Where There's Smoke: A Texas Heat Novel (5 page)

Rowan stared at her with glittering dark eyes. She had an exquisite, plump body he wanted to taste every inch of. She blushed, so pretty, his girl. Finally! His woman. He lifted her, spread her legs and licked her deep, sucking, kissing, feasting, plunging his tongue in and out. Sawyer’s hands gripped his hair. Her back arched clear off the bed as he devoured her body. She screamed his name. He loved the feel of her orgasm pulsing hard against his lips. He rose up and thrust deep inside her.

Sawyer moaned as he made sweet hot love to her. Her hands swept up his muscled back.

“Rowan!”

The scrape of his tongue circled her nipples so hard she came in a blinding hot rush that gripped her body in waves.

Sawyer flipped him over and got down and dirty with the man she loved. Her sweet tongue and hands on his shaft drove him crazy.

“Cricket!” he hissed between his teeth as she sucked hard on the tip of him. The orgasm crashed through him in fierce aftershocks of pleasure. The intensity of it, left him gasping for air. He pulled her into his arms and held on tight. It was the best sex of his life. Sawyer curled up in his arms. She fit perfectly as if she were made for him. She yawned sleepily and mumbled something.

“What baby?”

“I can’t believe you’re really mine,” she whispered. He spent the rest of the night making her believe it.   

They made love for three days straight, only surfacing long enough for room service. After another slow, hot encounter, Sawyer fell asleep in his arms on the black canopy bed. Rowan stroked her naked back. His fingers trailed her shoulder blades and the ridges of her spine. His heart slammed against his ribs and pounded so fiercely he fought to draw breath.

He loved her! He loved her the way a man loves a woman. When the hell did that happen? Deep down, Rowan knew the answer and it hurt to admit the truth to himself let alone his God. He fell in love with Sawyer the night of the school prom. When they sat side by side eating pizza, burping up soda, watching
Star Wars
, laughing, talking, understanding each other’s silences – Rowan fell head over heels, deeply, out of his mind, in love. Something about the intensity between them felt threatening. He remembered escaping to college, heading up to NYU days earlier than planned. Sawyer was bewildered by his sudden departure. He never said good bye to her in person. He took the coward’s way out and called her from his dorm room off Union Square.

“Hey guess where I am?”

When he told her she snorted. “You better be kidding.”

“I um, I wanted to get a jump start on registration-”

The answering silence was deafening. “Sawyer?”

He could hear her struggling to breathe and cover up the fact that she was crying. His throat tightened. “Oh Cricket, don’t-”

She hung up on him. Their relationship didn’t get back to normal for months. Rowan wrote her faithfully, week after week, long rambling letters about crazy roommates, New Yorkers, life in Manhattan and college days. He finally wore her down.

Sawyer wrote him back. She told him about her library science courses and that she lost her virginity to her college roommate’s brother. The anguish he felt led him to a party off campus where he met Rebecca Aubern. Her family had a house in The Hamptons. She invited him up for a weekend. He lost his virginity to Becky on a windswept beach.

He loved her stunning beauty, vivaciousness and business savvy. She helped him focus his career ambitions and take his rightful place at Camden International. Her radar picked up on Rowan’s suppressed feelings for Sawyer within minutes of meeting her.

“I want her gone!” Becky had demanded. She looked like a furious goddess about to hurl fire and brimstone.

“No,” he said in a way that didn’t invite further discussion.

She raged on bitterly. Finally Rowan cut her off. “Sawyer was my friend long before you came along, deal with it.”

Looking back, Rowan realized how unfair that was to both women. Becky detected his far from platonic feelings, she called him on it, he shot her down. In retrospect, it had been selfish to marry her and crueler still to ask Sawyer to be his best man. How that must have hurt both Becky and Sawyer. Rowan scrubbed a hand over his face. He prayed for forgiveness and he hoped to God Becky forgave him too.

After her sudden death, the guilt was crippling. It weighed heavy on him now as he lay in bed with the woman he loved throughout his marriage. Rowan disentangled his limbs from his new wife. He crept out of bed.

Chapter 8

Sawyer woke up in a dreamy haze. She opened her eyes, drinking the sight of him in. Rowan wore only a small white towel around his lean waist. His six pack rippled, powerful back muscles bunched as he leaned over, giving her a scrumptious view of his fine ass. Sawyer could look at him all day long.

“Hi,” she said.

