Marked By Fire

by Meg Ripley

  It was enough to jostle Olivia out of her misery. “That's the end of it,” she determined as, hours later, she pulled off the highway and onto the road that was so familiar. Just twenty more minutes and she'd be home, and she would sulk no more. Sure, she had no idea what lay ahead of her, but she was young and had time to figure it out.

  A smile returned, as she used up the brief remaining moments of the drive to reminisce over her years away from home. She'd left the ranch an inexperienced juvenile, eager to sample everything the big city and life in the fast lane had to offer. She'd met a multitude of wonderful people—and a few creeps and degenerates—along the way. She'd grown in so many ways over the past three years that, even if her adventure in fashion ended here, she was a better person for it.

  Olivia took a deep breath as she spied the gates that marked the entrance to her parents' ranch, and she whispered as she exhaled, “Home.” Another minute and she had pressed the buzzer and the gates had opened before her. She began to ascend the long drive to the sprawling house at the top, vaguely able to make out the two figures awaiting her on the front porch—her parents, no doubt. But her attention was drawn elsewhere.

  A new figure appeared from beyond the side of the house, moving easily but deliberately toward the home's front porch. Even after such a long absence, she would recognize his confident stride anywhere. Dean. She'd spent countless hours watching him throughout her teen years and even more conjuring images of him in her adolescent fantasies. Oh, she'd almost forgotten how hot and bothered he'd made her, but it was coming back to her quickly now.

  Olivia had never been quick to envy—she was generally happy to see others get, even when she didn't, but she remembered one evening Dean had forced her to succumb to the green-eyed monster. She'd been sixteen at the time. She had walked into the horse stalls late in the day to find him brushing down one of the family's horses after a hard ride. She'd never before thought she could be so jealous of a horse. She'd stood there, unable to move or tear her gaze away, watching the taut, sinewy muscles of his arms flex as he moved along the horse's body. He'd obviously gotten a good workout too; his naked torso still glistening with sweat. God, how she'd wished she was the horse right then. Hell, she would have been happy to be the T-shirt casually draped over his shoulder. He spoke and her eyes were drawn to his lips, watching them move as he talked softly to the horse. Until then, she had no idea a man's lips could be so captivating, but her body had begun to ache and throb as she imagined all the wicked things those lips could do to her.

  Olivia shook her head, trying to stem the flow of arousal that had begun to course through her veins and force her thoughts back to the present. She'd been just twelve years old when nineteen-year-old Dean had first come to work on the ranch, and only a doe-eyed virgin seventeen-year-old when he'd left at twenty-four to attend to some family matter. He'd never seen her as anything other than the rancher's kid. Olivia had left for college while he was still away, but seeing him now told her absolutely nothing had changed. “Damn!” she cursed quietly, begrudgingly acknowledging her hopeless infatuation with her parents' number one horse wrangler.

  She slowed as she approached the top of the drive, giving herself an extra moment to regain her composure. Dean had reached the porch at the same time she slid her car into park, and she watched as he spoke with her father, doing her best to keep her gaze from settling on his lips.

  “Enough! Let's go, Olivia,” she chided herself, forcing the car door open and stepping out onto the pavement.

  Dean had just begun to turn away, heading back in the direction from which he'd emerged. But he saw her then and stopped, and Olivia could have sworn his mouth dropped open for the briefest of seconds. His eyes swept down her body and back up to meet her eyes as she ran her fingers nervously though her long, auburn tresses. Dean's jaw took on a harder edge before he turned quickly and headed around the side of the house.

  It happened so fast that Olivia wondered if perhaps she'd imagined his response to her; years of longing leaving her just a smidge delusional. But her parents were already descending the front steps, hurrying toward her, and just seconds later she was wrapped in her mother's arms. She forced Dean to the back of her mind once again. It seemed inappropriate to be thinking about the hot horse wrangler as her father leaned down to kiss her forehead.

