Falling Star (Combustible Book 2)

by Brandy L Rivers

  “Please.”

  He carried her upstairs to his room and slowly let her down, sliding her body against his until her feet found the floor.

  Her toes curled with the intensity of his stare. His voice was rough as his hands twisted in her shirt, lifting it over her head. “You can make me beg tomorrow. Tonight, I’m going to give you enough memories to blot out anything bad that ever happened to you.”

  His mouth closed over hers, stealing her breath again as he walked her back to the bed while opening her shorts and sliding them down her legs.

  She grabbed the hem of his shirt, but he caught her hands, shaking his head. “Patience. You told me to make you forget. Let me.”

  Ella nodded, her heart thumping. Surrendering to Trent was the only thing she trusted.

  He stared into her soul and demanded, “Trust me.”

  “I do,” she whispered.

  He pulled his shirt off and pushed her down on the edge of the bed, taking her mouth in another kiss before tasting his way down her jaw and neck, to her collarbone where he swirled his tongue in the hollow.

  A desperate moan escaped as he knelt before her, pushing her legs open. Only Trent could wipe away her fears, at least for a little while.

  He cupped her breasts and licked a trail across her skin, then flicked his tongue over her nipple before sucking firmly. Her fingers tangled in his hair as she pressed tighter, needing more.

  “Oh, Trent,” she gasped as he pressed two fingers inside her already slick folds. Her toes curled as he pumped slowly while laving at her sensitive bud, then paid the same attention to the other side before nibbling his way to her belly button. He trailed the tip of his tongue in circles around her navel, before dipping inside. Trent continued down, brushing his lips along the inside of her pelvis, driving her crazy.

  Ella fell back on her elbows as he pulled her hips closer to him at the edge of the bed. She’d never been so turned on in her life. Ready to fall off the cliff, he ignored her moans and panting, determined to keep her teetering there until she couldn’t take anymore.

  He pulled her open, still working her core with his fingers as he licked through her heat. Lifting her head, her eyes locked on his as his lips closed around her clit. He feasted, driving her to the brink of ecstasy, holding her there with the intensity of his gaze.

  Her back arched as sharp pleasure radiated through her body. His thumb rubbed over her rear passage while he teased her with his tongue and pumped into her with his fingers. Sensation exploded as Ella’s body spasmed with the powerful release.

  Trent kept going, drawing out every sensation. It was too much, and she tried to pull away, but he held her, slowing his assault, ending with a final long lick.

  Her legs shook even as he rubbed them in even strokes. He stood, dropping his pants and boxer-briefs. She watched his hand slowly caress down his chest and abs, tantalizing her, before wrapping around his cock.

  She licked her lips as she watched him pull a few slow strokes with strong hands. “Trent, please don’t make me wait.”

  “No waiting,” Trent promised, then he rolled her onto her stomach, bending her over the bed. He pulled her hips up and slammed into her. She was so full, she couldn’t think. If it weren’t for his grip on her hips, she’d have collapsed on her still shaking legs.

  “Fuck, Ella, I need you.”

  “I’m yours.” The words burst through her, the meaning deeper than any she’d ever uttered.

  He pounded into her hard, pulling to her end before thrusting deep. She gripped the comforter in an effort to hold on. He wrapped a hand partially around her thigh and pulled her leg onto the bed. Trent was so deep, they could have melded, become one.

  “I’m close,” Ella cried.

  Trent’s finger grazed over her clit and she came undone as he called her name as if he’d claimed her. Even if he hadn’t figured it out, it was fact. He was all she wanted—all she needed.

  Words danced on the tip of her tongue as he leaned over her, kissing her spine. She closed her eyes against the tears that threatened to fall as she choked back her admission.

  With everything going on, she didn’t want to jump ahead of him. He could say the press wouldn’t affect how he felt, but he didn’t know how bad it would get.

  He climbed up on the bed, pulling her with him and into his arms. “Ella…” Trent stared into her eyes, his hand caressing up her side and across her back to hold her close.

