Flash Point: Holding Out for a Hero, Book 3 Read online

  Even still, she was glad for the darkness of the truck so he couldn’t see the pink in her cheeks. God, it was going to be a long night.

  The streets of Wyattsville were dark and deserted with most people in for the night. Still, Todd gripped the steering wheel like he expected kids to be darting out in the road any minute.

  It was just a breast. Kate’s breast. It should’ve been like bumping into his sister—if he’d had one. But when she’d fell against him, the thoughts in his head sure as hell hadn’t been brotherly. Just like that night at the tavern, he’d been thrown into an alternate reality with Kate that left him a bit dazed.

  When she’d opened the door, he’d deliberately not let his gaze drop to her breasts peeking out of her sweater. Which was damn hard, because he’d still seen the large swells out of the corner of his eye without glancing down for closer inspection.

  She was different than most of the women he’d dated over the years. Her personality earthier and a body that was lush and curvy. She was unique…intriguing in a way he was only just now starting to notice.

  Shit. Maybe this was a bad idea. Dinner tonight. What the hell was wrong with him? Was he being naïve to think he could keep looking at Kate as just a friend? Had that silly little impulse kiss she’d given him at the tavern screwed that up entirely?

  It was part of the reason he’d stop coming around so much. He’d needed to distance himself from her, from the memory of that kiss.

  “Weren’t we going to El Gordo’s?”

  He blinked. “What?”

  “I think you just passed the restaurant.”

  For fuck’s sake, really? Todd’s jaw clenched with disbelief as he swerved the truck around at the next intersection.

  “Good catch. My mind must’ve been elsewhere.” Like on your tits.

  “No problem, I’ve been accused more than once for having my head in the clouds,” she teased.

  He glanced over at her and smiled, but caught another flash of creamy cleavage as they pulled under a street lamp. Her breasts looked soft and pillowy, kind of like clouds. Might not be such a bad place to have his hea—fuck! Sweat broke out on the back of his neck and he jerked his attention back out the windshield as he parked the truck.

  Fuck, fuck, fuck. Dinner had definitely been a bad idea. Definitely. How the hell was going to stop his dick from taking control of his brain the rest of the night? He couldn’t be thinking about sleeping with Kate. Could not even consider the possibility. He was an asshole, but he wasn’t that big of one.

  His brothers would kick his ass to Portland and back if they were aware what he was thinking. Jesus, he was in trouble.

  Todd parked the truck and put on the emergency brake, giving a tight smile.

  “So, ready to get your fajitas on?”

  “Oh, heck yeah I am.” She waggled her eyebrows and licked her bottom lip. “Bring on the cheese, chicken, peppers, tortillas—”

  “Corn?” he asked gruffly, trying really hard not to look at her mouth.

  “Oh yeah. Can’t do the flour, it’s just not the same.” She gave a soft laugh and then reached for the handle on the door, sliding out before he could remember his manners and open it for her.

  Shit. Someone needed to slap him upside the head. And hard. He’d do it himself if Kate hadn’t been outside on the sidewalk waiting for him.

  Biting back a sigh, he climbed out of the truck and went to start the dinner date that never should’ve happened.

  It was only once they were seated, had ordered, and he nursed a bottle of beer, did some of Todd’s tension ease. Kate was talking animatedly about this and that, acting as if everything was life as usual. Which was probably damn easy for her, considering she didn’t have the same filthy thoughts running through her mind.

  But he found if he focused really, really hard on seeing Kate in that friend light, blurred his gaze a bit, it almost worked. Almost. When their food arrived, he was grateful for the distraction. Relieved for a reason to look at something else besides her.

  “So I’ve always been curious,” she said between bites. “How on earth do you function working those twenty-four hour shifts? Don’t you get tired?”

  Back on familiar territory, Todd relaxed a little more as he built another fajita on a tortilla. “Sometimes we catch naps during the shift, but it can be a little abrasive on the body when a call comes in. You get used to it. And really, it’s pretty awesome having all those days off I get in exchange.”

