One Last Risk (Oak Grove Series Book 1)

by Stopper, Nancy

  “Man, you have got to get over that. I get it. Shawn died. Maybe you could have done something to prevent that. Maybe you couldn’t. Either way, you have to find a way to move on.”

  “Dammit, he was my best friend. And he died.” Lucas clenched his fists. They just didn’t get it, and they never would. “And it was my fault.”

  “I know all that, but life goes on. Regena’s even moving on. You don’t see her dwelling over Shawn’s death. Instead of thinking you’re a bad bet, change what you need to change.”

  “There’s more to it than that.”

  “There always is.”

  Lucas turned to the restaurant, putting his back to Joey. He just needed a minute. So many thoughts ran through his mind. He couldn’t focus. All he wanted was to grab dinner and spend a few hours alone with Sarah. Instead he was subjected to the third degree by his well-meaning but misguided brother.

  A few tables had emptied and the bar would soon fill with the evening’s partiers. “So, how are things going with the expansion?”

  Joey’s voice carried from over Lucas’s shoulder. “Great. I think we’ll be able to start by the beginning of the month. My contractor wants to pour the foundation before it’s too cold. Winter is horrible for new construction, but hey, I got a great rate.”

  “Well, you know I’m happy to swing a hammer anytime. Feel free to put me to work.”

  “I may do that.”

  Lucas slid back around to the bar just as Carla swung through the door, a takeout bag in her hand. “Here ya’ go. Two orders, hot and ready to go. Just like me.”

  Lucas laughed. He’d probably heard that remark from Carla a thousand times. Maybe Joey should put it on T-shirts. He’d sell a ton.

  “Thanks, Carla.”

  Lucas stood up to leave and Joey rounded the bar. He placed his hand on Lucas’s arm, his look softening from the harsh one he sported a few minutes ago. “Hey, I’m telling you to just think about what you really want. Deep down.”

  “I will.” Lucas had thought of little else since the day he met Sarah. His heart and his mind were at war and he was stuck in the middle.

  After a quick slap on Joey’s back, Lucas left.

  Sarah wasn’t expecting him, but he hoped she’d be happy he came by. He wanted to spend some time with her outside of the prying eyes of the public. Even more so now that it appeared the fine residents of Oak Grove had added them to the local gossip mill. Maybe he wasn’t ready to settle down, but that didn’t mean he and Sarah couldn’t be together in the meantime, did it?

  He parked and grabbed the bags before climbing her well-maintained porch. The color was bright, as though it had been repainted in the past few years. He ran his foot over the solid, smooth boards, seeing no cracking or bowing. Some of his mother’s flowers would fit nicely in the flower boxes that now hung empty from the railings. He could picture a late spring evening, he and Sarah sitting in the two bright white rocking chairs flanking the doors, watching Lily play in the yard. He shook his head in a vain attempt to stop his imagination from running wild.

  He knocked.

  A rushed “just a minute” came from inside. After a moment, the door swung open. Sarah stood on the other side, her hand on her hip and her breathing ragged. When she saw him, she smiled, the beautiful expression lighting up her entire face.

  His groin tightened... a regular occurrence these days. He’d taken more cold showers in the past week than he had in the past year. No wonder he was frustrated.

  He held the bag of food in front of him, hiding his body’s reaction.

  “This is a surprise. What are you doing here?”

  “I brought dinner.” Maybe she wouldn’t see through the subterfuge. Dinner was nice, but dinner with Sarah was really his objective. And maybe a bit of making out on the couch, or making love in her bed, before he had to leave for his shift.

  “Bless you. Come on in.”

  “Is Lily asleep?”

  “Yep, she went down about half an hour ago.”

  He placed the bag on the table, nudging the door closed behind him. “As long as we’re alone…”

  He wrapped his arms around Sarah and pulled her to him. She came willingly and looped her arms around his neck. She may have hesitated when they were first getting to know each other, but not anymore. She didn’t seem to have the same reservations he did. She sank into his kiss, taking and giving, her lips soft and sweet against his. His heartbeat quickened and his skin tingled. Her touch ignited a flame in his soul.

