Ignite

by Piper Stone

Laughing, he rubbed her face and handed her the coffee. “Have no fears. Great teacher here.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

  “Careful or I’m going to spank your ass.” His eye twinkling, he reached his hand under the sheet, tweaking her nipple.

  “You wouldn’t dare.”

  “Try me.”

  She took a sip of coffee, savoring the taste as she studied his eyes, adoring the playful and carefree side. She purposely remained quiet as she sipped on her juice, then took two bites of his egg concoction, wrinkling her nose as she swallowed.

  “I told you I was a terrible cook,” Stoker said as he grinned.

  “I love your eggs, but not as much as I adore you.” Sliding the tray to the side, she crawled out of bed then turned to give him a look. “About the spanking. As I said, you wouldn’t dare, cowboy.” She winked, swished her hips then took two steps away from the bed.

  Whoosh!

  He had her over his knee in a split second. “You shouldn’t doubt me little lady. Time for a hard spanking. Just what you deserve.”

  Crack! Slap!

  “Oh! Jesus fucking Christ.”

  “Watch your mouth or I’ll wash it out with soap.”

  Whap! Crack! Pop!

  Squealing, she struggled as he held her down, wiggling against his already hard cock. “No, you won’t.”

  “Tempt me,” he stated with conviction.

  Crack! Smack!

  The spanking continued and even though she threw her arm back, in a desperate attempt to cover her naked ass, he was in full control. Pushing her arm down, he continued.

  Pop! Crack!

  “One bad girl,” Stoker said as he laughed.

  After a few seconds, she resigned herself to the spanking, yet winced every time he smacked her ass. She was shocked how much the discipline hurt, but every part of her tingled with desire.

  After issuing a few additional slaps, he rubbed her ass cheeks. “That should be a good reminder of who’s in charge.” Easing her into his lap, he kissed her forehead and pressed her head against his chest. “Time to get dressed.”

  “You’re going to make me ride a horse with a bruised ass?”

  “Baby, if I wanted you to have a bruised ass, I would have given you one.”

  Huffing, she eased off his lap and gave him a pouty look before grabbing his shirt. “Men.”

  “I’ll have you know that there’s an actual men’s club in town where domestic discipline is the only discussion.”

  The way Stoker was looking at her was intriguing. “You are kidding.”

  “Do I look like I’m kidding?”

  She tugged on the shirt and contemplated the concept. “Really?”

  “Scouts honor,” he mused as he held up his fingers in a scout salute.

  “Missoula is an interesting place.”

  “You have no idea. Get dressed. You’re going to love where I’m taking you. Not far. We’ll go slow.” As he eased off the bed, he lowered his head and cupped her face. “I can teach you many things.”

  “I just bet you can, cowboy.”

  Twenty minutes later she was standing in front of two of the horses she’d seen earlier. They were much more intimidating than she’d remembered, given they were towering over her. “Do you really think I can learn to ride?”

  “This beauty is Angel. She’s just your size and perfect for your first ride. There’s not a mean bone in her body.” Stoker rubbed his hand on Angel’s chestnut mane as he cooed, “Isn’t that right, my little filly?”

  The horse whinnied as she dropped her head, nuzzling against Stoker’s face.

  “See?” he asked and reached for Jessica’s hand.

  Smiling, she patted Angel’s nose and drew closer, marveling at the horse’s majestic beauty. Her eyes traveled to the scars. “She’s amazing. What happened to her?”

  “She’s a special girl. Saved her from a fire before I left for the war. She’s been my baby ever since. A bit skittish, but I’ve been working with her. Will do her some good to have a female rider. Come on. Let’s get you saddled up.”

  After two unsuccessful tries, she was atop the horse. Her stomach lurching, she moaned as she held the reins. “She’s huge.”

  Stoker laughed as he eased on top of the black stallion. “This is Thor. He’s my riding buddy and stands two hands taller than Angel. You’re a tenacious woman. You can handle a little filly like Angel.”

  She knew he was teasing her, but she glanced at the massive black beauty and shook her head. “I’ll never be able to ride him.”

