Into the Fire

by Mari Carr

  She laughed. “Yeah, right. Funny joke.”

  When she glanced at him again, she noticed he wasn’t smiling.

  “I didn’t laugh when I said it.”

  Ivy narrowed her eyes. “You can’t kidnap me.”

  He lifted her a little easier than she cared to acknowledge, moving her to the center of the bed before climbing over top of her. He had her wrists in his hands before she even realized his intent.

  She fought back as he tied the first hand, and then the other together, above her head, leaving her in a pose of complete surrender. Ivy tried to tug herself loose.

  “I’m a cowboy, remember?” he teased, when the knots held tight.

  She remembered. This wasn’t their first foray into bondage, and while she was annoyed at how easily he’d managed to subdue her, there was a part of her that hoped to God this wasn’t the last time James Compton tied her to a bed.

  Horniness was a huge deterrent when it came to intelligence.

  “So I’m your captive?” Her voice came out too sultry to convince him she was anywhere other than exactly where she wanted to be.

  “Yep. You’re gonna stay tied to this bed until you agree to be my girlfriend. No,” he said, frowning. “Fuck that. I’m not letting you go until you agree to marry me.”

  She laughed, but once again, the seriousness in his eyes told her this was no joke. Ivy studied his face more closely, looked deeper into those chocolate-brown eyes, and recognized his solemnity for what it was.

  Fear.

  He was afraid she was going to reject him.

  “Jamie. Smokejumping—”

  “Was a big part of my past. I don’t regret my time on the West Yellowstone squad, and I’m happy for the experience. But that’s done now.”

  She started to shake her head, but he cupped her face in his large, calloused palms, forcing her to hold his gaze.

  “All this time, I’ve been looking for my place in the world. I’ve found it, Ivy. It’s with you. Wherever that is. We can stay here in Casper or go home to Compton Pass. Hell, I’ll move to the damn East Coast if you decide that’s what you want. I’m completely in love with you, and the idea of living anywhere you don’t isn’t something I can do.”

  She couldn’t have stemmed the tears if she tried. She didn’t even want to.

  “I love you so much,” she said, tired of holding back the truth and pretending it would fade in time.

  “You believe me when I say I have no regrets?”

  She lifted one shoulder. While she wanted to believe it, she wasn’t quite there yet. “I’m just afraid th—”

  “I’m scared too, Doc. But it’s a good fear. We’re heading into uncharted waters. I’ve never really been in love. Expended a lot of time and effort on lust, but love? Believe me, what I’m feeling right now is a hell of a lot scarier than jumping out of a plane into flames. But I’m still going to do it. Because I can’t not do it. Come with me?”

  She smiled. “Leap into the fire? Is there a parachute at least?”

  He shook his head. “Nope. Just my hand and a promise that I’ll make sure the fall feels very, very good.”

  “It’s not the fall I’m worried about. It’s the crash.”

  He ran his fingers through her hair, grabbing a handful of it before tightening his grip. She sucked in an excited breath of air.

  “We’re going to crash into each other. And, darlin’, I’m going to make sure it hurts real good.”

  “Kiss me, Cowboy.”

  James didn’t resist. The time for talking had passed. At this point, she was giving in and going where her heart led her, trusting that James was telling her the truth. That he was happy with his decision.

  He kissed her long and deep, taking her mouth the way she hoped he’d take her body.

  While she missed the use of her hands, she couldn’t deny the impact of being helpless to the strong, sexy man who was doing incredible things to her libido.

  James slowly unbuttoned her blouse, sucking one of her nipples into his mouth, not bothering to remove her bra. The wet silk between her skin and his mouth added yet another dimension to her arousal.

  Everything he did pushed a button. The right button.

  Glancing at her bra, and then at the rope binding her hands, he grinned. “I was in such a hurry to get you tied up, I might have forgotten to think through a couple of things.”

  She shot him a sultry look. “You can take a chance and untie me if you want. But I don’t promise to make it easy on you.”

