Sparks Fly Read online

  “More! God, more,” she demanded.

  Evan pressed on her shoulder, directing her to recline on the trunk, tugging her ass closer to the edge. He slowed his motions, thrusting shallowly, stoking the fire but controlling the blaze. Evan’s gaze traveled along her body, the admiration reflected there making her feel beautiful, cherished.

  Then his hands followed the path of his eyes. He ran his fingers along her neck and down her chest. The delicate stroking provoked a strong shiver. She was a woman on the edge.

  “I need—”

  “Shhh,” Evan admonished. “I know what you need, Annie.”

  He cupped her breasts in his hands as he slowed his thrusting even more. She started to tell him it was clear he didn’t have a damn clue what she needed.

  Then he pinched her nipples.

  Annie’s back arched, her pussy clenching greedily on his cock. Stars flew behind her closed eyelids.

  He pinched again.

  She pressed her hands flat against the car, wishing she had something to grab on to. She was in serious danger of flying away.

  Evan bent forward to kiss away the little pangs of pain, his mouth gently sucking one of her nipples in. With his tongue, he soothed and stroked. Annie balled her hands into fists as she fought for the strength to hold on.

  She’d been on the verge of coming for hours, yet she didn’t want to give into it yet. Something told her that the pressure building would explode white-hot, and it would be magnificent. She wanted Evan with her for that.

  So she sucked in some much-needed air then bit her lip, hoping to distract herself with the pain.

  Evan rose once more. She instantly missed the heat of his body on her chest, his departure reminding her once again that they were outside.

  Though night had fallen, the temperature hadn’t. Instead, the humid July air, the heat produced from the bright spotlights and the fire raging in her body left her in danger of suffocating. And the worst part was she welcomed that intensity.

  Evan didn’t seek to increase his pace. Instead, he drew his hand away from her breast, lightly teasing the skin of her stomach before drifting even lower. He found her clit instantly. The man was an expert on her body, though she’d sort of forgotten that fact.

  She was ashamed of herself for taking the joy out of their bedroom, for making Evan feel like nothing more than a stud to her broodmare. She’d stopped treating him like a man, like her lover. Instead, she’d become a slave to ovulation charts and optimum body temperatures, snapping her fingers whenever she needed him and turning her back on nights when she didn’t.

  Another apology rose, but Evan wiped it away, distracted her from the words when he pressed her clit harder, stroking it faster. He’d begun to move once more, his thick cock traveling deep, touching every hot spot. With his fingers on her clit and his dick inside her, he slowly, steadily drove her to the brink of paradise.

  “Come with me, Annie.”

  She didn’t need to be told twice. Her head fell back against the car as her climax flashed. For a moment, she panicked it was stronger than she was and she wouldn’t survive the tremors, the sizzling electricity flowing through her veins.

  She was overwhelmed, overcome. Undone.

  Evan briefly stiffened as her inner muscles clenched his cock, his fingers tightening where they now gripped her hips. “Fuck,” he muttered. “Shit. Yeah. God, baby!”

  Annie had only just started to come down, had only found one second of reprieve before Evan’s hard thrusts triggered another climax. Her cries were drowned out when sparks of red, white and blue began to light the darkened sky, a loud explosion—matching the one inside her head—disrupted the quiet night.

  Evan joined her, filling her with hot jets of come. He slowly leaned forward, holding himself above her on his elbows. He kissed her as more fireworks flashed. Neither of them sought to separate, too wrapped up in the wonder and magic of the moment.

  He kissed her softly, matching her smile. Then he studied her face and the somberness she’d grown too used to returned.

  “I’m the one who’s sorry, Annie.”

  She shook her head, unwilling to hear him take even the slightest bit of blame. “No.”

  He pressed a quick kiss to her lips to silence her. “I love you.”

  She swallowed heavily, trying to dislodge the lump in her throat. “I know, Evan. I’ve never doubted it. I hope you realize that. But I’m sure I’ve made you question my feelings for you.”

  “No. You haven’t. God, Annie. I’ve failed you in so many ways.”

  She scowled. “Don’t say that. Don’t think it. It’s ridiculous and wrong.”

  He gave her a crooked grin. “Macie said the same thing to me.”

  She didn’t return his smile, too upset by his words. “You’ve never let me down. Never. Not once.”

  He lifted one eyebrow and she suddenly understood exactly how he felt like he was failing her. She repeated her previous assertion. “Never, Evan.”

