Sizzle and Burn

by Lexie Davis

  Jackson couldn’t answer that question honestly. No one ever question the Major’s intentions or reasons, and he wasn’t about to be the first. Jackson would like to think it was because he was the best at his job, having served in several hostile environments and come away with a victory, but he knew the Major only trusted certain people with certain things. Autumn Callahan was his most prized asset. Even though he had three boys, Autumn, Jackson knew, reminded the Major of her deceased mother. The fact that he trusted Jackson with his daughter’s life spoke volumes.

  He stepped away from her and turned toward the bed. “I don’t know. I’ve done shit for him in the past and succeeded in everything I’ve done. I don’t know why he picked me other than the fact I do my job well and I always see it through until the end. I never back down no matter how tough shit gets.”

  “He doesn’t know about our past,” she said.

  Jackson turned to see her beautiful brown eyes shimmering with moisture.

  “My brothers are the only ones who know, and it was impossible to keep it from them, otherwise I would have. He sent them to find me when I ran away, and Jeffery all but tortured me to tell him everything.”

  Jackson figured as much. He and Jeffery weren’t exactly the best of friends, and he could only imagine what Autumn told them about the day she came by his house. Jackson did know the Major protected his only daughter. There was no way he knew their past because if he did, Jackson had no doubt he’d be six feet under. He silently thanked Autumn for keeping their dirty deeds a secret from her father.

  “Well, we’re not dealing with the past right now.” Jackson grabbed a tissue from her dresser and handed it to her. “Will you tell me why you think someone would send you a bomb? Did you piss someone off recently? Is this more of a scare tactic or a death threat? I need to know as much as I can about you and your life if we’re going to catch this creep.”

  He watched her hesitate, knowing she didn’t trust him. If she didn’t trust her family with the details of her life, why would he assume she’d trust you? Jackson waited patiently while she had her silent debate.

  “Fine. I don’t know why someone would send me a bomb. It wasn’t a professional bomber because I studied with Nick. This person used cheap equipment that was seriously unstable. I haven’t pissed off anyone out of the ordinary that I can think of. And I believe it’s more of a scare tactic than anything.” She ran her hands through her hair and then moved to toss the used Kleenex. “Any more questions?”

  Jackson held back the smile that accompanied the question he had in mind. “What about past boyfriends or lovers? Anyone in that category this person could be?”

  Autumn snorted. “Well, I can count on one hand all the men in that category with you included. I suppose it’s a possibility, though. Did you send me a bomb?”

  The old Autumn reappeared again, and Jackson couldn’t have been happier. At least the tears were gone and the some of the awkwardness left with them.

  “If I was ever stupid enough to try and harm you, I wouldn’t use a bomb.” Jackson met her stare. “But I’d like to think I’m not stupid enough to even consider it.”

  “You really have a thing with intelligence, don’t you?”

  “Knowledge is power.” He glanced around the room. The place was clean and feminine. Her room was decorated with dark woods, her bed covered with deep red sheets. The king-size poster bed took up a great deal of the master bedroom, somehow making the room feel lived in. Why a single woman needed such a big bed, he didn’t know.

  “So no boyfriend or spastic lover after you. No enemies. Who do you think this person could be? An animal hater or something?”

  She shrugged. “Funny. I don’t know. I live in a small town outside the big city. We pretty much get along here.”

  He walked over to her dresser and picked up the bottle of lotion that sat there. She still wore the same strawberries-and-cream-sherbet scent that smelled good enough to eat. Jackson couldn’t believe he remembered that after so long. He never proclaimed to be a monk, but the finer details of Autumn slipped into his thoughts, little bits that he had no reason to recall.

  All at once, they flooded his mind. Her favorite food was a grilled cheese sandwich with not one slice but four, toasted light brown. He couldn’t even begin to count how many she ate that summer. She liked the color red, and it looked great on her. She went barefoot nearly every day while sipping on a popsicle with a book in hand. She liked romance novels with half-naked men on the front holding the woman in a seductive pose. She was just seventeen. A sweet seventeen-year-old who had allowed herself to fall in love with him. Or so she thought.

  “Can you take me to the clinic and show me the scene of the crime?” Jackson put the lotion back and turned toward her. “I need to know as much about everything as I can. I figure what better place than to start there?”

  He saw her hesitation. Her teeth scraped against her lower lip, chewing on the plump flesh while she debated. He may not be the man of her dreams, but he was here to help. Honest to goodness in the very least that’s what he wanted to do. All the other stuff didn’t matter right now.

  “I’ll get my purse.” She motioned for him to exit the room before her. “There really isn’t anything there, but we can go I guess. You drive.”

  Chapter Three

  Autumn glanced around at the mess the small explosion made. Thank goodness no one had been hurt too badly and all the animals remained safe. The person who made the bomb really didn’t know what he was doing. The strength was nothing more than a firecracker going off inside, and in all honesty, a firecracker was probably what the bomber used. The fire damage was minimal, and the explosion only damaged the counter and part of the wall. The office needed a little remodeling and a fresh coat of paint. It should be ready in a week or two. She planned on making her newfound bodyguard help her in getting the place opened for business. The very least he could do was earn his paycheck. The rest of the world had to.

