Fire Goddess

by Crystal Inman

  Sloan nodded. “I can respect that.”

  “Can you?” Kelly’s voice was full of disbelief. “You don’t know a damn thing about my family. My upbringing. And that little town where everyone knows everyone else’s business. I’m more than George and Christine’s daughter. I’m fodder for gossips for at least six months after I leave. And then you never know what will be picked up by the Associated Press or tabloids.” She sighed.

  “I want you to understand where we’re going and what it will be like. I’ll help with the design of the castle. I’ll let you enjoy the company of my parents. But I’m asking you. Pleading with you.” Her eyes were earnest. “Don’t embarrass them. Please. They’re real. They are the only things to me that are real.”

  Sloan rubbed his head. “I’m not the devil, Kelly. Really. You need to understand that I’m extremely busy with my work right now. This was a favor to Bob and now it’s become a little more than that.” He blew out a breath. “I’m not looking to embarrass anybody. I’m just looking to do my job.”

  “Thank you.” Her eyes were filled with gratitude, and he laughed.

  “I believe this is the first real conversation we’ve had.”

  “Could be.” Kelly’s lips twitched. “Seems we are compatible after all.”

  “Who would have thought?” Sloan stood abruptly. “You need to find some kind of alarm system for this sprawling house you have. I don’t like the idea of someone being here. When can that be installed?”

  Kelly rolled her eyes. “You’re so bossy.”

  Sloan stepped forward. “I mean it. Don’t make me tell Bryan.”

  “That was low.” Kelly’s voice held a hint of laughter. “Even for you.”

  “Friends?” Sloan held out his hand, and Kelly stood slowly.

  “Friends.” She placed her hand lightly in his and tried to tell herself that was all it would ever be. It didn’t matter if his touch ignited a need in her. It would never matter. Because she wouldn’t let it.

  Chapter 9

  Kelly called Saturday and arranged for an alarm company to come out and set up a system. She finished packing her clothes and told herself she knew what she was doing. She and Sloan would be friends. Coworkers. He didn’t make any protests when she brought it up. She was both relieved and disappointed.

  All of her scenes last week were shot out of sequence, and she couldn’t wait to see the finished product. As soon as she and Sloan came back from their trip, the design crew would work nonstop over five to ten days to finish the sets where she would be held prisoner and ultimately find the true love of her life. For now.

  Christian consistently made comments last week, which had her gritting her teeth to keep from beating him or laughing aloud. He stated he wished he had a degree in set design. Then he could go with her to her parent’s house. And wouldn’t it be a great storyline?

  Kelly finally threatened to call his girlfriend and line him out. He quit immediately. The reaction tickled her so much that she started teasing him about who wore the pants in his family.

  They spent the last three days of filming lightening up the set with jokes and laughter because the storyline was very dark and heavy. Kelly came home every night and was exhausted by the work she’d done. There were several twelve-hour days since Kelly would be gone for a week.

  There was no more mention of the Sparks for awhile. Bryan had the whole set wrapped up in sweeps and the scenes coming up. He refused to even acknowledge the awards ceremony and wouldn’t until the last minute.

  Kelly finished her packing around six. The alarm people left an hour earlier. At least now she could leave and have a reasonable expectation that her house and privacy wouldn’t be violated while she was gone. She sighed and hurried to take a shower and give her folks a call.

  She walked back into her bedroom and stripped out of her grubby green T-shirt and cotton shorts. The clothes fell softly to the floor, and she walked into her bathroom. Wilda’s gifts decorated her brass shelves, and the beads sparkled in the light from the candles she lit.

  Breathing slowly, Kelly forced herself to calm down. She slipped slowly into the water and sank up to her jaw. Bliss. The hot water relaxed her, and she told herself to remember to moisturize when she finally got out. More than likely she would resemble a prune in a little while.

  But the heat was what she needed. Kelly let herself drift as her muscles began to loosen up. All her worries drifted away on the next breath, and she steadied her mind.

