Flames of Love

by Melissa Foster

  “He got you to take the subway at night?”

  Siena fiddled with her napkin again. “Yeah. I know. I never realized a subway was safer than a cab.”

  “Depends who you ask,” her mother said.

  “I guess. Anyway, I don’t know. He warmed my hands, but now I wonder if he was just trying to get close to me. But it didn’t seem that way. Well, maybe a little, but at the bar…” Her voice escalated. “At the bar, that was romantic. He pulled out my chair, and held the door, and when we saw Vetta…” Her shoulders dropped as she sighed, as if deflated. “Oh, Mom, I almost forgot. She said she knew you. Her husband was a pediatric surgeon.”

  Her mother wrapped her hands around her coffee mug and stared into it, as if deep in thought. “Vetta Miller?”

  Siena shrugged. “I’m not sure. But her name was definitely Vetta. Her husband died a few weeks ago. Samuel, I think.”

  “Oh, poor Vetta. Yes. I knew them years ago when he worked at the hospital and I volunteered. If you see her again, please give her my condolences. I’ll have to send her something. So Cash visits her? Are they related somehow?”

  “I don’t really know how they know each other, but he visits. He brought her flowers, and I think he helps out, fixes things for her.”

  “Well, Siena, sounds like you are in quite a conundrum. I can’t advise you about Cash except to say that if you feel he’s more than meets the eye, then see if he is. But be careful. Jack’s a special man, but most men who are arrogant and pushy aren’t as kind underneath.”

  “Dad is,” she said softly, catching her mother’s eyes.

  “Yes. Your father is. But you know your father and Jack, and you love them. As I said, not all men who are that arrogant are equally as kind or loving. Just go into this with your eyes open and until you’re sure that he’s not too aggressive, maybe stay public?”

  “Mom, I would never date someone I think could be too aggressive. And aggressive is probably the wrong word for Cash. He’s…very male.”

  “Well, that’s a whole different thing altogether.” She finished her coffee and set a stern stare on Siena. “So are you going on the date with this Gunner man?”

  “I think so. I’m not sure I can get out of it.”

  “Siena, you always do the right thing, and I trust you. If you think you’re doing the right thing for yourself, then you probably are. We have to get a move on anyway if we’re going to buy that photo album.”

  On the way out the door, a fire truck’s siren sounded and Siena’s heart raced. Cash.

  “By the way, don’t think I’m not upset about your accident. We raised you to be more careful than that. Remind me to thank Cash if I ever meet him.”

  “Okay, Mom. We’ll see if he passes the first date test.”

  “There are tests for dating now? That would have made it much easier to weed out the losers in my day,” her mother teased.

  “I have this mental checklist. I date so many guys who are with me just for the photos, or to say they dated me, which I don’t usually find out until after. You know what? Dating sucks. They do need real tests.”

  “Tell me about this checklist.”

  “Okay, it’s kinda silly. The first thing is when he picks me up. Does he look in my eyes first? I mean, all men check you out, but in that first second. That’s what matters. And does he walk right into my apartment or wait to be invited? If he’s in the apartment, is he focused on figuring out where the bed— Where everything is, or is the apartment secondary to his interest in me or whatever we’re talking about. Then, when we’re out, do his eyes wander? Is he looking to see if people are noticing that we’re together? That one’s weird when I date celebrities, because you have to be able to tell if he wants them to look or not. And he can’t be on his phone. Total turnoff. And—”

  Her mother shook her head as they walked around the corner to their destination. “You can stop right there. I can’t even imagine having all that in my head on a first date. In my day, we were happy if our suitors opened the car door for us and treated us like ladies.”

  “Well, isn’t that what I’m saying?”

  “I have no idea. There are so many things on that list that I’ve already forgotten most of them. Do you have many second dates?” She laughed.

  “I suck, right?”

  “No, you don’t suck. Only you know what type of person you want to accept into your life.”

