by Mya Barrett
She squinted and tried to focus on the woods. No flames were eating the trees nearby. No flare of orange and red shot up into the sky. But something was definitely on fire. Something not too far from her house. Considering her nearest neighbor was the Warrick horse farm, she knew this couldn’t be a controlled burning. She’d found the remains of campsites often enough to know that people camped in the woods surrounding her property, either not seeing the no trespassing signs or ignoring them all together. If someone had been camping last night they would have needed a fire. If that fire hadn’t been quelled correctly….
Leaping up from the garden, she raced inside to call the fire department.
****
Hale stood at the outside paddock, his foot propped on the bottom rung of wood as he watched his brother work with the horse inside. Trent had been right; Hestia was one hell of an animal. She was gorgeous, with a flawless mahogany coat, white socked fetlocks, and the regal personality of a queen. Smart, too, and vain enough to know her own worth. She’d win Warrick Farms shelves of ribbons and cups in the hunter/jumper classes.
“What do you think?” Trent called with a grin.
“I think you should start considering asking Wayne Blackburn about buying a piece of his property.”
His brother nodded at the mention of the owner of the land skirting the other side of their stables. “Glad you agree. It might not be as suited as the Cooper land, but it’s still a workable area.”
“You already had this all thought out, I see. Wonder why I bothered coming back since you have such good business sense.” Hale tilted his head, doing his best to hold back a laugh at his brother’s expression.
“If you hadn’t come back I think I would have ended up under Mother’s heel. God only knows what she would have done with all our businesses.”
“Sold everything but the real estate, called in half the loans and started a ruthless little empire, I suspect.”
Trent chuckled as he turned his attention back to a demanding Hestia. Hale watched as the other man stroked the horse’s muzzle, cajoling and praising the animal until she gazed at him with adoring eyes. It suddenly occurred to him that his brother might not have the hot blooded reputation that Hale had, but the way he was gentling the high strung filly said that Trent was just as dangerous when it came to women. That thought brought up the image of Maggie and the way Trent had defended her. His brother had never given him an answer to the question of whether or not he was after Maggie. The stab of jealousy was shameful but couldn’t be denied.
Grinding his teeth against the unfamiliar feeling, Hale turned his gaze in the direction of the Cooper cabin. He tried to imagine what she was doing right now, if she was boxing up products, labeling jars, answering e-mails. There was a barely suppressed desire to find some excuse, any excuse at all, to see her.
He wasn’t sure how long he looked at the horizon before he recognized the slender column of gray as smoke. It billowed up, all grace and cunning, then fanned out to coat the sky.
“What the hell…?”
He’d just whispered the words when he heard sirens approaching, their loud scream echoing off the trees. Police was his first thought. But the pitch wasn’t the same; there was more depth and a static-like undertone. No, not police, but—
“Fire. Shit!” Hale spun around and sprinted toward his car.
“Hale! Hey, Hale, what’s wrong?” Trent called.
He spared a quick look over his shoulder but kept moving. “Fire, the Cooper place.”
A few seconds later he was in his car, revving the high powered engine as he wheeled away from the stables and onto the winding two-lane road. His mind raced with possibilities, all of them grim. What if she was trapped in the cabin? What if she was watching her only home being eaten by flames? What if she were being an idiot and trying to save her house with a garden hose and a prayer?
He whipped the Mercedes into her paved drive, searching for a glimpse of the fire truck, the fire personnel, and Maggie. Slamming on his brakes, he came to a full stop behind a blue Toyota Corolla with the trunk open. The cabin wasn’t in flames, thank God, but it was impossible to miss the bright red truck that had wheeled itself around back. The fire personnel were scrambling around, looking surprisingly competent for volunteers. But he didn’t see Maggie. His heart was pounding so hard he wondered if it would hop right out of his throat. He was halfway around the other car when he finally spotted her.
She was rushing down the ramp, balancing boxes in her arms before shoving them into the trunk of the Camry. He took a deep breath, clenched and unclenched his hands, all in a bid to find his composure.
“What in the name of all that’s holy are you doing?” he bit out.
She didn’t even bother to stop when she answered. “Baking a cake. What does it look like I’m doing?”
She disappeared inside, her round, jean clad bottom rocking provocatively in her hurry. Of all the times for his libido to send up a roar, now was not the best. Sucking in a full breath, he lunged up the front stairs and through the door.
“The woods are on fire, Maggie Mae,” he said, trying to sound calm and reasonable.
“Really? I hadn’t noticed.” She spun to shovel boxes into his arms and he took them without thinking. “Take those to the car.”
“Damn it! You should be up at the main road at the very least. Back at the farm would be better.”
“I’m not leaving my home. No matter what happens to it, I’m not abandoning this place.” She heaved up another stack, this one of sturdy plastic tubs rather than the shipping boxes he held. “This is the last load. Once I have these in the car, I’ll drive up to the end of the driveway and wait.”
She didn’t give him time to argue as she swerved past. Exasperated, Hale followed, acting like the pack mule he was while she piled her things into the backseat. Once his arms were empty he grasped her upper arm and slammed the door shut.
“You’ve got your things. Let’s go.”
