Up in Flames

by Kira Sinclair

  They hadn’t talked about what being together meant. And it was clear Lola wasn’t ready to have that conversation. Instead, he thought of another way—a less complicated way that they’d always managed to get right even when everything else was going wrong—that would work in the meantime.

  Erik had no intention of letting Lola’s nerves or her overactive brain take away this potential relationship before they’d even had a chance to explore what could be. He knew if he did what she wanted and left her alone tonight, by the morning she’d have her walls back up, refusing to entertain the possibility of a second chance to get this right.

  He’d never claimed to be honorable and had no problems pressing whatever advantage he had. So maybe he’d intentionally touched her all through dinner, not just because it gave him pleasure but because he enjoyed the way her body reacted to his simplest caresses.

  The lightest stroke of his hand against her thigh caused goose bumps to trail up her leg. The scrape of his arm against her shoulder sent a shiver through her body. And leaning close, letting the warmth of his breath brush across her neck, drew her nipples into tight knots that made his mouth water for another taste.

  She could deny it all she wanted, but her body couldn’t lie.

  Now that any possible barrier she could put between them had been taken care of, Erik had every intention of proving to her that he was right. Even though she had no idea they’d spent the last couple of hours silently arguing.

  The minute she flipped off the light, Erik moved closer. She turned and he was right there, his tall body looming over hers in the muted darkness that surrounded them. Bracketing her hips, he pinned her against the island counter, giving her no place to run.

  She licked her lips, drawing her gaze slowly up his body until her deep brown eyes bored into his. “What are you doing?” she asked. She didn’t whisper or quiver or play coy. She met him head-on. And that was one of the many things he loved about this woman.

  Her confidence and backbone were sexy as hell.

  “Let me ask you something, Lola.”

  Her eyes narrowed and her mouth thinned, but the tiny pulse in the center of her throat pounded faster.

  “Has any man made you come on this kitchen counter?”

  She pulled in a harsh breath. “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me. Have any of your lovers made you come on this kitchen counter?”

  He watched the silent war she fought with herself. Would she give in to the indignation she thought she should feel but really didn’t? Would she answer him truthfully? Tell him a lie? Did she want to make him jealous or make herself feel better about what had transpired over the past six years?

  Erik knew the answer to that question already. While she might consider it, Lola had never been a liar, even when she probably should have. And that same honesty wouldn’t allow her to fabricate feelings she didn’t really have even if her brain told her she should.

  Which left them with the truth, exactly what he wanted.

  “No.”

  “I’m about to change that.”

  Grasping her hips, Erik picked her up and set her onto the counter. He’d pushed away fantasies of doing this to her the first time he’d walked into her kitchen, had been good and kept his hands to himself. Tonight he was in no mood to deny himself or her.

  They were a strange mix of familiar and unfamiliar. He knew when she was aroused because he’d memorized the way she looked when she wanted him years ago. But the actual thoughts spinning behind those deep brown eyes...they were lost to him now.

  But he wanted to know them. Wanted to know everything about her, like he used to. When they were so close he’d thought nothing could come between them.

  Erik reached for the hem of her shirt, pulled the garment off and tossed it behind him. Leaning close, he breathed deep, pulling the heady scent of her deep into his lungs and holding her there. Citrus and spice, something uniquely Lola. A memory that burst across his brain each time she came near.

  Finding the sensitive curve where her throat met shoulder, Erik latched on and sucked. He relished her sharp indrawn breath and the groan she tried desperately to stifle. Some things were definitely the same.

  Sweeping her hair out of the way, he found the catch of her bra. He flicked the clasp open, and his fingertips scraped across her skin as he dragged the straps down and away.

  She was so beautiful. Not perfect—no one was—but the way she was put together sent him to his knees every damn time.

  Her golden skin glowed in the moonlight. A riot of dark curls with those cheeky blue streaks rained down her back and across her shoulders. Soft and wild, just like the woman.

  Threading his fingers into it and tilting her head backward, Erik stared into her eyes for several seconds, searching. For what, he wasn’t sure. Uncertainty, maybe. Or a spark of what used to be there.

  Tonight her gaze held neither, at least not that she would let him see. There was heat and a ribbon of nervous energy he recognized because it flowed through him, as well.

  “Tell me you want this.” It was a question even if he hadn’t phrased it as one. An opportunity for her to tell him to stop.

  Lola’s gaze bounced around his face—eyes, mouth, chin—and back to his eyes. She reached for him, her fingertips ghosting across the edge of his jaw. How could a touch so light feel so good?

  And then she was holding him still, reaching for him, whispering, “I want this,” right before her mouth melded with his.

  The kiss spun away from him within the space of a breath. As if he’d ever had control of it to begin with. Nothing else mattered except the feel of Lola’s lips against his. The gentle suck as she pulled his tongue into her mouth and took what she wanted. His grip on her hips tightened, scooting her closer.

  She pulled his shirt off, her hands on him feeling so damn good. Perfect. Right in a way he’d never experienced with anyone else, no matter how hard he’d tried to find it.