  He reached up to cup her cheek. “How did we forget this? How good it was between us?”

  She chuckled softly. “I have no idea. Pure insanity.”

  “It won’t happen again. You have my word.”

  “And you have mine.” No matter what life threw at them, Annie refused to let stress or disappointment or fear drive them apart again. As long as she had him in her life, they could handle all the rest together.

  Evan stood slowly, provoking a slight shiver as he withdrew. She pressed her legs together, trying to hold on to the memory of his possession, to trap the heat for as long as she could.

  She was surprised when he walked away from her, back toward the tree. She sat up, giving him a questioning look when he returned with her flip-flops.

  “Here. Slip these on.”

  She did as he asked as Evan went to his car, turning off the spotlights and grabbing a blanket from the trunk. “Grab those beach towels from your bag.”

  Annie reached into the backseat, procuring the towels. Then she took the hand he proffered, letting Evan lead her to the trail that meandered to the lake.

  As they got closer to the water, she could see the light of a big bonfire in the direction of the public beach. The fireworks display still lit up the sky. If she listened very closely, she could hear faint strains of music. Evan’s cousin, Tyson, had formed a band last winter—the talented group blowing most people in Maris away with their rockabilly sound.

  When they reached the dock, Evan released her hand and began to disrobe. She watched him in silence, enjoying the sexy striptease and the way the moonlight and brightly colored flashes of fireworks lit his skin.

  Once he was naked, he walked toward the ladder at the end of the dock. “Feel like skinny dipping?”

  She giggled. “I’d love to. I’m so hot right now.”

  He winked at her. “You’re always hot, Annie. But yeah, I swear the temperature is rising tonight. You gotta love Texas in July.”

  Evan climbed down the ladder, sliding into the water with a loud sigh. Annie was right behind him. The cool water felt like heaven against her overheated skin.

  Evan was waiting for her a few feet from the dock. She swam straight into his open arms, loving the strength in his hold.

  They’d spent countless summer days—and nights—in this lake together, playing or floating or just diving in to cool off before getting right back out again. They had gone swimming that first night he’d pulled her over. The sun had been coming up, adding to the heat that hadn’t waned a bit. She’d been wearing a cover-up over her bathing suit, so she’d suggested they take a morning swim to cool off.

  Evan had accepted her invitation, stripping off his uniform until he was left in only boxers. Then he’d joined her in the cool water. And just like now, she’d swum into his arms, the two of them kissing and floating, content to cling to each other, swaying with the water.

  The fireworks display ended, allowing them to hear the sounds from the beach more clearly.
<
br />   “Orange Blossom Special?” Annie asked, picking up on the tune of one of her favorite songs.

  Evan smiled, nodding. “Do you want to get dressed and head down to the beach? I suspect the party still has a few more good hours in it.”

  She shook her head. “No. I’m happy here. With you.”

  They kissed once again. Then a thousand more times. Annie wasn’t sure how long they stayed in the water, but by the time Evan suggested they get out, she noticed the party had quieted and the moon had shifted a bit farther along the sky.

  Grasping a towel, Evan dried her, wrapping her in the soft terrycloth before retrieving the other for himself. He spread the blanket over the grass at the edge of the shore. They lay down together, both falling to their backs to stare at the night sky.

  Evan reached out, clasping her hand. They didn’t talk for a long time. Annie was lost in her thoughts—reliving the wonder of the night.

  Then she recalled his fears. Evan had truly thought he’d been failing her. Just the idea of it caused her heart to break. She’d been so wrapped up in her own sadness and self-pity, she’d let those hurts affect her marriage and upset Evan.

  She shifted to her side, facing him. “Evan—”

  He looked at her. The expression on his face told her he knew what she was going to say. “No. Not tonight.”

  “But—”

  “We need to talk about it, Annie. And we will. I promise. I mean, God only knows what I’d be without you.” He rolled toward her, pulling her beneath him. “But for tonight, can we just focus on Annie and Evan?”

  His request required no thought. She understood what he wanted and she knew how important this time was. They had some rebuilding to do. Some trust to reestablish. There was plenty of time for them to talk about the future—about children, conception, adoption. None of that mattered if they didn’t fix what they’d broken in their search for those things.

  She reached up to touch his face, careful to school her features. “No. We can’t.”

  Evan frowned at her refusal.

