Light My Fire: A Loveswept Classic Romance Read online

  She could only nod but didn’t move for the handle. He didn’t move either. Instead they both gazed steadily into each other’s eyes.

  “I thought I’d lost you,” he said roughly.

  “For a while I thought I’d lost everything,” she said.

  He frowned. For the first time she saw something that looked very much like fear in his eyes. That she could scare him scared her too.

  “Do you still want to find me, Jenna?”

  “More than ever.”

  “Thank God,” he breathed, pulling her tightly into his arms. He buried his face in her hair as she snaked her arms around his waist.

  She held him as tightly as she could, thrilling at the realization that she didn’t have to moderate her strength, thrilling even further when he moaned, “Tighter, Jenna. You can’t be too close.”

  He finally tilted her head up and looked into her eyes. There were still questions there, lots of them. But Jenna knew they’d have time to answer them all. The fear was gone.

  “Take me inside, Jenna.”

  His request raised dark erotic images that she wasn’t entirely certain he’d meant, but she intended to do her damnedest to find out.

  She smiled at him. “We’d better. If I start kissing you out here, we’ll both freeze to death.”

  “There’s one thing I have to do first.” He reached behind her and caught the end of her braid. She watched as he removed the braided elastic. He slowly unwound the heavy plait like a man unwrapping a precious gift. He spread the thick waves around her shoulders. “I’ve waited a lifetime to do that,” he said roughly. He sank his fingers into the wavy mass and cupped the back of her head.

  A hot thrill shot through her as she read the intent clear in his blue eyes.

  His mouth was on hers before she got the door all the way open. He didn’t stop once they were inside and backwalked her straight down the hall until the closet door stopped their progress. Jenna kept his mouth firmly on hers as she shifted and backed into her bedroom, not stopping until she felt the bed at the back of her knees.

  Only when the sweet weight of T.J.’s big body was spread out over every glorious inch of hers did he lift his head. “I love you, Jenna. I won’t lose you ever again.”

  “I love you too, T.J.” She yanked his head down for a hard fast kiss. Then pushed him away just enough to look into his eyes. “And you bet your sweet backside you won’t.” She pinched the aforementioned body part, which made him grind his hips down on hers, eliciting a long moan. “Just how hard is it to get that knee brace off anyway?”

  T.J. chuckled and stole a heart-stopping kiss of his own. “What did I do to deserve such a gorgeous, smartmouthed, stubborn woman like you?”

  She looked up at him, and her heart swelled almost to bursting with the love she found there. She vowed then and there to be the woman he deserved. The knowledge that he’d never let her be less fueled the sassy smile that curved her lips. “Who else would have you?”

  “We’ll never know. I’m yours, and it’s a lifetime deal. Take it or leave it.”

  “Oh, I take it.” She looked up at him, eyes sparkling. “Question is, can you?”

  T.J. bent his head to capture her smart mouth, but she pushed him back just shy of his quarry. “One question first.”

  Second-guessing her, he said, “I quit my job. I want to buy some land in Oregon, but we can decide on that later. I’ll support any direction you want to go with your career, and I have a pile of money saved up so we don’t have to worry about that for at least the next few hours and—”

  She pressed her fingers to his lips. “I know we’ll work that out.” Her tone was serious, but her eyes were shining with the bright promise that was their future.

  His need for her didn’t lessen one iota, but suddenly it wasn’t as urgent to assuage all those needs in the next two seconds. She really wasn’t going anywhere. She was truly and completely his. “Do I really get to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you?” he whispered.

  “You’re stuck with me all right.”

  “Then ask me anything. What do you want to know, my love?”

  “What’s in the trailer?”

  “The trail—?” T.J.’s answer was interrupted by a sudden ruckus erupting beyond the bedroom window in the front yard. Loud banging and thumping followed by a high-pitched wail.

  Jenna grabbed his head and turned his face back to hers. “Tell me you didn’t.”

  She looked dead serious. He didn’t pretend to misunderstand. In fact, he’d been looking forward to this moment. He enthusiastically anticipated a lifetime full of them. “I want a family,” he began slowly. The noise outside got worse. She grew more rigid beneath him but he pressed on. Her eyes narrowed so he hurried on. “But we never talked about things like babies and all that—”

  “I like babies.”

