Ember (Constant Flame Duet Book 1)

by Christi Whitson

  Lena spent the majority of the afternoon replaying her lunch with Owen and her father, distracted to the point that even taking notes in her afternoon classes was a challenge. She privately acknowledged her own frustration, but she couldn’t decide whether or not she actually had the right to be frustrated in the first place. Most women would like the idea of their father being on good terms with their boyfriend…

  But Owen isn’t my boyfriend, she thought, attempting to reason with herself silently. He’s a friend who occasionally fucks my brains out. We’re not in a real relationship. Lena had kept those boundaries for a reason, and now it seemed that they’d been blown all to hell in the course of one lunch hour.

  She was frustrated with Owen for accepting her father’s invitation, but if she were being objective, she really couldn’t blame him. Her father was an important man, and someone with ambitions like Owen’s would need to network within the corporate world as much as possible. Could she really begrudge him the opportunity to do so? He hadn’t been blessed with a brilliant entrepreneur for a father. He wouldn’t have his first job out of college handed to him… not that any particular job was being ‘handed’ to her, per se. She’d been devoting countless hours of time and energy to GC since the age of sixteen. But Owen has worked just as hard, she recalled, knowing full well that his accelerated academic career couldn’t have been easy.

  Owen texted her that evening to ask if she had time to see him either on Friday or Saturday, but Lena felt she needed a little space from him to sort out her own feelings. She knew that if she saw him sooner rather than later there would be a good chance that she might say something she’d end up regretting, and she truly had no desire to hurt his feelings. Lena realized that she was being a bit petty about the whole thing, but she couldn’t help it.

  She texted him back with the excuse of having a paper to write. It wasn’t a lie, but the paper in question was nearly finished as of Thursday evening. Lena did her best to shake off her bad mood, intending to spend Friday evening finishing the week’s homework so that the rest of her weekend would be free, and she hoped that by dinnertime on Sunday evening, she would have gained some new perspective.

  Saturday

  Lena wasn’t big on shopping, but she had to admit, at least to herself, that the afternoon she’d devoted to retail therapy had greatly improved her mood. It seemed fitting, therefore, that the universe would seek to rectify the sudden imbalance. She was still a good five miles from her exit when her engine began to sputter. Lena tried to stay calm as the power steering failed and a hideous noise emanated from beneath the hood of her car.

  “Noooo,” she pled. “Come on, don’t do this to me. Snap out of it.”

  Unfortunately, since her car was an inanimate object, it wasn’t particularly inclined to heed her commands. Lena managed to navigate through the moderate traffic and pull over to the shoulder before retrieving her cell from her purse. It took nearly thirty minutes for a tow truck to arrive and another twenty for the driver to load up her car. Although the man seemed nice enough, growing up with a protective single father had made her cautious, and she kept one hand fisted around her pepper spray for the entirety of the drive to the nearest repair shop.

  Lena didn’t recognize the name of the establishment, but they were listed online as a certified service location for BMW. The setup was similar to that of the dealership where she usually went for service. The three desks assigned to the service writers were positioned in front of a bay of windows that provided a full view of the garage area. There were several vehicles being worked on, but a few of the bays were unoccupied, giving Lena hope that her wait might not be too long.

  As she described her car’s malfunction to the service writer, her gaze was drawn to the window as though by some strange but familiar magnetism. It took her a moment to determine what had attracted her attention, and when she realized what, or rather who, she was looking at, her mouth fell open in stunned disbelief.

  Lena had seen Owen Langford in a shirt and tie. She’d seen him dressed casually for class. And she’d certainly seen him in various states of undress... But she’d never seen him like this.

  He was wearing a dirty white t-shirt that clung invitingly to the muscles of his chest and back while its short sleeves emphasized his well-defined biceps. She could just make out the edges of the unfinished tattoo that graced his shoulder blades. His jeans were old and worn, stained with grease and who knew what else. The stains colored his hands and forearms as well, and she followed their movements as they handled some unseen engine component.

