Burn: Book 3 (The Heat Series)

by MJ Masucci

  She picked up her phone from the bedside table and called Xander. She was missing his arms around her like he usually did when they were in bed at night. The phone rang several times and went to voicemail. Ava left a short message hoping he would get back to her before she went to sleep. She prepared herself for bed, once again changing into the champagne satin nightgown. She removed her panties because she liked the feel of the satin against her naked body. As she finished washing her face, her phone rang. She checked caller ID before she answered this time.

  “Hello, my love. Where were you?”

  “I was giving treats to those little chowhounds of yours and left my phone in the bedroom. I miss you in my arms.”

  “I was thinking the same thing. I really am missing you. I can’t wait to see you again. I hope my father will be out of the hospital by the end of this week. Hold on a sec.”

  She put the phone down and opened her door. Her Uncle, Aunt, Jacob, and Felice had arrived back from the hospital. Felice was directing them to guest bedrooms so they could get ready for bed. She closed the door and picked up the phone.

  “What was that?”

  “Everyone came back from the hospital.”

  “I was thinking; remember what we did when I was in California?”

  “You mean phone sex?”

  “Yes,” he purred. “Do you want to do that? I’m incredibly horny.”

  “You should see what I’m wearing to bed.”

  “Naked?”

  “No, I’m wearing that satin nightgown you said would look great on me.”

  “Oh, I get t-shirts and panties, and now you chose to wear that sexy thing?”

  “You get me naked, isn’t that better than a nightgown?”

  “Yes, but I would still like you to wear it for me once in awhile.”

  “So?”

  “Yes…”

  She removed her nightgown and got under the sheets. Her belly clenched in anticipation of Xander’s rich voice seducing her.

  “Are you naked?”

  “You know I am. Tell me what you want me to do.”

  “Slide your hand over your breasts.” She did as he asked, her breath catching as she touched her nipples.

  “Now flick and pinch your nipples.” She gasped, and she could hear his breath hitch as she did.

  “What are you doing, Xander?”

  “I’m stroking myself and dreaming it’s your hand wrapped around me. Now move down your body with your hand.”

  She did as he asked stopping short of her sex.

  “Touch yourself. Are you wet?”

  She moaned as she rubbed herself, her body heated and raw.

  “Oh Ava, I’m so close. Come with me.”

  She let out a moan as she reached climax and Xander cursed into the phone as he found his release.

  She let the phone slip from her grasp.

  “Ava? Sweetheart? Are you there?” He listened closely and heard soft snores coming from her side of the line. “Son of a bitch, you feel asleep on me.” He chuckled, “Sleep well Mrs. Wilder-to-be.”

  Chapter 8

  The next morning Ava awoke early. She had slept peacefully through the night without waking. A corner of her phone was sticking out from under her pillow, and she pulled it out, placing it on her bedside table. She was naked, and her nightgown was pooled in a satin heap on the floor next to the bed. She smiled as she thought of how she went to sleep. He could still make her body quiver even from nine hundred miles away. She wished he were here.

  She stretched and got up to use the bathroom groaning as she wiped herself. She forgot that her period was due, but it was better to have it now than when she got home. She would be done with it by the time she saw Xander again, which was a good thing. She took a quick shower and dressed. The house was quiet and visiting hours at the hospital were starting soon. She wasn’t sure if anyone else was awake. Since it was a weekday, at least she wouldn’t have to deal with David. He was probably at work by now.

  As she descended the stairs, the tantalizing smell of bacon caught her nose making her stomach start to growl. She hadn’t eaten much in the past two days, and she was famished. She entered to find her relatives sitting at the table. Poor Felice looked like she hadn’t gotten any sleep at all, her hair was still in the ponytail, and her eyes had dark circles under them. Natalia was at the stove making pancakes, and there was a fresh batch of blueberry muffins cooling on a rack. She managed to spear a slice of bacon before Jacob, and her Uncle ate it all.

