Dare to Fall, page 3
part #1 of Fireweed Harbor Series Series
I’d gone to food banks for weeks and stayed in a homeless shelter until I swallowed my pride and called my mother. I blinked at the sudden rush of tears to my eyes. We were safe now. When I came to Fireweed Harbor, I just wanted to escape the mess of my life. I’d had a job in a small restaurant in downtown Seattle, making decent money as a line cook. My boss, a seriously good chef, told me about the chef job here in Fireweed Harbor because he thought I had a lot of potential.
I’d taken what little savings I’d scraped up and packed my mom and Lia onto the ferry with my old car. I’d been naive, not realizing how remote this area was. To this day, I felt so lucky I’d gotten the job.
“Fiona!” Tommy called.
His voice snapped into my anxiety-filled walk down memory lane, and I lifted my gaze. He waggled his eyebrows dramatically. “The salmon special?”
“Oh!” Blessedly, my hands had been moving all along. My muscle memory had me flipping the salmon as I seared it quickly on the stove.
Stay focused, I ordered myself.
When the evening ended, I checked with David before I left. “Good for me to go?” I asked.
He glanced up. “Of course.”
I kept expecting something to go wrong here, but then my life had been skating on the edge of disaster once I got pregnant in high school.
“Thank you,” I replied.
He was already reading something on his laptop, calling in reply, “See you tomorrow.”
I hurried into the break room, which was bustling with employees. This was the in-between time when the early crew swapped out with the afternoon and evening.
I liked the comfortable vibe here. The restaurant industry was notorious for grueling hours and not the greatest pay. You couldn’t work for hours on your feet in a fast-paced restaurant without getting tired, but we all started and stopped when we were supposed to. They actually paid overtime here, and I still marveled at that.
I supposed when a multinational corporation made the kind of money they did, it only made sense for them to do that. I was bound and determined to make it work here.
Blake and I hadn’t discussed how to handle this thing where he drove me to pick up my car. I wondered if I should walk to meet him there.
Just as I was worrying over this, he appeared in the back area, casting me a quick smile. “I’ll give you that ride.” He turned to say something to Joan, an older woman who helped out in the kitchen. She nodded, sliding her arms into her jacket and reaching for her purse out of the locker before they walked over to me.
Joan smiled at me. “I hear we’re both getting a ride. Blake is dropping me off at my daughter’s house. I’m babysitting for her this evening.”
I was simultaneously relieved and disappointed. Relieved because having Joan with us removed the awkwardness of me leaving with Blake. Disappointed because a part of me craved time alone with him. That wasn’t smart, not even a little.
“Oh, great,” I said with a smile. “He’s taking me to drop my car off for new tires and brakes.”
Blake smiled at us, his gaze holding mine for a moment. “Are you ready?”
“Just a sec.” I quickly slipped into my jacket and grabbed my purse.
A moment later, we walked out together. I stayed a few steps behind Joan, thinking I would follow her lead.
When we reached Blake’s truck, he opened the passenger door. “You ride in the front,” Joan said. “I’m first on the way.”
I climbed in, acutely aware of where my shoulder brushed against Blake’s chest when I stepped past him. Once we were all inside and Blake was driving down Main Street, I glanced back toward Joan. “That’s nice you can help with babysitting. I don’t know what I would do without my mother’s help.”
She smiled. “I love it. Many clichés are not true, but the one where being a grandparent is more fun than parenting is very true. I get a lot more sleep than I did when my kids were little.” She chuckled.
“Sleep for the win,” I teased.
We passed through the business area of downtown Fireweed Harbor, transitioning into an area with a mix of cute little houses before Blake pulled over to the side of the street and parked. “Give me a sec,” he began. “I’ll get —”
Joan rolled her eyes, already unbuckling her seat belt and opening the door. “Blake, it’s very sweet that you want to get the door for me, but entirely unnecessary.” She looked back toward me. “I used to babysit for this man. That’s why he has such good manners. His mother gets plenty of credit, but I helped.”
Blake smiled affectionately at her. “You do. Have a good evening,” he said as she closed the door.
Once Joan disappeared out of sight through the front doorway of a small home, Blake’s voice reached me. “Let’s go pick up your car. Do you have a tire preference?”
He began driving, turning down a side street to turn back around and travel through town. I glanced at him when he came to the stop sign. A little jolt of electricity sizzled through me when our eyes met. “Uh, no. I don’t really have any preferences. Do you have any recommendations?”
“You’ll want to get all-weather tires, potentially something with studs for the winter.”
“Studs?”
He flashed me a smile. “Little steel studs in the tires. Many people have both winter and summer tires in Alaska.”
The idea of purchasing two sets of tires was well beyond my budget. “I don’t drive that much,” I said quickly. “You saw where I live. I usually walk to work. My mom and I share the car, so she uses it for errands and work.”
He held my gaze for a beat before glancing ahead and turning onto the road. “I would recommend all-weather tires.”
