Let It Burn

by Ruth Cardello

  “So don’t go back.”

  Her eyes flew to his. “I have to.”

  “Why?”

  Her head tipped to one side as if she were explaining something that should have been obvious. “I haven’t seen them in over a month. I’ve missed them more than I could express in words.”

  “You just said they don’t need you anymore.”

  “That doesn’t mean they don’t love me and want me there with them. My mother is my best friend. My father says something every day that makes me smile. I need them now more than ever. Are you really not like that with your family?”

  He turned forward in his seat. “I told you, I only go home when I have to.”

  “Because they’re horrible people?”

  He sighed. “Not horrible, just very different than I am.”

  “So they’re a meek, quiet bunch?” she asked dryly.

  “Hardly.”

  “Lazy?”

  “The opposite. I’d call most of them obsessively driven.”

  “How exactly are they different from you?”

  After the day he’d had, the last thing Andrew wanted to do was delve into the issues he had with his family, but she was looking at him with those damn, expressive eyes of hers that made it impossible to deny her. “My mother took the death of my brother hard. She had a breakdown and after that it was all about being careful to not upset her. Everything came second to that. I was always wrong, always too much.”

  “So you just started avoiding them.”

  “I used to go home when my mother asked me to, but lately they’re all so . . . too . . .”

  “What?” Helene asked, leaning forward.

  “Fucking happy.”

  “Assholes,” she said wryly.

  “Laugh, but you should see them. Everyone is either getting married, having a baby, or celebrating something.”

  She placed her hand on his arm. “Meanwhile, you’re falling apart on the inside.”

  He looked down at her hand then placed his on it. Although there was nothing funny about how he felt, he tried to make a joke. “Which animal does that remind you of?”

  Without missing a beat, she said, “We had a hedgehog once—” He looked up at her in surprise and she said, “Sorry. I’m just screwing with you. We don’t have hedgehogs. I just wanted to make you laugh. My stomach is so nervous I feel like if I don’t think about something else I may throw up.”

  “We could always focus on this.” He took her chin in his hand, swooped down, and claimed her mouth with his.

  Chapter Ten

  It might have been a need to feel close to someone after the rollercoaster of a day she’d had, but Andrew’s kiss felt as natural as heading home. She opened her mouth to him and welcomed his claiming. As much as he could be rough, Andrew could also be gentle. He teased her tongue in an intimate dance with his that sent desire rocking through her.

  She didn’t notice when he undid her seat belt, but he broke off the kiss long enough to lift her sideways onto his lap. He supported her with an arm behind her back and dug his other hand into her hair. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him with an intensity that made every concern dissolve away. In that moment, she wasn’t sad, tired, or confused. She was hungry for him and the pleasure his touch brought.

  He caressed her neck then slid his hand down to cup her breast. “Oh God, Helene, you feel so damn good.”

  She tipped her head back, arching her neck as he kissed his way down it. “You do, too.”

  His hand tightened in her hair and he raised his head. “We need to stop. It’s too good. I don’t want to lose my head.”

  A woman could only be so careful, wait for so long. Helene didn’t know what would happen when they landed in Florida. He said he wasn’t leaving, but she couldn’t blame him if he changed his mind. They had nothing in common, and essentially, her family had wronged his, but that didn’t stop how much she wanted him. They had a couple hours before they landed. I’m done waiting for the right time with the right man. I’m twenty-six. What if that time never comes? What if no other man ever makes me feel this way? “Don’t you dare stop,” she whispered. “Don’t you dare.”

  His eyes burned with need, and he gave her a pained look. “Are you sure?”

  Her answer was to pull his mouth back to hers. It was all on then. He picked her up, carried her to the back of the plane, kicked the partially open door to a small bedroom out of the way, then closed it behind them. When he lowered her back to her feet he kissed her with a passion she’d always dreamed of. She met him with a need that matched his.

  They tore at each other’s clothing, moving to a standing position when they needed to. Her dress hit the floor, followed by her panties and bra. His shirt, pants, and boxers joined the pile. All the while, they never stopped kissing and exploring each other’s body feverishly. He backed her up against the vanity and kissed her neck thoroughly before moving lower. She held on to the edge of the counter, gasping his name.

  His cock nudged against her, and she reached for it. It was huge and hard. She was torn between wanting to feel it inside her right then and begging him to keep kissing her breasts the way he was. She moved so her feet were wider apart and cried out with pleasure when his hand found her sex. His fingers were strong and sure. He sought her clit and raised his head long enough to watch her reaction as he caressed it. When his rhythm had her begging him not to stop, he began to kiss her neck again. She stroked his cock, but he moved her hand off him. “This is about you, Helene. Let me make it good for you. Just relax and let me love you.”

  Who would argue with that?

  He dipped his middle finger inside her, all the while caressing her clit with an expertise that blew her mind. He nipped at her breasts gently, sucked her nipples until she was wildly bucking against his hand. He worshipped her body with his mouth, all while stroking her intimately.

  “Come, Helene. Come for me,” he growled against her neck.

  She did and it was beyond anything she’d expected. Wave after wave of heat shot through her, leaving her panting and shaken. “I had no idea,” she whispered.

