Connelly's Flame (24 page)

had a frightened expression on her own face. Immediately, his whole demeanor changed as he caressed

Dezarae’s cheek and then walked to his daughter and smiled at her, his hand stroking the side of her head.

Moving away, his eyes hardened at the sound of his ex-wife’s voice. “What are you going to tell me,

Joy? Really? Then it can wait until we meet.” He hung up on her and ran his hand over his face in a

frustrated motion.

Charmane waited until her father turned away from the phone before she ran into his strong embrace.

The tears ran unchecked down her face as his arms closed around her, sheltering, her protecting her.

Dezarae walked, silent and alone, back to her bedroom, feeling like an intruder into their bonding. It

was a very uneasy woman who crawled inside her cool sheets as she wondered what was going to happen

with the drama of Joy, Charmane, and Ross.

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Aliyah Burke

He closed the door silently behind him. Charmane was finally asleep. Both of their nerves were shot

as the stress of talking with her mother sank in. So now that his baby was asleep he just needed to unwind.

He wanted to talk to someone, no not someone…Dezarae.

The feeling that something bad was going to happen loomed over him. Joy was up to something and,

whatever it was, he knew it wasn’t going to be pretty. Touching the door that his daughter slept behind one

more time, he walked down the hall to the large bedroom at the end.

Entering the darkened room, he immediately stripped off his clothes and slid naked into the full-size

bed, the moon illuminating the slumbering body of the woman he needed to touch. The second he touched

her, she snuggled into his body, an act that made him smile.

Brushing his lips across hers, he whispered, “I love you.”

Dezarae mumbled incoherently and stirred against him. With a sigh, she asked, “How’s Charmane

doing? I know she was scared.”

He blinked back tears. “She will be fine. Just nervous about what is going to happen to her.”

“What is going to happen with her?” Dezarae questioned as she burrowed her face into his neck,

breathing in the smell that surrounded Ross. Masculinity.

“I don’t know. I can’t leave her with her mother, not knowing now what I know about how they treat

her.” His lips caressed the top of her head.

“Are you going back to court then?” Her hand began to trail lightly up and down his arm.

“She said she had something to tell me. So I will find out what scheme that bitch has planned out

when I meet her the day after next.” His tone grew harsh.

“Let me know if there is anything I can do to help,” Dezarae said as her eyes closed again and sleep

began to overtake her.

Say you will take care of my daughter.
Although he wanted to bury himself deep within her body and

let pleasure take away all the bad thoughts and images in his mind, Ross knew she was exhausted. She was

working so hard and now; with them around as well it only added to her workload. So he would content

himself with holding her, gathering her naked body close to him, as close as he could. Ross placed one more

kiss on her head before he, too, drifted off to sleep, surrounded by the comforting presence of Dezarae.

The readout on the clock read two. Dezarae untangled herself from the embrace of the man that held

her and climbed out of bed. Slipping on her robe, she walked up the quiet hallway and outside onto the

porch. Leaning against the railing, she thought about the man that had come into her life.

She had fallen in love with him and it scared her. Dezarae found herself wanting more, more time,

more love, and more Ross in her life. Even Charmane had found a place in her heart.

He was an amazing man. Strength poured from every pore of his body. Determination was eminent

foremost as he tried to figure out what to do about his daughter. Dezarae had to bite her tongue to stay out of

it. “Just let her stay here,” was on the tip of her tongue to say.

Hell, she had even begun to hear him say he loved her in her imagination. It was hopeless. A heavy

sigh was released as her shoulders rose and fell with each breath she took. Her dark eyes took in moon and

the stars; how she loved that view of the cosmos.

“What are you doing out here?” the deep voice asked.

Turning toward the man who had spoken to her, Dezarae took in his naked torso that gleamed in the

moonlight. “Just had to get some air, and think. What are you doing up?”
Dear God, he is fine.

“You left my arms.” He walked towards her. “I missed your body next to mine.” Ross slid his arms

around her waist as he turned her back toward the yard and whatever she had been looking at. “What are you

thinking about?”

“Nothing, really. I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to wake you.” Dezarae leaned back into his chiseled chest.

“What’s bothering you, Firebird?” he asked into her ear. “Tell me please.”

“I feel responsible for the problems between you and Joy.” She felt his body tense as that name came

out of her mouth. “I know how she feels about people of my skin color and I think it is only going to make

the situation with her worse.”

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“Don’t,” he interrupted her. Ross tightened the hold around her body. “It has nothing to do with you.

We have never seen eye to eye on liking people for who they are as opposed to the color of their skin. When

I first joined the Team, she had a problem with Hondo.”

Dezarae closed her eyes and prayed for strength. “But you weren’t sleeping with Hondo…I doubt it,

anyway.”

He chuckled as his hands sought her skin under the robe. “No, I wasn’t sleeping with Hondo.” His

tone grew serious again as he asked, “Why are you talking about this? It seems to me that you are trying to

find an excuse to stop what is growing between us.”

I am too attached to you as it is, Ross Connelly.
“I just think that you need to concentrate fully on

doing what’s best for your daughter. And I am guessing that is going to mean staying away from me.”

What the…?
“Oh, Firebird, you aren’t getting rid of me that easily. I will do what it takes to get my

daughter, but
I am not
giving up on us.”

He sounds so confident and sure.
Dezarae couldn’t respond. Short of demanding he leave, she had no

other argument.

“I’m sure about that,” Ross said as he kissed her cheek.

Content to just be held in his arms, Dezarae opened her eyes and looked over the life she had for

herself. She loved it here in Montana, the wide open spaces, clear skies, everything. Still not understanding

how he seemed to read her mind.

Ross could feel her easy acceptance of his touch. This woman was an enigma to him. He knew she

had feelings for him and his daughter but she tried to keep him at a distance. Citing it was best for him and

Charmane that way. “Are you scared of what is growing between us?”

