Heart on Fire Read online

  “I want it to work,” he admitted.

  It was too soon for promises. She shrugged it off. “For the record, I’m not like Rene. If we don’t, I’m not going to make desperate attempts to win you back, or try to make you jealous.”

  He pulled her into his arms. “Now listen here, Mila. I don’t—not for one second—think you are anything like Rene. And I hope you won’t kick me to the curb the first time I make a mistake, because I guarantee I’ll make them. Talk to me when I do, and we’ll figure it out.”

  Hope bloomed through her. “I like that you’re willing to admit you’ll screw up, but I hope you don’t anticipate something major.”

  “Define major?” His lips quirked in a grin.

  “Expecting me to put my daughter second, but you already promised not to. Making me feel ugly or worthless about some of my choices, but so far, you build me up, praising my decisions.” Then she swallowed, and added, “Or cheating. You won’t get a second chance for that. Sorry, you won’t.”

  “I wouldn’t do that to you.”

  She nodded, knowing he meant it. “Didn’t think you would, but you asked.”

  He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. “All reasonable expectations, and sounds like you may harbor a bit of hope.”

  Mila nodded slowly. “My hope frightens me more than I care to admit. I’ve been hurt before, so I’m cautious now, but I don’t believe you’ll do those things.”

  “I get it. Now, let’s go get something to drink. I’ll even keep my hands to myself, so no one suspects. And if you don’t want me to tell Gavin and Cadence, I won’t.”

  “I don’t mind if they know.” She leaned her forehead against his with a smile. “I think Cadence suspects we’re heading there. I didn’t deny or confirm anything last night, but she hinted, maybe digging for an answer.”

  He laughed, “Yeah, that’s Cadence for you. Don’t worry, they’re trustworthy. I can vouch for them.”

  “I trust you. So you can tell them.” But she was afraid to hope for too much.

  Chapter 12

  Dee picked Cherish up from school, and watched her the half hour until Mila got out of the high school every day. So when Mila went to pick up her daughter up on Wednesday, she was distraught to find Cherish bawling in Dee’s arms.

  “Baby, what’s wrong?” Mila asked.

  Cherish turned to her, wrapping her arms around her neck. Mila picked her up, holding her close. “Brian’s mean. He thinks I don’t have a dad because I’m a brat and you are horrible.”

  Well crap, how do I explain that?

  She sat, smoothing her hand up and down Cherish’s back. “Now baby, you don’t have a dad because when I was younger, I did something reckless. That’s my fault. Not yours. But I don’t regret it for a second, because you are the best thing I’ve ever done. So ignore Brian, because he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Okay?”

  “I hate him. He’s mean and nasty. Maybe Kyle will beat him up.”

  That startled a laugh out of Mila. “No, baby. That would be bad. Kyle would get in a lot of trouble. Ignore Brian and he’ll stop.”

  “Really?” she asked with tear-filled eyes.

  “Eventually.” She pressed a kiss to her daughter’s forehead and started for the door with a smile. “Let’s go home. I made us chili. Okay?”

  “Okay,” Cherish sniffled.

  Dee walked her out. “Sorry. I was trying to calm her down.”

  “Thank you for being there for her. It’s not your fault some boy was being thoughtless. I can’t change my past, and frankly, I don’t want to.”

  Once Cherish was buckled in and the door shut, Dee smiled. “She likes Kyle. Do you?” There was a knowing look on her face.

  “Yes, and we’re seeing each other but we aren’t telling everyone yet. Please, keep it a secret for now. Until we see how it works.”

  “That’s silly. I know you haven’t had much luck with men, but trust me, Kyle is a keeper.” Dee kissed her head and ushered her into her car.

  Dee was right. Kyle bent over backwards to brighten her day. He said all the right things and meant them, never pushed for more than she was willing to give, and always managed to make her little girl smile. It was no wonder Cherish adored him.

  “I’m coming to that conclusion, though I’m not ready to admit it to the world yet.”

  “At least you aren’t shutting him out.” Dee squeezed her hand. “He’s good for you.”

