Read Online Daring Devotion by Elaine Overton - Free Book Online Page B

did he have to go on? A feeling?
    No, he would wait, and give Jeff a chance to fit in. Maybe with encouragement and time, he would change his feelings.
    As she came to a halt beside him, Marty reached over and touched his arm. “Are you okay? I mean, since the Hadley building you’ve been acting a little weird.”
    â€œIt shook me a little, but I’m fine now,” he said the words, at the same time trying to make himself believe them.
    Marty started to move, but then paused. “Andrea is worried about you.”
    His eyes flashed to Marty’s, wondering just how much Andrea said to her, but he was instantly relieved. One look in her eyes told him she knew nothing of the nightmares.
    â€œI know.” He smiled. “Really, I’m good.”
    His friend looked at him for a long time, before deciding to accept his words. She nodded and walked away. A few seconds later Cal heard the guys greeting her in the other room.
    As he headed back to his office, he replayed the incident that had occurred at her place the night before. Andrea had pleaded with him to talk to her about his nightmares. He could still see the love and compassion shining in her eyes.
    But instead, he put on his clothes and left. He remembered exactly how she looked sitting so lonesome on the big, empty bed. He sometimes wondered if she wouldn’t be better off without him. Driving home, for one brief, terrifying moment, he imagined what his life would’ve been like if he walked away from her, out of her life forever. The image was terrifying. The bleak, lonely existence that waited beyond was too horrible to imagine. So, he found himself in an impossible position. Too weak to love her, the way she deserved to be loved, and too weak to let her go.
    And he’d almost caved. He’d wanted to cross the room and take her into his arms, tell her again how much he loved her, how lucky he was that she loved him. He wanted to tell her that he would love and honor her the rest of her days, and treat her like the princess she was. But he couldn’t because he knew she deserved better than a half-crazed fireman. So, when she reached out to him, he’d tucked his tail and run. But what choice did he have?
    How was he supposed to tell her that the nightmare she’d awaken him from involved her? That many times, over the past few nights, the person he’d seen falling into the great abyss had not been himself, but the one he loved most. Somehow the demon in his mind knew just how to terrify him. Not with the threat of his own death, but with that of Andrea’s.
    Suddenly, the shrill and familiar sound of the alarm interrupted his contemplation, and once again the firehouse erupted in activity. By the time he got into gear and hurried down the stairs, most of the team was already on the truck. The horn blew twice in warning to pedestrians, and the truck began moving forward, just as Cal was pulled aboard by Tommy.
    Â 
    Cal spotted the shadowy outline of what he believed was a human body at the top of the stairwell. The ear-piercing scream that came shortly after confirmed that the person was still alive. He took two steps at a time, until he reached the first landing. He turned, stepped over a pile of debris and stopped dead cold.
    The second flight of stairs had burned away, leaving an eight foot gap between where he stood and his victim. Without thought, he looked down into the hideous cavity and immediately regretted it as the whole world took on the sickening, swirling effect. He braced himself against the wall, and closed his eyes. Sometimes taking several deep breaths helped, but not this time.
    When he opened his eyes again, it was even worse. Everything had taken on a kaleidoscopic appearance. Images running one into the other, and he was no longer certain of exactly where his victim lay. No more sure than he was of where he was standing.
    The person lying at the top of the stairs screamed again, calling for