AFTERSHOCK Read online

  "Is that different good, or different bad?"

  She smiled a full-blown smile that took his breath. "I learned things from you. I learned I didn't have to be strong all the time, that I could lean on someone else once in awhile. I can be independent, Dax, and still let someone in."

  "Someone?"

  She laughed. Laughed. "You, silly. I let you in."

  While he stood there with his mouth open, staring stupidly, she came toward him, smile still in place, her gaze tentative. "I learned to trust you. To let you trust me." Her warm, loving eyes touched him first, then her hands when she stepped close enough to set them on his chest. "And I realized something else, and this is the biggie…" Those clever hands slid up his chest and cupped his face. "I was afraid. I knew and understood that. What I didn't know, or understand, Dax, was your fear."

  She curled her fingers in his hair, holding him when he might have stepped back and denied her. "The truth is Daxton McCall, despite your bravado and tough words, you're every bit as scared as I am."

  Behind them, the swinging door to the kitchen opened as two of the firefighters stuck their heads in.

  "Not that we're admitting anything," one said. "But we're looking for food— Oh. Excuse me." He straightened with a new, more charming smile when he saw Amber. "I didn't realize we had company."

  "You don't," Dax said, his eyes still on Amber. "Get out."

  "But how about lunch?" asked the other one, shoving his buddy aside and sniffing theatrically. "Something smells good." He winked at Amber. "Or is that you?"

  Dax growled at them, and they both quickly backed out.

  Amber looked appalled. "Dax! That's no way to treat—"

  "Say it again," he demanded, reaching for her, giving her a little shake. He didn't know whether to allow this glimmer of hope within him, and the not knowing was killing him. "Say it!"

  "That you obviously need some etiquette classes, or that you're a chicken?"

  He grated his teeth. "The chicken part."

  "Oh, I think you heard me." Dropping her hands from him, she sashayed away to the counter, and picked up his knife. She hacked at a tomato. "You really changed things for me." Her words were a tad uneven, but her hands were a blur as she demolished the tomato. "You taught me so much about how I could feel for people, about how people could feel for me…"

  He came around behind her, sliding his hands along her expressive arms to hold them still. In the interest of both their fingers, he gently set down the knife. "I can't dispute the chicken part," he admitted. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her tight, buried his face in her neck. God, he loved her so much. He turned her to face him. "It's true, I used your resistance to reinforce my own. I don't know what I expected would happen between us, but it certainly wasn't for me to fall so deep."

  Her eyes filled and she opened her mouth, but he softly set a finger to her lips. "Yes, the thought of a future with just one woman terrified me more than anything I'd ever faced, but I knew there was no other woman for me, anywhere, and there never would be again."

  "Oh, Dax." A tear spilled over and he gently swiped it off with his thumb.

  "I fell in love with you, Amber," he said huskily. "And I fell good and hard. That was the easy part. The hard part came later, when I realized you didn't feel the same way, and that you might never feel the same. I'm sorry I hurt you, I never meant to."

  "I know."

  Because he could, he pulled her close and wondered what was going to happen.

  "I called my father," she said. "I'm going to see him. For Taylor." She lifted her head from his chest and stroked his jaw as she looked deep into his eyes. "I also changed Taylor's last name, officially, to McCall. I thought that was important."

  His heart swelled, but before he could even attempt to tell her how much it meant to him, she dropped her hands from him. "That's part of why I came here today. I wanted you to know what I had done."

  That was it? Hello. Let me drive you crazy. See ya?

  Her smile wobbled and she carefully stepped back from him. "Well…" She whirled and walked quickly to the door while his heart died a thousand deaths.

  Then, before she turned the handle, she hesitated.

  Killing him.

  "Aren't you even going to try and stop me?" She whirled around to look at him. "You realize I have no idea what I'm doing! I could really use some help here."

  His heart leaped into his throat, but before he could say a word, she lifted a hand. "No, wait. Don't help me. That's not right. I'm the one who has to do this, not you."

  "Amber…" Had he missed something? "Honey, are you making any sense?"

  She drew a deep breath. "Dammit, Dax, I love you, too." Her smile shook badly. "How's that for sense?"

  Stunned, all he could do was nod. "It's good."

  "I guess I'll have to prove it to you." She swung open the double doors of the kitchen and cleared her throat.

  Six curious men turned their heads.

  "Listen up everyone…" She looked at Dax over her shoulder. "I love Dax McCall."

  Wild cheers, lewd whistles and a chorus of catcalls greeted this announcement. Amber grinned. "Did everyone get that?"

  More cheers.

  She slammed the doors on them and turned back to Dax, who was still standing there, mouth open, heart pounding, love and shock singing through his veins.

  "I meant it," she said quietly, once again clasping her hands together. Her smile was still very shaky and her eyes suspiciously wet. "I really meant it. Now I dare you to be more trusting, to lay more on the line than that!"

  Oh, he was up for the challenge, yes he was. With his own shaky smile, he stalked past her and yanked open the kitchen doors. "Okay another announcement … I'm forsaking bachelorhood—"

  Loud groans greeted that announcement, which made him laugh. "I'm getting something better, trust me."

  Someone called out something about getting lucky every single night with the same woman and Dax grinned. "That, too, but more importantly, I'm going to marry Amber, and spend every single day of the rest of my life a very happy man."

  Next to him, Amber gasped. "Marry?"

  He hauled her close. "Love conquers all, we know that. We belong together. Say you'll marry me, Amber. Say you'll give me forever."

  In tune to the renewed catcalls, laughter and cheers of congratulations, Amber laughed and went up on tiptoe to kiss him. In soft agreement, she said, "Yes, I'll give you forever."

  * * * * *