He spun around. Blazing ginger hair all spikey and wet, burning green eyes, chiseled face flushed. “Hey,” he said, his voice distant. Sawyer sat bolt upright. Every instinct on high alert. She watched him zip up a suitcase.

“Rowan?”

“Yeah?” He tensed.

“I thought we were staying until Saturday.”

He opened up a smaller bag. “I have to meet with the church board, I’m writing an introduction for a friend’s book, I’m helping scout another hotel location so I’m booked solid.” He averted his gaze. “You can stay though, do some shopping, visit the Grand Canyon…” His voice trailed off as he continued to pack.

Sawyer’s heart pounded. Something was definitely up. She found her lacy lingerie in a silky pool in bed. He moved around the room mechanically. “Rowan?”

“Hmm.”

“Look at me.” He wouldn’t. She knew him so well. Sawyer was out of bed like a shot. She got in his face. “Rowan!” He tried to side step her. Quicker on her feet, Sawyer shoved him into the nearest chair and straddled him before he could get away. He made an odd sound in his throat.

“Will you please…look, I have things to do,” he said impatiently. She cupped his face between her hands. “Rowan Jonathan Camden, look at me.”

His auburn lashes swept up. He met her gaze. She knew every shade of green that reflected his moods. Dark forest green meant sex, hot blow her mind kind of sex. He’d leveled that look on her for days. Sea foam green meant a happy go lucky, amused Rowan. He got a certain twinkle in his eyes that hinted at mischief. Not today, not now. His eyes were so pale green they were nearly translucent. He got that hunted look when he was in confined spaces. Claustrophobic since childhood, Rowan hated elevators and cramped areas. In short, her new husband was in panic mode.

Sawyer smoothed his hair, stroked his jaw tenderly. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

He swallowed hard. He lowered his eyes. “Don’t do that,” she said. He couldn’t hide from her even if he tried.

“I can’t-” he said barely audible.

“That bad?” she chided. He nodded curtly.

“Do you have a love child stashed away?”

He blinked in surprise. “No.”

“Are you bi-sexual?”

His lips quirked. “If you’re in the closet, just tell me now,” Sawyer said.

Rowan managed a half smile. “No.”

“You want to wear my clothes and shoes, under that towel, you’re wearing my underwear right now?”

He laughed. His eyes darkened some. “What is it?”

Rowan took her hands from around his neck and held them in his. His thumb absently stroked her palm, her knuckles, linked with her fingers.

“I love you,” he whispered miserably.

Sawyer melted. She held his hands tight. “Then why are you so sad?”

Rowan took a deep breath. “If I tell you I might…lose you.”

“Never,” she said emphatically, “Now man up and tell me.”

“I’ve loved you for a while.”

“How long?”

“The night of senior prom.”

Sawyer stopped breathing. She could only stare at him, dumbfounded.

“You had pizza sauce in your hair and you were mocking Luke Skywalker’s whining ‘You’re not my father,’ and I felt like my heart would explode. I didn’t know what to do.”

She felt the air escape her lungs. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she croaked.

Rowan half shrugged. “I can’t control what I feel with you. Becky, I could handle. But you…that’s why I left without saying good bye after prom.”

Sawyer felt tears sting her eyes. “You really loved me that much?”

“Yes.”

“Did you love Becky?”

“Yes, just in a different way.”

“Promise me we’ll always be honest with each other, even if we’re afraid, even if it hurts.”

“Yes ma’am.”

She rubbed her nose against his. “You have a big heart, there’s enough room in it to love Becky but I’ve got the best of you.”

A tremor went through him. “Please forgive me for hurting you baby, I never meant to. I love you, I love you,” he buried his face in her neck. In answer, Sawyer gently pulled the towel from around his waist. He groaned as she eased the long length of him deep inside her. Straddling him, Sawyer circled her hips in a thrusting motion that drove all rational thought from his mind.

“Aw Cricket!”

His hands caressed her legs and squeezed her luscious butt between his hands. She licked his nipple and gently tugged it between her teeth. He growled and held on as she rode him, for hours, rode him hard like a stallion, just as she said she would.

Chapter 9

Aberdeen by the Lake, Near Austin, Texas

The whole town was abuzz about the shot gun wedding of Pastor Rowan and Sawyer. From The Dixie Pixie diner to Emerson’s bakery The Cookie Wookie, gossip flew from one end of Lover’s Lane to the gazebo on town square.