  Mila nodded. “Thank you for taking care of my baby.”

  “You’re welcome. Now go.” She shut the door.

  A few short minutes later, as Mila opened her daughter’s door, Cherish asked, “Can we watch TV before dinner?”

  “Of course,” she smiled, and carried a still weepy little girl into the house. They cuddled up under a blanket on the couch. Mila turned on Cherish’s favorite TV show, but she curled into Mila’s arms and fell asleep with the sniffles.

  Mila hated seeing her baby upset. She would have done anything to make it better. Unfortunately kids could be cruel, and she had no real solution.

  * * * *

  Kyle walked up the stairs to Mila’s back porch. He found her lying on the couch with Cherish curled up in her arms. She looked so sweet, as she combed her fingers through her daughter’s hair.

  He tapped on the glass door and she looked up. Kyle raised a bottle of sparkling cider.

  A smile brightened her face, and she gestured for him to come in.

  “Everything okay?” Kyle asked softly, checking his watch. Five already. They’d probably been home about an hour. The house was filled with the scent of cumin and chili powder.

  Mila rearranged Cherish as she stood, then tucked the blanket around her. She nodded back to the door and they stepped outside.

  “Is Cherish okay?”

  Mila wound her arms around herself and met his gaze. “Some boy in her class was making fun of her because she doesn’t have a daddy. I guess he said she was a brat, and that I was horrible too. She was crying—bawling actually—when I picked her up from Dee’s.”

  Kyle pulled her into his embrace. “Hey, the punk’s opinion doesn’t matter. I’m guessing you told her that?”

  “Yeah, I did, but I hate this. Kids will judge her because of my choice, and that’s not fair. It’s not like I’m the only single mom out there. She hasn’t had a bad childhood.”

  “Ignore the kid.”

  Oddly, a laugh bubbled out of Mila. “I told her that. But you know what was funny?”

  His brow arched. “Not a clue.”

  “She wanted to ask you to beat him up. I told her no, and explained you would get in trouble.”

  He chuckled. “I do kind of want to smack the kid, but I wouldn’t. I could say something to his parents though.”

  “Yeah, let’s not. It’s not like his opinion actually matters. I do feel bad she was so upset.”

  “You know, I was about to leave, thinking you were sleeping. You looked so sweet, holding Cherish. I didn’t want to disturb either of you. Then I saw you moving, and decided it was safe. If you need time with her, I can come back later or tomorrow even.”

  “No, don’t go. I’m glad you’re here. She’ll be happy to see you when she wakes up. Please, stay for dinner.”

  He nodded. “Okay, and I brought some sparkling cider. I thought she might like it.”

  “Thank you. Cherish looks up to you.”

  An idea struck, and he grinned. “I might have a way to cheer her up, that is if you agree.”

  “What’s that?”

  He nodded toward his house. “I rescued a kitten this afternoon. Little gray fuzzy ball of cute, with a few black spots. I named him Ash…”

  Her brow arched, one corner of her mouth lifting. “And?”

  “I was going to keep him, but I think he might do better having Cherish to play with. I have a cat box, food, toys. I even took him to the vet already.”

  Her eyes sparkled. “You did all that and you would give him up?
”

  “You are right next door, and I can come visit Ash anytime.”

  “She’d love that.”

  He squeezed her. “And you? Are you opposed to a kitten?”

  “Not at all. When do you want to surprise her?”

  He looked through the glass door. “How long will she sleep?”

  “It’s almost dinner time. I need to wake her up. I don’t want her to eat too late and stay up all night.”

  “You sure? She looks so peaceful.”

  “Yeah. I want her in bed at a reasonable hour. She still has school tomorrow.”

  After a quick kiss, he said, “Then I’ll be back in a few.”

  He walked back to his place, gathered everything up, and then checked his wrapping supplies. Digging through, he found a slightly tattered pink bow from a gift Jenny made him last year.

  Kyle tracked down Ash, who was curled up under a pillow on the couch, and managed to tie the bow around his neck. “So, Ash, I need you to put a smile on a little girl’s face. All you got to do is be cute and sweet, which you have covered.”