  “Did you throw the bomb when you realized what it was?” Jackson glanced at the hole in the counter.

  “Yes. I told my assistant what it was, and I threw it as it exploded.”

  “Did it hurt you?”

  She shook her head.

  Jackson frowned. “You’re lucky.”

  This she knew. “I’m hoping to open next Monday. I can’t afford to lose any more business than I already have.”

  “I’m sure a week wouldn’t harm your business that much. I mean it’s not like you’re an MD or something.”

  She was pretty sure that was a cutdown but chose to ignore it. Stick with the basics and he’ll be gone in no time. “Yeah, well, I have to put food on the table just like everyone else. The way I figure it, you can help me replace the counter and paint the walls. The rest I can do myself.”

  Jackson turned around with a slight tilt to his lips. “And I would do this because . . .”

  “You’re Jackson Cooper, stud extraordinaire. Hell, you’re rooming with me, and using my house for all your personal needs. The least you could do is help me.”

  “I thought you didn’t need help from anyone.” He came around the counter and glanced up toward the ceiling. “Autumn Faye Callahan doesn’t depend on anyone—especially men to help her do anything. Am I right?”

  “How do you know my middle name?”

  “Your father used all three names when talking about you. Or just Autumn Faye. It’s your mother’s name.” He shrugged.

  “Are you going to help me or not?”

  “It’ll cost you.” He smiled and leaned closer to her. “Much more than you’re willing to pay.”

  “Damn right. I’m not paying you anything.”

  His smile widened. “Your stubbornness toward men must keep Duracell’s business from plummeting.”

  “If you’re suggesting what I think you are, you might as well end this conversation now.” She turned toward the counter and began shuffling the scattered papers into a neat pile.

&nb
sp; How one man could heat her blood both in anger and desire at the same time was one of the world’s modern wonders. Autumn fought to maintain control over her emotions and the reactions she had toward Jackson. She wasn’t supposed to even like him.

  “Why because I’m right?” He shifted behind her close enough so she felt his body heat but far enough away he didn’t touch any part of her. “You put on a tough exterior but inside your soft. And creamy. And hot. And delicious—”

  “Okay.” Autumn whirled around to face him. “Let’s set some rules. We will not talk about sex in any way or form. We will not discuss past encounters or the nonexistent possibility of future encounters. And we most certainly will not actually have any type of sex whatsoever.”

  She licked her lips and wondered if he bought her speech. If she really didn’t want him, then why was her body heating at the mere thought of his lips crushing against hers. She didn’t buy her speech and that possibly scared her the most.

  “Fine.” His eyes focused on her lips. “You say you don’t want sex yet your body speaks a different language.”

  Jackson’s lips crashed down on hers, coaxing her own apart as he plunged his tongue inside her mouth. He backed her against the counter and pressed his pelvis into hers. Clutching the sides of the counter, Autumn moaned into his mouth. She couldn’t deny the reaction her body had when his cock pressed into her. Unfortunately. Wetness gathered between her thighs, and she opened them a bit wider, accommodating him. Inviting him.

  The same feelings from fourteen years ago surfaced, the realization like a bucket of ice water to the face. He had come back into her life a little over two hours ago, and she was like a dog in heat ready to jump his bones. Autumn jerked away from him immediately and stared into his eyes. He was the same man. The man who used you and made you fall in love with him in the process. Specks of gold highlighted his brown eyes, tiny swirls she could easily get lost in. It would be a lot easier if he were ugly. Anger was her only hope of keeping him away from her and her bed. She pushed him away.

  “Don’t do that.” She touched her fingers to her lips. “Don’t you ever try touching me again.”

  Autumn turned, scolding herself for her own stupidity. He still kissed the same toe-curling kiss girls only experience from a guy who knows what he’s doing. And Jackson Cooper did know what he was doing. Some might consider him a pro.

  “I didn’t do anything you didn’t want, Autumn.”

  “No, you didn’t.” She started shuffling the papers again. “I don’t want to get hurt again, Jackson. It sucks.”

  His hand ran the length of her arm. “I promise to give you pleasure first.”

  Autumn whirled around, narrowing her eyes. “You don’t get it, do you? I truly thought I loved you. I believed it with all my heart and soul. It wasn’t the kind of love that fades but a true love I believe lasts a lifetime. But when I told you, you mocked me. You laughed in my face and told me you used me. That hurt, Jackson. You played with my emotions and verbally slapped me across the face.”

  “I never told you it was more than sex. You can’t hold me responsible for your naivety.”

  “You said I was special. One automatically assumes it’s more than sex, Jackson.” She shook her head. “Have you ever been in a real relationship? You know, the kind where you put someone else before yourself because their needs matter more than your own? You should try it sometime. It gets lonely going through the physical act each day without some kind of emotion behind it.”

