Fire Goddess

by Crystal Inman

When Sloan walked back in ten minutes later, Kelly was already heading back to the living room. His eyes widened at the sight of the tray laden with food.

  “Wow!” he exclaimed. “I see you’re a woman of many talents.” His hazel eyes were gleaming. “Want me to carry that?”

  “Sure.” Kelly handed him the tray and turned around. “I’ll grab the drinks.”

  She met him back in the living room, and they sat on the couch. Sloan picked up his sandwich and moaned in bliss.

  “This is great. You didn’t tell me you knew how to cook.”

  “Making a hot sandwich is not cooking.” Kelly smiled. “But yes. I can cook.” She motioned to the big, brown bowl. “Try the salad.”

  Sloan forked a large salad onto a plate and took a bite. His eyes widened. “I would have never guessed it.” He slanted her a look. “This could rival your mother’s.”

  “Shhh!” Kelly grinned. “That’s blasphemy. I’ll be glad to take a close second, though.” She made her own salad, smiling.

  They watched television for an hour in companionable silence. When the clock began to strike noon, they heard the key in the lock.

  George and Christine stepped inside and hung up their jackets.

  “We’re home!” George’s voice boomed.

  Kelly walked out of the living room with Sloan on her heels.

  “You two kids have a good time?”

  “It was wonderful!” Christine smiled up at her husband. “He took me to a fancy restaurant in the city. And then a play.”

  Kelly’s green eyes widened in shock. “Daddy? You went to a play?”

  “Yep.” He nodded. “Wasn’t half bad. Not nearly as good as any of yours, hon.” His big bear of a hand came out to grab Sloan by the shoulder.

  “And how did you two make out?”

  Sloan chuckled. “Not bad, Mr. Marshall. Not bad at all.”

  “I see you’re both alive. It’s a good sign.” George put his arm around Christine’s shoulder. “Mother. Let’s go to bed. I need a nap.” He winked at Sloan and Kelly, and the pair disappeared into their room.

  Sloan yawned loudly. “A nap sounds nice.”

  Kelly smacked him in the stomach soundly, and Sloan’s breath whooshed out.

  “What?”

  “We have to pack so we can catch our flight at five. We’ll have to leave here by three. That’s only a little bit from now.” Kelly cocked her head to the side. “Did you finish all your sketches?”

  Sloan nodded. “I think Bob and Bryan will be pleased.” He glanced toward the doorway and then brought Kelly close to him. His lips brushed against her hair. “Maybe not time for a nap. But possibly time for something else.”

  Kelly chuckled. “Pack first. Play later. Got it?”

  He sighed and then looked at his watch. He mentally calculated the time and grinned. “It’ll only take me half an hour to pack.”

  She smacked him lightly on the ass. “We’ll see, studmuffin. But I’m not making any promises.”

  “None needed.” Sloan started toward the stairs and turned around at the first step. “You know where to find me if you change your mind.” He grinned and took the stairs two at a time.

  Kelly watched him disappear and then sank onto the couch again. She looked at her watch. She thought about all packing she had to do. And then she took the stairs at a trot.

  * * * *

  George and Christine dropped the pair off at the airport at exactly four o’clock. Their flight didn’t leave until five. George looked fondly at his only child and hugged her closely.

  “Don’t wait so long between visits, girl. Your mother misses you.”

  Christine rolled her eyes. “Don’t try to be tough, old man. I know you miss her, too.” She dabbed at her green eyes with a tissue. “We love you, Kelly. Have a safe flight and call us when you arrive home.”

  George clapped Sloan on the back. “You don’t be a stranger, either, son.” He bent down low and whispered, “And keep an eye on her. I don’t trust that town.”

  Sloan nodded. “I promise.”

  Christine moved forward and embraced Kelly. When she moved back, she motioned to Sloan. “You get a hug, too.”

  He hugged Kelly’s mother and smiled. “Anytime you want to leave this guy,” he jerked his head toward George, “you give me a call.”

  Christine chuckled. “Take care.”