  “Oh I’m sure,” she gave a wistful sigh. “So what do you do during such a super long shift? When you’re not on a call.”

  “Well, when Jeremiah and I get there for our shift, we relieve the other guys, get our gear on the rig, check out the equipment, roll call and going over the agenda for the day…then, you know, we keep busy. Sometimes we have inspections, training, drills. Other days are slower. We work out, shop for the firehouse, cook dinner.” He grinned. “And, you know, just ‘wait for the big one’.”

  “That’s really cool, Todd. Sounds like such an awesome job.”

  Todd drew back a bit emotionally, when he saw the glint of fascination in her eyes. The pink in her cheeks. It pretty much reaffirmed that even if Kate was nursing a mild crush on him, it was more for what he did, than for who he was.

  “I really can’t imagine such a career. Especially having all those days off!” she continued. “I need to hire more people, because right now I’m only getting Sunday off and that’s only because the shop’s closed.”

  About to take a bite, Todd hesitated, his brows drawing together with realization. “Yeah. You really do work a lot. How long are you there each day?”

  “Usually six to sometimes after four…however long it takes me to clean up.”

  Biting back a curse, he muttered, “Kate, you seriously need to hire someone else.”

  “I have other people. Well, sort of. I mean I had a couple extra employees during the summer, but one returned to college in the fall. Now it’s just Bree—who’s part time—and I.” She sighed and then licked a trace of sour cream off her finger. “But you’re right, I need to hire someone else.”

  And just like that, watching Kate’s pink tongue dart out, and Todd was back in unfamiliar territory. His blood heated and something primal sizzled through him.

  “I need you to teach me how to bake something,” he rasped desperately. “I want to impress a girl.”

  Chapter Three

  He might as well have sucker punched her in the gut. Kate blinked, trying hard not to let the surprise and hurt show on her face.

  “Oh, right. Sure.”

  And there it was. The real reason he’d asked her out tonight. It definitely hadn’t been romantic, wasn’t really even a friend thing, he just wanted baking lesson to get into some chick’s pants.

  Her stomach knotted and she swallowed hard. God she was a fool, had been acting like a fool all night. Chatting a mile a minute to try and hide how damn nervous she was, to avoid thinking about his arm against her breast earlier, and how she wanted so much more than an accidental brushing.

  “It doesn’t even have to be anything exciting,” Todd went on quickly. “I mean, maybe just some no-brainer cookie recipe?”

  She nodded and took another bite of food, even if her food had lost all flavor and enjoyment.

  Silence fell between them, heavy and awkward, and the longer she kept quiet, the more she just wanted to scream. She could barely deal with Todd talking to her about the women in his life, seeing them was bad enough, but having to help him with it?

  Todd seemed to sense her mood change, because any further attempts at conversation stayed firmly away from the topic of women and dating.

  When the check arrived, he handled it despite her insisting that she pay half. The entire ride home, the hot ball of anger in her belly just kept expanding, until her vision was tinted with red and her hands were clenched into fists.

  When they pulled up outside her house, she didn’t trust herself to say anything
more than a terse, “Goodnight.”

  She climbed out of the truck, slamming the door behind her as she strode toward her front door. She’d just blown any pretense of playing it cool, but so what? She heard the truck door slam again, and she flinched, increasing her pace.

  Todd’s fingers curled around her elbow, spinning her around and off balance. She reached out to catch herself, just like she’d done earlier today with Walt. Only this time, there was no urge to pull away when her palms flattened against Todd’s hard, broad chest. But the fact that she was pissed, not just angry, downright pissed at Todd, had her jerking away regardless.

  Todd didn’t let her go though, instead slid his hands up her arm to pull her closer to him.

  Her heart lurched in her chest and her mouth went dry.

  “I’m sorry,” he muttered.

  She lifted her gaze to his and from the light of her porch saw the regret in his eyes.

  “There isn’t a woman I’m trying to impress with baking. I made that up.”