  “Hi Mom. Hey Dad,” she greeted them, returning her mother's hug and kissing her father's cheek. “I've missed you guys.”

  “And we've missed you terribly,” Olivia's mother uttered as she fought against the tears welling in her eyes, squeezing her daughter tight for one more moment before releasing her hold. “We're so sorry it didn't work out like you'd hoped, but you're here now, and we'll figure something out. Miracles happen, Olivia,” her mom told her emphatically.

  From birth, everyone had called Olivia the miracle baby. Her parents, Christine and Robert, were much older than most, told for years they would never conceive a child of their own. And then one day, years after giving up on ever having a baby, Christine had surprised everyone by announcing she was pregnant.

  Can't argue over miracles with Mom, Olivia thought wryly, nodding her acquiescence instead.

  Robert turned toward the house, leading the small group inside and out of the blazing heat of the midsummer's sun.

  “So, your mother has a surprise for you, Olivia. Might as well get it out of the way now, Christine,” he mentioned as casually as he could manage. She eyed her mother suspiciously.

  “Well, you know we're just so glad to have you back home for now, Olivia. And there are others here who have missed you while you've been away, too.” Christine paused, but Olivia remained silent, waiting for her mother to continue.

  “I know you're not one for big parties and such, but I was just thinking a little gathering to welcome you home wasn't too much,” Christine smiled innocently.

  “And all the fun starts in a little over five hours,” Robert grinned, no doubt knowing Christine had planned on breaking that part to their daughter more gently, but unable to resist getting his wife into a little trouble.

  Olivia feigned an angry look, but couldn't help joining in her father's joviality with a grin of her own. Truth be told, she'd become much more accustomed to large crowds since going away to school. While the college campus wasn't large, she'd attended her fair share of parties both on-campus and off, and even frequented the occasional nightclub to further her worldly experience in the big city.

  “It's OK, Mom. I know you couldn't resist,” Olivia smiled and kissed her mother's cheek before turning past the main foyer and through the open concept living area toward her bedroom beyond. She paused mid-step, realizing her parents might have changed things around while she'd been gone; perhaps they'd turned her bedroom into a sewing room, or replaced her bed with a billiard's table. Her parents must have understood her hesitation.

  “Of course it's still your room. You'll always have a place here at home,” Christine assured her.

  Olivia smiled brightly and then continued to her room with her rolling luggage in tow. Closing the door behind her, she rolled the luggage to the bed and immediately began stripping off the viscose dress clinging to her heated skin. She unzipped her luggage, rummaging for a cotton sundress and then continued onto the window, enjoying the coolness of the room's air conditioning on her naked flesh. She pulled the curtains aside—there was seldom anyone so near to the house in the rear yard. As she looked around, it surprised her to find the familiar scene outside so comforting. It's as if she'd been away out of necessity for all these years and just now coming home to the place she'd missed so much.

  “Strange,” she thought, feeling rather perplexed. Had she really just been the petulant child, determined to do things differently? Is this where she had belonged all along?

  Her thoughts changed direction quickly as she saw Dean striding through the yard. God, he was gorgeous. Over six feet tall, broad shouldered, sinewy muscle everywhere. Olivia could feel her satin thong
getting wetter with every second she continued to stare at the cowboy Adonis in the yard. Funny though, she remembered him spending a whole lot more time with the horses when she was here last, and less time looking like he was running the place...

  Oh, hell! That was it, wasn't it? Her dad was in his sixties, and his daughter had shown absolutely no interest in taking over the ranch. Dean looked like he was running the ranch because he was. The idea of Dean permanently ensconced at the ranch both aroused and frustrated her; drooling over him day-in, day-out—no person should be subjected to such torture.

