12-Alarm Cowboys

by Cora Seton

  “Hello, Tara, I’m so glad to meet you.” She held out her hand.

  Tara didn’t take it immediately. She looked up into her brother’s eyes, who met hers with a flinty concentration. Makenna almost let her arm drop, but at the last second, Tara clasped her hand and said, “I’m happy to meet you too, Makenna.”

  “Titan, take your seat,” his mother hissed and to Makenna’s surprise, they were seated at the head table. Looking out at the lavish table displays and the obviously well-to-do attendees, Makenna began to get a different picture.

  Titan Sloan wasn’t a country cowboy/firefighter. Titan Sloan was well-to-do.

  Well, damn.

  Rodeo Austin proved to be more than a rodeo, carnival and stock show association. The gathering reminded her of the night Titan had received his Brother’s Keeper Plaque. Before the evening was over, the association had distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of scholarships to deserving students. Makenna discovered the Sloans were one of the main backers. She picked at her steak and dragged her fork through her potatoes. Her appetite had fled with the realization that she was way out of her league—both at the party and in Titan’s life.

  “What’s wrong?” Titan found her hand under the table and took it in his, rubbing his thumb over the back. “You don’t like your food?”

  “No, it’s good.” She smiled at him. For the rest of the meal, they managed to eat one-handed because he never let her go. The guest speaker turned out to be Titan’s father and he quickly had the room in stitches. But he also said some deep things. She could see where Titan got his engaging personality. “Rodeo is a lot like life, you don’t just have to learn how to ride, you have to learn how to fall.”

  As Makenna listened, she understood how true his words were. Her life hadn’t been easy by any stretch of the imagination. She’d been a victim of one of the worst terrorist acts on U. S. soil, and her husband had abused Makenna’s body and her trust. With her father’s help, she had survived the bombing, coming to grips with her mother’s death and the knowledge that you were never really safe anywhere. Now, Titan was helping her rise from the ashes of her abuse. Learning how to live wasn’t just about when things went smoothly, you had to learn how to fail and learn how to get up when you do. When Ross Sloan was finished speaking, she rose with everyone else to give him a standing ovation.

  Soon, the ceremony was over and Tara leaned over to speak to Titan. “Are you coming to the house? Mother wants us to come for drinks.” She spoke in a pointed tone, conveying the message that he should attend.

  Makenna noticed Titan didn’t let Tara fluster him. “Yea, we were planning on it. Then we’re going out for a while.” He rubbed Makenna’s shoulder. “I want to take my girl dancing on 6th street.”

  “You’d do well to spend some time with Dad. You know you’re going to have to take over the company soon.”

  Company? Makenna could see this was an old argument between them. She wondered if Titan would get upset. Instead, he laughed. “Tara, you’re the perfect one to run the company and Dad and I both know it.”

  The next few minutes were hectic as everyone was up and moving. They spoke to his mother for a moment and assured her they would be driving over to the west side of town. “Let’s get outta here, baby.” He wound an arm around her neck and pulled her close. “This monkey suit is making me itch.”

  When they were back in the truck, Makenna let out a sigh of relief. “That was fun, but I don’t like crowds.”

  “Me neither,” Titan agreed, backing out and heading down the spiral route to street level.

  “Your family is very nice,” she offered, laying her head on his shoulder.

  “Tara can be a bit much. She’s been trying to fight my battles since she walked me to school on my first day of kindergarten.”

  Makenna rubbed her hand across his knee. “She loves you and that makes her all right in my book.”

  As they hit the Interstate and went north, Makenna watched the city lights go by. “Here, Austin has a policy against cell phones. Read my texts.” Titan gave her his phone.

  A man that would turn his phone over to his girlfriend is a man who can be trusted. “Okay.” She opened his messages. “Oh, no!”

  “What is it?” Titan was instantly concerned.

  “This is from Hotshot. There was another fire, but they handled it.”

  “What else does it say? How did it start?”

