Spark (3 page)

He dragged a chair to her and sat. “I’m officially
jealous of the way you’re staring at that pizza.”

She sucked some sauce off her thumb after popping a
piece of pepperoni. “Surprised you noticed me looking at anything
with all your eye candy looking at us.”

“You want to pose for me? I’d be more than happy to
cover the walls with pics of you.”

“I’ll pass, thanks.” She ate the rest of her
slice.

҉

Vance stared across the garage from beneath the hood
of Kendria’s Impala. She slept on his couch, beneath his shirt—the
one she’d put on earlier. He hadn’t figured her out yet. She was
complex, his kitten. The top layer of her had him more intrigued
than he’d been in many a day. Still, she had more than he’d peeled
away thus far.

The pizza had been consumed with laughter and
increased sexual tension between them. She was a vibrant woman
until she thought about the man named Joe.

Staring back under the hood, he adjusted the last
spark plug. The car, wherever she’d gotten it from, had been worse
than he’d first assumed. Oil hadn’t been changed in so long it had
seized up the motor. The battery had crapped out, and she had been
lucky to avoid an accident, for the brake pads were
non-existent.

The outside had been covering up a wealth of internal
issues. It now had new tires, brake pads, and he’d taken care of
the rest of the things he could until the other items arrived. If
she were leaving, he couldn’t in good conscience allow her to leave
in a subpar vehicle.

It is a Chevy, but I’ll look past that.

Backing away, he wiped off his hands and turned his
attention back to the sleeping woman. He wanted her in his bed.
Or against the wall, on the desk. A combination of them.
Anywhere so long as the end result was him balls deep inside her
pussy with her crying his name in passion. He adjusted his pants in
a meager effort to relieve pressure on his cock.

She stirred on the cushions, her expression morphing
into something unpleasant. Her fingers clutching then splaying on
the shirt covering her. When her mouth opened to emit louder cries,
he approached, wanting to wake her from the nightmare.

“Wake up, kitten.” He crouched beside her.

“No!” She screamed and lurched back, eyes flying
open. Fear swirled in their depths.

“Easy, there.” He reached out to her, breathing
easier when she grasped his hand. Her bruising grip couldn’t hide
the tremors rocking her. “You’re safe. It was just a
nightmare.”

Her chest rose and fell with her attempt to obtain
oxygen. He didn’t try to get her to loosen her grip on him; he
could take it. Hopping on his haunches to resettle, he used his
free hand to cradle the nape of her neck. He moved his thumb along
the silken, damp skin there.

“Deep breaths,” he advised. He demonstrated, waiting
for her to follow his lead. “That’s right,” he encouraged.

She released him and sat upright, his shirt falling
to her lap. “Sorry. My nights have been sporadic, at best.”

He flexed his grip on her neck when she began to move
away, keeping her in place. “When was the last time you got a good
solid night’s sleep?”

“A few weeks.”

She moved her arm and gasped before breathing
hard.

“What’s wrong?” When she shook her head, he scowled
at her.

“I have a fractured arm. I think.”

He leaned back, blinking as shock smashed into him.
“And what, you were just going to ignore it?”

“Yes. It’s a fracture. It’s not broken. So, it’ll
heal.”

Was she kidding? “I’m taking you to the hospital.” He
pushed to his feet. “No arguments.” She shook her head. He
struggled to control the fury streaking through him. “Did he do
this?”

“What?”

Vance realized how deep his voice had been. “Did he
do this to you?”

“No.” she grabbed his arm. “I promise. I was in such
a hurry that I fell.” She gave him a smile. “I’ll get it looked at
later.”

“Fuck that. We’re going now.”

She gave a vehement shake of her head. “I can’t.”

“The fuck you can’t. You
will
. You need it
checked out.”

He berated himself the entire time he escorted her
out of the garage and to the hospital’s emergency room. While she
got checked out, he leaned against the wall and waited. A few
people he knew said hi as they went by, but other than a brief
reply, he maintained his vigil over Kendria.

“She’ll be fine,” the doc said as she was finishing
up.

Kendria left to go to the bathroom, and he asked,
“Was there evidence of abuse?”