He drove along, and the space inside his SUV felt tiny. Heat shimmered through me. I didn’t need to be getting all hot and flustered over one of the restaurant’s owners. Maybe David was my boss, but even worrying over that detail felt like splitting hairs.
There was that, and Blake was so far out of my league that it was a joke to even consider otherwise.
In short order, we arrived at the mechanic shop. Although it was late evening, it was still open. I had already learned with the long summer evenings here, many places had extended hours. Everyone there appeared to know Blake. He helped me choose a set of tires. In reality, it was all about how much I could afford, but I was grateful for his guidance.
I followed him from there to the vehicle storage and garage. It was a ways out of downtown Fireweed Harbor, off a side road in an industrial-looking area. There appeared to be a small airport with a row of planes tethered in place. I had already become familiar with the sight of small planes crisscrossing the sky above town.
Blake turned into a parking area just beyond the airport behind a large steel building. He gestured out of his window for me to follow him into the garage, which was huge. Several vehicles were parked inside along the row of garage doors. Blake pulled over to the side, waving for me to pull past him. I came to a stop and cut my engine, feeling unaccountably nervous.
Chapter Six
Fiona
I glanced around my car. Lia had named my little gray hatchback Chipmunk because there used to be a squeaky door. This car had served me well. She was reliable and mostly low maintenance. The back seat was a typical back seat for a single mom. A few toys and my daughter’s favorite drawing book were scattered on the seat. I let out a soft sigh. Cleaning my car fell on the list of things I never found the time to do.
I hadn’t realized Blake was waiting outside the driver’s side door for me. When I looked up, I let out a startled squeak. My disobedient pulse kicked a little faster. His lips curled at the corners, sending butterflies into a mad spin inside my belly.
I took a quick breath, once again questioning the wisdom of taking Blake up on his offer. I tried to tell myself I saw him almost daily at work anyway. At this point, trying to back out of this would only create more awkwardness.
I grabbed my purse and climbed out of the car quickly. When I shut the door, I took a step back, instantly bumping into it.
Blake’s assessing gaze coasted over my face. “I should be able to take care of your brakes over the weekend. Will that be okay?”
I swallowed and nodded quickly. “Of course. That’s faster than they were going to be able to do it anyway. They said it would be two weeks.”
“They tend to be busy.”
I bit my bottom lip, willing the heat rising in my cheeks to dissipate while knowing it was a futile effort. Nervous, I licked my lips. “Thank you for offering to do this. I know, maybe money isn’t something you worry about, but for me, this helps a lot.”
He was quiet for a beat. “My family may own Fireweed Industries, but we’re pretty down to earth. It all started with the winery and restaurant.”
I tried to take a breath, but I could barely get any air in my lungs. My pulse galloped along, leaving me breathless as heat suffused my body.
Blake’s eyes darkened as he stared at me. The air around us felt weighted with a charge about to go off.
“Fiona—” He began just as he took a step closer to me.
I hadn’t thought it possible for my heart to beat faster, but it did, casting out beats recklessly, stumbling and tripping over itself. All the while, that incessant attraction I felt for him rose swiftly inside. Liquid need spun through my veins, sending sparks scattering as heat pooled low in my belly.
“What is it?” I rasped.
My mouth went dry at the intent look in his eyes. I saw the answering flare of desire, flickers of need banked in his gaze like hot embers.
This, this part of me I tried so hard to keep buttoned up, buried behind my hair pulled back tightly, behind my clothes neat and tidy. Because this side of me, reckless and craving release, was what had brought so much trouble before.
As I stared deep into Blake’s eyes, I didn’t care. I just wanted to feel again. He called to that part of me, catching the binding I had wrapped around my passion, around my heart, and unraveling it with nothing more than a look.
He took another step closer. He was right there in front of me. There was nowhere for me to go, not that I wanted to go anywhere. I craved the feel of his power, the potency of his presence.
“Fi.” His low and velvety voice sent a frisson of awareness down my spine.
When he used that nickname, my mind flashed to our brief encounter in the elevator when I never imagined I’d see him again. I felt my core clench, and I had to rub my thighs together, so swift was my arousal.
He moved slowly, almost as if he expected me to bolt. All the while, I was nearly vibrating from the force of my need, from how desperately I wanted him to kiss me.
Lifting a hand, he trailed his knuckles along the edge of my jaw. Breathless, I quivered as his touch slipped down the side of my neck where my pulse tapped out a rapid, staccato beat, wild and trampling.
“Can I kiss you?”
Chapter Seven
Blake
10 seconds earlier
* * *
Fiona’s eyes were wide, the blue darkening almost to navy as she stared back at me, never once looking away. My heartbeat echoed in a thundering drumroll, need a sharp ache inside. I had just now touched her, nothing more than a brush of my knuckles along her silky soft skin. My cock was so hard I could feel the press of my zipper against it.
Her tongue darted out, sliding across her bottom lip as we stared at each other. She blinked.
“Yes.” Her voice was a low, throaty rasp.
I hadn’t known it was possible for my cock to get even harder. Need sizzled down my spine, and heat blazed through me. It felt as if the very air around us was snapping and crackling with sparks.
