Chapter 11
It wasn't long before she saw the smoke in the distance. She followed it, her hysteria increasing the closer she got. It was huge. Maxine hadn't exaggerated that fact. Sam could see it miles ahead of her.
By the time she finally stopped the Yukon on the outskirts, she was screaming in fear. Where was he?
"You can't go up there, miss," someone tried to stop her, but Sam eluded them and kept going.
She broke into an awkward run, screaming his name as she ran. Sam checked every firefighter she saw, but none of them was the one she sought. Oh gosh, where was he?
"Jake!" she screamed over and over as she ran. "Jake!"
Jake had just come out of the building when he thought he heard his name over all of the other sounds. People shouted, the flames and fire roared, the hoses hissed, yet he heard her call his name.
He pulled off his helmet and started looking for her amongst the chaos.
"Jake!" he heard her scream over to the left and he looked and saw her hysterical face as she searched for him.
"Sam!" Jake yelled and her head swung around in his direction.
"Jake!" she screamed again as she hurried towards him, running as quickly as her swollen body would let her.
He heard her rasping breathing as she flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck as he instinctively caught her to him.
"You're all right, thank God you're all right," she repeated over and over as she clung to him, her lips finding his.
Jake's mouth came down to crush hers as the kiss heated up quickly. All the pent up emotions in both of them came through in that kiss. Sam had one thought that her lips would be bruised, but after that she didn't care.
Jake's lips moved over hers and Sam answered his kiss. Their tongues met to tangle, then break apart to come back and tangle again. Both of them forgot where they were as they told each other with their kiss what they felt.
When they broke apart, both were gasping for air. Sam nibbled on Jake's bottom lip as their lips met again and again.
"I'm all dirty," Jake apologized. Sam hadn't even noticed that he was covered in soot.
"I don't care," she said as she kissed him again.
Jake was vaguely aware that his father was nearby but he was willing to risk his anger just to hold the woman he loved. Jake had waited and hoped for this day and he never wanted to let Sam go.
"Jake!" his father finally bellowed.
"I need to go back," Jake said to Sam, giving her another kiss.
"Not into the fire," Sam begged.
"No, but to help clean up," Jake explained. "You shouldn't be around all this smoke anyway."
"I was so afraid," Sam cried and Jake put her down and wiped a tear away with one of this thumbs. He ended up smearing soot on her face. "The news said a fireman was injured and I, I, I just couldn't…"
"The idiot tripped over a hose and broke his arm," Jake told her.
Jake had to reach out and support Sam who had almost collapsed at the news.
"Jake!" Luke yelled again.
"Go on, I'll see you at home," Jake bent to kiss her again. He picked up his helmet and with one last look headed towards his father.
"Jake!" Sam screamed to be heard above all the noise. Jake turned and looked at her as the tears ran down her face. He nodded and Sam put her hands to her mouth as she watched him disappear behind some equipment.