Primitive Flame

by Lakes, Lynde

  “Guess I get a kick out of rescuing women in distress. Why were you with a guy like that anyway?”

  “I wasn’t with Butch!” Her shout hurt her head. She lowered her voice to a normal tone. “I barely tolerated him.”

  Why wouldn’t her head quit aching? Suddenly everything hit her: she’d almost been raped, she’d lost her job, and Grandfather was away in San Francisco. And to make things worse, she was stuck in an apartment with a man who hated her, even though he claimed otherwise.

  Lani sank to the floor. Tears filled her eyes, and once started, she couldn’t stop them. Sobs shook her body.

  “Hey, don’t cry.” Cort crouched down, put his arms around her and placed her head against his bare shoulder. “I’m sorry. I guess I was trying to get back at you for closing down our operation.”

  He kissed her forehead as if she was a small child, and that was how she felt. She’d never been one to cry easily, but lately her emotions soared out of control.

  “Come on.” He helped her up. “Let’s get some black coffee into you. I’ll make us some breakfast, then go to Gill’s place and get your clothes.” He belted a necktie around her waist. She felt the sheet tighten against her body. “There, you look like a goddess.”

  Lani felt trapped. Not so much by the sash he tied around her, but by the possessive way he did it. He gripped her arm and led her to the kitchen. The sheet dragged on the floor like the train of a wedding gown. When Cort pulled out the chair for her, she lifted the pretend-gown slightly and sat down at the table. Even in her numbed condition, she wasn’t immune to his rugged good looks. He placed a mug of steaming coffee in front of her. His knuckles were swollen and the skin broken. All because of her.

  “Drink this. It’ll make you feel better, I promise.” His eyes twinkled as he looked down at her. The corners of his mouth creased in a smile.

  What was with him? First he was cruel, then kind. Why didn’t he stay in character? He was like a bright shiny coin tossed into the air—both sides visible as it spun—but which would show itself upon landing? She tried to analyze her feelings about him, but her head hurt too much.

  Cort placed the telephone within her reach. “You’d better call your grandfather. He’ll be worried.”

  “He’s on the mainland.” Lani’s breath made an involuntary double-catching sound as a result of her previous crying.

  “When is he coming back?”

  “In about a week.” Lani took a sip of the hot liquid. It did make her feel better.

  “You probably shouldn’t advertise that you’re staying way out there alone.”

  “Blast it, why do you turn everything around? You’re the only one I’ve told. And as you assured me, you wouldn’t take advantage of a lady.”

  “Whoa, easy. Poor choice of words. I simply meant you should be careful.” He grinned, showing his even white teeth. “How about a truce? At least through breakfast.”

  She nodded, regretful. Her emotions were strung tight, ready to explode over the smallest thing. She had to get a grip on herself.

  Lani watched him, impressed by the efficient way he moved around the kitchen. It wasn’t long until he placed a plate of eggs and sausage in front of her. The thought of eating made her queasy, but she managed a few bites then pushed the remaining food to the edges of the plate, leaving the center empty.

  Lani stared into the coffee and made little ripplets in it with her spoon. “I didn’t expect to see you at the party.”

  “I’ve known Gill for a long time.” Cort stabbed the last bite of food on his plate. “He worked for me for a while, until a job offer came through on a county construction crew. How long have you known him?”

  “Julie Spencer introduced us last night. I went to the party with her. I’ll bet she’s wondering what happened to me.”

  “I’m sure someone told her I took you out of there. I made quite a scene. Julie knows me well enough to be assured you’re safe.”

  Didn’t he know Julie considered him dangerous?

  “Call her if you want to,” Cort said.

  She shook her head. “Maybe later.” Lani blamed Julie for going off and leaving her. She knew her resentment was unreasonable—she was supposed to take care of herself.

  Cort stood and leaned back against the sink. “You look unsteady. Lie down a while. I’ll go get your things.”

  Lani didn’t want to stay in Cort’s apartment alone, but she didn’t want to ride in a car wrapped in a sheet either. She stood on wobbly legs. After three steps, they gave way.

