Fire & Ice

by Jerri Drennen

  The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.

  She smashed the brush on the canvas and made a big black X, then tossed the paintbrush into a can of turpentine.

  Painting was useless. She wasn’t in the mood.

  Wiping her hands with a rag, she draped the cloth on the easel. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten all day. She headed for the kitchen.

  As she opened the refrigerator the front doorbell rang.

  Who could that be? Kay had a meeting this afternoon. God, what if it was Dean? Or Tracy? Melanie couldn’t deal with either right now.

  Maybe she’d just pretend she wasn’t home.

  The bell rang again. And again seconds later.

  What was she going to do?

  She walked down the hall to the front door and peeked out the curtain.

  Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Knox standing on her porch, looking devastatingly handsome and tempting as sin. Her throat parched while her heart thumped in her chest. What was he doing here? Had he come to arrest her?

  She glanced out the window again, relieved to see no patrol car parked next to his truck. She’d been through this once before, knew the drill.

  Taking a deep calming breath, she opened the door.

  The first thing that hit her senses was the spicy male cologne drifting her way, and her heart rate kicked up a notch. He wore a white cotton shirt and pair of blue trousers tailored perfectly to fit him. How she’d love to see him from the back.

  Melanie sighed.

  “Ms. Sharp.” Knox shifted his stance. He was nervous. Why? What would he have to be anxious about? She was the one being looked at under a microscope. Not him.

  “Mr. Manning.” Melanie found it hard to look him directly in the face. Eye contact would buckle her knees. The man had irises the vibrant color of fresh clover, all lush and green. A girl could get lost in them, find herself doing anything as long as she stared into their depths. They were hypnotic.

  “I need to ask you some questions.” His statement snapped her attention to his face. He looked serious—almost grim. She was in trouble if she was reading him correctly.

  “Come in.” Her voice shook and she was sure he’d heard it.

  She led him to the living room and pointed to a chair adjacent the sofa.

  Once he’d seated himself, Melanie sat. “So, what did you need to know, Mr. Manning?”

  He crossed one leg over the other. The action sent a cold chill coursing through her blood. This was bad. She knew it. He didn’t know where to start.

  “I came across some information I’d like you to clear up.”

  “Okay. What is it?”

  He cleared his throat. “Do you know Dean Grainger?”

  Here it was. Time to tell the whole truth and nothing but.

  “Yes. I lied to you about Dean because I wasn’t proud of what happened.”

  His green-eyed stare intensified. “And what was that?”

  “I dated him for a few months. At the time I had no idea the man was married. When I found out, I ended our relationship. Dean didn’t take it well.”

  He frowned. “Why do you say that?”

  “Because two days ago he told me he was leaving his wife and that he wanted me to run away with him.” She twisted her hands. “I told him to go back to Tracy. That I didn’t love him. He wouldn’t listen. For some reason he thinks we have a future together.”

  Knox brows furrowed further. “So why would he think that?”

  Was he angry with her? Why should he care who she’d dated?

  Angry or not she wasn’t going to allow him to intimidate her. “Dean’s flipped. I have no idea why he thinks we should be together. I told him I didn’t love him. Heck, he lied not only to his wife, but to me. Tracy Grainger thinks I’m pursuing him when he’s the one who won’t let it go.”

  “You must be pretty good in bed to be able to break up a family.”

  Melanie sucked in a ragged breath, stunned by Knox’s remark. Why would he say such a thing?

  “I never slept with Dean. Am I so unappealing that it would have to be a sexual thing for him to want me? I think this conversation is over. I’m going to ask you to leave now, Mr. Manning. If you want to talk to me again, call my attorney.”

  “Look, Melanie—”

  “Don’t call me that. That’s Ms. Sharp to you. I asked you politely to leave, now I’m telling you to.”

  He rose, his gaze locking with hers.

  Seconds ticked by. Electricity crackled in the air.

  Like a jungle cat, he moved toward her, pulled her into his arms, his mouth coming down hard on her mouth.

  The moment his lips touched hers Melanie’s brain went south. Intense heat engulfed her. Without a thought of what would happen her body responded.

