Fire and Romance

by Melanie Shawn

  When her moans and whimpering started in earnest, the atmosphere surrounding them shifted. It spurred him on to increase the intensity to the point they both needed. He raised his head from her chest and moved around on the firm mattress until he was kneeling between her legs.

  He pushed her knees apart, stretching them to the limit of how far they could go. His cock twitched as he pushed her legs further and further apart, exposing her most secret and intimate parts.

  “Yes,” she gasped softly as her lips parted.

  He smiled. That was his favorite sound of hers. The tense, almost tortured, inflection she put into the word yes. It was music to his ears, and he’d like to have that song on repeat.

  He paused and studied her beautiful mound, so exposed there in the dim light.

  Even in that small amount of illumination, he could see how wet she was. Every fold glistened with arousal. Looking at her shining sex, he was struck yet again by how utterly lucky he was to be here with her. She was his dream woman, and now she’d materialized in his bed. Sexy, hot, wet, and most of all—real.

  Without hesitating a moment more, he dipped his head between her legs and covered her mound with his mouth, completely engulfing her sex and running his tongue up and down her slick seam.

  She tasted sweet and fresh. Tart and citrusy. Her juices filled his mouth, coated his tongue and spilled out the sides of his lips. Licking her was like taking a bite of the ripest peach. It was just as sweet, and every bit as satisfying.

  He cast his eyes up toward her face and saw, to his ultimate arousal, that she was watching him, wide-eyed. Her chest rose and fell rapidly with each panting breath. The hunger in her eyes told him that she liked what she saw.

  He pulled back, just long enough to whisper, “You taste so good. You’re delicious.”

  At that, she moaned and closed her eyes, letting her head collapse back onto the pillows as he lowered his mouth to devour her sweetness again, covering every hot inch of her.

  Using his tongue and his fingers, he worked every sensitive nerve ending in the V between her legs until she was just on the verge of coming.

  He could tell that she was about to lose control and surrender to the powerful force of the climax by the way her thighs tightened and her stomach trembled. The pattern of her breathing shifted.

  He wanted to take her all the way with his tongue, but she had other ideas.

  “No.” She tilted her hips back and scooted up.

  He stopped immediately and moved back. “No?”

  “Not no,” she smiled. “Just, I don’t want to come again if you’re not inside of me.”

  Damn. He loved that she told him what she wanted. Having her lay it out like that was hot. Really hot.

  He started to reach for a condom but she grabbed his wrist. “I’m set if you want to….”

  Before her words even hit his eardrums, his body had already tensed with acute arousal at what she was implying.

  He’d hadn’t had sex without a condom since high school. He knew if he did it, he wouldn’t last long.

  Closing his eyes, he gritted out, “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” He could hear the smile in her voice.

  When he opened his eyes, sure enough, her lips were curled up to the sides, and her big brown eyes were sparkling with excitement.

  She spread her legs as he moved over her and his heartbeat pulsed through his entire body. He positioned himself at her opening when Sydney reached between them and wrapped her fingers tightly around his shaft. His flesh pulsed in her grip.

  His eyes shot to hers, and he saw that her gaze was trained on the hand that was holding him. Pleasure and need whipped through him as she rubbed his engorged head along the wet seam of her entrance.

  “Oh, it’s so good,” she whimpered as she continued to stroke her opening with the head of his cock.

  The sensation was almost too much for him to bear. Every muscle in his body tensed with erotic pressure. He held himself up, hovering over her body on his elbows, his hands fisted beside her head. Every muscle in his back, his legs, his chest, his stomach burned with heated desire. He felt like he was Hulking out with pleasure. It was everything he could do to let her continue.

  Everything in him was screaming to plunge into her.

  “Does that feel good?” Her soft voice was barely audible over the hammering of his heart.

  “Yes,” he hissed between clenched teeth.

  She pushed the broad head of his dick past her folds into her tight channel. His head dropped as his entire body contracted at the jolt of pleasure that shot through him.

  “Does that feel good?” Her breath fanned his neck.

  “Yes,” he rasped.

  Slowly, she fed his hard member into her body. Her slick walls clamped around his body, milking him as he entered her. She removed her hand so he could fill her completely. When he did, she gasped as she dug her fingers into him. The sting went straight to his balls.

  He began to move in and out of her. At first, his strokes were measured in a steady pace. But they grew faster, harder, and wilder. The sensation spurred him on like a snowball rolling down the side of a mountain in an avalanche. It picked up speed, velocity, and sheer mass in seconds.

  “Don’t stop. Please,” she pleaded. “Don’t stop.”

  She didn’t need to tell him that. Stopping was the last thing on his mind.

  He sped up his rhythm as her eyes squeezed shut and her back arched into him, pressing her soft mounds into his chest. He felt the hard knobs of her nipples rubbing against his pecs as she writhed underneath him.

  Before long, she tightened her hold on him. Her arms and legs clung to him as she positioned her mouth right next to his ear and gasped, “I’m coming. I’m coming.”

  That was his cue. He unleashed the floodgates inside of him, wrapped her up in his arms and held her close to him as her body shook with release and hoarse cries tore from her throat.

