Heartburn: An Everyday Heroes World Novel (The Everyday Heroes World)

by Tarrah Anders

  “Not that I’m aware. They’ve never mentioned a kid, I’ve never seen any.” The other man shakes his head.

  He looks back to me, “well missy, are you just here crashing their B-B-Q for some free food?”

  My jaw drops, “I don’t need this bullshit. I don’t need to prove anything to you guys.” I stand up and walk back inside the house, past my mother in the kitchen and out the front door while muttering to myself, not paying attention to anyone that calls my name.

  “Kindra! Kindra! Where are you going?” I hear my mother calling behind me. I turn around and face her just in front of my car.

  “Who am I to you?” I whirl around and ask her with tears streaming down my cheeks.

  “You’re my daughter, honey. You know that.” She tries to step closer, with her hands out as I hold my hand out stopping her.

  “I call bullshit to that! How do you explain where I’ve been all these years? Two men in that house had no clue that you have a child. They accused me of party-crashing for the free food. What the hell have you told people all this time?”

  “Nothing. We told them nothing, and no one ever asked. People assumed that you went away to college. But we said nothing.” She replies, looking at the sidewalk. “I’m not saying it was ever the right thing, but it’s just happened that way.”

  “I don’t know what to say,” I shake my head and turn, walk around my car and open the door.

  “It goes both ways, you know. You could have come home at any time.”

  “From what I’ve seen, it doesn’t look that way.”

  17

  Rogan

  I walk into Hooligan’s and Kindra is at the bar with several empty shot glasses lined up in front of her. I shake my head and head her way. If she’s drinking alone, there’s no good reason as to why.

  Halfway there, a hand lands on my shoulder and I turn to see Grant.

  “Hey man,” I greet him.

  “I could be wrong, but that’s Kindra, right? Your girl?” he asks.

  “Yeah, that’s Kindra,” I say, not correcting him.

  “My brothers and I have been here for a few hours now, and she’s put down pretty much an entire bottle. God knows that I don’t want to send her to the drunk tank tonight. Can you get your lady under control?”

  “You got it,” I salute and turn on my heel in her direction.

  She’d just taken a shot and slammed it down.

  “I think I’ll have another bartender,” she slurs, not noticing me at her side.

  He walks over and grabs the bottle of clear liquid and sees me. He freezes his motions and I shake my head.

  “Uh, I think I need to wash some more shot glasses, I’ll be right back, ma’am.” He says nervously.

  Since Kindra hasn’t swayed my way yet, I catch him. “Shots of water for the lady.” Then I place my hand on Kindra’s arm.

  She flinches and raises her arm as if she was about to hit me until she turns her head and our eyes lock.

  “What are you doing here?” she asks.

  “I came in for a drink before heading home. Where were you tonight? I didn’t see you.”

  “I had today off. Spent it getting yelled at for amounting to nothing from my father, yet again.” She holds up the shot that she isn’t aware is water and owns it.

  No reaction. She’s toast.

  “Why do you keep trying to get him to give a shit? He’s never supported you, and if he’s not going to now, then he likely will never.”

  “But one of the reasons that I came back here was to prove to them that I made something out of myself. I became someone that they would be proud of.”

  Another shot glass of water is placed in front of her. Her fingers wrap around it, then she leans her head back, and pours the shot down her throat.

  “These shots are beginning to have no flavor.” She shakes her head.

  “Maybe that’s a reason why you should stop drinking,” I tell her.

  “What’s the fun in that? Hey, can I ask you a question?”

  I nod.

  “What did you ever see in me?” She hiccups.

  “Listen, don’t let anyone dull your shine, sweetheart. Don’t allow your dad to belittle your accomplishments.”

  “I may be drunk, but I know that you didn’t answer me,” she sniffs.

  “Kindra, I saw everything in you, still do.” I tell her gently while brushing a stray hair out of her face. “Come on, let’s get you home.” I turn to the bartender to settle her bill.

  She stands up, and she’s a lot drunker than I thought. She grabs the bar to steady herself, tests her balance and then fully lets go.

  In slow motion, I watch her lean the opposite way and catch her before she fully falls as gravity takes control. I have one arm around her waist and the other digging my wallet out of my back pocket to pay her tab.

  I walk her a block and a half to my home and up onto my porch. She’s got the hiccups and hasn’t said a word. She stumbled while in my arms, and it was as if all of her concentration was placed focusing on putting one foot in front of the other.

  “Oh shit,” I hear her mumble as soon as we walk in the door.

  I look over to her, “Everything okay?” I ask.

  “I think—I think—” She covers her mouth and her eyes go wide.

  I know that look. I all but carry her to the bathroom just off the kitchen and she drops to her knees. I pull her hair back as she lets everything that she’s drank during the duration of the night come up.

  She heaves as I stand there and rub her back.

  Once she’s finished, I help her stand up and use some Kleenex to wipe her chin.

  “I’m so sorry, you shouldn’t be taking care of me.” She says leaning against my arm. “Ugh, I think I threw up in my hair.”

  “Let’s get you into the shower.” I tell her.

