Behind the Flame: An Everyday Heroes World Book (The Everyday Heroes World)

by Renee Harless

  “You never did tell me where we were going.”

  Ridge casually placed his hand against her lower back as he escorted her to his truck, assisting her as she stepped up into the cab.

  “The surprise is part of a date, right?” he said as she settled into place. River’s head twisted toward him, those long luscious brown curls following the motion.

  Shyly she asked, “Is that what this is?”

  He scolded himself for allowing her to think that his invitation was nothing more than a friendly dinner. Ridge knew he should have been more specific when he asked.

  Ridge reached forward without thinking, cupping her chin between his fingers and tilted her face toward his. Softly he pressed his lips against her soft, shiny pout then quickly pulled back.

  “This is absolutely a date. In case there was any question.”

  “Okay,” she murmured as he reluctantly released her chin and closed her door, then made his way to the driver’s side.

  Ridge backed out of the driveway then began the journey across town where his half-cousin Avery had suggested a winery where she and her husband Logan had eaten on their first date. She insisted that the atmosphere was perfect.

  “Are you going to tell me where we’re going yet?” River pressed again.

  Ridge simply chuckled as he turned the radio on to a local station.

  “I’m guessing you don’t like surprises.”

  “Not really, no.”

  “You won’t regret this one. I promise,” Ridge said as he reached over and gripped River’s hand that was closest to him, intertwining their fingers together.

  ***

  “You won’t regret this one. I promise.”

  His words repeated over and over in her head. She had no reason to trust him and no reason not to, just years and years of past experiences where promises were made and then broken. This one was simple, though. Would she regret allowing him to take her to an unfamiliar area? River hadn’t made many friends in Carson yet, just her coworkers. And though Poppy was family to Ridge, she made sure that her boss knew she would be with him that evening. River had even tried to weasel out information from Poppy on the dinner’s whereabouts, but she wasn’t talking.

  She wasn’t sure why she was on edge, especially since Ridge had been nothing but sweet and understanding. He also had his own daughter which gave him major bonus points.

  He must have sensed her unease about the situation because he gently squeezed her hand, drawing her attention to him and away from her passenger side window. He looked at her with fondness and affection, notions that immediately set the swarm of butterflies loose in her stomach.

  She returned his smile and asked him about his day. They spent the remainder of the ride making small talk until they pulled up in front of a large wooden and stone structure.

  River hadn’t been paying attention, her focus on Ridge’s mouth as he spoke; otherwise, she may have recognized the rows upon rows of grapevines as they traveled down the gravel lot.

  “What is this place?” she asked as he parked the truck. He kept her in suspense as he exited the truck and made his way around to her side. With an outstretched hand, he helped her exit the vehicle, but the heel of her boot caught on the running board as she stepped down and she tumbled forward right into Ridge’s arms. She could imagine that it looked as if she had planned the move to the naked eye, but being around Ridge simply made her clumsier.

  “Sorry about that,” she told him as she pressed both hands to his chest to stand.

  “Never hurts to have a pretty girl in my arms. You all set?” he asked her as he reached inside the truck for her jacket and purse, handing them off to River.

  “Yep. So, where are we?”

  “This is Carson Mountain Winery. It’s one of the oldest wineries in the valley. About seven years or so, they completely renovated the building and added a restaurant and lounge area. At least that’s what I’m told. Avery and Logan highly suggested it.”

  “Wow,” she whispered as she tucked her hand into the bend of Ridge’s arm as he escorted her up the massive staircase to the entrance.

  River had thought the outside of the building was impressive, but as she stepped inside, she was taken aback by the location’s interior beauty. Massive fireplaces gave way to stone chimneys reaching high above the three-story main area. Across the way, walls of windows showcased the sunset over the mountains' crest, glistening its bright reflection onto the lake. To River, it looked like a painting. She had never seen anything so breathtaking.

  “Oh my gosh. Ridge, this is stunning.”

  “It really is. I came to check it out earlier this week to make the reservation. I thought you might like it.”

  “Like it? I’m blown away. My goodness, if dinner is only half as good as this view, then I can honestly say this is the best date ever.”

  Ridge laughed as he guided her toward the restaurant’s entrance. “So, you finally agree it’s a date then?”

  “Well, I thought the kiss earlier would have acknowledged that.”

  “True.”

  The woman standing at the host booth quickly ushered them to a private table tucked within an alcove of the restaurant. As much as River would have liked to sit by a window for the view, she enjoyed the cozy nature of the niche. With only a small opening for the server, it was as if she and Ridge were in their own little space. It was cozy and romantic, something River was certain Ridge had insisted on when he made the reservation. He was going through a lot of trouble to impress her and River only hoped that she didn’t disappoint him in return.

  After perusing the menu, they both placed their order with the server and spoke about Ridge’s life in California and her time in Asheville. Delilah came up in conversation a few times, but Ridge was quick to turn the conversation away from his daughter. River understood that he wanted their date to be focused on the two of them, but she missed the little darling.

