12-Alarm Cowboys (153 page)

When Makenna came to his back, she gave in, using both hands to caress him from neck to arms, planting a kiss as high on his back as she could reach. And then she paused to skim her night shirt over her head, leaned in and rubbed on him, brushing her stiff hungry nipples back and forth across his back. As her face was pressed to his skin, she felt his chest rumble from a deep-throated growl. Wrapping her arms around him, she pressed against him, her hands beginning to move. “I want to be as close to you as I can get.”

Titan thought he could be still. He tried. Those small, soft hands of hers crept up from his waist and covered his pecs, rubbing, the palms caressing his nipples. He looked down. His cock was trying to push out of his pants. “You’re teasing the beast, baby.”

Makenna smiled against his skin. What was amazing about all of this was that he was powerful, a male animal in his prime. He could hurt her if he wanted to, but she had no fear whatsoever. Titan would cut off his arm before he would harm one hair on her head. “You’re so sexy, Titan. I’m wet for you.”

She didn’t make it around to his front by herself, she had help. He pulled her around, lunged at her mouth, taking both of her breasts in his hands. As he ravished her mouth, Titan tugged on her nipples. She arched against him, sliding one hand up his chest to encircle his neck. His mouth slid off of hers, spreading a trail of hot kisses over her throat and collarbone. She followed his lead, licking and kissing his throat, then his jaw. Her spare hand wasn’t idle, she teased his nipple, lightly scoring it with her fingernails. “Enough, babe, I’m dying.” With one easy move, he picked her up and carried her to the bed.

“Now the pants, cowboy.” She lay there, spread out and ready for him.

He wasted no time or movement, losing the jeans as fast as he’d lost the shirt. “Better?” He knew his cock was appreciative, it had been living in cramped quarters.

“Come lie on top of me. I need to feel your weight.” This she wouldn’t try to explain, but the sheer bulk of him on top of her made Makenna feel sheltered, enveloped—enclosed. No one could touch her when he stood between her and the world.

“Give me that mouth,” he growled, nipping her bottom lip, eating at her lips. Makenna reveled in his lust, clinging to him and kissing him back just as feverishly. When he pulled away, she thought she’d weep, but he moved down her body, ending up at her feet. Picking up one leg, he caressed the arch, kissing a path from ankle to knee. “Roll over.”

Makenna turned over so quickly, she hoped she preserved some sense of grace. She was so excited. Her arousal was flowing down the inside of her thigh.

“Up on your knees, face in the pillow.”

About two seconds after she’d done as he asked, she felt his mouth against her pussy. “Oh, yes, God, yes.” Not being able to see what he was doing just made it more intense. A lick from his talented tongue made her groan and when he spread her open with his fingers and buried his face in her sex she thought she’d black out. Makenna perched her ass in the air, pushing back, pressing her pussy into his face.

After that, all she could do was hang onto the sheet, because he made it his personal mission to make her scream—and he was very successful. Makenna came so hard she bit a hole in his pillowcase.

Titan couldn’t believe the sight before him. He’d hit the damn love jackpot. There was no sexier woman in the world. For him, she was it. Taking his engorged cock in hand, he fit himself into her cleft, sliding in her cream before pulling back and pushing the head into her opening ever so slowly.

Makenna almost said something about a condom, but she was weak. She was addicted to the feel of him. If something happened, it was on her. She wanted him, she couldn’t deny it. She wanted him forever. So, wanting his child was a natural extension. “More,” she whimpered and he worked his way in halfway. When he pulled back to thrust in, she countered his move, impaling herself on his big cock.

“Mercy!” he bellowed, as his body shook with the need to explode. “Hold on, I can’t stop now.” Grabbing her hips, he began to fuck her hard, covering her back, kissing her neck, grazing the soft flesh with his teeth. When she tightened down around him, milking his cock, Titan saw stars.

