SuddenHeat

by Denise A. Agnew

  Sudden Heat

  Denise A. Agnew

  Book one in the Love Under Fire series.

  Where do you yearn to be in the face of danger? In the arms of a man bound to serve, to protect and to love…

  Librarian Melanie Falconer knows too well the horrors of war. Military men, as far as she’s concerned, are off the marriage menu. As maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding, she makes a mall run and lands straight into the arms of seriously hot marine Matt Frasier, the best man.

  Matt has seen too much violence, and his heavy attraction to Melanie promises to soothe his soul and set his body on fire. But when gunfire erupts, the game is on, and Melanie and Matt fight for their lives—and the heat exploding between them.

  Inside Scoop: The couples in the Love Under Fire series find love through the crucible of a mall shooting event.

  A Romantica® erotic romantic suspense from Ellora’s Cave

  Sudden Heat

  Denise A. Agnew

  Dedication

  To my own military hero, my husband Terry.

  Chapter One

  Constitution, Arizona

  Constitution Mall

  Juggling two large shopping bags, soon-to-be maid of honor Melanie Falconer stepped out of the lingerie shop and slammed into a hard body.

  It was late Tuesday and the mall would close in less than an hour. She couldn’t afford one more delay in her busy life. Especially when the totally ripped body belonged to best man Matt Frasier. She registered Matt’s surprised face a half second before momentum won and their bodies collided.

  “Oof!” Her breath rushed out and her packages went flying in all directions.

  Strong hands gripped her waist and prevented her from landing on her butt. She faced an intense stare that reminded her of sky fading into night. No, his eyes did more than look into her soul and bring forth her secrets. They caressed her, wrapped her in instant warmth that enveloped her body with breath-stealing attention. Every time the tall, muscular marine walked into a room and she was there, Melanie’s breath halted and her pulse skittered.

  Ridiculously aware of him, she wanted to run from the crazy attraction that stole her self-control. And she needed all the self-control she could get.

  This last week didn’t bode well for that.

  Work at the library had ramped up with the introduction of a new computer system, her boss had come down with the flu and Thanksgiving week always gave Melanie that sinking feeling. When her best friends and fellow bridesmaids Kathleen McSwain and Lena Williams had decided the wedding party should buy a group present for the groom Patrick and the bride Danelle, Melanie went into overdrive. What to get the couple who seemed to have everything? It was Melanie’s idea, initially, to have a large frame engraved as an additional present, and the others had been thrilled. Patrick and Danelle had established their own business in Constitution and they’d moved in together two years ago. With a well-appointed house, they didn’t need many things a couple would normally ask for on a gift registry. Melanie wanted to give her friend something special for her wedding. The biggest strategic problem had been figuring out how to get the entire wedding party to the engraver’s so that she could record everyone’s personal signature for the engraving. They’d also tentatively planned dinner together afterward. The engraver had told her he wouldn’t have time to see them until about five fifteen today.

  She’d agreed to the idea with relief. With everyone there at once there wasn’t much chance she’d have to spend any time alone with Matt Frasier.

  Yeah. Right.

  “Hey Melanie.” Usually his eyes looked somewhat stoic but now they had softened by a degree. “Sorry. You all right?”

  “I’m fine.”

  They bent at the same time to grab her purchases. Heat filled her face as he gathered a red lacy demi-cut push-up bra in his big hand. A thirty-four C-cup. His gaze lingered on the bra and she imagined his big hand caressing the bra while it was on her. Heat shot through her.

  She snatched the bra from him and stuffed it back in the small bag. “Thanks.”

  His assessing gaze said volumes. Straitlaced librarian Melanie Falconer wore screaming red underwear? Say it isn’t so.

  “Are the other ladies in the shop too?” he asked as they stood.

  “Heading that way.”

  He gestured back toward the tuxedo shop. “Jake and Rick are still having last-minute measurements on the tuxedos. Rick was late getting here. He’s chronically late to everything. I decided to head over to the engraver’s.”

