Page 14 of Vapor's Blaze

She smiles at me making my heart leap inside my chest. “I don’t remember telling you my name.”

“You didn’t, I heard Tracker call you Trix.”

“It’s short for Beatrix. I was named after my great grandmother on my mom’s side.”

Both of my eyebrows shoot up at the same time, because that was one hell of an old-fashioned name. I was surprised to see a Beatrix under eighty years old.

She reaches out and playfully swats me on the arm. “Don’t give me that look. It’s meaning is a mix of blessed and voyager. The first part doesn’t apply to me, but I feel like the last part might.”

“I agree. Like me, you have an adventurous spirit.”

“I like to think so. I’m here with a guy I barely know and I’m glad I took a chance on coming with you, because I’m having a really nice evening.”

“Me too,” I say.

“So, what’s your name? It can’t really be Vapor,” she fixes me with those big, brown eyes.

“Benjamin—Benji,” I say, telling her my given name. “But no one calls me that, only Vapor.”

“See, that’s another good old-fashioned name, it suits you. Though you look more like a Vapor, it gives you an air of mystery.”

I don’t know why, but when she says nice things to me, I feel it so much more profoundly than I have with other women. “Thank you. I’m glad you took a chance on me, both tonight and when we first met. I enjoy spending time with you much more than you probably realize.”

“Do you think we could just cuddle up here and watch the stars for a while.”

“Sure. I’ll be right back.” Rolling to my feet, I walk over to a fifty-gallon metal trash can sitting against the stairwell. When I pull the lid off, I hear Trix call out to me, “What are you, a trash panda? Cut it out. Digging through the trash is not cool.”

Smiling, I drag the can over so she can see what’s inside. “It’s my stash, not a real trash can.”

I began pawing through the contents. “I used to use this place as my own personal treehouse. A couple of months back I bought myself a sleeping bag, so I can spend the night in comfort.”

“Doesn’t anyone ever mess with your stuff? Other urban explorers, or the people who service the water tower?”

I walk back over to the center stairwell and climb up a side ladder just enough to rap my knuckles on the cistern. A hollow sound resonates back.

“Oh, it’s empty.”

“Yeah,” I reply, walking back over I pull out my hammock and hang it on the two sturdy, ten inch hooks I installed for that purpose. “I went up and looked into the top. It’s all rusted out and totally not usable. As far as I can tell, I’m the only person still coming up here. The only exception was a couple of years ago when a team came to paint it. I guess they want it to look good from the street as it’s a town landmark.”

Trix scoots closer to me. “It’s nice they kept it once it was no longer in use.”

I hold out my hand and pull her up to a standing position. She comes easily into my arms and meets me halfway for a kiss. We can’t seem to keep our hands off each other as our tongues tangle. One of her hands slide down to cup the bulge in my pants, letting me know what she wants from me.

“Let me undress you, I whisper. When she nods, I start with her jacket. Her body trembles when I touch her. Whether it is with need or the cool evening air, I’m not sure. All I know is that touching her soft skin stokes my desire in the worst way.

I’m hard at work on the on the zipper on her light wind breaker when she whispers, “You have a nice touch.”

“Your soft curves are irresistible enough to make me worry that I’ll be greedy and want to touch you too much.”

“You’re always so considerate, proving that big brawny guys can be gentle.” She gives me a rueful grin, and for a second, I wonder if other men have been less than gentle with her.

I don’t know what to say to that, so I slip the jacket off her shoulders. She arches her back and pulls her arms out of the sleeves. Her breasts rub against me in the most enticing way. Since I don’t think she did that on purpose, I don’t comment, and I certainly don’t get grabby. Instead, I fold her jacket and lay it aside. She’s wearing a zip front sweater, and I start easing down its fastener.

“Are you sure you’re okay getting naked in nature?” I ask with an overlay of excitement in my voice.

She smooths her hands over my chest as she begins to unbutton my shirt. “This place seems secluded enough. Your set up is nice, kinda like camping out. And I know the platform can’t been seen from below because I’ve driven by a million times and didn’t see it. I think we’re pretty safe from prying eyes and wild animals up here.”

That is exactly what I wanted to hear. “I’ll take good care of you tonight. I promise this is a good idea, trust me.”

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