  “So what is the plan for today?” Ava asked.

  “They are moving Jason from ICU to a private room today. Good thing because your father was getting annoyed at all the activity during the night. He said he couldn't sleep,” Felice shared.

  “It’s a hospital. The last thing you do there is sleep,” retorted Daniel.

  Natalia served the pancakes and another batch of bacon. They all ate silently as if lost in their thoughts.

  “So, Ava, any plans for the wedding yet? Rachel said you haven’t come by her studio for measurements,” noted Mavis, with a touch of concern in her voice.

  “I’ve been so busy and now with Daddy. I’ll have to call her. Xander and I are going to start making plans as soon as I get back home.”

  Ava excused herself. She wanted to avoid a further conversation regarding the wedding. At this point, she did wish they could elope. She went up to her room to get ready to go to the hospital. She also planned on going to Michael and Alicia’s this afternoon to see her niece and nephews. Michael had been stand-offish towards her since her announced engagement, and she felt that she needed to have a conversation with him to clear the air.

  When she got to the hospital, she was the first one to be admitted to the ICU. The doctor stopped her in the hallway and told her that her father was going to be moved to a regular room in a few hours. Her father was sitting up in bed and watching the news. She could hear him grumbling as he settled on CNN to watch the stock reports. He kept moving the Cannula from his nose, which was making the nurses crazy.

  “Button! You are the first one here this morning.”

  “I decided to beat the crowds,” she said as she smiled. “How are you feeling?”

  “Like I’ve been run over by a truck. But I still want to get out of this bed.”

  “Soon enough. Right now, though, you need to listen to the doctors.”

  “You sound just like Felice.”

  She spent the next half hour sitting with him until Felice, Daniel and Mavis arrived. Then she kissed her father on the cheek and bid her relatives goodbye.

  The traffic was heavy as she drove back towards Michael’s house. He was probably in the office today (since her father wouldn’t be for several weeks) to pick up the cases his father was working. She checked her watch and saw that it was close to lunchtime. Maybe she could stop by the office and talk to him. She much preferred to do it out of earshot of Alicia or any other family members.

  She drove to their office and parked in the large lot that shared space with an insurance company. Michael and her father had their firm’s name prominently displayed on the door, Keene and Keene, LLP. They had several other attorneys working for them, and her father had built a large clientele over the years.

  She stopped by the front desk, and a gray-haired woman of about sixty buzzed her brother’s office. She nodded to Ava and pointed her in the direction of his door. She walked down a long corridor with many glass-fronted offices until she came to Michael’s. He was sitting at his large mahogany desk with his shirt sleeves rolled up, and his tie loosened, much the way she had seen Xander many times.

  Ava lightly tapped on the glass door that was ajar. He glanced then gestured her into his office. She couldn’t read his face since he kept his head bent. She sat down in one of the plush chairs in front of his desk and waited for him to finish what he was doing. After several minutes, he finally addressed her.

  “How are you?”

  “I’m fine.” She hesitate
d, “Michael, can we just cut the bullshit out and discuss what’s really bothering you?”

  “Okay, you want to discuss what’s bothering me? The fact that your fiancé left you when you needed him most. I had a discussion with him before he left the hospital and told him what a coward he was for leaving without discussing it with you.”

  “It’s ancient history. We have put all that behind us.”

  “Have you? You’re going to tell me that you don’t resent him for what he did? You were twenty-four and just lost your pregnancy. Then you have to find out that the man you love disappears, too? I don’t buy it.”

  “While I appreciate your over-protective nature, it’s not necessary. I’m not twenty-four anymore. I’m an adult, and I was even back then in case you don’t remember. Xander is going to be your brother-in-law and you could either forgive him or not, but remember we come as a package deal.”

  She fixed him with an intense stare that caused him to avert his blue eyes to his desk, and she waited.

