Flash Point: Holding Out for a Hero, Book 3

by Shelli Stevens

  Jeez, what the hell had he been thinking? It was freezing out here. His dick was shriveling with every passing second.

  The front door swung open before Todd could even knock.

  “Get your ass inside, cuz. You’re late.” Ryan grinned, decked out in a cowboy costume, as he handed him a beer, and slapped him on the back. “And you’ll never guess who’s here.”

  Todd’s grip tightened on the bottle as he stepped into the house, glancing around, hoping he’d see Kate. But he didn’t see anything but lots of creative, sexy, crazy costumes and people dancing and drinking.

  And then Trevor and Megan stepped in front of him.

  “Trev!” He grinned and pulled his brother in for a quick hug, slapping him on the back. “How the hell are you? Did you drive all the way down here tonight?”

  “Yeah, Megan wanted to come. Misses her girls.” He grinned at his new wife. “Hell, I miss you guys too. Plus I’m getting deployed again in a few months. Thought I should squeeze in as much family time as possible.”

  “Damn, bro, you ever stay home?”

  “Take it up with Uncle Sam,” Megan teased and squeezed her husband’s arm. “Though, really, I’m so proud of you and everything you do, baby. You are an American hero.”

  Trevor glanced down and they shared an intimate exchange that Todd was almost uncomfortable watching. Clearing his throat he drawled, “So, what? You guys didn’t have time to change into a costume? Come straight from work?”

  “What are you talking about?” Megan arched a red brow and gestured to Trevor’s uniform. “He came as an Army captain, and I’m an uptight lawyer slash trophy wife.”

  Todd laughed and shook his head. “You guys are too damn perfect for each other. I’m going to go do a round. I’m glad as hell you both drove down tonight.”

  He turned away, mixing into the crowd and greeting familiar faces. Women approached and he’d talk to them for a minute before looking for an excuse to slip away again.

  A commotion started near the doorway. Some hooting and hollering from the men, as the female whispers started rampant.

  Todd glanced toward the foyer, mildly curious at who the newcomer was to be causing such a commotion. When the crowd parted, the first thing he saw was a blur of red. Then milky white tits nearly popping out of the white blouse of the chick’s costume.

  Todd’s dick stirred, waking up for the first time in days. Finally. He latched onto the realization. Almost desperate to prove to himself he could still want another woman besides Kate.

  He lifted his beer and took a long drink, never taking his eyes off of the woman who seemed to be drawing the men in like a magnet.

  It looked like Little Red Riding Hood was searching for trouble, and damned if he wasn’t about to become the wolf to give it to her. This was exactly what he needed after a week of no sex. Of falling asleep with his dick in his hand and an image of Kate in his head.

  Hell yeah. He was back in the game. A combination of arousal and relief surged through him. He shifted into auto mode, straightening to his full height and drawing in a deep breath that had his chest expanding. He slipped a languid smile on his face that generally made the female population melt and made his approach.

  Red had her back to him when he finally sidled up next to her. Which gave him a moment to take in the lush curve of her hips and bottom.

  He started at her stiletto-covered feet, lingering on shapely legs wrapped in black fishnet stockings. Damn, those were going to feel nice wrapped around his waist.

  Then there was the red flared skirt, barely covering her ass. Above that, a waist that looked almost tiny compared the rest of her curves was cinched with a thick black belt that laced up the middle with white strings.

  Her breasts were fucking amazing, nearly spilling over the gauzy white low-cut top. Creamy and smooth, one little tug on the fabric would have her popping free.

  A red cape covered her hair and shoulders, and though she was turned to the side, he could see one long blonde curl curving over her collarbone.

  All he needed was a dark corner, a few minutes, and soon she’d be Little Red Getting Ridden Hood.

  Drawing in a slow breath, he took another step, until he was right behind her. He slid a hand over a lush, round hip and lowered his mouth to just above her ear.

  “Hey, Red,” he murmured quietly enough for only her to hear. “You come here tonight to play with the big bad wolf? Because I might be able to accommodate.”