  “We’re all late tonight. Kathleen and Lena got caught in traffic. We split up to get things done.”

  As he handed her one of the bags, his fingers brushed against hers. A tiny shock went through her body and coiled in her stomach. A hot, undeniably sexual spark that refused to be extinguished.

  His hands fascinated her—which was strange considering she’d never given a man’s hands much thought. They felt and looked so strong, so purposeful.

  She almost winced, not because of pain but because Matt Frasier turned her on. His brand of masculinity seemed to have found her brand of femininity and called to all the primitive channels inside her. Oh yes. It wasn’t only his body that floated her boat. Since she’d met him at the party, he’d impressed her with what he’d said, his opinions and an inherent sense of the honorable.

  And she wondered too much. She wondered how he’d make love, if the sensuality he seemed to have in spades would bring her to a mind-stealing orgasm. Orgasm. Yeah, well, she hadn’t experienced one of those in a while. Heat filled her face, her entire body. God, she needed to forget these raging hormones. Matt would leave town soon and that would be it. Finis. Done. And there was no way in hell she’d get involved with a marine who’d experienced what he’d no doubt experienced recently in Afghanistan. No way.

  His gaze danced across her face, down her body. She’d worn casual attire of jeans, sweater and boots. Boots for the snow threatening outside. Still, his look devoured and said the attraction she felt wasn’t exactly one-sided. A slow burn awakened tingling senses, demanding action to extinguish the flame. She’d thought she had seen him checking her out before but she’d dismissed it as imagination. She cleared her throat.

  He cracked a grin and it brightened his stern face into soul-stirring handsome. Matt rarely smiled, at least he hadn’t last Friday night when she’d met him at Danelle and Patrick’s house for a pre-wedding bash given by Danelle’s parents.

  “Patrick is across town and up to his butt in last-minute things Danelle wants him to do for the wedding.” A twinkle in his eyes added to the teasing in his voice. “My brothers told him to get used to the ole ball and chain.”

  She laughed softly. “When she called me a little while ago she sounded stressed out.” She shook her head. “Weddings are a pain in the butt.”

  His eyebrows winged up. “Seriously?”

  It was her turn to be taken aback. “You don’t think so? You’re a guy.”

  Amusement brightened his eyes and the whisky and velvet in his deep voice tugged on her primal needs. “First time you noticed?”

  Taken off guard by his teasing, she said, “First time—no. Of course not.”

  Was he kidding her? Beautiful dark eyes, a day’s worth of stubble on his jaw and his black hair trimmed in a sharp military cut weren’t the only things that made this marine hot. Damn but he was fine. More than fine. Utter hardness and self-assurance marked his face, a countenance too strong featured to resemble anything but tough guy. His nose a tad too large, his eyes ringed by thick lashes that increased their laser intensity threefold. And his body. Taut and honed by military precision. How could any woman ignore broad shoulders covered by an old brown leather bomber jacket and blue sweater? She’d se
en him the first time wearing one of those sweaters that couldn’t hide unmistakable strength as biceps and forearms flexed. Jeans curved around a tight backside and outlined steel-hard thighs. She stood five feet six inches tall and Matt was at least six two. Any woman with one ounce of red blood would take a second look at him.

  When Patrick had shown them all photographs of the Frasier brothers, her jaw had about hit the floor.

  Jake and Rick Frasier were disgustingly masculine too, and if her hormones hadn’t homed in on Matt, she probably would’ve found them more intriguing. Her friend Kathleen had grown up here and knew the brothers from school. Kathleen and Jake avoided each other way too strenuously, and the glances they threw at each other made Mel wonder about their previous relationship.

  Well, in the end it didn’t matter. They all had jobs to return to. The Frasier brothers were only in town for Thanksgiving and the wedding this Saturday. After that they went back to war. Well, at least Jake was headed back to the Middle East. Matt had recently finished a tour in Afghanistan and Rick was in the coast guard and would return to Alaska.