  “We can’t be Evan and Annie tonight.” She gave him what she hoped was a sultry smile. “But I would like to spend some more time with that sexy lieutenant. Damn if he doesn’t know how to make sparks fly.”

  Evan chuckled.

  And then, before her very eyes, her dominant, sexy, amazing husband transformed himself into the man of her dirtiest fantasies. He stripped the towel from her body, and then parted her legs with his.

  She closed her eyes, sighing when his thick erection parted her sensitive folds, thrusting deep.

  “Open your eyes, Ms. Iser. Look at me.”

  She obeyed, giving him a sexy smile. “Yes, Lieutenant.”

  Epilogue

  Evan walked into Sparks Barbeque after his shift ended. He’d promised Annie he’d pick up their dinner—nothing like barbeque to go—on his way home. Macie was in her usual place behind the bar.

  “Jeannette is just finishing up your order. Good thing you called ahead. This place is packed. Lots of people looking to kick off the long Labor Day weekend with beer and barbeque.”

  Evan grinned. “That’s my plan too. Only I’m doing my celebrating at home.”

  Macie gave him a funny look. “You’re a cop. Didn’t think you guys found much pleasure in three-day holiday weekends, between the traffic and the drunks.”

  “Didn’t say I was celebrating Labor Day. Or at least…not the kind of labor you’re thinking of.”

  Macie tilted her head, confused. “Have you already started drinking? What the hell are you talking about?”

  “I’m saying that I’ll be celebrating a different sort of labor day in about seven months. Right around the fourth of April.”

  Evan watched the light go on.

  “Shut the front door!” Macie exclaimed so loudly most of the patrons in the restaurant turned to look at her.

  He and Annie had kept her pregnancy a secret until they’d seen a doctor and eight weeks had passed, and they were more confident everything was okay. They’d broken the news to their parents earlier in the week, but they’d asked them to keep it quiet for a little while. This morning he had asked Annie if he could tell Macie, since it was her good advice that had led to this moment.

  What he’d failed to realize was that telling Macie in a public place was the equivalent of telling everyone. The woman had no poker face, her emotions—whether it be anger, sadness, or absolute joy—radiating from every part of her.

  She jumped up and down several times before coming around the bar to tackle hug him. Luckily he’d seen her coming and had time to plant his feet. She leapt at Evan, hugging him tightly as she laughed and cried.

  Macie’s crazy response drew a crowd, and soon Evan found himself embraced by three more cousins and two aunts who happened to be there. Then several men—friends and family—slapped him on the back, adding their congratulations.

  “I see you told Macie.”

  Evan turned to find Annie standing close. He gave her a sheepish grin. “I’d intended to tell just her.”

  Annie laughed. “That’s why I stopped by. It occurred to me when I left work that breaking the news in Sparks Barbeque would pretty much open the floodgate.”

  Macie offered Annie the same exuberant hug as Jeannette unpacked their take-home boxes, insisting they stick around to eat so everyone could celebrate.

  He and Annie claimed two stools at the bar, enjoying the buzz as Macie proclaimed Annie was having a son and Jeannette and Sydney began making a list of baby names for them.

  Soon, his family drifted away to wait on the other customers. Annie ignored his teasing when she ordered an extra helping of coleslaw for her barbeque, insisting it was fine since she was eating for two.

  Evan watched her, soaking up her smiles and laughing at her exuberance as she ate. He’d counted at least three throaty “mmms,” two “oh my God, that’s good” moans, and a “wow” that was accompanied by a sexy lick of her fingers.

  Evan shifted on the stool, trying to coax his ever-growing erection down. He was getting seriously turned on by his wife’s enjoyment of her dinner. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder after they finished the meal. “What do you say we head home, Ms. Iser? I have a hankering to hear you make all those delicious noises again. In bed.”

  Annie was off the stool before he’d added the last bit. “You’ll have to catch me first, Lieutenant.”

  And with that she jiggled her car keys with a giggle and left.

  Evan threw some money on the counter to pay for their dinner then said good night to Macie. As he pulled his police car onto the road, he switched on the lights and siren with a grin.

  Life was good.

  It was very, very good.

  About the Author

  Writing a book was number one on Mari Carr’s bucket list. Now her computer is jammed full of stories — novels, novellas, short stories and dead-ends. A New York Times and USA TODAY bestseller, Mari finds time for writing by squeezing it into the hours between 3 a.m. and daybreak when her family is asleep.

  You can visit Mari’s website at www.MariCarr.com. She is also on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

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