  “Is that right? As tempted as I am…” James tugged her bra down until it was bunched up beneath her breasts. He clearly liked the effect, and took advantage of the way it pushed her breasts up. The bra was tight, and it added another layer of feeling bound, captured.

  “Oh yeah,” he murmured, sucking one of her turgid nipples into his mouth. “Total nudity might be overrated. Because, darlin’, you look sexy as hell right now.”

  He moved from breast to breast, treating her to every kind of delicious torment he could cook up. The temperature in the cabin grew hotter as Ivy struggled to take a deep breath.

  She was too excited, too ready for the next part. If she weren’t tied up, she would have pushed the sexy cowboy to his back ages ago and hopped on board for a ride.

  As it was…all she could do was take every sensuous suck, kiss and nip.

  “Please,” she whispered.

  James lifted her head and studied her face. His usual affable grin was gone. Replaced with something almost feral.

  Fuck. Her arousal was off the charts.

  “Please, Jamie,” she said again.

  He shook his head just once, then bent to continue playing with her breasts some more. She arched her back, twisted, wiggled like a kid in church, but he wouldn’t be dislodged or dissuaded.

  “Not rushing this, Ivy,” he said after a few minutes. “So behave.”

  His last two words were laced with just enough warning that they triggered another desire. Something she’d never wanted prior to meeting him, but she remembered that night in the motel. Recalled his hand on her ass.

  She wanted to be punished, spanked. Badly.

  She upped her game, twisting and turning even more. Every time he took one of her nipples into his mouth, she jerked to the side quickly, making him lose his grip. The third time it happened, he rose to his knees, looming large and threatening and beautiful.

  “I warned you.”

  Ivy grinned. “I told you I wouldn’t be a good captive.”

  He moved to one side and, with strong hands, managed to flip her to her stomach. While he might not have considered disrobing her with the rope in the way, he’d obviously thought through the positions he wanted to be able to achieve with her bound. He’d left just enough slack in the rope that he could take her from the front or behind.

  James pushed her shirt up and over her head, so that it was out of his way.

  She shivered when he ran one finger along her spine. All the way down and then halfway up again. He snapped the clasp on her bra, baring her back. She hadn’t realized how tight the constriction was until she was free from it. She drew in a deep breath.

  James straddled her thighs once more, placing his elbows on the bed next to her head. His lips touched the shell of her ear, his breath hot.

  “Bad girls get spanked.”

  She closed her eyes and groaned, the sound giving her away.

  “But you knew that, right? You like it. Like my hand coming down on your naughty ass.”

  Ivy didn’t dare respond. James was definitely in a playful mood, determined to draw out the foreplay until she couldn’t take it anymore. She wanted the spanking, but she was afraid to let him see that. Afraid he’d tease her some more before giving in.

  “Lift your ass, pretty girl.”

  He shifted off her, but made no attempt to put her in the position he wanted. He waited for her to follow his command. Not that he had long to wait. She heard him chuckle when she quickly
raised her ass. It took all the strength she had not to wiggle the damn thing at him in invitation.

  He reached around her and unbuttoned her jeans, sliding down the zipper. She lurched toward his hands a couple of times, hoping to find some sort of glancing stimulation, but James knew her plan and made sure to touch only her clothes.

  He tugged her jeans and panties off with skill, adding her shoes to the pile on the floor. Then he returned to his previous place next to her, his hand gently caressing the globes of her ass. Over and over, he simply stroked the skin, softly, like he would pet a kitten.

  It was maddening. Infuriating.

  “Do it!” she demanded after too many minutes of anticipation.

  James continued his gentle touches, acting as if he hadn’t heard her at all.

  She parted her lips again to blast him, but the sound was cut short when he lifted his hand and smacked her. It was harder than she’d expected, but holy mother of God, it was exactly what she needed.

  She cried out—at the sting, and at the way her empty pussy clenched.