Taking her hips in his hands, he held her right where he needed her. Make no mistake about it, he might be on top, but she was calling the shots. At any time, if she gave any hint that she wanted him to let up, to stop, he’d cease and desist. Instead, she begged for him, “More, Ti, harder, more!”

Giving her what she needed, Titan hammered into her. Her little channel caressed him, milked him, burned him with her hunger. “Come for me, baby, I need you so much.” He slid his hands around to her front, one grasping a quivering globe, the other delving between her legs to find her clit.

Titan didn’t know if it was his words or his touch, but she bloomed for him, her body responding in the age-old way of a woman surrendering to a man. With a sexy cry, she came all over him, the pulsing spasms of her channel pushing him over the cliff—a stampede of sensation that kept his cock moving in and out of her long after the clasps of her pussy muscles had milked him of every drop.

Pulling out, he wrapped an arm around her and took her with him, him landing on his back and her spread on top of him like jam on toast. “Did I satisfy you, my Makenna?”

“Completely.” She sighed, relaxing fully against him. “Completely.”

‡

T
itan’s world had
changed. He was no longer alone and he was no longer lonely. What he’d wished for, what he prayed for had been given to him. Now, he just had to make sure he kept it, kept her. He lay there, his cock growing harder by the second and realized…she was here, they were together and there was no use to deprive either of them of what they wanted or needed. Rising, he bent over and took her nipple in his mouth, sucking through the shirt. Beneath him, she bowed her back and whimpered.

“Titan.” Makenna said his name at the same time she clasped his head to her breast. “Good morning.” He grazed his teeth over her nipple and she felt herself grow wet.

Titan shut his eyes, luxuriating in the moment. “Take me inside you, Makenna,” he instructed with a low voice.

She skimmed his T-shirt over her head and rose up on her knees. Between the two of them, they managed to put Part A into Slot B. He held his cock up and helped her angle over him until she could sink down on his dick…slowly. Titan loved the look of wonder on her face as she sheathed him. Linking their hands, Makenna began to ride him while he gazed at the erotic sight. He wanted to watch—her breasts were jiggling, her eyes were glazed over with desire and her sweet mouth was open, ready for his kisses. But
fuucck
, it felt so good, he couldn’t keep his eyes open. The heat, the rub, the friction, the slide of his flesh against her. “Makenna!” Too soon he came, shooting up inside of her. Embarrassed by the breakneck speed his cock raised the white flag, he was grateful she was polite and came with him.

“Oh, that was so good.” She laid her head on his shoulder and he held her tight. Life didn’t get any better than this—Titan Sloan had it made.

After cumming so hard, they drifted back so sleep but an insistent buzzing on the nightstand claimed Titan’s attention. Since he’d squashed his old alarm clock, Titan had replaced it with a sturdier model. The next piece of technology that was in dire danger of being mauled was his phone, especially now that he had Makenna in his bed. With a groan he grabbed it. “Hello?”

“Titan, this is Kirk Armstrong. I wanted to let you know that we found liquid paraffin in Wade’s garage. We also found some other things that might connect him to these fires—trophies, I guess you could say. All of this has to be analyzed, but he looks to be the arsonist.”

Titan wasn’t surprised that the Fire Marshal found proof. What did surprise him was the disappointment in the man’s voice. Clearly, he hadn’t wanted Damien to be guilty. “What next?”

“He wasn’t there.” The bombshell Kirkland dropped reverberated in Titan’s head.

“The fucker was gone? The police can’t find him?” Even before he heard the verdict, Titan knew the answer.

“Someone tipped him off. He’s got friends.”

Titan sat up on the side of the bed. He knew Makenna was awake and aware.

“The sheriff said if he found out who was leaking information, they’d be off the force. “I hope people don’t start turning on Conner for trying to see that justice is done.”

Rubbing his face, Titan was pissed. “To hell with those people.” Their blind faith in someone who didn’t deserve it was putting everyone at risk, especially Makenna.

“Keep me informed,” Kirkland said.

“Oh yeah, I will.” Titan laid the phone down.