  When they finally subsided, and they both floated back to reality, he rolled on his back and he took her with him. She lifted her head, and he held his breath at what she might say. Would she ask what this meant? Would she ask how he felt about her?

  He loved her. There was no question in his mind. But, how could he explain that he had nothing to offer her right now? How could he make her understand that what he felt for her, what they shared together, was too special to gamble with?

  But instead of addressing anything between them, she asked, “Do you think Lady ate all that popcorn?”

  The question took him by complete surprise, and his head fell back against the pillow as he laughed. “Probably.”

  Her brows wagged, “Looks like we all got a treat.”

  He laughed again as she laid her head back down on his chest.

  Out of all the things that he loved about Sydney, these moments were his favorite. No matter what was happening, what had just happened, in one sentence, one look, one word, she could make him laugh.

  That’s what he would miss the most when she went back home. In less than a week, she’d be back home in Sunset Canyon, and he’d be out in the wilderness somewhere on the crew’s first official field exercise.

  She was his best friend. She was the love of his life. And she was leaving.

  Chapter 17

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  “Sydney!”

  Sydney wanted to pinch herself for about the thousandth time tonight as she heard Karina Black call out her name. She turned and saw her across the room with a few of the other women she’d met tonight.

  “Hold up one sec. Don’t leave yet.”

  “Okay.” She smiled, feeling a little embarrassed.

  She’d gone back and forth on whether or not she should say goodbye to the superstar and had ultimately decided not to. She didn’t want to bother her and felt like she’d taken enough of the host’s time. Karina had spent a good thirty minutes with Sydney when she’d arrived, introducing her to the twenty plus women in attendance who were all friendly
, smart, supportive and very inclusive. She’d never experienced anything like it.

  As she waited in the foyer for Karina, she glanced at the pictures that decorated the entrance. None of the photos were of Karina Black, the entertainer. There were none from red carpets or magazine covers. Almost all of the framed images were candid shots with people that Sydney had either met tonight or had seen around Hope Falls.

  Tonight hadn’t been what she’d expected at all. The people at Karina’s house were all so welcoming and warm. She’d been so worried she was going to say the wrong thing and out herself as a fan, or accidently knock her glass of wine over and stain the rug that she was sure cost more than she made in a year.

  Her social skills were a little rusty since she’d been spending most of her time with people under the age of five. She could talk for hours about Frozen and Caillou but she wasn’t up to speed when it came to current events. Pauly and Isabella were more inclined to want to do puzzles or color than have a discussion about climate change, and even those games had about a ten to thirty minute window before they were bored or a fight would break out.

  As much work as the kidlets were, she missed those little faces. Even when they were screaming at each other, or making messes, or breaking things. She missed it all. Well, maybe not the screaming.

  Two women came toward her. She thought she remembered they were sisters but she wasn’t sure because she’d met a lot of people and also these two looked nothing alike. She panicked because she couldn’t remember their names. In her defense, it was a lot to remember.

  “Bye, it was so nice meeting you.” The sweet brunette lifted her hand in a small wave.

  “You, too!” Sydney said brightly.

  “It was Sydney, right?” she asked.

  “Yep. And, I’m sorry what was your—”

  “I’m Amy and this is my sister Nikki.”

  “Right. Sorry, it’s just so many names.”

  Nikki turned, cupped her hands at the sides of her mouth and shouted to the ladies still mingling in the expansive living space adjacent to the foyer, “Nametags, people! Nametags!” Her declarations were mostly ignored but a few people lifted their wine glasses toward her. She turned back to her sister and Sydney. “I’ve been saying for years we need nametags when there are new people here.”

  “Nametags would be useful,” Sydney chimed in, though she was leaving in six days, so it wouldn’t really help her now.

  The countdown to her return to Sunset Canyon was on. There’d been a ticking clock in her head since she’d woken up in Marco’s arms this morning.

  Last night had been the best night of her life. The sex was somehow even better than it had been at the reunion. This time she’d been so much more present. But the best part of it all was that this time, she’d fallen asleep lying on Marco’s chest while he ran his fingers through her hair. It was everything she’d ever dreamed it could be and more.

  “Good to meet ya. I hope we see you again.” Nikki pulled her into a quick hug.

  “I’m only here for another—”

  “Week, I know,” Nikki finished with a knowing smirk. “We’ll see. Tell Marco I said hi.”

  With that, the sisters left, and Sydney wondered what Nikki had been implying. From what she’d heard tonight, Marco had lived up to his MVP nickname here in Hope Falls. Once the women found out that she was staying with Marco, they had a great time filling her in on some of his more colorful escapades.

  He’d always told her that he never wanted to get married and settle down, and if she weren’t convinced before, she definitely was now.

  Whatever she and Marco had, it wasn’t a happily-ever-after, white-picket-fence thing. They were friends with benefits, and that was better than not being friends at all.

  “Here it is,” Karina appeared in front of her, holding out a card. “This is the guy I was telling you about. Make sure that your sister gets in touch with him.”

  “Thank you so much.” Sydney said as she took the card from her. She couldn’t believe that Karina had remembered.

