Texas Wildfire (Texas Heroes Book 1) (18 page)

Allie went to let him in, whispering as she went, “As soon as you find out the results, I want you to call me.”

Makenna agreed, hugging her friend. Titan waited outside, so she quickly gathered her things and went to meet him. Her purse felt ten times heavier with the pregnancy test in it than it ever had before.

*  *  *

“What kind of grapes are these?” Makenna let her window down to get a better look at the rows and rows of grape vines, growing green and lush as far as the eye could see.

“I believe they’re called Norton grapes. Aiden can give you a rundown, if you like. He does enjoy talking about wine.” Titan drove slowly so she could get a good look. “Across the way you can see his house and farther on, the winery itself.

“Do you know Aiden well?” She was fascinated. Once they turned off the main road, she didn’t even feel like they were in Texas anymore.

“Pretty well. I’ve been trying to get him to join the VFD. He’s single and wealthy enough to have help running the winery and the restaurant. Aiden oversees everything, of course. He also raises horses, Appaloosas. He’ll take you down to see them before we go if you want to meet them.”

Makenna smiled. “You make it sound like the horses are part of his family.”

“Oh, they are, definitely,” Titan assured her. “Both Aiden’s horses and his wines have won awards.” He stopped speaking, almost as if he was considering something. “You know, it might not have been a good idea to bring you out here.”

“Why is that?” Makenna frowned. “I want to do this.”

“Because Aiden’s a handsome eligible bachelor and you are the most beautiful woman in the Hill Country.”

Makenna blushed. “I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

“Oh, really? Why is that?” He kept up his teasing banter.

“You’re the complete package, Titan.” She grew serious. “You’re not only the best looking guy I’ve ever seen, you’re also kind, honest and hardworking. I’m glad you don’t have as much money as Aiden.” She waved her hand at their beautiful surroundings.

“Why are you glad I don’t have money?” He asked the question carefully.

Makenna was staring ahead. She could see a man coming out to meet them. “Because I’m as poor as a church mouse, it makes you seem more accessible to me. Although,” she brightened, “I do have a job prospect. Allie is buying a boutique and asked me to work for her!”

Titan slowed down, raising a hand to Aiden. “I think our sleeping in the same bed makes me pretty damn accessible.” Makenna heard the disturbed tone in his voice, but her door being opened for her by their host drew her attention away.

“Welcome to my home.” They were greeted in style, for following along behind Aiden was a waiter with a tray of glasses containing a sparkly white wine.

“Aiden, it’s good to see you.” Titan came up by Makenna, instantly putting an arm around her shoulders. “This is my girlfriend, Makenna.”

She noticed he didn’t add the last name—Wade. Makenna didn’t mind at all. “How do you do?” She let Aiden take her hand and smiled when he brought it to his lips for a kiss. “Thank you for having us.”

“My pleasure.” He slapped Titan on the back. “Lucky man.”

“I am,” Titan stated flatly. “Your place looks good,” he said, gazing off into the distance. “How’s the harvest looking?”

“Good. The flavor is excellent. Grab a glass of wine and let’s take a ride in the golf cart. I’ll show you two around.”

For the next couple of hours, Makenna learned more about wine than she knew there was to know, although she did try to avoid drinking any. Once, she even watered a plant with what was probably a very expensive vintage. Luckily, both men were so happy to have someone to talk to about wine, they never noticed she wasn’t imbibing. They seemed equally enthusiastic about the subject, but she secretly thought Titan probably was more knowledgeable than Aiden. They talked Texas weather, French influence, Italian blends—she was dizzy with the facts and figures they bandied about. When they stopped to take a breath, she threw her own question out there. “If you could only drink one wine for the rest of your life, what would it be?” Honestly, she should’ve ducked because the discussion that idea produced was quite dramatic. She was never more grateful when an employee came to speak to Aiden and he begged off, leaving them parked under a grand old oak.

“Whew!” Makenna let out a big sigh.

“What’s wrong?” Titan turned to her, concerned.