I moved slowly, realizing this moment was like nothing I had ever experienced. I’d had my share of fun and enjoyed sex as much as any guy, but this was something else, something deeper. The very act of standing before Fiona with my knuckles resting along her collarbone held me fast. I could feel the press of her nipples, taut peaks against my chest. With my arousal nestled against the soft curve of her belly, I knew she could feel my hot, hard length, swollen to the point of aching.
Usually, sex was fun, almost light. Yet this was a bone-deep need, the force of it knocking me off balance internally.
I shifted incrementally closer, and her hips rocked against me. I felt her move slightly, and she rubbed her thighs together. I knew, I just knew, if I tugged her prim skirt up that I would find her wet.
The mere thought of that sent a shot of blood straight to my cock. I nudged against her. She bit her lip, letting out a little whimper, and the sound galvanized me. I dipped my head, whispering, “Okay then,” against her lips just before I pressed my mouth to hers.
Her lips were soft and plump and warm. For a moment, I held still, my mouth lingering, before drawing back. Her eyes were wide pools of desire, and she whimpered again.
I reached up, my fingers sliding through the elastic that held her hair in a tight ponytail. “Can I take this out?”
She nodded. Another moment later, I dragged that elastic loose, and her glorious hair fell around her shoulders. Sweet fucking hell. She looked downright wanton with her hair down. It was no wonder she kept it up. If I’d seen it down sooner, I probably would’ve dragged her into my office, bent her over, and fucked her from behind.
I promised myself I would do that at some point in the not-too-distant future.
“Fuck, Fiona,” I rasped. “You are the sexiest fucking woman I’ve ever seen.”
Her cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink. Then I was kissing her again, this time claiming her mouth, devouring it, as her tongue glided against mine. Our kiss was downright carnal. I couldn’t get enough of her. She tasted sweet, a little bit like sugar, and she smelled the same. I wanted to unwrap her and taste every inch of her skin.
Our kiss went on and on while our hips rocked together. She made these little sounds in the back of her throat that drove me wild.
At some point we broke apart, both desperate for air. As much as I wanted her more than air, I did have to breathe. We stared at each other, the sound of our ragged breathing surrounding us.
“Tell me something,” I said when I could manage to speak.
“Anything.”
“Are you wet?”
She bit her lip, nodding just once.
“Can I touch you?”
Chapter Eight
Fiona
I could barely think with need rampaging through me and holding me in its grip. I was utterly at Blake’s mercy and would do anything he asked.
When he asked, “Can I touch you?”
There was only one answer.
“Yes,” I whispered.
I could feel my heartbeat in my pussy, and I was drenched, soaked with need for him, only him.
He barely shifted away from me, and even that made me feel a little bereft. I had been grinding against the hard ridge of his cock, experiencing little jolts of pleasure. I usually wore demure skirts that fell below my knees. I found them more comfortable at work with long days on my feet. His hand curled over the hem as he slid it up slowly, and I shivered at the brush of his knuckles on my thigh.
Cool air struck my skin. His eyes held mine as I felt his palm slide up the inside of one thigh, the calloused surface of his touch sending sparks leaping across my skin. I let out a whimper when he cupped his palm over my mound, his fingers pressing against the wet silk.
“Oh, sweetheart. You are so very wet.”
I nodded and swallowed. Oh. My. God. I was agreeing with this man about the state of my arousal.
He hooked a finger on the edge of my panties, pushing them out of the way. My head fell back with a groan when his fingers slid through my swollen, slippery wet folds.
“Look at me,” he ordered.
I did as he commanded, holding his gaze through heavy-lidded eyes as he sank two fingers inside me.
“Come for me.”
That was all he had to say as his thumb teased over my swollen clit. I did as he demanded, pleasure exploding through me as I came in a noisy burst, my pussy clamping down around his fingers. I couldn’t look away from him. He watched the whole time as I came apart after nothing more than two strokes of his fingers inside me.
My head fell back again as I caught my breath, pleasure ricocheting through me.
“Oh my God,” I whispered as I stared at him.
His fingers were still buried inside me. He looked as shocked as I felt.
Chapter Nine
Blake
Later that night, I sat at my kitchen table, idly tracing my fingertips in a circle around an empty bottle of beer.
I’d been so wound tight when I got home after dropping Fiona off that I’d taken a shower, finding a quick release by my own hand. Fuck me. I still couldn’t get the sight of Fiona coming apart in my arms out of my thoughts.
She had been, simply put, stunning. My mind flashed back to the first time I saw her in that small elevator, before I knew she would cross my path again. Her hair had been pulled back tightly and twisted into a bun like it usually was. I mentally traced her sharp features—angled cheekbones, a narrow nose, and those boldly arched brows. Her mouth was something else. She couldn’t do anything to hide those lush, perfectly kissable lips. There was also the way her nose tipped up just a little bit at the end. Almost as if it was bucking her effort to make herself look severe and tidy.