  He moved and slid a condom on himself. “We’re nowhere near done.”

  “Thank God.”

  There was no fear, only anticipation. He picked her up and carried her to the bed. He set her on it and sank to his knees between her legs. She’d thought his fingers were talented, but the way he worked her clit with his tongue had her digging her hands into his shoulders. His tongue slid deep inside her as he brought his thumb to her clit before his tongue returned to her nub. She could feel heat rising within her again. He guided her onto her back and poised himself above her.

  “I don’t want to hurt you,” he said. “Tell me if anything is too much.”

  She nodded hastily, focused only on how much she wanted him inside her. He dipped his tip inside, then pulled it out and ran it along her wet sex before dipping in her again. She spread her legs wider and moaned as he kissed his way from her shoulder to her chin. It was torture waiting.

  When he finally thrust inside her there was no discomfort, just a brief tightness. He moved slowly in and out, so gentle she wanted to punch him. She met his thrust with her own, wanting to feel him deeper. He took the hint, and there was more power in his next thrust.

  “Oh, yes,” she whispered. “Harder, Mr. Muscles. I want it harder.”

  “Fuck, yes,” he said, and his gentleness fell away. She knew exactly when he let himself go because his moves were more passionate than planned. He pounded into her, and Helene clung to him as a second orgasm rocked through her.

  He kept going through her orgasm until he finally gave in to his own with a swear. For a moment, his weight rested on her before he adjusted himself so he was poised above her. “I tried to be—”

  She pulled his mouth to hers for a kiss, then in a ragged voice said, “It was amazing.”

  He turned, disposed of the condom, then pulled her into his arms. It had bee
n everything and more than Helene had dreamed it would be. She was in heaven.

  His arms tightened around her. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

  She closed her eyes. “Shut up, before you ruin it.”

  He gave her ass a light slap. “Did you just tell me to shut up?”

  She opened her eyes and met his. “I waited a long time for this. Let me savor this feeling. I don’t want to think about anything else yet.”

  “I just want you to know that when we get to Florida—”

  She placed her hand over his mouth. “Do you have another condom with you?”

  He studied her face. “I thought you might need to talk.”

  She shook her head. “Do you?”

  A lusty smile spread across his face. “No, I don’t.” He rolled so she was sprawled on top of him. “I am officially shutting up.”

  Andrew woke to Helene cuddling close to him and caressing his chest lightly. He kept his eyes closed and his breathing deep and steady. They’d made love twice, the second time had been less hurried and had left them both sated and sleepy. If she wanted to explore him as he slept, he didn’t mind one bit. In fact, it was a pleasure beyond what he’d experienced with other women. Somehow, despite the insanity of how they’d come together, it felt right to have her at his side. He couldn’t explain it, nor did he want to try. All he wanted was to continue to feel her hands stroke him, anywhere and everywhere she wanted. He groaned as he imagined them wrapped around his cock again.

  “Andrew?” Her hand stilled.

  He didn’t budge.

  “Mr. Muscles, are you awake?” she asked, and he couldn’t help it, he smiled. Was that her secret nickname for him? If so, he approved.

  He rolled over so his upper half was above her. “Guilty as charged.” He took a moment to soak in the simple beauty of her before kissing her briefly. The desire he’d felt for her the night before was still there, but their connection felt deeper. He was used to waking to a woman in his bed. He’d liked some enough to let them stay as long as they pleased. He’d never been the type to throw a woman out, and had never needed to. Women who chose to be with him had always understood he wasn’t the type to stay. There’d always been another deployment looming that brought all of his relationships to a natural end. His partners hadn’t asked him for more, and he hadn’t offered it. Promises were for people who believed in them, and he’d stopped promising a long time ago. His father’s lack of fidelity had shaped his view of committed relationships. Beyond the Corps, he didn’t put much faith in anything or anyone. Losing Lofton and the others had shaken even that.

  The thing about Helene, the most terrifying part of being with her, was how easy it would be to believe in her. The sex had been phenomenal, but he wanted more from her. He wanted to be the one to protect her, the one to make her smile. He wanted to walk away from everything that was wrong with his life and lose himself in the goodness of hers.

  She traced a small scar on his chin. “What were you going to tell me earlier?”

  He ran his hand through her hair. “When?”

  “You’d started to say something about when we get to Florida.”

  He tapped her nose lightly. “You mean just before you told me to shut up?”

  She blushed. “Yes.”

  He loved the blush, loved that she could flip from brazen to sweet so quickly. “I was probably going to say some stupid shit I hoped would make you feel better about this.”

  She looked up at him intently. “You don’t have to. I’m okay.”

  “Okay?”

  She wrinkled her nose. “I’m not sixteen with expectations that this means anything. We both went through an emotional day. Two healthy adults in their prime. It was natural for us to find comfort in each other.”

  He frowned, not liking how easily she dismissed the time they’d spent bringing each other pleasure. “So, you would be perfectly okay if we parted ways when we land in Tampa?”