  That stopped him cold. “You do?”

  “Mmm-hmm.”

  She was smiling that serene smile and a new thought suddenly occurred to him. His heart stopped. “You’re not … I mean, I would love it if you were, don’t get me wrong. But that’s not why you were looking for me. Was it?”

  She laughed and shook her head. “No, I’m not. And I was looking for you because I love you. More with each passing second.” She squeezed him tightly. “Tell me more about this family plan of yours. I’m dying to hear,” she said dryly.

  She was still smiling, but now that the idea had occurred to him, it took him a second or two to get past the image of her lying in his arms, her stomach round with their child.… He sighed as he kissed her, then said, “I’m thinking of modifying the plan,” he said. “Soon.”

  “I like that plan. But first I want to know more about the family member you already adopted.”

  Defeated by her intractability, he switched tactics. “Jenna, I couldn’t let strangers raise him.”

  “I found him a very good home, T.J. Mrs. Ventura was right when she said the Peebleses ran a very respectable ranch.”

  “But, honey—”

  “Most families buy a dog or a cat if they want a pet.”

  “But you love Bob.”

  “He spit on me, T.J. Dogs and cats don’t spit.”

  Her tone hadn’t changed, but T.J. didn’t let that stop him. He nuzzled her neck, hoping to distract her from the sounds of Bob bashing at the new trailer he’d bought just for him. Well, not just for him … He licked a small trail from her ear to her collarbone and, based on her instant reaction, decided it was quite effective, so he upped the ante and slid his hands under her sweater.

  “I’ll feed him and take care of him,” he promised. “I’ll buy you a dog if you want.”

  “I don’t want a dog.”

  He lifted his head, willing to beg even though he was enjoying their discussion immensely.

  She immediately dragged it back down. “Don’t stop,” she ordered. “I’m weakening.”

  “Not on your worst day,” he said, but quickly followed up with another foray, heading down her belly.

  She gasped when he slid her zipper down. “Okay, okay, we’ll keep Bob. But only if you promise not to stop.”

  “I promise,” he said, his words muffled against the sweet skin of her thigh. “I like arguing with you.” He thought about telling her the rest, then figured he’d wait until he was inside her to mention the other one. But that seemed cowardly. He wasn’t going to start this relationship backing down from Jenna. She’d never forgive him.

  He lifted his head, despite the iron grip she had on the back of it. “Llamas hate being alone.”

  “So will you if you don’t keep your promise.”

  He chuckled and blew gently across her skin.

  “T.J.” But there was nothing demanding in her tone this time. She sounded … needy. He liked that side of her too.

  Between kisses and nibbles he said, “Bob has a … friend.”

  Jenna reached down and grabbed his shoulders, hauling him—with his willing if awkward ass
istance—back up on top of her until they were face-to-face.

  “There are two of them out there?”

  “Don’t worry, they can’t hurt each other.”

  “Two llamas?”

  He nodded but didn’t say anything.

  She pulled him down for a long, deep, wet kiss, instead. “You know what?” she asked when she let him up for air. “We can have a whole ranch of them if that’s what you want.”

  He cocked his head to one side. “Well, now that you mention it—”

  Laughing even as she groaned, she said, “I’m marrying a rancher. A llama rancher at that. My dad will never let me hear the end of it.”

  “Jenna, if you don’t—”

  “I do,” she quickly assured him. “In fact, since you mentioned buying land in Oregon … I was thinking maybe we’d check and see if Bob’s ranch is still on the market.”

  T.J. went still, then grew serious. “Jenna, are you sure? I mean, there are plenty of—”

  “T.J.,” she said, gently interrupting him. “I’m sure. In fact, I think it’s perfect. It’s what I need. A chance to rebuild on the ruins of the past.”

  T.J. saw the rightness of it in her eyes. “You’ll want the stalls done first.” At the question in her eyes, he said, “For the horses.”

  She hugged him close. “Make love to me, T.J.” With a wicked smile, she added, “Who knows, maybe we can add another Martha or George to carry on the Delahaye name.”