  Makenna understood he was wondering, like she was, if Damien was responsible. If he was, that meant he was back in town. She read on, then let out a relieved breath. “No, it was a grease fire at a restaurant.”

  “Anything else?” he asked as he took the exit to 183 west.

  “There’s a message from Aiden, thanking you for our visit.” This made her smile. “He’s a really nice guy.”

  “I’m a really nice guy,” Titan stated flatly.

  “Yes, you are.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “The very best, you’re my hero.”

  “And you’re my dream girl, Makenna, don’t forget it.”

  Suddenly the pressure of holding it all in came bubbling out. “Titan, we haven’t been using condoms and every time we make love, I get too excited to remember to tell you that I’m not on the pill.”

  Titan’s hand jerked on the wheel. He looked in the rearview mirror, changed lanes and took the exit toward Loop 360, Capital of Texas Highway. “Hold on, honey. Let me pull over.” He saw a road leading off to the Arboretum Mall and he took it, stopping in front of a duck pond.

  The fact that he hadn’t said anything made Makenna feel like she was going to throw up. “I’m sorry, it’s all my fault.” She covered her face with her hands. “I wasn’t on the pill. Damien and I didn’t…do much and when we did, he always used something because he thought I was…dirty—”

  She didn’t get to finish her sentence. He was out of his door and around to her side. Titan threw the door open and the next second she was in his arms. “You think you might be pregnant?”

  “I don’t know, I’ve never been regular. A gynecologist told me once he wasn’t sure if I could have children…but we—”

  “I haven’t been protecting you,” Titan said. “If there is any fault here, darlin’. It’s all on me.” He framed her face. “But understand this, if you’re having my baby—I’m thrilled. I’d be the luckiest man in the whole world.”

  She nestled against him, so relieved she thought she might faint. “I’m so glad you’re not mad. I bought a pregnancy test, but I haven’t been courageous enough to use it yet.” Makenna buried her face in his chest. “And I still, we still…last night…”

  “Hey, don’t you worry, don’t worry a bit. You belong to me, and I want you and I would want our child more than anything.”

  “I need to get on the pill.” She ran her hand over his neck. “Everything’s too new for us to go so fast…if…”

  “I’ll use a condom until you can get on the pill.” He picked her back up and set her on the seat. “But if you’re already with child…” he smiled this huge, brilliant, toe-curling smile, “I’ll be so happy.”

  “I guess we should go see your parents.” She felt as if an immense worry had been lifted from her shoulders. As usual, Titan was willing to bear the weight of her troubles.

  Before he returned to the driver’s side, he kissed her passionately and deep, holding her tight. “You aren’t alone, Makenna. Never again. You aren’t alone.”

  *

  “You’re rich,” Makenna said, almost accusingly as they pulled into the driveway of a mansion. She’d had her suspicions at the museum, but after they’d driven over the Pennybacker Bridge and she saw the neighborhood they’d entered, an uneasy feeling held her in its grasp. And now, here was the proof, a three story home built on the top of a wooded cliff overlooking the Colorado River.

  Titan threw back his head and laughed. “No, I’m not rich. My parents are. Huge difference.” He parked his truck between a black BMW 750L
I and an F-Type Jaguar. “They’re just people, honey. Good, decent people. My dad just happened to buy the right stock at the right time.”

  “What kind of business does your father own?”

  He held her hand as she stepped to the pavement. “He owns real estate mostly, a couple of hotels, a few car dealerships, stuff like that.”

  “Oh, stuff…” Makenna playfully scoffed. “The dress I have on cost three dollars at Goodwill and my shoes were fifty cents.”

  “Shhhh,” he teased, “don’t tell my mother, she’ll want you to take her shopping. She’s a coupon-clipper.” He said the last two words with sharp enunciation.

  Makenna threw her hands up. “I give up.” He wouldn’t allow her to make a big deal out of his family’s status.

  “Might as well, it has very little to do with us.” Titan cupped the nape of her neck. “I have all I need to take care of you. Don’t worry.”