  Tucking the kitten under his sweater and arm, he grabbed the bag of supplies and headed back to Mila’s.

  He stepped through the door as Cherish sat up, and rubbed her big baby-blue eyes before looking around. After dropping the bag next to the counter, he joined Mila and Cherish.

  “Kyle,” she squealed and launched herself at him.

  He scooped her up in a hug, careful not to squish Ash.

  “Hey, kiddo. How are you doing?”

  She jumped into her tale, even asking about him maybe beating up Brian, despite her mother’s earlier admonition.

  His brow went up. “Sorry, kiddo, but that’s not the answer.”

  “Okay,” she huffed as he set her down.

  “Don’t pout. I have something for you.”

  Her face lit up. “Really?”

  He reached under the sweater and pulled out the kitten. “His name is Ash. He needs a good home, and I thought that might be here.”

  “Mommy! Can I keep him?” she squealed.

  “You can.”

  Cherish took the kitten, rubbing her nose against his tiny black one. “I love him.”

  Kyle couldn’t help smiling. This worked out so much better.

  * * * *

  Mila finally had Cherish in bed and asleep. When she came back down the stairs, Kyle was on the couch, watching videos on a music station. She sat down beside him.

  He shut the TV off and turned to her. “Cherish seems happier. I think she’s in love with Ash.”

  “She is, and a big part of that was you. She adores you, and Ash was a stroke of genius.” Mila smiled, most of the fear fading. Kyle genuinely cared for Cherish, which made him impossible to resist.

  “Yeah, well she’s a great kid, smart, pretty, like her mom.” Kyle stood up, pulling her with him. “Her mom’s pretty great too.” He laid his mouth on hers, his tongue sweeping inside. Her toes curled at the sensual dance.

  “And you are an amazing man. Any woman would be lucky to have you. So why me? I don’t have a clue what I did to snag you, and yet here you are, being everything I could hope for, and more.”

  “Mila,” he pulled her close, “I’ve told you how incredible you are. You’re an astounding mother, a wonderful teacher, and the only woman I want. I’m the lucky one holding you right now. I’m glad they were all too stupid to realize what they had because now I’m here with you. I only hate the hurt you’ve endured.”

  “That’s a part of life.” She shrugged. “I like where I wound up, so I’m not complaining.”

  He nodded toward the stairs. “Are you letting me stay long enough to show you how much I love your body?”

  Kyle did love to show her, and had every night for the last three.

  A shiver traveled down her spine, and she nodded. “Mmm, I think I need to do my showing first. Every time you start, you leave me too boneless to return the attention.”

  “I don’t know about that. You like to take control, and you don’t let a few orgasms stop you from doing so. It’s really sexy the way you know what you want.” The words rumbled over her before he threw her over his shoulder and carried her upstairs. “But if you insist, I’ll let you start.” He set her down and took a step back to pull his shirt off.

  She got his pants down and pushed him onto the bed while still fully dressed. Kyle’s body was a work of art she could study all night long.

  “Sweetheart. Why are you still wearing clothes?” One eyebrow arched, as he licked his full lips.

  Grinning, she took her clothes off while he turned on the lamp. He made a point of wanting to see her, all of her. Yet another reason he was irresistible.

  Kyle made her feel sexy, beautiful, cherished. She climbed onto his lap and bent over to kiss his jaw, nibble down his neck, across his collarbone. His hands tangled in her hair, and she looked up to see the tenderness in his eyes.

  “This okay?” she whispered.

  “I love it. I need to touch you too,” he answered softly. “I’ll let you do whatever you want, but if you want my hands off you, then you’d best tie them.”

  “Mmm, that’s very tempting.” She sat up, rubbing her core over his erection. “But if I do that, I won’t hold anything back, and I don’t want to wake Cherish.”

  He grinned up at her. “Maybe this weekend when she’s at Dee’s.” He sat up, wrapping his arms around her. His hands delved into her hair so he could tilt her head back to kiss her neck, before caressing down her body. “Maybe you’ll let me tie you up for some sensual torture also.”

