Fire & Desire (Hero Series)

by Monique Lamont

  Trevor watched as Tiffany cast her eyes downward, shielding them from his view. Her body was relaxed in his arms, and he couldn’t determine what was going on inside of her, or how she would respond.

  Tiffany clutched the sheet to her breasts as she sat up with her knees drawn to her chest.

  “I can’t deny what I feel for you, Trevor. But I’m going to need some time. I’m not sure if I’m ready to announce our marriage to the world.”

  Sitting up behind her, he pulled her into the circle of his arms until she relaxed and leaned back against him. “Tiffany, we’re going to do this one small step at a time. Let’s decide to spend some time together and get to know one another better, then when the moment is right, we can make the choice on how to present it. So take all the time you need. Just try not to make it too long.”

  Turning her medium brown eyes toward him, she said, “I’ll try not to. I do care for you also, Trevor. As hard as I tried to fight it…I couldn’t. But I had a lot of decisions to make—even before last night happened.”

  “Believe it or not, I do understand. My life is not as uncomplicated as it may seem.”

  Trevor saw the glimmer of curiosity flicker in Tiffany’s eyes, but before she could begin to question him, he said, “Well, beautiful, I need to go. I have a million and one things to handle today.”

  He placed a kiss on her temple, got up from the bed and pulled on his clothes.

  “You wouldn’t happen to have an extra toothbrush would you?” Trevor asked her after pulling his shirt over his head.

  ~ML~

  At the front door, Tiffany initiated their parting kiss, and then watched Trevor walk across the street to his car. She laughed at the evidence of how troubled her mind must have been last night that she didn’t notice Trevor’s car parked across the street.

  Waving good-bye as he drove away, Tiffany made a mental note to call her doctor today for a prescription for birth control pills. If she and Trevor were going to be in a physical relationship, she had to protect herself. The fewer complications in this relationship, the better.

  While she strolled onto the front lawn to retrieve the morning paper, she gave Trevor a final wave as he pulled away.

  “Good morning, Miss Selina.”

  Startled, Tiffany turned to see a man coming around the side of the house. He was dressed casually in navy blue slacks and a light blue, short-sleeved crew neck shirt. He could have been any executive with the exception of the gun holstered to his side held up by the black leather straps around his shoulders.

  With her father being in politics for most of her life, Tiffany often saw bodyguards and state troopers around her house. However, this morning she felt apprehensive.

  “Sorry to have startled you, Miss Selina. I’m here with Todd, the state trooper. I’m Dan.”

  She clutched the paper to her chest. “Why the extra help? Am I unaware of something that happened?” For a brief moment, Tiffany wondered if one of her neighbors might have witnessed Trevor climbing into her bedroom window and reported the incident to the police.

  The guard gave her a strange look. Before he could answer, Todd came around the other side of the house.

  “Miss Selina, I see you’ve met Dan.” Todd stopped in front of her and gave Tiffany a warm smile. “There are also six other guards showing up in an hour or so. Only two of the guys are new. I’ll bring them up to the house for introductions. The rest of them you’ll remember from other functions.”

  Functions?

  Before her mind could fully process what Todd said, Dan jumped in. “Yeah, I was just telling Miss Selina that we were here to check out things before the governor’s annual barbeque.”

  Oh my, God. I forgot about my father coming today. Not to include the house full of guests. That would‘ve been the last thing I needed.

  Hurriedly, Tiffany said, “Well, as always, Todd, I’m sure you have everything under control.” Smiling at both of the men, Tiffany pivoted back to the house, but she didn’t miss the slight gleam in the new guy’s eyes as she turned around.

  For a brief moment, her mind questioned whether he had seen Trevor leaving or not. She didn’t have time to ponder that. She had to shower and change before her father arrived in an hour.