  Lena was hypnotized by the sight of him, and in that moment, she wanted nothing more than to let him bend her over the hood of her own car and put his greasy hands all over her. She wanted his dirty handprints all over her designer clothing and on every inch of her skin. Her ass, her hips, her breasts…

  She was snapped back to awareness rather abruptly when the service writer handed her an invoice to sign and explained that her car would be the next in line for inspection. Lena bowed her head self-consciously, wondering if she looked as aroused as she felt. Her pulse was skipping erratically, and her mouth was watering. Am I drooling? she wondered, covertly checking the corners of her mouth.

  Out in the garage, Owen paused in his work to take a quick drink from his water bottle, and his eyes were drawn to Lena by that same invisible force. His breath caught in his chest at the unexpected sight of her, and he realized that she was handing an invoice back to one of the service writers.

  “Hey, Joe, can you take over here for a few minutes?” he asked a nearby technician.

  Owen didn’t wait for a reply but crossed the garage quickly to open the door to the waiting area. As he passed, he spotted her car being unloaded by the tow truck operator, and his confusion increased.

  “Lena? Are you alright? Were you in an accident?” She heard the concern in his tone and wanted to reassure him, but her wits were a bit scrambled by his sudden proximity.

  “I’m fine. I, um… I don’t know what’s wrong… yet. They’re gonna…” Her reply was halting and awkward, and she couldn’t help but notice that he looked even better up close. He was sweating a little, and it reminded her of the sheen that bathed his skin when he pinned her down and slammed into her over and over… Wake up, Gardner.

  Owen smirked, easily recognizing the glaze of lust in her blue eyes. He was surprised that the grease monkey look appealed to her at all, but there was no mistaking her heavy breathing and broken speech.

  “Come on, I’ll show you to the waiting room,” he offered, guiding her through another door to a small area with chairs, vending machines, and a flat screen tuned to CNN. Lena was able to shake herself out of her stupor somewhat as they walked.

  “Uh… Actually, I was just going to call Tessa and see if she could come pick me up.”

  “Alright, but it shouldn’t take long to diagnose the issue. If Tessa can’t make it, I can give you a ride home. My shift is nearly over anyway.”

  Lena wanted to argue with his chivalry, but she couldn’t seem to form the words, still stunned by the sudden surge in her libido. When he’d disappeared back to the garage area, she took a seat on one of the padded chairs and shifted a little, acutely aware of her wet panties.

  It didn’t take long for him to come back with a verdict on her car; the power steering reservoir needed to be replaced. It was a simple enough fix, but the part had to be ordered and would take a couple of business days to come in. Lena nodded in acceptance, having already guessed that the issue was related to the power steering system. As Owen spoke, she noticed that he’d washed his hands and forearms, but his shirt and jeans still bore the evidence of his labor. His usual cologne mixed with the scent of sweat and engine grease, and although Lena would never have imagined those scents to be appealing, the aroma seemed to connect directly with her core. She wouldn’t have argued if he’d ripped her clothes off and mounted her right then and there.

  “I can take you home, if you l
ike. Unless you want to wait for Tessa?”

  “She didn’t answer,” Lena replied. “You’re sure you don’t mind?”

  “Not at all. Do you need to get anything out of your car before we go?”

  “Um… actually, yes. There are some bags in the trunk.”

  Her cheeks went pink when she opened the trunk of her car to reveal five or six shopping bags from various clothing stores. Owen kept his expression neutral as he helped her carry them to his car, but it was clear that she’d spent the afternoon shopping in spite of having claimed to be too busy to see him at all before Sunday evening. It stung a little, but he decided not to push the issue. As much as he might want more time with her, Owen knew that he had to tread carefully. She was like some exotic animal… exquisitely beautiful but easily spooked.