  “Yes,” she hissed, when he placed five more firm smacks on her ass. A couple hit dead center on the fleshiest part, two more landed on her upper thighs. The fifth landed right along her slit and ended with his fingers curving inward, the tips flicking her clit in a way that had her seeing stars.

  Ivy jerked roughly at the shock of it. He’d managed to hit—literally—so many hot spots at once. She bit the pillow, but he gripped her hair, pulling her head up.

  “Don’t hold back anything, Ivy. I want to hear you scream.”

  He repeated the same soul-stealing smack, his fingers finding her clit again. This time, they lingered, played.

  Ivy’s body seemed to move of its own volition, her hips rising and falling. Her inner muscles tightening, seeking something. Anything.

  “I need,” she gasped. “Need…”

  “Shhh.”

  If James was trying to soothe her, he was falling really fucking short. His fingers pressed harder, moved quicker over her clit. Twice, he pinched the sensitive bud, but he still didn’t give her what she really needed.

  “Fingers,” she said. “Jesus… Dick. Something. Inside me.”

  Ivy was a fool to waste her breath. James had his own agenda and there obviously wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it. She fought harder against the rope binding her until he placed his hand over her wrists.

  “Stop, Ivy. You’ll hurt yourself.”

  “I don’t care!” God, she could hear the whine in her tone, but she didn’t care about that, either. “I already hurt. Please.”

  He kissed her cheek. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you are right now? Your hair all tangled around your pretty face, your sweet little ass glowing pink from my hand. I’ve never seen anything hotter.”

  “Could’ve fooled me.”

  James chuckled again, and she scowled.

  “You’re always in a hurry, always trying to rush to the next part. I’m not doing that tonight. Tonight, I’m going to worship every single inch of you. Make sure you know, all the way to your bones, that I love you.”

  She already felt that way. “I know that.”

  “Oh yeah? You know it enough that it will wipe out the damn worry I’ve given up something I can’t live without?”

  She didn’t reply. That fear was holding tight. “I just…”

  “Yeah. That’s what I thought. There’s only one thing I can’t live without, Ivy, and she’s tied to this bed. Until you understand that, until that damn anxiety of yours is gone, I’m going to keep doing whatever I can to convince you.”

  His fingers returned to her clit—only her clit—and he played with her once more.

  Ivy moaned, turning her face to the pillow as she moved in time with his too-soft strokes.

  “I can’t…” she cried when the minutes continued to tick by. “Please!”

  Finally, James gave in, pressed two fingers inside her, slowly but oh so deep—and she gave him what he wanted too.

  She screamed as she came, her body convulsing roughly as the orgasm shook her. James didn’t still, didn’t stop thrusting. His motions were steady, lethal. He curved his fingers and found her G-spot, firing off a second orgasm.

  “Sorry,” he murmured. “I was just looking for my golf ball.”

  She laughed even as her body trembled from the intense pleasure.

  Ivy collapsed facedown on the bed, replete, exhausted, only one thought penetrating her sex-fogged satiation.

  He hadn’t even made love to her yet.

  Chapter Fifteen

  James grinned as he watched Ivy. Her eyes were closed, but her breathing was still heavy and labored. She looked as if she’d just run a damn marathon. Meanwhile, he was fully dressed, a state his throbbing dick was not happy about.

  Standing, he drew his T-shirt over his head, then went to work tugging off his jeans. The relief he felt being free from the denim was almost enough to have him coming right then and there.

  Reaching above her head, James untied the knots. Ivy stirred and gave a little mewl that told him she knew she was free, but she didn’t open her eyes or lower her hands.

  Once he was naked, he gently pulled off the last few pieces of her clothing, sliding the blouse and bra along her arms. Ivy remained motionless through it all.

  He lay down next to her and finally, his dead-to-the-world girl stirred, rolling toward him. She placed her head on his shoulder and her hand on his chest.

  “I love you.”

  She spoke the words softly. James smiled. Nothing had ever sounded sweeter.

  “I love you too, darlin’.”

  He placed a kiss on her forehead.