  The woman froze, tension radiating through her body in waves, and he swore she stopped breathing. And then in an instant it was gone. The tension, the silence, as she gave a husky laugh and leaned back into him.

  “That’s some mouth you have on you,” she said throatily.

  “The better to eat you with.” He smiled against her ear and slid his hand over her hips to cover her soft stomach. His dick hardened further as she pressed back against him.

  A tremble rocked through her body, before she turned to look him over. “Funny, but for a self-proclaimed wolf, you look like you belong in the jungle, not the forest.”

  “Jesus Christ.”

  Chapter Six

  Todd jerked his hand away from her, stumbling backward as a roaring sounded in his ears. Kate. Fuck, it was Kate.

  “What’s wrong?” she teased, red, painted mouth curving into a wide smile. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  “What the hell is going on?” he muttered. “Ka—”

  “Actually you had it right the first time. Just call me Red.” She ran her tongue over her bottom lip.

  For a moment, he might’ve convinced himself it wasn’t Kate. That it was just someone who looked a helluva lot like her. But then he saw the quick flash of nerves in her eyes, before she was again poised and confident.

  Oh, it was Kate all right. But just what in the hell was she trying to pull off?

  He bit back a growl and glanced around the room, curious to see if they had an audience. Sure enough, Ellie stood in the corner, watching them intently. But she spun away the moment she noticed him watching her, looking a little too innocent as she took a swig of her beer.

  She was in on it. Whatever it was. But whatever game they were playing, he wanted no part of it.

  Or maybe he did, which was going to be a big fucking problem.

  “Outside,” he rasped, grabbing Kate’s elbow. “Now.”

  She struggled to keep up with him in her heels, but murmured a coy, “You sure don’t waste any time, do you, jungle man?”

  Todd cursed under his breath as he maneuvered them through the throng of people and outside the front door. He kept them moving until they were buried in the shadows of the front yard and then came to a halt.

  Kate stumbled into him. It was cold as hell this time of year, but he didn’t feel it. Not with Kate’s lush, inferno of a body smashed against his bare chest.

  “What the hell are you up to, Kate,” he demanded harshly, meaning to push her aside. But the moment his hands closed around her bare shoulders beneath the red cape, his fingers curled around the satiny flesh instead.

  “Call me Red,” she said firmly.

  “Why the hell do you want me to call you Red?” he muttered, his ability to think draining by the second as she rubbed herself against him.

  Like a fucking cat in heat. Jesus, he needed to get out of here. And quick.

  “Because you don’t look at Kate this way,” she said breathlessly. “And because you’ll feel a lot less guilty if you’re fucking Red tonight, won’t you?”

  Lust detonated inside him. Todd’s cock pressed hard beneath his black briefs, raising the leopard-print loincloth that barely covered him. He slid his fingers over her collarbone and watched the way her breasts rose against the thin white shirt.

  “You’re in way over your head,” he warned darkly, knowing he should leave, but completely ensnarled in her kinky little game.

  This wasn’t the Kate he knew, this was some sex kitten who’d possessed the sweet
little bakery owner. The Kate he knew would’ve shown up in a clown costume or something equally nonsexual. Not this slutty little outfit that had him imagining the dirtiest, most vulgar thoughts of what he wanted to do to her. What he would do to her if she didn’t come to her senses and run.

  “Walk away, little Red,” he muttered. “Now.”

  “The only place I’m walking is to your truck, jungle man,” she whispered and slid her hands over his chest, her nails dragging against his muscles. “All you have to do is say the word.”

  His pecs tightened in response and he choked on a groan. In one smooth move he spun her around, looped his arm around her waist and jerked her hard against him. He tugged her hood down, burying his face against her blonde hair and grinding his rock-hard cock against her ass.

  “If we do this, there’s no going back.”

  Kate’s head fell back against his shoulder and she let out a purr of pleasure. “That’s okay…I’m only thinking about going forward right now. Hmm. And maybe down.”

  “Is that right?” He gave up trying to do the right thing and slid his hand up to cover her breast through the thin top, her gasp of pleasure spurring him on.