  Once they were enclosed in the small space of Owen’s car, the momentary awkwardness seemed to melt away, replaced with the all-too-familiar sexual tension that made his skin prickle. They were completely silent as they drove to her apartment and carried her purchases upstairs, but the moment they reached her living room, Owen dropped the bags and backed her against the wall, seizing her lips in a kiss that made her dizzy.

  Lena's fingers slackened as well, allowing her bags to fall to the floor. She gasped as he attacked the sensitive skin just below her ear, and her hands moved automatically to his tousled hair. She was fully aware that his dirty clothes were ruining her clean ones, but she couldn’t bring herself to object. She wanted him. Hard, fast, urgent…

  Owen made quick work of her clothing as well as his own, and Lena was certain she heard at least one article ripping in the process. In a flash, he had her back against her living room wall, hooking his arms beneath her knees to lift her legs. His weight held her in place as he thrust into her, filling her completely in one swift stroke.

  “Fuck,” he groaned, setting a punishing rhythm.

  Lena grunted with the force of his thrusts, clinging to his shoulders as best she could. They tended to default to rough sex most of the time, since that was what they both preferred, but she couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken her quite like this. It felt as though he was trying to fuck her right through her living room wall and into the adjacent apartment.

  “Come for me, Lena. You’re right there. I can feel it. Just let go,” Owen commanded. As though her body had been waiting for permission, she screamed and trembled as the waves of pleasure rocked through her. He was close behind, shouting in relief as he came hard inside of her.

  They stayed in position against the wall for a long moment before he slipped from her warmth and helped her lower her legs slowly. Once her feet were back on the floor, Owen caught her lips in another kiss, prolonging the contact as long as possible.

  “Holy fuck,” she sighed, still short of breath. “That was… it was…”

  “Fucking incredible,” he supplied.

  “That works.”

  They chuckled together, and Owen pressed his lips to her forehead before heading into her kitchen to retrieve a bottle of water from the refrigerator. Lena grinned as she watched him, appreciating the sight of his unabashed nudity in her kitchen. There was something sexy and incredibly intimate about it, and it made her feel almost giddy. She accepted the cold water bottle he handed her and took a long sip.

  “Oh, shit,” he cursed in a low voice. Lena lowered her water and gazed at him curiously. “I completely forgot a condom. Fuck.”

  “Relax. I have an IUD. It’s good for years.”

  “Seriously?” Owen sighed in relief. “Why didn’t you tell me that? We could’ve stopped wasting money on condoms weeks ago.”

  “Condoms do more than prevent pregnancy,” she pointed out.

  “Yeah, but I’m clean. Are you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then what’s the big deal?”

  Lena hesitated a moment but eventually conceded the point with a shrug of her shoulders. Condoms were simply part of her routine, whether she was on birth control or not. She and Owen had never established any rules about exclusivity, and she certainly wasn’t going to assume that she was his only partner.

  Once they were dressed, Owen shifted awkwardly on his feet for a moment, recognizing his cue to leave. He had homework of his own to finish that evening, regardless of whether or not her term paper had been a fabrication.

  “So… Do you want a ride to your dad’s tomorrow night?” he asked quietly. Owen didn’t miss the flicker of annoyance in her eyes, confirming what he thought he’d seen when he’d originally accepted Nate's invitation. His tone was slightly cooler when he added, “Or I could cancel, if you prefer.”

  “Why would you do that?” Lena frowned in confusion.

  “You don’t seem like you actually want me there,” Owen shrugged. He was unable to keep the hurt out of his expression entirely, and she felt a twinge of guilt when she saw it.

  “No, it’s fine. Really. I don’t blame you for wanting to get to know him. It’s a smart move for you.”

  “I take it he doesn’t know about us?”

  “Of course not,” she snorted. “Do your parents know who you sleep with?” He stiffened a little, and his eyes tightened minutely.

  “My parents don’t care.”

  Lena frowned again at the change in his tone and expression, realizing a second too late that she’d inadvertently put her foot in her mouth. While he hadn’t told her precisely why he’d gone to live with the Langfords when he was fifteen, she’d gotten the impression that the story wasn’t a pretty one.

