Warnings and Wildfires

  Sully peers at me over her head and smiles as if he can’t believe he got roped into watching this movie again, but there’s nowhere else he’d rather be.

  After the movie, Madison sits up and stretches. “Are you staying over, Aubrey?” She glances at her dad. “I’m not a dumb kid. You can stay here if you want. You don’t have to go home because of me.”

  I chuckle and sit up, grabbing my shoes. “You’re definitely not dumb. But no, I have to return Celia’s car so she can get to work in the morning.”

  “Oh.”

  “Do you need a ride in the morning?” Sully asks.

  “No, I’ll walk. I have my shift at Busy Beans in the afternoon too.”

  “Ooo…Dad can we visit Aubrey? I want one of those mocha frappe thingies.”

  “I don’t think we want to bug Aubrey at work.”

  “No, it’s fine,” I say, unsure of whether I should contradict him. Maybe he has something else he’d rather do with Maddy before sending her home. “Sunday afternoons are pretty slow if you want to stop in after the gym closes.”

  Sully stands and walks into the kitchen.

  “Her flight’s at eight,” he calls out. “We can stop by on the way.”

  “I’m done at six.”

  “Oh! Will you come to the airport with us?” Madison asks.

  Whoa. Why is Sully in the kitchen when I need him here? I want to say yes. But what if he prefers to say goodbye to his daughter without me intruding? “Sure,” I answer cautiously. “If you want me to.”

  A grin lights up her face before she turns more serious, lowering her voice. “I hate leaving him and saying goodbye. But if you’re there, then he won’t be alone after I go.”

  Oh my God. Has a sweeter sentiment ever been uttered?

  Spending time with Madison has been one big roller coaster of emotions this weekend. But somehow this sweet, sensitive, firecracker of a kid has totally stolen my heart.

  Just like her dad.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

  Busy Beans was in the middle of a mad rush for pumpkin lattes when I started my shift. Thankfully, it’s calmed down, so I have time to catch up on some of the cleaning.

  “Hello, Aubrey.”

  Time stops. The air in my lungs freezes.

  That voice.

  It shouldn’t be invading my space. It should be locked up with the psycho who owns it.

  My heart stutters when I look up into his bold blue eyes. Once I’d thought they were beautiful and I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have them trained on me.

  But now I know better.

  He snuck into my life and my heart when I was too young to resist him. Too inexperienced to understand the warning signs. I’m not an insecure, love-starved fifteen-year-old teenager. Not anymore.

  I steel my spine and will my voice not to betray my fear. “What are you doing here?”

  He lifts his shoulders and glances around at the cafe. His gaze returns to me, sweeping over my apron.

  “I’m here to see you,” he says as if it makes perfect sense.

  My heart drums a terrified, erratic beat. This shouldn’t be happening. He shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t have this reaction to him. Not now. Not after everything I’ve struggled through to get to this point in my life.

  I concentrate on calming my ragged breathing. He holds no power over me. Not anymore.

  “You’re not supposed to be here.” I wish my voice held more strength. But at least it didn’t crack.

  “Where else would I go, Aubrey? I’ve missed you.”

  “You’re crazy. You have to go.” My voice takes on a harder edge.

  He stares at me as if he didn’t hear a word. His gaze flicks to the pastries and back to me. “I don’t think working here is good for you, darling. You’ve gained a lot of weight.”

  Oh hell fucking no, he didn’t.

  Planting my hands on the counter, I lean over. “Maybe that’s because I’m a woman now and not a kid you can take advantage of.”

  “Take advantage?” He smirks. “That’s rich.”

  My cheeks heat up with every memory of the way fifteen-year-old me once loved the attention of this man.

  And the way he reeled me in over and over, taking what he wanted and leaving me in pieces.

  At least now, I have the mental fortitude to resist. And thanks to Sully’s training, I’m not as afraid as I once was. I may be small, but I can pack a swift kick.