  Sloan. Kelly brought an image of him into her mind and savored the memory. What am I going to do with him? All sorts of possibilities sprang to mind, and she snickered. So I’m playing with fire? So what?

  How long has it been since I’ve really gone after something I wanted? And there was something about Sloan that wouldn’t let her alone.

  Kelly groaned as she thought of his mouth and his hands on her. She shifted in the water and sighed. Now she was becoming too hot. Damn it. Fanning herself, Kelly opened her eyes and looked around her bathroom. By tomorrow, she would be at her parents’ house with him.

  And what would Mom and Dad think about him? For some reason, it really mattered to her. Kelly’s body tightened uncomfortably. The last time she had brought a male home, it was a huge mistake. She winced at the memory and swore she wouldn’t let this trip become what that one did.

  Smacking the top of the water, Kelly stood and stepped out of the tub. She was too wound up right now to relax. Between Sloan and the visit with her parents, she might have to take a sleeping pill.

  Kelly walked, nude, into her bedroom and then sprinted down the hallway when she heard the phone ring.

  She caught it on the fourth ring and answered breathlessly.

  “Hello?”

  “Hello, Kelly.” Sloan’s smooth voice filtered through to her.

  She tried to calm her frantically beating heart. “What can I do for you?”

  “I was calling about the weather in Oklahoma. I don’t have any idea what to wear. Is it cold?”

  “It will be cold in the morning and sixties or seventies in the afternoon. Bring some jeans and some sturdy boots. Mom and Dad have quite a bit of land, and I could show you around.”

  “Okay.” Kelly heard him sigh. “I’m a little nervous.”

  She moved around and sat down on the couch. “Why are you nervous?”

  “I don’t know. But it’s making it hard to sleep.”

  “Are you worried about your project off-set? The building?”

  Sloan laughed. “A little.” He paused. “Are you excited about going home?”

  “Tremendously.”

  “Finished packing?”

  “Hell yes. I finished up before my bath. I’m ready to go. I’ll meet you at the airport at eleven in the morning. Is that okay for you?”

  “Sure.” Sloan sighed.

  “Take a shower and try to calm down. The hot water will do you wonders.”

  “It worked for you?”

  “The water felt nice, but I’m kind of cold right now.”

  Sloan’s voice grew husky. “What are you doing right now?”

  “Sitting here naked, talking to you.” Kelly bit her lip to keep from laughing. She heard his voice catch over the phone.

  “You’re naked?” The husky timbre of his voice brought goose bumps to her body.

  Kelly grinned. “Yep. I heard the phone ringing and didn’t want to miss the call. I feel better now.”

  “Great.” She didn’t miss the sarcasm in Sloan’s voice. “I’m sure the visual in my head is conducive to all kinds of relaxation.”

  “Okay. You finish packing while I clean up my house a bit. I’ll meet you at the airport at ten. The flight leaves around eleven. Do you want to share a ride?”

  “No.” Sloan’s voice was unyielding. “I’ll have to come straight back and probably go directly to Bob’s and give him what I’ve got. Besides, his wife owes me some pies.”

  “Okay.” Kelly shrugged. “I’ll meet you there.�
�� She paused a minute. “Bye.”

  “Bye.”

  The phone clicked in her ear, and she set it lightly down in its cradle. She looked around the room but didn’t see anything. Her mind was already thousands of miles away, wondering what tomorrow would bring.

  * * * *

  Kelly woke up at eight o’clock the next morning and stretched in her bed. So long California for at least a week. Hello Oklahoma. She grinned and bounced out of bed with a smile on her face.

  All her clothes and toiletries were packed. Kelly shuffled through her wardrobe until she found a robin’s egg blue sundress that wouldn’t bother her while she traveled. She searched until she found the sandals and slid them onto her feet.

  Kelly walked back into the bathroom and washed her face while deciding what to do with her hair. She could wear a hat to the airport, but she needed something that looked halfway decent for the plane ride. And she never knew who would be at the airport when she arrived.

