Hot For You Page 14

  She bolted upright on the bed. The sheet fell to her waist. All she wore were black panties and a black bra.

  Cody was lying on his side, facing her. The bed sheet draped his hips, his chest bare. Her back had been to him as she slept.

  Scratched and bruised, he looked slightly pale, his eyes closed, and her heart squeezed. She reached out and touched his face, her hand shaking. Was he all right?

  His flesh was warm beneath her touch. “Wake up, Cody.” Her words came out in a hoarse whisper. She cleared her throat and raised her voice as she shook his shoulder. “Cody. Come on. Wake up.”

  Relief flooded her when his eyelids raised and he met her gaze. “Hey, sunshine,” he said in a groggy voice with a faint smile.

  She managed a smile, too. “How are you?”

  “I’ve been better.” He put his hand over hers where it rested on his cheek. “What about you?”

  “Good.” She frowned. “I should have stayed awake and watched out for you.”

  “I’m fine.” He squeezed her hand as he scooted up in bed beside her. “I don’t think my concussion is as bad as yours was.”

  She tilted her head to the side. “Now how would you know that?”

  “I’ve had a couple of concussions before and this one doesn’t seem nearly as bad,” he said.

  She relaxed. “I’m so glad.”

  He reached up and stroked the side of her face as he looked at her intently. “I don’t know what I would have done if anything had happened to you. I’m in love with you, Carilyn. You’re a part of me now.”

  She stared at him as his words sank in. “You love me?”

  “More than you can imagine.” He nodded. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.”

  Her mind whirled. She couldn’t believe what he’d just told her. But she was leaving…

  His smile was almost a little sad as he took her face in his palms and leaned close to kiss her. When their lips met it was the sweetest kiss she could ever have imagined.

  As he drew away, he looked at her with such love in his eyes that it melted her heart and soul. “Let me show you.” He reached behind her and unfastened her bra and she let him slide the straps down her arms.

  She shivered beneath his gaze as he cupped her breasts in his palms. He lightly flicked her nipples with his thumbs and she bit her lower lip. He leaned toward her and kissed her again before taking her into his arms.

  “You are so beautiful in so many ways,” he said as he shifted her and laid her on her back, her head resting on his pillow.

  She looked up at him, her heart pounding harder. He hooked his fingers in the waistband of her panties and tugged them down, leaving her bared to his gaze.

  He shed his boxers and she watched the play of his muscles as he moved. His naked body was so powerful and he had a day’s growth of stubble on his jaws.

  One thought dominated her mind. Cody was hers. Hers.

  And she belonged to him.

  All other thought fled her mind. What mattered was that they were together and they were alive. They both could have died tonight.

  “I don’t want to ever be without you.” His words echoed her thoughts.

  “I’m here, Cody.” She reached out to him and he took her into his arms.

  His big body was so warm and hard against her smaller, softer one. His erection pressed into her belly as he kissed her with loving intensity. He smelled of soap from his shower along with his own masculine scent that drew her even closer to him.

  He moved his lips from hers and started pressing kisses to her eyelids, her forehead, her cheeks. His lips were so soft against her skin, his touches so special that it brought tears to her eyes. It was as if she could feel his emotions through his fingertips.

  “Why are you crying?” He kissed a tear from the corner of her eye.

  “I—” She swallowed. “I could have lost you tonight.”

  “I’m here, sweetheart.” He brushed her lips with his thumb. “I’m not going anywhere.” He kissed her again before skimming his lips down her neck to the hollow of her throat. “I want to be with you, be inside you, love you.”

  His words touched her soul. “Yes.” She slid her fingers into his silky hair as he moved his mouth over her body. He slid one of her nipples into his mouth and sucked. “Now, Cody,” she said on a moan.

  She arched her back at the incredible feeling of his mouth on her and was barely aware of clenching her fists in his hair. He ran his tongue over her opposite nipple, teasing it and making it even harder. The ache between her thighs grew stronger yet and she squirmed with desire beneath him. Her need for him was so great it shocked her to her core.

  He eased down her body, trailing his lips from her nipples to the valley between her breasts then kissed his way to her bellybutton. He dipped his tongue inside and it caused a thrill to shoot straight between her thighs.

  Her skin warmed as he splayed his big hands on her belly while he moved further down and nuzzled her curls. He inhaled deeply, audibly drawing in her scent. He slowly pressed kisses to her mound and to the insides of her thighs and knees. His lips were firm as he trailed his mouth down to her calves and on to her ankles. It was the most erotic thing she’d ever experienced.

  He eased back up, pressing his lips to her skin until he reached her mound again. He slipped two fingers into her wet core and she gave a soft moan. It turned into a gasp as he spread her sex open with his fingers and then swiped his tongue up the length of her folds.

  Her body vibrated as she arched her back. He licked her with long, slow swipes of his tongue that sent waves of pleasure throughout her. He took his time pleasuring her and when she came she shuddered with the white-hot fire that traveled throughout her from head to toe. Her world spiraled up and up and up until she couldn’t form a coherent thought. Every sensation she felt was so powerful.

