Chapter 12

12

OPAL

* One Week Later *

W hat a complete whirlwind.

The mess of boxes in my bedroom looks a lot less intimidating now that I have them all stacked neatly in the corner. I've been packing on and off for two days. Luckily, I don't have a lot of things anyway.

I've been trying to spend a lot of time with Angie, since I'll be moving out in a few weeks. I've already helped her find a new roommate, and she certainly understands the situation.

I have not, however, broached the topic yet with Mom about me moving in with Liam so soon. Although, since she told me once that she moved in with dad after only knowing him for a week, I think she'll understand.

Of course, dad only stuck around for three years and then took off, but Liam is planted here in West Stoneburg like a tree.

Angie and I had a long chat last night. About men, and how some of them have wandering eyes, or wandering feet. Searching for something new all the time.

Not my man.

He wants permanence.

My eyes dart to the phone as a text pops up.

Liam: It's done. Can I pick you up in 10 minutes?

Make it 9? :)

Liam: Yes, ma'am.

On the drive to his place, it's nearly impossible to keep from peppering him with a million questions. As soon as I showed him my idea for a setup to shoot all different kinds of fire, and he agreed it was totally doable, he reiterated that he was building it himself and announced I was not allowed to come over to his house until it was completed.

This means he's putting my safety above sex. Which in itself is one of the sexiest things a man could possibly do.

As we pull into the driveway, Liam glances over at me with something I've never seen in his eyes before. Is that…nervousness? Shyness? Some kind of uncertainty that is not like him at all, anyway.

"Listen," he says, squeezing my waist as he helps me out of the truck. "If there's anything you want to change, we can. Think of this as a first draft."

"As long as it's a bit bigger than my last setup, I'm incredibly grateful already."

"Okay." A thick arm slips around me and his hand covers my eyes while he walks me to the back yard.

The yard is gigantic, and I feel we're walking down toward the end. When we stop, I can see just enough around the edges of his fingers to realize we're at least two hundred feet from the house, and a hundred feet from the tree line.

"Well… Here it is." His hand drops.

My mouth falls open.

It's… spectacular.

Slowly walking all around it, I cannot believe how huge this is.

My slightly paranoid firefighter has created a pyromaniac's dream setup for me. A large square-ish pit has been dug down what looks to be well over a foot and lined with gravel. There's a platform of cinderblocks. On top are flat surfaces that rise up several feet to create various backdrops.

Silver stainless steel. Black wrought iron. Glossy white porcelain, possibly from…an old bathtub? Concrete. The end of a sheet of dark green marble. And, of course, four strategically placed white buckets that will catch rainwater, plus a fire extinguisher.

I had sketched a dark and light firepit. My responsible man turned around and created something so over the top that I'll never even think about shooting anywhere else. Which was probably his point. Clever.

"The marble is from a demolition job my friend is working on," he chuckles. "It was a bit dark for a bathroom. But I figure maybe if you blur it out or whatever it would kind of look like a forest or something?"

His last two words are muffled as I tackle him with a hug, bouncing up and down. "This is amazing! Mind-blowing!"

Stretching up to kiss him, he chuckles at the way I can't stop smiling. "Is it big enough?"

"Are you kidding ? It's enormous! Probably twice the size I need."

He clutches my hand, holding it against his heart. "That’s because you produce twice the love I need."

My heart melts as I stare up into his deep, smoldering eyes. Feeling so wanted by this incredible man fills me with an almost undeniable heat. But that's going to have to wait another few minutes.

After another quick kiss, I turned back to the huge platform. There's even a small metal bench that I can move around into different positions while I'm shooting. Stepping closer, I examine each surface, then my eyes are drawn back to the white porcelain. There's something small and light in the center with… I squeal. "You didn't!"

"Of course I did. My gorgeous girl deserves some kind of gift for moving in with me so soon."

He reaches out to hand me the box containing a pair of round fire opal earrings. "You're not supposed to give someone a wallet with no money in it. So I can't give you a firepit without any fire in it." His eyebrows lift. "Incredibly safe fire, that is."

Laughing, my gaze is drawn back and forth between the earrings, Liam's warm eyes, and the huge structure. "This…okay, I’m going to call it a fire studio…is the most incredible and thoughtful gift you could ever give me." I shake my head as I look around. "It does take up a huge part of your yard, though."

He shrugs. "What do I use the yard for? I mow it now and then and yank out the worst of the weeds."

Fireworks of color explode in the center of the beautiful earrings in the tiny box. Magic, contained in a small space. Which makes me think…

"You know, I will never ever set a fire if our kids can possibly see it," I blurt. "Good example, and all that. Well, at least not until they're sixteen." Looking up to meet his eyes, I murmur, "Assuming you want kids?"

"With you? Hell yes."

He takes the box from me, gently pulling out my tiny silver studs and replacing them with the fire opals. Then he stands back, looking me up and down.

"What?" I twirl in a circle. "Do they go with this fabulously crappy old sweater and leggings?"

He grins. "No. They’d go much better with just your bare skin. Let’s fix that."

I shriek with laughter as he bends down, flinging me around his shoulders before straightening up. He holds my legs and one arm while striding into the house. "It's a Fireman's Carry, baby. Better get used to it."

Mmm… I know I will.