  Sloan and Kelly waved as they made their way toward their gate to wait. As soon as they rounded the corner, Sloan heard Kelly make a small noise.

  He glanced at her and wasn’t surprised to find her fighting tears. She was trying to breathe shallowly and swallow back her sadness.

  Sloan put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. “Don’t hold back, Kelly. You’ll only give yourself a headache.”

  She sniffled and turned her face into his jacket. He held her close while she cried quietly against him. When she was finished, he fished out a handkerchief and handed it to her.

  “Thanks.” Her voice was muffled against the soft cloth.

  When she lifted her head, her emerald eyes were still swimming in tears. Kelly blinked them away and dabbed at her eyes. She took a deep, shuddering breath.

  “I hate that part. It seems to become harder and harder.”

  “They’re good people.”

  Kelly looked at him gratefully. “The best. Thanks.” She squared her shoulders and moved away from him. “I’m fine now.” She glanced around and found a restroom. “I’ll be right back.”

  He nodded as he watched her walk away.

  * * * *

  Kelly walked out of the bathroom fifteen minutes later looking completely different. The blue sundress she had worn to the airport was replaced with an expensive, blue silk pantsuit and high heels. Her red hair, instead of falling loosely against her shoulders, was pinned back into a tight chignon.

  Sloan’s mouth dropped open in surprise when Felicia walked out of the bathroom that Kelly had walked into. Even her face was painted to resemble the woman on the soap. Little to no trace of the farm girl he spent the week with remained.

  He was speechless when she rejoined him in the seats by the gate.

  “What happened?”

  Kelly shrugged. “Back to my reality.” She smiled wanly. “No one wants to see a farm girl get off the plane in Los Angeles. It’s all about image. And unfortunately,” she motioned to herself, “this one pays the bills.”

  “I see.” Sloan studied her closely.

  “What are you looking for?”

  “Kelly.”

  She sighed. “I’m here. Believe me. And these damn heels are already irritating me. What I wouldn’t give for cowboy boots.” Kelly looked down at the offending footwear and wrinkled her nose.

  Sloan laughed.

  Their flight was called to board about half an hour later. Kelly led Sloan onto the plane, and they settled into their first class seats. She looked longingly out the window one last time. She was already thinking about when she would be able to come back.

  Sloan’s hand reached over and patted hers. She looked at him and smiled.

  “Thanks.”

  He nodded. “Don’t you have any friends in California?”

  Kelly snorted. “You’re kidding, right?”

  “No.”

  “I thought when I first came out to go to auditions, that people would be half-assed friendly. But the smile would never reach their eyes. And some were so obviously hateful that I avoided those completely.”

  “No coworkers?”

  Kelly slanted a glance at Sloan. “You’re highly naïve.”

  He chuckled. “I take that as a ‘no’.”

  “You’d take that correctly.” Kelly sat back in her chair and sighed. “I tried extremely hard in the beginning to be nice to everybody. And it backfired. A lot of the women on the set are jealous. And some will take the most innocent comment and throw it back in your face.” She shook her head. “After the third time of that fun, I was done.”

&nbs
p; Sloan nodded. “I see.”

  Kelly arched an eyebrow. “I’m fine. I’ll be back to visit my parents before the year is out. I try to go at least twice. Maybe I can sneak in two more trips.” She turned back to the window.

  * * * *

  They arrived at LAX in the evening, and all hell broke loose. When the wheels touched down, Kelly took a pair of large, dark shades and slipped them on. She freshened up her lipstick and patted her hair.

  The flight attendants came to escort them off, and Sloan could actually see Kelly begin to even walk differently. Her relaxed gait was gone. Every move of every hip was calculated.

  Kelly disembarked from the plane, and Sloan followed. Immediately, there were throngs of people screaming and waving. She waved and smiled at the crowd, while still walking briskly toward the exit.

  A photographer stepped close and began taking a series of photos. Kelly held up her hand and tried to push through, but he wouldn’t move. Before security could help, she saw Sloan put his hand in the man’s face.

  Instantly there was a flurry of flashes, and Kelly groaned. She could already see tomorrow’s headline. Security came and escorted Kelly and Sloan into a waiting limo.