  He kneaded the softness, before tugging the white fabric down and baring her breast to the night air. Jesus. She wasn’t wearing a bra.

  She whimpered when he caught one tight nipple between his fingers and pulled on it.

  “What is it?” he demanded, nuzzling her ear, angry with her and angry with himself for not being able to walk away. “Is it the fireman thing? Does that turn you on? Or do you just want to join the list of women who can claim they’ve fucked me? See what all the fuss is about?”

  She stiffened against him, her fingers closing over his hand that cupped her breast. He thought he’d finally done it, shocked her back into her senses with his crude words. But then she dragged his hand away from her breast, down her stomach and beneath her tiny skirt.

  “Does it matter why?” she whispered, pressing his hand between her legs. “I just want you, Todd.”

  An odd combination of frustration and triumph surged through him. Beneath the thin fishnets and satiny panties, he could feel just how hot she was. Damp. Getting to her pussy was like an obstacle course, but he maneuvered a finger through the barriers until he found the humid flesh of her sex.

  He sank a finger shallowly into her channel and groaned at how wet she was. How tightly her flesh gripped him.

  Kate was a damn fool to initiate such a high-stakes game with him. He wasn’t the good guy she thought him to be, and he’d prove it by not walking away tonight like he should—like she probably expected him to. Instead sweet and bubbly Kate—or Red—was going to get fucked until her eyes crossed.

  “Last chance to come to your senses, Red,” he said, nibbling the soft shell of her ear, while sliding his finger up to rub her hard little clit. “You can walk away now, or you can climb into my truck and know exactly what you’re getting into.”

  She didn’t even hesitate, just clenched her thighs around his hand and gasped, “Your truck.”

  Todd closed his eyes and let the air seethe out from between his teeth. He was officially toast.

  He pulled her blouse back up over her breasts, while stroking her clit once more. Finally, he slid his finger out of her sweet pussy and let her skirt fall back into place, but not before he gave her soft round ass a quick squeeze.

  “Then go and wait for me,” he said gruffly. “I need to run back inside and grab my keys.”

  She gave a shaky nod and didn’t look at him, just stumbled off in those amazing come-fuck-me heels and then climbed into his truck.

  Todd finally jerked his gaze away and headed toward the house, his jaw flexing. Everyone inside would know what was about to happen if they’d seen him and Kate go outside. But fuck it, he didn’t care right now. Couldn’t begin to care. All that mattered was Kate.

  He’d just grabbed his keys, thinking he might be getting off easy, when Ellie intercepted him at the door.

  “You take her back to your place,” she warned, eyes blazing with warning. “And you remember who you’re with tonight. She’s not like one of your normal girls, Todd.”

  “Ellie—”

  “And don’t worry, Tyson will never know we had this conversation.”

  Todd bit back the urge to snarl a curse at the confirmation that Ellie had been involved with this little seduction plan of Kate’s.

  “I’ll take her home,” he replied darkly and shook his head. “Just remember you helped set this in motion.”

  He saw the wariness in her eyes, maybe regret, before he turned and walked away. He left Ryan’s house, relieved that neither of his brothers had spotted him.

  Ellie’s reminder might’ve been grating, but it was needed. He’d been damn close to driving a few miles down the road and fucking Kate in the back of his truck.

  But he needed to slow things down, because she was Kate, and no matter how much of a fantasy she was trying to present tonight, he damn well needed to remember exactly whom he was going to wake up next to.

  Which led to one big glaring question that he wasn’t about to analyze.

  Just how much he was going to regret this in the morning?

  Chapter Seven

  Oh God, it had actually worked.

  Kate’s heart raced a mile a minute as she sat in the darkened truck. Her body tingled with arousal and need, even as her nerves got so bad she thought she might get sick.

  She’d done exactly as Ellie instructed. Be flirty. Be confident. Channel your inner Marilyn. Stay in character so he doesn’t think of you as Kate, and he won’t be able to say no.