  He grinned and framed her face with his hands. “I love you, Jenna.”

  “I love you too, Thomas Jefferson Delahaye.”

  Sometime later, when night had fallen and the llamas were tucked away in their stalls, she lay curled against T.J.’s chest. “You know, it might take a while for me to get pregnant.”

  T.J. just laughed. Jenna smacked his chest, but giggled too. “Seriously, I think we ought to change Bob’s name to Abraham or Ulysses. Of course, there is the female to consider. I know! JFK and Jackie O. Someday we’ll have a little Caroline or John John llama.”

  He lifted his head. “His name is Bob,” he stated flatly. “I was thinking of calling the female Babe.”

  She groaned. “The Paul Bunyan thing again? But that was just a joke, T.J. I mean, really. I think—”

  He pulled her under him. “Think about this instead.”

  For once she didn’t argue. T.J. smiled. She sure picked her moments.

  THE EDITOR’S CORNER

  Welcome to Loveswept!

  Summer’s over and the days are starting to get shorter and cooler. If you’re missing summer’s warmth, turn up the heat with our new Loveswept releases.

  Coming out next month: Linda Cajio’s super-sexy NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN, Karen Leabo’s moving and tender LANA’S LAWMAN, and three more fantastic books from Donna Kauffman: MIDNIGHT HEAT, BORN TO BE WILD and SURRENDER THE DARK.

  If you love romance … then you’re ready to be Loveswept!

  Gina Wachtel

  Associate Publisher

  P.S. Watch for these terrific Loveswept titles coming soon: In November, we have six more exhilarating reads for you: Adrienne Staff’s irresistible PARADISE CAFÉ, Linda Cajio’s playful and sexy THE PERFECT CATCH, Debra Dixon’s sensual DOC HOLIDAY, Samantha Kane’s brilliant THE DEVIL’S THIEF, and two more enthralling titles from Donna Kauffman: TEASE ME, and BAYOU HEAT. And December brings these fantastic releases: Juliet Rosetti’s charming ESCAPE DIARIES, Juliana Garnett’s enchanting medieval THE MAGIC, and four more breathtaking stories from Donna Kauffman’s: BOUNTY HUNTER, TANGO IN PRADISE, ILLEGAL MOTION and BLACK SATIN. Don’t miss any of these extraordinary reads. I promise that you’ll fall in love and treasure these stories for years to come.…

  Read on for excerpts from more Loveswept titles …

  Read on for an excerpt from Elisabeth Barrett’s

  Deep Autumn Heat

  CHAPTER 1

  “Any local worth his salt knows what time the fishing starts in Star Harbor,” a large, handsome, dangerous-looking man with raven-black hair intoned in a deadpan. “And it ain’t eight-thirty.”

  After listening to this blatant insult, Sebastian Grayson, world traveler and master chef, fought the urge to throttle the man who was now reeling in his line. Throttle him, or toss his own tackle box off Mutterman’s Pier and crawl back into his tiny berth on Val’s boat. Of course, both would require energy, so he let exhaustion win out. Pulling his leather jacket more tightly around his tired, aching body, Seb leaned back on a pylon and closed his eyes, breathing in the familiar tang of salt water and wet wood. The cold, foggy air rushing into his lungs was helping to wake him up some, but he’d still kill for a latte.

  Cole’s wisecrack had definitely hit a nerve. Just like his brother, Seb was Star Harbor born and bred, and even though he hadn’t lived in town for the last decade, it didn’t mean he’d lost his “local” status. He’d been on this pier a thousand times. The clang of the buoys in the harbor, the strain and creak of the boats at their moorings, and the cries of the seabirds searching for their morning meal were all imprinted on his brain. The images of his three brothers were imprinted there, too, each of them in his favorite spot along the wharf, just as they were now.

  Val, the oldest, stood against the far pylon, his lean, wiry frame concealed by an oversized fisherman’s jacket, longish black hair curled at his nape. Cole, second in age, was seated with his broad back up against another pylon, his eyes covered by mirrored sunglasses. Theo, Seb’s twin, had one long leg folded against his chest as he leaned on a bench, his rod in one hand and a book of Whitman poems in the other. Theo’s green eyes were the exact mirror of his own, and right now they were crinkled in mirth.