  Kate frowned, stilling in her efforts to free herself. “Why did you say that then?”

  “Damn it, to keep this from happening.” His head blocked out the light as it dipped, and then his mouth crashed down on hers.

  Shock ripped through her as his lips masterfully parted hers, his tongue plunging inside to taste her. She couldn’t move, couldn’t even respond for a moment. Until the tingling began and a liquid heat seeped through her veins, pooling heavily between her thighs.

  She was in Todd’s arms and he was kissing the hell out of her? How long had she fantasized about this?

  Kate kissed him back, pressing her body firmly against his, crushing her breasts against his chest as she gave herself over to the moment. To the power of a chemistry never before acted on. A chemistry that for so long she’d thought would always only be one sided.

  He lifted his head, his breathing ragged. His gaze tormented. “Tell me to stop, Kate.”

  “I can’t,” she whispered. “I won’t.”

  Todd growled low in his throat and then backed her up, until she slammed into her front door. His hands that gripped her arms slid up to her wrists, jerking them above her head and pinning them against the wood in one of his hands.

  Then his mouth was on hers again, while his free hand covered one of her breasts through her sweater. Her nipple beaded and the spot between her legs throbbed with need. Her mew of pleasure was caught on his tongue as it swept across hers.

  Oh God, oh God, oh God.

  His strong fingers squeezed her flesh, finding her nipple through the layer of sweater and bra. Her panties dampened as he twisted and pinched the tip, his tongue so far from gentle as it plundered her mouth.

  She arched into him, wanting so much more than he was giving. And he seemed to know, because he delved his hand beneath the V of her sweater and under her bra to find her bare breast.

  Her eyes almost rolled to the back of her head with pleasure. The feel of his rough, calloused hands against her sensitized flesh kept her mind grounded enough to know she wasn’t dreaming.

  Todd pinched her nipple and arrows of pleasure shot directly from her breast to between her legs. She adjusted her stance, needing to ease the ache. There was so much more she wanted. Needed.

  She tugged to free her hands unconsciously, wanting him to unfasten her jeans and slip a hand inside. Wanted to feel his fingers inside her. She’d never had that before. With any man…

  Todd’s mouth jerked from hers, a guttural “Fuck” spilling from his lips.

  Kate’s lashes fluttered up and she ran her tongue over her swollen mouth.

  Tension had Todd’s shoulders rigid, his face twisted into an expression of frustration. She held her breath, waiting for what would happen next, as her heart continued to thunder in her chest.

  Don’t stop, oh please, please don’t stop. No matter how many times she’d told herself it would be foolish to get sexually involved with Todd——having just this quick impassioned taste, it was clear her willpower was obliterated the moment he touched her.

  “Ah, Kate,” he muttered, his finger stroking over the inside of her wrist. “I’m sorry.”

  He was sorry? For what had just happened? Her heart did a big fat nosedive and her throat tightened.

  “I shouldn’t have done that,” he continued, and released her hands from where they were still pinned above her. He took a step backward and gave a humorless laugh. “I guess we can just say we’re even now.”

  “Even?” she parroted, the one word high-pitched and soft.

  “Yeah. From when you stole a drunken kiss that you probably don’t even remember—”

  “I remember.”

  Todd’s gaze jumped back to hers and his jaw flexed. “You don’t want to get involved with me, Kate. I’m not boyfriend material.”

  She swallowed hard, heat burning her cheeks. How the hell did she respond to that? Seriously. How? Say she was just looking to get laid? Because was she? It was a huge leap from virgin to one-night stand.

  “I was wrong to say I don’t like that hardware store guy, Kate. You should be dating someone like that. Someone who’ll appreciate you. Respect you…”

  In the morning? Who knew if they were the unspoken words to the rest of Todd’s sentence, but they fit.

  Kate sucked her bottom lip into her mouth and chewed it. Why was it so crushingly disappointing that Todd had slammed the door on the possibility of sex between them?

  “Why did you ask me to dinner tonight?” she finally blurted, not really knowing what else to say.

