Ignite

by Karen Erickson

  “And how do you feel about me?” She dropped her hand from his face, her chest squeezing tight as she waited for his answer.

  “Like I said, I’m falling in love with you.” She parted her lips to speak but he cut her off, resting his fingers on her mouth. “I realize we haven’t been seeing each other long, but we’ve known each other for years. What we have is special, Harper. And I’m not willing to let it go.”

  “I don’t want to let you go either.” She kissed the tips of his fingers before he lifted them away from her mouth and replaced them with his lips. The kiss was deep, hot, his tongue tangling with hers as he pressed her into the mattress. She slid her hands beneath his shirt, running her fingernails up and down the smooth expanse of his back as he growled against her lips, making her giggle.

  “That feels good. I’ve missed having your hands on me,” he murmured, impatiently tugging at her skirt. “I want you naked.”

  She laughed. “Impatient much?”

  “For you, hell yes. I haven’t touched you like this in weeks.” He lifted away from her and tugged the dress up so it was bunched around her waist, exposing her pale green cotton panties to his gaze. He groaned when he first spotted them. “Christ, you’re trying to kill me.”

  “They’re not that sexy,” she protested, gasping when he shifted so that his mouth was on her belly, his warm lips on sensitive skin, making her shiver.

  “Everything you wear is sexy. You’re sexy.” He curled his fingers around the waistband of her panties and tugged them off, his movements erratic. He ran his mouth greedily over her skin, along her thighs, her hot throbbing core. Her hipbones, her stomach, her breasts . . . as if he was trying his best to consume her, though his mouth never lingered long. Growls of impatience escaped him and she was just as eager, kicking off her underwear, lifting her arms when he pulled the dress up over her head and tossed it on the floor. She wore no bra so she was completely naked, earning an appreciative glance from West before he straight up attacked her.

  Oh, and she reveled in it. He was like a man possessed. His hands were everywhere, all over her body, caressing her breasts, slipping between her legs, testing how wet she was for him. She writhed beneath his touch, her fingers fumbling over the button of his jeans, pulling at them impatiently. She wanted them off. She wanted him just as naked as she was and within moments, like magic, he was.

  He rolled on the condom that he had stashed in his jeans and wasted no time pushing inside her, burying himself so deeply that all she could do was close her eyes and clutch him close. There was no finesse, no prolonging the orgasm or drawing out the act. It was just pure, animalistic . . . fucking. A word she’d never used to describe any of the times she’d had sex before.

  With West, she loved it. He was completely out of control, his mouth locked with hers as his hips shifted, his cock thrusting inside her again and again and again . . .

  Until all she could see were stars.

  “I’M A SELFISH jackass,” West said as soon as he could find his voice once again. He held Harper close in his arms, her warm, naked body wrapped all around his, their legs tangled up together. They were limp and sated, his eyes closed and his brain buzzing, feeling completely wiped out in the best possible way. He pressed his mouth to her forehead, trying to calm his breathing. His dick twitched, letting him know it was up for round two.

  Un-freaking-believable.

  Harper made this low murmuring sound in her throat, sexy as hell as she shifted against him, her hand brushing against his belly, his cock, making it spring magically back to life. “Why do you say that?”

  “I was completely out of control just now.” Almost embarrassingly so. It had been too long since he had her and he’d just wanted her so damn much, he couldn’t hold back. He’d fully planned on making love to her. Nice and slow, his mouth all over her body, hands mapping her skin. Learning every little spot that drove her out of her mind, discovering her intimate secrets.

  But no. He’d tried that approach and gave up fast. Instead, he’d rutted on her like some sort of wild caveman, coming with a shout after five minutes of being inside her. It was sort of embarrassing.

  “I thought it was hot.” She tilted her head back, smiling up at him. “It felt like you really wanted me.”

  Her fingers brushed against his stomach again, making him flinch. “That’s the truth. I always really want you. And now that we got that out of the way, I’ll make sure to take my time with you the next go-round.”