  The Grayson brothers, Star Harbor’s former resident bad boys, were back in town and ready for business.

  That is, after Sebastian got his coffee.

  Farther down the wharf, a few older men who’d cast their lures at the crack of dawn were silently packing up to leave, their thick jackets buttoned up against the early autumn chill as they gathered their morning’s catch. Each of Seb’s brothers had already caught a few fish large enough to keep—striped bass and mackerel, mostly. If Seb had been out here fishing at five-thirty like they’d been, he’d have something to show for his efforts, too.

  “Sleep well, princess?” Cole asked, his deep voice cutting through the mist. Theo snickered softly from behind his book.

  “Mmm,” Seb grunted. He tried to ignore them but he knew it was futile. His brothers were dead set on giving him hell for sleeping late. Cole pushed his sunglasses up on his head, revealing deep blue eyes. Funny, he didn’t remember his brother looking so hardened. Ever since Cole had returned from Afghanistan where his Special Forces unit had been stationed, he’d been on edge. Seb was glad Cole had left his job as a cop in Boston to become the sheriff of Star Harbor. Maybe being back in their small hometown would do him good.

  “Seb needs his beauty sleep, isn’t that right?” Theo teased with a smile.

  They weren’t going to quit ribbing him until he rose to the bait. “Any one of you could have woken me up,” Seb complained.

  “No one would dare. Don’t you sleep next to your wicked sharp knives rolled up in that nylon bag?” Cole said, his mouth curving up in a half smile.

  “At least I don’t sleep with a loaded Glock on my nightstand,” Seb retorted before he could stop himself. In less than a second, Cole’s smile was gone and he was standing up, his posture putting all of Seb’s senses on high alert.

  “Not today.” Val’s calm, even voice sliced through the tension. Both brothers backed down, realizing that Val was right. For a moment they had forgotten that they were here in Star Harbor for one reason: to pay homage to their father, who’d died twenty years ago during a hurricane. No matter where they were or what they were doing, they always gathered together in their hometown on Labor Day weekend, the anniversary of his death.

  Val and Cole lived in Star Harbor, but Seb had driven his motorcycle in from New Y
ork City and Theo had flown in from San Francisco. As was their tradition, they’d spend the long weekend together, remembering their dad.

  Seb swept his gaze over the misty water, watching the boats pitch and roll through the haze as the tide slowly went out. Then he turned toward the town. The old-fashioned gas lamps that stayed on all night were still lit, but the fog was thick and he could barely make out the Victorian houses lining Harbor Street. Star Harbor looked exactly the same as it did when he’d left it so many years ago.

  God, being here brought back so many memories. Like the time he and his brothers had rigged those fireworks to go off seconds before the annual summer small craft regatta started. It had taken the organizers at least an hour to get everything back on track. Or the time they all ditched school to head to Providence for Oktoberfest. Their mother had been furious. A smile crept onto his face. For a few moments, he could almost forget his weariness and the mountain of work waiting for him back in New York—planning his fall menu, brainstorming for his television show, and figuring out where he was going to open his new restaurant. He thought he might have settled on Boston, but he couldn’t be sure until he found the right venue. Crap, he’d better be sure. He’d already spent too much time trying to make that decision.

  Seb sighed. He used to love being a renowned chef, and had thrived on the sheer volume of work. But lately, it had started to seem like a slog. Had he lost his passion or was he just exhausted?

  Damn. He had to stop stressing so that he could enjoy the weekend, but that probably wasn’t going to happen. He had only himself to blame. His plan was to stay in Star Harbor for a full week, but it wasn’t going to be much of a vacation. He would need to spend at least part of the time working on his upcoming projects. Later on in the morning, he was scheduled to scout out spaces in Boston for his new restaurant. His brothers weren’t too happy about it—their tradition was to spend the weekend together, after all—but it was rare that he ever got time away from his restaurant, Helena. Suddenly, the fact that he was tired, damp, cold, and seriously decaffeinated started to wear on him. He needed that coffee, bad.