Christopher reaches over to Maddie and takes her hand. There’s a serious light in his eyes when he says, “We’d like to get married.” He looks nervous, as if he’s asking my permission.

“You’re both adults. If you’re both sure that’s what you want then I don’t see why you can’t. Are you planning on leaving or staying?” I need to know. Christopher is one of my best guards. I’d hate to lose him.

“We’re staying if that’s okay? Maddie is comfortable here and you know that I love working here.”

I smile reassuringly at them. “Then you stay. The choice is always yours.”

“Is it okay if we get married here? We saw how beautiful Jack made the chapel. We could have the wedding there,” Christopher asks with hope shining in his eyes.

“That would be a great idea. Just check with Adam if you need anything extra and let us know which date you decide on.”

Maddie’s face is shining with excitement but it’s Christopher who gets up and comes to hug me. “Thank you so much, River.”

I laugh and pat him on the back. “It’s my pleasure.”

“Nana!” I hear Adam call Miss Ella and automatically my eyes go to them. Jack helps her over to where Adam and Sophia are, and I excuse myself from Christopher and Maddie so I can get to Jack.

Adam gets up and reaches for a plate so I quickly say, “I’ve already got plates ready for Miss Ella and Jack.” I pick up Jack’s plate and tip my head towards Miss Ella’s plate. “Could you just take it to her?”

Adam takes the plate and steals a piece of cheese. “Eat your own food!” Miss Ella tells him off with a smile on her face. Adam places a kiss on her forehead as he hands her the plate.

“Here you go.” I hold out the plate to Jack and when he takes it, I point to a bench where there is still space to sit. “You want to go sit with me?”

He nods and we walk over to where Tristan, Diane, Lizzie and Jamie are sitting. I sit down next to Jamie so Jack won’t have to. He’s been very cautious of the other girls since the thing with Beverly happened.

“Are you enjoying yourselves?” I ask around the table. Jack starts to eat and I’m glad to see he has such a healthy appetite.

“I love these barbeques,” Jamie says. “I was thinking we could dance later on.”

“That would be fun,” Lizzie says.

“Everyone!” Adam shouts, getting our attention. Christopher and Maddie are standing next to him. A smile splits over my face as Adam throws his arms around them. He looks like a proud father. “Christopher has asked Maddie to marry him.”

Oohs and aahs sound up and everyone takes a turn to congratulate the couple.

Colby catches my attention as he throws his plate to the side and then stalks off. I wonder what’s wrong with him.

Jack finishes his food but I give up on trying to eat with all the excitement. He moves, straddling the bench and facing me, then he scoots as close as he can. His powerful legs cage me in and his arms go around my waist. He just stares at me, his eyes a soft green.

“What?” I whisper, feeling a blush creep up my neck from his intense look.

“I just like looking at you.”

Music blares over the yard and some of the girls start to dance. Christopher and Maddie are standing to the side, swaying romantically in each other’s arms.

Sophia is sitting on Adam’s lap and you can see the two are lost in their own world.

My eyes meet Miss Ella’s. She makes huge eyes, trying to tell me something. I frown at her, but then she just yells. “Dance with Jack!”

Everyone bursts out laughing and it makes me flush red hot. I get up anyway and then hold my hand out to Jack. “Would you like to dance?”

“I can’t,” the words pop from him.

“That’s okay, I’ll show you.”

Jack places his hand in mine and I pull him to the side where we’ll have some space. I take both his hands and place them on my hips, and then I place my own hands on his broad shoulders. “Just sway from one side to the other.”

We start to sway and I watch Jack as he watches the other’s dancing. Suddenly, he pulls me closer and his arms tighten around me. He smiles widely. “That’s better.”

I let my hands go behind his neck and we get lost in each other.

Last night was so special for me and Jack. Not only was it the first time a man gave me an orgasm, but Jack got that part of himself back too. It doesn’t mean things are all sunshine and roses for us from here on out, not in the least. I’m still worried about this relationship that’s forming between us. Are our feelings real, or did we just gravitate towards each other?

Don’t get me wrong, Jack has the perfect body and he’s strong, but he’s still growing and healing. The other day he was right when he pointed out that I was treating him like a child, because in some ways he’s still that little boy who never got to grow up – and that makes me feel like a pervert for wanting him. It’s a huge obstacle that I’m not quite sure I can get over.

Jack might be all man on the outside, but inside he’s still finding himself. I think he closed himself off over all the years he was forced to be a slave, and now that he’s free to just be himself he’s finally let that part free that he closed off, and that part is still nine years old.

I hold Jack tight and press my ear to his heart. I’ll have to be so careful with him, but one things for sure – no more sex.

~*~

It’s a nice evening. Everyone is having fun and the heat of the day is dying down.

Jack straddled the bench again and then pulled me down too. With my back against his chest and my legs stretched out in front of me, I keep drifting off. His arms are tightly around me, his breath stirring my hair.

This moment feels perfect. Just sitting here with Jack and having him hold me is all I need.

“Fire!” Someone screams from somewhere behind us. I sit up and look behind us and sure enough it looks like the stables are on fire.

“The horses!” I scream and then I’m up and running. “Get water!”

There’s a lot of screaming and shouting, and even Miss Ella runs towards the fire at her high age. Jack darts past me at one hell of a speed, dragging the hose behind him. He already opened it and water is spouting everywhere.

Jack is the first one there and he sprays the water right into the heart of the fire. Adam, Tristan, Christopher and the others work to get the horses out and to safety. I feel useless and thrust my hands into my hair. My eyes are stinging from the heat.

The air around us thins quickly as if the fire is sucking all the oxygen from it.

A loud crashing sound comes from the side of the stables as the building starts to crumble under the destruction of the flames - and then we hear a piercing scream from somewhere inside.

Jack drops the hose and it’s with an icy horror that I watch him run towards the fire. “Jack!” I scream, but he doesn’t listen. Miss Ella grabs the hose and she goes after Jack, wetting him as he runs, and then he disappears into the inferno.

It almost looks like Miss Ella is about to go into the burning building too. The panic and horror of the night rips a scream from my aching chest. “No, Miss Ella!” What the hell is wrong with everyone! They can’t just run into the fire!

I run to her and I grab her arm so I can pull her back to where it’s safe. I start to cough and it feels as if the flames are trying to find their way into the heart of me. We’re too close to the fire! Miss Ella bends over and she coughs until her legs give way. I do my best to help her away from the burning stables. “Jack,” she wheezes in between coughs.

Tears blur my sight and I wipe quickly at my stinging eyes. I help Miss Ella to sit and then run back to where the hose is lying. I pick it up and spray water where I last saw Jack run in. The seconds are long and agonizing while we wait for some sign of Jack. My heart pounds faster and faster, and fear sharpens all my senses.