Where There's Smoke Read online

  Powerful, graceful and alluring, she stole his capacity to do anything but react on a basic level.

  When she neared, he tipped up her face with two fingers under her chin.

  Her smile brightened his world.

  “I can’t believe that just a few weeks ago, I thought I’d lost everything. And now I have all I’ve ever dreamed of. Family, home, the start of a business, passion and…you.”

  “They say things happen for a reason, Logan-kun.”

  “You’re my reason.” He didn’t need to say more.

  She nodded, her eyes shimmering. “Same goes. And you know what else they say?”

  “What’s that?” Trying to stop her from unbuttoning his slacks or drawing down the zipper would have been ridiculous.

  “Where there’s smoke…there’s fire.” She hiked his dress shirt up and nipped the ridge that led from his hip bone, arrowing toward his cock.

  The silk of his tie unraveled in a hurry. He couldn’t risk her destroying his restraint with the clever fingers that dropped his pants, shoved his briefs to his ankles and cupped his balls in the blink of an eye.

  “Damn.” He choked when she weighed his sac in her palm.

  “That’s what I’m saying.” She ran the tip of one finger along his entire length. “You seem even bigger tonight, now that I can really see you.”

  “That fancy petting you’re doing certainly isn’t making it any smaller.” He grunted when she squeezed. “Unless you do it too much. Enough of that.”

  She gasped when he kicked his feet free of the tangle of fabric pooled around them, then whipped his tie off and twined it around her wrists before she realized what he intended. “Logan?”

  The note of uncertainty in her cry had him pausing. “Do you like to be bound, Ky?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve never tried it.” She flushed, every inch of her turning a pretty salmon color. “I haven’t felt comfortable enough to ask guys to experiment.”

  “That should have been clue number one they were all wrong for you.” He nuzzled her jaw, taking the sting out of his rebuke. “But you’ve thought about it?”

  “Yes.” She closed her eyes. “A lot. Giving up control isn’t easy for me.”

  “I know.” He kissed her eyelids, cheeks and lips gently. “Thank you for trusting me. You’re one of the only people who ever believed in me. All the way. I won’t let you down.”

  With no hesitation, she echoed him. “I know.”

  “Hell, I’ll even let you keep your power pumps this time.”

  “Logan, you like these shoes even more than I do. And that’s saying a lot.” She smiled before he kissed her.

  He stretched her out until she lay completely on her back, restrained hands above her head. The full weight of his body bore down on her.

  Kyana didn’t squirm. She didn’t attempt to escape. Instead she reveled in the heat of their connection, and spread her legs until he sank into the V of her thighs. The moist tip of his cock glided across her thigh, reminding him of practical matters.

  One hand shot out to the drawer in the side table and removed a condom from the pile he’d deposited there. After sheathing himself, he went to work on ridding Kyana of the last obstacles to their joining. He’d waited forever for this moment.

  If the desperate whimpers emanating from her were any indication, so had she.

  It took him a few seconds to figure out how to remove her panties while leaving her garter intact. Though it tempted him, he didn’t take the easy way out and rip the packaging off her present. No, he wanted to enjoy the sexy trappings for many sessions to come. Destruction wasn’t his thing.

  Carefully, he divested her of the scrap of lace, exposing her bare mound to his elevated breathing. She arched upward, presenting him with the perfect opportunity. He couldn’t resist tasting her again. The flavor of Kyana had been burning through his palate since their interlude on the dock.

  More delicious than their meal earlier, she encouraged him to devour her, preparing to accept him as best she could. While he laved her pussy, his hands snuck upward. They flicked over the front fastener of her bra, making quick work of the clasp. Unwilling to free her from the web they wove together, he yanked the material up, reinforcing the bond made by his tie while leaving her breasts exposed.

  No one could fault him for pausing to admire the full yet modest swells and the dark tips that had puckered in the evening air, or for detouring to taste first one then the other. The instant he felt her fingers in his hair, nudging him, he froze.

  “Did I tell you to move those hands, Ky?” A love bite on her breast captured her attention.

