, I seem to recall you telling me you weren’t going to drink again…”

  “True ‘dat.” I grabbed the remote from Maggie’s hand and continued to flip through the channels.

  “Leland always has a party after the fireworks…But, never mind.”

  I stopped channel-surfing and turned to face her. “Here’s the deal. I’m limited. You can hold my hand if you want to, and my debit card. I am allowed one drink. Just one. And nothing that contains the word proof. Deal?”

  Maggie laughed, stretched and got up from the couch. “Little Em wants a taste of the fire!” She skipped and sang melodically over to the fridge. “Little Em wants to get burned!”

  Hell yeah I do. “No, I don’t…”

  “You’re a bad liar. And I love you. Too bad everything is closed today, because we need to find you something super-hot to wear.”

  “Maybe Ellie has something…” I trailed off, thinking of the bouncy blonde and her risqué attire.

  “You’re a fibber, and a genius. I’ll call her!” Maggie pulled out her phone and called Ellie in that instant, not reaching her but leaving a voicemail.

  I laid on the couch, sprawled in the same manner Maggie had been, and settled on a channel playing My Fair Lady. It was one of my mom’s favorites. She loved Audrey Hepburn. I remember sitting and watching this with her countless times as a small girl.

  “The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plane,” I whispered. “I want that…” I said louder, pointing to the screen, watching Eliza get whisked all around the ballroom. “I want to dance all night.”

  “You want that? Really? And here I was thinking you just wanted a good pounding.”

  “Maggie, you’re uncouth, and gorgeous, and the bestest friend in the world. I love you so much, because you think you know me oh-so-very-well. But, yes, I want that.” And a good pounding, of course.

  “Bestest? Pretty sure that’s not a word, Miss Author.”

  “Better not tell my editor.”

  With a smile, a quick sip from the milk carton and a swish of her hips, Maggie skipped down the short hallway, answering her cellphone. “Ellie! Guess what! ...”

  I faded back to Audrey and Rex. Mouthing the memorable movie quotes quietly to myself. Tears threatened to fall as I did. As Henry began his solo “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face”, the tears broke through the barrier and I cried. No, I sobbed.

  “I’ve grown accustomed to your face, my sweet Emery Grace. Absolutely accustomed,” recalling what my mom had sung to me, with her own lyrics. “Whoever looks into your eyes, at your face, will become absolutely accustomed, Emery Grace. Accustomed to your face.”

  Before my heart completely shattered, and Maggie caught wind of my silly sobbing, I shut the TV off and locked myself in the bathroom. I turned on the shower, unsure if I was even going to get into it.

  The shower did me a little good, it steamed the sadness right out of my pores, and I told myself I wasn’t going to cry anymore. My mom wouldn’t want to me to. She would have told me to smile instead, to think of all the good memories we had together. God knows there were about a million of those. Shaking my hands at my sides, flinging my worries out of my fingertips, I stepped out of my bedroom to find Maggie and Ellie standing in the kitchen.

  “There she is!” Ellie beamed.

  I smiled, then noticed the large duffle bag near her feet. “Are we going to bury a body later?”

  “Well, not in so many words…” Maggie moved toward me, grabbed my hands and dragged me into the kitchen. “Say goodbye to Emery Morgan. This bag contains the revamped Emery Finn.”

  Clothing littered the space, and before I knew it I was finding myself in my own personal episode of What Not to Wear.

  “I think this is the one!” Ellie squealed.

  I opened my eyes and stared back at my reflection. “It looks like a table cloth.”

  “Emery! It’s so chic! An empire, showing just enough boob, and the belt looks cute around your waist.”

  Maggie nodded her head in agreement.

  “I don’t know…” I stared down at the red and white printed pattern. I pulled at the hem. “It’s a little short, too.”

  “Your ass isn’t hanging out, Emery. Plus, you’ll have on underwear.” Ellie lifted the hem, exposing my panties. “Of which, by the way, are no longer going to be granny panties! Are we clear?”

  Maggie covered her face and laughed. Which triggered my own, along with Ellie’s.

  “You’re both so mean! So what…granny panties are comfortable!” I laughed until my stomach hurt.

  “So are footed pajamas, but you’re not going to pick up Caid wearing those.” Maggie wrapped her arms around me from behind and squeezed me. “Ellie, do you think he’ll be there tonight?”

  “I think so, I don’t know why he wouldn’t. They always are…Plus, Daniel said something about Leland bringing in a band this year. It’s going to be awesome,” Ellie said, leaning into the mirror to check out her mascara.

  ***

  Thursday, July 4 — 9:57 pm

  Chicago’s Navy Pier was the center of the Fourth celebration. I was told this was the place to be in all the city tonight. Watching the fireworks explode over Lake Michigan was something I wasn’t really prepared for until they started going off. They beat little Belleville’s annual show hands down. I mean…wow. I could feel the cannon release and boom of each explosion through my chest, and I felt like a little kid staring up in amazement, mentally guessing which color was going to burst in the dark night sky next.