She kissed him gently on the lips. “I’m glad he’s gone. This place is romantic and I wanted to be alone with you.”

“Awww, you say the sweetest things.” From that moment, the tone of the afternoon changed as he drove her from one scenic spot to another, including the horses, and ending their tour at the Tuscan inspired restaurant. “We’ll feed one appetite now, another later.”

He led her inside where an elegant table was laid out awaiting them. “Aiden made sure we were next to the windows. If you’ll look down toward the creek, you’ll see one of the most exclusive wedding spots in the Hill Country.”

Makenna turned so hard and quick to see what he was talking about that she knocked her glass of wine over. “Sorry.”

Titan helped her right the glass, mopping up the spill. “Easy, baby, it’s just some pretty white lights and a scenic grove of trees.”

When he tried to refill her glass, she placed her hand over her glass. “I want to be awake for what we plan to do later.”

Returning her attention to the wedding site, she pictured Titan in a cowboy tux and herself in a white dress with those cowboy boots that for some odd reason had come to represent their future happiness to her. “This would be a glorious place for a wedding.”

Titan was about to agree, until a waiter came to get their order. “What will you have, pretty girl?”

She pointed at a center cut filet with a red wine reduction. “This looks good, it comes with an herb cream sauce, broccolini and roasted potatoes.”

“Okay, perfect.” He looked up at the man and spoke in fluent Italian. “I’ll have the Bistecca alla Fiorentina and she’ll have the Controfiletto ai Pepe.”

Makenna’s eyes bugged, not expecting the fluid flow of romantic sounding words to come out of his mouth. She glanced down at the menu to see what he was having. He’d chosen steak also, but a sixteen ounce wood-grilled Hereford ribeye with Parmigiano garlic mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. “Oh, that looks good too.” As soon as the waiter left, she grinned at him. “I don’t think I know you very well at all, Mr. Sloan.”

Titan raised his glass. “Stick with me, honey. There are layers to my personality. You have to peel them off one by one.”

Makenna giggled. “Like an onion.”

Titan roared with laughter. “Only you would say something like that.” He leaned across the table and kissed her. “I love you.”

The rest of the meal, as good as it was, was only a blur to Makenna. Titan Sloan had said he loved her. It wasn’t a romantic declaration, but it was the only ‘I love you’ she’d ever received that mattered.

On the ride home, they held hands, his finger brushing the inside of her palm suggestively. She’d never known such an innocent touch could make her so achy. “Thank you for taking me to the winery.”

“You’re welcome. Making you happy is my job.”

Maybe it was his husky voice or the hooded look in his eye—she wasn’t sure, but suddenly she couldn’t wait. “Titan, uh, could you find someplace to pull over?”

Titan reacted immediately to her request, finding a safe place to pull off the highway, a small deserted dirt road. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t wait.” Boldly, she placed a hand over his manhood. Even flaccid it was big, but once she touched it, she could feel it begin to grow. “I need you inside me.”

The very next moment, Titan was out of the vehicle and coming over to her side. Throwing open her door, he unfastened her seatbelt and picked her up. “There’s too much of me to have sex inside a truck cab.”

“Then, where?” she asked, thinking maybe the back of the truck or the hood.

He backed her up against the truck, his voice vibrating against her neck. “You let me worry about that.” Makenna began to quiver with excitement. Damn, the man was potent. He was fast becoming as necessary to her as oxygen.

“I know you’ll take care of me, you always do.” She lifted her head for his kiss. He captured her lips, sucking the bottom one between his teeth. Makenna took one of his big hands and placed it over her breast. Even through the material of her dress, his touch scorched her. As he kissed her, Titan cupped the eager globe, weighing it, rubbing his thumb back and forth across the nipple.

The dress she had on was held up by tiny straps, small bows tied at the shoulder. When he took one in his teeth, pulling it till it was loose. She gave a small gasp of pleasure. The sexy man kissed his way across her shoulder until he reached the other bow, undoing it in a similar manner. “You don’t have on a bra,” he growled, his hands caressing her chest as he eased the dress down her body.