  She lifts her head and notices the smallness of the bathroom we’re in.

  “I may be drunk, but unless I’m showering in the sink, I think you are mistaken.”

  I laugh. “No, sweetheart. I have another bathroom, one with a shower.” I lead her out of the bathroom and down towards my bedroom.

  I let go of her, and as soon as I do; she tilts again to the side. I grab her again and situate her to sit on the toilet.

  I open the cabinet under the sink and fish around for one of the spare toothbrushes that I usually have stocked up from visiting the dentist. I set it on top of the counter, then move to the shower and begin the water. I toe off my shoes, remove my socks, then I pull my shirt over my head and step out of my pants.

  She looks up at me with a glazed look and a small smile. “Ro? What’s happening right now?”

  “You can’t stand on your own and I’m not about to let you fall and hit your head. We both know that would mean a trip to the emergency room, and with both of us being medical professionals, that wouldn’t look so good. Come on, let’s get you standing.” I lean down and lift her.

  With one hand holding her, and her rubber band arms trying to help, I remove her shirt and her pants. She tries to take off her bra, but I stop her.

  When she pouts, I control myself as I would love to take her lower lip between my teeth, but I remember that taking advantage of her right now would be the worst thing that I could do.

  But that’s all I can think about as soon as her wet skin slides against mine. She cranes her neck and her lips brush against my jawline as I wash her hair for her.

  Her bra and panties aren’t doing anything to hide her body from me. All they are is a sheer fabric that is covering her. Her nipples are hard, and they are pressing against my bare chest.

  “Lean back,” I ask, to rinse her hair. Definitely not to see her pert nipples. Definitely not.

  She leans back and I look.

  18

  Kindra

  I wake up in a familiar place and it takes a few minutes for me to see that I’m back in Rogan’s bed. But he’s not next to me, and the space beside me looks untouc
hed.

  Thankfully, I’m wearing a shirt this time, but it’s not mine—it’s Rogan’s. Beside me on the dresser is a bottle of aspirin and a large glass of water. After drinking the water, I rush into the bathroom and freshen up as much as I can.

  I go in search of Rogan and find him in the living room, reading on his tablet and drinking a glass of orange juice. I take a seat beside him and we sit there silently for a few minutes.

  “I’m sorry to have inconvenienced you again last night.” I say, staring at the wall in front of us.

  Rogan sets his glass and tablet down in front of us, then turns his body towards mine.

  “What are you talking about?” He asks with concern.

  “I mean, here I am in your house again. I woke up in your bed, and I really don’t remember the night.”

  “How is that inconveniencing me?”

  “I’m in your space when you don’t want me to be. Yet, I keep finding my way there.”

  He takes a deep breath and reaches for my hand. I stare at our hands nervously.

  “I brought you here last night, willingly. You needed someone last night, and I was that person for you. This thing between us doesn’t have to be complicated, let’s just let it go, however it needs to.”

  “We didn’t, did we?” I allude.

  “No, we didn’t. I slept in my spare bedroom and you in my room. But that’s not to say that it wasn’t a very tempting night. You aren’t exactly the most innocent in the shower, or when I was trying to dry you off.”

  “I’m sorry, wait. Why were we in the shower together?” I look at him.

  “You threw up in your hair and you couldn’t stand up straight by yourself.”

  I pull my hand from his and lean back with my head on the back of the couch and both hands covering my face.

  “I’m a mess. Coming back home has made me a mess,” I mumble against my palms.

  Rogan pulls my hands away from my face and remains holding them.

  “I need you to look at me.” Rogan demands.

  I take a deep breath, bracing myself for him to agree with me, then look at him.

  His hazel eyes are settled on my face, and not a bit of hatred lies within them. I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t warmth.

  “I’m happy you came home,” he states, squeezing my hand.

  “You are?” A single tear slips out of my eye.

  “I had been living thinking one thing and only came to learn that it was completely different. I had always wondered in the back of my mind what happened, but now I have closure. I think that I understand in a way everything that happened at the time happened for the both of us to become who we are today.”

  “Do you think that if I would have stayed that we would have been so motivated to change our lives?”

  “No, I don’t.” He tells me honestly, shaking his head.

  “I don’t think so either.” I agree.

  “Last night, you asked me a question,” he begins, and I groan.

  “Maybe we should just ignore whatever I’ve said in the past twenty-four hours.”

  “No, we never did that when we were kids, and we will not start that now. But you asked me something. You asked me if I’ve been in love since you. And I wanted to answer you at a point where you can remember this.”

  “Okay, can I have my hand back to brace myself for bolting out of here?” I joke as his hold on my hand tightens.

  “I’ve had relationships over the years, I wasn’t a hermit and I didn’t become celibate. But there’s only been one genuine love in my life, and that was you.”

  Another tear falls.

  I turn my gaze away from his and I just can’t look at him right now.

  “Why are you telling me this?” I ask after a moment of pregnant silence in the room.

  “Because maybe, just maybe this time, we can have a happier ending.”