  When she glanced at Sloan, he appeared to be in shock. His hair was disheveled, and he was scowling.

  “It’s a damn madhouse!”

  “Yes.”

  “You knew this would happen.” The tone was certain.

  “Yes.” She sighed. “More than likely someone from the studio leaked it. So much better to keep the soap’s name in the paper.”

  Kelly watched him sit back and process the entire debacle. And then she saw it. He shut himself down. His hazel eyes became distant, and she could see he was irritated. She didn’t let herself feel. She simply looked out the shaded window the entire drive to her house.

  * * * *

  The limo dropped Sloan off at his house, and he watched Kelly pull away. He was in over his head. The certainty did little to comfort him. He didn’t want to live in a fishbowl. That wasn’t the life for him.

  His head began pounding. What do I do when the person I want most is wanted by half the population?

  * * * *

  Kelly thanked the limo driver when he brought her luggage inside. She wearily turned the light on and looked around. She was home. It was a little chilly so Kelly cranked up the thermostat and went to change clothes. Unpacking could wait until tomorrow. She made sure to call her parents before she took her bath.

  She hung up the phone after a brief conversation and looked around her empty house. Her feet dragged the entire length of the corridor to her room. Sloan was foremost in her mind. And he wasn’t happy. The look on his face with the chaos at the airport wouldn’t leave her mind. Kelly sighed.

  She quickly undressed and sank into her circular tub. The hot water was helping the knots in her back and neck. Kelly closed her eyes and brought Sloan’s image into her head. God, he was attractive. Those hazel eyes. Those strong hands. She shivered in the water.

  Their time together at her parents’ farm touched her deeply. He was more than an attractive man. Sloan was charming. Caring. And utterly disgusted with her profession.

  Kelly sank lower into the water. Where do we go from here? She blew out a breath. Who knew? She groaned and stood up. Any more time in the water, and she would be one big prune. She grabbed the nearest towel and wrapped it around herself.

  Tomorrow was Sunday. She could prep herself for the week ahead and simply relax. A little time to herself would do her wonders.

  * * * *

  Sloan woke up Sunday morning and reached across his empty bed before he was fully awake. When his hand tapped the emptiness, he opened his eyes and scowled. No one was there. That’s what happened when Kelly went back to her own house, and he was at his.

  He growled and swung himself up to a sitting position. Sleep was a long time coming last night, and his temperament this morning was anything but affable. Sloan ran his hands through his hair and looked around the room. His bags were still packed in the corner. Those could wait until later.

  The phone rang shrilly a couple of minutes later, and he snatched it from the cradle.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Sloan!” Bob’s voice filtered through. “I’m glad you’re awake.” Sloan snorted as Bob continued. “We’ve got a lot of work to do. I hope you finished your sketches.” The sentence ended hopefully.

  “Yeah. They’re all done.” He paused. “It’s a Sunday, Bob. What does Dot think about you working?”

  Bob’s voice lowered. “She’s ticked. But Bryan is paying the workers and designers a huge bonus if we finish early. And that will go a long way toward the birthday present I’m going to get her.”

  Sloan looked at the alarm clock. “It’s barely seven-thirty.”

  “I’ll meet you at the set a little after eight. Thanks, Sloan.”

  The receiver clicked loudly in his ear. Sloan put it down and shook his head. He wouldn’t let the crew down. He knew how nice it was to have a bonus coming.

  Sloan walked to the front door and picked up his paper before he started his coffee. When he took it out of the plastic, his eye caught the entertainment section.

  “Shit.” He sat down slowly in the chair and read the headline.

  Mystery Man and Soap Diva spend weekend together.

  And there he was in all his glory. A hand was thrust out to try and protect Kelly while she huddled close to him. The article went on to speculate that Kelly finally found someone who wasn’t an actor to hop in bed with. Rumors were rampant about the secret location of their tryst.

  Sloan’s jaw locked. He slammed his fist down on the table. Well, wasn’t that a kick in the ass first thing in the morning? He shoved his chair back and started his coffee. Now everyone thought he was Kelly’s latest boy toy.