  Before she hit the floor, Cort grabbed her and swept her into his arms. Pausing, he studied her face intently, his eyes full of concern. His gaze moved slowly over the thin fabric of the sheet. Lani pulled the cloth tighter around her, but it only made the material more transparent. The folds clung to her feverish skin, emphasizing her breasts and hips.

  Cort’s gaze moved back to her face. His eyes glinted with desire. Her heart beat faster. The heat of his arms penetrated the sheet and met her own flushed warmth. He brought his mouth hotly down on Lani’s, kissing her as he carried her. She clung to him, returning his kisses with unrestrained ardor.

  He gently lowered her to the firmness of the bed.

  Lani’s breath caught. She wasn’t ready for this. She wanted more from him. So much more—a lifetime of loving. “Cort…” Her throat constricted.

  He looked at her for a long, searching moment, then gently kissed her forehead. “Just rest. I’ll be back later with your things. Then, we’d better have a doctor check you over.”

  His footsteps faded. The door slammed. She heard the squeal of tires as he sped out of the parking area.

  Like her, he apparently didn’t want anything to happen between them. Had he abstained from lust, or escaped from the beginning of love? She hoped his sudden departure proved he cared more than he was willing to admit.

  It would be as difficult to be alone in the apartment with him when he returned as it was a few moments ago. Some choices: stay alone with Cort in his apartment, or be totally alone in Grandfather’s isolated house. She didn’t really want to be alone there, but she couldn’t stay here, not with such strong chemistry raging between them.

  ****

  Grim-faced, Cort signed the ticket the motorcycle cop handed to him, then he slowly nosed his car into the traffic. He’d known he was driving too fast. He had this compulsion to get away from Lani’s fire before it consumed him. It scared him that his interest in her was more than lust. The minute Butch started after Lani, Cort realized he still had all these protective feelings for her, feelings contradictory to his best interests. Any decent man would have saved Lani from Butch, but for him it was more personal. He’d wanted to kill Butch for touching his woman. It didn’t make sense. This was the troublemaker messing up his project, his life. And he didn’t want anyone to be his woman. His style was to remain free and date whomever he wanted, when he wanted. No strings. No commitments. Just good times.

  Men like him and his dad shouldn’t risk marriage, shouldn’t risk breaking a woman’s heart, shouldn’t bring kids into the equation. Cort gripped the steering wheel tighter. He didn’t need a committed relationship, didn’t want it. So why had he been playing with fire since the moment he’d first laid eyes on Lani?

  The smart thing was to get Lani’s clothes and get her out of his apartment before he let her know how much he wanted her. Had his dad ever experienced the kind of deep caring for his mom that he felt now for Lani?

  Chapter Eighteen

  With shower fragrances of soap and mint shampoo swirling around her, Lani rummaged through Cort’s drawers and found a white T-shirt and pair of shorts with a tight elastic waistband that would work. She slipped into the clothing quickly before she could think too much about the certainty that the fabric had once touched Cort’s skin. With the scent of Ivory clinging to her, she even smelled a bit like Cort, minus the woodsy musk splash he’d used before their dates. When she stared into the full-length mirror, she laugh
ed. The long shirt over the man-sized shorts belted with a red tie made her look ridiculous, like a child playing in her daddy’s clothes. She secured a hastily braided ponytail with a rubber band and glanced at the clock. Noon. Even if Julie had stayed late at the party, she’d be up by now.

  Lani punched Julie’s home number and blinked in surprise when a man—Gill, she guess—answered. She gave her name, and the guy repeated it to Julie.

  Muffled conversation hummed in the background, then Julie came on the line and said, “Are you all right, sugar?”

  “Only a queasy stomach. Is this a bad time?”

  “No, I’m glad to hear from you. Where are you, sugar? I called your house.” Julie’s tone suggested she already knew the answer, so Lani saw no point in keeping it a secret.

  “Cort’s apartment.” Lani looked around, feeling a need to confirm it.