The church board was in an uproar. Not only did their pastor get married without consulting them first, the newlyweds made a shocking public display of affection. Rowan couldn’t keep his hands off his new wife.

The twins, Susie Q and Penny May, were beside themselves. “It’s scandalous, that’s what!” Susie Q huffed on her blog. So upset was she, her peacock hat was askew.

“Disgraceful example to our young folk, no decent courting period, just willy nilly vows in the city of sin!”

Penny May coquettishly batted her eyelashes for the webcam. “To have carnal knowledge of such a fine specimen of mankind!” Penny May visibly shivered, “Once my hand accidently grabbed Pastor Rowan’s right buttock, I can confirm, he is wonderfully made indeed, I say more power to ya Mrs. Camden!”

Sawyer and Rowan laughed so hard when they saw the blog and video. Sawyer wiped tears of mirth from her eyes. Rowan held onto her, his shoulders shaking.

“Half the female population hates me for taking you off the market, the other half think I’m Satan’s daughter or Jezebel incarnate.”

Rowan kissed her forehead. “I don’t care what anyone else thinks, you’re perfect in every way.”

Sawyer blushed in his arms. His hands swept up her blouse and caressed her back. They stood in the middle of Lover’s Lane where anyone could see them.

“Rowan,” she whispered shyly. “People will see.”

He nipped her ear with his teeth. “Let ‘em look.”

Oh how much she loved him! A disgusted grunt broke the spell between them. Mrs. Cornelia Bainbridge and Mrs. Penelope Pruitt gaped at them. The two matrons wore floral dresses, white matching pumps, carried white purses and had identical expressions of utter astonishment.

“Pastor Camden, well I do say!”

“Sister Pruitt, Sister Bainbridge,” Rowan nodded to them with a wicked twinkle in his eye. “You know my bride.”

The women leveled narrowed eyes of censure upon Sawyer. She smiled knowingly. “Nice to meet you both again.”

They humphed and didn’t say likewise. Mrs. Penelope cut her eyes at Sawyer and simpered for Rowan. “Pastor dearie, may I have a word?”

“Of course,” he said.

He winked at Sawyer.
You gonna be okay?

She smirked.
I got this
.

Rowan had to bend down to hear what the old biddy was saying. They walked ahead. Something about the upcoming leadership conference and guest speakers.

Mrs. Cornelia’s lips pursed tight. Her oval face soured. “Shall we?” she offered.

Sawyer knew her off the shoulder blouse, low rider jeans and sandals that showed off her bold red nail polish pedicure didn’t go over too well.

Mrs. Cornelia’s shoes made a squeaking sound with each decisive step. “I am acting head of the Women of Virtue Women’s Ministry but now that pastor has married…”

Sawyer walked beside her. “Oh I wouldn’t dream of taking over. I’m sure you do a fine job.”

The older woman lost her death grip on the purse she carried with lace gloved hands. A canopy of sprawling trees swayed overhead. Tourists took pictures from a horse and buggy ride that passed by.

“It would behoove you to rise above expectations,” Mrs. Cornelia huffed. “We need to schedule your holy inspection.”

Sawyer tried not to laugh. She coughed to cover her shocked amusement.

Mrs. Cornelia wasn’t fooled. “You cannot have the lustful benefits of marriage and none of the responsibility,” she snapped.

Her fusia lipstick stained her upper teeth. “Your Sunday dresses must meet the moral code. No cleavage, no off the shoulder or spaghetti straps, no transparent or clingy material, no Yoga pants, Spandex is a big no, no, the hem of your dress or skirt must be no shorter than one inch below the knee, no gaudy jewelry if you please, we prefer stockings, shoes with covered toes, length of heel no higher than three inches, you hair will do I suppose, a bit wild if you ask me, no strange colored dye or worldly style fads. Minimal makeup of course. No cursing under any circumstances, no chewing gum in church. The Women of Virtue will help bring you up to speed. Naturally, you will quit your job at the library and take up full time ministry. As far as the holy inspection, we will go through your closet, determine what is appropriate attire befitting the First Lady of the church.”

Sawyer bit the inside of her cheek. Don’t laugh! “The First Lady is in the White House, not the church and wow, is that all?” she asked with a straight face.

“No!” Mrs. Cordelia said sharply. “The holy inspection also includes your book collection, we know you’re a librarian however, we have an approved book list and a banned book list – no Harry Potter, demons or Fifty Shades of depravity.”