  “Wow!” I shouted. “That’s beautiful!”

  Maggie and Ellie stood on either side of me, watching in awe, mouths open just like mine. We
didn’t sit on an old blanket with chicken and salad, but we did stop at KFC to eat before we came. So it was a little like old times, for me nonetheless.

  As the end drew near, the crowd began to diminish as parents with tired or whining children left, leaving the space still with thousands, feeling a little less claustrophobic.

  “Don’t be mad but,” Ellie whispered in my ear. “I told Daniel we were here. He’s with Caid.”

  My knees almost buckled at the mention of his name. Instantly regretting wearing this dress, I looked down at my feet. “Shit,” I whispered.

  If her secret didn’t almost drop me, the instant tell-tale feeling of someone watching you, made my legs turn to jelly. Without turning my body, I looked over my shoulder and felt his eyes on me. He stood about ten feet behind us, with Daniel, and began to move toward us. Stalking me. No CFD shirt this time. Instead he was wearing a red Under Armor shirt without sleeves and a ridiculously perfect pair of faded jeans.

  Quickly turning my face back toward the celebratory display I tensed as Daniel snaked his arms around Ellie, causing her to shriek and turn to slap his chest. My breathing became erratic as I struggled to inhale a decent amount of oxygen. Short and sharp breaths panted in and out of my lips as I licked them too many times in order to keep from drying up on me.

  “Maggie,” Caid’s voice rumbled just as a cannon shot off.

  She turned and smiled, then looked back. I was still frozen in place.

  The second the boom exploded in the sky, bursting red, white and blue sparks and stars, dazzling and amazing, I felt his touch. Slowly and delicately on the back of my arm.

  “Emery,” he said it. Again. Like before, making me force my eyes closed and completely lose any chance of taking a breath.

  I turned around and looked up into his eyes, just as another firework detonated. His eyes darted down to mine, and in the reflection of his beautiful greens, I could see the firework. Magnificence heightened and even more beautiful when I saw them echoed on his eyes.

  “Hi, Caid.” I managed. Still in awe of how truly beautiful he really was.

  How on earth could this man have any interest in me?

  “I was sad I didn’t get to say goodnight to you. Maggie said you were sick. I hope you’re feeling better now.” His lips moved, as his accent flowed out, and I watched his tongue touch his teeth with each striking word spoken.

  He was sad? Oh, good heavens.

  “I’m better now,” I said, wanting to face-palm myself again. “I—I mean, I’m feeling well. Thank you.”

  A slight breeze in the warm air sent a little chill over my body just as it passed through his hair. I shivered as I looked at his face, wondering if he just rolled out of bed and kept his hair that way. It was impeccably unruly, and I wanted to play with it.

  “Damn,” he said quietly just before another explosion lit the sky. “They’re beautiful.”

  I turned and looked up, smiling. “They are. I’ve never seen anything quite like them.”

  “Emery,” he extended his index finger and touched my face to turn my chin. “I wasn’t talking about the fireworks.”

  I swallowed, gulped, clawed internally for air, but got nothing. “You weren’t?”

  “Your eyes,” he lowered his head down and rasped the words into my ear. I closed my eyes as I felt the hair on his head tickle my ear. His shoulder was merely an inch from my lips, and I wanted to step up on my toes to nuzzle into him, to kiss him, to taste his skin.

  “Em! This is the finale!” Maggie, who I had forgotten all about in my brief fantasy, elbowed me gently and pointed.

  I granted myself one more look before I turned around. Trailing my eyes slowly down his face, his small dimple as he smiled, his jaw, neck, and down to his shoulders. I sucked in a sharp breath when I saw his tattoos. Something on either side of his shoulders, inked on his skin, I was dying to know what they were. Knowing they were underneath his shirt, and how badly I wanted to pull it off to touch them.

  “You’re missing the finale,” Caid leaned into me again as he trailed both hands up my naked arms.

  This was crazy. I didn’t know him from a hole in the ground. But, he was touching me, and I wanted more. So much more.

  “Do you have a boyfriend, Emery?” He asked when I turned around, his mouth close to my ear once more.

  I shook my head. “No.”

  A small growl vibrated through him as he stood flush against me. His hands still on my arms, his thumbs circling on the soft skin of my biceps. “Good,” he whispered.

  Forget erratic. My breathing was non-existent. Never ever, for a single second, had I ever felt this way prior to that moment. I didn’t even write the female characters in my books to feel this worked up—I just didn’t think it were possible. Caid Burke wasn’t Toby. He was no anybody. I was sure of it. This man was created simply to send a woman’s brain skittering around outside of her body, and her heart? Well, her heart didn’t know what the hell was going on.