  The line went silent for a moment. Julie cleared her voice before speaking. “We missed the action. Johnny said Cort and Butch got in a fight over you, then Cort carried you away wrapped in a bedspread. We debated whether or not to call the police, but after I thought about it, I knew you’d be safe with Cort. Did he really beat up Butch for you?”

  “Butch drugged me. Tried to rape me.”

  “My God! I didn’t know.”

  Lani started trembling again. “Cort pulled him off me.”

  Rather than comment right away, Julie repeated the story to Gill in words too muffled to decipher. Lani drummed her fingers on the lamp table. Couldn’t Julie wait until they were through talking to update the gossip? “Should I call back when you’re alone?”

  Julie ignored the question. “Do you need to see a rape counselor or something?”

  “No. I’m okay.” Thanks to Cort. Lani gripped the receiver tighter, trying to stop her shivers. “You were gone a long time.” She hadn’t meant to say that, but saying it allayed her resentment. It wasn’t that she’d expected Julie to protect her, but she was supposed to be her ride home, and she resented being left stranded with a bunch of strangers.

  “I never dreamed you wouldn’t be safe with all those people around.” Julie paused. “When are you going back to your grandfather’s house?”

  Lani twisted the telephone cord. “Soon. When Cort gets back.”

  “You like him a lot, don’t you?”

  “Of course. He saved me.” She felt more than gratitude, but wasn’t ready to admit it.

  Julie lowered her voice. “Look, I exaggerated about Cort. I shouldn’t have, but his superior attitude ticked me off.”

  “Thanks for telling me.” Lani was piqued with Julie on several levels, but she decided to let it go. She liked the petite, southern charmer in spite of her faults, but Julie would never be the dependable and devoted friend Bev was.

  “Listen, sugar,” Julie said, lowering her voice to a whisper. “I’d like to talk more, but I’m sort of in the middle of something. Tell you about it later.”

  Julie wouldn’t have to explain. The man’s voice had been Gill’s. It was evident something was brewing between them.

  As Lani hung up, she heard a key turn in the lock.

  Cort came through the doorway, bringing a rush of midmorning heat inside with him. “Well, don’t you look sweet,” he said. “Looks like you’re feeling better.” He handed her the overflowing beach bag.

  “Thanks. I am.” With trembling fingers, she tugged on the hem of Cort’s oversized shirt. Thinking again of his things touching her skin, along with the knowledge that he was as aware of it as she was, set her aflame. Gesturing with the bag of clothes, she said, “I…I’ll slip into these and be ready to go in a jiffy.”

  Turning away from his intense scrutiny, Lani escaped to the bedroom, wondering what Cort was thinking and wondering how to control her own thoughts. The black and gray decor and massive leather chair cried out that a male lived here. Her gaze fell on the king-sized bed. She imagined herself lying on the downy comforter with Cort’s rock-hard body looming over her—slowly, he would lower himself to her waiting arms. She looked away, fighting the heat coursing through her veins. What was the matter with her? She wasn’t a lovesick teen with raging hormones. She struggled into her clothes. She had to get out of here.

  When she returned to the living room, Cort sat on the couch with his head resting in his hands. His obvious distress threw her off guard. “Are you feeling okay?” she asked.

  He patted the couch next to him. “Can we talk?”

  Her stomach did a flip-flop as she sat down. “What about?” It sounded like bad news.

  He ran his fingers through his hair. “That guy…when he put his hands on you, I wanted to kill him.” Cort’s voice was steely, controlled. He took her hands in his. “If anything happened to you…I mean, our differences over the construction site seem minor now. When I take you home, I don’t want it to end there.” Cort’s gaze locked with hers, drawing her into his intensity.

  Her stomach tightened in a tangle of anxiety and hope. “What exactly do you want?”

  “To start again. Get to know each other better.” Cort brought the inside of her hand to his lips and feathered kisses over her palm. It took every bit of her restraint to keep from begging him to make love to her. “Are you willing to give us a chance?” he asked. His husky voice vibrated down her spine.

  She ached to scream “Yes, yes!” but she couldn’t seem to get her tongue to work. Her breathing grew shallow.