  His tongue moved between her lips, forcing her mouth open, and once inside, his tongue was merciless. Tasting her, sucking any coherent thought from her mind. His intimate exploration was like throwing fuel on a dying fire, building hot flames inside her. Her stomach tightened and wet heat coursed between her legs. Nothing mattered except for what this man was doing. An uncontrollable yearning filled her, a mindless, weightless passion. No kiss had ever made her feel like she was floating before. She was afraid of how far she’d allow it to go. Dragging him to her bedroom and closing out the world came to mind. Abruptly, Knox pulled away, his breathing deep and erratic. Without saying a word he turned and walked out the door.

  Melanie stood in the middle of the living room, staring after him, her entire body tingling, wanting him to come back and put out the fire he’d started…though instinctively she knew he wouldn’t.

  Chapter Eight

  Knox sat in his truck outside Melanie’s house, watching the sun fade in the west, still blown away by his reaction to the kiss they'd shared. Talk about a mind-altering experience. He'd never felt anything close to what he had when kissing her. It was crazy. All he’d wanted to do was carry her to the sofa and make love to her. He knew if he did, he’d never be able to mix his crazy feeling for her with an arson investigation. Would have to take himself off the case and the chief might use his actions as a way of canning him from the 901. He wasn’t losing his job. Being a fire investigator had become his life. No way would he allow this wild unexplained thing with Melanie Sharp to cost him his career.

  He started the truck, took one last look at Melanie’s home, and left.

  Before he had said he’d steer clear of her, but now he had to actually do it to stay on track. To stay focused on his work and solve this case. That way he’d never have to hear her name mentioned again. Which was the only means to get her out of his system.

  His cell phone rang. He unclipped it from his belt and flipped it open. “Knox Manning.”

  “Knox, I need you to come over,” Tara said, her voice strained. “You’re not going to believe this. Tony just called. He wants to see the boys.”

  Knox’s anger ignited. The man had some nerve demanding anything from his sister after beating her to within inches of her life. Knox would never forget the sight of her pale bruised face in the hospital. His mother crying at her bedside. His hatred had grown tenfold for Tony that day. He’d promised himself Tara’s husband would suffer by his hand—the way his sister had by Tony’s. If Knox had his way the man would never get to see the boys again. “I’m on my way, Sis. If he shows up before I do, don’t let him in the house.”

  “Okay, hurry, Knox. I’m scared he’ll try and take the boys.”

  “I’ll be there in ten minutes. Go make sure all the doors are locked.”

  “Okay.”

  Knox flipped his phone shut and threw it on the seat, stomping on the accelerator, adrenaline bursting through his bloodstream.

  He was finally going to get his chance to make Tony pay for what he’d done. He’d held it in for close to six months now. He saw the whole thing clearly, his hands on Tony, kicking the shit of him—his face looking worse than his sister’s had
at that animal’s hands.

  Hitting a woman was beyond his comprehension. Tony had been a bully all his life. Had beaten Tara from day one, even going so far as to shove Cody for trying to protect his mother the last go-around. That was when Tony went into hiding. Afraid of Knox’s retaliation and of being arrested. What a wimp. No one had seen him in months. Knox was going to make sure the man ended up to prison for his abuse. Even if Knox had to find him and drag him into the precinct himself. Beating the man, no matter how badly he wanted to, went against everything he knew as right. So picturing the man battered and bruised was all he could do, especially with his own job on the line right now.

  As he pulled into Tara’s driveway he saw an older model car speed away from the curb.

  Was it Tony? Had he seen Knox’s truck coming and thought it wise to hightail it out of there? Sounded like him. Afraid to face a man.

  Scum bag.

  Knox would get his chance and when he did, Tony Ansenee would regret ever laying a finger on his sister. First he had to make sure Tara stayed safe—which meant he’d have to find her another place to live until he got his hands on her soon-to-be ex-husband.

  * * *

  “What’s wrong with you today?” Kay asked, shaking Melanie’s shoulder. “Have you heard a word I said?”