  19

  Rogan

  We’ve snuck many glances at one another on shift tonight. We don’t know what will happen or when, but my comment yesterday opened the doors for a possibility of a second chance.

  I will see what would become of us. But I will not risk my heart to be burnt again, hoping it will be a different outcome from the one we had prior.

  The anticipation of what could come is killing me. We’re quiet at work tonight and as we pass by one another I grab her hand, lead her down a hallway and into a supply cabinet.

  “What the hell are you doing?” She whispers at me as I shut the door behind us.

  “I’m taking advantage of a slow night.” I tell her, stalking towards her.

  “Rogan, you know this isn’t an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, right?” She smirks and puts her hands on her hips.

  “I know. I want to think we’d be our own self-titled type of show,” I place my hands on the wall behind her, bracketing her in my space.

  “Rogan, we shouldn’t do any of this here,” she says in a shaky breath, with her eyes saying the opposite of what’s coming out of her mouth.

  “I know that we shouldn’t, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to break the rules.”

  My hand brushes her hair off her forehead and ropes it behind her ear. I trace her cheek and my thumb pulls her bottom lip from her teeth.

  “I dreamt of these lips so many times over the years,” I say in a whisper, as I lean down and brush my them across hers. “I dreamt that they were once again mine.”

  Her chin tilts up and she opens her mouth as I dip my tongue into her mouth, meeting hers and deepen the kiss.

  My arms wrap around her back as her fingers dig into my sides. A light moan escapes the two of us as our bodies press against one another.

  Then the door to the supply closet opens, covering us in bright light as we scramble apart.

  “Uh, yeah. I think I saw that thing around back here, along one of these um, shelves.” I say quickly, pointing over to the racks.

  Kindra crosses her arms and nods, looking everywhere but at our visitor and me.

  I look up at one of the residents and smile. “Hello, do you know where the glucose meters are?” I ask.

  The resident shakes her head and backs out of the room, shutting the door and us inside.

  “Shit! I cannot be labeled as a hussy for hooking up with the doctor. How cliché would that be?” she mumbles, chastising herself.

  “Don’t think along those lines, and I’m pretty sure that she saw nothing. Our cat like reflexes really were convincing.”

  She rolls her eyes and shoves my shoulder.

  “We should get back to work.” She rushes past me, but I grab her hand.

  “Come home with me tonight?” I ask.

  “Maybe.” She smirks and leaves me in the space alone. With a hard-on.

  Kindra stands behind me as I unlock the front door to my house, then I move to the side and let her pass by and walk inside before me.

  The house is silent as we walk in. My house has an open concept design, and we walk toward the kitchen to set our belongings down on one of the chairs by the island.

  It’s the start of the day for many people, but the end for us. The bright sun is shining into my living room through the open curtains and I see Duke stretch and stand.

  “Coffee?” I ask as Duke leans against my leg.

  “You want to have coffee right now?” She laughs.

  “No, not really.” I turn toward her and smile. “Duke, go lay down.”

  “Good, I don’t either.” She replies and I stalk the short distance to her.

  My hand reaches up and I cradle her head as I pull her face to mine. Our eyes flutter closed and once our lips touch, I feel an electric surge running through my body. My tongue slips into her mouth and she tastes absolutely delicious. Our heads tilt opposite and I slowly lose all my restraint. I rock my hips pressing my erection against her to show her how turned on I am.

  She groans into the kiss before pulling away and pulls her shirt over her head just as I do mine. She takes o
ff her bra, drops her pants and steps out of them before we rush back together and I hoist her up, my palms cupping her ass with her legs around my waist. We kiss as I blindly navigate through my house to my bedroom and lay her down gently.

  I hover over her as we kiss while her hands whisper across my back, then down and around to unbutton my pants as her hands greedily push them down. My cock slaps against her thigh and I groan from the skin to skin contact.

  “Rogan,” she moans as I nip at the side of her neck, trailing down to the valley of her breasts. I squeeze the mounds together and suck on each nipple, lavishing each with the attention that it deserves.

  She arches her back as her fingers thread through my hair, and I move lower on down her body as she spreads her legs. I kiss both of the insides of her thighs and then lash my tongue as I make contact with her warmth, press my face into her, and lick up her goodness. I alternate between my tongue and finger fucking her, and then once I can tell she’s ready, pull away and move back up her body.

  I lean over her body and reach into the side of my bed drawers for a condom. I pull out a string of Magnums and pull one apart. I sheathe myself and place my cock at her waiting entrance. I look at her and she lightly nods.

  I push inside and we both inhale deeply, then blow out our breath at the same time.

  I slowly thrust into her as her hand clutches my shoulder. I move her leg to the side to go deeper, then I slowly lose my restraint.

  Our moves get erratic, our breathing hitches as I push into her. Even though it’s been several years, my body knows her curves, her buttons and how to get her off.

  I reach between us , my fingers find her clit and I massage in circular motions.

  My hand reaches to her breast and pull lightly on her nipple and bend as I continue to thrust into her and take her hardened nipple between my teeth, pulling lightly and then suck.

  We move together in the morning sunlight at the end of our day and let our bodies do the talking.