  “You look like shit,” I say with a smile. “I’m guessing prison didn’t afford you a lot of outside time.”

  A cold smile spreads across his face and he leans in close enough that his breath slips over my skin like poisonous vapor. “I’m going to enjoy wiping that insolence of your face. With my cock.”

  He reaches out to twirl a piece of my hair around his finger. “You’ll like that.”

  Yanking my hair out of his hold, I pull away and cross my arms over my chest. “Never. Going. To. Happen.”

  His jaw ticks and he taps his fingers against the counter.

  Pure hatred flares in his eyes. “Four years, Aubrey,” he seethes. “Almost two years in jail waiting for trial before I took the plea.”

  “Still not long enough.”

  “What happened to the girl who refused to testify against me?”

  “She grew up.”

  Again, he continues as if he didn’t hear me, leaning in and lowering his voice to a seductive tease. “Thank God you didn’t testify. My lawyer said that’s the reason I skated on the statutory rape charge.”

  Shame and anger blaze over my skin. My parents refused to allow me to testify. They were too busy shipping me off to a mental hospital.

  My punishment for embarrassing them.

  “You have no idea what I went through after you lost your damn mind.” My harshly whispered words force him to retreat.

  “Your parents tried to keep us apart. I love you. What was I supposed to do?”

  “Not be a psycho? Stay away from me in the first place? Abide by a code of ethics?”

  The condescending head shake I remember so well makes an appearance. “Aubrey. We have so much time to make up for. Let’s not spend it arguing.”

  Once his manipulative tone and obvious disappointment with me would have had me scrambling to do whatever he wanted.

  Not anymore.

  He glances at the clock behind me. “What time are you done? We’ll go to dinner and talk this out.”

  “No.”

  He raises an eyebrow. “No?”

  “I’m here until closing.” Why am I making up excuses? No is a complete sentence for fuck’s sake!

  He turns, taking a second to read the hours on the front door. “I’ll be back at nine.”

  After that announcement, he pivots and walks out the door.

  I stand there in a trance, unable to process what just happened.

  Being with Sully has made me forget all the mistakes I collected as a teenager.

  But now the biggest mistake of my life has returned to collect me. Cold nauseating fear thrums in my veins. Even though I won’t be here when he shows up tonight, I know this won’t be the last I see of Darren.

  I glance around, embarrassed anyone could’ve overheard us. But it’s slow now. My manager is outside on a smoke break and the only two customers in the place are wearing earbuds while they bang away at their laptops.

  More than that, I want to call the cops. Call someone. I can’t believe no one warned me he was being released. I thought he was supposed to stay away from me. Maybe I should’ve read the paperwork a little closer.

  The bell over the door chimes again and this time I pick up the phone under the counter. Fuck this, he does not get to harass me at work.

  But it’s Sully and Madison. I’ve never been so happy to see two people in my life.

  Shame washes over me. In no way do I want a ghost from my past haunting my present. Or intruding on the future Sully and I might have together.

  The urge to spill i
t all to him rises in me, but I don’t even know where to start.

  Brantley returns from his smoke break, reeking of peppermint and nicotine. He nods to Sully. “Don’t see you in here often.”

  “I’m here to steal Aubrey away.”

  Brantley chuckles. “She’s mine for another fifteen minutes.”

  As Sully orders for both of them, my heart rate finally returns to normal. “She decided on the way over a strawberry frappe would be better,” he says. “Make it quick before she changes her mind.”

  Chuckling, I hand the order to Brantley and pull a slice of lemon cake out of the case. “This will go well with it.”

  I can’t help scanning the big, plate glass window at the front of the shop. The last thing I need is Sully running into the biggest mistake of my life. And I sure don’t want to expose Madison to him.

  When Brantley realizes Sully’s sticking around, he releases me early. We’re almost outside when Madison decides to run back to the bathroom.

  Alone on the sidewalk together, Sully takes my hands and leans down to kiss me. “Missed you today,” he murmurs just loud enough to hear over the rustling trees and hum of the occasional car driving by.