  Eleven

  Tiffany stood in the kitchen, gazing out of the window. She could see the guests milling around outside in the backyard, enjoying her father’s annual barbecue, but her mind wasn’t on them. She couldn’t help reminiscing about last night with Trevor. Her body still tingled, and every muscle screamed from exertion. She remembered the way he’d touched her and how he’d made her feel.

  She knew it wasn’t just about the sex. It was more than that…much more. She had begun to feel things for him even though she’d tried to fight it. He made her laugh and smile. Pushed her to live her own life. Trevor made her want to be Tiffany, just Tiffany. Without all of her father’s political image. She didn’t know exactly when it had happened and wasn’t concerned about processing it at this moment. She just knew she was overdue for a little enjoyment in her life.

  “That glorious smile on your face must be for me.”

  Tiffany whipped around and saw Christopher leaning against the doorjamb. Unwilling to rehash the fact that she wasn’t interested in more than friendship with him, she took the cautious route and ignored his comment. “Christopher, I was lost in thought. I didn’t hear you come in.”

  Christopher needed no encouragement. He pushed away from the door and sauntered into the room. “That’s because you work too hard. I told you once you agree to marry me, you’ll never have to work again.”

  I wonder what he would say if he knew I was already married. “I love working too much to give it up.”

  “Humph.” He chuckled as his eyes made a quick roll toward the ceiling.

  Christopher never understood why women chose to work if there was a man willing to take care of them. He wasn’t old-fashioned. He was archaic.

  She turned away, ignored the sound effects coming from Christopher and walked to the refrigerator to get herself something to drink. Hoping he would once again get the message that she had no intentions to debate this issue with him.

  “Tiffy, when are you going to stop fighting it and come to terms with the fact it’s best for both of us if we marry?”

  Taking her time, Tiffany got herself a bottle of apple juice, closed the refrigerator door and turned around to face Christopher. He now stood five feet away from her. She could smell his cologne, some expensive brand that didn’t affect her senses at all. No goose-bumps. No shivers of heat. Nothing.

  “How do you figure that, Christopher?” Tiffany bit on the inside of her lip, working hard at keeping her face void of expression.

  “We have the same political views…” He leaned his backside against the island in the middle of the kitchen, crossing one foot over the other, hands crossed over his chest.

  Tiffany rotated her free hand at the wrist, giving him the gesture to continue.

  “We know each other very well.”

  Tiffany lifted an eyebrow.

  “Our parents know each other and get along famously.” One of his cheeks raised in a side smile.

  Tiffany nodded slightly in agreement. Senator Manning and her father had been friends for years, and the voters loved it.

  “The public would eat it up.” Christopher righted his body, standing away from the counter.

  Ahh-haa, there was the plug I was waiting for. She leaned her back against the refrigerator and waited for him to finish his pitch.

  “To top it off, we would be great together.”

  She watched Christopher advance and stop in front of her—too close for comfort.

  She clutched the bottle of juice to her chest as a protection from him, a pseudo shield, prohibiting Christopher from moving any closer to her.

  It amazed Tiffany that Trevor could say similar words and send chills of multiple possibilities down her spine. Yet whenever Christopher uttered wo
rds of commitment, all she could think about was running from the room.

  Christopher must have noticed the hold she kept on the bottle. He reached out and wrestled with her slightly until she released the bottle from her clutches, then he placed it on the countertop.

  “Christopher—” she began, prepared to break away from the little isolated area.

  “Tiffy…” he cut her off, saying her name in a slow seductive manner that probably made other woman melt. Christopher placed both of his hands against the refrigerator—boxing her in.

  “You know you want me.”

  She felt uncomfortable with him being this close. When they were dating for a short while, he’d attempted to cross her moral and personal boundary lines several times. They would be married soon, always his excuse. Since she’d ended the relationship, he’d always respected her space. Even though at times he bordered on the edge of her patience.

  “Christopher, I feel fondness for you in a brotherly fashion. Over the years, I’ve tried to explain that to you.”