  “All I’m asking for is someone who’s as good to me as Sage is to Kate, Dex is to Ellie, and Jack is to Savannah. And even Dad, how he is to you.” Siena draped her arm over her mother’s shoulder. “What can I say? The man that ends up in my life has a lot to live up to.” And, Siena realized, there was something else she wanted in a man. She wanted a man who would challenge her.

  Chapter Ten

  SIENA STOOD BEFORE the full-length mirror in her bedroom sizing herself up. She had no idea what a guy like Cash would wear on a date, and he’d given her no indication of where they were going. In her leather leggings and thick, white Gucci cowl-neck sweater, she was comfortable and she wouldn’t be overdressed for a restaurant, a café, or whatever he had in mind. All men seemed to want to wine and dine her. Ugh. She hoped Cash wouldn’t want to. She got the feeling he wasn’t really a wine and dine kind of guy. She checked her makeup and put on a pair of small dangling earrings, slipped on her Melody wedge booties, which would bring her closer to his insanely delicious lips, and brushed her hair one last time.

  The doorbell sounded and she froze. It was only six forty-five. He was early. Her pulse sped up as she crossed the expansive wood floor of her loft. Calm down. She drew in a deep breath and blew it out slowly, trying to center her mind before opening the door and finding an empty hall and an enormous box at her feet tied with a big red ribbon.

  “Cash?” She poked her head out the door and looked around. No answer. Intrigued, she carried the box inside and kicked the door closed. Anticipation tore through her as she untied the giant bow, then tore the box open. Inside she found a pair of thick black gloves, a red scarf, and a cute black knitted hat with a card tucked inside the hat—and another box beneath it all.

  “No way.” She tried on the gloves, which fit perfectly and were so soft she wanted to cuddle with them, wrapped the scarf around her neck, and read the note.

  Siena,

  I couldn’t stand the idea of you being cold for one more second. If you don’t like my taste, don’t tell me. Smile like you do in your pictures and tell me they’re perfect.

  —Cash

  She pressed the note to her chest. When she lifted the box from the larger container, she saw there was yet another beneath it, and she went to work opening the next box. Her eyes widened and her jaw fell open.

  “Oh my God.” The box was empty, except for a note.

  S,

  It’s the thought that counts, right? I thought about buying you a warm coat, but then you’d have no reason to want to get closer to me. Again. You know the drill. If you hate the idea, lie to me.

  —C

  There would be no lying tonight. She’d been so right about him. She felt her heart open just a little more. The third and last box had a smaller note taped to the top. Before reading the note, she picked up the box and shook it. Clank, clank! She read the note.

  Lush,

  Inside this box are the ingredients for a screaming orgasm (or two). Don’t have them too early. I hate when women do that.

  Your personal bartender,

  Cash

  “Ha!” She opened the box, and sure enough, she found a bottle of vodka, Baileys Irish Cream, and Kahlúa. “Oh, you are bad. Bad, bad, bad.” The doorbell sounded, and she glanced at the clock. Seven o’clock on the dot. “And that makes you oh so good.” With a grin she didn’t have a chance in hell of quelling, she answered the door, and her breath caught in her throat. Cash’s broad shoulders filled the doorframe.

  “Hi.” He placed a hand on her hip as he leaned down and kissed her cheek. “It’s so g
reat to see you.”

  Eyes. Check. His lips were soft, and his scent was intoxicating. In his black V-neck sweater and thick black parka, he was even more strikingly handsome than she remembered, and she’d thought about him so often that she was sure she’d had every bit of him memorized. She was wrong. God, was she wrong. Forget the checklist. She dropped her eyes for an instant, drinking him in. He looked hot in a pair of Levi’s that hugged his hips perfectly, the fabric stretched tightly across his thick thighs.

  “Hey, my eyes are up here.” He used his index and second finger to point to his eyes.

  Oh crap. I failed my own checklist!

  “I see you got the package.” He looked at the gloves, which were still on her hands; then he gently grasped the ends of the scarf, which was wrapped around her neck, and reeled her in close.