  He cocked his head to the side. “You don’t like weddings?”

  “Hate ‘em.” Curiosity deepened in his eyes but she cut him off at the pass. “Don’t get me wrong. I think Danelle and Patrick are made for each other. I just don’t like the whole stress-out beforehand and the expense.”

  He crossed his arms. “You’d rather elope?”

  She smiled. “Now you’re talking.”

  Curiosity entered his eyes. “You been married before?”

  She almost choked on a sound of disbelief. “Me? No.”

  “You make it sound like a disease you haven’t caught.”

  Did she? What the hell did she say to that?

  He laughed and the soft rumble strummed her strings and sent swirls of heat around in her belly. She wanted to squirm, more than a little annoyed that she did this every time she saw him. What was it all about? It wasn’t like she hadn’t desired a man before but this man, oh baby…

  She glanced at her watch. “We need to get to the engraver’s.”

  Matt nodded and consulted his own watch. “You’re right.” His eyes narrowed and he took one step closer. “Look, with all the craziness going on I’m glad I ran into you. I wanted to ask you—”

  A series of staccato popping noises interrupted. Two. Three popping noises. Loud enough to startle.

  She jerked in surprise. Saw awareness pour into his eyes followed instantly by grim acknowledgement and understanding.

  She thought she knew what those sounds were. “Matt, what—”

  “Gunfire.” Eyes hard, he reacted.

  She glanced around as every muscle in her body went on high alert.

  He stepped closer, gaze scanning the area rapidly. His words were as rapid as the gunshots. “We need the nearest exit.”

  “There’s a set of bathrooms.” She pointed east. “Two stores down. I think there’s an exit there.”

  “That’s the direction of the gunshots. We can’t wander around here in plain sight.”

  Female screams echoed.

  Two more bangs. These closer and coming from the east side of the mall.

  “Move.” He clasped her biceps and ran toward the lingerie store. “There’s no time.”

  In the rush she dropped her shopping again but at least she had her crossover body bag secure over her chest. They barreled into the store. She expected to see the two employees who’d manned the counter but the shop looked empty.

  Zigzagging around racks of bras and panties, Matt urged her along. “There’s got to be a back door.”

  Harsh and urgent, his voice compelled her to hurry as much as his grip on her arm.

  Pop. Pop. Pop.

  More screams.

  Her heart slammed in her chest. She was hot, her pulse tripping double time, fear screaming through her veins.

  They rushed past dressing rooms, dodged boxes and passed a small employee lounge. Melanie hit the exit door almost at a run, slamming against it when the bar gave then resisted with a clanging shriek.

  Matt shoved on the door as well. “Damn it. Come on.”

  He grabbed her arm again. “There’s a bathroom here.” Matt opened the unisex bathroom door and pushed her inside. “Stay here and call 9-1-1. I’ll check the front and be back. Turn off the light and lock the door.”

  As he started to pull the door closed, she whispered frantically, “Matt, be careful.”

  He left without a word. She locked the door. She turned. Jolted as her face stared back at her from the single mirror above the sink.

  Ridiculous thoughts jammed up in her head. Her ash hair tumbled around her shoulders—she’d decided to grow it out from a bob. Her blue eyes were too wide, too filled with doubt and uncertainty, with fear. She took a deep, shuddering breath. Now wasn’t the time to freak. She needed her legendary self-control if she wanted to survive this. Whatever this was.

  After flipping off the light, she felt her way along the wall and sank down in the corner away from the door. She fumbled with her purse, found her cell phone and dialed. As soon as the 9-1-1 operator came on the line Melanie relayed the situation as best she could. Her throat was so tight it ached and she stuttered as her dry mouth barely managed the words. The operator explained that others had called in too. She heard a beeping noise and realized her phone was dying. She’d planned on plugging the phone into the car recharger when she left the store. As the phone gave one more bleep and died, she cursed softly. She stuffed the cell back into her purse.

