Charmed

by Woods, L. R.

  But, she’s right about that. We probably fought every other day and with our tempers, it was always out of control. “Well, you are a little shit, Wildfire, and you know it. But I do love you and I am sorry for losing control like that. On the bright side, I didn’t get my balls kicked this time, so I should be good to go.” I wink and smile big.

  She laughs out really loud to that. “Good to know. But, I could do it now, if you’d like. You know, for old times’ sake,” she teases.

  “Think I’ll pass if you’re giving me the option.”

  “Then can we stop talking. I’d like to go ahead and get to the only thing we were better at than fighting.” She smiles seductively and it’s an expression I can’t resist.

  I slam my mouth against hers again and this time she separates us. “Come on, Evan, let’s get home.”

  I know she didn’t mean it the way I’m taking it, but I don’t care. I’m finally going home with my Wildfire.

  Chapter 17

  Kimber

  Holy fucking shit on a stick, I have Evan in my car and we are driving to my house to have sex. Lots and lots of sex, if I have anything to say about it. I don’t know exactly how I got here and I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t still have doubts, but my need to feel his touch again is winning out.

  We are holding hands across the console, his thumb slowly moving across mine. We haven’t said a word since we got in the car, but considering the blowout earlier, it’s probably for the best.

  I’m still thinking about our conversation earlier and it’s still not making sense. He loves me, or at least he thinks he does. I know him well enough to see that, but how is that possible? And what was with the “I had a hand in him not coming home” bit. He was never coming home. He didn’t want to.

  All things we will need to address tomorrow. Tonight, we screw! I laugh inside my head at how stupid I’m being.

  “Wildfire, you are wearing me out with those thoughts,” Evan laughs out.

  “Evan Stone, I know I did not say any of that out loud.” I smile back to him.

  “No, you didn’t, but I can see the smoke coming from your ears the wheels are churning so fast.” He squeezes my hand and his usual smirk is replaced by a genuine, eye-reaching smile. I’ve missed that smile.

  We pull up to my little two-bedroom one-bath house. I bought it outright after I sold Mom and Dad’s place. I tried to stay in the house I grew up in, but it was too hard and too empty. The new owners knew us, so they let me come by every now and then right after the funeral. A small part of me kept thinking I’d see one of them walking out the door to greet me and it took me awhile to let that go.

  I grab Evan’s hand again as we meet at the front of the car and pull him towards the red front door. I struggle with the lock, all of the sudden feeling nervous and finding my hands shaking. After about ten seconds, the key finally goes in and I get it unlocked.

  Evan doesn’t waste any time before he pushes me over the threshold and slams the door shut by pushing me up against it. He takes my mouth with his and my hands wrap around his neck, my fingers running up through his hair using my nails to scratch his scalp. He groans and leans harder against me, again letting me feel how excited he is.

  Our kiss is full of a need that only someone who has regained part of their soul could understand. It’s hard and deep and comes from all the pain of living without it. Devouring and savoring every second should it be lost once again.

  He tugs at the button of my jeans, popping them open, and begins pulling down the zipper, all the while thoroughly kissing my mouth. I hold his head to mine, refusing to give up any part of the connection I didn’t know I was missing. I feel his hand come around my breast, squeezing and pinching my hardened nipple through my top. Moaning into his mouth, I reach down and rub my hand up his still-clothed length, earning myself a drawn out groan and a whispered, “Fuck.”

  Evan breaks away and quickly starts pulling my jeans off. I giggle because they are so tight, I’m having to shimmy to help him get them off. On the plus side, my panties are going down right with them so less work really.

  Evan groans in frustration, “Nothing but sweat pants for you from now on.”

  “Fine by me,” I reply.

  Once they are down, I kick them off my foot and into the foyer. Evan raises back up to me and resumes his assault on my mouth, his hand finding my center, feeling how ready I am for him.

  “You’re always so wet for me, Wildfire,” he pants as he moves his mouth to my neck. I feel the heat building as his words wash over me.