  His caring eyes held hers with such deep emotion. She couldn’t find her voice through the lump forming in her throat. Everything that had been building between them had solidified into the one thing she’d stopped hoping she’d ever find.

  * * * *

  A smile played over Ella’s lips as her head tipped to the side in wonder. However, the fear in her eyes twisted Trent’s heart to shreds. She watched him for a long moment. Then her mouth opened, only to close again. Fear kept her silent but Trent sensed their connection deep in his soul.

  From the moment he’d laid eyes on her, he’d been captivated. She wasn’t like anyone else. She’d been flustered, skittish even, but she hadn’t backed down and didn’t run. No, she stood her ground and fought through the fear floating close to the surface.

  He’d seen her break down, watched her rise through the drowning terror, and resurface to conquer her fears. So much courage even when she saw herself as weak.

  Her leg curled over his hip as he relished the green-blue pools staring back at him, searching for something.

  He didn’t blame Ella for being afraid. She needed to understand he wasn’t going anywhere. Nothing would come between them. He didn’t care about the rest of the damned world.

  “I love you, Ella.”

  She blinked slowly, her head tipping in wonder as if she didn’t understand what he’d said.

  “I love you. I’m not letting you go. This asshole who’s tormented you for years better hope to God he never comes in contact with me because he’s not walking away in one piece.”

  She blinked back tears. “Why?”

  “You showed me who you are. You let me in, and I found my place behind your walls. I’m in love with the woman in my arms. The one who fought through hell and keeps struggling to find her steady ground. Let me be your rock… your foundation… your safe haven.”

  Tears shimmered in her eyes when she leaned her head back to stare into his. “I love you too.”

  He brushed her tears away. “Then why do you look so heartbroken?”

  “I’m afraid all this will change once you see how bad the media storm can be.”

  “Nothing is going to affect the way I feel. Tell me how to prove it.”

  “Time.”

  He gently turned her head back to face him, pressing his forehead to hers. “No, don’t shut me out.”

  She shook her head. “I couldn’t even if I wanted to. I’m saying that I’m not sure I can believe until all this other shit falls away and it’s finally just you and me.”

  “I don’t see anyone else right now?” He placed a soft kiss on her lips.

  She mimicked the move and wound her fingers through his hair as she rolled him onto his back and straddled his hips. She ground over him, making him hard all over again.

  “Then I’ll take advantage of this time,” she purred, rising over him and dropping down in place, taking him in. He sat up, caressing up her sides as he meshed his mouth over hers.

  Their tongues danced as she made love to him. This wasn’t hot sex, it wasn’t fucking. Every time they touched, it was so much more, even when they weren’t naked.

  He pulled her hair gently, looking into her eyes. “This. Is. Real.”

  Her arms wound around his neck, her forehead pressed against his. “Ella,” he whispered as they fell over the edge together. She kissed him again.

  “Yes?”

  “After dinner, I plan to make love to you all night long.”

  She climbed off the bed, a mischievous smirk pasted on her face, and pulle
d on his t-shirt and nothing else. “Hope you’re ready for a long night.”

  Chapter 34

  Once breakfast was on the table, Ella hurried upstairs to wake Trent. Squirrels on the eaves had woken her up. Or something small, scuttling around outside. Since she was up, she decided to make breakfast.

  When she returned to the bedroom, Trent lay curled where she’d slept. “Rise and shine, gorgeous.” She climbed behind him to shake his shoulder. “Come on, baby. Come eat breakfast. It’s ready.”

  He rolled over, wrapping his arms around her waist, pushing her down on the bed.

  “I would have done that,” he murmured in a sleepy voice as he rubbed his eyes.

  “Too late. I couldn’t sleep anyway. Come on.”

  He slipped his hand under her shirt to cover her core. “Shit, Ella, you keep wandering around like this and I’m taking you on every surface in this house.”

  “You can start after breakfast.” She pushed at his chest in a playful gesture, and he rolled off the bed with a reluctant sigh.