  “There’s going to be a next go-round?” She sounded so hopeful he couldn’t help but smile.

  “There are going to be lots of go-rounds.” He kissed her, mentally reminding himself to go slow. “If I have it my way, we won’t leave this bed tonight.”

  “That sounds nice.” A dreamy sigh escaped her and she snuggled closer, her mouth on his shoulder. “What about dinner?”

  “I’m sure we’ll figure something out eventually.” Currently he only wanted to feast on her.

  He held her close, loving how easily she curled her naked body around his. For the first time in a long time, he felt . . . content. It definitely had to do with the woman in his arms, but he also knew it had to do with being back home. In Wildwood. Once a town he couldn’t wait to get away from, he was happy here. He liked where he worked. He enjoyed spending time with his siblings. His relationship with his father was permanently damaged, but with time, maybe it would get easier. He didn’t mind the gossip, and the familiarity that came with returning to his hometown.

  More than anything, he cared about the woman lying beside him, her hair in his face, her arm slung around his middle like she owned him. It felt good, having someone, having somewhere he belonged.

  It felt right.

  “What about the future for us, West?” She gazed up at him, nibbling on her lower lip. She looked unsure, hesitant. “You probably don’t want to talk about the heavy stuff right now, but I have to ask. What do you want for . . . us?”

  He brushed a wild tangle of hair away from her face, his fingers skimming her cheeks as his gaze never left hers. She had the prettiest eyes. She had the prettiest everything. Why had he never seen it before? When they were younger and she’d followed him around like a lovesick puppy . . . what an idiot he’d been. “I want to be with you. Only you. And we’ll just need to take it day by day, okay? This summer, I’m going to be busy with work. It’s going to get crazier, I know it. There’s a lot going on around here. The fire season is going to be intense, what with the drought conditions and the . . . ” He thought of the arsonist. He didn’t want to scare her, but it was happening. Hell, they were talking about it in the local newspaper. “The possible arsonist. I might be gone for weeks at a time. That’s the norm during a busy fire season.”

  She nodded, her eyes full of sadness. “I understand.”

  “But I’ll always be thinking about you, even when we’re not together. You’re mine, Harper. And I’m yours.” He leaned in and kissed her, taking it deep, leaving her breathless. “Nothing’s going to change that.”

  “Okay,” she whispered, her lips moving against his as she spoke. “I can deal with that.”

  “Yeah?” He smiled and she smiled in return.

  “Yeah.” She kissed him this time, her sweet lips molding to his. “I feel like my every dream has come true.”

  “Me too, baby.” He splayed his hand across her back. “Me too.”

  Epilogue

  “YOU’RE SO HAPPY you’re glowing.” Delilah made a face and shook her head, her nose wrinkling. “It’s kind of disgusting.”

  “Oh stop, Delilah. You’re just jealous,” Wren added, nudging Delilah with her elbow before she flashed a smile in Harper’s direction. “I can admit that I’m a teeny bit jealous too, but we’re happy for you and West. Really.”

  “She’s right. We are,” Delilah added softly.

  They were at the Bigfoot Diner, eating lunch. Harper’s grandma was their server and she brought out the biggest burgers the thr
ee women had ever seen, along with a red plastic basket heaped with French fries. She’d informed them, “Eat. You girls are too skinny,” and then scooted back to the kitchen.

  So they did.

  Harper couldn’t help but beam like a crazy woman at her friends. She was deliriously happy. The man of her dreams had become the man of her reality. They’d been serious for only a month, if that. They were on the accelerated plan—West had called it a few weeks ago, wearing that sexy, panty-melting grin of his.

  Dipping her head, Harper smiled to herself. Yes, every time West flashed her that knowing smile, her panties melted. Her heart melted, her resolve melted . . . he knew just how to affect her. Giving her the right look, touching her in the right way, whispering the right words . . .

  A shiver moved down her spine just thinking about him.

  “Uh-oh, she’s in a West-induced stupor again,” Wren said, her tone teasing. “Seems to be happening a lot lately.”