  Christopher leaned down, until he was an even eye level with her. “Tiffy, I have sisters, and I can guarantee my feelings for you are quite different. Let me prove it to you…”

  His pitch dropped an octave as he slowly leaned in. Anticipating his course of action, she turned her head.

  His kiss missed its intended mark, her mouth, and landed below her ear.

  Not one to be detoured from his objective, Christopher began to kiss and lick her neck.

  Her stomach turned, flip-flopped and lurched. She wanted to throw up. She’d reached her limit, and her last nerve snapped. She was done. No more pandering to him. “Listen, Christopher.” She placed her hands flatly against his chest and shoved him.

  Christopher, caught off guard by her action, stumbled backward a few steps before stopping.

  He started to advance toward her again.

  With perfect timing, Josephine opened the kitchen door saying, “Hey, Tiff, your father is looking for you, and Senator Hutchinson is here. She has some questions about a fundraiser gala her staff is currently organizing. She asked to meet with both of us.”

  The atmosphere in the room was tainted. It was evident Josephine felt it in the obvious tilt of her head and significant lift of her eyebrow.

  She almost felt guilty herself, as if she had been caught doing something wrong.

  “Thanks, Jo, I’ll be right out.”

  Josephine nodded and left, eyebrow still raised.

  “You know, Christopher, I don’t know why you can’t seem to understand that I have no feelings at all for you, except of friendship, which at this point is waning. For some reason, you seem to believe it would be best if we marry, but we are truly not alike. I beg you to understand this. You want a wife that is at your disposal and lives to be by your side, forsaking her own thoughts or dreams. That’s—not—me.”

  For the first time in a long while, Christopher really looked at her. Tiffany saw the comprehension slowly dawning on him. The sparkle of interest in his eyes began to dull.

  “Well, Tiffany, I guess you’re not the person I thought you were. I don’t see why I’m so surprised, with the company you’ve been keeping lately.”

  Instant panic caused her heart to slam against her ribs, wondering if he knew about Trevor leaving the house less than a few hours ago. Tiffany licked her lips and cleared her throat.

  “What company would that be?”

  “Trevor Wayne.”

  No! Tiffany screamed inside. “What about him?” she inquired, taking a deep breath in an attempt to keep her nervousness in check. “I hardly know him.”

  “That’s what I thought. But apparently he knows you well enough to have the gumption to walk up and ask you to dance at the B.C. affair.”

  Phew. He doesn’t know. “He’s an acquaintance.”

  Christopher placed his hands on his hips, and dropped his head, casting his gaze toward the floor. “Where would one meet someone who doesn’t even move in our circle…let alone our class?” he asked, voice dripping with sarcasm.

  Tiffany never heard him speak with such narrow-minded views. Her brows pinched together in consternation as she began to see a glimmer of Christopher’s true character. And he calls himself a Democrat, yeah right. “Well, evidently he does, Christopher. For your information, I know him from a previous function I attended with my father. Besides, it was an innocent dance.”

  His head jerked up and his eyes nailed her. “If that dance was innocent, then I’m running for the position of Pope.”

  She walked over to the counter and retrieved her apple juice, refusing to feel guilty.

  Josephine had told her the same thing. After last night with Trevor, she knew what Christopher said was true. She stopped trying to fool herself about the chemistry between herself and Trevor.

  For a long time, it had been igniting when they were within mere feet of each other. Until this moment, she could no longer deceive herself into thinking it was not apparent to everyone who looked, not just her best friend.

  Christopher spoke to her back. “You know, Tiffany, the girl I grew up with cared about not only how she represented herself in public, but more importantly, how that image would reflect and impact her father’s career—”

  Tiffany swung away from the counter and faced him. “Christopher, how can you begin to try and tell me how I should act—”

  He continued, as if her objection had not interrupted him. “But apparently, your feelings have changed dramatically. So it will be my pleasure to grant your request and give you your space.”