  “N-no.” She lifted her arms, placing them near the headboard once more.

  “Nice.” He kissed her long and sweet.

  “What are you doing to me?” She practically panted.

  “Loving you.” His hips rocked, guiding his full erection along the furrow of her pussy.

  “Please. I need you.” Kyana tried to align herself to encourage penetration.

  He nudged her, but refrained from entering the damp tissue kissing his shaft. Gritting his teeth, he committed himself to enhancing her experience then reached between them. The tip of his cock grazed her saturated pussy.

  They both drew a sharp lungful of air.

  “Keep breathing.” He rubbed his thumb over her lips until she sucked it into her mouth. “Let me inside.”

  A series of moans and cries encouraged him as he advanced, pressing himself deeper with rocks of his hips until she’d managed to envelop him in her sweetness. Nothing had ever felt so right. He whispered, his face pressed to Ky’s neck, “You know, I’ve never done this before either.”

  “Hmm?” She sounded as coherent as he felt.

  “I’ve never made love to a woman before.” He pulled back just enough to stare into her eyes. “Sex never mattered so much.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle.” She craned her neck to kiss the tip of his nose. “At least at first.”

  Laughter interrupted more kissing as he seated himself to the hilt. When he bottomed out, she rotated her hips, pressing her clit against the plane of muscle at the base of his cock. They locked tight together, perfect counterparts.

  At first, he was content to stay there, grinding with her and enjoying the steady pulses that clamped her rings of muscle around him in the most erotic massage of his life. After a while, her kisses grew sloppy and she writhed beneath him with enough vigor he worried she might aggravate her injuries. At least the tie kept her arm out of danger’s way as he’d intended.

  “Tell me what you need.” It wasn’t that he didn’t know. More that he had to hear it. Had waited a lifetime to live this dream.

  “Fuck me, Logan.” Decorum fled in the face of their raw, primal lust.

  He delivered, fulfilling every dirty encouragement she shouted at him. Thank God they’d waited until they were home alone to unleash their desire.

  “I want you to come for me, Ky.” He grunted as he picked up the pace, adding a swivel to each thrust, designed to drive her wild.

  “No.”

  Her refusal caused a hitch in his stride. Then a redoubling of his effort. “What did you say?”

  “No.” She grinned up at him. “Not without you.”

  “That’s not going to be a problem.” Electric shocks had been stirring in the base of his cock for a good long while. Hell, she was lucky he hadn’t gone off the moment they touched.

  He didn’t realize it, but he’d modified his strokes. Dots and dashes of an entirely different nature spelled out the way he felt, even if he wasn’t quite brave enough to say it and put the best night of his life in jeopardy. Someday soon he’d verbalize the sentiment his cock impressed on her in long and short lunges.

  “It’s okay to let go, Ky.” He stroked a sweaty lock of hair from her brow. “I’m here. I’ve got you. I won’t ever let you down.”

  “Yes!” She screamed it louder and louder until the clamp of her pussy synched
with the cries. The orgasm that washed over her had her milking every last drop of his release from the very tips of his toes. Or at least that’s how it seemed.

  Endless euphoria crashed over them. Each flex of her channel hugged him, eliciting another blast of come. He worried he might overflow the condom for about ten seconds, until he realized he might not care if he did.

  And when the violent storming had passed, he collapsed onto the bed beside her, unfettering her hands so they could bask in the afterglow as if it really were a lazy, rainy weekend.

  Logan smiled as an aftershock jolted Kyana. He rolled to his back and held her tight, rubbing the tension from her ass, sure that they would have plenty of chances to practice their techniques in slow, gentle sessions. Right after they did this a few dozen more times to take the edge off a decade of yearning.

  Chapter Seven

  Logan threw one arm over his head. He watched Kyana stretch then push up on her elbows. She swung a leg out of bed. “Where do you think you’re going? I kind of liked you where you were.”

  Understatement of the century.

  “I have to pee if you don’t mind. I didn’t realize this was going to be a sexathon.” He hadn’t thought it possible, but she was even cuter when she blushed.