“Built-in shelf bra,” she whispered, as if he cared. Her breasts were heavy, swollen, the nipples distended and aching. “Touch me,” she whispered.

Titan intended to touch her, right after he got his fill of looking at her. “Don’t rush me.” He lifted them, cradling them in his palms, swirling his thumbs over the nipples.

“No one can see us…can they?” Makenna was so turned on, she almost stuttered. The throbbing between her legs was now a demanding pulse.

“It’s dark, no one will see.” Sliding his hands beneath her bottom, he lifted. “Put your legs around me.”

“Feels good,” Makenna whispered as she ground her softness against his hard crotch. “Do you ache as much as I do?”

“My cock wants you all the time.” He bent his head and sucked a nipple deep into his mouth, his tongue twirling around the sensitive tip.

“I’m so wet. Feel.” Makenna didn’t know why she was talking like this. It was as if the darkness set her free. She’d never wanted to be fucked so much.

Titan smiled against her cheek, his hand finding its way between them. Pushing her panties out of the way, he massaged her slit, moving the cream he found there from the back to the front, petting her clit until she groaned. “Oh, you’re so hungry, aren’t you?”

“Fuck me, Titan.” She licked his neck, letting her teeth sink in.

She heard him growl, then the rasp of his zipper sounded loudly in the night. Waiting was sweet torture. Makenna clung to his shoulders while he freed his cock. In the moonlight, she could see desire branded across his face as he placed the tip of his cock into her opening and pushed. “Perfect, so fuckin’ perfect.”

Holding him tightly around the neck, Makenna pushed against him, taking more and more of his cock, loving the way it stretched her, the way it burned. “You feel so good,” she keened.

“It’s about to feel better,” he promised, lifting her, stepping away from the truck.

“Titan!” she cried, afraid for a moment that he’d drop her. But that wasn’t the case—he was strong, he was powerfully built. All she had to do was brace her hands on his shoulders and he did all the work, lifting her, lowering her, moving her up and down his solid pole.

Makenna rocked on him, moaning, shuddering, relishing every spine-melting stroke. “Harder,” she whispered, needing as much of him as he would give. How could she ever exist without him?

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered. Bracing her with hands at her waist, he thrust into her again and again. She kept her legs wrapped around him, her heels digging into his hips. The friction he created within her was exquisite. “Titan!” she cried as her reality spun out of control. Digging her nails into the hard muscles of his arm, fire sparked across her skin. “Hold me, hold me,” she begged as her entire body melted.

Walking back to the truck, Titan braced her against the door so he could enclose her in his arms. He tunneled deep, a flash of heat washing over him as her pussy tightened almost unbearably around his cock. Her pleasure was his pleasure. “Come for me, baby,” he panted through clenched teeth.

“Yes, oh, yes!” she cried, her climax building, growing until it consumed her, her world flying apart with unparalleled pleasure.

Hearing her surrender, Titan closed his eyes, letting go, ecstasy slamming across his senses, pushing him over the edge. “I’d rather listen to you cum than breathe, Makenna.” He sighed, keeping her caged in his arms. They stayed, joined, until they caught their breath. “Ready to go home?”

Home. Makenna smiled. “Yes, I’m ready to go home.”

*  *  *

Not since the Memorial Day floods had a storm took a toll like the one that swamped Hays County over the accusations and charges mounting against Captain Damien Wade. To say the town was split was putting it mildly. Everyone had an opinion and all of them were being voiced loudly. There was a camp who felt Damien was being framed, if not by Makenna, then by Titan or someone else in the unit.

Since that night, Makenna had been pulled from pillar to post. She’d been subjected to questioning after questioning. A team of investigators came in from the capital and reopened the records of the fires that Damien had conveniently come upon and fought so valiantly. Of course one investigator didn’t hesitate to point out that Titan had done the same thing with the Langston fire. He managed to keep his cool and was vindicated when several people spoke up about him being at the livestock auction during the time the fire was started.