Caught in the Flames (5 page)

“Ten years this fall.”

Oh, God, he is old. Ten years! He’s gotta be deep into his dirty thirties. That’s way too old for me. I just graduated college. I’m only twenty-two. I can’t date someone who was an adult before I started my period.

“Oh, wow. That’s great. Super. I guess that’s why they call you boss. You’re a supervisor? Or leader? Director? Master fire slayer? What is it you even call a lead fireman?” I blabber on, not able to still my racing thoughts.

“Callie.” His right hand slides over to rest on my thigh and halts my chatter. His callused thumb rubs the skin. It’s a simple move but it goes straight to my core and I fight the urge to squeeze my legs closed. My sex throbs. Oh, God, I’m getting turned on by someone who could practically be my father.

“Captain.”

“Huh?”

“Though I wouldn’t argue if you insist on master fire slayer.” He chuckles.

“So you’re how old exactly?” Good. Better to know and move on.

“Twenty-eight.”

“How the fuck—?” I stop myself. “Wow, you must have been really young when you started working.”

“Yep. Well, my father is a Battalion Chief so I was hired on right after high school and worked my way through college. Most people have to wait for an opportunity to get on with a county. It’s a very competitive field.”

“Oh, wow. Family biz, then. That’s great. Super.”
Dammit, stop saying super.
The car pulls to an abrupt stop and I look forward to find we’re in the middle of fucking nowhere. At least it seems that way. The headlights illuminate the open field and I glance around to find no other vehicles. What the—

“You’re not going to murder me, are you?” I try to laugh but nerves work their way in and it comes out more like a cackle.
Attractive
.

His booming laughter fills the cab and he shakes his head. “You are really something, Callie.”

“So that’s a no?” I sneak a glance to find him still smiling.

“No. I won’t be murdering you. It’s not my thing. I may attack you later, though.” His eyes lose the teasing crinkle and he adds. “But only if it’s consensual.”

I bite my lip. His fingers, still resting on my thigh, trace slow, tiny circles on my skin and goosebumps cover my flesh.

“Come on.” He opens his car door and walks around the back. After a few seconds I realize he’s not coming around to open my door. Not that he should. I’m an independent woman, I can open my own damn door. I just thought maybe he would. I pop the lock and pull the handle to step into the night.

The late summer air is still warm but the muggy humidity of day is gone. I love summers in Virginia. The chirp of crickets, the croak of a far off frog, and an occasional hoot of an owl. It’s a peaceful, familiar backdrop, and recalls fond childhood memories of neighborhood bonfires and running through lawns from summers spent at my aunt and uncle’s.

“Ready?” Chase is by my side holding an LED lantern that casts light across a well-worn path in the earth.

“Sure. Where are we going?” He offers his arm and I wind my hand through, gripping his firm bicep. I may give it a squeeze or two. I can’t help it. He’s so built and his muscles are hard through the soft fabric of his shirt.

“There’s a clearing up ahead. Great little spot. I hope you don’t mind. It’s simple, I know, but I’m a simple kind of guy.”

“No. Not at all. It’s great. I love summer nights. They’re made to be enjoyed outdoors.”

“Good.” He leads me around an obtruding plant. “I hope you’re hungry. I brought dinner.” He raises the cooler gripped in his other hand.

“Starved.” And I am. With my breakfast cut short from nervous worry about the date and the hustle of grooming to get ready I haven’t eaten more than a few bites all day.

“Here.” We reach the clearing and he hands me the lantern. “Hold this.” He makes quick work spreading out a large, thick blanket and pops open the cooler. Savory aromas fill the air and my stomach rumbles. He pats the space next to him and I join him on the blanket.

“Did you make all this?”

He removes plastic ware full of chicken, potatoes, gravy, biscuits, and corn from the cooler. I’m impressed. Sexy, heroic, nice car, and can cook.

Chase hands me a fork and his lips pull into a smirk. He raises one eyebrow. “I’d really like to lie and say I did because that’s probably more impressive than the truth.” He pops the lid off the tub of potatoes and gravy and lifts it between us. I scoop out a forkful and bite it between my teeth. It doesn’t escape me that Chase’s gaze trains on my mouth the entire time. I make sure to lick across my lips after I swallow.

