Healing Fire (9 page)

Melor was right. It was time to try to
move past it and start to live again. Not just for her sake but for Blossom's.
Opportunity had been staring her in the face, but she'd been too blinded by
grief to realize it.

Her love for Tyler would never fade,
but it didn't mean she didn't have room in her heart for another.

Unscrewing the top of the medicine
vial, she fished out two pills, downing them with the water on her bedside
table. She stood, stretching her back, working out the kinks, feeling refreshed
and more energized.

She rifled through her wardrobe,
wanting something nicer to wear, choosing some neat, dark dress pants and a
pretty, white print blouse which gave her a generous neckline. She brushed out
her hair until it fell in soft waves around her shoulders. She found some
lipstick at the bottom of a drawer. She glanced in the mirror to add some red
to her lips before inspecting the montage. Wincing at how pale she appeared, she
took in her large wide eyes which she always figured were her best feature.

Not much she could do about her
weight; after all some men loved curves. Melor seemed to be unable to keep his
eyes off her.

Satisfied she had done all she could
do to look her best, she exited the bedroom. She smiled to find Melor with
Blossom on his lap as he listened to her read
The Cat in the Hat.

An idea occurred to her as she watched
him and her daughter. The answer had been staring her in the face all the time,
only she was too scared to realize it. For however brief a time, maybe she
could use Melor to help her overcome her fears of intimacy and get back into
life. She wasn't the prettiest or thinnest woman; on top of that she had scars.
But she couldn't let her own insecurities stand in the way of her living a full
life.

The only concern was he would reject
her, but if he truly wanted her as he'd boldly proclaimed last night, then her
scars wouldn't matter.

There were plenty of women out there
worse than she. Melor was one adventure where she wanted to explore every inch.
What red-blooded woman wouldn't want a sex-on-a-stick man like Melor?

Be strong, brave; you are a confident,
independent woman.

Summer drew in a deep breath and limped
over. Melor glanced up at her, and she gave him a genuine smile of thanks. It
was time to start showing her affection.

She leaned in and placed a kiss gently
on his cheek. When she pulled back, he was regarding her with heated curiosity.

"I wanted to thank you properly
for what you did this morning; I want to make it up to you. How about we take
Melor to Charlie's after your dance lesson, Blossom?"

Blossom let out a cheer. "I love
going to Charlie's. They have the best pizza and play gym in the state! You're
going to love it, Melor!"

He chuckled. "Not once have you
steered me wrong when it comes to food or play, little Blossom. I look forward
to loving this Charlie's as much as you do."

"We'll go shopping too and pick
up some more Fruit Loops as you two are obviously so fond of them. Go get ready
baby, and we'll head out directly."

Summer smiled at her daughter's
energy, as she danced and twirled her way into her bedroom to get her dance
costume.

"How's your shoulder? I'm sorry.
I should have tended to your wounds." She touched his shirt lifting it to
peer down. She laughed to find it covered in fairy band aids.

"Blossom is a good nurse."
Melor's grin was infectious.

Summer ran her fingers over his jaw
line. "I'm sorry I've been acting out of sorts lately. I hope you can
forgive my rude behavior. You've been nothing but…but wonderful to Blossom and
me."

He nuzzled his face into her hand.
When his lips touched the palm, a hot wave swept into her belly, and her whole
body tingled with longing.

"There is nothing to forgive, my
lady. I would give my life to protect you both."

"Please, no more life giving. It
is meant for living not dying. I don't think I could stand losing anyone I…I
cared about."

Undefined emotion swirled in his dark
depths. "Does this mean I do not have to leave?"

Summer smiled wider still. "No,
you don't have to leave; I would never hear the end of it from Blossom if you
did. You are welcome in our home for as long as you wish."

Melor rose to his feet, making her
tilt her head to look at him. Damn, the man was fine, sexy, tall; his gaze
intense, burning with raw desire as he stared down at her. He leaned in closer,
and gently brushed his lips against hers.

"Thank you."

"Ready to go!" Blossom's
cheerful call broke the sensual spell surrounding them.

They
stood for a moment, and she realized they were both breathing a little hard.

"Blossom had best not be late for
her lesson." Melor stepped back first.

"We're coming, baby."

~ * ~

Everyone, especially the other women,
turned to stare at Melor wherever they went. His dark sensuality drew others
like a moth to the flame. The mothers in the dance class whispered to each
other, their jealous gazes directed at her and the tall, sexy man sitting by
Summer's side.

