“Why did you stay away?”
“I didn’t want to crowd you.”
“You said you loved me.”
“I did. I do.”
“I missed you.”
His eyes lit up, but then he sobered. “I told you. I didn’t want to crowd you. I think I’ve been doing that too much lately.”
“You have changed.” She smiled. “Bad boy, O’Neill.”
“Guess I got sick of being your buddy. Wanted to be something more.”
“You are. You’re my best friend.”
His shoulders slumped, his face falling.
She smiled. “And my lover.”
He perked up, but only a little.
“You are greedy.”
He stepped closer. “What are you saying?”
“I love you. I love you so much it hurts.”
“I love you, too.” He gently brought her against him and buried his face in her hair. “Damn, Lana, I’ve never been so scared.”
“Me, either.” She rubbed the back of his neck. “But we survived.”
“I wasn’t going to let you die.” Struggling for composure, he eased away.
“You carried me through fire.” She shook her head quickly, before he could speak. “If you hadn’t, I would never have gotten to tell you that you were right. I was afraid. I knew that if I talked about the test with you that it would come out that I didn’t want to take it. I do want to be an arson investigator. I’ve wanted it for years now. I was wrong to shut you out. You make me see things I don’t want to see. I didn’t want to fail you or my father, but it seems that I couldn’t have both of you. If I did what he wanted me to do, I would have disappointed you. If I did what you wanted me to do—what I wanted to do, I would have disappointed him.”
Sean shook his head. “You wouldn’t have disappointed me, Lana. I only want what makes you happy. You’ve got to know that your father wants that, too.”
“He’s already told me…I gave him the truth and he’s accepted it. He does want me to be happy. I don’t want to lose you, Sean. We can work everything out.”
“Yes, we can. Hold on to me, Lana, and never let go.”
She slipped her arms around his neck and pressed her mouth to his. He tasted like passion and heat; he tasted like her best friend. He tasted like the man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.
“There’s one more thing,” he said. “I know that you have this dare going.”
“Sean, that isn’t important.”
“Sure it is. You were bold enough to make the dare.”
“And you have something for me?”
“I sure do, but if you want this souvenir, you’ll have to take it off my body.”
She laughed. “What is it?”
He went to his locker and retrieved a small box. “They gave this to me for saving you.” He opened it and inside was his medal of valor.
“Sean, no.”
“Yes.” He took the medal and pinned it to his shirt. “Take it, Lana. It’s yours, like my life and my love.”
Sighing softly, she whispered against his mouth, “I’ll take that dare.”
* * *