For a Hero Read online

  “Why do I need to be quiet?” Jenna whispered as David sneakily opened the door for her as silently as possible and then proceeded to tip-toe with her to the entrance.

  “Because the park closes at sundown. We are breaking the law.” Then, teasing her, he put his hand up to his mouth as if he were shocked at the depravity of his crimes. “Besides, I want you all to myself. If we get in trouble, I know the guy that patrols here. It should be fine.”

  “Of course you do.” She giggled.

  They approached the entrance and what they saw was a staircase ascending into darkness. The steep hill was buried deep in foliage and brush, creating a canopy over the steps to the peak. It would get a lot darker before they reached the star-lit cusp at the top. David held her hand. “Stay close to me; you never know what boogeymen might be out there in the night.”

  “You stop that, David Conlon. You will get me all scared.”

  “No, seriously.” They began to climb the stairs slowly. Pitch blackness surrounded them. “If I was a murderer or a rapist or a ghost, I would DEFINITELY hide in those bushes right there to catch an unsuspecting girl as she walks up.”

  She smacked his arm. “You are terrible.”

  They finished the climb, and hid the panting of their breaths from each other. David walked her down the path until a particular rock spoke to them as very bench-y. He helped her down and let her sit in the crevice. David stood next to her and began picking up stones and tossing them into the river. Lights of huge party boats looked tiny from where they were, high above everything. The river snaked below them like a great serpent, so massive that it cared not for the people watching it slither by.

  It was cold outside, but their affection kept a very comfortable blanket of warmth over them.

  “I’ve had a great time with you these past few days, David.”

  “Thank you. I’m pretty excited to be here myself.”

  He tossed his rocks over the cliff, but stopped after each one and lingered in front of her, a step below and right between her thighs, leaning on her, before returning to his little game. After a while, he sat down beside her feeling more peaceful than he had in many a day. She looked up at him and asked.

  “What do you believe in?”

  “Pardon me?”

  “What do you believe in? God? Angels? Ghosts? Science? What keeps you going?”

  “I’m not sure. Why do you ask?”

  “Well, you have such a strong moral compass. You are so genuine and pure and loving. I wondered if you were taught that in church or what.”

  “You flatter me.” He spoke solemnly, tossing his pebbles into the river hundreds of feet below. “I try to be as good as I can be to honor my parents. My mom was perfect and my dad was the best man that ever lived.”

  “You mean the same guy that told you not to get close to people because you might hurt them?”

  “No. That’s my adopted father. I lost my real parents a long time ago.”

  “Oh no. I am so sorry, Baby. I didn’t mean to . . .”

  David stopped her. “It’s ok. It was a long time ago.” He was obviously hurting, despite his contention to the contrary.

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “We don’t have to.”

  “Oh. Could you tell me what happened? I just want to understand.”

  “Um, yeah, I guess. My dad was a pilot in the Air Force. He and my mom traveled a lot. We were at a house in San Antonio for a few months. There was a fire. I took our dog outside to save him. Mom and Dad thought I was still in the house. They went in after me and while they were in there, the gas tank exploded in the garage. It killed both of them, even the puppy.”

  Jenna’s eyes misted with tears as she heard his story. “That’s terrible. I’m so sorry.”

  “It’s fine. I’ve lived with it for years.”

  “It wasn’t your fault.”

  “What do you mean? I didn’t say it was.” He was thinking it, though.

  “I know you already, David, better than you think. Can you tell me about them, your parents?”

  David sat down beside her. “They were perfect. Dad was a real man. He was strong in body, mind and spirit. He was larger than life. He was away a lot, but he was very important, so he needed to be. He never disrespected a lady. He never started a fight. He never, through inaction, allowed someone else to be hurt. His manners were always flawless, especially around women. And wow, how he loved Mom. They would dance in the kitchen together while music played on the radio when dinner was cooking. They held hands everywhere they went.” David reminisced like a child remembering Christmas. His eyes sparkled and his cheeks grew rosy.

