Bad Boy's Touch (Firemen in Love Book 3) (12 page)

That was the lovemaking I'd dreamed of for so long, but had been too afraid to ask for. It just felt so natural with him, so
right.

We dressed and drove back to the gas station where I'd left my car. The lot was empty now, no bikers or cops to be found.

“I, uh, had a good time,” he said as I got in. “Wasn't how I expected this night to go, but I'm not complaining.”

“You'd better lay off the racing for a while. They'll be on high alert after this.”

“Yes, officer.” He winked. “Guess I'll see you the next time our arsonist friend shows up.”

My heart sank. He didn't ask for my number. Didn't say we should do this again. To him, this really was a one-time thing.

And that hurt.

“I guess. Victor's told me to drop the investigation. To wait and see what the guy does.”

“What else can you do? It's not like you got any leads on him. All we know is he's crazy and he's got something against sinners, whatever that means.”

He kissed my cheek, told me good night, and rode off on his bike, leaving me alone.

It felt so wrong. After what we'd just done, after such an intense, emotional experience, he'd just drive off like it didn't happen?

“But what did you expect, Mad?” I laughed at myself. “It was only supposed to be one night. Get over it.”

So I tried, but I already knew it wasn't going to be that easy.

Chapter 9 - Brett

Sex had never been a real big deal to me. I wanted it; I went out and got it. In and out, take what I needed, move on.

But with Madison, it wasn't that simple.

Normally, I lost interest after I'd made the score. One night was enough for me.

Not this time. It'd been three days since that encounter with her in the woods, and I couldn't get her off my mind no matter how I tried.

A plush basketball flew over my desk and knocked me in the head. Jayce snickered from his spot across the room.

“You're totally out of it. What's gotten into you?”

I laughed and shook my head. “If only I knew.”

The station was bustling with activity, though there hadn't been a call for us today yet. That gave me plenty of time to ruminate on my feelings.

What had come over me? I usually wasn't so aggressive, so... violent, almost, with a woman. But her body language said she wanted it, and when I gave in, oh boy.

It felt
good
to spank her, to be rough with her. When she told me she liked it when I slapped her ass, I just lost it.

I had to have her again. The thought of sleeping with some other girl held no appeal anymore.

“Hey, Jayce,” I called to him. “You know that cop who showed up at the club? Madison?”

He grinned. “You screwed her, didn't you?”

“How the hell did
you
know?”

“You obviously had a thing for her; any idiot could see that. And everyone knows how you are – when you see a girl you want, you don't rest until you've nabbed her.”

“Guess you know me too well.”

“So why the weird look on your face?”

I kicked back in my chair and replayed the scene in my head for the hundredth time. “Sex with her wasn't like it is with those girls from the club. It was different. Special. That sounds stupid, but...”

“Oh.” His eyes widened. “I get it. You actually
like
this woman.”

I couldn't deny it. She was more than just a pretty face, more than a warm body to keep me company for the evening.

She was tough. Self-assured. Confident. Didn't put up with my bullshit. Didn't care about impressing me.

Unlike most of the women I'd banged, I respected her.

“This is how it starts, you know,” Jayce continued. “Exactly what happened to me with Elle.”

Cold fear ran through my veins. “What are you talking about?”

He gazed at the picture of her and his son, Ethan, on his desk. Once again, I felt that stab of jealousy that was really starting to make me nervous.

“I'd had a thing for her for years. When I finally got her, it was incredible. With her, sex wasn't just physical. I cared about her. Stopped wanting anyone else.”

“If you're trying to say I'm gonna marry this chick...”

“No, I'm not. I know you always say you don't want to settle down, but maybe give dating a try, huh?” He frowned. “I just don't like seeing you alone. The right woman can make your world a much better place.”

The thought of dating, of getting close to someone again, terrified me. I'd tried that once long ago, only to regret it in the end.

“You know how I told you I'd never been in love? That's not exactly true,” I confessed. “There was a woman once, years ago. I let myself fall for her. She took advantage of that.”

“I'm sorry. I had no idea.”

“She lied. Stole from me. Treated me like crap because she knew she had me under her spell.” I laughed at my stupidity. “Only after I caught her cheating for the second time did I end things. Ever since, I decided it would be far easier to stick with flings and one-night stands.”

“But not all of them are like that. Sure, you take a risk opening up, but it can be worth it.”

I could hardly believe I was listening to Jayce, former playboy of the year. He had a real talent for picking up any woman he wanted back then. He probably still could, too, but he loved his wife.

He and the rest of the gang didn't go to the club anymore, like we all used to. Max was several hours away in Bastrop and blissfully married himself. They had no time or desire to go out partying, drinking, smoking pot, and sleeping around.

Myself, I hadn't gone out in a long time. I missed it, but... Maybe the wild days of youth couldn't last forever.

The clanging fire alarm shook me out of my thoughts. Finally, some work to do. It just might help me get Madison off my mind.

Ha, yeah right. Who was I fooling?

“What's the situation, chief?”

Hank, generally a calm and collected man, yelled at us to get our asses moving pronto.

“Got several calls about a big fire down at Forest Hill trailer park,” he announced. “Reports say that something in several of the trailers has exploded.”

“Damn,” Jayce muttered. “A bomb? We're not equipped to handle that kind of thing.”

The arsonist's letter popped into my mind. He was going after a place that dealt in drugs next, he said.

Could this be his handiwork?