  This is what I need. This man. He’s already erased the awful feelings that came over me from seeing Darren. All the crap I survived must have been worth it because it brought me here to Sully. I won’t allow my past to ruin us. “Missed you too. How was your day?”

  “A lot calmer than yesterday.” He breathes out a sigh of relief. “We talked a lot.”

  Madison bursts out of the coffee shop. “It must be so much fun to work there. I can’t wait until I’m old enough to get a job.”

  I can’t help laughing. “I’m pretty confident you’ll feel differently in a few years.”

  “Maybe,” she concedes.

  Maddy’s upbeat on the way to the airport, excitedly mentioning all the things she wants to do in two weeks when she comes back. Sully smiles the whole way.

  The painful memories and bad feelings stirred up earlier settle down, leaving behind only a tiny, nagging trace of dread.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  “Thank you for coming with me,” I say once Madison’s plane takes off.

  “How could I say no after she was so sweet to ask me to join you guys?”

  “Well, I didn’t want to mess you up with work.”

  “You didn’t. And it would be worth it anyway.”

  I take her hand and for the first time don’t feel completely hollowed out as I leave the airport.

  “Have you ever watched the planes?” I ask.

  She frowns. “You mean as they take off?”

  “Yeah.” I point toward the exit to the parking lot. “There’s a viewing area at the end of the runway. You can watch them take off right overhead.”

  “Okay, let’s check it out.”

  Maddy’s plane is long gone by this point, but we pull in anyway. We’re not alone. The short, wide gravel area has cars lined up along the fence. Lots of spotters have cameras ready to snap photos of the planes taxiing down the runway and lifting into the air.

  We find a spot and I boost Aubrey onto the hood of the Jeep so she can watch without the fence blocking everything.

  Although loud, it’s also surprisingly peaceful watching a few of the planes take off against the night sky.

  After a smaller jet flies over us, I turn and find Aubrey watching me.

  “Ready to go?”

  “Sure.”

  I help her down but don’t let go of her right away.

  “Spend the night at my place?” I ask.

  Her full lips twitch. “I thought you’d never ask.” She rests her hand on my shoulder and leans up to whisper in my ear. “I’m pretty sure I owe you some favors.”

  “That’s not why I asked, but I’ll happily accept any favors you’re giving out.” Not to mention, the second the words left her lips my cock stood up and saluted.

  She keeps up the sweet torment all the way to my house. We barely make it in the front door before I’m stripping off her shirt and yanking down her pants. “You smell like coffee and butter,” I rasp, dragging my tongue against her neck. “Taste like sugar.”

  “Mmm…” She makes the sexiest noises in response to every kiss and lick.

  We make our way over to the couch and she gives me a gentle shove.

  “My turn to do the tasting,” she whispers, dropping to her knees in front of me.

  Brown eyes blaze up at me with intense need. Every muscle in my body tightens with anticipation.

  I lean forward and trace my finger over her plump bottom lip. “I dream about your sexy lips wrapped around my cock a lot.”

  Her lips part and she sucks my finger into her mouth, snapping my last bit of control. “Need your mouth somewhere else on me, Aubrey,” I growl.

  That kicks her into action. She works my zipper open. Like the gentleman I am, I help her out by lifting my ass and shoving my jeans and briefs down. She takes over, fully stripping them off.

  More playful teasing while she flicks her tongue over the head of my cock, leaving me close to begging for more.

  “You’re killing me.”

  Her eyes widen as if she has no idea that I’m dying here. Dying to work my cock between her soft, wet lips.

  Finally, she slides her mouth over my cock. I hiss from the pleasure. The wet heat of her mouth. The softness of her tongue as she swirls it around the tip.

  Powerless to do much, my head falls back against the couch and I groan. “That’s good. So good. Don’t stop.”

  She wraps her hands around my shaft, working them up and down in time with her hot mouth. Each time trying to take more of me than before. I grunt and thrust up, catching her by surprise.

