Ignite: An Everyday Heroes World Novel (The Everyday Heroes World)

by Kim Loraine

  The ride to my chosen destination in the hills is quiet, but that’s okay. I think we both need some time to think. Lark is fire and sass, but there’s a lot of pain in her eyes. She’s had some serious trauma in her past. I recognize it because I’ve lived the same thing. Something weighs on her. A darkness she’s fighting.

  I pull down the long, winding road that leads to Massett Vineyards and Winery, and her body goes rigid almost instantly.

  “What’s wrong?” Taking her hand as I park the truck, I give her fingers a little squeeze.

  “I…I don’t like crowds.”

  Relief courses through me, making my shoulders sag. “I got that. This is guaranteed to be crowd free, sweetness. It’s the best damn wine in the state, but no one knows about it except the expensive restaurants.”

  She still looks uncertain, worrying at her fingernails as she works to control her breathing. Her dark hair is hiding half her face, and I can’t help the urge to push the strands aside so I can see those lips I’ve already had a taste of. Her hair feels like silk between my fingers.

  “You stay in the truck. I’ll get what we need.” She glances around, posture relaxing at the sight of the quiet grounds. “I promise, I’ll be back in a second and you won’t have to deal with any crowds, okay?”

  Nodding, she closes her eyes. “I’m sorry. Fuck. You must think I’m crazy.”

  “No. I think you’ve been through something really bad. When you’re ready, maybe we can talk about it.”

  “That’s the kind of thing a forever guy would say.”

  I chuckle. “It’s the kind of thing a decent human would say.”

  True to my word, I’m in and out of the tasting room in a few minutes, carting a basket filled with food and a bottle of wine tucked under my arm. She grins as I place the basket in the truck bed, and all I can do is wink at her. I like to see her smile.

  When I slide in next to her, I have to work to control the desire burning in me. Her perfume is light and crisp and it makes me hard just thinking about being wrapped up in her.

  “Ready?” I ask.

  “You have me at your disposal, cowboy.”

  I take her through the access road my friend Brian, the winemaker, has let me ride Ben along a time or two. We drive until we reach the crest of a hill that overlooks the rolling fields of grapes, all of them lush and green, thriving. When we get out, I reach behind my seat and grab the wool blanket I keep here just in case and silently thank my Uncle George for teaching me to always be prepared.

  “You know,” she begins, “I was wrong. I thought you didn’t do things like this often, but you’re clearly a pro at this seduction game.”

  I can’t help myself. I laugh. “Where I spent most of my life, we’re taught women deserve more than that. I’m not trying to seduce you. I’m trying to get to know you.”

  Her cheeks turn pink as she averts her gaze. “Oh.”

  “Come on. You said you wanted quiet. This is about as quiet as it gets. And I’m dying to kiss you again.”

  “What are you waiting for?” The breathy whisper turns me on like nothing else. I haven’t been with a woman in close to a year. Granted, that was by choice, but it doesn’t change the fact that the only woman I’ve ever had crushed me. I shouldn’t feel any inkling of guilt. This is what I need. Lark and I can help each other.

  “Nothing.” I get out of the pickup and walk around to her side, opening her door before she can. Then, as though we’ve done this a hundred times before, I rest my palm on the small of her back and she lets me guide her to a clearing next to a big tree offering a shady spot.

  She doesn’t say anything as I lay out the blanket, and it’s killing me. She’s different from one moment to the next. Playful and flirty, then serious and thoughtful. I wonder if propositioning a one night stand is out of character for her. It sure seems like it to me.

  We sit close to each other, listening to the sound of the wind through the leaves and the chirping of birds. I open the wine and pour some for her as she unpacks the picnic for us.

  “Not drinking?” she asks, bringing the glass to her lips.

  “No. I spent the better part of last year drinking away my divorce. If I never have another drink it’ll be too soon.”

  “Wanna talk about that?”

  “Do you want to talk about why you don’t like crowds and are afraid of hospitals?”