  He angled his head and deepened the kiss. After not having privacy in the past week, he fully intended to take advantage of it now. He grabbed two handfuls of her perfectly rounded ass and squeezed. He couldn’t get enough of her.

  She gasped against his mouth, and he slipped his tongue between her lips, their tongues tangling as though they’d always been together. None of the early relationship awkwardness he’d expected to find. Only hot, steamy kisses. His erection thickened and he pressed his crotch into her belly.

  Sarah moaned.

  When was the last time a woman had turned him inside out like Sarah did?

  Her fingers caressed the skin at the base of his head and all the tension from his conversation with Joey melted under her touch. A trail of goosebumps followed her fingers. He shuddered. Two could play at this game. He smoothed his hand over the soft fabric of her T-shirt and brushed gently against the side of her breast.

  She inhaled, her body tensing against his.

  Encouraged by her reaction, he grazed it again before grasping her breast, kneading her soft, supple skin. He brushed his thumb gently, hesitantly, across her stiffening nipple.

  She trembled.

  Smiling against her mouth, he caressed her breast once more before pulling away. If possible, he was more aroused than when he knocked on her door.

  “Wow,” she huffed on a ragged breath as her head leaned to his chin.

  “Yeah, wow. I’ve been waiting a long time to do that without the whole town watching.”

  “I’d say that was well worth the wait.”

  He swept his lips across hers once more before pulling back. “As much as I’d love to go on kissing you—and trust me, I could do that all night—how about we eat dinner before it gets cold?”

  “What time does your shift start?”

  “Midnight. It’s my last overnight for a while. I’ll be happy to get back on days.”

  She stuck out her bottom lip. “Does that mean I won’t see you as much?”

  He nearly laughed at the look on her face, a pout too cute to let pass. He nibbled that bottom lip until a smile graced her mouth. “Absolutely not. It means I’ll be on a more normal schedule. Nothing is going to keep us from getting together. We just need to change up our plans a bit.”

  Sarah stretched up onto her toes. She tried to slide her lips across his cheek, but he grabbed her face and turned it into his lips. After pulling her arms up and around his neck, he ran his hands down her back, grabbed her ass and pulled her tight into his body. He could get lost in her kisses. What had she done to him? He’d never been this drawn in, this taken by a woman before. She made him consider things he shouldn’t be thinking, like a long-term future with her.

  This time, Sarah broke the kiss. “So, what did you bring for dinner?”

  He laughed. He knew where he stood—right below food. “Greasy burgers and fries from J.J.’s.”

  “Oh man, I think I love—” Her eyes grew wide and she pulled her bottom lip into her mouth before snatching the bag from the table and heading toward the kitchen.

  Lucas’s heart raced and he stood frozen in place in front of her door. Was she about to say she loved him? Surely, she couldn’t have meant it. Not already, not so soon. But for the first time, the idea of a relationship with Sarah, of letting himself take the risk, didn’t scare him. Did that mean he welcomed her feelings?

  How could this have happened?

  As long as he was a firefighter, he couldn’t risk it. Co
uldn’t put any woman in that position—not when he could lose his life and leave her alone, could he? Other firefighters had families… hell, the captain had been married thirty-five years and had three kids. He didn’t seem to have a problem coming to work every day, doing his duty, and going home to his wife.

  Lucas’s heart seized, the pain spearing his chest. He was actually considering more than a casual relationship with her.

  He glanced to the mantle, to Sarah’s wedding picture. The image mocked him. Warned him off. Her husband had been there first. Could she ever get over her first husband enough to let someone else into her life? Things were going well for them so far. If those kisses were any indication, they were headed in the right direction. He just had to be careful not to push her too hard or too fast. He didn’t want to scare her off. And that would give him time to sort through his own misgivings.