  “Probably not. He’s finicky like me. Won’t let anyone else near him. Now, we’ll go slowly. I’ll lead. Hold onto the reins and don’t kick. Just allow Angel to do the work.”

  “Do I dare ask where are we going?’

  “You’ll see. A special spot. It’ll take about thirty minutes to get there. Enjoy the ride and trust me.”

  Said the spider to the fly. Exhaling, she calmed her nerves and rubbed Angel’s mane. “Just you and me, girl. Be kind.” She heard Stoker chuckle as he clicked his heel against Thor’s side. She kept a death grip for the first fifty yards but as they continued down a well-worn path through the woods, she eased into being more comfortable. She took a deep breath, enjoying the chill in the air, the scent of pine. The path was narrow, just wide enough for a horse and rider. Trees blanketed both sides, limbs rustling in the breeze. “This is beautiful.”

  “I told you.”

  She longed to swat his ass, but instead concentrated on keeping upright. As they continued the ride, she was surprised Angel seemed to learn her mannerisms until their bodies melded into one, rider and horse, together. She was confident until they began trotting down a hill, or what she thought had to be a full mountainside. “I’m going to fall off.”

  “No, you’re not,” Stoker said as he laughed. “Angel knows the way blindfolded. They both do. They’re taking us to their favorite spot.”

  She bit back her fears and held her breath until they leveled out. When Stoker stopped both horses, motioning for her to listen, she was surprised at the sound. “Water. Big water.”

  “The Clark Fork River. Two other rivers flow into the body of water, creating a wonderland of nature and recreational facilities. That’s why I call this beautiful place Three Rivers Run Deep.”

  “I love that.”

  “Then let’s go.” Giving her a nod, he eased the horses down another slope until they reached a grassy area. “This is where I come to make peace, usually with myself.”

  She peered out over the horse and gasped. The river was rushing by, lapping against rocks and embankments. From right to left, she could see trees and the tops of mountains, the entire landscaping dabbled with color, the brightest greens, the most passionate shades of purple. “This is breathtaking.”

  “The water helped forge the five mountain ranges. I think this is the most beautiful place on earth. You can find your very soul here, if you look hard enough.”

  “Did you?”

  “Did I what?”

  She dared press her hand against Angel’s side, encouraging her to move forward. When the horse responded, flanking Stoker’s side, she breathed a sigh of relief. “Did you find your soul?”

  He gave her a doleful look before shrugging. “To a degree. I have a way to go, demons to put to rest.”

  “I wish you could let me in. We all need someone to talk to.”

  “I don’t do much talking. Never did me a hell of a lot of good. What’s there to tell that my shrink hasn’t heard already?” His laugh was bitter.

  “Stoker, I want to learn all about you,” she said, hoping the words would encourage him. Shrink. They had something else in common.

  “You might not. Told you that before.”

  Jessica exhaled, allowing the sound to be exaggerated. “Don’t do that to yourself. We all have demons, secrets and attributes we can’t stand about ourselves. We’re not perfect. We’re human.”

  Exhaling, he g
azed out at the water. “Yeah, just some demons are hell bent on destruction.” When she remained silent, he shrugged. “I lost my parents in a fire years ago. The tragic event stole away the rest of my youth. I was alone for so long, fighting the world. I was a mean kid, more like a vengeful soul than anything else. Then I found the fire department which led me to finding a vocation I wanted to learn. I wanted so much to be a part of the elite group. Unfortunately, I wasn’t good enough to join any of the teams for years. But eventually I did, becoming a fireman then a smokejumper just before I left for Afghanistan for the second time. Those were some of my proudest moments. When I came back, I think I was already starting to unravel. Too many horrors. Too many deaths. I needed a break. I needed to find my humanity.”

  “I can imagine. What you do is dangerous but heroic.”

  Stoker groaned as he shifted on the horse, his eyes locked on the mountains. “I’m nobody’s hero. I’m just a man trying to find my way, but I’m good at what I do.”

  “You enlisted?” Her heart fluttered, a moment of raw understanding fueling the fire she knew was building between them.