  He rose up, moving his hips between her thighs. He positioned his cock at her entrance then braced his hands to either side of her shoulders as he looked down at her.

  “I love you,” he said as his gaze held hers. He slid inside her…filling her…stretching her…becoming a part of her.

  Her eyes widened as she felt him as if he’d slid inside her, body and soul. He moved in and out in at a slow, deliberate pace.

  The way he watched her as he took her made tears come to her eyes. It was so beautiful that her heart squeezed and her thoughts spun. It was all too complicated to work through and right now all she wanted to do was be with him. She didn’t want to admit it to herself, but she wanted to always be with him.

  Not possible, went through her mind, but she forced the thought aside.

  Her lips parted with pleasure as she linked her arms around his neck and didn’t take her eyes from his as he continued to move in and out of her.

  In moments another orgasm was building inside her, drawing her closer and closer to the edge. Her skin heated, perspiration coating her skin. His body was slick against hers and a droplet of sweat rolled down the side of his face. He looked like it was taking all of his control to hold off his own orgasm.

  Fire exploded through her, lighting her mind and body from within. It was like she’d become a furnace inside, her body heated so much that she felt as though she was melting.

  Colors and lights spun through her mind and a cry tore from her. He put his mouth over hers, gently holding in her scream.

  More sweat rolled down the side of his face and he gritted his teeth, his jaw taut, as his brown eyes held hers.

  And then his eyes nearly rolled back in his head as he climaxed. He bit back a shout and it came out as a throaty growl. He thrust in and out as his cock throbbed inside her core.

  He came to a stop and braced both hands on the mattress to either side of her head, his strong arms trembling as he held himself over her as if trying to control his body. He lowered his head and kissed her before pressing his lips to her forehead.

  Her lips parted as she looked up at him. He’d just given him
self to her, had made love to her mind and body and hadn’t asked her for anything in return.

  He brought her into the circle of his arms, cradling her to him, and tucked her head under his chin. She breathed him in, his masculine scent filling her deeply, his love warming her soul.

  She loved him, she knew she did. Why couldn’t she tell him?

  Too much had happened and was happening. The arsonist…the fact she lived so far away. She couldn’t just up and move—

  She shut her mind down. Now was not the time to be thinking about things that she couldn’t make decisions on in this very moment. She had to think everything through. She didn’t know exactly what it was she had to think through, but it wasn’t anything she could just make a snap decision on when Cody had just told her he loved her.

  And the fact that she knew she loved him, too.

  “Penny for your thoughts?” he murmured against the top of her head.

  “Buck-fifty,” she murmured. “Inflation, of course.”

  He gave a slow laugh. “You’re worth every cent, no matter what you charge.”

  “I was just thinking what a wonderful man you are.” She snuggled closer to him as he slowly stroked her shoulder. “I’m lucky to know you.”

  “You’re a special woman, Carilyn.” He wrapped his arms around her. “Just know that I don’t intend to let you go.”

  She said nothing as she rested her head against his chest. She didn’t know what today might bring, or each day after that, but for now she would enjoy the moment and her time with Cody.

  ***

  Chapter 20

  Nathan sat at his kitchen table, a pile of spent matchsticks on a stainless steel tray in front of him. He struck another wooden matchstick, and watched it flicker before his eyes. The flame burned bright as it began to creep down the stick, closer and closer to his fingers. Mesmerized by the beauty of it, he could barely breathe.

  The match’s flame flickered and he could see the explosion as if he were right there at that very moment. In his mind he could hear the deafening boom followed by the fire’s roar.

  The explosion had been spectacular. The way it continued to replay through his mind it was like it had just happened rather than having been almost twenty-four hours ago.

  After planting the bomb and the Barbie, he’d watched from the bushes, a good distance away. He’d held his breath as everything went up, the flames reaching high into the night sky like white-hot fingers. It had been a living thing of beauty, of true artistry.

  Nathan felt heat and then pain as his fingers burned and he dropped the match to the linoleum floor. He stepped on the flame, putting it out, picked up the remnants of the matchstick, then tossed it onto the pile on the tray.

  He lit another match, stared into the flame, and his mind turned back to last night.

  When the explosion had illuminated the night, he’d cursed as he’d seen a man running away from the house. Nathan had watched the man drop to the ground and moments later Carilyn jumped out of the truck and ran straight to him. It had to be Cody McBride.

  In that moment, Nathan could only hope that whatever McBride had been hit with from the explosion had killed him.

  Obviously, McBride had found the device before the bomb had gone off. Nathan cursed again. He wasn’t an experienced bomb-maker, but he’d done a magnificent job on his first one. It would have been perfect if the timer had gone off when McBride had been inside.

  His hope that McBride had been killed faded as he had watched the paramedics attend to the bastard. Nathan had ground his teeth as he’d watched.

  Again Nathan’s fingers burned and he sucked in his breath as he dropped what was left of the match and stepped on the flame to put it out. He reached down and plucked the stick up from the floor and then tossed it onto the growing pile on the tray.

  Fingers red and irritated from being burned, he lit another match and held it up to stare into the flame as he tried to plan his next move.