  Todd sighed and shook his head. “The hell if I know. But it was a bad idea.”

  “Ouch. You’re not doing much for my confidence right now.” Her laugh came out brittle as she dug in her purse for her keys.

  “Damn it. Again that came out wrong. I’m sorry.”

  “You know, I’m just going to go inside now, before you say something that makes me give in to the urge to drive my knee into your balls.”

  “I’m sorry…”

  “I think you’ve said that a few times tonight.” Which was weird, because Todd wasn’t the type to apologize profusely. She fumbled to unlock the door and shoved it open, before stepping inside. Turning to face him, she gave a strained smile. “It’s best if we just call it a night.”

  “Yeah, probably.” Todd shoved his hands into his pocket and nodded. “Shit, Kate, I really am so—”

  She shut the door before he could finish another apology.

  He’d fucked up tonight. In a big, fat, no-going-back way. Todd slammed his fists into the steering wheel and cursed a blue streak as he headed home.

  What the hell had gotten into him? Kate was not any random woman he could seduce without regret. She was Kate. All wide eyes and a touch of innocence he didn’t see with many girls nowadays. Hell, any of the girls he’d dated. If you could call what he did dating…

  He’d wager Kate had probably only slept with a few men in her life. And the only other guy he could remember her being serious with was some guy on the baseball team back in high school. He’d been away at college, but he’d heard about it, seen them when he’d returned during spring break.

  But whatever happened in Kate’s love life, she kept it private. She obviously wasn’t the type to sleep around.

  Todd’s mouth twisted derisively. And yet that’s all he did. Playing musical beds like it was an Olympic event.

  His fingers clenched around the steering wheel as he thought about the softness of her full breast spilling over into his hand. Jesus, she was sexy. Had tits that were so big, soft and real. Everything about Kate was real and lush. How had he never realized it before? How understated her attractiveness was?

  Because tonight he’d wanted to push open her front door and toss her inside, get her onto that big white couch of hers and strip her naked. Then kiss the softness of her inner thighs, before moving between them to taste the sweet-as-candy pussy he’d find. She probably tasted better than anything in her add
ictive little shop.

  Todd bit back a groan and shook his head. His cock was like granite beneath his jeans, pushing against the denim and throbbing something fierce. Damn it. He had to stop thinking about Kate this way. Everything had changed that night of the bachelorette party. All because Kate had kissed him while drunk, firmly knocking her ass out of the just-friends box and into the maybe-we-should-fuck box.

  Shit. Walking away from a woman was a new thing. Women didn’t tell him no, and it wasn’t very often he told himself no. He needed an outlet.

  Maybe he could call someone… Maybe Rita, who worked down at the bank. They’d hooked up a few times in the past year. He visualized the skinny blonde, tried to get excited, but it wasn’t happening. In fact everything inside him rebelled at using another woman when he really only wanted one.

  “Fuck,” he muttered. What the hell was wrong with him? Pussy was pussy. As long as it was warm and wet, who the hell cared, right?

  Something deep tightened inside his chest. Guilt? Shame? And a memory that reminded him he hadn’t always been like this. But he snuffed it out, shoving the image back into that corner of mind he didn’t visit much. If ever.

  His cell phone buzzed to life and he practically dove for it, hoping for some kind of lifeline for the rest of the evening. It came in the form of his brother Tyson.

  And just like that the guilt disappeared and he remembered why he’d become the man he was.

  “Hey, Ty,” he muttered. “What are you up to?”

  “Sitting around on my butt, waiting for Ellie to get home from her yoga classes.”

  “That’s right, she opened the studio a few weeks ago. You check it out yet? Go to a class?”

  Tyson laughed. “Hell, no. You really think I’m gonna do that body pretzel stuff?”

  “No. Can’t say that I can see you doing that.” Todd’s mouth curved into a slow grin and he finally started to relax. “Gun range, yes. Yoga, no way.”

  “Exactly. So I was calling to see if you wanted to grab a beer. We could meet at the Tavern.”