  “You’re right. You aren’t a child, and I will let it go for your sake, but I will be keeping my eye on him. If he ever hurts you again, he will have to answer to me.” He winked at her, and she was able to feel at ease with her brother again.

  She went around the desk to hug him and then his receptionist buzzed him about a meeting.

  “I’ll let you go. Thank you, Michael. Now I’m going to your house to see my niece and nephews.”

  “Give them kisses for me.”

  She left the door open so he could follow her to greet his clients. On the way to her brother’s house, her phone rang. She glanced at it and noticed it was the same number that was from Liam’s phone. She didn’t want to answer it but was worried that if she didn’t, he would keep calling her until she did.

  “What?” She answered angrily.

  “My Ava, you are a nasty cunt aren’t you.”

  She was getting fed up with his sick game. “Yes, I am. What do you want.”

  “I was wondering when you are getting home. I’m anxious for you to see the newspaper story I sent you.”

  “How do you know I’m not home right now?”

  “Oh Ava, I would think that someone who graduated Magna Cum Laude would be smart enough to figure it out. I’m watching you. I know everything about you.”

  Her anger took over her fear. “Fuck you, Liam. You’re a sick bastard, and they are going to find you before you get to me. This is the last time I’m going to answer my phone when you call. Don’t bother calling me again.”

  “Before you hang up Ava, think about this. I’m not going to stop. You wronged me when it would have been so easy for you just to call me. But you made it worse by having me thrown out of that club after your piece of shit boyfriend hit me. You pushed me to come after you, both of you did. This time it’s going to be far worse.”

  The fear started to envelop her again as she whispered, “Why, Liam? Why me?”

  “Because you were perfect. Untouched by any man, shy, intelligent. It would have been so easy to mold you to be what I wanted you to be. You would have given me everything whether you wanted to or not. Then he came, and he put his disgusting hands on you. He spoiled you. You were mine.”

  “I was never yours,” she quietly replied.

  “I’m coming for you both.” She heard the phone click, and he was gone.

  It was then that she realized how shallow she was breathing. She could feel the flush on her face. Two blocks before she got to Michael’s house, she pulled over trying to compose herself. Alicia would know she was upset and would question her. She didn’t want them to know all the details. She was sure that Uncle Daniel had mentioned to her family that Liam had escaped, but she was going to keep the fact that he kept calling to herself.

  Two hours later, the conversation with Liam was at the back of her mind. She sat on the floor in the basement playroom building a house out of blocks with the twins. They would be five at the end of the month and would start attending kindergarten in several weeks. She was so amazed at how grown they were.

  The next few days went quickly, and her father grew more cranky as his stay in the hospital extended. The doctor told everyone that he would be released from the hospital the upcoming weekend. Jason was thrilled that by Saturday, just two short days, he would be home.

  Jacob, Mavis, and Daniel had a flight back to New York on Sunday afternoon. Ava was torn between missing Xander and her family obligations. She had chosen to stay longer to offer Felice assistance with her father if she needed it. After several hours at the hospital, she went back to her father’s house to take a much-needed swim. It calmed her from all the stress in her life at this point.

  As she glided through the cool water, swimming laps, she thought she saw movement on the pool deck. She raised her head and saw the most welcomed sight, Xander. He was wearing a pair of board shorts and sunglasses, his muscular chest bare. He smiled widely when she looked up at him.

  “When did you get here?”

  “About three hours ago.”

  “Why didn’t you call and let me know.”

  “Well this, Mrs. Wilder-to-be, is called a surprise. So surprise.”

  She hoisted herself out of the pool from the deep end and went to him. He hugged her tightly and kissed her wet hair.

  “Does anyone know you’re here?”

  “Yes, Felice invited me. I’m staying in the pool house.”

  “Xander you can’t. The water heater is broken, there is no hot water.”

  “It was broken. I fixed it. It was a simple repair. Bill taught me a lot while I lived up in Saratoga. So we have hot water, and I want privacy for what I want to do to you. How is, your, you know?”