  Logan rolled over and smacked her on the ass as she sauntered away. “Hurry back.”

  “I promise.” She smiled. “I haven’t had my fill of snuggles just yet.”

  “No problem. I have lots more where those came from.” He winked. “And some other tricks up my sleeves too.”

  “It’s big but I doubt it fits up your sleeve.”

  He choked.

  “I like you speechless.” She giggled, and he adored the carefree sound from his too-serious lover.

  “I have a feeling you’ll do that to me plenty. You know, like when I bury myself inside you again…” He pushed out of bed as if to chase her.

  “Give me a minute. Then I’m all yours.” Her radiant smile brightened his heart an instant before she closed the bathroom door.

  Since he was already up, and didn’t dare risk falling asleep without her or before round five, he wandered to the window and pushed back the curtains. Not on the side of the room facing Ben’s house, but on the opposite wall, near his side of their bed.

  Damn, he liked the way that sounded. Their bed.

  Rubbing the scratches Kyana had left on his chest with those sharp little nails of hers, he peered toward Myrtle Jansen’s place, wondering if Ben was really comfortable or if he should go bring his great-uncle home. An orange cast to the living room window caught his attention. Was Ben still up at this late hour?

  No way had the games gone on this long. Hell, some days the old timers didn’t last through the four-thirty episode of Judge Judy, their idol. If someone was still awake, it meant they couldn’t sleep. Crap. Kyana would understand if they cut their fun short, wouldn’t she? There’d be plenty of time later to play. Every night for the rest of their lives, he hoped.

  As he debated, he monitored that uneven glow.

  And that’s when he saw it.

  A shadow crossed between Logan’s perch and Myrtle’s living room.

  The bulky silhouette could belong to none other than Daryl Thick based on its size and the fluid way its owner stalked across the lawn.

  “Motherfucker.” He spun around, nearly plowing over Kyana.

  “What’s wrong?” The fear that drew lines in her pretty face made him itch to toss some punches. Daryl was older than him by a solid twenty years, but the dude had clearly been trained. This wasn’t going to go down easy.

  “Nothing. Stay here for a minute. I need to grab something out of my truck.” He hated lying to her, but wouldn’t risk her getting hurt.

  “Like what? A tire iron?” She tipped her head. “There’s nothing you could have forgotten and your eye ticked. Tell me the truth. If we’re going to be partners—”

  “Shit. Fine.” He couldn’t chance stepping wrong now. “Daryl is slinking around Myrtle’s house. It’s no coincidence that’s where Ben is tonight. I’m putting a stop to this bullshit once and for all.”

  “Let me call the police.” She reached for his hand.

  He glanced over his shoulder, monitoring Daryl’s progress. The asshole had already crept up to the window and was taking something from a bag Logan hadn’t noticed at first. “Go ahead. Notify them, then wait here for me. I think he’s up to something. I’m going to stop him before it’s too late.”

  “Be careful, Logan.” Somehow she knew better than to tell him not to go.

  He dragged on his jeans, shoved his feet in his boots, then kissed her quick and hard. “I’ll be right back. Then we’ll see about that snuggling, okay?”

  “’Kay.”

  “Love you.” The unfamiliar phrase flew off his tongue without hesitation.

  “Love you, too.” She kissed her fingers then blew the smooch toward him.

  Ridiculous or not, he caught it before clomping down the stairs. Doubly pissed off at Daryl, for causing trouble and for interrupting his time with Kyana, Logan channeled all of his anger into sneaking up on the wily bastard. He’d had some experience with this—during those bad judgment years—since his mother had left him to his own devices, sometimes for days or weeks at a time.

  When he’d crept as close as he dared in stealth, he launched himself at the dirt bag’s legs, tackling him into the juniper bushes.

  “Mufphh.” Daryl tried to rant. It made no sense with branches in his face.

  Logan hauled him backward and gave him a nice, solid shake. “What did I tell you about skulking around? Was it you who set those fires? Why? Why are you doing this?”