  Trent pulled on his jeans and started for the door. “You better be joining me.”

  “I am. Just watching the view.” She winked.

  “Get down there before I carry you myself.”

  Jumping up, she smirked. “Go on.”

  He swept her off her feet and hurried down the stairs. “Eat. Otherwise, I’m going to forget all about food.”

  Someone’s phone buzzed on the counter. Ella found hers lit up with Mila’s number.

  “Good morning,” Ella said with a nod at the table.

  Trent rolled his eyes as he took his seat and scooped up a monstrous bite of the scramble she’d made.

  “Media cleared out of town late last night. Oh, and your ex, Jackson Crabtree, was in an accident on his motorcycle. He’s hurt pretty bad, but he’s claiming he was chasing your abductor down. You’re all over the news again, though not here. They’re scouring LA to find you.”

  “At least, they’re gone.” Ella sat down beside Trent and picked up her fork.

  “I know things didn’t end well, but do you really hate him now?” Mila asked.

  “No, but that kind of behavior is why I dumped him. So really, it’s no surprise he’s trying to capitalize on my disappearance and his injuries. He’s going to hog the spotlight, and I hope to God he keeps it.”

  “Okay,” Mila blurted out.

  “Sorry. If it were anyone else, I’d feel bad. I’m sorry he’s hurt, but I’m not surprised. He was probably high or drunk.”

  Mila snorted. “Thought you’d like to know the local coast is clear.”

  She groaned. “Hope so. Logan was in town last night. He’s the one who started the fire. A cameraman had pictures.”

  “How do you know for sure?”

  “Marissa did some digging. She confirmed Logan Poole moved to his uncle’s after the fire. His hands were severely burned and are still scarred. The whole story checks out.”

  “At least, we know who’s after you.”

  “Almost rather it was some random stalker.” She dropped her fork and leaned back in the chair. “Thanks for calling. I guess I can relax some now.”

  “Yeah. Well, about one in the morning the vans that had parked outside of Trent’s house finally left. So I think you’re in the clear now.”

  “I’ll call you later. All right?”

  “Yeah. Enjoy your day with Trent.”

  “I plan to.” She hung up and turned to Trent.

  He was anxious to speak as soon as Mila was off the line. “Jackson Crabtree. Your first co-star?”

  Ella groaned, expecting the worse. “How much did you hear?”

  “Just caught the name. What’s going on?”

  Ella pulled up the obvious gossip sites she had avoided like the devil and found her face plastered alongside pictures of Jackson, who was black and blue and in a cast. Ella handed Trent the phone.

  Trent’s brow arched. “Jackson Crabtree injured in a crash, trying to save his first love, Raven Star.”

  She rolled her eyes. “He never loved me. And I can’t feel too bad for someone who’s just trying to get some attention for himself.”

  “And he’s why you never dated another co-star?”

  “Yeah. It wasn’t worth the heartache.”

  “So you loved him?”

  Sighing, her gaze dropped to her plate. “I was young and stupid, and yeah, at least, I thought I did.”

  He pulled her chin up, capturing her attention with a smirk. “Not like you love me?”

  “No. So don’t be jealous. I can’t undo what I’ve done, but you’re the only one who makes me feel this way.”

  “I’m not jealous. End of interrogation. Hey, on a brighter note, let’s go running after we eat, and take a quick shower? I’ll take you out of town to a trail. If we’re followed, we can figure something else out.”

  “Sounds good.”

  He nodded to her plate. “Eat.”

  “Okay, okay.” Though she was still fairly certain Logan hadn’t left town. “Keep in mind, the media may not all have gone either. They might have left one or two reporters behind to make sure. Especially since they can’t confirm where I am. And who knows where Logan went after setting the fire in the dumpster.”

  “Yeah, but are they going to believe some random picture from someone no one ever heard of? Or the big star who had dated you?”

  “I hope they trust the star.”

  “We’ll find out when we leave. We’ll bundle you up and no one will catch on.”

