Caught in the Flames Teaser

I leaned against the door jamb for about five minutes before I cleared my throat. “You know, I just did an entire strip tease and you guys didn’t even blink,” I deadpanned.

“No, you didn’t,” Bella said, taking off her glasses. “Peter didn’t scream like a girl. He’d be blinded by your pastiness.”

“I don’t want to see the pastiness. NOOOOOOOOOOOOO pastiness,” Peter said, his nose wrinkled.

“I’m not that pasty and you love my pastiness,” I huffed.

“I do, but Peter doesn’t appreciate your pale, skinny ass like I do,” Bella smirked, getting up and from her seat. Her arms slid up mine before threading into my hair. With a gentle tug, she kissed me. 

“Hi, baby. I missed you.”

“I missed you, too,” I whispered back, brushing my lips with hers.

“Ugh! You two are disgusting,” Peter said, saving his work and shutting down his computer. “How is it that you are married for ten years and you’re still all lovey dovey? I’ve been married for seven years and that shit went away after the first week.”

“That’s because Charlotte realized that you’re noxious, Peter,” Bella quipped. “Your ass should be labeled as a hazardous waste dump.”

“Don’t be hatin’,” Peter said, waggling his finger. “I have to let the fumes go because if they stayed inside it would squash my creativity.”

“You are so full of shit, Peter,” Bella laughed.

“No, he isn’t and that’s the problem,” I snickered.

“What? Edward never farted in front of you? Never chucked a deuce?” Peter asked, arching a brow.

“We’re married. We know too much about each other. Hell, he wiped my ass after I had Marie,” Bella said, her own brow arching. “It hurt too much to bend.”

“That’s love, man. You went where no man has gone before,” Peter said, his voice reverent. “Okay, I’m going. I’m hopeful that a good night’s sleep will help us with this damn website. It was supposed to go live two days ago.”

“They should expect delays with the insane additions that they requested last minute,” Bella said. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Probably not. I’ve got an engagement shoot in the morning and then baby shoots in the afternoon,” Peter said. “Call the company about the delay in the website and we can fix it on Monday. Have a good weekend, Bells. Later, Edward.”

“Bye, Peter,” I said as he slipped out the basement door. 

Caught in the Flames Teaser

Edward and I took a nap before we had round two. He woke me up with kisses all over my body and brought me to new heights with his tongue. After round two, we took a bath since we were both sweaty and I had to take down my hair. The bobby pins were giving me a headache. Edward took great pleasure in finding every one in the bath tub before washing my hair with some tropical scented shampoo.

Edward and I went back to bed and slept until his cell phone rang from his tuxedo pants that were on the floor. “It’s the day after our wedding. Can’t they let us fucking sleep?” he grumbled, finding his phone and glaring at it. His hair was standing up on end and his face was creased with pillow lines. “Fucking Harold. I’m ignoring him.”

“Wasn’t he at the wedding?” I asked, yawning and snuggling against Edward’s chest. “I could have sworn I saw him doing shots with Emmett.”

“He was at the wedding …” The phone rang again. “Oh, for the love. WHAT?!” I giggled. “Harold. Don’t make me drag my naked ass out of my honeymoon suite to kick you the nuts.”

“Oh, God!” I laughed, covering my face with a pillow. Edward tickled me.

“No, Harold. We are not spending today going over anything related to medical school. I have three days to be a husband to my wife. Do you know that means? I’m fucking her. Balls deep. In fact, I’m inside her now.”

“Yes, baby! Harder, Edward,” I moaned.

“You call me again and I will seriously maim you with my dick,” Edward growled. “I’ll see you on Wednesday. Not before.” He ended the call and turned off the phone. He tossed it onto the floor and groaned. “I swear to God, that boy is going to be the death of me.”

“What did he want?” I asked, moving so I was perched on Edward’s lap. I rolled my hips, feeling Edward twitch against my ass.

“I don’t know and I don’t care because my wife is giving me a great show. Are you going to fuck me?” he asked, waggling his brows.

I smiled, grasping his hardness and sliding down his length. “Does that answer your question?” The phone call from Harold was quickly forgotten as we got lost in each other for the third time. 

Caught in the Flames Teaser

The sounds of Beyonce’s “Halo” filled my ears and everyone stood up as we approached. I could see people from my office, the guys from Edward’s firehouse, Leah and Seth’s mom, Sue, and a few of his classmates from medical school, surprisingly enough. He wasn’t sure if they were coming, but his study group had caravanned to Traverse City. Along with them, Dr. Popper and her husband, along with some of the nurses from the NICU, labor and delivery and the ICU were there, celebrating our nuptials and supporting us in this time of happiness and not grief. As we got closer to the front of the group of people, I closed my eyes and let my emotions flow freely. When I looked up, we were at the altar and it was absolutely gorgeous.

Though, I didn’t care about the altar. I only cared about the radiantly smiling man standing to my right. He was wearing the same tuxedo as my father, but his vest and tie were a gleaming white. He looked so handsome, strong and excited as he stared at me, tears brimming in his evergreen eyes.

“Who gives this woman to this man?” asked the justice of the peace when the music stopped.

