face of such danger.
'Did you want something? ' he asked, puzzled by the look of joy and
wonder on her face.
She hurried toward him once again with the intention of thanking him
for saving Caleb's life, but when she finally reached him, a simple
thank-you didn't seem sufficient. She threw herself into his arms.
He buckled under the impact and instinctively put his arms around
her.
Leaning up on tiptoe, she embraced his neck, whispered, 'Thank you, '
and kissed him passionately.
It wasn't a chaste kiss by any means, and Cole wasn't about to let the
opportunity slip past without taking full advantage.
He would have kept right on kissing her if he hadn't felt her tremble
in his arms. He pulled back then and tried to move away, but she
tightened her grip, and that was all the provocation he needed. He
kissed her once again and held her close.
Her head dropped down to the crook of his neck, and she began to sob.
All the pent-up emotion inside of her seemed to erupt then. His chin
rested on top of her head as she whispered her thank-you again and
again.
He gently kissed her forehead. 'You're welcome.' The moment would
never be forgotten, for the photographer captured the couple embracing
so passionatelythe, covered in soot, and she, wearing only a thin
nightgown.
The photograph was on the front page of the Rockford Falls Gazette the
following morning. /ebecca was sickened by the sight of Grace. The
left side of her temple was severely swollen from the blow to her
head.
It was a miracle her friend had survived.
Daniel had placed her on a blanket one of the neighbors provided and
knelt by her side while the doctor examined her. Rebecca wasn't
usually timid, but the seriousness of the injury took her breath
away.
Daniel thought she was going to faint and told her to sit down, but she
was determined to speak to Grace first.