  She didn’t bother to tell him that had rarely worked in LA.

  * * * *

  Trent and Ella rode in relative silence during a long trip out to the country, and into the woods. Finally, he turned off the road and stopped. Trent turned to Ella with a soft smile. “Our parents used to bring Tina and me out here when we were kids.”

  That had stopped around the time he started drinking too much after being laid off. Dad had pulled himself out of a funk, and it seemed Tina was finally doing the same. Having Ella in this place made him realize he needed to do something.

  Ella looked around slowly, her face lighting up. Finally, she turned to him. “It’s beautiful.”

  “You like camping?”

  “Use to. I haven’t been in forever, but I would go with you.”

  He grinned. “As soon as Logan’s locked up, we’ll spend a weekend out here.”

  Her smile faded as she dipped her head. “Wish we could now.”

  Pulling her closer, he nuzzled her ear, hoping he could find a way to take away the fear. “Me too. In the meantime, I want you to meet my parents. Tomorrow night? Dinner?”

  Her dazzling eyes sparkled as she leaned back. “Really?”

  “You’re a part of my life now. It’s important for them to know you.”

  “I’d like that.” She drew a breath and added, “And Trent… I don’t want you to lie to them. You can tell them who I am.”

  “What about Blaze?”

  “That goes for him and your sister. After all the recent events, you know it’s going to come out eventually anyway.”

  “Tina gave me the riot act about lying to Blaze. This was after my picture made the rounds and the media had shown up.”

  She glanced down. “I didn’t expect to fall in love with you. I wasn’t ready to tell you who I was. So you didn’t lie to Blaze, you just haven’t told him you learned the truth. You should.”

  “You don’t care who knows now?”

  “It’s not that. I can’t keep the secret forever though I want to hold onto it a little longer. But your family should know.”

  He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her deeply.

  Smiling, she pushed him back. “Are we making love or running?”

  “Running. I still need to train for this marathon and we missed a couple of days.”

  “After this is all over, I want you to meet my brother. And maybe Ryan, as long as he’s willing to share his secret.”
/>   He frowned. “What secret? No, don’t answer that. Gut reaction.” He wanted to know, but at the same time, he understood he may have a damned good reason to keep a secret, much like Ella.

  She laughed. “I wouldn’t, no matter how much I trust you. I’m sorry.”

  “Ella, I trust you. That’s enough for me.”

  She smiled. “So, dinner with your parents?”

  He nodded. “Think I’ll ever meet yours?”

  She shook her head. “Sorry. They died when I was in junior high. My grandmother took us in, and she’s no longer with us.”

  “Shit, I wish I’d known,” He threaded his fingers into her hair and locked on her gaze. “I’m sorry.”

  She gripped his hands. “Don’t be. It happened a long time ago.”

  “So, your brother. What’s going on with him?”

  “Don’t know really. He thought he was leading Logan away, I guess. Only Logan was here, so where’s my brother?”

  “Why don’t you check your email?”

  “I’ve been careful only doing that on my laptop from an account I don’t want tied to my phone. I’ll check when I get back.”

  “If Logan was here, why don’t you try calling your brother?”

  She shook her head. “Let me see if he emailed first.”

  “Why?”

  “The last time I talked to him wasn’t a happy conversation. I don’t know how it’s going to go. I’d rather not do that here. So let’s run.”

  Chapter 35

  Mila sat on Ella’s bed, bouncing Valor. “Tell me everything.”

  Ella laughed. “About what?”

  “Last night? You two making out on his porch in the middle of the afternoon. The giggling, and teasing in the store. Like nothing happened. Did it happen?”

  Ella crossed her arms over her chest. “Did what happen?”

  “The two of you finally admitting what’s been growing between you?”

  “I wasn’t going to, in case it was all the shit going on, but then he said it and I couldn’t keep it in. We made love all night, most of the day. And in an hour, I’m going to meet his parents. So stop laughing at me and help me figure out what I should wear.”