Insecurity and doubt flooded her. What
if he found another woman more attractive than her? Would he leave of his own
volition rather than her pushing him out of the door?

When his comforting arm wrapped around
her waist, pulling her close to his side, everything melted away but him and
his divine scent. She glanced up into his dark smoldering eyes which looked at
her as if he wanted to devour her right there on the bench. Hell, she wouldn't
care if he did.

In the supermarket it was the same. He
pushed the trolley with Blossom sitting inside while Summer placed the items
in. Blossom chatted happily. It was a euphoric sensation.

Summer shook the foolish thoughts from
her head. She didn't know how long it would last, but was now determined to
hang on to it with everything she had.

Friday evening at Charlie's was full
of families. She found them a booth and ordered several large house specials
and sodas while Blossom dragged Melor off to the play area.

It was a sight to see the big man
sitting in a ball pit tossing balls to Blossom and other children; his deep
laughter cheerful and infectious.

"He yours?" The waitress
placed the drinks on the table, her head nodding in Melor's direction. Was he
hers? Melor glanced at her with a sexy grin. Summer's heart fluttered in her
chest. It was a good thing she was already sitting down or she would have
melted onto the floor.

"Yes." A new sense of
possession settled over Summer. "He's mine, so hands off." She eyed
the waitress.

"Hey, just askin'. You're a damn
lucky woman. Does he have a brother?"

"No, he doesn't." Summer
yanked out five dollars, shoving it towards the waitress.

"Fine then." She snatched
the money and her tray, walking away.

She wasn't sure if luck had anything
to do with it. Melor believed it was fate that brought him into her life, even
if she did hit him with her truck. Maybe there was something in that after all.

~ * ~

Melor extracted himself from the
giggling playful children. Making his way over to Summer, he folded his long
legs under the table.

"Having fun?" Summer's smile
was beautiful; humor lit up her stormy blue eyes. He was pleased to see he
could still keep an eye on Blossom while she played with the other children.

"Aye, Blossom brings joy to my
heart. There are so many children in your world."

Memories of a time before the Drac
raid when the children played in the streets and ran through the palace halls
made his heart ache. It was every Kell man's wish to see them filled once again
with the musical laughter of children.

Already he thought of Blossom as his,
but he also wanted to father a child with Summer; a healthy baby boy to whom he
could teach the blade.

"You look a little lost in
thought." Summer's soft voice broke his musings.

"I did not always desire to be a
warrior for the Kingdom," he confessed. "I have a great love for the
stag, the beast which we ride upon in Kell. Before I came here to earth,
between my duties to the King, I have been working hard to restore my family's
domicile. For too long I have neglected it to live in the palace. I would very
much like to raise and train stags, to see my family live and grow there as
well."

"If I remember Blossom correctly,
a stag is similar to a horse?"

"Aye." He regarded her;
pleased she was more accepting to his talk of his home.

"No one wants to fight all their
lives. Tyler had finished his tour in Afghanistan and was on leave in Darwin
when I met him one afternoon on the beach. He wanted a home and family. Before
I knew what I was doing, I found myself married and whisked away to the U.S."

"Blossom told me she has
grandparents living in Australia. Why did you not return and live there with
your family?"

Summer shifted in her seat. He watched
her swallow before fiddling with the paper on the table.

"We were visiting Tyler's mom the
night of the accident. We had left Blossom with her while we went out to
dinner. At the restaurant we argued because I wanted to take Blossom back to
Australia and raise her there. Tyler wanted to stay here in Humboldt, in the
country. I was angry and refused to talk to him. A split second later, from
what I was told, a truck driver on too many drugs swerved into our lane."

Tears spilled down her cheeks; the
paper in her hand was torn to shreds.

Melor put his arm around her.

"I
never said sorry. He died without knowing how much I loved him."

He pulled her tightly against his
chest as she sobbed softly.

"You are a woman full of giving
generous love. There is no doubt he knew you loved him, even if you never said
the words. I would have no doubt of it if you were mine. No matter what angry
words were spoken in the moment, it can never erase the deep love you have for
the other in here." He placed his hand just above her breast.

He felt her draw in a shuddering
breath before pulling back and gazing up, her lashes wet and spiked, her eyes
clear from her tears. With the pad of his thumbs, he wiped away evidence of the
tear tracks on her cheeks before bending down to kiss each of her eyelids.

"You have a beautiful daughter;
such great evidence of your love for your husband. I only hope one day you can
find it in your heart to love another."

She nodded. "Thank you, Melor.
You're the most wonderful crazy man I've ever met."