  “Are you coming?” she yelled from the kitchen.

  He dropped his keys on the table beside the door and headed into the kitchen.

  “What can I get you to drink? I finally made it to the grocery store and my fridge is fully stocked. Do you want a beer or soda?”

  “I better stick with soda since I’m on duty tonight. Thanks.”

  “You want to eat in here or in the living room?”

  “How about we sit on the couch in front of the fireplace?”

  “In case you hadn’t noticed, there isn’t a fire.”

  He tickled her sides. “Is that right? Well, I can build one.”

  “That would be great. Thanks.”

  He loved that he could be playful with Sarah, that she gave as good as she took. If he could have described the perfect match for him, it would be her. And that’s what scared the shit out of him. He grabbed their plates off the counter and Sarah took a can of soda and a bottle of ketchup out of the fridge. They headed into the living room.

  Lucas snuck another quick look at the photo on the mantle before crouching in front of the fireplace. A couple of logs, some balled-up newspaper and before long, he had a crackling fire built. He extended his hands in front of him, warming them from the heat of the flames before returning to her side. It wasn’t just the heat he soaked in, it was the moment of solitude to calm his racing mind.

  He turned back to her.

  “It hasn’t been that long since the last time we had dinner together here, but it feels like a lifetime. So much has happened since then.” She patted the couch beside her. “I feel a hundred times better than I did. I can’t believe I even let you in that day.”

  Lucas grinned. No more than he could believe he’d come over in the first place. “Well, I guess I broke through your defenses.”

  “Such as they were. Honestly, I only opened the door because I thought you were the mailman and I craved an adult conversation.”

  He laughed. “Well, I’m glad I wasn’t him.”

  “Me, too.” Sarah squirted a generous pile of ketchup onto her plate and then handed him the bottle.

  “No thanks. I think you have enough there for both of us.”

  She wrapped her hands around her plate and turned her shoulder into him. “No way. Keep your hands off my ketchup. This is all for me.”

  As they ate, he understood what she meant. Each bite she ate often had more ketchup than fry. He reached over to steal one but she swatted at his hands and slid away.

  “No way, buster. You have your own. These are mine. I haven’t had a greasy cheeseburger and fries in forever”—she took a big bite and spoke through a mouthful of food—“and this one is fantastic.”

  Holy hell. How could she make eating look sexy? Her tongue darted out and swiped at a blob of ketchup at the corner of her mouth. He licked his own lips. He could have taken care of that for her, could have slid his lips over hers and licked her clean. “Well, I’m glad I could oblige. I’ll make sure to pass along your compliments to my brother.”

  She swallowed deeply and swiped at her mouth with a napkin. “Tell me more about his restaurant.”

  “It’s on the other side of town. He took a run-down, torn-up biker bar and turned it into a family establishment—something sorely needed in town. He does a good, steady business. Families go there for dinner, but after nine-thirty, it’s strictly a nighttime crowd. He’s talking about expanding and adding live music and a bigger dance floor.”

  “It sounds great. I’ll have to go sometime.”

  “Maybe I’ll take you.” And Sarah was the first woman he’d consider dancing with, to have his arms wrapped around her while swaying to a romantic song being played by the band. To feel her body against his.

  “I’d like that.” She smiled at him, one that promised things he shouldn’t want, but did. Shouldn’t take, but would.

  Time to move this conversation to safer ground before he did something he shouldn’t… like throw her on the couch and make love to her. “So, when do you think you’ll be able to start working again?”

  “Next week. I’ve been pretty spoiled this past couple of weeks since my accident, and my clients have been really understanding.”

  “A great thing about small towns.”