  Deciding on a simple chignon, she smoothed her hair back and twisted it up. She only applied a small amount of make-up and stepped back to make sure she didn’t look overdone. Perfect.

  She took her bags to her truck and placed them inside. She would only be at her parents’ for a week. She packed two suitcases and had one carry-on. That should be more than enough. If she needed anything else, it would already be at her parents’, or she could buy it in town.

  Kelly set her alarm and shut her garage door behind her. She hopped into her truck and started it. She settled the dark shades on her eyes and adjusted her mirrors. Her stomach jumped with nerves by the time she pulled out of her driveway. A lot was riding on this trip. Personally and professionally. She hoped it would all work out.

  The drive to the airport was congested, and Kelly cranked her music up while she weaved in and out of traffic. She glanced up to see the partly smoggy skies and couldn’t help but smile. She was going home. The thought kept her company the entire drive.

  When she reached the airport, she parked her truck and flagged down a van. The driver helped her load her bags, and she thanked her lucky stars the van was almost empty. An older woman in her fifties sat across from her and looked at her quizzically. Kelly smiled at her.

  The woman caught her breath, and her blue eyes widened. “It’s you!”

  Kelly laughed and nodded. “Yes. It’s me.”

  The woman scrambled in her bag for something to write with. “May I have your autograph? I watch your show every day. I’m having my daughter tape it while I’m out of the country.” She finally produced a scrap of paper and a pen.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Lois.” The woman’s smile widened. “My friends are never going to believe this. Never.”

  Kelly wrote a sentence or two and then autographed the paper. The woman took it back and smiled thankfully. “I knew you were nothing like your character. I could see it in your eyes.”

  “Thanks.” Kelly’s tone was wry.

  The older woman placed the paper carefully back in her purse. “I’m not going to ask where you’re going. I’m sure you need your own vacation. But I wanted to tell you that I voted for you for Best Actress in the Sparks.”

  Kelly placed her hand on the older woman’s. “Thank you, Lois. I appreciate it. And yes, I’m going to be gone for about a week.” She leaned forward and put her finger on her lips. “And I’m going to tell you something, but you can’t tell anybody else.”

  The older woman’s eyes widened again. “What?” she whispered.

  “When I come back from vacation, Felicia’s world is going to change drastically.”

  Lois grinned. “I can’t wait.”

  The van pulled to a stop in front of the unloading doors, and both women exited. Kelly hugged Lois briefly and wished her luck on her Caribbean vacation.

  She motioned to a skycap and had him follow her inside to check in. Kelly paid no attention to anything but obtaining her tickets when she began to hear the whispering. Her backbone stiffened immediately, and she chose not to look around and feed into the talk.

  The woman behind the counter was flustered and nervous. She apologized profusely when it took her longer than five minutes to find the tickets. Kelly assured her it was fine and took her carry-on bag with her in the direction of her gate. She glanced at the watch on her wrist and sighed. It was only a quarter till ten. She still had quite a bit of time before her flight departed.

  Kelly made her way through various checkpoints and security gates. She arrived at her terminal at exactly ten o’clock. The whispers had died down for the moment. Everyone had someplace they had to be. There was no time to look at the soap star who was also catching a plane.

  She sat down facing the large windows that showed the outside world. Planes took off and landed with amazing ease, and she lost herself in the reverie.

  “This seat taken?”

  Kelly jumped and looked up. Sloan stood there, smiling down at her. He had dressed casually in tan khakis and a blue polo T-shirt. She motioned to the chair beside her. “Go right ahead, Mr. Set Designer. I wondered when you would show up.”

  Sloan ran his fingers through his hair. “Traffic was murder. I was hoping I left in time.” He glanced at his watch. “But here I am.”

  “So you are.” Kelly smiled at him and tilted her head. “How did you sleep?”

  “Great.” Sloan rolled his eyes. “Remind me never to call you and ask about your state of undress. Okay?”