  “What about your mom?” Jenna wanted more. She loved to see him like this.

  “I don’t remember her as well. It breaks my heart. I do know that she was a lady, delicate and cultured, yet strong and determined. I have been able to let her go a little more easily. My adopted mom is great. She reminds me a lot of my real mother. That is probably why I feel a little more at peace with her.”

  “I’m guessing you don’t feel at peace with your dad?” Jenna hated to ask. She knew that it would bring back more of the sadness and anger from his past, but she wanted to know. She needed to know him.

  “Not really. My adopted father is nothing like my real father. He used to be civil to me, but never more than that. It’s like he tolerated me being there. Once, he even got hurt. He snapped his knee and couldn’t walk. He wouldn’t let me help him up or help him walk. He insisted on doing it by himself. When he finally saw the Doctor, they said that he did more damage by walking on it than the actual injury. He’s limped ever since. Eventually, however, after I grew up a little, he became very cruel and hurtful to me. Mom didn’t put up with him treating me that way. She told me it was because he was jealous of me, but I didn’t understand. To be truthful, I still don’t. She divorced him. Now she has a little house south of Austin. I go see her from time to time. I haven’t heard from him in a while.”

  Jenna put her hands on his back and leaned on him. “I’m sorry. I understand more now. Thank you for sharing with me.”

  David leaned back into her, taking her arms around his neck and kissing her cheek. “To answer your question, just recently I started believing in angels.”

  After some time and a little cuddling, David and Jenna returned to the truck. He helped her in and fastened her seat belt. She could get used to that.

  Jenna looked at the shadows of the night fall across his end-of-day scruff. She saw the squint of his eyes as he pulled out of the parking lot. Not ready for the evening to end, she put her hand on his thigh. “You know, I haven’t seen your place yet.”

  “I’m renovating right now. It’s not ready for you.” David didn’t say, and he hoped she wouldn’t realize how important his sanctuary was to him. He only let a very few people into his sanctuary.

  “Well, I guess here will have to do then.” She rubbed her palm across David’s cock through his pants. She looked and saw the bulge of his balls through his jeans. “You must be huge, Baby.”

  Her finger started tracing the outline of his cock. It was irresistible to her. “Oh, wow, Jenna.” David pulled over. He knew that he might wreck if she was about to do what he thought she was about to do.

  The tips of her fingers spread across his dick, massaging and caressing. She felt his swell and throb beneath her hand. His cock grew and rose to meet her. Jenna moaned and unbuttoned his pants. “Look at you,” she groaned. Pulling down his underwear, she licked her lips as he broke free of his prison.

  His rod stood there, massively erect, already shimmering at the tip from lust. “Did you have something you wanted to show me, David?” Without a moment’s hesitation, as if her hand was out of her control, she wrapped her fingers around it. It was easily eight inches long, maybe longer. It was so thick; her hand barely touched itself to close on the other side.

  “What is this, Baby? Why are you so hard?”

  It was a
struggle for David to speak. He was so turned on that all of his blood was in his dick. Still he managed. “You. You are so sexy. I want you.”

  She smiled. “Oh, so this is my fault? Has my teasing done this to you?”

  David looked her in the eye, wishing she would stop the tease and give him the pleasure he was dying for. “Yes. It is your fault.”

  “Oh.” She said with a grin. Then, she leaned in toward it. “I guess I should be the one to take care of it, then.”

  She started stroking up and down, squeezing his monstrous cock in her hand. His body shook with each movement. His breathing grew shallow and fast. His fingers dug into the truck seat.

  Her eyes widened, taking it all in. It looked perfect, just like him. It felt so perfect in her hands. She loved doing this for him. She quickened her pace. David began to moan.

  “What’s that, Sweetie?”

  “It feels so good.”