  “Huh?” Melanie stared at her friend, then glanced around at the people frequenting the outside eatery. “What was the question?” She hadn’t been listening. Her mind was elsewhere—on Knox. His kiss still warmed her lips even after a day. A whole agonizing twenty-four hours of feeling the pressure, the fresh exhilarating taste of his tongue tangled with hers. It was becoming unbearable. Her body tingled all over, a sensation that made sleep impossible.

  “I bet I know what you’re thinking about.” Her friend’s eyes danced with interest. “Mr. Manning and his extraordinary abilities with fire. You know, starting an inferno, and trying to put it out.”

  Putting it out. Hah! I wouldn’t know about that.

  Melanie scowled. “These fire references are getting old, Kay. Can’t you come up with something a little more original?”

  “Okay, here’s one you can relate to. Has he stopped by to see your paintings yet?”

  Melanie snorted. “Right. I think he’d rather see me in handcuffs.”

  Adding to the rosy glow Kay now grinned like a Cheshire cat. “I got that impression, too. I saw the glint in his eyes when I mentioned the cuffs the day he caught us snooping around the Grainger’s house. I think he’d be open to the kinky stuff.”

  Melanie shook her head. Her best friend was truly unbelievable. “Do you have sex on the brain?”

  Kay grinned. “Of course. Do you even have to ask?”

  Well, at least she was honest. Didn’t lie about it being an intricate part of her life. Getting down and dirty seemed to be on Melanie’s mind a lot lately, too. Ever since she’d met Knox with his incredibly tempting biceps—arms she so vividly remembered being wrapped in as his tongue drove her wild. But sleeping with him to save her hide wasn’t going to happen. She had her pride if nothing else.

  Heat infused her face. What did she have to do to get this man off her mind? Thank God her showing was in three days. She’d be getting out of town for a while. Get a new perspective on things.

  “Did something happen you’re not telling me?” Kay asked, regaining Melanie’s attention.

  No way was Melanie telling her about the kiss or her feelings for a man who obviously hadn’t liked the encounter they’d shared, what with walking out like he had. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, have you seen Mr. Hottie?”

  “Mr. who?” Melanie’s attempt at sloughing off Kay’s comment went right by her friend.

  “You know who. What happened?” Kay stuck out her bottom lip. “I can see in your eyes that you’re hiding something from me. I’m hurt because I tell you everything.”

  “That’s allergies you’re seeing, Kay. Besides, I don’t ask you to tell me everything. You just do, and sometimes it’s an over-share.”

  “Thanks” The sparkle in Kay’s eyes disappeared. “I’ll remember that you have no interest in my life. I have to get back to work. I’ll get the check on my way out.”

  Her friend rose.

  “Kay, I’m—”

  “Forget it,” she said, cutting Melanie off. “I know you’re under a lot of pressure. I’ll talk to you later.”

  Melanie watched her leave. By the ramrod state of Kay’s back she knew she was upset. She’d gone too far. Kay didn’t show her true feelings often and Melanie knew she’d been hurt by her remark. She wanted to kick herself. Talk about putting your foot in your mouth. Now she was going to have to make it up to her. Yet how? What did Kay want more than anything?

  A plan formulated in Melanie’s head. Kay wanted Paul Nadar. It wouldn’t be easy to get them back together. Paul was angry with Kay for running out on him. Though would he be so furious if he didn’t still love her?

  The only way to find out was to get them alone—to a place where Paul wouldn’t be able to walk away. Maybe some remote cabin with no means for escape until they’d had enough time to work things out. A romantic getaway where they’d fall into one another’s arms and confess their undying love.

  What a perfect picture.

  Another one popped into Melanie's head. The two in the same secluded cabin trying to kill each other.

  The image brought her back to reality. Nothing good would come of her interfering in destiny. Maybe it was best not to meddle in other people’s affairs, especially when her own life was such a disaster.

  If Kay and Paul were meant to be together the forces of nature would intervene—not a friend who said something she shouldn’t have.