  “I know you haven’t come yet,” she said, not lifting her head, “but I think you might have killed me.”

  James chuckled. “I keep telling you. There’s no rush. Take a minute. Catch your breath. We have all night.”

  “We have forever.”

  Tired or not, James needed to see her eyes when she said that. He twisted until they were laying face-to-face. “Open those pretty blue eyes and say that again.”

  Her lids were heavy, but when her gaze found his, he saw what he’d been waiting for. Conviction. Confidence.

  “We have forever, Jamie.”

  “You’re right. We do.”

  He pressed her to her back, and if Ivy was still worn out, she didn’t let on. Her hands wrapped around his neck, tugging him down for a kiss as her legs parted, welcoming him between.

  He slid into her as they kissed, both of them sighing when he reached the hilt.

  James didn’t move for a minute or so. Instead, he soaked up the wet heat, let her singe him with her fire.

  Then he lifted his hips, pounding deep and hard, taking her with everything he had.

  Ivy’s back arched as her pussy constricted so tight on his dick, it almost hurt. This was going to end too fast. He’d stretched out the foreplay too far.

  “Darlin’, I can’t hold—”

  “Shhh,” she whispered. “I’m there too.”

  He thrust three more times and gave in to his climax. A lifetime with this woman wouldn’t be enough.

  But he didn’t have to worry. Ivy was right there with him, scoring his shoulders with her nails as her orgasm slammed through her.

  When the climax passed, he dropped down to her side, and his fierce lady curled back into his arms. She was asleep in an instant, and James figured he wouldn’t be too far behind her.

  He glanced at the rope and grinned. Jake would have loved this story, would have gotten a kick out of calling him a chip off the old block.

  James looked toward the ceiling, toward the heavens above, and mouthed the word, “Thanks,” to his beloved old friend.

  Then he closed his eyes and drifted into a deep and dreamless sleep. After all, dreams weren’t necessary when you were living the perfect one.

  James sat up slowly, wincing slightly. He was accustomed to hard work, bot
h on the ranch and while beating down flames, but last night he’d used muscles he didn’t even know he had.

  He was about to limp to the bathroom, intent on drawing a hot bath for the two of them, when he heard Ivy gasp.

  Looking over his shoulder, he realized what had caught her eye.

  “Like it?”

  She hadn’t seen his back last night, but given her wide-eyed expression, it was obvious she’d discovered his new tattoo.

  He turned away from her when she sat up, kneeling directly behind him on the bed.

  “Wow,” she whispered.

  Vaughn had warned him before he’d put down the first drop of ink, suggesting James shouldn’t etch something on his back that was enveloped more in hope than reality. To prove his point, he’d tugged aside the collar of this own torn black T-shirt and jabbed a finger at Bryant’s name, which sat high on the left side of his chest, over his heart.

  James hadn’t listened to the man’s wisdom, insisting that Vaughn give him the design he’d requested while mentally swearing he was going to have one hell of a talk with his cousin when he completed this mission. Austin would probably help out with that now that he and Hayden had seemed to work their shit out too. James had planned to show off his ink to Austin the night he got it, but he’d walked into their place—and right back out again—as his cousin and Hayden were celebrating her permanent homecoming to Compass Ranch. It was a fairly large tat that mimicked the one his dad and uncles sported. He’d had Vaughn recreate the compass, but James had put his own spin on the concept.

  Within the center circle of the compass were his parents’ initials, as well as Jake’s. He’d wanted to include the beloved ranch hand who’d been such an important part of his life. James had gotten the idea from one Austin already had. Then he’d recalled his cousin mentioning wanting to get a tat that paid tribute to Jake.

  James had asked Vaughn to fill in two of the four quadrants created by the compass. In the quarter between west and north, Vaughn had inked in a horse, using James’s beloved quarter, Spitfire, as the model. Between north and east, he added a bright flash of flames in reds and oranges to represent his years spent jumping the fires. The bottom two quarters were still empty, though James knew what he hoped to include there someday—the family and life he and Ivy would build together.