  “I’ve never felt this way before,” he said. “There’s something powerful happening between us. I want to hold you, make love to you.”

  Cort loved her! Wait. He only said he wanted to make love to her. That wasn’t the same thing. She had to use her head. “Getting that involved may not be a good idea now. I have things to work out—”

  “But you can’t deny this incredible fire between us.”

  “No,” she said softly. “I can’t. But let’s take it slow.”

  Cort arched a brow. “Meaning?”

  Lani didn’t want to discuss her qualms right now, so she shrugged and allowed a small smile to play at the corners of her lips. “Stick around a while and see.” She hoped she didn’t sound too flippant because that wasn’t at all how she felt. In the past, humor had always gotten her out of tight spots. She hoped it worked this time, too.

  His eyes glittered with devilment. “Sounds like I’m in for a lot of frustration. But if your kisses are any indication of what might come, it’ll be worth it.”

  Joy and turmoil spun dizzily in her head. So much had happened in the last few days, her emotions couldn’t be trusted. Keeping the relationship light wouldn’t be easy, but she had to try in spite of the danger. An image of him surrounded by golden flames slithered into her mind. She closed her eyes tightly for a moment, willing away the warning.

  “I’ll try not to disappoint you,” she said, trying to restore her playful mood.

  A slow smile spread from Cort’s lips into his eyes. “Say, do you feel up to a night on the town?”

  It would get her out of the isolated house, but she wasn’t sure she had the strength. “I really need more sleep.”

  “You can sleep here, all day, if you like. I have an errand to run.” His eyes narrowed. Before Lani could ask what was troubling him, his smile returned and she decided she must’ve imagined his anger. “You’ll have the place to yourself.”

  Staying would be so easy, but not wise. Lani stood and said firmly, “I have to go home. Grandfather might call.” She longed to hear his familiar voice.

  Cort took her home after she’d promised to lock all the doors and get some rest. A warmth filled her heart. His concern made her feel protected and cared for.

  Alone in Grandfather’s house, Lani made up iced pads for her swollen eyes, then lay down on the living room couch. She slept the biggest part of the afternoon. When she awoke, her headache had disappeared, but the anxiety remained.

  Her torn bathing suit lay draped half in and half out of her waste basket where she’d tossed it.
She shoved it down out of sight and rubbed her arms. What if Butch learned where she lived? His type didn’t give up easily.

  A strong breeze howled down the valley, pounding the old house, making it creak and groan. A sound on the porch made Lani stiffen. Footsteps?

  Chapter Nineteen

  She slipped to the window and peered out. When she saw it was merely the wind rocking the old rocker Grandfather kept on the porch, she exhaled in relief.

  She put hot water on for a cup of tea. Once Grandfather had said that people were like tea bags—you have to put them in hot water before you know how strong they are. Lani had learned she was strong enough to get over the attack, but physically she’d never be a match for Butch. What if he came after her again? She pulled a butcher knife from the holder and laid it on the counter. The kitchen clock read a quarter of five. Cort wouldn’t arrive until seven. While waiting for the water to get hot, Lani flipped on the radio. To dissipate her fear and bolster her spirits, she forced herself to sing along with the catchy tune, “The Lady From Hanalei,” trying to ignore the tremor in her voice.

  The music stopped and news came on. Lani poured the hot water into the cup and watched the tea bag float to the top. She wasn’t in the mood for news, but as the newscaster said, “Butch Kingman’s charred remains were identified by DMV and dental records,” her hand froze on the knob. “The single car accident happened around midnight last night on Kalanianaole Highway,” the newscaster continued. “An eye witness claimed the car went off the road and mysteriously burst into flames.”

  Fire. Butch! Lani stared at the radio. She released the knob as though it carried an electric jolt. The cup in her other hand clattered to the table, spilling tea into the saucer. Trembling, she sank into a chair. Her grandfather’s words echoed in her mind: A mysterious mishap happened to everyone who punished you, usually something to do with fire.

  Oh, no. Was Butch’s fiery death Pele’s retribution?