“I do,” Charlie whispered, taking my right hand and kissing it before placing it into Edward’s waiting palm. I took a shaky step toward my fiancé, smiling widely as I looked at him. “Take excellent care of her, Edward.”

“I promise, Chief,” Edward murmured, never taking his eyes off me. Edward threaded his fingers with mine as the officiant began the service. 

Caught in the Flames Teaser

“I think we’re good to go,” Edward said, rubbing his hands together. “Emmett, Jasper and my parents are meeting us here before we head up to Traverse City. They texted and are on their way.” He walked to me, wrapping me in his arms. His hands slid up to my back and I squeaked at how cold they were. “Is it too late to elope?”

“I think so,” I giggled, kissing his chin. “Your hands are chilling me to the bone, baby.”

“Cold hands, warm heart,” he growled, dipping me deeply and pressing his soft lips to mine. I moaned as I clutched his arms, trying to stay upright. He slid his tongue between my lips, tangling with mine. Righting us, he removed his hands from my back and cupped his hand around my face. He stopped our kiss, panting heavily and smiled crookedly. “I love you, Mrs. Cullen.”

“I love you more, Dr. Cullen,” I giggled, kissing his nose. “We have to go, though.”

“Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrupthhht!” Marie squealed, tossing a stuffed animal toward us.

“Our baby agrees,” I laughed, dancing out of his arms and slipping my purse over my head. I looped my arm through the carrier, walking toward the back entrance. “Set the alarm before we go, baby.”

Chateau Chantal

Traverse City, Michigan

Caught in the Flames Teaser

Neither one of us got a lot of sleep. Marie was unsettled by the storm. When I woke up to my alarm, I took a piss and went straight for the coffee machine, pouring myself a large cup. I fucking love coffee. After my shower, I reviewed the parts of the digestive system as I ate breakfast. I was packing up when Bella came down with a very grumpy Marie. I kissed them both before I darted out of the house to the lab for my exam. If I finished early enough, I could possibly get a nap in my car before my Health Care Disparities class.

My day flew by, as did my night. Harold was adamant on meeting to review for the midterm in our classes. So, after having a rushed dinner with my family in the student center, I spent nearly six hours reviewing parts of the body and equity issues in the health care system with five twenty-two year olds. When my eyes were crossing, I said that I had to go. My group wanted me to stay, but I wanted to sleep in my own bed.

The next day, we received our grades for the practical and I had gotten the best score. I had missed two questions, confusing two major veins. Then, our professor began his exuberant explanation of the renal system and the wonders of our kidneys. I took detailed notes, in a notebook. The rest of my class all had laptops, tablets and iPads. I loved technology, but having it at your fingertips was a distraction. I did have my MacBook in my bag, but I preferred taking notes in a notebook. It helped me retain the information better.

Class was dismissed with the promise of an exciting day in the lab, dissecting a kidney. I packed up my belongings, walking to my next class before lunch.

Caught in the Flames Teaser

The next morning, I woke up with a note next to my pillow. Alice and Esme kidnapped me along with Marie. Something about a birthday makeover. We’ll be out all day. We’re supposed to meet at Clear Waters at eight. Your parents and my dad are watching Marie. Love you, B.

I wrinkled my nose. I wanted to spoil my fiancée, damn it! I wanted to treat her to breakfast in bed. Meddling little elf. I got up and decided to do some laundry, review some research for my major project. I was working on Community Health and I was reading a few abstracts, trying to narrow my study. As I was going to make some lunch, Emmett and Garrett came into the brownstone. “Do you guys ever believe in knocking? I could have been naked,” I quipped.

“You weren’t,” Garrett smirked. “We’re here to kidnap you.”

“What? No. I have shit I need to get done and don’t forget it’s Bella’s birthday this weekend,” I growled.

“We know. But, tonight, it’s your bachelor party!” Emmett boomed, pumping his fist. “Well, it’s a combo. You and Bella are VIPs at Clear Water’s tonight for your bachelor/bachelorette party. Alice and your mom are taking care of Bella while we’re handling you. Do you want to know what’s on 

tap?”

No. I don’t want a bachelor party. “Sure,” I shrugged.

“Try to contain your enthusiasm, Edward,” Garrett teased. 

The New Clear Waters

Caught in the Flames Teaser

I was tossed onto a gurney and my dress was removed from my body. I was in so much pain. Dr. Popper was cursing loudly from between my legs and when she stood up, her hands were bloody. “Bella, I’m sorry, but we’re going to have perform an emergency C-section.”

“What? What’s wrong?”

“You are bleeding from your placenta, a placental abruption. If we don’t remove the baby and stop the bleeding you’ll die. Your baby will die,” Dr. Popper whispered, her eyes staring at me.

“How did this happen?” Edward asked, his face pale and drawn. His fingers threaded with mine. I never saw Edward look so scared. “Dr. Popper?”

“My guess is that when you fell, it caused you to go into early labor. The medications stopped it, but the placenta, somehow, is now separated from the fetus. We have to go. Bella, we’re going to put you under,” Dr. Popper said, soothing my hair back. “It’ll be easier on you and the baby.” She closed her eyes, blowing out a breath. “If there are complications, where we can’t stop the bleeding …”

“Do you want to perform a hysterectomy?” I asked, feeling sicker by the minute. Dr. Popper nodded, her lips set in a grim line. 