  Harper lifted her head, laughing. “I can’t help it if I’m happy.”

  Delilah took a sip from her soda. “We love that you’re happy. I don’t remember you smiling this much when you were with Roger.”

  Her smile faded. She still felt a little guilty about Roger, for how quickly she’d broken it off with him and ended up with West. He was always polite when she ran into him around town, which was often. She’d heard a few rumors that he’d gone on some dates, though they didn’t seem to be anything serious. He didn’t seem to be pining away for her, which was a huge relief . . .

  “How’s it going here?” Wren asked, her question knocking Harper out of her thoughts. “Still deeply entrenched in the training program?”

  Harper rolled her eyes, grabbing a fry and popping it into her mouth. The salty goodness was almost too much. Funny how she spent so much time at the BFD yet never grew tired of the delicious food. “Grandma loves to boss me around like I’m in the military when I’m here, but we both know she’s a big old softy.”

  A softy who was becoming increasingly dependent on her granddaughter to eventually run the business side of the diner. Harper had cleaned out the office by the end of her self-imposed two-week deadline. She’d then proceeded to reorganize everything and, with her grandma’s permission, bought a new computer along with the best accounting software she could find.

  She’d taken over the financial records, the accounts payable and receivable . . . all of it.

  “You’re going to be running this place one day,” Delilah said as she glanced around the busy diner. “Do you think she’s going to retire soon?”

  “Doubtful.” Harper’s grandma loved the BFD too much to retire—yet.

  “I never talk to my brother anymore so I have to find out everything through you.” Wren lowered her voice. “Tell us what’s up with the fire situation.”

  The low grumbles among the townspeople were getting louder, and Cal Fire had recently released official information—there was definitely an arsonist in their area. The biggest damage so far had been to the restaurant, but other fires had been started since then, all of them vegetation fires that hadn’t burned much beyond a few acres. An investigative team was called in and Lane, along with the rest of the sheriff’s department, was working with them in tandem. West had mentioned a few details to her, but he was pretty mum about the entire subject.

  Harper understood. Some things he couldn’t really discuss. Besides, when they were together, they didn’t really talk about work . . .

  “I don’t know much,” Harper offered with a little shrug. “They’re all on the job.”

  “Lane isn’t saying much either,” Wren said, making Delilah laugh.

  “When does Lane ever say much?” she asked sarcastically.

  True that.

  “So when are you two crazy kids going to move in together?” Wren asked Harper, changing the subject.

  Harper’s mouth dropped open. Was Wren a mind reader or what? “We were just discussing that a few nights ago,” she admitted softly.

  They’d been tangled up in bed, the sheet kicked off onto the floor, Harper half draped across West’s limp-with-pleasure body. He’d skimmed his fingers down her back, given her a light smack on her butt, and murmured, “You should move in with me.”

  She’d protested, made all the right noises because come on. They couldn’t live together so fast. But West wouldn’t take no for an answer. And now she was trying to work up the courage to tell her family that she was moving in with her new boyfriend so quickly after moving out of her old boyfriend’s house.

  Yeah. The gossipmongers of Wildwood were going to have a field day with this one. But maybe it wouldn’t be so awful. West was the beloved bad boy who was now doing good. And Harper had always been Wildwood’s good girl—who’d suddenly gone a little bad.

  And being bad with West had never felt so good.

  “So you’re moving in with him?” Delilah asked, her eyebrows rising. “That’s so great!”

  “Shh, we haven’t officially confirmed it yet,” Harper said, hoping no one was paying any attention to the three of them. “But yes, it’s going to happen. Soon.”

  Both Wren and Delilah looked like they were bouncing in their seats. It was sort of ridiculous. And silly—silly enough that Harper couldn’t help but burst out laughing. She’d never felt so loved before. By her friends, her family.

  By West.

  The front door of the BFD swung open and in walked a Cal Fire crew, West taking up the rear. His hair was a little wild—it was time for a haircut—and there was a dark smudge on his cheek from God knew what. But wow, did he look good in his uniform, that beloved easy smile on his face as he nodded at the waitress who began to lead the fire crew to a table.