  She takes a sip. “Point taken.”

  I remove my hat and set it on the blanket next to me. “We got married right out of high school. I’m talking the day we got our diplomas, I proposed.”

  “How long were you married?”

  I grit my teeth and run my thumb reflexively over the tattooed ring on my left hand. “Almost seventeen years.”

  Her brows rise at my statement. “That’s a long time.”

  “Yep. A wasted life. I should have seen it coming, but I had stars in my eyes. I wanted the whole package and didn’t really look at the person I chose.”

  “But you loved her?”

  I let out a bitter laugh. “I thought I did. I was a kid. I barely knew anything. I didn’t give her the life she wanted.”

  “I think she’s missing out on something amazing.” Lark slides her palm up my arm, the contact sending sparks up my skin.

  “You don’t even know me.”

  “You’re right. But I don’t know anyone who would give a stranger their entire day just because they had a panic attack at a hospital. You could’ve just left me there. Instead, you’ve been taking care of me all this time.”

  I lean back against the tree and sigh. “No one should be alone when they’re hurting.”

  “What about you? I can tell you’re still hurting.”

  She gets up on her knees and faces me, her dark eyes staring into mine, all innocent question and concern. The urge to touch her soft skin takes hold and I can’t stop myself. I cup her cheek and run my thumb over her lower lip. When she kisses the pad of my thumb, I sit up taller and move my hand to cradle the back of her head, bringing us chest to chest. Fuck, I shouldn’t do this. She’s too young for me. She deserves more than I can give her.

  “Are you sure you want…” my words are cut off when she presses against me harder. She sighs and shakes her head.

  “Don’t.” Her fingers trace a small circular pattern on my chest as she stares at the buttons of my shirt. “Don’t let your head ruin this. We aren’t doing anything wrong.”

  Dark lashes flutter as I fight with my urge to tear off her jeans, lift her up, and have her against the tree right here and now.

  I kiss her hard, this time not worried about being seen or being too out in the open. She moans against me, her lips parting and letting me deepen the kiss as she moves to straddle me. God, but she stirs up something inside me I’ve never felt before. My dick is rock hard, desperate for her, and with each roll of her hips as we devour each other, I wonder if she’s going to make me come right here and now.

  “I really like it when you kiss me,” she whispers against my lips.

  “I really fucking like kissing you.”

  She glances down between us, a grin on her face. “I can tell.”

  “Come home with me.” It’s not a question. Not a plea. Just a statement of what I want.

  “I thought you weren’t going to fuck me tonight.”

  “I’m not. I’m going to take you slow and make it last. There’s a time for fucking. This isn’t it. You’re right. We aren’t doing a damn thing wrong. We’re two consenting adults and tonight, you’re mine until the sun comes up and breaks this spell between us. You understand?”

  All she has to do is nod.

  3

  Lark

  Travis leads me into his house, his thumb rubbing along the inside of my wrist in a ridiculously seductive way. How can the brush of his thumb be seductive? I don’t know, but it is. I don’t really have a wide frame of reference for what is sexy and what isn’t. I’ve only slept with one guy. Twice. That’s it. Somethin
g tells me Travis Ryker is nothing like my high school boyfriend. There’s not going to be fumbling with a condom or premature ejaculation issues for this man. Travis is the polar opposite of a boy. He’s a man in every sense of the word.

  “You seem nervous.” The tightness in his voice twists something in my belly.

  “A little. I, uh, I don’t ever do this.” God, that sounds like a line. Like something I’d say if I did this all the time but didn’t want him to judge me. “Really.”

  That sexy smirk of his makes my heart flutter. “Neither do I.”

  He takes off his hat and hangs it next to the door. The clink of his keys hitting the table in the entryway is loud enough I flinch a little. This is the awkward part. The before. We know each other better after spending the afternoon together, but there are still so many things that are new here. The smells, sounds, sights of the things that make up his life.