  McBride was weakened now. Nathan had to strike again, and he had to strike quickly and ruthlessly.

  The questions were where, when, and how. It needed to be as soon as possible. He smiled to himself. Maybe he should blow up the hotel where McBride and Carilyn were staying. He’d planted a tracking device on the car Carilyn had driven to the ranch, just in case, and now he was glad he had. Early this morning he had tracked them to the hotel they were staying in. He’d retreated to his home base to think…and plan…and think…and plan…

  This time Nathan blew out the match before it could burn his sore fingers and he set the stick on top of the pile on the tray. He reached for the matchbox, saw that it was empty, and set it aside.

  He reached for a redheaded Barbie sitting on the table to his right. This morning he’d made a run to Phoenix and had gone to three different toy stores to buy redheaded dolls. He hadn’t wanted to buy them all at the same place—that might attract attention. And he definitely wouldn’t buy anything locally or even as close as Flagstaff.

  Of course he’d disguised himself so that if anyone looked at security tapes they wouldn’t recognize him. He’d worn a felt hat that he’d pulled low over his eyes, a bushy reddish-brown mustache that matched his beard, and a pair of horn-rimmed glasses. The last thing he’d ever wear was a tweed suit, so that was exactly what he’d worn to the stores when he’d purchased the dolls. His disguise had been perfect.

  Using scissors to cut away the packaging, he took the Barbie out of her box then knocked the garbage aside. The doll was wearing a short green dress dotted with big white polka dots, green plastic heels, and had a small green plastic purse. Her red hair was pulled back into a long ponytail and she wore green plastic sunglasses. And of course the requisite big plastic smile.

  After he set the Barbie down on the tabletop, he picked up a small can of lighter fluid, which he poured over the pile of matchsticks on the stainless steel tray. He placed the doll onto the pile of matchsticks and poured lighter fluid on her, too.

  Earlier he’d set up the laptop, the camera, and the lights. He moved them into place, putting a spotlight on the Barbie and bringing the camera in tight on the doll and the matchsticks. He glanced at his laptop and saw that everything was almost perfectly set up. A few more adjustments and he was ready.

  His heart beat faster and he felt a giddy excitement bubbling up inside of him. He grabbed the matchbox and scowled when he saw that it was empty. He got up and dug in a duffel filled with matchboxes and pulled out a large one.

  When he sat, he placed the box of matches in front of him then took out a match. He struck it on the side of the box.

  Instantly the flame burst on the end of the matchstick. Manic glee overtook him and he almost forgot to click the key on his laptop that would start the recording. The flame was getting dangerously close to his fingers as he started the camera.

  It was the first time he’d tried this and he couldn’t wait to watch.

  He glanced at the laptop and saw the red record light was on. With a smile he tossed the match onto the Barbie and pile of matchsticks on the tray.

  Fire whooshed up, instantly engulfing the matchsticks and the doll.

  He leaned back in the chair and watched as the doll bubbled and burned in the fire. The air was filled with an acrid, bitter odor of burning plastic. He kept the camera going until the fire finally died away.

  How he hated to see a fire snuffed out. He loved being able to watch it to the very end of its life. Unfortunately, firefighters put out most fires he set before they could burn all the way down. It was immensely satisfying to be able to watch it all the way to the end.

  When the fire was gone, he pressed the key that would stop the recording. He spent the next several minutes watching the video again. When it ended he typed in a message that he made into an image that he tacked on to the end of the video.

  A grin spread over his face as he uploaded the video to YouTube, using an account he had named “Firebug” when he’d uploaded another video. He label
ed this video, “You’re next, redhead.”

  When he was finished, he opened his email account and started a new email.

  ***

  Chapter 21

  Carilyn took a drink of ice water then set the glass down while she sat at the writing desk in the hotel and booted up her fourth laptop in just over a week. This time she wasn’t bothering with setting up her machine beyond what she had to do to get up and running. Later she would worry about having it the way she wanted for work and personal use.

  This time she had one purpose, and one purpose only.

  To find the bastard who tried to kill Cody and me.

  It had barely been thirty-six hours since the explosion but it felt like it had just happened. She could still hear the massive blast and could still see Cody dropping to the ground.

  The thought of him almost dying from the arsonist’s bomb made her blood boil in ways it never had before. It had been bad enough that the arsonist had burned up her car. Now he’d blown up Cody’s house and had almost killed him and her, too.

  The bastard wasn’t going to get away with it. She was going to stop him before anyone got seriously hurt or killed. Finding the arsonist had just become her one and only mission.

  Yesterday, after getting her new laptop, she’d sent an email to LordoftheFuneralPyre, but she hadn’t received a response from him yet. First thing she did after she booted up her laptop was open her email from a web-based browser.

  Two emails jumped out at her at once. The first was from LordoftheFuneralPyre.

  The second was from Firebug.

  Her throat worked as she stared at the two emails, then made up her mind. She’d open Lord’s first, download the software she needed, and track Firebug as soon as she read his email.

  She clicked on Lord’s email reply.

  WizardAsp

  Getting the feeling you could use a little luck. This will lead you in the right direction.

  May the force be with you.

  LOTFP