  “It’s a deal.” Her green eyes danced. Kelly checked her watch again. “We’ve only got about half an hour. Is there anything else we need to go over?”

  “Not that I know of.” Sloan patted her hand. “It’ll be fine. Really. Quit stressing out.”

  Kelly opened her mouth to retort when a bright flashbulb momentarily blinded her. She blinked rapidly and looked around. Two paparazzi stood there, firing off photographs.

  “Look this way, Kelly!”

  Sloan stood, snarled, and began walking toward them.

  “Don’t!” Kelly grabbed Sloan by the arm and sat down again. “If you ignore them, they’ll go away. Don’t give them anything they want.”

  Sloan stood again and walked toward the information desk. He talked with an assistant and motioned toward the two men. A minute later, security arrived and escorted them from the terminal. Everyone else in the terminal was still eyeing the two cautiously.

  “Thanks.” Kelly’s voice was a sigh. “I was really hoping they wouldn’t be here.”

  “Who the hell were they?” Sloan’s tone was low and furious.

  “Airport paparazzi. They hang out, waiting for celebrities to either come in or leave. Must be a slow news day.” Kelly shrugged and tried to bury her nose in a magazine she brought.

  “Kelly…” Sloan put his hand on her arm.

  “That’s our flight.” Kelly stood abruptly and quickly walked to the counter to check-in.

  Sloan watched her go with a scowl. So much for privacy. He picked up his briefcase and followed her to the counter.

  * * * *

  They boarded the plane with minimal talking and sank into their first-class seats. Kelly waited for everyone else to board before she turned to Sloan.

  “Sorry.”

  He shook his head. “For what?”

  “That.” She waved her hand in the air. “I should have warned you.”

  “Did you know they were going to be here?”

  “Nope.”

  “Then quit apologizing.” Sloan opened his carry-on and pulled two small, electronic devices out of it. “You ever play Game Boy?”

  “No.” Kelly looked over at Sloan and laughed. “Is this what you do on your downtime?”

  “Sometimes.” He placed a game in her hand. “Rescue the princess. Then we’ll talk.” He sat back and put the headphones on his head.

  Kelly shot a glance out of the corner of her eye and watched as Sloan manipulated the buttons with ease. He wasn’t kidding. From her vantage point, she c
ould see he was killing odd-looking creatures with abandon. She set down her game and turned to watch him.

  Those hands. Kelly caught herself staring at them more than once. Strong. Capable. She shivered in her seat. Warm on her skin. She leaned in closer and told herself to calm down. Her breasts pressed up against Sloan’s arm, and he glanced up quickly. Kelly tried to smile. Sorry, she mouthed.

  He nodded and went back to pushing buttons. She could smell his cologne. A musky scent that tickled her nose and made her want to move even closer. Kelly actually caught herself leaning forward and moved back before she made a total ass of herself.

  She watched the game until her eyes began to close, and then she fell asleep.

  * * * *

  “Hey, sleepyhead!” A warm hand cupped her cheek, and she turned into it.

  “Mmmm?” Kelly struggled to open her eyes. Sloan was looking down at her closely. His proximity alarmed her, and she moved back. “Sorry,” she mumbled. “I must have been tired.”

  “Quite all right.” Sloan tucked a stray hair behind her ear and grinned. “I see the wind sweeping down the plain.” He motioned out the window, and Kelly leaned across him. Home. I am home.

  Kelly let out a little squeal and danced around in her seat. Sloan’s lips twitched. “Are you a little happy over there?”

  “Just a little.” Her eyes took in the fields and trees. She smiled. “It’s beautiful.”

  The pilot came on and announced they had arrived at Will Rogers World Airport. He told the passengers to fasten their seatbelts and prepare to land.

  * * * *

  Kelly grinned again and waited for the big plane to still. The wheels touched down, and she strained to see out the window. Sloan grinned down at the top of her head. The red hair tickled his nose with its light scent, and he felt his body tighten. It was not the reaction he wanted, but he soon realized it was his natural reaction to her and he couldn’t control a bit of it.