Caught in the Flames Teaser

“Bella, we’re taking you to the hospital,” chided Angela, taking my blood pressure. “You need to get the baby checked out.”

“Edward cushioned my fall,” I grumped as Jessica wrapped my wrist in a makeshift sling. I looked at him and he was being cared for my Seth and Leah. The force of our tumble had aggravated his ribs. The smoke had also caused the damage to his lungs to resurface. He was grimacing in pain. I felt fine, but I think it was the shock of everything that caused me to push the pain I may or may not be feeling back.

“He’s going. So, you’re going,” Jessica said. “On the gurney, Bella. Edward would kick my ass if anything happened to you.” I moved so I was on the gurney, strapped in and attached to various monitors. Edward got in, groaning as he settled next to me. The gash on his head was hastily covered and he was wearing oxygen, wheezing from the exposure from the flames and smoke from the destruction of my office. “You should be on a gurney, too, Edward.”

“I’m not pregnant,” he said breathlessly. “I just need a nebulizer and to make sure that our peanut is 

okay.”

“You two are so fucking stubborn,” Leah grumbled, tightening the nasal cannula around Edward’s head. 

Caught in the Flames Teaser

I watched as Edward slumped and fell onto the floor. The gun had caused a deep cut on Edward’s temple. He was bleeding and it was dripping onto the floor. The scent made my stomach turn. I wished for Edward to wake up. My heart was stammering. Fear was washing over of me as the grizzled features of my once attractive ex-boyfriend glared at me. James had so much hate in his eyes. That hate grew exponentially when he saw my swollen belly. I wrapped my arms around my stomach, needing to protect our Marie.

You are not touching me, you fucker!

“He got you pregnant?” James snarled, his face morphing into a terrible grimace. “I thought I fixed that problem. Perhaps I can do it again …” He lifted the gun, training it on my stomach.

No! Not again, asshole.

It broke my heart for me to shimmy closer, further away from my unconscious fiancé, to my desk where the gun was sitting in the top right drawer. “Please, don’t,” I whimpered. “It’s a boy. I don’t want you to hurt him.”

Caught in the Flames Pic Teaser

We stopped at a nearby liquor store, picking up a bottle of champagne before we arrived at Jasper’s townhouse just outside of Chicago in nearby Evanston. When we got there, I noticed my parent’s car along with Emmett’s, Garrett’s and Seth’s. I was glad to see my coworkers and friends from the firehouse. I had missed them and was anxious to hear what was going on at the house.

“I thought that Jasper was going to propose on New Year’s Eve,” Bella said as we walked up the steps to the front door.

“With everything that happened, Jasper didn’t feel like it was appropriate,” I replied. I remembered speaking to him, asking him about his plans for proposing to my sister. He was concerned about me and about Bella. He didn’t want the fire to my condo to overshadow their happiness. He changed his plans and he had proposed on Valentine’s Day.

“I’m happy for them. I’m glad that Jasper proposed,” Bella smiled, ringing the doorbell. “Do you think that Alice is going to be a bridezilla?”

“More than likely,” I said, kissing my own fiancée’s cheek. “Alice was one of those girls who planned her wedding from the moment she came out of the womb.”

Blog only Teaser...

Paul Keller is one of the most notorious serial arsonists in American history. This Seattle man is responsible for at least 70 fires and three deaths in and around the Seattle area during the ’80s and ’90s, with unsolved cases even popping up in recent years. This polished looking advertising salesman and active churchgoer was ruthlessly setting fires to homes, churches, businesses throughout four counties, making this one of the worst serial-arson cases in state history. Finally in 1993, Keller was found guilty and sentenced to 99 years in prison.

Taken from www.firesciencecolleges.com

Blog Only Teaser

By midnight, I had new locks throughout my entire house and garage. I tried to pay Emmett, but he just shoved my hands away and told me to make some of my rocky road cookies. He had pilfered a few when I gave some Edward of my latest batch, falling in love with them. I promised to bring some by the next time I came over to my boyfriend’s. Beaming brightly, Emmett gave me a hug, kissing my cheek and ambled out of the brownstone with a goody bag of leftovers from the barbeque. Edward was rifling with the new keys, attaching them to my key ring.

“You have four extra keys, Bella,” Edward said, handing me the remaining keys. “The gold key opens up the deadbolt and the silver key opens up the door. You have two extras of each.”

“That’s perfect,” I replied, swiping a key chain that I had found when I went grocery shopping with Alice. I put one of the extra sets keys on the Chicago Fire Department keychain, handing it to him. “I want you to keep these.”

“Really?” he asked, his brows shooting to his hairline.

“Edward, you are the person I trust the most in this city,” I whispered, closing his hand over the keys. 

“Besides your sister and she’s not getting her keys until later.” I pulled out a butterfly, sparkly and dangly keychain. “Once I realize that she won’t randomly barge in.”

“Which will be never,” Edward snorted, adding my keys to his own keychain.