  Without warning, he pushes two fingers inside, causing me to cry out at the pleasure it brings. He pumps a few times as I work to get his pants unbuttoned so I can show him the same thrill he has surging through my body. But he is hitting just the right spot and my orgasm comes powerfully before I have a chance to do anything but scream out his name, followed by a litany of curse words. He continues pumping slowly, nipping on my neck, letting me ride out every second of pleasure.

  “Where,” I hear him ask faintly as I come back to earth.

  “Couch behind you,” I barely get out, still breathing hard. He taps the underside of my leg, saying, “Up.” I wrap my legs around his waist and he turns us, heading towards the couch in the living room. He lays me down gently before resting himself between my legs.

  He slows down, kissing me sweetly on the lips, moving his way down my neck and chest, leaving a trail of wet heat. His hand slides up my side, pulling my shirt over my arms and head. I watch Evan’s eyes, so full of love and desire it almost makes me stop to ask how he could be seeing me this way. The way he used to.

  I lose my train of thought when the front clasp of my bra comes undone and Evan leans over, sucking my breast into his mouth, flicking his tongue against me and moaning, sending a rush of pleasure throughout my body. I shiver as he moves over to the other side, continuing the slow torture of sucking and moving his tongue against me, using my body the way he knows I like. I can feel his arousal pressing into me and it’s all too much but not nearly enough.

  “Evan, I need you,” I beg. He kisses me hard and sits back on his knees, pulling at the back of his shirt with one hand and bringing it over his head. When his arms are free he moves back over me, watching my eyes, a grin on his face.

  I lose my breath when I see the tattoo covering his torso. I can feel his eyes boring inside me as I reach up and run my fingers along the flames of red, orange, and yellow. It starts on his left side right above his hip bone, the flames growing in intensity upward until they consume the whole left side of his chest and threaten to take over the right. His breath is fast, causing the flames to appear as if they are alive, consuming his skin.

  And dancing in the middle of the flames right over his heart, are the words, I will wait here for you.

  Tears start forming as I continue to trace the lines with my fingertips. Evan leans into me, kissing my neck, but I push him back up. I don’t understand what this is. My eyes dart between his face and heart, trying to understand what this means.

  How could he leave me and then put something like this on his body? How could he tattoo our words over his heart? I can’t breathe when I catch those bright green eyes, intense with need, but confusion as well.

  “Wildfire, talk to me.”

  He wipes a tear that has fallen, but I can’t speak. I’m going over everything in my mind. Why would he do this? Why would he let me bring him here, only to show me this? What game is he playing with me?

  I push against him again but he doesn’t move. I’m staring back into the green eyes that once held my future and I’m starting to panic. His last stand. Our conversation from earlier. His confusion on how things got messed up. This tattoo.

  But, I was right. I know I was. I had to have been. Right?

  Oh God. Please tell me I didn’t throw away my entire life. Please tell me I didn’t throw away our future.

  “Please, Wildfire. Talk to me,” he begs the same way he did all those
years ago.

  Chapter 18

  Day of Lone Star Festival

  7 years ago

  Evan

  I hear her speaking, but I still can’t believe it. Wildfire told me to meet her this morning instead of last night because of some emergency, but had I known this was what she was planning, I never would have stayed away. Then I would have had more time to figure out what the fuck is happening. I would have had more time to beg her to forgive me for whatever I did. But all I have are these words coming out of her mouth and I’m too insanely shocked and upset to have a rational thought about how to fix it.

  “We need to each be our own person. I got caught up in the fairy tale like usual and when reality finally kicked in; I realized this isn’t what I want. You aren’t what I want. This is the best thing for both of us. You know that,” she states, matter of fact, handing me back her stage pass. I don’t take it.

  “How can you stand there and lie right to my face,” I growl, trying my best not to punch something.

  “It’s not a lie. I…”

  “Stop! Why are you doing this?” I interrupt, my voice getting louder and louder.