  Siena’s pulse kicked up a notch. “You didn’t have to buy me anything.” Kiss me. Just kiss me.

  “I know, but if you’re going to go out on a date with a fireman, you need to be prepared for anything.”

  Anything. She liked the sound of that. She could think of a million things she’d like to do with him. None of which required gloves.

  “They were the most thoughtful gifts I’ve ever received.” She flushed, remembering the third box. “Especially the second box…even the third box.”

  His grin reached his eyes, which looked seductive as hell—narrowed just a hint, darkening a little more with each passing second—and they hadn’t shifted from Siena’s face for a second, other than to look at the gloves and scarf.

  “And I didn’t come early, just as you requested.”

  Siena sucked in a breath.

  He shifted his eyes over her shoulder to the box, sitting just beyond the door in the middle of the floor. “The question is, did you sneak in a screaming orgasm—or two—before I arrived?”

  Shut up and kiss me. She couldn’t breathe. Hearing the word orgasm come from the lips she’d thought about for the last twenty-four hours set a swarm of butterflies loose in her stomach, and feeling the heat radiating from his body sent lust-filled signals from her brain to her most private places. She swallowed past the desire to kiss him and forced herself to take a step away.

  “Come—come on in.” She prayed her weakened knees would carry her forward. She sensed him close behind her.

  “Do you want to grab a coat and we’ll go?”

  He wasn’t going to even try to delay? Every guy tried to get things moving sexually before—or in lieu of—the date. She was relieved and curious. Maybe he didn’t feel the same rush of heat that she did. Oh God, what is wrong with me? Stop thinking about kissing him! She smiled up at him. Easier said than done.

  “Sure, let me grab it. Where are we going?”

  “It’s a surprise.”

  Siena grabbed a coat from the closet, and as she slid her arm into the sleeve, Cash gathered her hair and held it, easing the shoulder of the coat over her sweater. Siena felt herself swooning over his tender touch and tried like hell to tether her impetuous thoughts. I’m never like this. What is wrong with me?

  Cash checked the lock after she closed the door behind them.

  “It locks automatically.”

  “Just want to be sure your screaming orgasms are safe.”

  Oh, you are bad. Very, very bad. Siena had a feeling he wasn’t kidding about his ability to control the flames. He knew just how to stoke her fire.

  Chapter Eleven

  IT TOOK ALL of Cash’s focus not to take Siena into his arms the moment she’d opened her apartment door. He’d thought about her sweet lips all afternoon, and when he was shopping for her gloves, he could practically feel her hands in his. Their size was ingrained in his palm from when they’d ridden the subway the evening before. But when she looked up at him with her big baby blues, he knew if he kissed her, he wouldn’t be able to stop. And even though he hated the idea of not kissing her, whatever it was about her that had fed his edge the evening before had softened it the minute their eyes connected tonight. No one had ever had that effect on him before. And now, as they stood in front of the Rockefeller Center ice skating rink and her eyes lit up at the sight of the Christmas tree, the urge to kiss her gripped him again.

  Siena leaned over the rail and sighed. “There’s nothing as beautiful as a Christmas tree.”

  Cash leaned his back against the rail and shoved his hands deep in his coat pockets to keep from reaching for her. Damn, this was going to be harder than he’d imagined. He wanted to kiss her more than he wanted to take his next breath.

  “I think Christmas trees are beautiful, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that you were far prettier than that tree. And I’d imagine that every guy around here would agree.”

  Siena turned her body so she was facing him. “That’s so sweet.”

  “Christ. Don’t say that too loud. No man wants to be known as sweet.” Sweet? Fuck that. He needed his edge back. “Want to skate?”

  “Oh, no. I think my older brothers got all of the athletic talent in the family.”

  “That makes it even better. Come on.” He pushed away from the railing and headed toward the rental counter. Siena didn’t move. “You coming?”

  “I really can’t skate. I suck at it.”