  He scanned the room, looking for Harper, of that she was sure, and she lifted her hand in an acknowledging wave, her heart swelling near to bursting at seeing him. He said something to the rest of his crew and made his way to Harper’s table, smiling at all three women when he stopped in front of their table.

  “Ladies.” He nodded at Delilah and Wren before his head swiveled in her direction, that knowing smile that got her every single time curling his perfect lips. “Harper.”

  “What are you doing here?” She sounded breathless. Could feel her friends watching her like she was put on this earth to amuse them, but damn it, she couldn’t help herself. Her boyfriend made her feel fluttery inside each time he looked at her.

  “We just finished up a call and we’re starving. Thought we’d stop at the BFD.” He gave her a look, one that said I’ve seen you naked.

  Harper blushed. “It’s good to see you,” she murmured, making his smile grow.

  They didn’t say anything, just smiled at each other until finally Delilah made an irritated noise.

  “You two need to get a room,” she muttered.

  “Ew, that’s my brother you’re talking about,” Wren practically squealed.

  Ignoring them both, West’s gaze never left Harper’s. “Come with me,” he said, his voice low.

  Without hesitation Harper slid out of the booth and followed him to the back of the diner, where he opened the supply closet door and pulled her inside. The moment the door shut, he had his hands on her, his mouth fused with hers. It was so dark that she kicked the mop bucket when she took a step back, making them both laugh softly when the mop handle clattered to the floor.

  “We need to stop meeting like this,” he whispered, his mouth hot as he kissed her neck, making her shiver.

  “You’re the one who always wants to have a rendezvous in the supply closet when you stop by,” she reminded him, sighing when he nibbled on her ear.

  “I never hear you protest.” He lifted his head and she knew he was watching her, even though he couldn’t see much since it was so dark. “I’ve missed you.”

  “You’re off shift tomorrow.”

  “Yeah.” He pulled her in for a hug, holding her close. “But I don’t like being away from you.”

  This comin
g from the man who loved his job. His confession made her feel warm and fuzzy inside. “Hasn’t any of your crew figured out what you’re doing when you keep stopping by the BFD?”

  “They’ve got me all figured out. Not like we’re hiding it.” He slipped his hand beneath her chin and tilted her face up, his mouth mere inches from her. “They know I can’t get enough of you.”

  Before she could answer him, West kissed her breathless, his lips, his tongue, his hands busy. Long, kiss-filled minutes later, she finally pulled away from him, running a hand over her hair, smoothing her shirt back into place. “We should go back out.”

  He huffed out a frustrated breath. “You’re right.”

  “You need to order lunch.”

  “They know what I want.”

  “You should make sure they’re okay.”

  “They’re fine.” His hands were back on her again, slipping beneath the hem of her T-shirt and touching her bare skin.

  “What if you get another call?” She sounded breathless again. How did he do this to her every time he kissed her?

  “I have the radio attached to my belt, babe.” He went in for another kiss, but she stopped him, her hands braced on his chest. “You worry too much.”

  “You’re right,” she whispered against his lips as she slid her hands up over his shoulders. “I do.”

  “Stop worrying and kiss me.”

  Harper did as he requested.

  No questions asked.

  Acknowledgements

  I HAVE TO acknowledge my grandma when it comes to this book. No, she doesn’t own a restaurant called the Bigfoot Diner (though that would be awesome), but she is pretty cool and very independent. My grandpa died when I was fourteen. My grandparents lived out in the country far from any town, and my grandma couldn’t drive. She was so dependent on my grandpa for everything. But after he died, she realized she needed to get busy learning how to drive so my stepdad taught her. She bought a tiny Honda Civic and I remember driving around with her—I was probably fifteen?—and another car cut her off. She flipped him the bird and called him a dirty word. I was shocked. This was my grandma! A sweet little old lady who never cursed and definitely never pointed her middle finger at anyone!