  A clock ticks in the background, that and our breaths the only things breaking the silence between us. Everything smells like him. Spicy and clean and masculine. God, I want to wrap myself up in him, steal one of his shirts to wear to bed so I can wake up smelling like him.

  “I—" He stops me, cupping the back of my neck and pulling me hard against him. We’re standing in the dark hall of his entryway, nothing but the porch light filtered in from the window. The hitch in his breath is sexy as hell as he stares down at me. “So fucking pretty,” he murmurs.

  “The feeling is mutual.”

  His warm laugh rolls over me, heating me from the inside. “You think I’m pretty?”

  “I think you’re the most gorgeous guy I’ve ever seen.”

  “Darlin’, you must not have seen many guys.”

  I bite my lip, trying not to swoon with the way he says darlin’. “I haven’t. Not like this.”

  He frowns. “You’re not a virgin, are you?”

  “No.” I answer a little too forcefully.

  “You just…you seem really innocent all of a sudden.”

  Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I run my palm down his chest and toy with his belt buckle. “Does this seem innocent?”

  Those perfect lips of his press into a thin line as he takes my hand. “Yeah, it does. If you really wanted what’s behind that you’d have gone for it.”

  My heart races. I don’t want this to end. Not now. “I’ve had sex before, Travis.”

  “So have I, but you’re shaking. I don’t want to do this if you’re scared.”

  I look down at my hand and realize he’s right. My whole body is trembling, filled with adrenaline. “I’m not scared. I’ve only been with one other guy. A few years ago. So, it’s not new to me, it’s just…you’re new to me.”

  He cups my jaw and tilts my chin up so I have to look at him. “Can I tell you a secret?”

  Nodding, I don’t look away from his piercing blue eyes.

  “I’ve been with exactly one woman in my life. I’m not judging you for being careful who you give your body to. But I also don’t want to take this if you’re not ready to give it.”

  “I’m here, aren’t I? If I didn’t want to be with you, I wouldn’t have gotten in your truck.”

  “Why do I get the feeling one night won’t be enough?”

  I smile before he kisses me long and deep. Then he breaks the connection and tugs me down the hallway, not turning on a single light as we go. He nudges a door and, when it opens, my stomach flips. It’s his bedroom. The light of the moon shines in through the sheer-curtained window. The decor is neutral, almost impersonal, except for the two cowboy hats on the dresser and a framed picture between them. We stand there in the darkened room, both waiting for something to happen.

  “I want you, darlin’. I’m not gonna be able to get you out of my head until I have you.” His rough voice lights up the need in my body.

  “You can have me. Right now.”

  Those eyes of his are filled with need, burning with an intensity that scares me a little. But I’m not scared of him. This look affects me in the same thrilling way a rollercoaster does right before the big drop. Once we take this leap, I have a feeling Travis will change me forever.

  “Take off your clothes, sweetness. Slow.”

  I cock a brow. “You too.”

  He sits on the bed and removes his boots, then stands and unsnaps the buttons on his shirt, revealing the defined muscles I knew I’d find under there. The fabric falls to the floor as he removes his belt and pops the button on his jeans.

  “Your turn.” The rumbled command sends shivers up my spine.

  I grip the hem of my top and pull it over my head, revealing my painfully plain white bra. But when you’ve been blessed with full breasts, the little lacy numbers just don’t cut it.

  He frowns and reaches out to touch the scar just under my collarbone. “What’s this?”

  I can’t answer, not now, so I step forward and run my palm up his toned abs, tracing the scar on his side. “What about yours?”

  “Got on the wrong side of an angry bull. It’s why I stopped doing rodeo.”

  “It’s sexy as hell.”

  A low chuckle tells me I’ve steered the conversation away from my scar, and when I slide my fingertips over the top of his jeans , he groans. “You’re barely touching me, and I’m already on fire for you.”

  His hands find my waist and he slowly removes my jeans, leaving me clad in nothing but my bra and panties. I want him to touch me everywhere. “Give me more than this, Travis. I want to feel you.”