  The finale of the fireworks presentation was amazing. In every sense of the word. What little breath I was able to regain from Caid simply speaking and touching me, was taken away when the last explosions sent off in a frenzied array like a thousand gunshots.

  I could feel his hot breath on my skin, he was still against me. Touching me. Circling my skin in a slow and excruciating way. Was he trying to get a reaction out of me? Was he seeing how far he could go? In public, no less? We were in a sea of people, all with their eyes directed to the heavens, so no one really would be paying attention if I whirled around and crushed his lips into mine. Would they? Oh, who cares…?

  Just as I gained my nerve, I whirled around to let myself go, but he wasn’t there. In a split second he moved, and I nearly fell right on my face. Feeling completely embarrassed, I grabbed hold of Maggie and told her I wanted to go.

  “Home?”

  I nodded.

  “Em! I thought…hey, where did Caid go?” she asked, searching around us.

  “I don’t know,” I said, in almost a pouting whimper.

  “I thought we were going to Leland’s?”

  I felt someone touch my free hand and there it was. The spark. The tingle. The fire. It crawled up my hand, my forearm and right through my shoulder into my chest. My heart thrummed.

  “Sorry, Emery. I had to take a call.” Caid squeezed my hand. “We’re going to Lee’s now, yeah?”

  “Yeah,” I said, lost in his eyes again. “Everything okay?”

  He nodded. “Perfect.”

  Maggie shot me a smirk and shook her head at me.

  Ellie and Daniel walked up ahead of us, and Maggie gave me a wink before skipping up to meet them. We made it through the crowd at a snail’s pace, but I wasn’t complaining. A few times I had to stop and Caid pressed up against me as I let people cross in front of us, or waited to be able to move forward again.

  His fingers entwined with mine, heating my hand, and I thanked God I was in the lead as I knew my face was flushed red.

  ***

  Thursday, July 4 — 11:49 pm

  “EM!” Leland’s loud voice barreled through the pub the moment I stepped in the door. “I wondered when ya were comin’! Hello, ladies! Danny, Caid…”

  We took a cab to the pub. I had climbed in, thinking Caid would have sat beside me, but Maggie and Ellie took the seats on either side, and Caid was forced to sit beside Daniel in the middle of the minivan taxi. He reached for my hand when I climbed out of the cab, and pressed his other hand on the small of my back as we walked inside.

  Once we were inside, his hands left me to man-hug his brother. I mourned the loss of his touch. Even for the moment. Maggie pulled me over to the bar and picked up a shot glass that Leland had sitting on a tray.

  “If you’re only allowing yourself one. Better make it a good one!”

  We clinked the glass and took the shots in unison. It wasn’t the same as last night’s, but it was just as harsh.

  “Here!” Maggie stuffed a slice of l
emon in my mouth. “Suck!”

  The citrus slightly soothed the burning of the alcohol. “Was that tequila?”

  “Only the best, ‘round here, yeah!” Leland grabbed two, handing one to Ellie and Daniel, then another two, one for himself and one to Caid.

  After they salted their skin, they tipped back, sucked down the Mexican poison, and each grimaced from the taste. Then Caid did something that surprised and turned me on like a light bulb. He took the wedge of lemon from my hand—the one I had just sucked on—and popped it into his mouth.

  His eyes bored into me the entire time. I sucked my lip between my lips, jealous of the fruit in his mouth.

  “Em, you forgot the salt!” Maggie held up the shaker. “We did it backwards!”

  I took it from her and laughed.

  Caid took out the lemon from his mouth, held up my hand, licked his velvet-soft tongue across my skin and sprinkled the salt. Molten fire burned through me, I felt my panties—no, not the granny panties either, I’ll have you know—dampen in that instant.

  “I don’t think it really matters the order. Lick,” he said.

  I licked my hand, tasting the salt and his sweetness. “I need to sit!” I grabbed Maggie’s hand and tugged her toward an empty table. Happy to find one, since the place was filling up fast, the band had begun to test the sound coming from their instruments, and I felt a little overwhelmed from just having my hand licked.

  “Em…talk to me.” Maggie slid her chair close to mine, our knees touched. “Are you okay?”

  “It’s just…fast, Mags. It’s…shit! It’s happening so fast. Mags, I just got divorced.”

  “He’s really into you, I gotta say, I’m a little sad about being the fifth-wheel. I should have called Lance,” Maggie said, laughing. “Then again, there’s always the older Burke brother.”

  I turned and smiled at Leland, who was still by the bar with Caid, Daniel and Ellie. Leland was speaking to them, but Caid wasn’t paying attention. He was staring at me. Watching me. His emerald and jade eyes glimmering, penetrating, and making me squirm.

  Leland made his way to the table and set down some girly looking drinks. “Now these won’t be putting’ hair on yer chest.”