  * * *

  Knox swallowed the last bit of apple pie his mother had shoved in front of him and took a drink of coffee to wash it down. He glanced around the room and smiled. So many memories. This was the house he’d grown up in and nothing had changed. The kitchen still had the same ugly wallpaper—a striped pattern that had been popular in the seventies.

  “Well, how was the pie?” Barbara Manning asked, walking in from the utility room with a basket of laundry, her focus on Knox’s empty plate. The woman was like a hawk, with the way she watched him, took in everything around her. She never missed a thing. Something of a hindrance growing up. The woman had spotted lies from miles away. Except when it was one his father told.

  Knox knew what she wanted to hear from him. “Your pie is the best, Mom. You already know that though.”

  “Yes, but I still want to hear you tell me so.”

  Knox laughed. His mom had an ego that had to be stroked on a regular basis. She was an amazing cook, one thing no one would dare dispute. Tara always said that their dad only stuck around because their mother was a whiz in the kitchen. Knox didn’t care one way or the other. Nathan Manning never deserved his wife, much like Tony never deserved his sister. Both men were not marriage material—or decent fathers for that matter.

  “Tara tells me you’ve fallen in love,” his mother said matter-of-factly.

  Knox eyed his mother, stunned by her remark. “What? I knew I shouldn't have had Tara and the kids come stay with you. She’s delusional. I’ve never been in love in my life.”

  “Yes, and that’s so sad, Knox. Don’t you think it's time you thought about settling down and having a family?”

  Knox shook his head. When was his mother ever going to accept that he liked being single—not having to account to anyone? “I don’t want a wife. Or kids. Why can’t you understand that?”

  “Because, sweetheart, I don’t think you know what you want. So who is the woman that your sister thinks you’ve lost your heart to?”

  “Nobody,” he said with firm resolve. “Tara needs to keep a focus on her own troubles. Especially now that Tony’s back lurking around.”

  His mother stared at him, her green-eyed gaze honing in on his with the intensity of a momma grizzly getting ready to s
wat her cub. He might as well tell her about Melanie. She wasn’t falling for the change of subject to Tara and the mess her life was in. “All right. She's a suspect in an arson case I'm working. She's not my type. Not even pretty really. No, that's not true. She's exquisite.”

  Where the hell did that come from? Exquisite. Melanie? What was he thinking?

  Her image materialized before his eyes. Her soft, ivory face surrounded by a halo of red. Intoxicating blue eyes that seemed to pierce his very soul every time he stared into them. Lips he could still feel on his.

  Shit. What the hell was wrong with him?

  “You are in love,” his mother said, dispelling Melanie's features from his mind. “I can see it in your eyes.”

  No way was he going to put the label “love” on what he felt. Okay, he wanted her with the heat of a ten-alarm blaze. But love? No way. He knew better. It was lust. Pure and simple. And aggravating as hell.

  “You read too many romance novels, Mom. What I want from this woman has nothing to do with love. I don't plan to elaborate on the topic either, unless you want to be embarrassed.”

  “Knoxville Boone, why are you so hellbent on never finding love?”

  Knox's anger ignited. “What did love get you? Or Tara? Were you happy with a so-called loving man who never knew what that word meant?”

  The questioning look on his mother's face disappeared and was quickly replaced by something Knox wasn’t sure of. What though? Humor? Did she think his confusion funny?

  “Let's leave my life out of this, Knox. We're talking about you and this woman Tara thinks isn't right for you.”

  “Tara doesn't even know Melanie,” Knox shot back without thinking.

  His mother’s slightly lined face lit up. “Awful protective of a woman you care nothing about. Why is that?”

  Knox opened his mouth to reply. Nothing came out.

  Why had he jumped to Melanie's defense? Why did he care how Tara or his mother perceived a woman he hardly knew? The whole thing made no sense. No way was it love, though. He hadn't known Melanie long enough to feel anything close to that. True, something was there—something strange that kept her on his mind and caused his penis to respond to the slightest stimuli. A feeling he knew now he wasn't going to get over until he was firmly planted between Melanie’s thighs, her screaming his name in orgasm.