  She squeaks but doesn’t let up on my dick. Every zip of pleasure I react to makes her moan. As if she’s enjoying it as much as I am.

  “Jesus.” So good. For a second, I open my eyes. She’s watching me, assessing what I like. What makes me groan the loudest. This isn’t going to last very long.

  As if she knows the fuzzy thoughts floating in my brain, she sucks harder. Moves faster. Hums. Encourages me to blow.

  “Ah, fuck!” My eyes pop open and my hand settles on the back of her head. Pleasure blasts down my spine. My body turns to stone, every muscle tight. A guttural groan is the only warning before I empty down her throat.

  Even then she doesn’t let up. My hands tangle in her hair, my hips thrust as she keeps wringing every drop from me.

  Breath stuttering. Heart pounding.

  Done.

  I fall back on the couch and try to remember my own name.

  “Aubrey,” I rasp, opening one eye.

  She blinks and wipes her thumb against her bottom lip. The corners of her mouth curl up in satisfaction.

  Every molecule in my body protests moving from this spot. My limbs refuse to cooperate, and my brain struggles to find words.

  “Bedroom.”

  She nods in false sympathy. “You need a nap?”

  That snaps me out of the-best-blowjob-of-my-life fog. “Nap?” I sit up. “You think I need a nap?”

  A burst of energy flares inside of me and I scoop her off the floor, carrying her to my bedroom.

  Inside, I flick the light on and she squints.

  “The big, glaring light isn’t all that romantic,” she says.

  “Maybe. But I want to see every inch of you.”

  “You’ve already seen every inch of me.”

  “I know.” I kiss her cheek. “That’s why I want to see you again.” I kiss her other cheek, “And again.” I keep alternating words and kisses until she’s laughing so hard she almost falls out of my arms.

  I set her on the bed and she kneels in the middle.

  “Take your bra off.”

  She hooks her thumb in the strap, sliding it off her shoulder and then back. “This bra?”

  “Do not play with me, woman,” I growl and dive for her, closing my teeth o
ver one nipple hidden by sheer black fabric.

  She arches her back and I palm her other breast. “Take it off.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Sit up.”

  To do that, she needs me to get off her. Reluctantly I roll to the side and watch her struggle to unhook her bra. She flings it across the room and I help myself to her bare breasts.

  “Don’t tell me you can’t work a bra,” she teases.

  “I prefer you here and fully present in the moment with me.”

  Her teasing expression softens and she strokes the back of her hand against my cheek. “Believe me, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

  She opens her mouth again as if she has more to say, but I cover it with my own, kissing her hard. I pull back, resting my forehead against hers, staring into her eyes. “I love you.”

  Her breath catches and for a second, my heart stops. That feeling has been bubbling up inside me for a while, but I hadn’t meant to voice it right now. I pictured something a little more romantic.

  “I love you too,” she breathes, pulling me down for another kiss.

  “I’m also starving for you.”

  She laughs at first, but the laughter turns to gasps and sighs as I kiss my way down her body. Dragging my fingers over her smooth skin, I stop to lick and taste her along the way.

  I lift her hips to pull her underwear down, tossing them on the floor.

  There’s no hesitation from her this time, she opens her legs for me and I reward her with a long, slow lick. “That’s my girl.” I don’t have the willpower to take my mouth off her, so my words are muffled. She rakes her fingers through my hair and presses her hips up.

  “Good.” God, I love her all sweet and eager.

  I use my thumbs to spread her wide, exposing her. Never mind the spectacular blowjob that should’ve left me spent for the night, I’m so hard it hurts.

  She’s wild and squirmy tonight. I have to wrap my arms around her thighs to keep her still.

  “Oh, God. Oh, fuck. Sully, I can’t.”

  “Yes, you can.” In fact, the way her leg muscles tighten and she shoves herself against my face, I’d say she’s damn close.

  Thank God, because I’m on fire with the need to fuck her.