“No, not a bomb,” I said as I threw on my gear. “Forest Hill's in a bad part of town. That trailer park's been associated with drugs for ages now.”

“A meth lab, you think?”

“Possibly. Let's just get down there and take care of it.”

I hopped in the driver's seat of a wailing engine, along with Jayce. A couple of other guys, Oliver and Billy, followed behind in their own truck.

I fumbled with my phone as I raced through the city. If the arsonist had struck again, Madison would want to know.

But I felt weird calling her. We hadn't spoken in days, since that unforgettable night. Why not? Why the hell didn't I ask for her number?

“Man, watch where you're driving.” Jayce gestured to a car I'd almost sideswiped. “Max got canned for wrecking his truck. I'd hate for you to go next.”

“Sorry. I was just thinking about calling Madison. She's supposed to be investigating this stuff.”

“You're saying you believe it's arson again?”

“Won't know until we get there, but my gut's saying yes.” I dialed the Kingston police department and prayed she was working today. “C'mon, pick up.”

The lady in the office had to transfer me to Madison's desk. The phone rang for a while, but she finally picked up just as we turned down the road toward Forest Hill.

“Officer Madison Finley speaking.”

“Madison, it's me.”

She hesitated. “Brett? I'm surprised you're calling.”

I should've told her I missed her, that I wanted her in my bed, my hands all over her sweet body as soon as humanly possible.

But I was a big sissy, so I shoved those uncomfortable feelings back down where they belonged.

“I think the arsonist has done it again,” I said. “Forest Hill trailer park. Ring a bell?”

She gasped. “That place is dangerous. Not even the cops like to go out there. Are you sure?”

“No, but there was mention of several explosions.”

She paused for a moment to listen to something on her radio. “Yeah, I just got a call about it myself. I'm heading down, okay? The longer I wait, the bigger chance any key witnesses will be gone.”

“Sure, but you're not going near the place until the fire's totally out.”

When she hung up, I felt weird. It almost sounded as if she was disappointed, somehow.

I brushed it off as we pulled into Forest Hill. The blaze had struck five of the trailers, and thanks to the dry, dead grass, it was spreading quick.

“Come on, guys. Let's move!” Jayce shouted. “Brett, you and I will take those three. The others can handle the rest.”

Park residents stood behind the fence, watching us put out the blaze. I kept my eye on the crowd, scanning for anyone or anything suspicious. But these folks just looked like your typical redneck fare; certainly none of them were the culprit.

Still, I knew that arsonists often hung around to watch things burn. The guy could be here, right now, studying his handiwork while we struggled to snuff out the flames.

A police cruiser whipped into the parking lot, tires screeching as it came to an abrupt stop. Madison climbed out and surveyed the inferno with wide eyes.

“Keep back,” I yelled. “Don't want you to get hurt.”

Her gaze shifted from the burning trailers to me. Then she frowned and looked away.

“Yeah. You got it.”

My heart sank. She already
had
been hurt – by me.

Nah, don't be dumb. You didn't do a thing wrong. Never made her any promises; didn't lead her on.

She should have known what she was getting into with me. She was well aware of my reputation.

But then why did she look and sound so sad? Stranger still, why did that bother me so damn much?

“Hold onto that hose,” Jayce shouted. “I'm gonna spray down the grass so we don't let it spread.”

Madison milled around the perimeter, studying the residents and probably wondering the same thing about them I had been. It was good she'd come. Now she could worry about catching the guy while I focused on the job.

“Excuse me, sir? I have a few questions I'd like to ask you.”

She pulled a man aside to speak with him. I watched her, transfixed by her beauty, even though I should have been keeping my eye on the target.

Oliver, Billy, and I cut through the yards and went to work on the next trailer. This one was engulfed in fire, likely already totally destroyed inside. Could be the source, where it started.

A few guys caught my attention then. They stood off to the side, heads down, their faces covered by baseball caps. Madison didn't seem to notice them.

There was a hissing noise, though, coming from the trailer behind me. I braced myself, knowing whatever made that sound couldn't be good.

An explosion tore through the trailer, sending hunks of the roof and debris sky-high. Pieces of something metal flew in every direction as the crowd screamed and ran for safety.

Scorching heat rippled over my flesh. I covered my face, the pain of it almost too much to bear.

“What the hell was that?” Oliver screamed over the racket. “Everybody, stay back!”

We scrambled to get the hoses on it. I scanned the yard for Madison and said a silent thank you when I found her hiding behind her cruiser.

That's when I spotted him through the thick smoke: a figure of a man – no details stood out, but it freaked me out anyway. He looked directly at me for a long time, not moving. Then he turned and walked away, vanishing into the gray clouds.

“Madison!” I yelled as best I could with these fumes and heat burning my lungs. “That guy over there... It's him.”

She didn't ask questions, just bolted into action, her gun drawn. As she disappeared behind the smoky curtain, my heart skipped a beat. Wait a minute; was she seriously going to chase this psycho down by herself?

What was I
thinking?

She was gone for what seemed like an eternity. My hands shook, and I nearly dropped the hose as I waited for her to come back.

“Stop! Stop right there,” she yelled.

Then, more silence. Finally, to my great relief, she returned.

“What happened?”

“He got away.” She scowled and holstered her gun. “Guy was fast. With all this smoke, it's impossible to see five feet in front of your face.”

“He's gotta be still around. How far do you think he could have gotten?”

“I don't know, but...” She shook her head. “Something about the way he moved kind of unnerved me a bit.”