  “I’m glad.” Jenna put her tongue at the base of his cock and licked all the way to the tip, a pleasurable sensation for David, but she paused her stroking to do it. He bit his lip and yearned for her. She played with him.

  She put two fingers on his tip and parted them, moving them down the sides of his penis. He growled. ‘There he is.’ Her monster had woken up. ‘Oh yes.’ She was as turned on as he was. She looked up at him, anxious to see what he would do, unleashed.

  His hand took her wrist. He wrapped her fingers around his cock again and began pumping her hand for her. Then he grabbed her ass and used it to pull her mouth to his. He kissed her wildly. He bucked beneath her.

  She felt his cock throb and grow even larger. An eruption was imminent. Jenna was overwhelmed. This was the best thing ever. Pleasuring David made her feel better then cumming herself. Could this be love?

  Drops of precum flowed down his cock into her hand and made the stroking smooth. David growled at the words. “Take it.”

  She did, her own excitement growing. She couldn’t be still, her hips moved of their own accord as she gave herself a little bit of relief, a little friction as her clit slid over the seam of her jeans.

  Jenna moaned, at the precipice of her own orgasm. “I will, Baby. Give it to me.” She put her lips around his cock just in time. Hot, thick, white, jets of cum shot into her mouth. His rod pulsed with each rope emptying into her. Her throat filled quickly, she struggled, but successfully swallowed his seed. The thrill was just too much; she came with him, his explosion in her mouth pushing her off the cliff, she tumbled into waves of pleasure.

  Sitting up, Jenna licked her fingers clean and smiled at David. She witnessed first-hand the mighty man looking back at her. He soon calmed down and sweet David returned. He put his hand on her neck and massaged it. “Thank you, Love. That was wonderful.”

  “Yes, it certainly was.” She leaned into his touch and caressed him. They held each other for an hour, affection blooming between them.

  They watched the stars roll by through the windshield. It was easy to appreciate the beauty of the world when you remember how small you are in it. The spinning of the Earth has a way of reminding you.

  David’s body was satisfied. He had released so much that his mind drifted into a peaceful state of relaxation. His Jenna sat with him. She had pleasured him, and he had given to her everything he could.

  After a few moments of introspective self-realization on his part, Jenna broke the silence.

  “David?”

  “Yes, Honey.”

  “Where is this going? What are we doing?” Jenna didn’t know. She was conflicted. On one hand, he was the most wonderful, rare, beautiful thing she had ever seen, on the other, she felt she would disappoint him if they made this into a long-term commitment. She decided that love was a complicated and foggy affair.

  David sat up and put his thinking face on. He glanced at her beautiful eyes. What did she want him to say? What did she feel? His mind leapt between his weighty thoughts and he wondered himself what the answer was to her question.

  He gave her the only answer he could. “I don’t know. I’ve never met anyone like you. I’ve never felt so comfortable with anyone, but that scares me. I’m sure I’ll hurt you if we stay together for very long.” She tried to interrupt, but he put his fingers over her lips and silenced her. “No, wait. Let me finish. I am afraid of hurting you, so I will try my best not to show you that terrible part of me. However, I am completely, hopelessly addicted to you. We may not have forever, but we will damn sure have tomorrow. This will not be the last time I see you.”

  Jenna forgot her arguments and smiled while she fought tears of joy from falling from her eyes. She kissed his fingers on her lips. It wasn’t forever, but it would have to do. “Thank you.”

  “Hand me your phone.” Jenna obeyed and watched David put his phone number in it. She was so very happy to have it.

  “That was a wonderful tour. I know my way around a little better now.” She lied. She hadn’t paid close attention at all. She put her phone in her pocket and held it there for a moment with great sentiment.

  “I’m glad. I’m busy tomorrow evening. I have a work thing. But the next day, I’d like to call you and make a date. Is that ok?”

  “Please do. I am busy tomorrow evening as well, so that will be perfect.”

  David kissed her, cuddled her close to him in the truck, and drove her home.