“I’d rather have the truth. Who made this?” I grin.

“The Colonel.” He takes a big bite and smiles.

“Who’s that, your boss or something?” Chase laughs and sets the mashed potatoes down. I eat a few more bites as he composes himself and drags over the chicken.

“Promise you won’t look down on me?”

“Promise.” Now I’m impatient to know.

“Colonel Sanders. I went through the drive thru at KFC and repackaged everything to look like I made it. Stupid, right?” He grins and my own lips pull into a smile as I reach across his lap and snatch one of the biscuits.

“No. It’s cute, actually.”

“Cute?” He drops his head, shakes it, and the movement sends the front of his hair forward over his forehead. I resist the urge to brush it back. “Cute. That works for puppies. But fuck! Now I’m gonna have to work my ass off to get bumped up to sex god.”

I laugh and for the first time relax enough to truly enjoy his company. I like Chase. I get his quirky sense of humor and the fact he can laugh at himself. Humility. It’s a rare quality in a man.

“Don’t worry about it too much. I don’t think you’ll have to work that hard to make the transition.”

“Oh?” Again with the lift of the brow. I just shrug. “I hope you don’t mind it dirty.”

“What?” My voice inches higher than I intend.

He lifts the chicken between us with a wink. “There’s really no other way to eat fried chicken. Gotta get a little dirty.” He’s doing it again. The low rumble of his voice goes straight to my core and just like that I’m completely turned on.
Fuck. What is wrong with me?
Turned on by chicken. This may be a new low. I bite my bottom lip and eye the offending food.

“Come on, Callie. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of getting a little messy.” My eyes snap up to meet his. I snag a drumstick and open my jaw as wide as it will go to take a huge bite. He chuckles and takes a piece from the container.

“I’m a breast man myself.” His gaze roves over my cleavage at the same time his mouth bites into the food.
Fuck
. I squeeze my legs together but the ache between them only grows watching this man eat. Damn. Those lips.

Something touches my foot with a nudge. I look up at Chase and bat my eyes. “Footsie? What, are we sixteen?” At his puzzled expression and the plop of weight at my toes I glance down at my feet. And scream. Fucking loud. Like a girl.

“Toad! Get it off! Get it off!” I’m paralyzed but my mouth works just fine.

“Where?” Chase jumps to his feet and grabs the lantern.

“Feet! Feet! Fuck! Get it off!” Chase stoops at my legs and with the lantern I can see the little devil spawn eying me from where he’s taken up home on my manicured toes.

“Awe, he’s not so bad,” Chase coos as he scoops the toad from my feet. “I think you scared him more than he scared you.”

“Fuck! I doubt it.” As soon as it’s off I stand and shake out the heebie jeebies that have rooted beneath my skin. So much for playing it cool. Or being relaxed. There’s no way in hell I’ll be able to sit out here any longer. Chase walks the toad several yards away and releases him into the wild before marching back.

“So . . .” He glances around at our half eaten food containers. “I vote we move this party elsewhere.”

“I second that!” I all but shout.

“I thought you would. Let’s pack this up. I have an idea. We can still enjoy the outdoors without the wildlife.”

Amazing. Completely and absolutely. Best first date ever.

Lying on top of the fire station roof, I’m snuggled up next to Chase. We gaze up at the stars. The sounds of the neighborhood feel miles away.

“This was a good idea.” I turn to study Chase’s profile. He gazes at the night sky and my fingers itch to run along his strong jaw where the hint of stubble shows. We’re barely touching; his hand covers mine as we recline side by side. I could stay like this always.

“Yeah, it really was.” He glances to the side and meets my stare. Our mouths are inches from each other, but I don’t want them to be. “Kiss me, Callie,” he demands in a low growl. I close the distance and seal my lips over his.

Our mouths move together. A dance. An exploration. A coming together of two people for the first time. Learning. Wanting. But not a fumble. He’s a great kisser. With those lips I already pegged him for it so I’m not surprised. I roll to my side and he mirrors the movement. My fingers are finally given the permission to run along his neck, strong jaw, and brush into his hair.