  When they’d been talking earlier, somehow the subject of Devon’s accident had come up. As with most people, Karina didn’t react too kindly when she heard about Paulo. Something about their situation hit a nerve with the popstar.

  She’d told Sydney that she was going to give her the name and number of a lawyer that could take care of things for Devon. And she actually did it.

  “And my number is on the back if she needs anything before then, tell her to call.”

  Sydney flipped the card over expecting that it would be her manager’s information. But what she saw was handwriting that said, Kar, and then a phone number.

  “Oh my gosh.” Sydney knew that neither she nor her sister would ever use it, but she was so moved by the gesture. “Thank you so much.”

  Karina covered her hand with her own. “I’m serious.”

  “Okay, thanks. And thank you for tonight. It was amazing. Your house is beautiful!”

  “It’s home.” The most contented smile spread on the singer’s face.

  They said their goodbyes and the second she got into her car, she tried to call Devon. It was her second attempt that day. The first had gone straight to voicemail. This call wasn’t going through because she didn’t have service.

  She started the car and tried to relax as she drove down the mountain back into town, Sydney marveled at the view. She’d enjoyed living in LA. The landscape was so diverse and filled with people. And Sunset Canyon was a beautiful place to live, with the ocean as its backyard and the cliffs running at its side. But there was something truly magical about Hope Falls.

  It wasn’t just the vistas that were breathtaking, it was the people. They made up the fabric that was so enchanting.

  She was truly going to miss this place.

  And Marco, she thought as she pulled up in front of his house. She was able to use the driveway because he kept his truck in the garage. It was a small thing, parking in the driveway, but it made her feel even more that she belonged here.

  Tears started to form in her eyes, but she blinked them away. There was no way that she was going to waste even a second being sad about anything that she couldn’t control. Not when she had so much to be grateful for in her life. Her and Marco’s friendship was back on solid ground, and this time she wasn’t going to let anything, not even her own heart, interfere with that.

  Plus, Karina Black just gave her her phone number. Well, technically she gave it to Devon, but still. Her heels clicked on the concrete as she walked up the driveway and she looked down at them and mentally thanked them for giving her the confidence to walk up Karina Black’s steps.

  They were red-soled, black suede, ankle booties with cutouts. She’d had them for a year and a half and hadn’t had a chance to wear them. This past year she hadn’t had a chance to wear any heels. So, tonight she’d paired them with boyfriend jeans and a simple white blouse.

  They’d given her exactly the shot of confidence she’d needed and they’d been the golden ticket for a personal tour of Karina Black’s shoe collection. The first thing Karina had done when she noticed Sydney’s shoes was to pull her into her shoe room. No not closet. Room. It was heaven.

  She was still reliving her magical night when she opened the front door and heard the TV blaring. She figured Pops must not be wearing his hearing aid. Bending down, she unzipped her booties and pulled them off as her mind went through all of the places he might’ve left the hearing aid when she heard something that caused the shoe to slip from her hand.

  “She pinched me!”

  “Pauly?” she called out as she turned the corner and rushed into the front room where she found her niece and nephew on the floor with Marco and Lady, and Pops in the recliner.

  “Auntie!” They both screamed and flew across the room into her arms.

  “Hi, guys! What are you…” She looked at Marco, searching his face for an answer. “What’s going on?”

  He tilted his he
ad toward the kitchen.

  She leaned back and visually inspected both kids. “Are you guys okay?”

  “No, she pinched me.” Pauly stuck out his “injured” arm.

  Her mind was immediately put at ease. They’re fine.

  “Okay, you’ll have your time in court. But, first I need to talk to my friend, Marco in the kitchen.”

  “But, I missed you!” Isabella threw herself back into Sydney’s arms and buried her face in her shoulder, and her voice started shaking as she said, “And I miss Mommy.”

  Sydney rubbed her niece’s back and took a deep breath in through her nose. She had no idea what was going on, but she needed to remain calm.

  “Shoot!” Pops yelled, startling all of them.

  “What?” Marco moved toward him. “What’s wrong?”

  “Well, I was supposed to find some wheelchair testers today, and I plum forgot. Now it’s so late.” He made a dramatic show of looking at his watch. “Where am I gonna find two testers for my new wheelchair at this hour?”

  Four hands flew up in the air.

  “I will. I’m a tester!” Pauly enthused.

  “I can! I can test!” Isabella screamed.

  They both ran to the new motorized wheelchair that Marco’d had delivered today. Sydney stood as Pops had them lining up while they agreed to the rules. He gave her a little wink as she slipped into the kitchen with Marco.

  “What’s going on?” she could hear the accusation in her tone. She hadn’t meant to direct it toward Marco. She was just freaking out.

  He calmly explained. “A couple of hours ago, the kids showed up at the door with—”

  “Paulo? Did Paulo drop them off here?” She was going to kill him.

  “No. That would’ve been better. They showed up with a driver.”

  “A driver?!”

  “That’s what he said. He was looking for you. He said that Paulo was called away and that he wasn’t able to get a hold of Devon. So, he had the driver bring them to my address, where you were staying.”