Dr. Davis shook her head. “Abuse?”

“Bruising around the fracture. Other healing
injuries?”

“There’s a bruise deep, but I would have a hard time
contradicting the claim of falling with one of direct trauma.” Her
left hand went up. “Don’t ask me anymore. I’m not giving you more
on her.”

Vance understood she couldn’t, but damn it, he wanted
to know. Kendria returned, her arm sporting a split now. He
immediately stepped closer to Kendria. “How are you feeling?”

Her smile did funny things to his gut.

“Great. I told you I was fine.”

“Come on,” he said, reaching out his hand, nearly
preening when she took it. “We’re going home.”

“I have a hotel room,” she said as they strode for
the doors.

“What a coincidence. I have rooms at my place.”

At his truck, he slid her over the driver’s seat to
the middle then climbed in after her.

“I paid for a hotel,” she reminded him.

“And, it will be there tomorrow.” He left the
hospital lot and drove to his two-bedroom ranch. Once they’d parked
in the garage, he hopped out.

She joined him at his beckoning gesture. Her eyes
held a tiny bit of humor. “How do you know I’m not a crazy psycho
who will kill you in bed?”

He winked as he trapped her between him and the
truck. “Kitten, I have no doubt you will. But, believe me, I
promise you will be experiencing something similar in bed.”

Her tongue snuck out and wet her lips. “What if I
said, fine, take me now?”

He pressed against her. Dipping his head, he inhaled
deeply, moving along her exposed skin along her collar and neck.
“I’m just a man, kitten.” He flicked his tongue across her skin,
unsure why he was torturing himself. “As much as I want you, and
it’s obvious I do, when I take you”—another swipe of his tongue—“I
want you well rested before I remove your clothing, inch by
tempting inch, to lick you”—another lingering drag—“from head to
toe until I spread your legs.”

Vance’s pants were in danger of slicing off his
cock’s circulation. She gripped his waistband, nails scoring his
sides, adding to the pressure in his jeans and the need clawing at
him.

“Then, once—and only once—I satisfy my thirst for the
cream from your pussy will I slid my cock between those lips and
fuck you.”

Her lips trembled as her breaths shortened in length
and increased in speed. Her pupils had nearly consumed the richness
of her irises. Nostrils flared in time with the panting
breaths.

He skimmed the whorl of her ear with his teeth. “And
fuck you.”

The mewl that slipped free almost broke through his
resolve.

“Tonight, you sleep.” He went to step back, and her
grip tightened.

“Why are you doing this? Helping me?”

“Because I have a little—okay, younger—sister, and
I’d like to believe, if she were in need, someone would assist
her.”

“Including offering to fuck her?”

Vance growled. “Not listening to that.”

Her swift kiss surprised him. “I could be a younger
sister, you know, and my brothers would be hoping like you.”

“No way.”

“What? I can’t have brothers?”

“Kitten, you’re running from a man who scares you. No
way you have brothers, older or younger. Not with their salt,
though. If that was my sister, she wouldn’t be scared. I may be in
prison, but no way my sister is living in fear.”

“She’s lucky to have you as her brother. Where is
she?”

He kissed the tip of her nose before guiding her to
the door. “John Hopkins.”

“Working or a patient?” He heard the hope in her
question.

“Working. She’s in pediatrics.”

“That’s awesome.”

“Pretty proud of her.” Inside, he led her to the
bedroom and pointed through to the bathroom. “There’s a toothbrush
and toothpaste in there.” He moved to his bureau and withdrew a
t-shirt. “Clean shirt, and the sheets are clean. Sleep well,
kitten.”

He walked to the door and paused, gripping the frame.
His decision to leave her there alone warred with him.

“Vance?” Her voice wove around him like the most
decadent temptation in the world.

“Yes?”

“Are you sleeping elsewhere? Instead of sharing your
bed with me?”

Chapter
Three

It had to be the overwhelming haze created by her
exhaustion, lingering pain, and the mere fact this man made her
think crazy.
It’s my only excuse for the question even
formulating in my mind. Much less for allowing it to
escape.