  “Quit your yammering. They’ll hear us.” Daryl ignored the inquisition.

  “Good. Kyana called the cops too. I want everyone to know about all your snooping.” Logan curled his fingers in Daryl’s black shirt to keep him still.

  “I can see. She still has her phone to her ear.” Daryl might have been lying, but Logan looked anyway. Sure enough, Ky stood not ten feet behind him with her cell and a fireplace poker, watching his back.

  “What are you—?”

  Daryl seized the opportunity granted by Logan’s momentary distraction. The man relied on his skills to evade Logan’s hold. The ease with which he broke free made it clear he’d only allowed the illusion of capture to keep from entering a real fight. “Listen to me, lovebirds. I’m not the guy you need to be getting your panties in a bunch over.”

  “Oh yeah, then who else is out here causing problems?” Logan glared at their nosy neighbor.

  “Myrtle.” He sighed. “She’s batshit crazy. I’ve known that for years.”

  “Hell, everyone knows that.” Kyana agreed with Daryl, obviously trying to calm him down.

  “Yeah, but what I didn’t realize was that she’s getting more unstable as she gets older. Completely off her rocker and dangerous too. She’s the one who’s been setting your fires. I’ve been trying to gather some concrete evidence, but she slipped away from me the day of the Town Hall incident.” He shook his head. “I have no idea how. She’s wily.”

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” Logan shook his head. “You expect me to believe we’re in danger from an eighty-five-year-old, retired… What the hell did she do anyway?”

  Kyana gasped. “She used to work at the Town Hall. Until it burned down the first time. And she won some kind of worker’s comp settlement. Rose used to joke that our taxes were hard at work supporting her.”

  “Seriously?” Logan took his eyes off Daryl for the first time.

  “Yeah.” The man grunted. “She’s always torching shit in that barrel of hers too, no matter how many times Sherriff Collins tells her to knock it off.”

  “Uh-oh,” Kyana added.

  “What, uh-oh?” Logan raised his brows.

  “One day when I ran out to get Rose’s prescriptions filled, Myrtle stopped by. She said she’d watch my aunt while I was gone. When I got back…th
ere was a small fire in the oven.” She covered her mouth with one hand. “I didn’t think anything of it. Myrtle said she’d tried to heat up something for Rose to eat but there was only a dishtowel in there when I looked. I thought she was getting senile and I didn’t want to embarrass her.”

  Daryl nodded. “It’s okay, hon. It took me a long time to figure it out, and I was looking. I didn’t expect the little old lady to be a fucking pyromaniac.”

  “So what do we do now?” Kyana’s eyes glistened in the light of her phone.

  “Let’s wait for the police and let them handle it.” Logan now agreed with her.

  “I wish we could.” Daryl eased along the edge of the bushes, speaking very softly. “But I’m afraid that glow is getting stronger. And it doesn’t look like any kind of lamp to me.”

  “Son of a bitch!” Logan had assumed his eyes were adjusting to the night. No such luck. Daryl was right. The unsteady flickering was growing by the second.

  “Ben,” Kyana cried out.

  “Shh…” Logan reached for her, hugging her tight to his side. “Let’s not give away our advantage. We’ll get him out of there, don’t worry.”

  “In all the time I’ve been watching, I’ve never seen her with a weapon. Just the silver lighter she carries. I’m willing to risk it.” Daryl marched over to the front door, which opened into the living room, where the light seemed strongest.

  “No, don’t.” Logan tried to stop him. With Kyana under one arm, he didn’t make it in time.

  “Wish me luck.” Daryl stepped back and kicked down the door with a smooth move that impressed Logan even as he cringed. “Stop! This is a citizen’s arrest.”

  Logan shoved Kyana behind him, ignoring her protest, and dashed over to assist. When he reached the threshold, his stomach dropped to his feet. Ben stared at him with bugged-out eyes. He thrashed on the couch, trussed up like a calf at a rodeo.

  Myrtle hovered above him, humming. She was dressed in a wedding gown that looked almost as old as she was. Had she had it all this time?