  It wasn’t long before their meal arrived and River surprised herself as they took turns sharing each other’s plate. His filet mignon had looked divine and her scallops had been the perfect sea marshmallows that she insisted he try them.

  They were on their second glass of local red wine when the server asked if they wanted to order a dessert and she was torn between wanting to spend more time with Ridge and finishing the night on a high note.

  An idea struck her suddenly and she coyly smiled at Ridge as she answered the server. “I think we’re okay for now. I have a fresh pie back at my place.”

  The server quickly walked away with Ridge’s credit card, but River never tore her eyes away from Ridge’s. His had grown dark and heated at her statement, and she was almost certain that a low-pitched growl was coming from his side of the table.

  “You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I simply made a suggestion," she said as she lifted her glass to her lips and swallowed the last remaining drops of the succulent red wine.

  “Do you know how many nights I’ve dreamt about you and that damn pie?” he rumbled, sending shivers over River’s skin.

  She didn’t know the exact number, but she’d had many of the same dreams over the last few weeks. Sometimes they were just eating pie. Sometimes he had used the pie filling and painted her skin with it. Other times the pie was left abandoned on the table. They were good dreams, regardless of the scenario.

  The server returned with Ridge’s card and he broke their stare to place the card back into his wallet.

  “You ready to get out of here?”

  Her nerves grew in strength and River could only nod in agreement. As she stood from the table, Ridge helped ease her into her coat, then pressed his hand at the small of her back to guide her from the restaurant. The heat from his palm seared her skin even through the thick material that she wore. She wanted to feel the warmth of his hand against her bare skin, which freaked her out. It had been so long since she had been intimate with someone
that she didn’t know what his expectations for the evening were. She didn’t even have her own expectations, just that she didn’t want the night to end.

  Back in the truck, Ridge pulled onto the road, the radio being the only noise in the vehicle. It wasn’t until they approached the downtown of Carson that Ridge broke through the silence.

  “I really enjoyed dinner with you, but I don’t want you to think that I anticipate anything happening when I bring you home. I’m happy with walking you to the door and going on my merry way.”

  “I know, Ridge. I enjoyed dinner too, which is why I invited you for dessert. Neither of us needs to feel any obligation. It can be no different than sharing dinner on a night that I watch Delilah.”

  In the darkness of the night, she watched as Ridge nodded his head in understanding.

  Now she just had to make sure her head and her heart understood the ramifications as well.

  Chapter Nine

  Ridge was torn at how to proceed. In his mind, he had all of this gumption to take what he wanted and what he wanted at that moment was River. But the chivalrous side of him silently opened the passenger door of his truck when they arrived at River’s house and followed her to her front door to make sure she arrived safely. He didn’t even want to press her for a kiss, though feeling her mouth against his would end the night better than he could have ever imagined.

  “I enjoyed dinner,” he said as she stood under the glow of the porch light.

  “Me too. Thank you for inviting me.”

  She turned and unlocked the door to her house and stepped over the threshold, leaving him on the porch. River had taken four steps into her house before she peered over her shoulder, looking toward him.

  “Are you going to join me?” she asked with a demure smirk before continuing her trek inside the house, removing her jacket along the way.

  It only took Ridge another second of standing on the porch in the chilled fall air before he sighed in a heavy exhale and stepped inside her house, closing the door behind himself. In the time it took him to come to his senses, River had already plated the slices of cherry pie.

  “If you want to find a movie, we can eat this in the living room.”

  Shrugging off his jacket, Ridge made his way to the coffee table where the remote laid. “Any particular request?”

  “Anything is fine. I’m not picky.”

  Ridge took his typical seat on the couch and flipped through the channels until he found an old Mel Brooks comedy. River carried the two plates over, placing them on the coffee table as she sat down.

  “Good choice. I haven’t seen this one in a while.”

  They ate their dessert in silence, the only noise being their small bouts of laughter. Ridge watched as she brought the fork topped with the delectable sweet to her lips from the corner of his eye. He wanted nothing more than to be the cherry filling as it brushed against her tongue.

  “What?” she asked, noticing his stare trained on her.

  “Nothing, I just like looking at you.” He was fascinated as a dark blush blossomed on her cheeks as she took a final bite of her pie and set the plate back on the table. He turned his attention back to the movie, but he was aware of her gaze now trained on him.

  “What?” he asked, repeating her question, but this time she had no response. Their eyes locked and held as the movie continued to run. His heart pounded in his chest, fighting against the instinct to make the first move. River was fragile, and he knew from their discussions that she was weary to proceed past a friendship, but he didn’t know how much longer he could take.

  Suddenly River leaned toward him, placing both of her hands on either side of his face and sealed his lips with hers. She wasted no time begging his mouth for entrance with her tongue and he happily obliged her request. Ridge reached for her waist and effortlessly pulled her onto his lap, her legs straddling either side of his hips. He held her close, wrapping his arms fully around her back so that her breasts pressed against his chest.

  With the movie long forgotten, River slid her hands from his face to the back of his neck, gripping his hair with her fingers. She tilted his head in the direction she wanted and he was fully prepared to relinquish control to her.