  *****

  Jenna held the tickets in her hand. The Black Keys, in appreciation for the marketing plan she made for them, had given them to her as a gift. She was pretty pumped a few weeks ago to have them, but now, to be honest, she would just rather go and see David. She used to think she would never be this kind of girl, picking a guy over all the cool stuff she could be doing. Oh well, things change.

  She moved the clothes in her closet back and forth, searching for something. ‘I just don’t have anything I could wear tonight!’ She thought as her gaze passed bemusedly over her dozens and dozens of outfits. ‘I haven’t been to a concert in years. What do people wear to concerts anyway?’ She picked up a denim skirt and a maroon top. ‘This will have to work, I suppose.”

  As she got dressed and ready to go, she couldn’t help but wonder what David had to do that was so important, and how he thought she would look in her cute little skirt.

  *****

  ‘This is a waste of time,’ David thought. He liked the Black Keys a lot, but from where he was being stationed, he wouldn’t be able to see or hear anything. There probably wouldn’t be a reason for the Fire Department anyway. However, since the pyrotechnic incident at the Remy Zero concert last year, the Mayor made sure that the Chief, if not on another call, had some of the guys keep a truck parked across the way, just in case.

  He was sitting in the driver’s seat of Engine 14 with the air conditioner blowing. Damn, this suit was hot. He turned to see what the other guys were doing. Hank and Scott were playing some card game. He couldn’t tell what they were playing, he wasn’t even sure if they knew what game they were playing. Hank kept shouting something like “Bingo” or “Marco” and then Scott would throw cards at him. David chuckled.

  His eyes roamed back over to the auditorium at Zilker where the concert was in full swing. He sighed. He wondered if Jenna was missing him as much as he was missing her.

  *****

  Jenna squealed as Dan Auerbach crooned out the lyrics to “Howlin’ For You.” He had a completely different presence on stage than what he had in her office in Dallas. The college dropout was quiet, unassuming and modest, but on stage he was alive. The music just poured out of him. He and Patrick Carney made the blues sound so sexy and riveting.

  At first, Jenna thought that going to the concert alone was going to be hard. However, while she wiggled in her spot to the sound, it didn’t matter who else was around her. She just let the music wrap her up. The only sliver of her that was not enjoying herself was pining for David, but he was busy anyway. This was a pretty good consolation.

  An explosion muted the bass and
the crowd turned in tandem to the east. Flames could be seen tipping over the stands.

  Another on the west side made its presence known. Without the music, it sounded so much heavier and deeper. It shook the ground beneath the concert-goers. Jenna could only hear the roar of the flames for a few seconds before the crowd began to scream and evacuate. From the top of the structure, it looked like sand pouring out of an hourglass. Security was trying to maintain the calm of those leaving, but to no avail.

  Jenna felt panic creeping up her spine, but she stilled it. It wouldn’t help her to act foolish. She kept her cool and filed out with the rest of them. The fear, although muzzled, was still not silent. She worried, and she prayed. She thought of David and she hoped that a hero would save her.

  *****

  “Hank! Scott! Get the others! On the Engine, we have an explosion on the east side!”

  David flipped the lights and sirens on and rocketed through the winding paths and parking lots to the location of the eruption.

  BOOM!

  Upon hearing the explosion on the west side, he radioed back to the station. “We need assistance. We have two fires, I repeat, two separate fires at the concert at Zilker. We need another engine or two ASAP. We are continuing to the fire on the east side of the auditorium, there is another on the west.”

  BOOM!

  “Make that three.”

  *****

  Jenna was able to break into a run once she got out of the front gate of the auditorium. She could not see the fires on the sides of the building, but the way the people scattered like dropped marbles, she knew they were there.

  She ran toward her car.

  BOOM

  A car near to where she parked detonated. Its pieces flew up into the sky and an orange flash of light filled her vision. Her head met soft grass a little harder than she would have liked. She felt warm. And then everything went black.