  Olivia raised her arm, reaching for the curtain's edge, but her movement must have caught Dean's attention and his eyes found hers instantly before traveling down her body. She knew she should move away from the window or close the curtain in a hurry, but she stood there, clad in a skimpy satin bra and thong. And when his heated gaze returned to her eyes she forced herself to meet him there, staring back like the young, desirable woman she was, no longer the doe-eyed teenager. She'd never been so bold in her life, and a thrill coursed through her body knowing he was looking at her. But he didn't stop. Was he as aroused as she was? Or was he having fun with her, seeing if he could make her squirm? The thought of the latter made her blush profusely and she darted away from the window. But, not before she saw the corners of his lips pull up in a sexy smile, leaving Olivia quite certain he must have been toying with her.

  She stretched out her arm to close the curtain and then crossed the room to sink down on the bed. Damn! I'm not here twenty minutes and the guy's already got me acting loopy! Of course it was a joke...I'm still just that little kid to him, right?

  Olivia closed her eyes, breathing deeply—an exercise she'd learned when stress overcame her at school—and waited for her calm to reemerge. It was one silly encounter at a window—not the end of the world.

  OK. That's enough humiliation for one day, she affirmed as she opened her eyes and committed to getting on with the day.

  She slipped into the cotton sundress, smoothing it down over her body and checking her reflection in the mirror. Dean might still see her as a kid, but she really had blossomed over the past several years. Her soft, feminine features gently framed by her thick, wavy hair; the firm, upper swells of her breasts rising above the low neckline of the white fabric of her dress; her soft waist and tantalizing voluptuous curves. She really had become a beautiful, young woman.

  Olivia looked around the familiar confines of her bedroom one more time before leaving to rejoin her parents. Unfortunately, her father had retired to his room for a nap and her mother was busily engaged with the caterer she'd apparently hired for tonight's “small” gathering. Olivia wandered to the living room and outside through the sliding glass doors that looked out on the yard. She stood still for a moment, perusing her surroundings and hoping Dean had moved on to some other task elsewhere. There were plenty of ranch hands busy with work around the barn about a hundred yards from the house, but she moved in the opposite direction, heading directly for the forested path she knew was just a few moments' walk away.

  A minute into her stroll, she kicked off her sandals and started to run, enjoying the open space, the breeze against her skin and the familiarity of the path she'd wandered so often in her childhood. She entered beneath the shady canopy of the trees and slowed, catching her breath. A sound caught her attention up ahead and she froze, not frightened, but listening carefully to discern the noise. And it became clear quite quickly; the fervent whisper of a man and the quiet moans of a woman. She tiptoed forward until she found them, moving behind a nearby tree to disguise her presence. The woman was completely naked, laying on the blanket-covered ground while her shirtless companion moved along her body, his lips exploring every square inch of her skin. It was so erotic; something Olivia had craved for so long, but the few intimate partners she'd had were too concerned with seeking their own release to spend much time seeking out her pleasure.

  “How are the front row seats?” Olivia nearly jumped out of her skin as a male's voice whispered behind her, just inches from her ear.

  She turned then, stumbling slightly in her hurry and the stranger's hands came out quickly, gently grasping her arms to steady her. Olivia was flaming red and desperately trying to whisper a plausible excuse for her presence.

  “I just got home, and I'd been here so many times before. I just wanted a few moments to myself...and then...” she couldn't find the words to continue. Her embarrassment and the feel of the stranger's rough hands on her soft skin were muddling her thoughts.

  “And then you stumbled onto a real-life sex show and couldn't take your eyes off it?” the man teased quietly.

  Instead of releasing her arms, his thumbs began to rub up and down slowly. Perhaps it was a result of her arousal from the erotic scene behind her, or maybe Dean still had her feeling loopy, but the stranger's thumbs were sending tiny ripples of pleasure through her body.

  “You're Olivia,” he whispered, a statement not a question, but she nodded regardless. “Wow, I definitely get why he had such a...hard...time keeping his hands off you,” the stranger continued cryptically.

  “I don't understand...do I know you?” she asked, running his handsome features through her mind in search of some recognition. But although there was something so familiar about him, she was quite certain she'd never seen him before in her life.

  “My name's Christian. I'm a horse wrangler here on the ranch,” he told her.