  Ridge thought that she was the most magnificent creature as she rocked her hips against his growing bulge, taking what she wanted from him. But he didn’t want her to regret their actions.

  Painfully, Ridge pulled his lips away from hers, kissing his way from the corner of her mouth, across her cheek, and to the edge of her ear.

  His lips brushed against the soft skin as he whispered, “We need to slow down or I won’t be able to restrain myself much longer.”

  One of her hands slithered between their bodies until he cupped his erection through his pants. He hissed between his teeth at the contact.

  “I want you, Ridge. All of you.”

  Using his hand, he grabbed her chin and turned her head to face his. He wanted to see her eyes when they made the decision to take things further.

  “Are you positive, River? Because there is no going back after this.”

  “I’m sure,” she whispered breathlessly.

  Ridge pressed his mouth against hers firmly and stood from the couch, gripping her thighs to bring her legs around his waist. Blindly he stumbled down the hall to where he assumed was her bedroom since the two houses were built similarly.

  The room was dark, but a small lamp in the corner bathed the room in a yellow glow. Ridge placed his knee on the bed with her body still wrapped around his until he released her legs, causing her to fall in the center of the duvet. Hovering above her, Ridge pressed one last kiss to her lips, then stood back and began unbuttoning his shirt. River’s must have grown impatient as she sat up on the bed and moved her hand toward his chest. She gripped the material of his shirt in her tight fists and tore the two sides away from each other. Buttons flew across the room, scattering across her floor.

  He stared at her wild expression and River only responded with a small grin and a shrug of her shoulders. “You were taking too long.”

  She gripped her own belt and undid the latch, unwrapping the leather from around her waist, and then she swiftly lifted the material of her dress over her skin. Ridge was in awe of her actions, hypnotized by her movements as River continued to expose each delectable inch of her skin.

  “God, you’re beautiful.”

  Reaching out with the tip of his finger, Ridge trailed a path from her shoulder down between her breasts clad in soft ivory lace. Her skin was more delicate than he imagined.

  “You’re still overdressed, superhero.”

  Fuck, hearing her call him a hero set his cock on fire. He was harder than he had ever remembered being before and it was all due to his quiet neighbor.

  Clenching the opening of his dress shirt, Ridge drew it off his body, leaving only his undershirt covering his chest. Ridge yanked it over his head and threw it in the same haphazard direction as his dress shirt. Toeing off his shoes, he kicked them aside then went to work on his slacks. He hissed as his hand rubbed against the stiffness of his erection as he unhooked the pants.

  As he placed his hands on his pants' waistband, intending to remove them, River placed her hands on the material instead. She gathered the edge of both the pants and his boxers, tugging them downward, exposing his cock to her view.

  “Geez, could you be any more attractive?” she asked breathlessly as he worked to eradicate himself from the pants and his socks.

  “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  “Oh, it definitely is.”

  As he stood up, he leaned over her petite figure on the bed. He wanted desperately to rid her of her own lingerie that was driving him mad, but he wanted to move at her pace.

  Her eyes were drawn to the hard tip of his cock that bobbed with each breath that he took. Then she demurely looked up at him behind long dark lashes. Their gazes locked and he knew without a doubt that he was completely lost to her. She owned him entir
ely.

  “Can I. . .can I touch it?”

  ***

  River wasn’t sure what she had expected, but Ridge’s moan that vibrated within the walls of the room sure took her by surprise.

  “Damn, did you really expect me to say no?”

  River giggled before reaching out and caressing the velvety skin of his shaft.

  “No, not really. Just thought I’d be polite.”

  “Fuck, woman, you absolutely don’t have to be polite.”

  “Well, then,” she said, leaving her words trailing in the air as she leaned forward and captured the tip of his cop between her lips. He tasted just a bit salty and a mix of another flavor she was certain was all Ridge. Tasting a man’s cock wasn’t something she typically enjoyed, but as she slid her mouth further and further down Ridge’s pulsating dick, she realized that it was merely him that left her wanting more. River couldn’t get enough of him in her mouth. She moved her head in time with her hand, her saliva coating his shaft with each pass. River found the skin between her legs growing in wetness as his body shook.

  “I don’t want to come, baby. I want to be in you first.”

  Hesitantly, River moved away from his cock, prying her other hand from the grip she maintained on his firm behind. Her tongue immediately missed the feel of his skin and his flavor, but as he crawled onto the bed above her, she quickly forgot the absence.

  “You drive me mad. I’ve never wanted someone the way that I want you,” Ridge said as he reached behind her back and flicked her bra loose. Her breasts broke free of their confines and she removed the material from her body.

  Gently he caressed one of her breasts as if he had been given permission to touch the most fragile of china. Her back arched automatically when his lips opened up around the rosy skin of her nipple.

  Like the strike of a match, his fingers knew how to make her body ignite as they ran across the skin of her stomach. She was on fire and only knew of one way to extinguish the burn. She needed him more than she needed her next breath.