He slid her into the drivers’ seat and strode to his own vehicle. He didn’t bother to start his car until he saw the Toyota come to life. With careful backing he made his way up the rise, stopping with enough room for her to park in front of him. Seconds later he was leaping out to confront her.
“Of all the stubborn, idiotic—”
“Shut up, Hale.”
Anger born from fear exploded, sending him around to grab her by the shoulders. “You’re supposed to be an intelligent woman, but instead of taking off, getting out of the way of the firemen, you stay and pack like you’re going on vacation.”
Her lavender eyes flashed hot with indignation. “That’s my life. Sad that it can all fit into a few boxes in the back of a sedan, but it’s all I have. Most of it is other people’s work, the things I sell. You should know how important it is to save what you can of your money flow.”
“Work? You stayed behind for…? Damn it, Maggie, if this was about your job then somebody needs to shake some common sense into you.”
She wiggled in his grasp and he pressed his hands tighter. “It wasn’t all work. I grabbed the boxes that had my mother and Chris’s things in them.”
He conjured up the image of her scampering around the cabin, gathering things from drawers and closets while the fire crept closer. He barely recognized the fingers of dread that skimmed his spine.
“You could have died while you were busy shoving things into boxes.”
“They were already packed,” she protested. “I don’t leave their things just lying around. I’m not that morbid.”
“You wear your husband’s shirts!” He could have bitten his tongue off for that little gem. Luckily it didn’t seem to register that he was bothered by that fact.
“I keep a few flannel shirts for when it gets cold. Why am I explaining myself to you?”
This time when she pulled away he let her go. He hated himself for the instant relief that she kept her husband’s shirts to be practical and not to wear them as some sort of
widow’s weeds. He glanced into the back seat of her car, and sure enough the plastic containers she’d last loaded up were neatly labeled. One read “Mother”, the other, “Chris”, and the last, “Albums”. When his focus came back to her he felt some of the fear and most of the anger drain away. She was safe, no matter how crazy her actions had been.
“Next time you shouldn’t wait. You should just leave.”
“And I would have if it had been the cabin on fire. In case you hadn’t noticed the fire started in the woods, several hundred yards from the house. I was lucky; I had time.”
Sadness bled into her gaze, changing the depths from deep purple to light lavender. The urge to hold her, to ease her pain, was nearly overwhelming. Heʼd begun to reach for her when she turned away to stare down at the scene below them.
“I’m going to have to string barbed wire,” she said in a soft voice. “Campers ignore the signs and use the woods back there anyway. I haven’t wanted to before, didn’t think it was really necessary, but now….”
He eased up behind her and slid gentle arms around her, one at shoulder height across her chest, the other around her waist. When she stiffened he began to rock, a slow movement that seemed to sap her energy. Resting his cheek against the crown of her head, he inhaled her scent, smooth and spicy and erotic. He felt his sex twitch and ignored it. She didn’t need that sort of handling right now.
“It’ll be okay, Maggie. They’ll get the fire out and you’ll be safe and sound in your own bed tonight. Tomorrow I’ll come out and help you get that wire up.”
“I didn’t ask for help.”
“No, you didn’t, but since I’m a neighbor I figure it’s the right thing to do. Besides, it’s dangerous for one person to run barbed wire. You could get tangled in it and hurt.”
“Neighborly concern?”
He knew she was remembering what had happened that day on his hike. He waited, wondering if she would pull away. He couldn’t blame her if she did. Instead, she inhaled a deep breath before she nodded consent.
“I suppose you’d just show up no matter what I said.”
He couldn’t help but smile. “Yep.”
A cool breeze stirred, bringing the tangy smell of fall and the harsh, raw aroma of the fire. The thick, gray-black column shifted and waved, wafting away from them and the cabin. At least nature was on their side.
She shifted in his arms, not to pull away, but to relax against him. The top of her soft buttocks cradled his expanding loins and he swallowed back a groan. He’d had her in this position before, though she hadn’t been as willing to settle into him as she was now. He’d fantasized about holding her like this again, about having her this close, feeling her body mold into his. Somewhere in the back of his mind a warning blared, but it was muted by the rush of his blood. The insistent memory of their kiss, the nights spent remembering how she tasted, how she felt, blotted out everything else but the screaming need he hadn’t been able to obliterate.
“Thank you for the help, Hale.”
“You’re welcome.” His words were raw with need.
Even though he knew what she needed was gentle comfort and not physical advances, he couldn’t help but nuzzle her hair. He caught the scent of clean shampoo as he bumped her ear with his nose, replaying what had happened in the woods, but this time he gave a gentle lick to her soft lobe. He felt her stiffen and placed a tender kiss between the crux of her neck and shoulder.
“Shh, I won’t hurt you,” he promised.
“Yes, you will,” she whispered back.
He wanted to reassure her, to swear it would all be okay. But he couldn’t bring himself to lie to her and he was grateful when she didn’t press. Instead she let him cuddle her closer, his arms locking securely around her torso. His lips began a languid trip up her neck, tasting the creamy skin across her nape, down the other side to her shoulder. He nipped her flesh and he heard her inhale a quick breath.