  He walked back into his bedroom and pulled on blue jeans and a T-shirt. His anger was fueled by the fact he would catch hell on the set. And what would Kelly do?

  The thought of Kelly made him stop in his tracks. She dealt with this crap on a regular basis. And what he learned about her was at odds with what he was reading. Sloan pondered the possibilities while he drank his coffee and ate his Danish.

  When he was finished, he grabbed his keys and a jacket. He pushed thoughts of Kelly to the back of his mind. His only thought this morning was building sets.

  * * * *

  That lasted exactly five minutes after he made it to the set. A paper was shoved in his face, and he scowled.

  “Yeah. I know.”

  Bob lowered the paper and grinned. “You’re famous.”

  “Shut up.”

  Bob laughed. “I knew that would thrill you.” He glanced at the sketchpads Sloan held in the crook of his arm. He rubbed his hands together. “Is that them?”

  “Yes.”

  The set designer snatched the sketchpads, and Sloan followed him into the office. Bob sat behind the desk and began thumbing through them. When he was finished with them, he sat back. A slow smile spread across his face.

  “Absolutely fantastic work, Sloan.”

  Sloan inclined his head. “Thanks.”

  Bob stood up. “We’ve hired on extra people for the building.” He looked at Sloan. “You ready to put in some hours?”

  “Sure.”

  They walked back out into the main corridor, and Bob clapped his hands loudly.

  “Listen up, guys. We’ve got the sketches. I’m dividing you into groups. We’ll take breaks and lunch together. But in the meantime, I expect quality work done safely.” He stared at each member of the crew. “Any questions?”

  “Can I go with Kelly next time so I can be inspired?”

  Laughter broke out among the guys, and Bob tried to hide his grin. “I doubt it, Chad.” He clapped Sloan on the back. “This is the main man for this project. Any questions go directly to him. Let’s get to it!”

  * * * *

  Kelly yawned loudly and kept her eyes shut. If s
he opened them, that meant she would have to get out of bed. That would lead to the day zipping by. That, in turn, would lead to her having to go back to work tomorrow. Rather hateful domino effect.

  She groaned and opened her eyes. There was no way she could stay in bed all day. Kelly swung her legs over the side of the bed and stretched. She walked down to the kitchen and poured herself some diet soda. As soon as she took a drink, she smiled. Maybe a little toast, too.

  She popped two pieces of sourdough bread in the toaster and took the low fat cream cheese out of the refrigerator. When the toast popped, she slathered on the cream cheese and took a big bite. Bliss.

  Kelly grabbed her glass and walked back into the living room. She turned on the stereo and sat there. Motivation would kick in any minute now. She was sure of it. It was always hard to get back into the swing of things after seeing her folks. The slower pace was at odds with her professional life. That’s why she treasured her weekends.

  Fifteen minutes later, she stood and walked back into her bedroom to dress. She pulled out a blue terrycloth jumper and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. After dressing, she took out the two portraits she bought and looked for places to put them.

  When they had been hung, she was surprised to hear her intercom buzz.

  “Hello?”

  “Kelly! It’s Wilda and Tempest. Can we come up?”

  “Sure.” Kelly smiled as she pushed the button. She missed her assistant while she was gone. And she wondered how the soap was going in her absence. Storylines could change on a dime.

  Kelly opened her garage door and trotted down the steps. Wilda stepped out first, and Kelly hurried over to her and gave her a huge hug. Her assistant was dressed in a flaming red dress that hugged her curves. Tempest stepped out next, and Kelly grinned. She was wearing a silvery dress with a sapphire blue belt.

  “I feel positively dowdy.” Kelly laughed and motioned them inside. “And to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, ladies?”

  “How was the trip?” Wilda’s tone was curious.

  Kelly led them through the garage and into the house. “Fine. And how was work?”

  Tempest rolled her eyes. “I had no idea these people could be so demanding. It doesn’t bode well for my future.” She tossed a meaningful glance at her sister.