  She reached behind her back and cupped his package.

  “Whoa!”

  “Yep, all I need is right here.” She lightly squeezed.

  “Now I have to walk into Louisa Sloan’s foyer with a hard-on.” He fussed in her ear.

  As they walked up the wide verandah, the front door opened. “What are you two so happy about?” his father asked.

  “We’re young, good-looking and in love,” Titan announced. “What’s not to be happy about?”

  Ross Sloan’s mouth dropped. His son had rendered him speechless. He stepped back and let them walk in. When he found his words, he chuckled. “Come in, you two can remind us what that feels like.”

  By the end of the evening, Makenna didn’t know what she’d been worried about. The Sloans were very gracious. If they thought it odd Makenna refused alcohol and asked for water, they didn’t say anything. Tara was a bit standoffish until Makenna mentioned the boutique Allie was planning and the brands they would carry. “Oh, girl, I can line you two up with some local designers and local artists, you’d love the merchandise.”

  “I’ll just be working there.” Makenna reminded her. “I’m not going to be part owner.” Louisa pinned Titan with a stare, which Makenna intercepted. “And we’re not married, we’re not even engaged and if we were, I would insist on a pre-nup!”

  “So you have assets you need to protect?” his father asked.

  “She sure the hell does.” Titan laughed, as Makenna blushed.

  “I meant…nevermind.” She could see she was getting nowhere.

  They visited for another hour before Titan steered her out. He stopped to lose the jacket and then they headed back downtown. “I’m going to take you on the Titan Sloan tour.” He drove her by Zilker Park. “This is where the South by Southwest Music Festival is held.” They stopped and watched the moonrise over Lady Bird Lake and drove through the University of Texas campus. “I played football for the Longhorns.”

  “I bet you were the most popular guy on campus.”

  “I wasn’t…unpopular.” He grinned at her, driving by a frat house he used to live in. “I put myself through school, by the way. Scholarships and fitness model gigs. I was a body-builder.”

  She squeezed his bicep. “I can tell.”

  “What I’m trying to tell you is that I don’t rely on my parents for anything. Never have.”

  “I’m glad.” Makenna rubbed her hand on his arm. “I didn’t mean anything back there. I just felt intimidated because I don’t have anything to give, nothing to share with you.”

  Titan was parking again, so he waited until they were walking toward his favorite club on 6th Street. The first alley he saw, he pulled her in it and backed her up against the wall. His big body crowded hers. His arms bracketed her shoulders, his face so close she could feel his breath. “The value of anything is based upon the regard we have for it, what worth it is to us. You, my darling, are invaluable to me.” He leaned in to kiss her. “Your body brings me ecstasy. Your kind heart inspires me and your sweet spirit makes me want to be a better man. I want to touch you all the time. I want to stare at you. When I roll over in my bed and find you there, I know there is nothing in this world that brings me greater pleasure than you. So, what do you have to give, what do you have to share?”

  She stared at him in absolute wonder, not daring to breathe.

  “You.” He kissed her tenderly. “You are all I want.” He held her for a moment until her heart rate slowed back to normal. “Better?”

  “Perfect.”

  “Good, I want to dance with my girl.”

  For a big man, Titan could move. The bar he chose was called The Thirsty Nickel and when he got her in his arms on the dance floor, she was swept off her feet—literally. “I’m impressed.” Makenna was having a hard time keeping up. If he wasn’t so proficient at leading, she would’ve been lost. He didn’t just do the twisting and swaying, he mixed in salsa and ballroom steps.

  “Louisa Sloan insisted on lessons.” He twirled her around. “You should see what I can do with the French vocabulary, mon obsession avec toi est comme j’ai été frappé par un coup de foudre.”

  “What did you say?” she asked with delight.

  “I said my obsession with you is like I was hit by a bolt of lightning.”

  “Ah, you silver-tongued—” She didn’t get to finish because he kissed her till she couldn’t remember what she was going to say. The music slowed down then, and he held her close, the palm of his hand rubbing up and down her spine. Between them she could feel his arousal. “Do you want to go back to your place?”