  She tensed beneath him, but said, “Yes. I know you said you’d stay with me until you were sure I’m safe, but I will be as soon as I’m back with my family. You don’t have to meet them unless you want to.”

  “I’m meeting your parents,” he said firmly.

  She gave him a curious look. “You can. I just didn’t want you to think you have to.”

  He wanted to shake her and tell her that she’d just given him her virginity; she had a right to have expectations. It had meant something to him, and he wanted to believe it meant something to her. His reaction took him by surprise. He sat up and looped his arms around his knees. “I’m definitely meeting your parents.”

  His tone seemed to make her uncomfortable. She pulled a sheet up to cover herself. “What I’m trying to say is that I don’t want you to.”

  His jaw went slack, and he stared down at her in surprise. He had never been the man a woman was embarrassed to bring home. Hell, he and his brothers were consistently featured in magazine lists of the world’s most eligible bachelors. “Why the hell not?”

  She held the sheet to her chest. “You and I . . . all of this . . . I understand that it isn’t going anywhere, but my parents will start hearing wedding bells just because I’ve never brought a man home before. I’m confused enough without trying to explain you to them.” She smiled and joked, “Although they might be relieved to know I finally had sex with someone besides myself.”

  He didn’t laugh and her smile turned pained. He liked her joking about their intimacy even less than he’d liked her dismissing it.

  They looked at each other in an awkward standoff until she said, “I hate it when you do that.”

  “What?”

  “Stare at me instead of sharing what you’re thinking. Whatever it is, isn’t it better to say it than keep it in?”

  “Not in my experience.” Her philosophy was the polar opposite of how his family had always functioned. Most thoughts, especially those that might be controversial in any way, had always been kept silent. In his personal life, as well as his chosen profession, he was used to being told that his feelings came second to the good of the whole. “When it comes to what I actually think about most things, I do better if I keep my mouth shut.”

  She moved to a sitting position, still holding the sheet to her chest. “Now that surprises me.”

  “Why? Because I’ve lost count of how many people I’ve killed? There’s no talking involved in taking someone out from a thousand yards away.”

  Her eyes rounded. “I was going to say because you come from a family of influence.”

  He groaned. What a dumbass thing to say. She finally thinks I’m not dangerous and I say shit like that? He cursed himself for giving in to the temptation to test her reaction.

  She was silent for a moment then said, “Do you really not know how many people you’ve killed?”

  He met her eyes. “I know exactly how many. It’s not something a person forgets. I remember every face, every fall. I’m haunted by when I did it well and when inaccuracy made them suffer. I tell myself each was necessary, but how the hell do I know? They often don’t say why. You have to trust they would only send you in if there was no other choice.”

  She laid a hand on his back. “I’m sorry.”

  He shook his head in self-disgust. “That’s why I keep most thoughts to myself.”

  She shifted closer and rested her head on his shoulder. “You don’t have to with me. I realize it’s not the same, but running a rescue has made me familiar with the underbelly of humanity. Just like not every animal can be saved, not every person can be reasoned with. I’ve never taken a life, but I know what it’s like to stand between the defenseless and a monster who would hurt it for no other reason than they can. Monsters exists, but you’re not one, Andrew. You did what you did to defend our country. That doesn’t make you a monster, it makes you a hero.”

  He turned and pulled her into his arms. “Not everyone would agree with you.”

  “Who gives a shit about them?” sh
e asked, wrapping her arms around him.

  He chuckled. This. This is what I’ve never had. An . . . equal. Someone who urged him to talk and then listened when he did. Someone the truth didn’t scare. It was refreshing to be with her, refreshing to be himself. He sobered. “I want to meet your parents, Helene. You can tell them anything you want about us. I’ve never been a flowers and poetry kind of guy, but I need to say something. Maybe this ends in a day or a week. I don’t know. All I know is I’m not ready for it to end now.”

  “I’m not either.” She dropped the sheet and moved so she was in front of him, straddling his legs. She placed her hands on his shoulders and leaned forward to kiss him. Her excited nipples brushed over his chest as her wet sex slid over his quickly hardening shaft. He checked the clock beside the bed. They still had time before they reached Tampa.

  Good.

  He didn’t have another condom, but there were other ways they could please each other. A Marine was always prepared to adapt, improvise, and overcome. He lifted her so she was on her feet, straddled before his face, and began to happily improvise.

  Chapter Eleven

  It was late the next morning by the time Helene and Andrew drove their rental car down a long dirt road that led to the chain-link gate of the Free Again Rescue and Sanctuary. Helene told Andrew the code and the gate swung open for them.

  She wasn’t surprised to see both her parents sitting on the porch waiting for them. She’d called them soon after the plane had landed and had been vague about the reason for her return. They sounded worried until she said she had someone with her who she wanted to introduce to them.

  “Is it a man?” her mother had asked, her pitch rising with excitement.

  “Yes,” Helene had said, grateful at the time that Andrew had stepped away to make a few calls of his own.

  “I told you, Art,” her mother had said. “I told you she would meet someone. She just had to get out there in the world.”

  She’d heard her father say, “Put her on speakerphone. Who is this guy, Helene? Why is this the first we hear of him?”