  “Oh, nice to meet you,” she whispered and then instantly realized her polite greeting was entirely out of place in their current situation.

  “It's very nice to meet you, too, Olivia. I hope we have an opportunity to get...better acquainted. But for now, you should be going. Their break time is over in about three minutes,” he told her, pointing to the moaning couple behind her.

  Olivia nodded but didn't move. It wasn't until Christian had released his hold on her arms that she found her feet again and urged them to propel her back toward the house. She ran until she reached the clearing and then slowed her pace. She couldn't help but break out in laughter then, covering her mouth with her arm to muffle the sound. It certainly had been an unusual homecoming thus far. But that was enough venturing out. No more stumbling onto sex shows; no more running into handsome strangers; and absolutely no more Dean. And the best way to ensure it: an afternoon with mom. Olivia picked up her pace once again and headed straight for the glass doors at the rear of the house where she'd exited not long before. She smiled. She saw her mother there, watching as she approached. Just a few more steps and she could secure the rest of the afternoon—nothing but peace and party preparations.

  Her mother stepped through the open glass doors and motioned her over. Olivia sped up even more until her mother called out to her. “Sweetheart, you remember Dean, don't you?” Christine motioned to the man who was just now walking out onto the back patio. Olivia nearly stopped dead in her tracks.

  “Damn! Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Can't a girl catch a break?!?” she cursed silently, exasperated by her luck.

  He stood casually next to Christine, but upon close inspection, she could see the hard set of his jaw return.

  “Hi Liv,” he greeted her and his deep, husky voice sent arousal coursing through her anew. He was the only person in the world who got away with calling her “Liv.”

  “Dean is taking over for your father,” Christine explained what Olivia had already figured out. “Though, I think Robert will have to be six feet under before he releases the reins completely,” her mother teased the man standing next to her.

  Olivia hadn't stood this close to Dean in almost four years, and if she had thought he was drop dead gorgeous from a distance, it didn't hold a candle to what he looked like up close and personal; five-o-clock shadow, tanned, glistening skin, and vivid, green eyes.

  “Are you alright?” Christine asked concerned when Olivia appeared to make no effort to respond.

  “I think I'm just feeling t
ired from the long drive, Mom. I'm just going to go lay down for a while and I'm sure I'll be good as new for the party this evening,” she uttered the lie quickly. “It's good to see you again, Dean.” She glanced in his direction, avoiding eye contact as she stumbled through the cordiality and quickly escaped into the house.

  In her room, she collapsed on the bed and quickly realized her excuse had not been entirely untrue. Whether from the long drive or the ridiculous chain of events since she'd arrived home, Olivia really did feel worn out. Her eyes fluttered closed and she was asleep within moments. But all the while she slept, her mind tormented her with images of the man she'd longed for since her youth. Strangely though, a new face entered her tortuous fantasies sporadically as she slept: Christian, the man she'd run into in the forest. His rough hands held her from behind, sending shivers of pleasure through her body as Dean approached. Dean's lips found hers, but they didn't linger there long; moving from her mouth to explore her body and leaving a fiery trail with his lips as he descended. Christian's lips moved to her neck as his hands left her arms to cup her breasts. Dean was on his knees in front of her, just inches from where she ached and throbbed, desperate to feel his mouth on her clit. He covered those inches slowly, drawing out his sweet torture. Christian moved from behind her. Suddenly his face was within her view and she saw his jaw harden as he fought to maintain control over his desire. Her jaw dropped open. She'd recognize that jaw anywhere...the way it tensed as he gritted his teeth...

  “Olivia! It's time to get ready,” a voice broke into her dream as she heard a knock at her bedroom door.

  Olivia sprang up and nearly fell off the bed, stunned from sleep by her mother's voice while still reeling from the shock of that last discovery in her dream. Christian was Dean's brother—a much younger brother who bore little resemblance to his older sibling. Perhaps he was a cousin? But no, that jaw was too much the same to have come from some distant familial connection.