  Jackson didn’t have to answer for Autumn to know his response. Her brothers told her the kind of person he was, the reputation he had. When he wasn’t making his country proud, he was between a woman’s thighs erasing the world of hurt his life bestowed upon him. He was too cocky and selfish to possibly have a real relationship with anyone. His interactions with her said that much. He wanted sex. He probably didn’t even experience any emotion along with it. Autumn found herself almost feeling sorry for him.

  “I don’t do relationships,” he said.

  “No. You have meaningless sex with a willing skirt who spreads her legs for you.” She grabbed her keys. “I’m done here. We need to stop by Home Depot for some paint and a new counter.”

  Jackson left without another word and Autumn trailed behind. His visit was only going to be torture. Welcome to hell.

  * * * *

  Jackson lay in Autumn’s spare bed, contemplating their earlier discussion. He didn’t understand what her deal was, yet he knew something she had said was right. He turned on his side and punched the pillow beneath his head. The bed wasn’t comfortable and the room was hotter than Hades. But that was the least of his problems. She got under his skin.

  He didn’t need a relationship. People like him, with his career and his lifestyle, couldn’t delve into relationships because they’d never last. It didn’t matter. Even if he did love someone there was no guarantee of a happy ending. His parents proved that.

  Jackson turned on his back and stared at the ceiling. Why’d I have to think about that? His mother, Beverly, was truly, madly, deeply in love with his father. A relationship that ended with two tragic deaths. One his father’s fault. The other . . . He sighed and threw the covers back. Sleeping wasn’t a possibility.

  Jackson opened his bedroom door, quietly, careful not to wake Autumn. He didn’t really want to deal with her when his mind was a muddled mess. He trudged to the kitchen, running a hand through his hair as he went.

  “Couldn’t sleep, either?” Autumn leaned against the bar, shaking a packet of sugar. Before her sat a steaming mug of tea, her favorite nighttime drink if he remembered correctly.

  “Not really.” He took a seat at the bar across from her.

  She wore a loose-fitting black pajama set with “P!nk” splayed across the front in the color pink. Her hair was pulled high on her head in a ponytail with a few tendrils of blonde hair falling into her face. She wore no makeup and looked beautiful without it.

  “What’s keeping you awake?” he ventured, watching as she took the first sip of her tea.

  “Well, I was pissed at you to start out, and when I’m pissed, I clean. My poor room suffered the brunt of my attack, and well, I stumbled across the note that came with the bomb. It sort of creeped me out.”

  “There was a note?” Jackson’s attention piqued. “What did it say?”

  She took another sip. “Time is running out. What’s yours will soon be mine.”

  He saw her hand tremble. Autumn didn’t crack easily. Her brothers roughhoused and teased her relentlessly to the point she was forced to hold her own against them. If an anonymous note had the ability to make her tremble, something serious was going on.

  “Where’s the note?”

  “I left it in my room on the bed.”

  Jackson left long enough to retrieve the note and returned to his spot at the bar with it in his hand. The writing was in normal black ink, scribbled as if the perp was in a hurry. From the look on Autumn’s face and her reaction, he had the feeling she possibly knew who had written the note.

  “Why didn’t you tell me about this?”

  She stared at the note and visibly shivered. “I don’t know, Jackson.”

  “If you want me to help you, you have to trust me.”

  She sipped from her tea. “Trust is a relative word, don’t you think?”

  Jackson knew he deserved that. He deserved everything she threw his way. He was ignorant to assume she’d be a little robot and do as he commanded. He’d dealt with difficult hostage negotiations and hostile warfare, yet stubborn Autumn Faye and her damn mysterious bomber topped the list.

  How am I going to get her to trust me?

  “Can you forget about the damn past. Yes, I fucked up. You’re a great person both then and now, and I totally fucked my chance up. I get it. Now we can move on.” Okay, that wasn’t exactly the best route to winning her trust. “Look, I’m here to help. Yes, your father is paying me, but I honestly like you. I know you hate my g
uts, but I want to help you figure out who this bastard is. I can’t do that if you don’t help me. We’re partners in this, Autumn. It’s up to you and me. Help me figure out who this is so we can go back to living our lives.”

  Autumn sat her mug down in front of her and stared at the dark liquid inside. “I can’t remember everything. I honestly forgot about the note.”

  His heart raced while he struggled to control his annoyance. “Autumn, this is serious. It’s a threat. You can’t afford to forget anything.”

  Her expression changed, like she was about to cry again. “You don’t think I know that? I know this isn’t a stupid game, Jackson. “

  “Yet, you don’t need any help dealing with it?” He ran his fingers through his hair staring at the note. “Do you have any clue as to who it is?”

  Autumn leaned forward, momentarily distracting him. “I don’t know. I made a lot of enemies when Dr. Gallagher opened up his doggy ambulance service and my clients wanted me to do the same. I simply didn’t have the money or the resources to provide that kind of service to my clients, and several people got mad about it. Maybe it’s one of them.”