His hand trails along my side, grazing the side of my breast and I’m sort of impressed at his control. The way his tongue meets mine, well, a weaker man would go straight for the boob squeeze. He’s a complete gentleman and we kiss for what feels like an eternity. Probably more like thirty minutes. But still. I can’t remember the last time I just kissed a man to kiss. It’s bliss.

I roll to my back and Chase holds his body over mine. His erection juts into my hip but he doesn’t try to dry hump my body. Such a gentleman. A gentleman with an impressive boner. I almost giggle at the thought before his lips move from my mouth and glide down the side of my neck to where it meets my shoulder. He sucks and nibbles and I groan out loud. That’s my sweet spot. Fuck. Both of my hands go straight to his hair and hold him there.

“I want you so bad, Callie,” he rasps into my earlobe. “Please say you wanna fuck me.” My vagina says yes but my head says slow the fuck down. He moans my name again, this time grinding his hardness into where my legs wrap around him. What the—
Seriously, does my body have to be such a little minx?

“Oh, I want to,” I pant out, and then pull his head away from the nips he scatters across my neck. “But not tonight.” I hold his gaze. His eyes are unfocused and it takes a moment, I think, for his brain to process my words.

“Oh. Okay. Yeah. Sure.” He rolls off me and stares up at the sky. His breaths come heavy and quick. I sneak a look at his aroused state and confirm that he’s every inch as impressive as I felt him to be.

“Chase, I’m having a great time with you, but I’m not gonna sleep with you.”

“No?” He tilts his face to meet my gaze. I roll to my side and tuck my arm under my cheek as I hold his stare.

“No way. There’s so much I don’t know.”

“What’s to know?” His expression is open.

“I hardly know anything about you.”

“What do you want me to tell you?”

I scrunch my nose and twist my lips into a wry grin. “Everything.”

His laughter fills the air. “That could take a while.” He rolls to his side and reaches a hand out to rest at my side. Silly, but the gesture relieves my nerves. I turned him down, yes, but not because I don’t find him incredibly attractive. It’s good to know that’s not a deal breaker for him. Not that I would sleep with him because of that. It just confirms he really is the good guy I find him to be.

“Exactly.” I laugh. “Besides, I’m not going to fuck you on the roof of the station where you work! Someone could totally come up here and see us.”

“You aren’t an exhibitionist?”

“Not really,” I answer in honesty.

“Oh, shit.” He drops his hand from my waist and rises. His scowl looms over me. “I gotta go.”

“What?” I scramble to sit up.

“I only get off if we do it in public.” He turns, takes two steps and then spins back and tackles me back to the ground. His movements are graceful and fluid and his soft chuckle washes over me, sending pleasure straight to my core. He rolls so I’m straddling him from on top and I have to resist the urge to squeeze my legs together. The way our bodies fit, it’s so sexual, and the way his eyes hood with desire encourages me to be every bit the sex kitten I want to be.

“Why won’t you really sleep with me tonight?” His voice is rough and heavy but his expression is sincere. His hands frame my face and he pulls me close for a scorching kiss. God, he’s good at that.

“I don’t want you to think I’m easy,” I murmur. “’Cause I’m not.” Mere inches separate us but I study his expression. My breath tangles with his, and his eyes are a burnt, melty chocolate. I could gaze into their depths all night.

“I won’t think any less of you if we sleep together, Callie. And for the record I’m okay with your decision. Either way.”

Relief fills me at his words and I lean back off his chest and rest my weight on my heels so I straddle his waist. “Besides, I’m gonna make you work for it,” I say with a cheeky grin and give his chest a playful slap, my poor attempt to lighten the intensity of the moment. I move to crawl off his lap but Chase’s hands clamp down on my thighs and hold me to him.

“I am not afraid of hard work, Callie.” His voice is hard and stern and damn if the feeling of his fingers digging into the flesh of my legs doesn’t go straight to my clit. “I want you. I’ll work for it. You believe me, don’t you?”