  “I agree. I enjoy my job now so much more than I did in Philly. I was a typical corporate accountant for a number of years, climbing the ladder, trying to get ahead. I’d planned to work from home when Lily got a little older. But things don’t always work out like we expect, though.” She paused and he couldn’t blame her. He hadn’t planned to bring up her former husband, but Alex was so much a part of her life that everything about her to this point involved him. “I kept working for my firm after Alex died. Thankfully, I had my mom and sister to watch Lily because I can’t let her go to some impersonal daycare. Not after…” Sarah shook her head. “Finally, I’d had enough of everything about my life in Philly, so we picked up and moved here. I wanted something different for us.”

  “You picked a great town for that.”

  “I agree. My business was just starting to take off before my accident.”

  “Don’t forget the best feature of Oak Grove...”

  “What’s that?”

  “Me.” He grinned at her. He couldn’t help it. Flirting was second nature to him, and she made it so easy. A blush climbed her cheeks.

  They finished their dinner and Sarah carried their plates into the kitchen. He cued up her music stream on her phone in the cradle and the deep strains of the local country station filled the room.

  “I’ll be right back,” she yelled as she rushed down the hall. Probably going to check on Lily. After a moment, Sarah returned to the living room and plopped down beside him.

  That just wouldn’t do. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her onto his lap. Her legs straddled his and her core pressed firmly against his crotch. Like this, he could look up into her deep blue eyes, feel her luscious curves beneath his hands. He couldn’t wait another second… he crushed his mouth on hers.

  He nipped at her upper lip and then soothed it with a kiss before shifting to her lower lip. She gasped, her breath caressing his swollen lips. He plunged his tongue into her mouth, licking and stroking, sharing the taste of burgers and fries with something uniquely Sarah. Damn, he wasn’t going to last long with her body over his, her core pressing into his painful erection.

  He needed more of her. Skin against skin. Trailing his hands to her waist, he tugged on her T-shirt and ran his hands along the band of her jeans. Her skin was soft and smooth under his rough fingers. But it wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough. He ran his hands along her belly, then trailed them up her sides until he brushed the underside of her breasts with his thumbs.

  She trembled. “What are you doing to me?”

  “I think you’re doing it to me.” He pressed his erection firmly into her core, her heat stimulating every one of his sensitive nerves.

  He moaned against her mouth. He hadn’t thought he could grow any harder, but she drove him to heights no other woman had before.

  He lowered her to the couch and fo
llowed her down, extending the length of his body over hers. Her legs tangled with his and her arms tightened around his waist.

  He pushed up onto his hands, bracing over her.

  “Where are you going?” She had the cutest little pouty lip.

  How had he gotten so lucky to meet her at just the right time? Before she was snapped up by another unattached bachelor in Oak Grove. But was it really the right time? Because he was on suspension, he’d been able to keep his career as a firefighter from her. A fact that bugged him more and more. But obviously not enough for him to tell her. Why stir the pot when he didn’t know if it even needed to be stirred, yet. “Nowhere.”

  He reached for the bottom of her T-shirt, nudging it up and leaning down to nip and kiss her belly. He rubbed the scruff of his stubble against the soft skin of her stomach, loving the feel of her skin against his face. She sank into the couch, relaxing into his touch.

  He worked his way up her belly until he reached her breasts. After throwing her shirt on the floor, he wrapped her arms around his neck and lowered her back to the couch.

  “Oh no, you don’t. Two can play at this game.” She shoved her hands against his chest and pushed onto her knees in front of him.

  With him sitting back on his heels, she grabbed the bottom of his shirt and tugged it up, peppering kisses on his abs. Her lips burned a hot path along his skin, her fingers dancing along the sharp planes of his muscles. Every touch, every kiss, sent a jolt straight to his cock. Enough of this… he reached over his shoulder and whipped his shirt off and flung it on the floor and pressed his bare chest into hers. “God, you feel so good.”

  Body to body, chest to chest, skin to skin. He pulled back again and trailed his hands up her side, brushing lightly against her silk covered breasts. She trembled and his heart swelled. She was so responsive to him. He easily unhooked her bra, pulled it off her arms and threw it on the floor beside his shirt.

  He lowered his lips to hers again.