He stood in the doorway, the arm up to the frame,
flexed, showcasing his strength. She wanted him with a fervor she’d
yet to experience with a man.

Lust? Of course, she wasn’t foolish enough to believe
it was anything other than a primal reaction. But, she also
couldn’t ignore how he’d helped and treated her.

He peered over his shoulder, burning her with the
heat of his hazel gaze. There was more than heat there. His gaze
was more effective than a brand pressed to her flesh. Her heart
skipped a few beats before settling in a rhythm, not a slow one,
but at least a consistent one.

“You’re exhausted. Recovering from a fractured arm.
The last thing you need is me in bed with you.” His words were so
low and graveled they were difficult to decipher.

She refused to give up. Licking her lips, she loved
the way his eyes tracked the movement. “I think it’s the first
thing I need.” She reached out to him, allowing her uncertainty to
drip into her gaze, wriggling her fingers.

“I have to close up the house. Get under the
blankets.”

Only once he strode away did she release the breath
she’d been holding. Swiftly, she took care of everything and
burrowed beneath the crisp, cool sheets, wearing one of his shirts
that hung down to her mid-thighs. His scent of outdoors filled her
senses.

He paused in the doorway before striding through
toward the bathroom. Hitting a switch, he submerged the room in
darkness. Seconds later, a crack of light speared the inky
blackness.

With a yawn, she snuggled down deeper into the pillow
and waited. Listening to the shower and imagining him naked in the
water. Eventually, the light went out, and she held her breath for
a moment.

“I’m on the same side I was. Do you want me to move
over?”

“No, you’re fine.”

The bed dipped as he climbed in. Even with the space
he kept between them, she could feel his heat.

“Goodnight, Vance.”

“Go to sleep, kitten.”

She lay there, allowing her breathing to deepen and
slow. Eventually, she inched closer until she came in contact with
him. With a tiny whimper, she closed her eyes, her arm resting
along his bare abdomen.

“Holy hell,” he muttered. “I won’t sleep a wink.”

Kendria shifted again, nestling closer. He may not
have wanted to be under the covers with her, but she was determined
to be as close as she could. One more yawn, and she succumbed to
the lure of the sandman, safe and secure once Vance curved his hand
over the tuck of her waist.

She woke in a panic.

“Easy, kitten.” Vance’s deep voice wound around her,
bringing warmth and comfort. He was now under the blankets as well,
his arms wrapped around her. “Do you want me to turn on the
light?”

“No.”

God, I sound so pathetic.
She dashed away her
tears then placed her hand back to his chest, the heated skin
beneath her palm combined with his steady heartbeat assisted in
calming her down.

She lifted her hand and moved up, trailing her touch
along his skin. Over his throat and up his neck. Along the scruff
on his jaw until she found firm, bow-shaped lips.

“What are you doing?”

“Exploring,” she said, emboldened by the darkness.
She pushed up, aware of her injury, and leaned in until her lips
met the backs of her fingers. “Kissing.” She withdrew her fingers
so they were lip to lip.

“I only have so much restraint.”

“What else do I have to do?” She straddled him and
debated removing the shirt covering her. “If I wanted to shatter
this restraint of yours?”

“Nothing.”

His mouth dominated hers, and she allowed him to
support her weight. In and out, he stroked his tongue, sliding
against hers. As happened the first time he kissed her, his taste
sank into her. As unique as the man, it fired her synapses to an
unknown and unexperienced level.

His arms, bands of strength around her, drew her
tighter to him. A low grumble echoed in her ears seconds before the
kiss changed. This was proprietary.

He rolled them, mindful of her arm, so she was on the
bottom. His bare back and shoulders rippled beneath her hands as
she touched him. Not a spare ounce of fat on him. She wished the
splint didn’t hamper her left arm, but she’d make do. He flexed his
hips, driving his jean-covered cock against her core.

“Inside,” she begged, her body arching to his.

“You’re supposed to be resting.”

“I’ll be exhausted after an orgasm.”

“Kitten, one? I plan on giving you multiple ones
before I allow you to go back to sleep.”

The flutter within her grew. “Yes.”

He possessed her mouth once more. She ignored the
stab of pain in her arm and grabbed at his waist.