  “Yea, I do.” He wasted no time getting them on the road and headed back toward the west side. “As soon as all of this is over,” he paused, lifting his hand off the steering wheel, “we need to sit down and have a long talk. And I hope it’s over soon.”

  “So do I, Titan.” She wasn’t exactly sure what he was talking about, but being free of Damien and able to start a new life—hopefully with Titan—was more than she could ask for.

  When they arrived at his parents’ home, instead of pulling into the drive or parking by the garage, he drove to the rear of the property. There were lights in the big trees, illuminating a beautiful pool. Next to the pool was a two story building, a smaller version of the main house. She could see lots of glass and the glow of a lamp was in the window. “Is this our love nest?”

  “And if Hazel fulfilled my requests, there are some special items waiting for us inside.”

  She giggled as he rushed her across the patio, teasing as if he was about to push her in the pool, only to pull her back at the last second. “Who’s Hazel?”

  “Mom’s housekeeper. She’s been with us since I was a kid.”

  “And what did you ask her to buy?” Her curiosity was overwhelming. Mainly because he had this really wicked look on his face.

  When he unlocked the door and flipped on a light, she could see Titan everywhere she looked. This place, even more so than the ranch house, contained memories. She could see photos from his college days on the walls. When she moved farther in, there was his music and movie collection on display. She could see he preferred action flicks, but his taste in music seemed across the board—typical Austinite. A chess game was set up with a couple of the pieces already moved and several empty wine bottles in different colors were sat high on a shelf to catch the evening sun.

  “Since I have you here, I want to take this opportunity to fulfill a fantasy.”

  Now he had her attention. “What kind of fantasy?” Taking her by the hands, he began backing her up, being careful of her pathway. She glanced over her shoulder and saw he was aiming her toward the kitchen. “Does it involve food?”

  “It involves feasting on you, yes.”

  “Hmmm, have you ever brought another girl here to partake in this fantasy?”

  When her hips bumped up against a table, she leaned on it while he leaned over her. “Nope, you’re the first. I have champagne, peaches and chocolate sauce…for our enjoyment.”

  “Sounds kinky…and sticky.” She gr
inned at him.

  “I promise to lick you clean.” He brushed his mouth over hers. “I plan on making all my fantasies come true with you, and I have a database full.”

  She gasped beneath his kiss, gripping his hair in her fist to pull him closer, her lips rubbing across his jaw, enjoying the rasp of his evening scruff.

  Titan shivered. “I lose my head around you, woman.”

  She understood the feeling. She’d lost something too—her heart. Makenna began unbuttoning his shirt, pulling it from his pants. Titan helped her, groaning when she started unzipping his pants.

  Her hands weren’t the only part of her that was busy. Makenna’s mouth seared its way across his pecs. She swirled her tongue around one of his nipples and his cock sat up and took notice. When her hand skated down his abs and her little fingers pushed down his underwear so she could touch him, he groaned.

  “You like for me to touch you.” Makenna sounded triumphant as she stroked him from root to tip.

  “I was supposed to be seducing you,” he growled, “and here you have me…”

  “In the palm of my hand.” With a tight grasp, she pumped him up and down again, faster.

  “Fuck!” he cried when she brushed the tip of his cock with the pad of her thumb. Makenna had changed his whole life, nothing was the same—even the way his body responded to sex was different. With her it was intense, more sensual. Her every touch brought him joy.

  When she went to her knees in front of him, he wanted to stop her. “I had a plan,” he protested. But his plan went out the window when she reached for the squeeze bottle of chocolate sauce and anointed his cock.

  His fingers plowed into her hair, ensuring that she stayed right where she was. At the first lick, his heart rate ramped up. “Ye gods, baby.” Watching her was imperative. He didn’t want to miss a second. Those violet eyes held his, her sweet mouth busy, the tongue darting out to swipe a trail of chocolate she’d drizzled across the head.