  Stepping back, he popped the button on her shorts and helped her push the rest of her clothes onto the floor.

  Erik dropped to his knees between her spread thighs. Perched on her counter, Lola stared down at him, an angel from on high.

  Moonlight streamed through the wide windows, gilding her and making her radiant.

  If he could figure out how to bottle her energy, drive and charisma, he could be a millionaire. Lola had always possessed the ability to draw people to her. To make them feel comfortable and safe.

  She’d done that for him since the first day he’d met her. A feat that was unbelievable.

  He’d missed the way she made him feel. He’d missed the reality of the man she’d always seen he could be. With her, Erik had felt strong enough to conquer the world and sure enough to accomplish anything.

  He hadn’t felt that in years, not since he’d walked away from her. Since then, he’d been floundering. No place felt right. Not the way she did.

  Tonight, he not only wanted that back but also wanted to show her just how much he worshipped the woman she’d become.

  Running his hands up the inside of her thighs, Erik pressed until she opened wider for him. The scent of her arousal hit him, heady and perfect. He’d done that to her, made her achy and wet.

  A surge of possessive power shot through him.

  His mouth followed his fingers, nipping and licking the soft skin of her inner thighs.

  “Erik,” she murmured, running her fingers through his hair.

  His fingers played across the lips of her sex. Spreading her open, he relished the slippery evidence that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her.

  His name turned into a moan in the back of her throat when his thumb brushed lightly across her swollen clit. Not enough to relieve the pressure, just enough to inflame the ache.

  And then he
leaned forward to let the tip of his tongue trail lazily from the entrance to her sex up to that needy bundle of nerves. Over and over, he took the same path, savoring the salty taste of her as it filled his mouth. She squirmed and panted, lifted her hips and urged him to give her more, touch her harder. “Dammit, Erik, do something.”

  He chuckled against her skin, letting the vibration of the sound become another source of torture. “Patience, Lo. I am.”

  Her fingers threaded into his hair, gripping hard and trying to force him into action. Even prone at her feet, he wouldn’t give in to her. Not when he was enjoying this so damn much.

  Her entire body was trembling with need. Her lungs heaved because she couldn’t catch her breath. Her pupils were so wide Erik was pretty sure he could see the entire universe in her gaze.

  And that was precisely where he wanted her. For now. Where he wanted her most was wrapped tight in his arms.

  Deciding they’d both had enough, Erik drove two fingers deep inside her at the same time his mouth latched on to her clit and sucked. Lola’s keening cry split the quiet night. Her entire body bucked beneath him and then shattered.

  Deep inside, he felt the rhythmic motion of her muscles, caught up in the throes of the orgasm just like the rest of her. His own erection, rock hard and throbbing with a ceaseless cadence of his blood, jerked as he thought of being buried deep inside her, being milked to his own relief.

  He nearly went off in his pants like he was a damn teenager.

  Erik stayed with her, pulling out every last speck of sensation until Lola collapsed backward onto the wide, island counter. Arm flung over her face, she tried to close her thighs again, but Erik wasn’t having any of that.

  He wanted her just like this, spent, open and thoroughly satisfied.

  Standing up, he stared down at her for several seconds. Her sweat-slicked skin glistened. Her lungs labored to pull in a full breath.

  Eventually she dropped the arm from her face and stared up at him.

  “Hi,” he said.

  Her mouth twisted into a grin that she quickly pulled into a rueful expression. “Wipe that satisfied smirk from your face right now.”

  “I don’t think so. Besides, I’m pretty sure I’m not the one who was just satisfied.”

  “If you’re trying to guilt me into sucking you off, it’s not going to work.”

  Erik felt his expression sober. “You know me better than that, Lola. I enjoyed doing that. I like getting my mouth on you.”

  “It doesn’t hurt that you’re arrogant and like the sound of your name.”

  Her words were harsh, but her fingers threaded through his, pulling him a little closer.

  “Baby, I only like it when you scream it.”

  She harrumphed but didn’t have an immediate smart-mouthed comeback. So Erik used their tangled fingers to pull her upright. He urged her to the end of the counter, walked into the open V of her thighs and boosted her up until she wrapped her legs around his waist.

  The heat of her sex nestled right over the long ridge of his aching erection. One thin layer of well-worn denim was all that separated him from sliding home deep inside her. God, he wanted that more than his next breath.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “Taking you to bed, obviously.”

  “I’m capable of walking there myself.”

  “Maybe, but I’m not ready to take my hands off you.”

  She stiffened in his arms and then relaxed, burying her face into his throat as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

  The soft bursts of her breath tickled his skin, sending goose bumps scattering over his body.

  Out of nowhere, she murmured, “I like sucking you off. Watching your eyes go glassy and blank. The harsh sounds you make in the back of your throat. The taste and feel of you against my tongue.”

  Jesus, was she trying to send him to his knees? “Yeah, baby, I know.”

  She did. Some women didn’t like it at all, but she enjoyed it, at least with him. That kind of enthusiasm was hard to fake. He understood the appeal, the thrill of giving your partner pleasure any way they wanted and enjoyed it.