  Palm against my back, he pulls me against him and kisses me hard. We don’t say another word as he walks me to the bed and carefully lays me on the mattress. His lips leave mine and blaze a trail down my neck, across my chest, between my breasts, causing me to gasp and whimper from the contact. Somehow my bra disappears. I’m sure he removed it while distracting me, but I don’t know what he did to achieve that.

  He slips my panties down my hips and thighs until they’re gone too. I’m completely naked for this man. I’ve never been naked in front of anyone like this. Exposed. Vulnerable. My high school boyfriend and I had sex twice; both times we were mostly dressed. This is different. It’s…reverent. I move to cover my bare body with my hands, but he stops me.

  “You’re beautiful, sweetness. Don’t hide yourself.” Staring into his eyes, I let myself relax and trust.

  Then he strips out of his jeans and I can’t help it, my eyes go wide. His cock is long and thick. Hard and ready for me. He’s a man ready to claim the woman he wants.

  “Condom?” I ask, proud that my voice is strong.

  Jaw tight, he nods and walks around the bed to the nightstand. When he returns he’s got a foil packet between two fingers.

  “We’re not ready for this quite yet, darlin’. I need to make sure you’re open to me.”

  I frown. “How?”

  He grins and falls to his knees on the floor before grabbing me by the calves and tugging me until my ass is on the edge of the mattress.

  “Travis! What are you—“ Words fail me as he carefully sinks one finger inside me and buries his face between my thighs. Sensation ripples through me as he licks and sucks my clit. My toes curl, and something perfect begins building in my center with each thrust of his finger. Hands in his hair, I pull hard as an orgasm crashes through me and I buck my hips. His free palm holds me steady as I come down from my high, then he sits back on his heels and grins at me, lips glistening with my arousal.

  “Now, you’re ready.”

  He stands and tears open the condom wrapper before rolling the protection over his length. Anticipation has my limbs trembling and my heart racing. I don’t know if he’s going to fit. It sounds like a cliché to me, something I’d read in a romance novel, but it is the truth. He’s bigger than my previous partner. A lot bigger.

  “Tell me if I hurt you, okay? I promise to go slow.”

  I nod and force myself to relax as he presses the head of his cock to my entrance. It’s tight and everything in me feels
impossibly full, but it doesn’t hurt. He lets out a pained groan as he finally seats himself fully. “Fuck, you’re so small. I…God, Lark.”

  I take his mouth then, tasting myself on him, needing to connect us in more ways than one. And when he starts moving, I cry out against his lips. We continue at a slow, sensual pace, tension coiling between us like a snake about to strike. I want him to find his release and at the same time, I’m desperate for this to keep going.

  He stares into my eyes, something like panic and pleasure and terror all crashing together in his irises. “I’m close, sweetness. So fucking close.”

  Holding me tight, he rocks into me, brushing my clit with his body as he moves. It’s just enough friction to send me over the edge unexpectedly, and I swear I feel him swell inside me as he lets out a guttural moan and finds his pleasure at almost the same moment I do.

  We lie together in each other’s arms, him toying with my hair, me tracing the ridges of his abdomen.

  Moving to stand, I slide off the bed and grab my shirt.

  “Whoa there, where do you think you’re going?”

  “I suppose I need to get going.”

  He grabs my hand and tugs until I’m sitting on the bed again.

  “One time isn’t going to work for me,” he admits.

  I hum in pleasure because it’s not for me either. “We’ll figure something out.”

  “Damn right, we will. Now get your pretty ass in my bed. You said night. Last I checked, it’s still our night. I’m not done with you yet.”

  Travis

  The next morning I wake to find my bed is empty. Where is the perfect woman who’d spent all night in my arms? My chest hurts at the thought of Lark leaving without telling me. She shouldn’t have felt like sneaking out was her only option. We promised we wouldn’t get tangled up in each other, but things are different now. She’s different. At least, that’s what I thought we’d come to understand last night.