  She looked at him puzzled, “Oh, it ended this morning. You have the all clear.”

  He lifted her in his arms and kissed her while he carried her to his room in the pool house, kicking the door shut. He went to the bathroom and grabbed a towel, wiping her hair and toweling off her body. When he got to her legs, he kneeled in front of her, tugging her bikini bottoms down. She dutifully stepped out of them, and he stood up to reach around and pulled at the strings that held her top in place. It fell to her feet, and she was standing in front of him in all her naked glory.

  She reached over and pulled the drawstring on his shorts, then pushed them over his hips, letting them pool at his ankles. He kicked them away and picked her up in his arms to lay her on the cool sheets. Then he stood back to look at her.

  “You are so sexy, do you know that?”

  She blushed and said nothing.

  “Are you going to be shy? What happened to my tiger in bed?”

  “She’s a little out of practice.”

  “Well, let me get her back into practice.”

  He knelt by the bed and started to kiss her body. She shuddered as his hot lips touched her cool skin.

  “Are you chilly? I can warm you.”

  “No, I’m fine. Keep doing what you are doing, and I won’t be chilly for long.”

  He continued his descent until he got to her tattoo. He stared at it fascinated, then planted kisses directly on the rose.

  “You know that the initials are wrong.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Eventually AEK will be AEW. I’m not sure you can make that change.”

  “It’s just a testament to how long I’ve loved you before I was Mrs. Wilder.”

  She gently pushed his head away and sat up.

  “What are you doing? You don’t want me to make love to you?”

  “I want that more than anything, but I also need to tell you something. Please just let me get this out.”

  He frowned and started to click his front teeth.

  “I want to elope. I don’t want to be the center of attention. I should have married you in Las Vegas.”

  “We talked about this. I think you’re just worried about Liam. Don’t let him take away the things that you deserve.”

  “It’s not Liam.
It’s everything. I just want to be your wife and get our lives started.”

  He climbed on the bed and took her in his arms.

  “Can we discuss this when we get home? I’m not closed off to the idea, but I want you to be sure if we decide to do it. I want to give you everything that comes along with the fairy tale.”

  “I have my fairy tale — you.”

  He kissed her hard, and his tongue pushed into her mouth. She sucked on it and ran her fingers through his thick hair, settling at the nape. She straddled him as he sat with his back against the headboard, wrapping her legs around his waist. He reached between them and began to pet her.

  “It doesn’t take much,” he whispered through her kisses.

  She thrust her hips against his fingers, and he continued to pet her, her hands digging into his shoulders as she grew closer to climax. She had her eyes closed, and her breathing became ragged.

  “Come for me, sweetheart,” he urged as he petted her harder and all at once she shattered, the heat of her orgasm warming her entire body. She let his shoulders go, and he caught her, gently laying her back on the bed. He loved watching her after an orgasm. Her face softened, and her cheeks flushed pink. Sometimes she had a cute lopsided smile on her face like she did now.

  Her legs became lax around his waist, and he shifted so she could move them. He ran his hands over her smooth thighs, gently stroking the flesh with his fingernails. She gasped when he slipped a finger into her and opened her eyes.

  “I’d rather have something else inside me than just your finger.”

  “Don’t worry; I plan on it.”

  He wheeled her around, so her head was on the pillow, then he turned her over onto her stomach. It was a position they hadn’t explored. She felt him spread her legs apart and his fingers slip inside her again. She moved her hips to meet them. He placed his hands on her backside to still her then removed his fingers, causing her to groan until he replaced them with his cock. She cried out as he thrust into her.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “No, you just startled me. I wasn’t expecting…”

  He leaned over her while he gently thrust in and out, kissing the soft, creamy skin of her neck and back. He ran his tongue over her spine and bit the tender flesh near her ribs. Then he leaned over her until his chest was barely touching her back. She moaned almost continuously as he sank deep into her with each thrust. She could feel her insides spark, then heat.