  “But I’m too tired to do that tonight,” she said.

  “It’s okay.”

  She shook her head, sending her gorgeous cloud of hair dancing. “No, it isn’t. I want to. I’ve been thinking about getting you in my mouth for weeks.”

  She was definitely trying to kill him. “Later. We have plenty of time.”

  The minute the words were out, Erik realized they weren’t true. For the first time since coming home, the thought of leaving again hurt. He had a good life in California. A job he loved and was great at. Coworkers and friends who meant something to him. He should want to go back.

  Yes, Sweetheart held a lot for him, too, but he hadn’t even contemplated the possibility of staying.

  Now...now he really needed to consider it. And not just because of the baby.

  If he and Lola had any chance of picking the pieces back up, didn’t they both deserve that opportunity? She couldn’t come to him, but he could stay.

  Was that the right thing to do?

  Erik had no idea. And he probably shouldn’t be making that kind of decision with Lola’s naked, replete body wrapped around him. Especially considering his dick was still throbbing.

  “Catnap. Let me nap and then I’ll be back in fighting form.”

  Oh, Erik had no doubt. It was a rarity when Lola wasn’t in fighting form, ready to tackle anyone and anything. Her ceaseless drive was one of her best qualities...and most frustrating.

  Reaching her bedroom, Erik pulled back the covers, placed her on the mattress and snuggled the blankets up around her shoulders. He turned to walk away, but she held out her hand.

  “Stay.”

  A million thoughts rushed through his brain. Most important: was this the smart thing to do? Shrugging the second thoughts back for another time, he shed the rest of his own clothes and climbed into bed beside her.

  Already half-asleep, Lola rolled until she was pressed against his side. Her body draped over his. It took her no time to drop the rest of the way to sleep. He could tell the moment she did, her body melting into his.

  Between his unhappy erection and the thoughts spinning through his head, it should have taken him forever to fall asleep. But it didn’t. He was out in minutes, dreaming of the past and his subconscious building a future he was afraid to trust outside sleep.

  9

  THE LAST FEW days had been surreal. When had Lola lost control of her own life? There was a part of her completely pissed about that reality. The rest of her...couldn’t quite work up the energy to care.

  With Erik and Colt colluding together against her, her schedule was a thing of beauty and included mandatory nap periods every afternoon. Lola had to admit—reluctantly—that she appreciated those thirty minutes. By the time her nap rolled around, she was always dragging, but even after just a little catnap, she felt rejuvenated and ready to tackle the rest of her day.

  Although she’d never tell either of them that, it was rather efficient. Left to her own devices, she’d have tried to power through until the point she physically couldn’t handle anymore. And then lose hours instead of thirty minutes.

  But it wasn’t just the naps. The feeling of losing control had crept into other aspects of her life. Her brother had started shopping online for baby furniture. Her brother! Sending her links to sites with cute nursery ideas that would have had her ovaries weeping with envy if they hadn’t already done their job and gotten her pregnant.

  She hadn’t even had her first doctor’s appointment yet—although she was taking prenatal vitamins and had one scheduled—and already her entire life seemed to be shifting focus.

  And while she’d never really t
hought about having a child and how that would change everything, she had to admit she liked it. She’d even plunked down over a grand on a beautiful crib that should arrive in the next three to four weeks.

  A vision of Erik assembling the pieces had invaded her brain, but she’d purposely pushed the thought away. That was a dangerous and pointless road to travel down. He wouldn’t be here when it arrived. They had less than one week before he was supposed to return to California.

  Lola tried not to let the thoughts invade whenever he was close, but it was difficult. The more Erik integrated himself into her life, the harder she knew it would be when he left.

  But even so, she couldn’t find the strength to push him away. She’d adopted the philosophy of dealing with the inevitable when it actually happened. Something she’d no doubt regret when the piper came to collect.

  Crossing the outskirts of the park at the center of town, Lola greeted the cluster of her friends and their spouses and kids. The sun had set a half hour ago, bringing the scorching summer heat down closer to something bearable.

  On the far end of the park, a huge movie screen had been set up for the traditional movie in the park that seemed to be a Southern staple. Tonight they were showing a double feature, a kid favorite about an ice princess and a parent flick about a group of guys driving fast cars.

  Lola didn’t really care what was on the screen. She was simply looking forward to a night out with her friends.

  Behind her, Erik set up their lawn chairs, the same ones he’d refused to let her carry even though they weighed about two pounds. He popped the top on a bottle of water and, without interrupting her conversation with Hope, slipped the bottle into her hand. Lola tossed him a grateful smile as she took a strong pull. The cold liquid felt wonderful on her dry throat.

  Around her, the chaos of her group settled deep beneath her skin. Hope and Gage’s twin girls, three years old now, weaved in and out of the forest of adult legs, yelling to each other in the twin language only the two of them understood. Lexi was crouched on the ground, letting her son, who’d just learned to walk, toddle around even as she craned her neck backward to stay part of a conversation with Willow and Tatum. Dev, Willow’s husband, and Evan pushed absently at their own strollers.