  “I highly doubt you suck at anything. Come on.” He reached for her hand.

  She shook her head.

  From the look of her clenched jaw, he knew there was only one thing that would make her get on the ice. “Yeah, you’re probably right. It’s much harder than being pretty.” He turned back to the rail.

  He shot a glance at her and saw her eyes narrow, her shoulders stiffen.

  “It’s okay. We can just hang here and watch everyone else. I probably should have booked a nice restaurant or something. My bad.”

  “I’m telling you, I suck at it.” She knitted her brows together, but he could see by the tension in her shoulders that she was getting irritated.

  “Whatever. Look, no biggie.” He turned away from the rink. “I knew it was a long shot when I brought you here, but I thought...” He shrugged. “Hell, I don’t know what I thought. Look, let’s go sit in a nice restaurant and talk about celebrities.”

  “Oh my God. Is that what you think I do?”

  He shrugged again, forcing himself not to smile.

  “Ugh. Fine. I’ll show you that I can’t skate.” She stalked off toward the rental area. “But if I break my ankle, you have to explain it to my agent.”

  Twenty minutes later, Siena clung to the edge of the railing, her ankles wobbling from side to side.

  “I hate you for this,” she snapped.

  “I can live with that. Come on. I’ll help you.” He reached for her hand.

  “I don’t need help. If you can do this, I can do it. I haven’t tried since I was a kid.”

  That’s my girl. “Yeah?”

  “Yeah. Go ahead. I’ll catch up in a sec.”

  He pointed to the center of the rink, then to his chest. “You’re trying to get rid of me?”

  “No. I just want to see that you can skate and that you’re not just going to make fun of me when you can’t move off the railing either.”

  “Oh, I can move off the railing.” He set his jaw to let her know he was serious.

  “Prove it.”

  “I can’t just leave you here to fall and get slaughtered by children as they skate over you.”

  “See? You really can’t skate.”

  “Shit. Watch and learn.” He sped around the edge of the rink and turned around, skating backward at a fast speed, locking eyes with Siena as he came back around. He cut to a stop beside her, spraying chips of ice up around them.

  She lifted her chin and crossed her arms, immediately losing her balance. She reached for the railing and he reached for her, catching her just before her fingers hit the ice.

  “You okay?” He slid his hands down to her waist. Jesus, she felt good.

  “How do you know how to skate like that?”r />
  “Too many lonely nights. C’mon, I’ll show you.” He held on to her waist and skated behind her. “You know the general premise, right?”

  “Of course. I’m not an idiot.”

  “I never said…Never mind. I’m going to hold on to you from behind. I’ll hold you up; all you have to do is move your legs.”

  She glanced over her shoulder with her lip trapped between her teeth. “Now I get it. You brought me here so you could feel me up.” The mischievous look in her eyes made his head spin.

  “I don’t need an ice skating rink for that. But hell, now that you mention it.” He pressed his hips against her and felt her body stiffen against him. He lowered his head and placed a soft kiss just beside her ear, then whispered, “Stop trying to cop a feel with your ass and skate.”

  NOT ONLY COULD Siena not skate, but every nerve in her body was on fire. How was she supposed to concentrate on anything with his hard body against her and his hands on her waist? She felt his hips press against her butt, his leg forcing her right leg forward, then her left. Shit, he was taking her out on the ice. She gripped his hands, adrenaline pushing her to concentrate on every slide of her foot, every press of his knee against hers to help her along.

  “Look at that,” he said in a gravelly, sexy voice. “Little Siena Remington is skating.”

  “Shut up. I am not. I’m being pushed.”

  “Want me to let go?”

  “God, no. Don’t you dare.” She pressed her hands tightly against his, trapping them at her waist. She noticed a group of guys eyeing her from the other side of the rail, and she glanced at Cash, who was too focused on her to notice. I love that. She didn’t care that she might be making a fool of herself. She didn’t care what she looked like to anyone other than Cash.