  “Evan, we need to head out,” Steve yells from across the room.

  “Go, Evan. Break a leg tonight. Remember your friends when you get rich and famous,” she adds, smiling back to me.

  I’m about to lose my shit in 3, 2, 1. “God fucking dammit!” I scream. The anger and aggression in my voice makes her take a step back. “I’m not your fucking friend,” I continue to yell. “I’m your goddamned Prince Charming. I’m your happily fucking ever after.” My words are only getting louder as I continue to yell, “I’m the man whose heart you are grinding into the ground. And I’m about to be the sucker who believes the words coming out of your mouth unless you tell me what the hell is going on with you right now.” Lowering my voice, I plead, “Please, Wildfire. Talk to me.”

  “Evan, we need to go or we are going to miss our slot,” Steve urges, coming up behind me.

  All my control is lost. “God dammit, Steve! We can leave in a fucking minute! I’m trying to save my life here!” I yell again.

  I see a flicker of something in her face and I’m sure she is about to say this was all a sick joke, but instead, I hear, “Evan, Steve is right. You need to get to the show and live the life you wanted. There’s nothing left to say anyway. I wish you guys all the best and look me up if you ever come back to town.” She smirks. Smirks, like I’m some piece of trash she picked up off the street. But then again, that is what I am, isn’t it.

  I scream so loud I may not be able to sing tonight. I woke up feeling like I had the world in my hands and now I have nothing. Steve is tapping his watch for us to go, seeming smug, while this girl is twisting her knife deeper and deeper. Enough.

  This is fucked up beyond belief, but if I’m not what she wants, then fuck her and all the fucking fairy tales she made me believe in. I should have listened to Grandpa instead of this lying bitch. Fuck having roots. Fuck having a family. Fuck everyone in this fucking place. I don’t need any of it. I have my band and I have my music. Everyone and everything in Mills Point should be left behind.

  I get right up to her and throw back my head, laughing. “Guess you got me all figured out. I wish you all the best too, Kimber. Have fun scrubbing floors and making up stories to get you through this pathetic little life of yours.” I step past her and walk to the door that Steve is holding open.

  But right before I walk out of her life for good, I turn, taking one last look at the girl who played me for all I was worth. “Oh, and Kimber, if I ever do come back to this shitty ass little town, you’ll be the last fucking bitch I’ll look up.”

  I walk into a cool breeze and head to the taxi waiting to take us to the festival. Five hours later I grab a bottle of Jack, and after taking a long pull, I yell, “Fuck you, Mills Point” as loud as I can.

  Alex hands me a joint. “Told you she was a fucking bitch, man.”

  I punch him in the face so hard he knows to stay on the ground, but I don’t dispute him on it. I take a drag, letting the smoke rest in my chest. When I finally let it out, a new Evan has replaced the one who thought he could have it all.

  Kimber

  I stare at the door for at least thirty minutes, not even bothering to hold back the sobs escaping from me. Even though I knew it was coming, it still killed me hearing him say I was pathetic and repeating the words that had him laughing yesterday.

  Yet, that was not how I thought this would go down and something about that whole conversation isn’t sitting right. He should have been relieved. If anything, he shouldn’t have been putting up such a fight. The dread pooling in the pit of my stomach has me replaying everything in my mind I heard last night.

  I was walking down the hall, already upset and out of my mind knowing this would be my last night with Evan for eight months. When I got closer to the door, I heard Steve talking about all the guys staying in California to record and how it would be easier if everyone were in the same location.

  Then Alex said, “Hey, Evan, when are you telling your crazy bitch you aren’t coming home to her?” Evan responded, “I’m not telling her...” Alex cut him off, “You’re not telling her? That’s cold, Fucker. I knew you didn’t believe in all the pathetic fairy tale shit! And everyone thinks I’m the asshole.” Evan started laughing, saying that no one was a bigger asshole than Alex was.