  “Turnabout is fair play,” she moaned as he thumbed her nipples.

  Her head fell back even as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I’m falling for you, Kyle. You’re everything I want. Everything I never thought I’d find.” It was more than that, but she was too afraid to admit how deep her feelings ran. Afraid that if she said the words, he would demand more of her.

  He stared deep into her eyes. “You’re not the only one, sweetheart. I’ve been falling in love with you since I set eyes on you, outside my window, planting flowers.” He kissed her again. “Cherish too. She’s a part of the package that I love.”

  And there was that word again. She felt it, but it was so soon. What if they didn’t work? What if their connection was fleeting? He kept throwing that expression out there, in abstract ways, crumbling her resistance. She wasn’t ready to dive in all the way, but she needed him.

  “Make love to me, Kyle. I need to feel you.” She reached for a condom, and managed to get it on him, before gliding down over his thick length.

  It felt as if she belonged in his arms, moving against him as he held her close, filling her body and her heart. She never felt so deeply for one man, and she knew she was in serious trouble. Mila wasn’t falling—she was in love with Kyle. The realization washed over her as she came.

  * * * *

  Kyle picked Mila up, and pulled her under the covers with him. She snuggled in comfortably. “You really are perfect,” she whispered.

  “I’m lucky to have found you,” he murmured.

  She brushed her thumb over his bottom lip and smiled. “No. I’m the lucky one. I’ve had rotten luck with men, but you’re proving each of my fears wrong. One by one, they’re falling away.”

  “I’ll give you as much time as you need. I’m not going anywhere, and I trust you completely. If you were anyone else, especially after Rene, I probably wouldn’t.” He kissed her, and she wrapped herself around him, which made him hard all over again.

  Unable to resist the lure of her sweet embrace, he rolled on top and made slow, sweet love to her. His mouth taking hers, their tongues stroking each other. He wanted to tell her that he loved her, but she wasn’t ready. For now, he’d show her with his actions.

  She came again, and he loved how she always seemed surprised when he brought her yet another orgasm. He followed, and rolled to her side to hold her as she drifted to sleep
.

  Whoever had come before him obviously fucked up. And bad. He wanted to beat the hell out of anyone who’d ever hurt his woman. And she was his. There was no denying his heart belonged to her. There wasn’t a single thing he wouldn’t do for her.

  Sooner or later, they would have to tell everyone. People were starting to wonder. They spent all of their free time together. It was a miracle no one had brought up their relationship.

  Chapter 13

  Somewhat nervous, Mila waited for Barb to get there. Cherish helped make pizzas while Ash twined around their feet. Kyle was due as soon as he was done at the firehouse.

  All these feelings were new. Happiness, and the sliver of fear that it could fall apart. If Barb didn’t like him, she wasn’t sure what she would do. Her best friend had accurately called every one of her past relationships early on. Granted there weren’t many. Still, she was anxious to hear what Barb thought of Kyle.

  If she approved, Mila was going to stop hiding their relationship. Cadence and Gavin knew. So did Dee. For the rest of the small town, it was getting hard to pretend they were nothing but friends.

  The doorbell rang and Mila hurried to get the door. Cherish beat her there and threw it open.

  “Hello, munchkin!” Barb swept Cherish up into a hug, then handed her a gift.

  “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she squealed and opened it. It was a book Barb read to her when Cherish used to stay the night. “I love it. Thank you.”

  Mila squeezed Barb. “Here, let me take your bags to the guestroom, and I’ll be right down.”

  “That can wait.” Barb nodded at the driveway and turned to Cherish. “How about you introduce me to your furry friend?”

  Cherish picked the kitten up with a grin and excitedly told Barb all about Ash, school, and anything else that came to mind.

  Mila held the door open for Kyle who approached with a bottle of wine, and another of cider. She heard Barb and Cherish behind her, but couldn’t tear her eyes away from Kyle’s warm smile.