  She stopped. The words she was about to speak sat thick in her throat, rendering her speechless for a moment. Amazed. The disappointed look in his eyes stabbed at her as he turned and began to head toward the door. Her chest squeezed tight and her heart felt heavy, then released as she exhaled. She would not allow herself to feel guilty about the situation. It was becoming evident to her that Christopher never truly wanted or cared about her friendship. She was just a pawn in his political climbing game, and she wasn’t having it. Their “friendship” would most likely end for good, but maybe it was long overdue. She stuck firm to her resolve.

  Tiffany paused. She was shocked, but relieved. Nothing more needed to be said. “Thank you, Christopher.”

  He stopped in his tracks as if her words arrested him in mid-stride. In slow motion, he turned back around to face her.

  There was a sadistic smile on his face as his empty laugh echoed across the room. “Don’t thank me, Tiffany, because you’re going to regret this in the end.”

  Stunned. Tiffany’s heart vaulted from her chest to the base of her throat. “Are you, serious?”

  “As a sinner with a heart attack making a death bed confession.” His face shifted into a relaxed smile. His politician smile. Saying nothing else, Christopher exited the kitchen.

  Tiffany was paralyzed. She couldn’t believe her ex-boyfriend and childhood friend had turned on her right in front of her eyes. She’d never wanted to make an enemy of Christopher.

  But if she had the last twenty minutes to do over again, she wouldn’t change anything.

  Nothing. Besides, there weren’t any circumstances in which she would have agreed to marry him. Her feelings toward him would never change. Not to mention, she was already legally married. Now in every sense of the word.

  In a million years, she would’ve never thought she’d not only lose Christopher’s friendship but incur his wrath as well. Tiffany dropped her face into her hands, battling between wanting to scream and cry at the same time. She refused to do either. If he was going to be petty and try to demand all or nothing from her, that’s just what she would give him. Nothing.

  She wouldn’t allow this to overshadow the blissful night she’d had with Trevor. She was determined to bask in that glow for as long as possible. Tiffany took a deep, cleansing breath to relax and walked out of the kitchen in search of Senator Hutchinson.

  Work is just what I need to keep
my mind occupied.

  ~ML~

  “Well, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”

  Trevor leaned down and gave Leslie a hug. “Would you believe me if I said I had a taste for your peach cobbler?”

  His aunt wore a pair of three-inch heels, allowing her to stand at an even five-five. She kept her hair designed in a long, jet-black, straight hip length style. She was petite with almond shaped eyes, skin the color of molasses and a smile just as sweet. “You know I don’t bake.”

  “Oh, well, must be my other aunt.” Trevor gave her a brazen smile.

  Leslie led the way into her living room. “Then you better zip on out of here because I’m expecting my favorite nephew.”

  “I’m the one and only.” He waited until his aunt was seated on the couch, then he choose a chair across from her.

  “Tell me, dear boy, what’s wrong and don’t give me any fluff.”

  Trevor took his time looking around the room. He had been there many times since college, and it was still the same. Oriental décor, which suited his aunt perfectly. Everything in it was compliments of an Air Force colonel who used to be stationed at the Pentagon. His aunt’s one and only love. When the military relocated the colonel to Japan, he had proposed to his aunt, but she’d said no, not wanting her life and chosen career to affect his advancement in the military. Six months after he had left, the furniture had arrived with a letter from his lawyer.

  Enclosed with it an obituary notice, a letter from the colonel and a ring—which his aunt had always worn since then.

  At the moment, Trevor could see the emotional parallel between Tiffany and his aunt.

  Tiffany loved her father and was willing to sacrifice her own career and dreams to protect him.

  Trevor couldn’t let that happen. He loved her and part of that love was seeing her happy.

  Watching her at the Breast Cancer banquet managing and controlling her environment, he knew that put the sparkle of life in her eyes—not standing proud and silent by her father before a camera.