“Very.” Dezarae answered immediately.

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want to get attached. And I am already very attached to both you and Charmane,”

she explained, stepping away from his calming touch and turning to face him.

“Why don’t you want to be attached? Is it me? My tattoo? My whiteness?” Ross demanded.

“I don’t want my heart broken when you leave me,” Dezarae admitted.

“What makes you think I am going to leave you?” He stroked the side of her face with his palm.

“You have to. You have a job to do and I know there isn’t a SEAL base around here.” She removed

his hand from her face. “I don’t want to fall…feel any stronger than I do now about you and Charmane.”

“Tell me you don’t love me,” he growled out, stepping up close to her body.

“I don’t love you,” Dezarae said, refusing to look him in the eye in the moonlight.

“Look at me, Dezarae,” he ordered. “Look me in the eye and tell me that.”

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, met his gaze, and lied through her teeth, “I don’t love you.”

You’re lying, Firebird.
Regardless, hearing her say that hurt him like he had never imagined

possible. “If that is what you want to convince yourself of, go ahead.” Not sure she would believe it if he told

her how he felt, he didn’t say it. “Come back to bed.” Ross reached out a hand toward her.

Blinking back threatening tears, she took his offered hand and allowed him to lead her back inside

the house and to the bedroom. Once back in her room, he gently removed her robe and helped her back into

bed. Disrobing, he joined her under the sheet and gathered her into his arms.

Ross held her tightly as they lay in silence. He wasn’t going to force her to admit her feelings, not

yet. Her smooth hands moved over his naked skin, stirring his desire to life.

“Make love to me, Ross,” she whispered into his neck.

Eyes closing with love for this woman, he asked just to be positive. “Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.” Dezarae arched her body against his.

Rolling her over on her back, Ross proceeded to do just that.

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She awoke alone. Dezarae opened her eyes slowly against the sun that shone through her windows.

How had she not woken up earlier than now? Glancing at the clock, she saw it read ten o’clock. Ten? “
Ten?

Why didn’t I wake up earlier?” she said to her empty room.

Climbing out of bed, she smiled as she saw the bouquet of flowers that were tied with a purple

ribbon lying on the pillow that Ross had used. “How sweet!” she picked them up and smelled them.

Showered and dressed, Dezarae made her way up to the main part of her house. The house was

spotlessly clean. There was a covered dish on the kitchen table that had sweet buns in it. Eyes rolling in

pleasure as she bit into one, she walked outside into the yard.

Charmane and Ross were doing some kind of martial art. He was teaching. His eyes deepened with

pleasure as he looked up and saw her watching them. “Good morning, Dez,” he purred, running his gaze over

her body with blatant ownership.

Struggling not to blush as his intense stare claimed her, she smiled at them both. “Morning. Sorry I

slept in so long.”

“I’m sure you were tired,” Ross said, knowing full well that he was the one who had kept her up

from two-thirty until almost six.

“Daddy made the rolls; did you like them?” Charmane asked as she delivered a kick and a
“kee-

yah.”

Polishing off the last bite, Dezarae answered, “They were amazing.” She gestured at Charmane,

“What are you doing?”

“Daddy’s teaching me Aikido,” Charmane answered proudly.

“Aikido?”

“Yes, it’s not really combative. I use their energy and action against them.”

“Well, way to go, Charmane. I am going to the shop to get some work done. Thanks for the rolls.”

Dezarae blew a kiss at Ross the second Charmane looked away from her.

You are mine, Firebird. You just don’t know it yet, or you haven’t accepted it.
“My pleasure, glad

you enjoyed them.”

Dezarae walked off, waving over her shoulder.

Charmane walked into the shop and stopped. Dezarae was under the smallest car in there. She really

needed to talk but didn’t want to disturb her or make her father mad at her.

“What do you need, Charmane?” Dezarae’s voice reached her.

“I wanted to talk to you but if you are busy I can come back later,” she said, scuffing her toes on the

shop floor.

“I can listen right now if you want to pull up a stool. What’s on your mind?”

Charmane grabbed a rolling stool and shifted it over to by the car. “I…I…I wanted to ask you why

you don’t want me to stay with you? I thought you liked having me around.”

Dezarae put down her tools and moved her creeper out so she could look at the child who sounded so

distraught. “What brought this on? What do you mean ‘why don’t I want you to stay with me’? I like having

you around. Talk to me, Charmane, what is going on?”

“You don’t know?” Her eyes grew large as she realized that she made a big mistake.

Sitting up, she pushed her hat back on her head. “Don’t know what?” Dezarae demanded.
What the

hell is going on here?

“Daddy didn’t say anything to you about me?”

The girl was scared; Dezarae could see that. “What was it you thought we had discussed already?” A

light blinked on. “About you staying here with me while your father was gone?”

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Relief poured over her face. “So he did ask you. Are you still thinking about it? I promise I will be

good, Dezarae. I will cook, clean, do whatever you want. I won’t get in your way, I promise.” She crossed

her heart. “I just don’t want to go back to my mama’s house.”

“We haven’t worked out all the details yet,” Dezarae said as her mind told her that was the reason he

wanted to be in her bed. He was softening up her attitude towards him.

“Yeah!” Charmane squealed. Jumping off the stool, she crouched down beside Dezarae and kissed

her on the cheek. “I love you, Dez.” Then she scampered out of the shop.

After the young teen had disappeared, Dezarae rose slowly to her feet. A feeling of betrayal and

treachery filled her body. How could he do this to her? “I knew it was too good to be true,” Dezarae said as

she ignored the tears that flew freely.

Not caring about her work for the moment, Dezarae walked back to her bed, removed her coveralls,