  Thoughts scattered through her mind at what seemed like a hundred miles an hour. Where had the lingerie shop employees disappeared to and why the hell was the exit door locked? Melanie’s breathing rasped in her ears, the silence in the pitch-black bathroom like a live entity sharing space and threatening to smother her. Chaotic thoughts careened through her head.

  Where were Kathleen and Lena? Had they been hurt? Killed? Her blood ran cold, dread curling in her stomach. No. Please, no. She shivered and rubbed her arms. The floor was cold, seeping through her jeans. She’d left her short winter jacket in the car, not wanting to carry it around and certain her sweater would keep her comfortable.

  Who was shooting and why? Terrorists? Right now she didn’t care. In one of those wild and irrational thoughts people experience when shit has just hit the fan, she made a vow to do something if she escaped the situation alive.

  She was going to kiss Matt once. Just once to get it out of her system and see if all that pent-up hard-ass marine energy lived up to her imagination.

  A soft knock against the door made her freeze. Her heart almost stopped.

  “It’s Matt.”

  Relief made her legs weak but she shoved to her feet and hurried to the door. She flipped on the light and unlocked the door with shaky fingers. He rushed inside holding some sort of three-foot metal pole then locked the door and turned the light off again. He clasped her shoulders, pressed her back into the corner and shielded her body with his.

  He pressed his lips close to her ear and whispered, “At least one guy is casing the mall. He’s got an automatic rifle. He’s coming this way and going store to store. I tried to pull down the storefront gate but it’s locked open. We need to stay in here and keep quiet.”

  Shaking, her heart practically bounding out of her chest, Melanie realized she’d never felt so scared. She clasped his waist then his strong back as one of his arms came around her. His heat and hardness gave security but she couldn’t deny that she’d gone from happy-go-lucky this afternoon to utterly terrified.

  The sound of gunfire echoed outside, sounding faint but growing in intensity. She jerked, startled. Matt’s arm tightened around her. For what seemed an eternity they stood there, hardly breathing. A silent prayer ran through her head.

  Oh God. Please let this be over soon.

  More gunfire. Closer. She tensed in Matt’s arms. His pressed her head to his shoulder, hand tangled in the hair a
t the back of her neck. Shivers suddenly racked her frame. So much for cool control. She’d lost the edge, lost her ability to stand firm and strong. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time had a whole new meaning.

  Quiet hovered like a beast, waiting. Silent and deadly and ready to pounce. Matt held her tightly and she stayed tense. She barely breathed.

  A huge thud hit the door. Cursing rent the air from outside, a man’s angry and incoherent shouting.

  Then the man shouted. “Fuckin’ whores! Where the fuck are you?”

  Melanie tensed, holding back a cry of alarm. Matt’s arms loosened and released her.

  No. Please.

  He turned full toward the door and stood in front of her. She pressed herself farther into the corner. They waited. Waited for an eternity.

  Chapter Two

  The sound of footsteps shuffled, faded away. Matt didn’t move and neither did Melanie. She gulped, ridiculously afraid the killer could hear the sound.

  A few minutes later they heard more gunshots but these were far away. The killer had retreated from the store. She let out a hard breath just as Matt turned toward her. She heard him lean the metal pole against the wall. She reached for him and he tugged her tight against him. She flung her arms around his neck. They remained that way, finding comfort from closeness. She lost track of time.

  “It’s going to be all right.” His voice whispered against her ear, reassuring and strong.

  “I know,” she managed to say in a shaky voice. She kept her voice to a mere whisper. “How long do you think we should stay in here?”

  “We have to wait it out until the cops take him down,” Matt said into her ear. “I’m sorry I didn’t see another quick way out of here.” Matt’s arms tightened around her. “It’s all right. We’re safe here for now.”

  Fear started to ease under his attention. God, how did he do it? How did he keep that creeping sense of disaster at bay? She accepted the warmth and comfort his embrace offered. As her hands slipped down his shoulders she drew in a deep breath. Something about him calmed her.