“My God, you feel good.” He rubbed his cheek against hers as he eased his hands toward her breasts. “As good as I remember.”
She didn’t stop him when he cupped them, instead thrusting her bottom into him in an instinctive move. He pushed back without thought, setting a slow, easy rhythm with his hips.
“This is what I’ve wanted to do to you.” His voice was deep and raspy. “I’ve wanted to touch you; I’ve wanted you to touch me. It’s so good. So damn good.”
She moaned, a throaty sound that ignited his slow burning desire into something far more dangerous. He moved his hands, skimmed slowly down her dark blue shirt to the edge, lingering a moment before he slid his fingers along her bare flesh. His breath was a hiss as he gasped at the sensation. She was soft, delicate underneath his palm, so inviting that he couldn’t turn away from the invitation to touch. She didn’t protest as he followed the path of her ribs to her breasts.
His knuckles traced underneath the heavy flesh, teasing as he outlined the satin edging of her bra. Her hips began to rotate in silent demand. He uncurled his fingers and began caressing her breasts through the thin material, nuzzling her ear as he absorbed the quaking of her body. There was no control, just a driving need to show her what they could have, to prove that she wanted what he did, and to satisfy them both.
He plucked her nipples at the same moment he thrust himself forward into her bottom. She jerked and gasped, her nails digging into his denim covered thighs. He did it again, this time nipping her shoulder when she responded.
“I want you.” He spun her around and took her lush mouth.
She clung to him, her arms wrapping around his shoulders, her lips parting for his tongue. He swung them both in a tight arc before lifting her to sit on the hood of her car, moaning when she wrapped her legs around his hips.
He could feel the heat of her as he pressed between her thighs. Even through the layers of clothing it was obvious that she was as excited as he was. Desire was a live thing, hot and electric as it seared him. Every nerve ending seemed to simmer as he kissed her, touched her, drove her further toward the ultimate end. He pressed into her, sharing the mock act of sex that they were both so desperate for.
The quick, loud blare of the fire siren cut through the haze like a blinding search light. He paused only for a moment, long enough to be annoyed, before kissing her again. The sound persisted, this time a longer beep.
Suddenly she was scrambling from him, pushing him away as she slid across the other side of the car hood. He stood, dazed by the shift in attitude, hard as a randy stallion denied his mate.
“Hale. Hale.” Her frantic tone sliced into him like cold steel. “The fire department…I think they have the fire out.”
He shook his head, trying to piece together her words into coherent thought. Damn it, a few seconds ago he was two zippers away from…now she was telling him…what? The fire? He blinked away the sexual fog and her face came into stark focus.
“They’re coming up the drive now.” Her eyes were huge, her face pale, her cheeks flushed, her lips swollen and red from kissing. He could see a mark starting on her throat where he’d been tasting her. “We need to move the cars.”
“The cars.” It only took a moment for reality to click. “Right, move the cars.”
Irritated, he strode to his Mercedes and threw himself inside. What the hell had he just done? He maneuvered his car with deliberate ease, trying to balance out his still shaky composure. God help him, if they hadn’t let out a warning sound he might have embarrassed himself in a way that could never be forgiven. Worse, he would have embarrassed Maggie. He’d practically been ripping her clothes off, in full view of the Exum fire department, and he hadn’t realized or cared.
He climbed out of his car and winced at the pain the movement caused. He was sure to be paying for his attempt at seduction for hours yet. Maggie had parked in front of him on the road and slid out of her own vehicle with short, competent movements. Even though she appeared to be in control as she talked to the firemen, he could see the slight tremors tha
t shook her periodically.
He wasn’t sure how long he stood leaning against his door, waiting for the fire department to leave, for the police to show up. The police, however, never came, even after the red truck was bumping down the two-lane. He didn’t move from his position when she turned to look at him, her body braced as she stood beside her own car.
“It was a camp fire,” she said in a tight voice. “Someone left without making sure it was out.”
“I don’t like you being out here on your own.”
“I’m sorry my independence bothers you.”
He ran a shaky hand through his hair and tried again. “It’s not your independence, Maggie. It’s the fact that you’re out here alone where strangers feel confident enough to tramp around without being caught. Hell, you don’t even have a dog.”
“I hate to inform you, but I’ve lived out here for years.”
“With your parents, then your…husband.” He didn’t want to consider why he’d hesitated over the word. “Now you’re on your own.”
“For a whole two and a half years and I’ve survived.” She gave an irritated shake of her head. “It was an accident, probably some teenagers sneaking away to drink who didn’t put the fire out properly. I’ll have someone come out this week to put up some barbed wire.”
“I told you I’d help you with that tomorrow.”
“Under the circumstances, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Frustration tangled with annoyance and he found himself losing patience. “Considering what circumstances?”
“After…we were…a few minutes ago…” Her obvious embarrassment did nothing to cool his emotions.
“After we made out like a couple of turned on high schoolers? After we almost went at it on top of a car? After your body reacted the same way mine did?” He itched to grab her, to shake her, to force her to admit she was affected just as much as he was. But he knew if he touched her now he’d have her down on the pavement, naked, before he opened his mouth. “I’ll be back tomorrow.”