  “I’m sorr--”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Owen shook his head, forcing a smile. “So, tomorrow? I can pick you up a little before five, and maybe we’ll beat most of the rush hour traffic.”

  “That would be great, thank you. And thanks for the lift home too. I appreciate it.”

  “Anytime.” There was no question of his sincerity, and Lena stretched up on her tiptoes to kiss him goodbye. They basked in the lingering heat between them as he returned the kiss, and she felt a little dazed when he pulled away and opened the door to leave.

  “Goodnight, Owen.”

  Chapter 13

  Sunday

  Owen sighed impatiently as he gazed at the line of cars in front of him, his head full of the woman he was on his way to meet. He was both nervous and excited at the prospect of joining Lena and Nate for dinner, and he’d foregone his usual brunch with the Langfords that morning so that he could spend some time tweaking his business model. With any luck, he would have the opportunity to discuss it with Nate that evening, and Owen was hopeful he might have some advice that could end up making a real difference in the future.

  Earlier that week, Owen had begun preparations to make his official entry for the Business Plan Competition that was held annually at UW. The grand prize was twenty-five thousand dollars. It wasn’t enough to get him started the way he’d like, but it was certainly a step in the right direction. Finding investors would be easier if he weren’t asking for the full hundred grand he would need.

  Networking with the older generations of Seattle’s business elite had turned out to be more complicated than Owen had foreseen. Anyone who might have been willing to entertain the idea of investing in a startup corporation would no doubt perform a background check on the person at the helm; it was simple common sense. Unfortunately, an extensive probe into his history would reveal his former surname, and Vera Monroe was still remembered by many in the upper ranks of society. Her crimes and eventual imprisonment had caused a scandal too shocking to fade so quickly, and even the Langford name couldn’t cleanse Owen of the association entirely. It was therefore all the more vital that he make the most out of whatever time he might be able to get with Nathaniel Gardner. Owen had dedicated a little time that morning to brushing up on the latest buzz about GC as well, much as one might research a potential employer.

  After their discussion over lunch on Thursday, Owen was no longer worried about awkwardness between himsel
f and Nate. Instead, his current anxiety was related to Eleanore. It hadn’t been difficult to discern the fact that Lena would have preferred he decline her father’s invitation, and Owen couldn’t help but feel uneasy about it. He hoped that his presence in her family home wouldn’t screw up… whatever it was that was going on between them.

  It was getting progressively harder to ignore his feelings about Lena, and he was almost certain that she reciprocated those feelings, even if she was refusing to admit it. I actually managed to find someone more stubborn than I am, Owen chuckled inwardly as he made a left turn down her street. It was a complicated situation that he didn’t have the faintest idea how to navigate. He knew that he wanted more with her than what they currently had, but he was at a loss as to how to convince her that he was worth taking a chance on.

  If he were being honest, Owen would have to admit that he didn’t truly understand what was holding her back in the first place. Sure, Lena had a lot on her plate, but so did he. If he was willing to make time for her, then it stood to reason that she should be willing to do the same.

  That’s assuming she really does feel the same way, he reminded himself. What if she doesn’t? Owen worried that if he pressured her, she would run from him, and then he wouldn’t have any kind of relationship with her at all. That would be unacceptable, he thought as he spotted her on the sidewalk in front of her building.

  He’d texted her a short while ago that he was on his way, and he allowed himself a moment of unabashed admiration of her as he pulled up to the curb. Lena's hair was down, as usual, and she’d paired the brown boots he liked with a flowy white dress that fell off her shoulders, revealing a few extra inches of addictively soft skin. Owen nearly groaned out loud at the thought burying his face against the exposed skin and inhaling her warm, clean scent. Her jacket was folded over her arm in preparation for cooler temperatures later that evening, and a small purse dangled off her opposite shoulder. Owen rolled down the passenger window as she approached the car.