  “I did. I believed serving my country was my destiny. I had nothing here at the time but a broken-down house and no money to fix it up. One tour led to a second. Then I was here for over a year before the third.”

  When his eyes misted over, she tentatively reached out, placing her hand on top of his. “Worth coming home to.”

  “Absolutely. This city, these mountains have my heart. This place will always be my home. I never want to leave. I’ve seen the ugly part of the world. I just want peace.”

  The words were haunting, almost damning. She listened to the lull of the water as her life rolled past in nasty visions. She’d been doing nothing but living a lie. “You know, I thought I was in love with a member from my band. He was everything to me for years. Enough so, I didn’t see what was happening around me. I was so blinded by ambition that I lost myself, falling into the political world of music. Play this. Dress this way. Lose twenty pounds. Die your hair. Christ. I was drowning in a sea of bullshit.”

  “But you’re a famous rocker.”

  “No. I’m not certain I ever was.”

  He gave her a wry smile. “I think so anyway. I finally looked you up.”

  “You did?”

  Laughing, he nodded. “Not my kind of music, but you’re damn good and pretty sexy too on those covers of yours. You had a couple number one records. Listen to me. I’m dating myself.”

  “I still call them records. Gold records on your wall are much more impressive than a small CD,” she said as she rolled her eyes. “I think I’ve finally figured out I’m more of a country girl. And no laughing.”

  “Oh yeah?” He winked as he gave her a surprised look. “I won’t say a thing, city slicker.”

  “Hey, I’m on a horse, aren’t I? I have you to blame for my new-found love of the outdoors.” Jessica realized her words were true. “I could see living here.”

  “Then you couldn’t regain your career.” His words were terse, challenged.

  “I’m not certain what I want any longer in my life or my career. That’s why this time has been so important, precious in a way I didn’t understand when I came here.” She exhaled. “Maybe I’m fooling myself.” What could she possibly do here? Sing at Ziggy’s for the rest of her life? Maybe record a country song or two, that is if anyone was willing to take a chance on her ever again? Maybe she could be a housewife. The thoughts shoved fear into her heart.

  They remained quiet for several minutes.

  “You had a nightmare last night. You were talking in your sleep.”

  The moment he spoke, she clenched her fists tightly around the reins. “Had them for years.”

  “Who were you running from?” he asked as he turned his head in her direction.

  Jessica closed her eyes and remained quiet. No daddy, you’re not going to ruin the rest of my life. “My father. He was a true monster. He beat me and my mother for years. I was so little when the violence started that I couldn’t protect her. When I was older, I had my needed revenge.” When she didn’t hear anything, she glanced in his direction. “I threw him out of the house at knifepoint. He tried to return twice, but I was very clear. My mother deserved to have a life and she did. She had friends and pretty clothes. I made certain of that. She even went on tour with me once. Just once before she got sick, but she said she was proud… of… me.” Choking back tears, she blinked several times as she tried to concentrate on the mountains. She’d never told Cody the entire story, had never believed he’d care.

  Stoker’s eyes opened wide, his expression filled with horror. Leaning over, he took her hand into his. “So, do you. You were a hero to your mother. You gave her life. Protection. Now, you need to do that for yourself.”

  “I’m trying. I thought I had a few years ago. I thought I was moving forward,” she said as she shook her head.

  “Do you still love him?” Stoker asked quietly.

  “Who? Cody? The guy from my band?”

  “Yup.”

  She thought about his question, the truth hovering in front of her like a dangling pot of gold. “No. I don’t think I ever did. I was convenient for him, a good fuck on the bus between stops. We cared about each other, but there were no sparks, no electricity between us. When I kiss a man, I want all the bells and whistles you hear about. I want wild passion, unbridled and unhinged. I want the fairy tale. I want the white picket fence, the golden retriever. I want everything.” She laughed and looked away. “Listen to me. Now, I’ve scared you off. Don’t I have just the ugly past?”

  “There’s nothing about you that could scare me off. Nothing.”

  “Good.” Why had she decided to share all her sordid details now?