  And somehow, she’d pulled it off. Getting into the character of a sex bomb had been surprisingly easy. Maybe it was the costume, or maybe it was the power she’d realized she had. Not over just Todd, but over many of the men in Ryan’s house.

  She’d walked in and men had paid attention. It had been exhilarating, shocking. When an arm had slipped around her from behind and a naughty suggestion whispered in her ear, she’d known immediately who the Casanova was. And it had left her breathless.

  Any minute Todd would arrive back in the truck and…what? Would he drive off to some dark, deserted road and take her? Sex in a truck couldn’t be that bad. And obviously she wouldn’t be the first girl to “lose it” in a vehicle. Teenagers probably did it every day. Heck, at this rate, waiting much longer sounded like the real pain.

  Her body was on fire, ready for Todd’s touch again. She closed her eyes. Oh God, when he’d slipped a finger inside her… A tremble rocked her body and she sighed.

  Opening her eyes again, she saw Todd step out of the house and jog toward the car. The porch light briefly illuminated his body and everything inside her melted a bit.

  He should’ve looked ridiculous in his barely there Tarzan costume, but it just highlighted every glorious part of him. His broad shoulders, defined chest and abdomen, tapered hips and muscled legs.

  The driver’s side door swung open and Todd slid inside. She took in his profile, his dark hair and chiseled face. The trademark lazy smile on his mouth was uncommonly absent, replaced by lips that were pressed into a tight line. And his brows were drawn together in a way that indicated he was thinking hard. Maybe too hard. Then the door closed and they were cocooned in the dark again.

  Unease had her gut clenching and she bit her lower lip nervously. Oh, God, was he going to back out?

  Channel your Marilyn. Channel your Marilyn, damn it!

  She slid a hand over to his lap, dangerously close to the erection he couldn’t hide beneath his costume. Her fingers shook, but she hoped he didn’t notice.

  “I missed you, jungle man,” she said huskily.

  He didn’t reply or make any kind of move to start the truck. Her throat tightened and her heart slammed around in her chest. Doubt rocked through her and she started to pull her hand away.

  Todd grabbed her wrist, stopping her retreat. He tugged her toward
him and lifted her arm toward his mouth, then his lips brushed against the pulse on the inside of her wrist, sending another tremble rocking through her body.

  “You can still change your mind,” he offered.

  “No. I really can’t, Todd.” Her voice wobbled, sounding a lot less Marilyn and whole lot more Kate.

  He sat there for a moment longer and then made a small groan. A moment later he started the truck and put it in drive.

  Kate gasped, fumbling for her seatbelt as he pulled away from the curb and sped down the street at breakneck speeds.

  Where were they going? He never slowed down, just drove them straight back toward Wyattsville. Though she was beginning to get an idea of his intentions.

  Her suspicion of their final destination was confirmed when Todd pulled up in front of his house fifteen minutes later. He climbed out of the truck and had her door open before she could think to move.

  Instead of grabbing her hand to help her down, he slid an arm around her waist and pulled her from the seat. Her body slid, all delicious friction, against his before her heeled feet hit the paved driveway.

  She teetered to catch her balance, but his arm still held her, kept her from falling. And then his mouth crashed down on hers and her balance went wonky for other reasons.

  Kate clutched his shoulders and moaned, parting her lips to his fierce kiss. The smell of his familiar, spicy cologne filled her senses. His tongue explored every inch of her mouth, his hands roving over her body. It was deliberate. A man staking his claim. Every female instinct inside of her could sense it.

  Heat and sensation sizzled through her as the ache between her legs grew more intense. Her head spun and she could barely think. She needed so much more. More than hands touching her through clothes. She wanted all of him. Touching her, sucking on her, inside of her… Oh dear god.

  She jerked her mouth from his with a gasp. “Please, Todd.”

  He gave a low growl and hurried them inside the house. He pushed the door closed and turned to face her, the expression on his face almost predatory.

  Kate caught her breath as he plucked the red bow tied around her neck that held her cape on. The red fabric slid free a moment later and pooled onto the floor.