  Evan started talking again, but I turned around and ran out of there as fast as my legs would carry me, only hearing, “But yeah, I’m not going to tell her because…” I spent the rest of the night crying alone in my bed. He tried calling me all night, but I wouldn’t answer. When he showed up at the house banging on the door, Mom took my side and said I had an emergency and wasn’t home. I sent him a text that I’d meet him at The Lucky Charm in the morning to say our goodbyes.

  I only just now realize I didn’t hear Evan actually say he wasn’t coming home. Alex cut him off once and I ran the other time, so I never heard how he was going to finish those two sentences. What if there was an explanation?

  Maybe I’m deluding myself but, I need to talk to Evan. I should have talked to him last night instead of running away and ignoring him. God, I hate that I run whenever things get hard. I need to learn to grow up and stop thinking everything is perfect all the time.

  I haul ass to my car, turn on the ignition, and drive like a bat out of hell to the show, hoping I haven’t missed the set.

  When I finally get there, I send out a silent thank you that Evan didn’t actually take my pass back. I run over to the stage, showing the guard my badge just as the guys are heading on stage.

  I see Steve running in my direction. “Kimber, what are you doing here?” He is frantic, which seems a little off, but I know the guy is stressed so I let it go.

  “I need to talk to Evan. I think I misunderstood a conversation I overheard last night between him and Alex.”

  His face pales, but all of the sudden lights up like a tree at Christmas. “Oh, now it makes sense. I thought I saw someone running down the hall when I was talking to the guys about everyone staying in California. So, what? You decided to beat Evan to the break-up punch? Classic. So why are you here now?”

  Don’t you dare cry, Kimber, I tell myself. “So, you aren’t coming back here after the tour? Evan isn’t coming back?”

  “No. We all agreed that it would be better to move out there since that’s where I’ve set up the album recording. You should probably just go, Kimber. As you said, there’s not much else to say.”

  “No, Steve. I guess there’s not. Thanks for telling me the truth.” He nods as I fight off the water pooling in my eyes.

  “No problem, Kimber. You really are better off, you know. Guys like Evan can’t stay in one place too long. It’s in his blood to keep moving, so it was really only a matter of time anyway.”

  He’s right. I know he’s right. I turn away from him, holding my head up high, not letting anyone see
me cry. I take one last glance towards the stage as I walk away, vowing to never believe in true love again.

  Chapter 19

  Present Day

  Evan

  I search her eyes, trying to figure out what she is thinking. I knew the tattoo would be a shock, but I wasn’t prepared for the tears or the look of complete devastation that has formed on her face. A part of me thought she’d see it and be reminded of how much I love her. I thought it would make her see I am the one for her.

  “Wildfire, please. Talk to me,” I plead again, but her eyes are lost. She’s panicking. I thumb the tears from her cheeks as I search my brain, trying to figure out what I did wrong this time. She wanted this, didn’t she? Wanted me?

  She finally speaks and what she asks has me confused on another level. “Evan, you were going to stay in California, right?”

  Shit, why is she asking me this? She thinks I’m going back to California instead of staying here with her. Someone must have said something to her. Alex. He is behind this, that piece of shit.

  I kiss her unresponsive lips, assuring her, “I have to finish the new album, but you can come out there with me, Wildfire. Or I can come here while the other guys are laying tracks. We can figure something out. I’m not going anywhere unless it’s with you.” I’m stroking her face, still trying to get a read on her.

  “No, I don’t care about that right now. After the first tour, you were staying in California, right?” she asks, and I’m confused again. She knows I wasn’t going to stay in California. We had a long conversation about it, but I answer because I don’t know what else to do.

  “No. You know I was coming home after we finished.” Or, at least, I was until she broke it off with me but I figure, why poke the bear at this point.

  She starts shaking. I pull her up against me so she is sitting in my lap. I see a blanket on the back of the couch and try to wrap it around us but she gets up, putting her shirt back over her. She’s getting that Kimber hate in her eyes again and I feel like we are heading towards a final showdown. Please let me come out alive and balls intact.