“He’s still on the loose, isn’t he?” Makenna knelt right behind him. “What if he comes here? He has to know what I’ve done. What are we going to do?”

Titan cursed under his breath, he hadn’t intended to scare her. Her trembling voice made him feel helpless. “I’m going to keep you safe, first of all. The sheriff put an APB out on him. He’s probably a state or two away by now.” Which was true. Damien might be a psycho, but he wasn’t stupid. He was probably long gone. “Second, we’re going to talk and I want to know everything about that idiot you can tell me. It’s time we took him out of commission.”

Makenna felt better when she had a sense of purpose in mind. They readied themselves for the day, then sat down at the kitchen table to eat breakfast. Today their meal consisted of omelets she’d whipped up while he made coffee. “What can you tell me about Damien’s past?” Titan asked as he buttered his toast.

“I’ve probably heard the version that everyone else relates. He’s a hometown boy. His parents owned a Mom and Pop mercantile store.” Makenna thought a minute. “What he really likes to talk about is his time in the VFD and how he came to be involved. If I heard the story how he saved the congregation at the Baptist Church once, I heard it fifty times. He loved to relate how he was driving by, saw the fire and ran in to lead everyone out to safety.”

“It seems he did this more than once, right?” Titan watched her face, seeing how this affected her.

“Yes, he loved to be a hero. I don’t know the names of the families whose homes he managed to save, but there was more than one. I believe Kirkland was Fire Chief then, and they encouraged Damien to join as soon as he was old enough. He had quite the reputation. When he moved north, it was Kirk’s recommendation that got him the paid job in the big city fire department.”

Titan kept eating, but his mind was racing. “Why did you leave the city and move back here?”

Makenna swallowed before answering, wiping her mouth with a paper towel. “My life at that point was miserable. The honeymoon stage was over, I guess you could say. He didn’t talk to me, not really. Every day he seemed to take greater pleasure in browbeating and humiliating me.” At his questioning expression, she elaborated. “Well, you heard how I had to say that I was worthless out loud.” She saw Titan’s jaw harden, his mouth compress in a thin straight line. “If the meal I cooked wasn’t up to his specifications, I had to eat mine off the floor.” Titan groaned, so Makenna moved on. Those days were behind her, no use to dwell on them. “When he decided to move, I wasn’t included in the decision. Damien came home one day and announced we were leaving. There were no goodbye parties or visits from his friends. We were just there one day and here the next. I don’t know what happened.”

Titan stood and collected their plates. “That is strange. I wonder…” he began, but he didn’t finish his sentence.

Makenna helped him, placing their dishes in the washer. “What are you thinking?”

“I think I see a pattern.” He kissed her on the forehead. “I do my best thinking at the anvil, so I’m going to head out to my blacksmith shop for a bit.” Glancing at the clock, he saw it was still pretty early, only seven-thirty. “As soon as Kirk is in his office, I’m heading down and go over some records and make a few phone calls. Why don’t you get dressed and you can ride with me? Maybe you and Allie can get together while I take care of this.” He smiled when he saw her face brighten. “Remember, this afternoon I’m taking you to the vineyard.”

“You make me so happy.” She hugged him on tiptoe. “My life is nothing like it used to be.”

“This is the way life is supposed to be, sweetheart.” He hugged her back.

After that, the day passed swiftly. Titan worked his frustrations out on hot steel, forging a beautiful knife for Makenna. It would be delicate, like her, but functional. He hoped she liked it. For him, it wasn’t just a weapon for protection, it was art. As he beat the metal into submission, he let the theories he had on Damien formulate in his mind. If he was right, Damien had been a firebug all the time.

Once he had the blade formed and cooling, Titan returned to the house to see if Makenna was ready to go. When he grasped the door handle, he was glad to see she’d locked it. They couldn’t be sure Wade had left town, so taking precautions was smart. “Makenna, are you ready?” he called from the bottom of the stairs.

“Almost,” she answered back.