  “What about me? Is there that spark?” Stoker waited for a few seconds before looking in her direction.

  She inhaled and glanced back at the water. “When I kiss you, I see bottle rockets. I feel like I’m floating on air. I want nothing more than to have your arms around me. This isn’t electricity. This is jet fuel.” When he didn’t respond, she dared to gauge his reaction.

  “I feel the same.” He pulled back on the reins and was suddenly behind her. “Come on. We have to get back.”

  Frustrated, she nodded toward the landscape and the powerful river before trailing behind him. The man was tougher than nails to get to know.

  They remained silent as they rode and by the time they made it back to the cabin, she was much more comfortable on Angel than she thought they’d be. As they passed through the last clearing, they both noticed a vehicle. A sick feeling rolled into the pit of her stomach. No. No. No! “You have a visitor.”

  Stoker craned his neck, studying the truck. “Shit. Not the fuck I need today.”

  She glanced back at the truck and started trembling, recognizing the vehicle. This couldn’t be happening now. As she reached for him, her hand trembled. “Stoker. I need to tell you something.”

  He didn’t look at her, his gaze remaining on the aging vehicle. “Not now. Okay? There’s something I have to deal with and this can’t wait any longer.”

  “You have to wait. You’re going to want to hear this.” As she finished the words, he’d already trotted off, leaving her struggling with what to do. Cooper. He’d come for a visit. Damn. What was she going to do now? She groaned and leaned over, petting Angel. “Stay with me, girl. This might be a rough ride.”

  The moment they entered the corral, the visitor walked around the truck, his hands in his pockets. Gone was the set of crutches. Cooper loped further forward, his gait unsteady, his eyes locked on Stoker.

  She swallowed hard as Stoker helped her off the horse and reached for him. “Please, listen to me for just a minute.”

  He shook his head and glanced in her direction. “If you don’t mind, go inside. This will just take a few minutes. Then we can talk. Okay? Please.”

  “Stoker,” she insisted.

  �
�Just. Go. Now.”

  His voice imploring, she allowed him to take the reins. As she walked toward Cooper, she knew this wasn’t going to turn out well. If the man said anything to Stoker about her visit, he’d be furious. When she was two feet in front of Cooper, she nodded and glanced down, surprised to see he was wearing a prosthetic. Perhaps he was more together than she’d surmised. “Hello.”

  Cooper gave her an odd look and nodded, merely in recognition. “I need to speak with Stoker.”

  “I know.” Her feet heavy, she walked inside and closed the door. She rubbed her forehead as nausea rolled into her stomach and tried to prepare an appropriate statement. What could she say? She’d gone behind his back to talk to the single man he hated? Did he really loathe Cooper or was this more about Stoker’s demons? God, she didn’t know any longer. What she did know is that she’d forced a hand, pushing them together. What was so horrible about that?

  Wringing her hands, she paced the floor, looking out the window every few seconds. While she was unable to hear anything, she could tell by their body language that the meeting wasn’t going well. As Mac padded close, wagging his tail and looking into her eyes, she shook her head. “Mac, what have I done? I hope your daddy isn’t pissed.”

  Mac remained by her side, his tail hung between his back legs.

  “I know. I was impetuous. You don’t have to tell me.” Unable to fight her curiosity, she moved to the window, peering out the side. You bet the conversation was tense, their faces full of anger. Stoker was animated, his arms waving as he kicked the dirt.

  “Stay out of my life!” Stoker yelled.

  These words she heard.

  Cooper shook his head several times, moved closer then took a full step back. Then he pointed his finger before lumbering back to his truck.

  “Shit. Shit. Shit.” Jessica sucked in her breath and said a silent prayer. Please let this be okay. Dear God, don’t let me have fucked this up.

  Screeching down the driveway, gravel flew in all directions as Cooper sped away.

  Jessica backed away from the window and headed for the bedroom, easing onto the bed as she waited. And waited. She glanced at her watch, knowing several minutes had passed by. Mac remained by her feet, his tail swishing back and forth as she fought her nerves.